WASHINGTON — Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade announced Wednesday that she will step down at the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year, marking the end of a distinguished 45-year career, including the last 18 years leading the A-10 as the fifth commissioner in the league’s 50-year history.
 
McGlade’s career journey includes just three stops beginning at the age of 23 when she was hired as a Division I Women’s Basketball Head Coach at Georgia Tech, after which she moved into administration. Following Georgia Tech, she spent 11 years at the Atlantic Coast Conference before being hired as the Atlantic 10 Commissioner in 2008. During her career, she has led countless student-athletes and coaches, campus and conference administrators while garnering recognition and accolades for her work.
 
“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,” stated McGlade. “Celebrating the 50^th 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. “
 
McGlade’s leadership led to the introduction of the A-10 as a “basketball centric” conference, rich in academic tradition and reputation. Successfully navigating the turbulence of conference realignment, she welcomed VCU, George Mason, Davidson and Loyola Chicago to the A-10.  McGlade also negotiated multiple media rights packages with ESPN, CBS Sports and NBC Sports that enhanced the exposure, men’s and women’s sports coverage, and revenue generation and brand valuation for the conference membership.  She spearheaded efforts to move the Atlantic 10 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships to outstanding arenas and media markets of Brooklyn, N.Y., Washington, Pittsburgh, and Richmond, Va. McGlade also has worked to secure outstanding neutral site venues for the A-10 Olympic sports in Orlando Fla., Washington, and Virginia Beach and Hampton, Va. 

"As the longest-serving leader in the history of the Atlantic 10, Commissioner McGlade has served with distinction into this, her 18^th year, providing leadership and strength in serving the student-athletes, coaches and administrators,” said Eric F. Spina, President of the University of Dayton and Chair of the A-10 Council of Presidents. “Bernadette’s pride in the Atlantic 10 and its extraordinary accomplishments are evident in all she does.  Her leadership continues to guide the Atlantic 10 through a transformative time in college athletics and we will rely on her vision and expertise in the months to come. On behalf of the A-10 Council of Presidents, I thank her for all she has done and done so well and congratulate her on an impressive career.  We look forward to working with her for the remainder of the 2025-26 year as we collectively celebrate the league’s 50th anniversary.”
 
During McGlade’s tenure the A-10 expanded its championship sports, adding men’s lacrosse and women’s golf. Additionally, she relocated the league headquarters to Washington, D.C.  Working with the member institutions, McGlade expanded the A-10 post graduate scholarship program awarding more than $50,000 annually. She instituted the A- 10 Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and introduced student-athlete representation into the A-10 governance structure.  Always focused on the mission of the conference, McGlade was steadfast in her foresight and leadership during the crucial time navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to financial solvency for the conference during a nationwide financial crisis.
 
“On behalf of the Atlantic 10 Directors of Athletics, I share our sincere gratitude to Bernadette for her outstanding work as our commissioner. Bernadette has led the Atlantic 10 with a big vision, steadfast care, and wonderful grace through an amazing time in intercollegiate athletics. She has successfully carried the A-10 flag on the national stage and will continue to do so throughout this year,” said Chris May, Director of Athletics at Saint Louis University and Chair of the A-10 Athletics Directors. “Atlantic 10 student-athletes have flourished on the playing fields, in the classroom, and in our communities under Bernadette’s leadership, and we will be forever thankful that she led the conference with the student-athletes first in mind. The Atlantic 10 is in a great position as the intercollegiate athletic landscape is changing because of the great work done by Bernadette and the staff. Congratulations to the Commish for a job well done!”

As a leader Bernadette has earned the respect of her peers and appointments to numerous prestigious NCAA committees. She served on the NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Committee and chaired that Committee in 1999 and 2000. In addition, McGlade recently served a five-year appointment on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee and served as the Collegiate Commissioner's Association (CCA) President.
 
McGlade’s accomplishments at the ACC led to capacity crowds at the Women’s Basketball Tournament, while designing an extensive educational outreach program which is still in place today. She also founded the South Atlantic Women’s Basketball Officiating Alliance (SAWBO). Prior to the ACC, when she was hired at Georgia Tech, she was one of the youngest head women's basketball coaches in the nation, and the first full-time female coach at GT. After moving into administration, McGlade served as the Tournament Director for the 1993 NCAA Women’s Final Four, successfully implementing a marketing plan resulting in the first advanced sellout of an NCAA Women’s Final Four. She also was instrumental in the development of GTAA’s Strategic Plan for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
 
In 2000, McGlade was recognized as the WBCA National Administrator of the Year, was inducted into the Georgia Tech Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the South Jersey Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Two years later, in 2002, Georgia Tech honored McGlade as one of the 50 First Women of the Institute. McGlade was named to the ACC Women's Basketball 50th Anniversary Team and in 2008, the YWCA of Greensboro, N.C., presented her with the Kay Yow Outstanding Female in Sports award. McGlade was named an ACC Legend by UNC as a player in 2010 and by Georgia Tech as a coach in 2012, the first person with the distinction of being an ACC Legend as both a player and coach. Her #14 ‘Honored Jersey’ hangs in UNC Carmichael Basketball Arena. In 2014, she was honored by NACWAA as an Administrator of the Year and named one of Sports Business Journal’s National Game Changers, and in 2024 was named an SBJ Power Player in Women’s Sports.
 
A native of Gloucester City, N.J., McGlade earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
 
A national search will be conducted by the A-10 Presidents Council with the position posting in January of 2026.