McClelland named NCAA men's basketball committee chair, first representative from an HBCU

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Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Charles McClelland will become the first representative from a historically Black college, university or league to chair the Division I men's basketball committee when he takes over next year.

The NCAA announced Thursday that McClelland, who has been with the SWAC since 2018, would be vice chair this season under Bradley athletic director Chris Reynold before taking on the role himself for the 2023-24 basketball season.

The committee's biggest responsibility is to select the field for the NCAA Tournament each March.

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Charles McClelland has been selected as the chair of the Division I men's basketball committee. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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"It is a tremendous honor to be selected by my colleagues," said McClelland, who previously served as athletic director at Prairie View A&M and vice president of athletics at Texas Southern. "The NCAA Tournament is the greatest sporting event in the world and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the future success of this great enterprise."

Meanwhile, the Pac-12 appointed Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke to replace UCLA's Martin Jarmond on the committee following the Bruins' decision to leave their longtime conference for the Big Ten in 2024.

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The announcements were made following the committee's annual summer meeting in Kissimmee, Florida.