The Division II Executive Board this week elected new leadership and members, while also approving the division’s new long-range budget and operating plan.
The board elected Sandra Woodley, president of The University of Texas Permian Basin, as its chair, and Tim Collins, president of Walsh, as its vice chair. Woodley and Collins will begin their one-year terms after the conclusion of the 2026 NCAA Convention in January.
“Sandra and Tim bring incredible energy, experience and perspective to these leadership roles,” said Colleen Perry Keith, president at Goldey-Beacom. “Both are deeply committed to advancing Division II and strengthening the student-athlete experience. It’s exciting to see leaders who understand and live out the values that make Division II so special.”
The board also reelected five members to a second two-year term and appointed five new members. Both groups are noted below. The Division II Executive Board comprises 13 voting members: nine presidents and chancellors, two student-athletes and two independent representatives. The chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council also serves as a nonvoting member of the board.
Re-elected members
- Atlantic Region: Dwaun Warmack, president at Claflin.
- Midwest Region: Tim Collins, president at Walsh.
- South Region: Blake Thompson, president at Mississippi College.
- South Central Region: Sandra Woodley, president at UT Permian Basin.
- Independent member: Larry Parkinson.
New members
- Central Region: Thomas Newsom, president at Pittsburg State.
- East Region: Frank Wu, president at Queens (New York).
- Southeast Region: Doug Searcy, president at Barton.
- West Region: Jim Wohlpart, president at Central Washington.
- At-large representative: Bill Pink, president at Ferris State.
The board also ratified the appointment of Ben Cherry, faculty athletics representative at Cal State San Marcos, as the Division II Management Council chair and Kristina Ortiz, senior woman administrator at Georgian Court, as its vice chair. Both will begin their roles after the conclusion of the 2026 Convention.
The board also approved the election of six new members to the council.
- Great American Conference: Shane Hansen, faculty athletics representative at Northwestern Oklahoma State.
- Lone Star Conference: Robert Coleman, executive director of athletics at St. Mary’s (Texas).
- Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference: Kevin Buisman, director of athletics at Minnesota State Mankato.
- Peach Belt Conference: Diana Kling, commissioner of the Peach Belt Conference.
- Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Cassie Kosiba, senior woman administrator at South Dakota Mines.
- Sunshine State Conference: Drew Howard, director of athletics at Florida Southern.
Division II operating plan and long-range budget
The board approved a new six-year operating plan that will be launched at the 2026 NCAA Convention and extends through 2031-32, which aligns with the remainder of the NCAA’s current broadcast agreements. The new plan outlines five broad focus areas: academics, athletics, health and wellness, governance, and operations and positioning.
Additionally, the board approved a proposed long-range budget through 2031-32, which was developed specifically to support the new operating plan. In the revised long-range budget for Division II, the division allocated new revenue and reserves to three core areas: championships, revenue distribution and initiatives.
Convention legislation review
The board reviewed the 16 proposals that will be voted on at the Division II business session of the 2026 NCAA Convention, including the committee positions taken on the 10 membership-sponsored proposals. For a proposal from the Division II membership to be voted on at a Convention, it must have at least 15 active Division II schools or two Division II conferences on behalf of 15 or more of their member schools as sponsors.
Joint discussion
On Tuesday, the Executive Board took part in a joint discussion with the NCAA Board of Governors, the Division I Board of Directors and the Division III Presidents Council. The leadership groups focused their discussion on NCAA President Charlie Baker’s goals for the 2025-26 fiscal year and the latest congressional updates, including on the SCORE Act.
