Commish Chat is a new series of one-on-one interviews between Southern Conference Commissioner Jim Schaus and various student-athletes, coaches, administrators, media members and more as they discuss SoCon athletics and issues that affect college athletics on a broader scale.

The first guest of the show is Furman cross country/track & field coach Robert Gary, who has been at the helm for the Paladins since 2012 and has led his men's and women's teams to the last seven SoCon cross country titles, earning coach of the year honors each time.

Schaus and Gary discuss how Furman has become a national contender among distance programs, the return of the SoCon Cross Country Championships to the fall schedule and what makes coaching in the SoCon special.