Dr. Jeff Gingerich, president of St. Bonaventure University, has been elected by his peers to a three-year term as chair of the Atlantic 10 Conference Presidents Council.

Gingerich succeeds Dr. Eric Spina, president of the University of Dayton, who served a three-year term as chair of the chief governing body of one of the nation’s premier NCAA Division I athletic conferences.

The Presidents Council, composed of the presidents and chancellors of the A10’s member institutions, provides strategic direction and oversight for the conference. As chair, Gingerich will preside over council meetings and help guide conference policy and priorities at a time of unprecedented change across intercollegiate athletics.

“I’m honored to have the confidence of my colleagues and to serve the Atlantic 10 in this role,” Gingerich said. “The landscape of college athletics is evolving at a remarkable pace, making strong presidential leadership and collaboration more important than ever. The Atlantic 10 has long demonstrated that academic excellence and highly competitive Division I athletics can thrive together, and I look forward to helping advance that mission.”

The council has oversight of major conference matters, including strategic planning, financial and operational priorities, conference membership and governance, and policies affecting the academic and athletic experiences of student-athletes.

The chair also works closely with A10 Commissioner Dan Leibovitz, athletic directors and other conference leadership and serves an important role in representing the collective interests of member institutions on national NCAA issues.

“I look forward to working closely with Dr. Gingerich and the entire Presidents Council,” said Leibovitz. “We have already had several productive discussions about the future of the A10, and Jeff’s perspective will be of tremendous value as he takes over as council chair for the next three years.”

Gingerich was among five A10 presidents who served on the search committee that selected Leibovitz, who became the conference’s sixth commissioner in May 2026. Spina chaired that committee.

The Presidents Council has played an increasingly significant role as college athletics navigates changes involving student-athlete compensation, name, image and likeness opportunities, NCAA governance and the financial pressures facing higher education.

Gingerich has served as St. Bonaventure’s 22^nd president since June 2022. Under his leadership, the university has continued to emphasize the importance of maintaining a competitive Division I athletics program while keeping the academic and personal development of student-athletes at the center of its mission.

St. Bonaventure is a longtime member of the Atlantic 10, competing in the conference since 1979.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 164 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked in the Top 25 overall and for value by U.S. News and World Report (2026).