Working groups have been established in Division I to examine the College Basketball Summer Initiative for men's and women's basketball. The Division I Council was briefed on the groups' rosters and charge during its meeting Wednesday.
The working groups will discuss the feasibility of creating competition opportunities in the summer for men's and women's basketball teams and will report concepts to the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees.
Basketball student-athletes may engage in required weight training, conditioning and skill-related instruction with their coaching staff for up to eight weeks in the summer. No more than four of the eight hours per week may be spent on skill-related instruction.
After receiving initial positive feedback from throughout the college basketball community, both oversight committees want to explore whether exhibition games could be played during the summer athletics-related activities period.
Many believe the initiative can provide a positive summer competition experience for student-athletes and can showcase the sport at a time of year other than during the traditional season.
The working groups also will examine the overall landscape in college basketball during the summer period and may identify other opportunities to elevate the sport during the offseason.
Both working groups will begin meeting next month with the goal of providing recommendations to the oversight committees by June.
If the Division I Men's and Women's Oversight Committees want to move any of the concepts forward, both or either committee could recommend a proposal in the Division I governance cycle for approval during the 2023-24 legislative cycle. The earliest possible date for summer competition would be summer 2024.
Members of the Division I Men's Basketball Summer Initiative Working group are:
- Josh Bannan, student-athlete, Montana.
- Kelly Barsky, interim athletics director, UC Santa Barbara.
- Lindsey Blom, faculty athletics representative, Ball State.
- John Calipari, coach, Kentucky.
- Janet Cone, athletics director, UNC Asheville.
- Ed Cooley, coach, Providence.
- Tristan da Silva, student-athlete, Colorado.
- Sion James, student-athlete, Tulane.
- Kevin Pauga, associate athletics director, Michigan State.
- Craig Robinson, executive director, National Association of Basketball Coaches.
- Brian Thornton, commissioner, Western Athletic Conference.
- John Wildhack, athletics director, Syracuse.
- John Williams, vice president — men's basketball, Big 12 Conference.
Members of the Division I Women's College Basketball Summer Initiative Working group are:
- Courtney Banghart, coach, North Carolina.
- Don Bruce, faculty athletics representative, Tennessee.
- Lisa Campos, athletics director, University of Texas at San Antonio.
- Joey D'Antonio, commissioner, Colonial Athletic Association.
- Danielle Donehew, executive director, Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
- Connie Hurlbut, senior associate commissioner, West Coast Conference.
- Megan Kahn, vice president for women's basketball, Big Ten Conference.
- Emily LaPointe, student-athlete, Manhattan.
- Kathy Meehan, senior deputy athletics director, St. John's (New York).
- Kyle Moats, athletics director, Missouri State.
- Tomekia Reed, coach, Jackson State.
- Olivia Summiel, student-athlete, Wake Forest.
- Lauryn Thompson, student-athlete, Texas State.
- Tara VanDerveer, coach, Stanford.
