Image Courtesy Atlantic 10
Via press release, the Atlantic 10 announced Wednesday that Bernadette McGlade will step down as Commissioner at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, completing a tenure spanning 18 years.
“I am honored to serve as the Commissioner of this great conference. Throughout my career I have been blessed to have worked with so many outstanding professionals, coaches, student-athletes and staff,” McGlade said in the release. “Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Atlantic 10 throughout this year is exciting and a real privilege. I look forward to finishing strong over the upcoming eight months, and I have no doubt the next leader will continue to elevate the mission of the A-10. “
In her 18 years with the conference, McGlade navigated the conference through a significant realignment period in the 2010s. As Butler, Charlotte, Xavier, and Temple left the conference in 2013, McGlade oversaw the additions of VCU, George Mason, and Davidson from 2012 to 2014, with Loyola Chicago joining the conference in 2022. To boost the conference’s exposure nationally, McGlade was key in negotiating long term media rights deals with ESPN, NBC, and CBS Sports.
Despite a focus on tuning the A-10 into a “basketball-centric” conference, McGlade’s tenure also saw the introduction of men’s lacrosse and women’s golf to the league’s athletic offerings. On the administrative side, McGlade orchestrated the move of the conference’s headquarters to Washington, D.C. in 2023. McGlade also amplified voices of student-athletes within the conference with initiatives such as the A-10 Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Nationally, McGlade has represented the conference on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee.
Before her time with the A-10, McGlade was the head coach of Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball, where she accrued an overall record of 74-116. In 1999 and 2000, McGlade chaired the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Committee.
A national search for a new commissioner will be conducted by the A-10 Presidents Council. The position will be officially posted in January of 2026.
