Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert ups JU’s influence with appointment to NCAA Division I Council

The University’s voice on issues surrounding student athletes across the nation has doubled with the announcement that Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert is the newest member of the NCAA Division I Council. The council reports directly to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, and President Tim Cost was named to that governing body last fall.

“It is an honor to represent Jacksonville University and the ASUN on the NCAA Division I Council,” said Ricker-Gilbert. “For JU to have a seat at a table of decision-makers shows the progress we continue to make. Most importantly, this allows us to have a voice in the conversation on how to continue to improve the experience for our student-athletes.”

The Division I Council is a high-level group responsible for the day-to-day decision-making for Division I. Athletics directors, athletics administrators, senior women administrators, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes serve on the Council, and every Division I conference is represented.

Ricker-Gilbert will serve a four-year term effective July 1.

The former Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Student-Athlete Services was promoted to the role of AD on May 1, 2016. He also serves on the ASUN Conference President’s Council as the AD representative.

Cost began his term on the 24-member NCAA Board of Directors for Division 1 Sept. 1, after having served on the NCAA’s Presidential Forum. He will have oversight alongside leaders from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference and Southeastern Conference, as well as several others. Other universities with representatives on the board include such institutions as Northwestern University, the University of Kentucky, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Virginia and the U.S. Naval Academy.

The NCAA Board serves as the overall governing body for Division I, with responsibility for strategy, policy, governance and membership with oversight over legislation.