Wednesday, November 2, 2016
by Alaska Athletic Communications

INDIANAPOLIS – Alaska Nanooks Director of Athletics Dr. Gary Gray has been elected the incoming chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council, one of the most prestigious honors among NCAA committees.

Gray will replace Dr. Jacqie McWilliams as Management Council chair and begin his service from Jan. 2017 through Jan. 2018, fulfilling his fourth and final year as a member of DII Management Council. Until recently, Gray served as Vice Chair to McWilliams from Sept. 2015 through this past September before deciding to run as Chair.

“It will be an honor and a pleasure to serve as Chair of the Division II Management Council for the 2017-18 calendar year,” Gray said. “This will be my fourth and final year on the Management Council, representing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. It’s been an amazing professional experience. In Division II, we are proud of the one institution/one vote model as member institutions, conferences and NCAA committees craft legislation to enhance the student-athlete experience. We all get to work with the expert, experienced and caring staff of Division II on a regular basis. We will continue to work hard spreading the NCAA Division II message, “Make It Yours!”

The NCAA DII Management Council reports directly to the Presidents Council and is responsible for recommending administrative policy and regulations that govern Division II. The Management Council also reviews and acts on recommendations from the DII committee structure and also from a variety of representatives with Association-wide functions. Furthermore, the committee’s also appoints DII representatives to those Association-wide committees.

The Council currently comprises of 29 members and is required to include at least four directors of athletics, four senior woman administrators, four faculty athletics representatives, two SAAC representatives and one conference administrator. As of now, the remaining spots belong to one administrator or representative from each of the DII multi-sport voting conferences, one administrator or representative of DII independent institutions and two “at-large” positions to help achieve achieve diversity of representation.

With his new appointment, Gray will serve on the NCAA’s Board of Governors, being the only NCAA DII representative in the group. Per the Board of Governors, Gray has already been assigned to serve on the NCAA’s newest committee named, “Commission to Combat Sexual Violence on Campus,” which is led by West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen.

Serving as vice chair last year and now chair for the DII Management Council, Gray will continue his role as a member of the DII Championships Committee.