Tom Jernstedt, Executive Vice President: ''Myles has been a visionary. He has been extremely courageous and creative throughout his tenure at the NCAA. Myles is highly intelligent, skilled at appointing task forces for specific issues and selecting individuals with expertise in given topics.
''Myles has been committed to academic reform and provided the NCAA with the leadership to begin achieving positive results. In the beginning, many were doubtful, resistant and even pessimistic that the NCAA could make meaningful progress in this critical area. Myles has shown everyone that academics is the first focus for student-athletes, the membership and the organization.
''When I think back about the time I have spent with Myles, a distinct memory comes to mind. Early in Myles' tenure, we had a working dinner with two prominent college basketball coaches. The coaches were somewhat skeptical about his level of interest in athletics and perhaps surprised that he had been selected to serve the NCAA as its president. By the conclusion of the evening, though, the two coaches were effusive in their comments about Myles. They were highly impressed with his genuine interest, his concern about the issues in their sport and his instant ability to converse and relate to them."
Walter Harrison, president at the University of Hartford and former chair of the NCAA Executive Committee and the Division I Committee on Academic Performance: ''Myles Brand leaves a clear and strong legacy that captures all the best things about college sports. As the president of two Division I institutions, he set very high standards for presidential leadership. He will always be remembered in part for his dismissal of Bobby Knight as head basketball coach, but I think it's important to remember that was just part of a career-long effort to provide presidential leadership and set appropriate standards and the appropriate tone on our college campuses.
''Likewise, his tenure as president of the NCAA marked an era of significant positive change. He led the Association as it became much more responsive to its members' needs. He furthered the movement to make university presidents and chancellors primarily responsible for governance of the Association and oversight of college sports. He set very high standards for maintaining what's unique about the college sports experience in an era of growing commercialism.
''In my role as a Board member, as chair of the Executive Committee, as chair of the Presidential Advisory Group and as char if the Committee on Academic Performance, I had the special privilege of watching his leadership in the academic reform movement, in the establishment of the Academic Performance Program and in presenting a very clear message to all member institutions and the public at large that the NCAA is committed to the academic success of the student-athlete.
''At the heart of all that was Myles' commitment to education and to a positive experience for every student-athlete. For that, we will always be in his debt."
Bernard Franklin, Executive Vice President of Governance and Membership: ''Myles Brand will be remembered not only for his unyielding demand that intercollegiate athletics reflect the values of higher education but also for his advocacy of the student-athlete. This was a man who understood the importance of higher education, as well as the benefit of athletics participation as part of the educational experience. He did not waver from that as a tenet of NCAA operations, and as a result, the Association will continue to benefit from his influence for years to come."
Greg Shaheen, Senior Vice President of Basketball and Business Strategies: ''Myles Brand will long be remembered for his ability to balance the audiences of the various constituencies served by the NCAA. The manner in which he could move with a thoughtful ear from an audience of coaches to faculty representatives and the very university presidents who guide our organization made our work achievable.
''His unwavering belief that solutions to long-term challenges were only a focused effort away made the entire academic-reform movement his biggest success. Myles' reaffirmation of intercollegiate athletics as a vital part of higher education raised awareness in the public, and millions of young people will benefit for generations from the unique, perceptive leadership Myles Brand brought to the NCAA."
Charlotte Westerhaus, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion: ''Diversity and inclusion have always been top of mind with Myles Brand. He understands the value of inclusion from his dealings in higher education, and that has translated to intercollegiate athletics as well. He championed not only diversifying the head-coaching ranks in football but also leadership positions in athletics administration for both men and women."
Kevin Lennon, Vice President of Academic and Membership Affairs: ''Without question, the leadership of President Myles Brand has been critical in meeting the challenges of our day and refocusing our collective efforts on the student-athlete experience. His steady hand steered the academic-reform package through uncharted, and potentially dangerous, waters. His unflinching commitment to improving the academic success of all student-athletes through increased academic standards and meaningful consequences for team behaviors brought about the most significant cultural shift in intercollegiate athletics I have seen in more than 20 years in the enterprise.
''His reach to help student-athletes also included his commitment to the 'student-first' philosophy, challenging the NCAA staff and the governance structure to be more responsive to the needs of student-athletes, and to do so in a less bureaucratic manner. His mantra was 'Keep the student-athlete at the heart of all you do.' Myles expected this of all staff, and he held us accountable. Countless individual student-athletes remain indebted to President Brand for constantly reminding us why we do what we do."
