Greenville, S.C. – Furman University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Donnelly has been named to the NCAA's Men's Basketball Oversight Committee, it was announced this week.

Donnelly, who was named the 2023–24 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletics Director of the Year, will begin his time on the 20-member committee on September 1, 2026, and serve until August 31, 2030.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to be selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Oversight Committee," said Donnelly. "It is a privilege to represent Furman University and the Southern Conference while helping shape the future of our sport. Having spent more than two decades in Division I men's basketball as both a coach and administrator, I have tremendous respect for the impact this game has on student-athletes and institutions alike. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside outstanding colleagues from across the country in support of the continued growth and success of college basketball."

The Men's Basketball Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of men's basketball is maintained, enhances the development and public perception of the sport, and makes recommendations related to regular-season and postseason men's basketball. Additionally, the committee prioritizes enhancement of the student-athlete educational experience - academically and athletically - and in doing so, promote student-athletes' personal growth and leadership development.

The Men's Basketball Oversight Committee will supervise qualifications and/or selection procedures for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. The committee will review recommendations from the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee and process other issues related to the administration of the championship.
 
In his seven years at the helm of Furman University's athletics program, Donnelly has delivered bold new energy, innovation, and vision to Paladin Athletics, with an emphasis on a first-class student-athlete experience, academic achievement, record-breaking donor fundraising, significant capital projects, and enhanced alumni and external engagement strategies.
 
During Donnelly's tenure at Furman, the men's basketball program has reached the Southern Conference Tournament finals in four of the last five years and claimed league title and NCAA Tournament bids in 2023 and 2026. This past year, Furman reopened Timmons Arena following a $40 million, donor funded renovation project that transformed the home of the Paladins into one of the top mid-major basketball arena in the country.
 
 Donnelly has served as the chair of the NCAA Men's Basketball Competition Committee, chair of the Southern Conference Athletics Directors committee, and was a member of the FCS Football Regional Advisory Committee. In recent years, Furman has co-hosted multiple NCAA Basketball Tournament events with the Southern Conference, including the 2022 men's first and second rounds, the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Regionals, and the 2026 men's first and second rounds in Greenville.
 
Prior to Furman, Donnelly served the Villanova men's basketball program as a coach and administrator for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Jay Wright. During Donnelly's 14 years at Villanova, the Wildcats made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including runs to the 2006 Elite Eight, 2009 Final Four, while winning the 2016 and 2018 Men's Basketball National Championships.
 
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