Starting after the board’s Aug. 2 meeting later this year, ETSU President Brian Noland will represent the Southern Conference on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors for four years.
“I am honored by the opportunity to work with [incoming NCAA] President [Charlie] Baker and his staff as we shape the next chapter of the NCAA and to represent the outstanding athletes, coaches, staff and faculty from the member institutions in the Southern Conference,” said President Noland, according to a recent press release.
Noland will be the first representative from the SoCon since 2019. He explained that now is an important time in athletics and that athletes should be met with support “on and off the field of play.” Many of Noland’s colleagues believe that he will have a positive impact on college sports not only in this area but across the country.
The Board of Directors is the highest governing body managing and overseeing Division I athletics. The board includes a total of 24 members: 20 presidents, a director of athletics, a senior woman administrator, a faculty athletics representative and a student-athlete.
Members are responsible for the legislation that the athletic programs of Division I schools follow; this includes policies, procedures, budgets and topics on athletes’ education. The board attempts to take student-athlete voices into account when implementing and developing them.
For more information on the Board of Directors, visit the NCAA website at ncaa.org and view the “Division I Governance” tab.
