Greg Sankey will head back to the school where his career began.

The SEC commissioner will give the commencement address and receive an honorary degree at Utica University’s undergraduate graduation ceremony on Thursday evening. Sankey began his career at Utica as director of intramural sports before he later was in charge of athletic compliance at Northwestern State University and for the Southland Conference, before he became commissioner of the Southland Conference in 1996.

Sankey is originally from Auburn, New York, about 80 miles west of Utica.

Sankey, a national leader in college athletics, was named the SEC’s 8th commissioner in 2015, after he joined the conference as associate commissioner in 2002. He was then promoted to Executive Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer in 2012.

He was named as the SEC’s eighth commissioner in 2015, after joining the conference as associate commissioner in 2002. He was then promoted to Executive Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer in 2012.