INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Sports Corp announced on Friday it will present the 2026 Tom Jernstedt Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Bowlsby and will posthumously honor Arnie Ferrin for their distinguished professional careers dedicated to the advancement of Division I men’s basketball.
The Tom Jernstedt Lifetime Achievement Award was created in 2023 to honor those who best exemplify the leadership and service demonstrated by Jernstedt during his 38-year tenure at the NCAA, and who have made a meaningful impact on college basketball.
Bob Bowlsby built a distinguished career in collegiate athletics, beginning as Athletics Director at Northern Iowa before serving in the same position at the University of Iowa from 1990–2006 and Stanford University from 2006-12. Bowlsby was later named commissioner of the Big 12 where he served in the role until 2022. He served on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee from 2001-05 and later chaired the committee for the 2004 and 2005 NCAA Championships, becoming the last individual to serve consecutive terms as chair. As chair, Bowlsby led the adoption of a weighted RPI formula that better accounted for the difficulty of winning on the road, allowing the committee to more accurately evaluate teams in the selection process.
Bowlsby was a member of the NCAA Presidential Task Force on Federal and State Legislative Issues and worked closely with congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., helping shape the evolving legislative landscape of college athletics. His national leadership includes service on the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board of Directors from 2007 through the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, appointment by President George W. Bush to the Commission on Opportunities in Athletics reviewing Title IX, and selection to the inaugural NCAA Division I Council in 2015, the governance body responsible for establishing and refining the rules that oversee Division I athletics. During his time at the Big 12, Bowlsby guided the conference’s addition of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston and finalized one of the largest television deals in collegiate athletics overseeing the expansion of the existing ESPN rights deal and the debut of Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
Ferrin was one of the most decorated players in Utah men’s basketball history. He led the Utes to an NCAA Championship in 1944 as a late replacement, becoming the first freshman to win Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four. After missing the 1945 NCAA Tournament while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Ferrin returned in 1947 to lead Utah to the National Invitation Tournament championship. In his senior year, Ferrin averaged 14.1 points, becoming the only four-time All-American in Utah history. He later had his No. 22 jersey retired by the school. Ferrin was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
Upon graduating from Utah in 1948, Ferrin was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1948 Basketball Association of America Draft (later the NBA) and played for three seasons, winning two championships. After his playing career, Ferrin returned to his alma mater as Athletic Director in 1976, serving until his retirement in 1985. During his time as Athletic Director, Ferrin served on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee from 1983-88, including serving as the chair of the committee for the 1988 Tournament. During his tenure on the committee, the championship bracket expanded three times, from 48 teams to 52 in 1983, 53 in 1984, and 64 teams in 1985, a transformation that reshaped the tournament into the modern format recognized today.
Bowlsby and Ferrin will be honored at the 2026 Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis, Ind. on Monday, April 6 while fans, former colleagues, and friends celebrate the life of Tom Jernstedt - the “Father of the Final Four.”
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About Tom Jernstedt
Tom Jernstedt joined the NCAA in 1972 and throughout his career worked behind the scenes to transform the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship to the premier event we know and love today. He served as executive vice president and oversaw the day-to-day operations of March Madness, the expansion of participating teams from 25 to 68 and the selection of larger sites, including domed stadiums, for the Final Four games. Beyond his tournament work, Jernstedt was a passionate leader and administrator whose connection with many impacted countless lives and careers. Many people described him as the type of person to make time for everyone, thoughtful, respectful, likable, and honest.
Throughout his 38-year career, Jernstedt served on many boards of directors and committees that include the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; United States Olympic Committee; United States-International University Sports Federation; Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association; Federation of International Basketball Association; and the University of Oregon Alumni Association as well as serving as the President of USA Basketball from 2001-2004. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame awarded Jernstedt the John Bunn award in 2001 which is the highest honor given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recognizing an individual who has contributed significantly to the sport of basketball. He went on to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the United Sports Academy and the Bill McGowan Leadership Award from the Indiana Convention and Visitors Association in 2007. USA Basketball then awarded him the Edward S. Steitz award in 2009 which recognizes an individual for his or her valuable contributions to international basketball. Jernstedt was eventually inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and then inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, and finally inducted into the State of Oregon’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. Indiana Sports Corp awarded Jernstedt the National Pathfinder Award posthumously in 2021 during the Men’s Final Four weekend.
About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.