The 2022 NCAA Convention will host representatives from member schools and conferences when the annual gathering kicks off in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Jan. 19. The event returns to an in-person format after occurring virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In-person events will take place Jan. 19-22. Several in-person events can also be viewed virtually. Association-wide education sessions that take place Jan. 24-27 can only be attended virtually. Click here for a full list of events with virtual access.
Key Topics
Representatives from all three NCAA divisions will convene to discuss and vote on key topics in college sports, including the vote on a new NCAA constitution set to take place at the Association-wide Business Session Thursday, Jan. 20. The divisions will be discussing the following issues:
Division I
The Division I Issues Forum on Jan. 19 kicks off a busy two weeks for the division and its committees. At the virtual forum, Division I delegates will discuss potential changes to the NCAA constitution and possible next steps for the division. The proposed constitutional adjustments will be voted on at the Association-wide business session the following day.
The Division I Council is scheduled to vote on four proposals from the 2021-22 legislative cycle at its Jan. 19 meeting. Proposals would revise recruiting legislation for women's basketball; reduce recruiting person-days coaching staff members may use; eliminate the option for a student-athlete or perspective student-athlete to decline the sickle cell solubility test; and limit a school's total regular season playing schedule in women's basketball with outside competition during the season.
The Division I Board of Directors will meet Jan. 20 to review the Constitution Committee proposals and the final draft of the new NCAA constitution and consider a recommendation on potential suspension of the Independent Accountability Resolution Process.
Division II
Division II members will vote on nine proposals during its Jan. 22 business session. The proposals include changes to the football preseason structure, transfer legislation, the division's legislative options and infractions process, and progress-toward-degree requirements. There's also a proposal that would prohibit countable athletically related activities, such as practices and games, on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1 every year to provide more opportunities for student-athletes to participate in civic engagement activities such as voting, volunteering and other community engagement. Another proposal would eliminate the option for a student-athlete to sign a written release or waiver declining the sickle cell solubility test.
Division III
Members in Division III will vote on nine proposals during its business session on Jan. 22. Proposals include football practice modifications aimed at reducing contact while increasing opportunities to teach appropriate blocking and tackling techniques; using the NCAA Eligibility Center in certifying the amateur status of international student-athletes; and granting student-athletes more control of their athletic experience by allowing a full season of practice without using a season of competition if the athlete does not compete in any games during the season. Other proposals on the slate include adding equestrian as an emerging sport for women; reducing the minimum number of conference members required for automatic qualification for Division III championships from seven to six; reducing the minimum number of member institutions required to form a single-sport conference from seven to six; and eliminating the option for a student-athlete to sign a waiver declining the sickle cell solubility test.
Awards & Events
Several prominent figures in the history of college sports will be recognized for their achievements on and off the playing surface. Awardees will be honored at a series of events throughout the Convention's first week (all times Eastern).
NCAA Honors Celebration
7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19
Hosted by NCAA.com's Andy Katz, the Honors Celebration will recognize former student-athletes and coaches who have reached significant heights on and off the field.
- Theodore Roosevelt Award — The NCAA's highest honor given to any individual.
Gail Koziara Boudreaux, president and CEO of Anthem and former multisport athlete at Dartmouth, including the winner of three straight Ivy League Player of the Year honors as a basketball player and an All-American shot putter her senior year.
- Inspiration Awards — Presented to someone who, when confronted with a life-altering situation, used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome it.
Stephen M. Gleason, founder of Team Gleason dedicated to ALS research and former football and baseball player at Washington State who went on to play football professionally.
Bob Grant, one of the first Black student-athletes at Wake Forest and former professional football player.
- Silver Anniversary Awards — Six former student-athletes will be recognized on the 25th anniversary of the completion of their college careers:
Maiya Anderson (Air Force), Tim Duncan (Wake Forest), Warrick Dunn (Florida State), Matthew Humphreys (UC Santa Cruz), Katie King Crowley (Brown) and Tina Thompson (Southern California).
- Today's Top 10 Awards — A recognition of 10 outstanding senior student-athletes from the previous academic year:
Anna Cockrell (Southern California), Kendall Cornick (Augustana University), Stefani Deschner (Notre Dame), Lauren Huebner (Saginaw Valley State), Mac Jones (Alabama), Eka Jones (WashU), Jack Ming Jie Lin (Columbia), Danny Logan (Denver), Estela Pérez-Somarriba (Miami) and Kendall Sosa (Illinois Wesleyan).
NCAA State of College Sports
1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20
NCAA President Mark Emmert will deliver his State of College Sports remarks. Emmert also will present the 2022 NCAA President's Pat Summitt Award.
- Pat Summitt Award — Recognizes an individual in the Association's membership who has demonstrated devotion to the development of college athletes and has made a positive impact on their lives.
Herb Magee, the winningest men's basketball coach in NCAA history and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
NCAA Saluting Excellence Ceremony: 2022 Diversity and Inclusion & Ford Awards
11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 21
NCAA President Mark Emmert will present the 2022 NCAA President's Gerald R. Ford Award, and the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association will present the 2022 Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
- Gerard R. Ford Award — Honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics on a continuous basis over the course of their career.
Ann Meyers Drysdale, the first woman to sign a four-year athletic scholarship when she signed with UCLA and a former professional basketball player and broadcaster.
- Award for Diversity and Inclusion — A recognition to celebrate the initiatives, policies and practices of schools and offices that embrace diversity and inclusion across the intercollegiate athletics community.
Northern Illinois University, the second recognition for the school since 2016.
Health & Safety
Health and safety protocols for the 2022 NCAA Convention are based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and guidance from Marion County, Indiana, and the city of Indianapolis. Masks must be worn by all attendees and staff in NCAA meetings, events and Convention spaces. All attendees are encouraged to be fully vaccinated and boosted and should maintain physical distance of at least 3 feet wherever possible.
Protocols for the 2022 Convention were developed collaboratively with the Marion County Public Health Department.
For more details on the Convention, including a full calendar of events, visit ncaa.org/convention.
