Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman will retire in August, ending a transformative era

TL;DR

Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman will retire in August after a transformative tenure since 2013. Under her leadership, the conference saw significant achievements, including the return of UConn and four national championships in men's basketball.

Key points

Val Ackerman will retire as Big East Commissioner in August 2023
She led the conference's rebirth and the return of UConn in 2020
Big East men's basketball teams won four national championships during her tenure

Mentioned in this story

Big East ConferenceUConnWNBAVal Ackerman

NEW YORK (AP) — Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman will retire at the end of August, the conference announced Monday. Ackerman, 66, has served in that role since 2013, presiding over the rebirth of the conference following the decision a year earlier for the Big East to split. Ackerman led the negotiations that resulted in the return of UConn in 2020 from the American Athletic Conference. “It’s been an extraordinary honor for me to serve as the Commissioner of one of the most prestigious and storied organizations in college sports,” Ackerman said in a statement. “I want to thank our Presidents for entrusting me with this one-of-a-kind leadership opportunity and for supporting the investments needed to maintain the Big East's stature and meet our schools’ high competitive and academic standards." Big East men's basketball teams won four national championships during her tenure, with two by Villanova and two by UConn — more than any other Division I conference in that span. The UConn women's team won its 12th national title in 2025. “Speaking on behalf of all the BIG EAST Presidents, we announce Commissioner Val Ackerman’s retirement with a tinge of sadness and deep gratitude,” said St. John’s president, the Rev. Brian J. Shanley, who is the chair of the conference's Board of Directors. “When we re-founded the BIG EAST in 2013 as a basketball-centric conference, our first task was to find a commissioner who could provide the strategic vision needed to position us as a basketball peer with the power football conferences and compete with the country’s best. We found that visionary leader in Val Ackerman." She presided in the relocation of the conference headquarters to New York in 2014, and the Big East moved to the famed Empire State Building last year. Ackerman also ensured that the Big East men's basketball tournament will remain at Madison Square Garden until 2032, which would be the 50th anniversary of the event there. The women's tournament is set to be held at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut until 2029. Before coming to the Big East, Ackerman was the first president of the WNBA when it was launched in 1997 and was in charge of the league for eight years. She also held positions as the president of USA Basketball. Ackerman played at Virginia and was a four-year starter, becoming the first 1,000-point scorer in program history. \\\_ AP college basketball: and AP women’s college basketball: and

Q&A

What were Val Ackerman's major accomplishments as Big East Commissioner?

Val Ackerman oversaw the return of UConn to the Big East, led the conference to four national championships in men's basketball, and relocated the conference headquarters to New York.

When did Val Ackerman start her role as Big East Commissioner?

Val Ackerman began her role as Big East Commissioner in 2013, following the conference's split the previous year.

What impact did Val Ackerman have on women's basketball during her tenure?

During her tenure, Val Ackerman ensured that the UConn women's team won its 12th national title in 2025 and secured the women's tournament location at Mohegan Sun until 2029.