Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Myles Brand Dies Of Cancer At 67

NCAA president Myles Brand died Wednesday after a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Brand, 67, was diagnosed with the disease in January.

"Myles Brand was a dear friend and a great academic leader. He was a tireless advocate for the student-athlete," Michael Adams, University of Georgia president and the chair of the NCAA executive committee, said in a statement. "Indeed, he worked to ensure that the student was first in the student-athlete model. He will be greatly missed."

"Myles Brand was a true friend of the National Football Foundation," said National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning. "From attending our annual awards dinner in New York to speaking at the Play It Smart academic coach training convention, he believed in our mission, and he was always quick to lend his support to our efforts. He will be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

"College athletics lost a true champion today," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "A former professor and university president, Myles Brand stood in a unique position to promote the scholar-athlete ideal, and he utilized his credibility to ensure that the experiences of our student-athletes better prepared them for life and productive careers. His contributions will be felt for generations."

Brand has been the NCAA's president since 2003.

Here's an installment of the "Mondays With Myles" from the NCAA when Brand was fighting the disease back in the Spring...

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