Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade, who has led the conference for 17 years, played a big part in the event. She was one of five A-10 commissioners honored.
McGlade also spoke at a press conference and was asked about a familiar topic: NCAA tournament expansion.
The tournament will stay at 68 teams in 2026, but is expected to expand, perhaps to 76 teams, in the future.
“We have been fairly vocal in supporting the expansion for the bracket for March Madness,” McGlade said. “The opportunity for additional teams to have an opportunity for an at-large bid has been something that we have supported for literally the last year and a half, two years that it’s been even talked about. There’s 360-plus schools in Division I, and a lot of our sport counterparts, whether it’s the College Football Player or professional sports, like the NBA, Major League Baseball, whatever, they seem to more routinely expand based on demand.”
McGlade said quality teams are being left out of the field.
“Expansion is something that not only benefits the game,” she said, “but March Madness is an iconic event, and the impact it has on higher education — even in terms of undergraduate enrollment, when institutions names go up on the board — that immediate brand identity on Selection Sunday has an incredibly strong ripple effect throughout a college or university. The student-athletes and coaches are ready for it and deserve more opportunities.”
About the Author
