Towson University President Kim Schatzel selected for NCAA Division I Presidential Forum

Schatzel will serve alongside presidents from across the country as the first Maryland leader to sit on the forum.

By Pam Gorsuch on October 17, 2017

The presidents of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) institutions have selected Towson University President Kim Schatzel to represent them on the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum. She is the first female representative from the CAA and the first leader of a Maryland institution to sit on the forum.

“It is a pleasure to represent the Colonial Athletic Association and serve alongside presidential colleagues from across the nation,” Schatzel said. “I look forward to weighing in on timely issues and offering counsel to the Board of Directors.”

The forum is comprised of a president or chancellor representing each of the 32 Division I conferences, including the Atlantic Coast (ACC), Southeastern (SEC), Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences. President Schatzel will work alongside fellow leaders to provide strategic insight to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors on challenges and opportunities in intercollegiate athletics. The board is currently addressing a range of topics, including transfer rules and how to optimize the student-athlete experience before, during and after college.

The appointment is a three-year term. It will begin when Elon University President Leo Lambert, the current CAA representative, retires in 2018. 

“We are pleased to welcome President Schatzel to the Division I Presidential Forum,” said Vice President for NCAA Division I Governance Kevin Lennon. “Her commitment to inclusivity and experience both in and out of academe will be an asset as the forum members consider the major issues in Division I.”

Towson University has been a highly competitive member of the CAA since 2001, with 19 active NCAA Division I teams winning 28 regular season championships and 15 CAA tournament championships. The Tigers' men’s lacrosse and women’s track and field teams are current CAA title holders.

The CAA is the nation’s top mid-major conference with a geographic footprint stretching from Boston to Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to TU, the CAA member institutions are the College of Charleston, the University of Delaware, Drexel University, Elon University, Hofstra University, James Madison University, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, Northeastern University, and the College of William and Mary.

“I am very pleased that President Schatzel has agreed to serve the CAA as our next Presidential Forum representative,” said CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio. “Her overall commitment to improving the student-athlete experience at Towson University, within the CAA and on a national level—coupled with her exceptional management and leadership skills—will make her a valued member of the forum.”

Schatzel also serves on the Board of Directors for the University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center and CollegeBound Foundation. She was recently named among The Daily Record’s 2017 Top 100 Women and 2017 Most Admired CEOs.