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Jean Lenti Ponsetto Named To NCAA Task Force
CHICAGO – DePaul Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto has been tabbed to represent the NCAA on a Joint NCAA/USOC Task Force it was announced by the NCAA today.
The main purpose of the task force will be to explore avenues to affect change regarding the decline in sponsorship of Olympic sports at the intercollegiate level. The elimination of sports programs has presented a challenge for many Olympic sports and has resulted in lost participation opportunities for NCAA student-athletes in those sports. The task force has been formed as a joint effort between the NCAA and the USOC to focus on examining the decline with the hope of developing creative solutions.
“This task force is an important step in stemming the decline of Olympic sports programs on NCAA campuses,” said NCAA President Myles Brand. “Obviously, colleges and universities are faced with significant economic issues with regard to athletics programs, but the benefits these student-athletes bring to campuses and the benefits many ultimately share with the nation on the Olympic stage should not be minimized when institutions make budgetary decision.”
The task force will consist of six representatives from the USOC and six representatives from the NCAA. It will be chaired by Jack Swarbrick, a partner in the Indianapolis law firm Baker & Daniels.
Along with Ponsetto, the task force includes Richard Bender (Executive Director, USA Wrestling), Herman Frazier (Director of Athletics, University of Hawaii), Ron Galimore (Senior Director of Men’s Programs, USA Gymnastics), Andy Geiger (Director of Athletics, Ohio State University), Ian Gray (Vice Chair, NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, track and cross country student-athletes, University of Nebraska, Lincoln), Larry James (Director of Athletics, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey), Courtney Johnson (USOC Athlete Advisory Council), Kyle Kallander (Commissioner, Big South Conference), Cheryl Levick (Director of Athletics, Santa Clara University), Peter Likins (President, University of Arizona), William Martin (Director of Athletics, University of Michigan – acting President of the USOC), Andrew Valmon (USOC Athlete Advisory Council), Jon Vegosen (Vice-Chair, U.S. Tennis Association Collegiate Committee) and Chuck Wielgus (Executive Director, USA Swimming).
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