Hill will have oversight of the Division I, II and III Men’s Basketball Championships, as well as the NIT
Mike Hill has been named the vice president of men’s basketball for the NCAA, where he will oversee the Division I, II and III Men’s Basketball Championships, as well as the National Invitation Tournament. Hill will replace JoAn Scott, who retired last week after working at the NCAA since 2013. Hill will report to Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of basketball.
“In this era of dynamic change in intercollegiate athletics, the effective and visionary management of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship is paramount for the NCAA,” Gavitt said. “What JoAn accomplished in her 13 years of leadership will leave a legacy of continued elevation of March Madness into the world-class sporting event that it is.
“After a national search, we’ve determined that Mike Hill is the best fit to lead the outstanding NCAA staff in service to the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee in managing the operations of the championship, as well as creatively growing the value of the tournament. Mike will work closely with coaches, administrators, and student-athletes from the NCAA membership, the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, and media and corporate partners, for the advancement of men’s college basketball. We are thrilled to have him join the team.”
Hill will serve as a primary liaison to the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee in managing the business and selection, seeding and bracketing process of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. He will also be a primary liaison to the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, which governs and oversees men’s basketball playing and practice seasons, playing rules, and legislation/policies to ensure fair competition and enhance the student-athlete experience. Hill and Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball, will work collaboratively to align the interests and development of NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball.
Hill most recently worked at Charlotte as the school’s athletics director from 2018-25. During his tenure, the athletics department’s budget grew from $28 million to $50 million, and the university secured membership in the American Conference, where it won more conference championships than any other school in the league during Charlotte’s first two years as a member.
Hill secured major gifts for facilities and scholarships to support the 450 student-athletes participating in 19 sports at Charlotte. He also pivoted from a traditional multimedia rights approach to creating an in-house agency, Charlotte 49ers Ventures, to integrate corporate partnerships, licensing, and name, image and likeness opportunities. Hill landed the single largest gift in program history ($25 million), and under his leadership, the university’s athletics foundation broke annual giving records for six consecutive years, increasing donors by 88%.
He also secured funding for and broke ground on a $70 million expansion of the school’s football stadium, spearheaded the construction of a new softball fieldhouse, and oversaw the completion of indoor training facilities for baseball and softball. The men’s basketball team won six games the year before Hill’s arrival. Two years later, the 49ers had a winning season, and three years after that, Charlotte had a 22-win season that culminated with a College Basketball Invitational postseason tournament championship.
Before taking the position at Charlotte, Hill worked at Florida for 25 years, progressing through leadership roles in external affairs with the school’s athletic association before being named executive associate athletics director in 2012. In that role, he served as chief marketing officer, overseeing revenue development for a $126 million operation. He also served as lead administrator for the men’s basketball program, working closely with head coaches Billy Donovan and Mike White to sustain a championship program.
During Hill’s tenure in Gainesville, the men’s basketball team won the national championship twice (2006, 2007), went to three other Final Fours (1994, 2000, 2014), advanced to the Elite 8 four more times (2011-13, 2017), appeared in the NCAA tournament eight additional times and played in the NIT on four occasions.
“What an honor to help steward one of our nation’s most iconic sporting events and serve a game that has meant so much to me and so many others,” Hill said. “I’m grateful to Dan Gavitt and Charlie Baker for the opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work alongside our basketball staff, committees and community to further elevate this beautiful game.”
Hill served on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Competition Committee in 2024-25, was selected by his athletics director peers to chair the American Conference in 2025, was a Charlotte Sports Foundation board member from 2018-25, chaired the basketball scheduling committee for Conference USA, was on the board of directors of LEAD1 (the group now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision Athletics Directors Association), was national co-chair of the LEAD1 working group on NIL, chaired the Southeastern Conference’s marketing directors group, and served on the SEC’s fan experience working group. A graduate of North Carolina, Hill also served as the assistant executive director of the Blockbuster Bowl from 1990-92 and as assistant to the athletics director at Ball State during the 1992-93 academic year.
What Others Are Saying About Mike Hill
Keith Gill, commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference and 2025-26 chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee:
“Congratulations to Mike Hill and the NCAA. Mike Hill is a tremendous addition to the March Madness team. His extensive experience, including working with national championship teams, serving as a tournament manager, and leading as a director of athletics will be invaluable as we continue to advance the men’s basketball championship. Mike is a wonderful person and an exceptional leader. He will be a terrific addition to the NCAA staff.”
Judy MacLeod, commissioner of Conference USA, past member of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee and former chair of the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee:
“Excited for both Mike Hill and the NCAA on Mike’s appointment as vice president for men’s basketball. Having worked alongside Mike during his time as an athletics director in our conference, I’ve seen firsthand his leadership, integrity and commitment to student-athletes. The NCAA is gaining a phenomenal person who will make a positive impact on the game and the people he serves.”
Billy Donovan, lead assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs and two-time national championship coach of the Florida Gators:
“I had the pleasure of working with Mike Hill throughout my 19 years at the University of Florida, and he played an integral role in our success. As our primary administrator, he supported our players and coaching staff and did the important behind-the-scenes work as we prepared for the postseason each year. Mike’s knowledge of what teams need to have a good tournament experience makes him an excellent fit for his new role with the NCAA.”
Dusty May, head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, 2023 Final Four coach at Florida Atlantic, and national championship coach at Michigan:
“Mike has always been someone I have respected, and I know he’ll be a great fit with the NCAA. He has tremendous experience and has a great feel for the landscape of the game and what programs commonly endure. He’ll be a great asset for the NCAA and for the future of men’s basketball.”
