UPDATE: Amanda Braun has just been appointed as the chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, a significant milestone in her career and the women’s sports community. This announcement comes as the NCAA gears up for the highly anticipated Women’s Final Four, scheduled for April 3-5, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Braun, currently the Director of Athletics at UW-Milwaukee, expressed her excitement saying, “It’s so neat being on this committee, especially at this time when the women’s game has just taken a leap. It means a lot to me personally, and professionally it’s a cool opportunity.”
Her journey in athletics began at Siena College, where she was a standout player and graduated summa cum laude in 1995. Returning to the Final Four in 2022 as a committee member marked a full-circle moment for Braun, who once watched UConn’s Rebecca Lobo lead her team to victory in 1995.
The committee, consisting of 12 members, will evaluate teams over the 2025-26 season and will convene in Indianapolis from March 11-16 to select and seed the 68 teams for the NCAA tournament. Braun emphasized the importance of their role, stating, “We want to get it right for all the teams that work so hard all year.”
In her previous term as vice chair, Braun oversaw the selection process, scrutinizing data and debating team merits in exhaustive meetings. “It’s splitting hairs when determining which teams become one or two seeds,” she noted, highlighting the complexities of the task.
Braun’s background as a former athlete informs her perspective. Known as Mandy Braun during her high school days in Brodhead, she was a two-time All-Area selection and class valedictorian. Her athletic ambitions faced challenges due to injuries, yet she learned valuable lessons in teamwork and empathy, which now shape her administrative approach.
After initially pursuing law, Braun found her true calling in athletic administration, earning accolades such as the NCAA Division I Nike Executive of the Year in 2023. As she embarks on this leadership role, Braun is ready to make impactful decisions for the future of women’s basketball.
“I’m thrilled, honored, and humbled to be a part of this,” Braun said. “But I’ll be ready for a break.” Her commitment to the NCAA spans over a decade, and she is poised to leave a lasting legacy.
As the NCAA Women’s Final Four approaches, Braun’s leadership will be crucial in shaping the landscape of women’s basketball. Fans and players alike will be watching closely as she navigates this pivotal role.
