The NCAA Champion Forum is a transformative, yearlong professional development experience that prepares high-potential assistant and associate head coaches to become impactful head coaches. Aligned with the NCAA’s mission to enhance the student-athlete experience across Divisions I, II and III, the Forum delivers immersive education, mentoring and interview simulations. The program has three sport-specific iterations each academic year: Champion Forum for Football, Champion Forum for Men’s Basketball and Champion Forum for Women’s Basketball.

Who's Eligible

• Current Division I assistant or associate head coach in football, men’s basketball or women’s basketball
• Demonstrated ability to lead from a “30,000-foot view” of college athletics and the CEO responsibilities of a head coach
• Clear, well-articulated coaching philosophy and program vision
• Proven or emerging management experience
• Direct involvement in game planning and/or play-calling
• Highly effective recruiter
• Accelerated professional trajectory with strong potential to be a head coach
• Commitment to continuous professional growth

Note: Selection is highly competitive and cohort-based; there is no deferral to a future year.

How Selection Works

• Nominations/identification: Participants are identified in collaboration with conference offices, industry leaders and NCAA leadership development staff
  • Coaches interested in participating in the Champions Forum should reach out to their campus sport administrator, who will work with their conference office to submit their nomination
• Holistic review: Candidate profiles are evaluated against the Forum’s leadership, communication, recruiting and management benchmarks
• Final roster: Selected coaches are placed into the football, men’s basketball or women’s basketball iteration for the academic year

What the Program Includes:

• Head-coach interview simulation: Mock searches, campus presentations and press interactions
• Leadership and communication labs: Personalized feedback to refine your message and “why”
• Network access: Engagement with sitting and former head coaches, athletics directors, presidents, conference executives and search firms
• Career toolkit: Individualized development plan and resources for the transition to head coach

Selection Criteria

• Academic and program stewardship: Commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes
• Athletics acumen: Demonstrated tactical expertise, game management and staff leadership
• Leadership and service: Ethical leadership, inclusive team culture and community impact
• Future potential: Clear trajectory and readiness to lead a college program

Program Details

• Iterations each year: Football; Men’s Basketball; Women’s Basketball
• Format: Hybrid learning with an intensive, in-person experience
• Duration: Yearlong engagement anchored by a two- to three-day immersive session

Basketball Iterations (Men's and Women's)

• Focus on transitioning from assistant to head coach, with emphasis on program-wide leadership, roster management, external relations and media engagement
• Cohorts typically include both men’s and women’s basketball assistant coaches in separate, sport-specific sessions

Football Iteration

• Immersive preparation for the college football head-coach role, including program infrastructure, staff hiring, recruiting systems and campus leadership alignment