Graham Spanier, President of Pennsylvania State University: "Myles Brand's appointment as president of the NCAA represented a new chapter for the organization, coming at a time when there was strong sentiment for appointing a university president to this leadership role. Many of the NCAA's challenges are not purely athletic, but rather focus on the concept of the student-athlete. It is hard to imagine anyone who could have made this transition better than Myles. He had been the president of two universities and was a distinguished and respected academic leader. Myles has emphasized the well-being of the student-athlete, integrity in athletics and has reached out to every imaginable constituency to open the doors of cooperation and understanding on behalf of college athletics."
Carol Cartwright, President of Bowling Green State University: ''As a Division I Board member and chair of the Executive Committee from 2003 to 2005, I had the privilege of working with Myles in the early years of his impressive record of leadership for the NCAA. Myles was absolutely committed to ensuring that the collegiate model for intercollegiate athletics was at the core of the NCAA's values and that it was reflected in key plans and policies. He was an effective spokesperson for all of us on a broad array of issues and demonstrated great courage in addressing many that were controversial. Strong leaders like Myles make a difference every day. We will miss him and his contributions on behalf of higher education.''
Bob Lawless, President Emeritus, The University of Tulsa, Chair, NCAA Executive Committee 2001-2003: ''When it was my honor to chair the Search Committee for the President of the NCAA, I was terribly excited when Dr. Brand accepted the offer of the Executive Committee to become President. The NCAA was transitioning from an organization that was known principally for athletic championships and enforcement to an organization that equally focused on the academics of higher education. I had great expectations for the organization under Dr. Brand's leadership and all of my expectations have been exceeded. He accomplished more than I would have thought possible in exerting positive influence on the national collegiate scene. If one considers that the President of the NCAA does not have a vote in the governance system and that everything achieved has to be done through persuasion and influence, his accomplishments have been almost unbelievable."
''His legacy will be everlasting.''
Dave Berst, vice president of Division I: ''Myles brought his academic experience in philosophy and higher education to the NCAA and effectively challenged the athletics community to demonstrate accountability for the educational values we espouse. He pushed to develop the data and systems in Division I to enhance graduation rates in all sports and helped the public understand that the vast majority of our student-athletes turn pro in something other than sports. He has been a good friend to the over 400,000 student-athletes in NCAA programs and he taught the NCAA staff how to keep the interests of student-athlete's top of mind in our work. Myles leadership will be missed greatly, but he also nurtured a proud and professional culture that can keep its bearing while enduring such a great loss.''
Tim Selgo, chair of the Division II Management Council: ''Myles Brand has been the best leader the NCAA has had during my career in intercollegiate athletics. I greatly appreciated the support he always gave to Division II and to the leadership of Division II at every level of our membership. He showed a sincere interest in all of our initiatives and was a strength to us in helping us achieve our goals for the division. He will be hard to replace and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.''
Stephen Jordan, president Metropolitan State College of Denver and chair of the DII Presidents Council: ''Higher education lost an uncommon leader today and Division II lost a true friend. Myles Brand always reminded us that we in the NCAA are a higher education association. And, it was his commitment to that essential characteristic which empowered Division II to redefine our selves consistent with the missions of our 300 colleges and universities. His passion for student welfare and success, his belief in the transformative power of intercollegiate athletics and his encouragement to focus on "doing the right things" will leave a lasting legacy in the lives of Division II athletes for decades to come.''
Mike Slive, SEC Commissioner: ''Myles Brand cared about people, especially the student-athletes who represent the NCAA's colleges and universities. You couldn't help but be energized by his commitment to intercollegiate athletics when you were around him. He was passionate about improving the lives of student-athletes. He wanted to see them earn their degree while, at the same time, benefitting from intercollegiate athletic competition. If there was an audience to be found, he eagerly jumped at the opportunity to expound on the great things being done by student-athletes around the country. We will miss his passion and energy. We have lost a wonderful advocate for intercollegiate athletics and higher education and I have lost a friend and colleague.''
Jim Barker, President of Clemson University, Chair of the Division I Board of Directors: ''Throughout his life Myles Brand set the standard for leadership in higher education as a professor, university president and president of the NCAA. His legacy in college sports will be that national academic reform would not have happened without him.''
Grant Teaff, Executive Director of the American Football Coaches Association ''Myles Brand quickly earned the respect of football coaches as his first official act as President of the NCAA was to attend the AFCA convention and speak at the FBS Head Football Coaches meeting.''
''Myles brought an honest and clear vision to the NCAA that inspired everyone who came in contact with him.''
''Myles listened, explained his position and acted. It was evident it was his goal to make the NCAA a better organization; make coaches and administrators better leaders and more responsible; and inspire student athletes to reach their potential as students and as athletes.
''He will be sorely missed as a leader and as a friend.''