OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche Named To NCAA Board Of Governors

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OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. Photo: Courtesy of the OVC

Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Beth DeBauche has been named as one of nine voting members on the new NCAA Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors was outlined by the new NCAA constitution adopted in January by member schools and conferences. The Board of Governors is the highest governance body for the NCAA. The board has several responsibilities, including oversight of the finances of the Association, employment and evaluation of the NCAA president, and media rights and revenue-producing contracts.

“I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to serve on the new NCAA Board of Governance and work with tremendous leaders who care dearly about intercollegiate athletics’ role in higher education,” says DeBauche. “The NCAA and intercollegiate athletics as a whole are in a period of significant transformation, and I appreciate the responsibility associated with helping the Association chart its future course.”

DeBauche was named the seventh full-time Commissioner in OVC history on July 29, 2009. During her tenure, the OVC has had tremendous NCAA postseason success, including placing multiple teams in the NCAA Championship fields for the sports of baseball, men’s basketball, football and rifle, and earning NCAA Tournament victories in baseball (including a Super Regional appearance), men’s basketball (six total victories), women’s basketball, football (including a FCS Championship game appearance), soccer, softball and volleyball.

Under her leadership, the OVC secured its largest television contract in league history, with its multi-year media rights agreements with ESPN.

DeBauche is a former chair of the Collegiate Commissioner Association (CAA), chair of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Commissioners and the commissioners’ representative to the FCS Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA).

The new board includes four members from Division I (at least one school president and one conference commissioner), one from the Division II Presidents Council, one from the Division III Presidents Council, two independent members and one graduated student-athlete.

The new board will assume its duties Aug. 1. Over the next several weeks, the current and new boards will meet to facilitate the transition.

In addition to DeBauche, the other new voting Board of Governors members are:
Mary-Beth Cooper, President, Springfield College.
John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University.
Grant Hill, independent member, co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks.
Linda Livingstone, President, Baylor University.
Jere Morehead, President, University of Georgia.
Steven Shirley, President, Minot State University.
Nadja West, independent member, 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army.
TBD, student-athlete.

Board terms are generally for two years, renewable for an additional two years. DeGioia, the current chair, will serve on the board for one year to assist with the transition. After that, Division I will select a replacement representing its division. The new chair will be chosen by the board at its August meeting.

Steven Boero
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