Watch new Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren’s introductory press conference

Back in March, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany announced he was stepping down when the calendar flips to 2020. On Tuesday, Kevin Warren was officially announced as his replacement.

While Delaney won’t be leaving until New Year’s Day 2020, Warren will be joining the conference on Sept. 16 to ease the transition process. When he arrives, Warren will become the first African-American commissioner of a Power 5 conference in college sports history.

Warren, who was a collegiate basketball player at Pennsylvania and Grand Canyon Universities in the early 1980s, has been the Chief Operating Officer of the Minnesota Vikings since 2015. He joined the organization in 2005, following shorter stints with the then-St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions.

He has experience both in the business world and the legal world, as he earned an MBA from Arizona State in 1988 and a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1990. While this is his first foray into collegiate athletics administration, Warren seems well-qualified to succeed Delany, who has been the conference’s leader since 1989.

“To have an opportunity to lead the Big Ten Conference, and follow in the shoes of Jim Delany, is truly an honor,” Warren said in a press conference Tuesday. “It will definitely be a challenge, but my entire life has been about challenges and overcoming challenges, and I am so happy.”

Here’s Warren’s full press conference.

In other news

Maryland football’s 2020 recruiting class picked up another defensive back, as three-star corner Rashad Battle committed on Tuesday.

Former Terps defensive tackle Dean Muhtadi (better known by WWE stage name Mojo Rawley) gave a shout out to Mike Locksley and the program during Monday Night RAW.

After being named the winner of the 2019 Tewaaraton Award for her outstanding play in goal, Maryland women’s lacrosse’s Megan Taylor is up for the 2019 Honda Award.

The Bob Cousy Award is given to the top point guard in the country every year, and Anthony Cowan Jr. has made Andy Katz’s watch list.