This survey of NCAA Division I leaders by the Elon University Poll and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics was conducted from July 29 to August 22, 2025, and released on October 9, 2025. The survey results are jointly published by the two organizations and are available for use under a Creative Commons license, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Users must give appropriate credit to the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and the Elon University Poll, provide a link to the license and indicate if changes were made. The material may only be used for noncommercial purposes.

This report is produced through funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, founded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 1989, is an independent group that leads transformational change to prioritize college athletes’ education, health, safety, and success. The Commission has a legacy of influencing NCAA policies that have helped propel record-high graduation rates of Division I athletes. The Commission’s ongoing efforts focus on governance, equity, and financial reforms, as well as providing education on the changing landscape of college sports. knightcommission.org

The Elon University Poll was established in 2000 as a public policy research initiative. The Elon University Poll conducts North Carolina and national surveys on important issues, sharing the results with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens’ opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by Elon University and is a charter member of the Transparency Initiative, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. www.elon.edu/elonpoll

Contact information

Media contacts

  • Daniel J. Anderson, special assistant to the president, Elon University, andersd@elon.edu
  • Eric Townsend, assistant vice president for strategic communications and media relations, Elon University, etownsend4@elon.edu
  • JoJo Rinebold, COO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, jojo@rineboldresults.com

Information in this report

  • Amy Privette Perko, chief executive officer, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, perko@knightcommission.org
  • Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll and professor of political science and public policy, jhusser@elon.edu

Contributors to this report

Elon University

Jason Husser, Director, Elon University Poll and Professor of Political Science and Public Policy

Daniel J. Anderson, Special Assistant to the President

Bill Squadron, Assistant Professor of Sport Management

Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Amy Privette Perko, Chief Executive Officer

Peyton Barish, Coordinator of Special Projects and Policy

JoJo Rinebold, Chief Operating Officer

Sandy Hatfield Clubb, Managing Director for Strategic Initiatives

Chris Brown, Consultant

Rose Carter, Consultant

Gabe Feldman, Consultant

Shoshanna Engel Lewis, Consultant

Todd Turner, Consultant

David Whitman, Consultant

Thanks to the entire membership of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for their contributions to this work.

MEMBERS

Jonathan Alger, President, American University

Dr. Eric Barron, President Emeritus, Penn State University

Pamela Bernard (Co-Chair), Former Vice President & General Counsel, Duke University

Kevin Blue, CEO and General Secretary, Canada Soccer

Jill Bodensteiner, Vice President and Director of Athletics, Saint Joseph’s University

Bob Bowlsby, Former Commissioner, Big 12 Conference

Beth Brooke, Former Global Vice Chair, EY. Director, New York Times, Project Level, eHealth, ULSE, and The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC)

Dr. Christine Copper, Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor, United States Naval Academy

Len Elmore (Co-Chair), Attorney, Television Commentator

Dr. Wayne Frederick, Interim President, Howard University

Dr. Kim Harmon, Professor, Section Head of Sports Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine

Amy Huchthausen, Founder/Principal, Sula Park

Shanteona Keys, Educator and Head Girls Basketball Coach, Cambridge High School

Jacques McClendon, Vice President, Football Coaching Operations, WME Sports

Jessica Mendoza, Television Analyst, ESPN; Olympic medalist, softball

Kim Ng, Commissioner, Athletes Unlimited Softball League

Dr. Judy Olian, President Emerita, Quinnipiac University

Charles Olson, Trustee, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Jill Pilgrim, Managing Attorney, Pilgrim & Associates Arbitration, Law & Mediation LLC

Peter Roby, Former Director of Athletics and Recreation, Northeastern University

Kirk Schulz, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Washington State University; Former university president, Washington State and Kansas State University

Kendall Spencer, Associate, Ropes & Gray; former NCAA Board member

Member, Ex-Officio
Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, President and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation