Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker will be the next president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Republican governor’s term ends in January and it is reported that he will assume his new role with the NCAA in March.
Baker, a former Harvard basketball player, will be replacing Mark Emmert, who has served as the association’s president since November 2010. Emmert announced in April that he planned to step down from his position no later than the end of June 2023.
“We are excited to welcome Governor Charlie Baker to the NCAA and eager for him to begin his work with our organization,” President of Baylor University and Chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, who helmed the presidential search committee, Linda Livingstone said, “Governor Baker has shown a remarkable ability to bridge divides and build bipartisan consensus, taking on complex challenges in innovative and effective ways. As a former student-athlete himself, husband to a former college gymnast, and father to two former college football players, Governor Baker is deeply committed to our student-athletes and enhancing their collegiate experience. These skills and perspective will be invaluable as we work with policymakers to build a sustainable model for the future of college athletics.”
The appointment of Baker, a politician known for working across party lines, gives the NCAA somebody with more experience navigating the waters in Washington D.C. as officials within the association continue to confide in Congress to enact legislation over compensation for student athletes’ name, image, and likeness.
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