NCAA names Mario Morris Senior VP of Administration and CFO
Former student-athlete brings background as senior athletics administrator at Notre Dame and Wisconsin
The NCAA has named Mario Morris senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer. Currently the executive deputy athletics director at Notre Dame, Morris brings a deep background of experience in college athletics and the financial services industry. He starts his position at the NCAA on Sept. 12.
"We are fortunate to welcome a leader like Mario to the national office," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "He brings a wealth of experience leading teams in financial operations and an expertise in the issues of college athletics. His insights will be invaluable as a strategic contributor and revenue generator working for member schools and conferences across the country."
As senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer at the NCAA, Morris will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of all financial activity and administrative operations for the Association.
"I would like to thank President Emmert for selecting me to join the NCAA in this critical role," Morris said. "We are in a time of tremendous change in college athletics, and I look forward to making an impact and contributing where I can. I want to send a heartfelt 'thank you' to Father John Jenkins (Notre Dame president) and Jack Swarbrick (athletics director) for giving me the opportunity to serve and lead at Notre Dame. The experience has changed my life, and I will forever be grateful to the Notre Dame family."
In his role at Notre Dame, Morris is responsible for the athletics department's core business and revenue-generation functions, including strategic financial planning, business operations, multimedia rights, apparel, fan engagement, corporate relations, business innovation, ticketing, marketing, hospitality, contracts, information technology, data analytics, athletics equipment, facilities and events. Morris also has oversight of the men's lacrosse program.
Alongside the athletics director and senior director of athletic advancement, Morris leads in developing strategic priorities for fundraising and actively engages in donor engagement activities. Morris also provides strategic guidance for new emerging areas, such as name, image and likeness activities and non-fungible token and blockchain technologies.
"As a former student-athlete and current senior athletics administrator, Mario will be an especially effective advocate for student-athletes and NCAA member institutions in this new role," said Swarbrick, Notre Dame's vice president and the James E. Rohr director of athletics. "In his time at Notre Dame, Mario revolutionized our business operations, brought in a talented and diverse staff and launched new initiatives that will help to define the future of Notre Dame athletics. We will miss Mario and his family and wish them the best in Indianapolis."
Before joining Notre Dame, Morris held a variety of financial management roles at Wisconsin. As CFO, Morris had primary oversight of Wisconsin's $150 million financial and operations budget. He was responsible for guiding the athletics business office, ticket office and data analytics staff in support of revenue generation, purchasing, accounting, finance and budget.
Before joining Wisconsin, Morris worked for several years in the financial services industry. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis at Wisconsin.
Morris is recognized as an emerging leader in college sports. In 2021, he was selected as the College Athletic Business Management Association's manager of the year. In 2020, Morris was chosen for the NCAA Pathway Program, which is designed to elevate senior-level athletics administrators to the next step in their careers. In 2019, he was selected as member of NEXT UP by CollegeAD.
Morris serves as an adjunct professor at Notre Dame and Wisconsin, where he teaches courses in NCAA governance and compliance, budget and financial management, licensing, marketing and commercial sponsorship, and legal issues in higher education.
Morris received his law degree from Wisconsin in 2006 and his bachelor's degree in finance from Alabama in 1994. He was a starting linebacker on Alabama's football team, playing on the Crimson Tide's national championship team in 1992.
Morris is filling the role of NCAA senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer currently held by Kathleen McNeely, who is retiring after having been with the national office since 2011. She spent 29 years at Indiana in various financial administrative positions, most recently as the associate vice president and executive director of financial management services. Her retirement takes effect Sept. 1.
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