From UK Media Relations...
Barnhart Named Chair of NCAA DI MBB Committee for 2020-21
UK AD will serve as vice chair in 2019-20
LEXINGTON, Ky. – One of the most influential leaders in college athletics, Mitch Barnhart will soon step into one of his most high-profile roles yet. The Kentucky Athletics Director has been named the chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2020-21 season, the NCAA announced on Friday.
“Being asked to serve in this role by my wonderful colleagues on this committee is one of the highest honors I’ve ever received,” Barnhart said. “The 10 of us carry a huge responsibility, not just with the selection, seeding and bracketing of teams each year, which draws the greatest amount of attention, but also as a group charged with working with other constituents to manage the health of the sport of college basketball. It’s an incredible challenge and one we will continue to take very seriously.”
Barnhart – selected by Sports Business Journal as Athletic Director of the Year earlier this year – will serve as vice chair this season, working with committee chair Kevin White – who is the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Duke University. Barnhart will serve his fourth year in a five-year term this season on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, which is responsible for selecting, seeding and bracketing teams for the NCAA Tournament, along with administration of the NCAA’s highest-profile event.
Barnhart and White are joined on the committee by Craig Thompson, the commissioner of the Mountain West Conference; Jim Phillips, the director of athletics at Northwestern University; Tom Burnett, the commissioner of the Southland Conference; Bernadette McGlade, the commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference; Chris Reynolds, the director of athletics at Bradley University; Mike O’Brien, the director of athletics at University of Toledo; Charles McClelland, the commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference; and Jamie Pollard, the director of athletics at Iowa State University. Current chair Bernard Muir of Stanford University and Janet Cone, the director of athletics at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, will rotate off the committee on September 1.
Barnhart is the third director of athletics from the University of Kentucky to serve as chair of the men’s basketball committee, joining Bernie Shively and C.M. Newton.
Entering his 18th season at Kentucky, Barnhart is an experienced leader in college athletics, both at the national and conference levels. He has previously served on the NCAA Division I Council, as chair of the NCAA Competition Oversight Committee and as a member of the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee, in addition to several other leadership groups. Barnhart, now the longest-tenured athletics director in the conference, was named chair of the SEC Athletics Directors in 2017.
Barnhart Named Chair of NCAA DI MBB Committee for 2020-21
UK AD will serve as vice chair in 2019-20
LEXINGTON, Ky. – One of the most influential leaders in college athletics, Mitch Barnhart will soon step into one of his most high-profile roles yet. The Kentucky Athletics Director has been named the chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2020-21 season, the NCAA announced on Friday.
“Being asked to serve in this role by my wonderful colleagues on this committee is one of the highest honors I’ve ever received,” Barnhart said. “The 10 of us carry a huge responsibility, not just with the selection, seeding and bracketing of teams each year, which draws the greatest amount of attention, but also as a group charged with working with other constituents to manage the health of the sport of college basketball. It’s an incredible challenge and one we will continue to take very seriously.”
Barnhart – selected by Sports Business Journal as Athletic Director of the Year earlier this year – will serve as vice chair this season, working with committee chair Kevin White – who is the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Duke University. Barnhart will serve his fourth year in a five-year term this season on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, which is responsible for selecting, seeding and bracketing teams for the NCAA Tournament, along with administration of the NCAA’s highest-profile event.
Barnhart and White are joined on the committee by Craig Thompson, the commissioner of the Mountain West Conference; Jim Phillips, the director of athletics at Northwestern University; Tom Burnett, the commissioner of the Southland Conference; Bernadette McGlade, the commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference; Chris Reynolds, the director of athletics at Bradley University; Mike O’Brien, the director of athletics at University of Toledo; Charles McClelland, the commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference; and Jamie Pollard, the director of athletics at Iowa State University. Current chair Bernard Muir of Stanford University and Janet Cone, the director of athletics at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, will rotate off the committee on September 1.
Barnhart is the third director of athletics from the University of Kentucky to serve as chair of the men’s basketball committee, joining Bernie Shively and C.M. Newton.
Entering his 18th season at Kentucky, Barnhart is an experienced leader in college athletics, both at the national and conference levels. He has previously served on the NCAA Division I Council, as chair of the NCAA Competition Oversight Committee and as a member of the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee, in addition to several other leadership groups. Barnhart, now the longest-tenured athletics director in the conference, was named chair of the SEC Athletics Directors in 2017.
