Governor Charlie Baker will take reins of NCAA in March

Chris Lisinski

Gov. Charlie Baker will take over as president of the NCAA in March.

The NCAA announced Thursday morning it picked Baker, a two-term Republican who opted not to seek reelection, as its next top leader to succeed Mark Emmert.

“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,” Baker said in a statement published by the NCAA. “The NCAA is confronting complex and significant 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, I will begin working with student-athletes and NCAA members as we modernize college sports to suit today’s world, while preserving its essential value.”

For months, Baker has indicated he has not yet figured out his next professional step, hinting at an interest in remaining in public service to some degree while downplaying the prospect of running for elected office in 2024.

“We are excited to welcome Governor Charlie Baker to the NCAA and eager for him to begin his work with our organization,” Linda Livingstone, president of Baylor University and chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, said in a statement. “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.”