BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Martin Newton, Samford's director of athletics, will begin a four-year appointment to the NCAA Division I Council and the Men's Basketball Oversight Committee July 1.
 
Newton was nominated for the posts by the Southern Conference league office. He was then vetted by the NCAA and subsequently selected to serve as the SoCon's representative on the Division I Council, as well as the Men's Basketball Oversight Committee.
 
"Initially my goals will be to listen and learn," Newton said. "The NCAA has a lot of important issues to address related to student-athlete mental health and well-being, amateurism, etc., and I'm looking forward to being a part of the solution rather than just discussing the problems. I'm extremely excited about serving on the Men's Basketball Oversight Committee and giving back to a game that has been so good to my family. I have found in my career that one receives so much more when they serve as opposed to observe. I'm grateful to the SoCon and the NCAA for allowing me this opportunity to serve our student-athletes, coaches and administrators." 
 
The Division I Council is a high-level group responsible for the day-to-day decision-making for Division I. Athletics directors, athletics administrators, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes serve on the Council. Every Division I conference is represented on the Council.
 
The Men's Basketball Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of men's basketball is maintained, and makes recommendations related to regular-season and postseason men's basketball. The committee prioritizes enhancement of the student-athlete educational experience (academically and athletically), and in doing so, promotes student-athletes' personal growth and leadership development, as well as supervises qualifications and/or selection procedures for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships.
 
Newton was named Samford's director of athletics in April of 2011. In his time as the leader of the department, Samford teams have won 35 Southern Conference overall, tournament or divisional titles. In that time, Samford teams have produced 334 All-SoCon selections, as well as the school's first NCAA Division I national champion (Karisa Nelson) and Walter Payton Award winner (Devlin Hodges).
 
The teams' successes have not been confined to the fields and courts, as Samford teams have maintained a 97 percent graduation rate, the highest of any Division I school in the state of Alabama. Additionally, 1,142 Samford student-athletes have been named to the SoCon Honor Roll during Newton's time at the school