Courtesy of the Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference Councilof Presidents and Chancellors has unanimously approved a contract extension for SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland.
The extension which will run through 2032 academic year, wasannounced on Friday afternoon.
“Over the course of the past five years the SouthwesternAthletic Conference has made significant strides towards becoming one of the most widely recognized and visibleathletic conferences in the country,” said SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors Chairman Quinton T. Ross Jr., Ed.D.
“The visionary and dynamic leadership of CommissionerMcClelland has helped propel our conference to prominence on a national stage while also increasing the availability of financial resources that have positively impacted the overall student-athlete experience. We are undoubtedly excited about the continued upward trajectory of our league under his leadership.”
McClelland was named the sixth commissioner of the SWACduring the summer of 2018. Since that time the league has significantly increased its visibility and presence on a nationalstage through the broadcasting of conference football and basketball games on ESPN and HBCUGO platforms.
Overall viewership of league football events reached a historic highthis past season with fans able to access the vast majority of conference games via streaming digital platforms and linear programming.
McClelland’s commitment to the overall financial stability of theleague annually serves as a key strategic focal point in the Conference Office. Under his leadership, its membership has implemented several initiatives that have greatly impacted the overall financial outlook of the league.
These innovative fiscal and fundraising initiatives have improvedthe overall student-athlete experience at conference sponsored championship events which is another key point of emphasis for the Conference Office and league membership.
Along with his duties at the league office, McClelland recently completed a five-year appointment as a member of the NCAADivision I Men’s Basketball Committee. Highlights of his tenure onthe committee include him serving as chair of the committee forthe 2023-24 season. With his selection he became the firstperson representing an HBCU league or institution to chair the prestigious committee.
