The NCAA officially announced a critical move that Charlie Baker, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will expect to serve as the next NCAA President in March 2023 on December 15th, succeeding Dr. Emmert’s legacy. The NCAA hopes to continue creating a better environment for student-athletes under Governor Baker’s leadership experience, and Dr. Emmert will continue as a consultant position for NCAA until June, 2023.

Governor Baker arrives at the NCAA at a moment of significant transformation. In recent years, Legal shifts relevant to college sports have challenged the NCAA’s ability as a nationwide sports organization, resulting in an untenable patchwork of individual state laws. Partnering with federal policymakers to develop a consistent, sustainable legal framework to address issues common to student-athletes and athletic departments across the country will be a top and immediate priority. Governor Baker, who has constantly presented solutions to complex problems in the past, outstands on the search committee, especially he is very suitable for the current needs of the NCAA.

A former student-athlete at Harvard University, Governor Baker said: “I am honored to become the next president of the NCAA, an organization that impacts millions of families and countless communities across this country every day. The NCAA is confronting complex challenges, but I am excited to get to work as the awesome opportunity college athletics provides to so many students is more than worth the challenge. And for the fans that faithfully fill stadiums, stands and gyms from coast to coast, I am eager to ensure the competitions we all love to follow are there for generations to come.” Over the coming months, Governor Baker will begin working with student-athletes and NCAA members for modernizing college sports to suit today’s world, while preserving its essential value.

News Link: NCAA Official Website