Brian Sandoval, the current president of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), has been appointed to a four-year term on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors. This appointment adds another high-profile position to the resume of the former Republican governor who raised taxes and embraced several progressive policies during his time in office.
In a statement, Sandoval said:
“I am deeply honored for this appointment to serve on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors.
As part of this governing body, I will work with an unwavering commitment to enhance the quality of the student-athlete experience while also ensuring that our institutions can continue to demonstrate the positive impact of intercollegiate athletics in higher education,”
Nevada president Brian Sandoval has been appointed to a four-year term through 2029 on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors. The board is comprised of 20 presidents, chancellors and CEOs, including one from each of the 10 FBS conferences.
His statement: pic.twitter.com/V7kMefJiwY
— Nevada Sports Net (@NevadaSportsNet) April 28, 2025
Who is Brian Sandoval?
You might remember Sandoval as Nevada’s governor from 2011 to 2019. He started out as a small-town assemblyman in 1994, worked his way up to Attorney General, and later became a federal judge before winning the governor’s office.
In 2002, he made history as the first Hispanic elected to statewide office in Nevada.
Sandoval has deep ties to UNR. He graduated in1986 with a degree in English and economics (that’s why they call him “’86” in university publications). He became the first alumni to serve as the university’s president when he took office in October 2020.
Tax Increases That Shocked Conservatives
One of Sandoval’s most controversial moves came in 2015, when he pushed through what critics called the largest tax increase in Nevada history.
As former U.S. Senator Dean Heller pointed out in 2022:
“For the first time since 1985, we got the majority of both houses and the governorship. And the first thing we do is raise the largest tax in Nevada history.”
This tax plan, which focused on businesses with more than $4 million in gross revenue, came after Nevada voters had already rejected a similar margin tax on the ballot the year before.
Then-State Assemblywoman Michele Fiore even claimed she was removed from leadership positions after opposing “this business commerce tax” in a confrontation with Sandoval.
Social Policies That Raised Eyebrows
Though Sandoval ran as a Republican, his time as governor was marked by several decisions that troubled conservatives. Nate Silver of the New York Times ranked Sandoval as only the 29th most conservative governor in the country in 2013.
His record on social issues particularly concerned traditional conservatives. In 2011, Sandoval signed a bill prohibiting job discrimination based on gender identity, making Nevada one of just 14 states with such laws at the time.
He didn’t stop there. Sandoval went on to sign three transgender nondiscrimination bills that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on gender identity or expression.
When President Trump announced a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military in 2017, Sandoval directed the Nevada National Guard to make:
“no changes to the current policy allowing transgender members to serve.”
Taking On Trump: The Latest Controversy
Sandoval’s progressive leanings have continued in his role as university president. Just this week, he publicly opposed President Trump’s higher education policies.
Sandoval joined over 520 academic leaders in signing a letter opposing what they called Trump’s “coercive use of public research funding” and described the administration’s actions as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference.”
The Trump administration didn’t hold back in its response. Deputy press secretary Harrison Fields dismissed the letter as coming from “worthless letters by overpaid blowhards” and “self-serving elites in academia” who represent “an echo chamber of out of touch liberals.”
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Sandoval’s appointment to the NCAA board comes at a critical time when college sports are grappling with transgender participation issues. Just last year, the UNR women’s volleyball team made headlines when they chose to forfeit a match against San Jose State University, which reportedly had a transgender woman on its roster.
In his role as university president, Sandoval wrote in October that, “the University continues to support the rights of the volleyball players who choose not to participate” in the match.
However, this statement carefully avoided taking a firm stance on whether biological males should compete in women’s sports.
This matters because the NCAA Board of Directors that Sandoval now joins is responsible for strategy, policy, and overseeing legislation for Division I athletics. The positions he takes could influence policies affecting religious liberty, women’s sports, and free speech on campuses nationwide.
What’s Next?
With Sandoval’s term on the NCAA board running until 2029, conservatives should closely monitor decisions coming from college sports’ governing body. His influence could determine whether traditional values regarding women’s sports are preserved or whether progressive gender ideology becomes further entrenched in college athletics.
Conservative parents with college-age children should stay informed about campus policies at institutions like UNR, where leadership increasingly embraces progressive social stances.
Concerned alumni can make their voices heard through alumni associations and by directing donations to programs that align with their values.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
