Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to be next NCAA president

BOSTON - Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is set to become the next president of the NCAA, the organization that governs student athletics. The NCAA made the announcement on Thursday.

Baker, a Republican, did not run for re-election in Massachusetts and his term ends on January 5, 2023. He would take over the NCAA in March 2023 when current NCAA president Mark Emmert's term ends.

Related: Keller @ Large: Charlie Baker will need plenty of help as new NCAA president

"I am honored to become the next president of the NCAA, an organization that impacts millions of families and countless communities across this country every day," Baker said in a statement. "The NCAA is confronting complex and significant challenges, but I am excited to get to work as the awesome opportunity college athletics provides to so many students is more than worth the challenge.  And for the fans that faithfully fill stadiums, stands and gyms from coast to coast, I am eager to ensure the competitions we all love to follow are there for generations to come. Over the coming months, I will begin working with student-athletes and NCAA members as we modernize college sports to suit today's world, while preserving its essential value."  

The NCAA statement credits Baker, who often polled as the most popular governor in the country, for "successfully guiding Massachusetts through an exceptionally turbulent period for government officials."

"We are excited to welcome Governor Charlie Baker to the NCAA and eager for him to begin his work with our organization," NCAA Board of Governors chair Linda Livingstone said in a statement. "Governor Baker has shown a remarkable ability to bridge divides and build bipartisan consensus, taking on complex challenges in innovative and effective ways. As a former student-athlete himself, husband to a former college gymnast, and father to two former college football players, Governor Baker is deeply committed to our student-athletes and enhancing their collegiate experience. These skills and perspective will be invaluable as we work with policymakers to build a sustainable model for the future of college athletics."

Baker played basketball for Harvard University in the 70s. 

Red Sox President Sam Kennedy told WBZ-TV at a press conference that he got a call from the NCAA search committee, asking for candidate suggestions.

"Charlie immediately popped into my head," Kennedy said. "We were all disappointed that he wasn't going to run for a third term, but thought he'd be a great fit, given his skill set and experience. This is a coup for the NCAA."

Incoming Massachusetts Gov.-elect Maura Healey offered her congratulations to Baker.

"I know he knows the important role athletics can play and I'm excited for the future of college sports and student-athletes under his leadership," she tweeted.

Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist calls the job a herculean task. "If Governor Baker thought managing Massachusetts was tough, wait until he gets into the new job," Zimbalist said. "The NCAA is a mess right now; they cannot self-govern."

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan of Lowell, who played Division 1 volleyball at Georgetown University, tweeted Thursday that athletes and fans have lost faith in the NCAA and Baker is "ready to right the ship."

"The NCAA is at a crossroads as an organization right now," Trahan said. "Athletes and the millions of fans that cheer them on have lost faith because of missteps and refusal to get with the times."