INDIANAPOLIS — Zack Lassiter, Abilene Christian vice president for athletics, has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, replacing Brian Thornton, who resigned as commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference to take a position at the Big 12 Conference earlier this month. Lassiter will serve a five-year term, which begins immediately and will expire in August 2029. 

Before taking over at Abilene Christian in November 2021, Lassiter served as deputy athletics director for external operations at Oregon State from 2015-2021. There, he was the sport supervisor for men’s basketball as the Beavers made two NCAA tournament appearances, including their first Pac-12 Conference championship and a run to the Elite Eight in 2021.

“It is with great humility and enthusiasm that I accept the professional opportunity of a lifetime,” Lassiter said. “I believe the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is one of the greatest events in all of sports. I’ve been involved with March Madness in many different capacities over the last two decades, but to serve in this role is incredibly exciting. I want to thank Dan Gavitt and everyone else involved in the nomination process. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and put in the work necessary to continue to make this championship special for everyone.”

Before his time in Corvallis, Lassiter served on the executive team at the University of Central Florida for three years after arriving from Utah, where he spent more than six years in athletics administration and served an integral role during the 2010 West Regional in Salt Lake City. 

Lassiter earned his bachelor’s degree from Willamette and a master’s at North Carolina, where he started his career in athletics administration.

Lassiter will be one of five first-year members of the committee, joining Irma Garcia of Manhattan, Stu Jackson of the West Coast Conference, Lee Reed of Georgetown and Chad Weiberg of Oklahoma State. Bubba Cunningham of North Carolina will chair the committee for the 2024-25 season, while Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill will serve as vice chair. Other returning members include Greg Byrne of Alabama, Mark Coyle of Minnesota, Arthur Johnson of Temple, Martin Newton of Samford and Tom Wistrcill of the Big Sky Conference.