BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman Announces Retirement

Key Points:

• Val Ackerman, the BIG EAST Conference Commissioner for 13 years, announced her retirement effective August 31, 2026, with the conference immediately beginning a national search for her successor.
• Ackerman led the rebirth of the BIG EAST as a basketball-centric conference in 2013 and successfully negotiated key partnerships, including media rights deals with FOX Sports and Madison Square Garden, helping the conference secure multiple national basketball championships.
• Under her leadership, the BIG EAST has maintained national prominence in college basketball, with 10 of 11 men’s programs making NCAA tournament bids and multiple national titles in both men’s and women’s basketball.
• Ackerman's distinguished career includes founding the WNBA, serving as President of USA Basketball, and earning numerous honors such as induction into multiple halls of fame and recognition as one of the most influential figures in sports.
• She has also championed various conference initiatives focused on student-athlete well-being, social justice, academic excellence, and career development, leaving a strong foundation for the BIG EAST's future success.