Charlie Baker, Current Governor Of Massachusetts, Announced As New NCAA President Beginning March 2023

The NCAA is getting a new boss in the new year.

Effective March 1, 2023, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker will serve as president of the NCAA. Baker will succeed the NCAA's current president, Mark Emmert.

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic was the first to report the news.

Baker did not run for re-election as Massachusetts governor this fall. His term is set to end on Jan. 5. Two months later, he'll begin as the NCAA's president.

NCAA Names Charlie Baker New President

66-year-old Baker is a Republican who has been governor of "The Bay State" since January 2015. He has no previous NCAA leadership experience.

In announcing the move, Baylor University president 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.

"...Governor Baker is deeply committed to our student-athletes and enhancing their collegiate experience."

In addition to being Baylor's president, Livingstone also serves as Chair of the NCAA Board of Governors.

Livingstone later added: "These skills and perspective will be invaluable as we work with policymakers to build a sustainable model for the future of college athletics."

Current Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has been named the NCAA's new president. (Photo by Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe via Getty Images).

Baker Is Replacing Mark Emmert

As Baker steps in, Mark Emmert exits. Emmert served as the NCAA's president for 12 years. He will remain with the NCAA in an advisor capacity until June of 2023. The decision to move away from Emmert was announced last April as a mutual decision between he and the organization.

In a statement released by the NCAA, Baker commented on his new position, saying in part: "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."

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