ATHENS, Ohio -- Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford will speak at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 in room 121B at the Computer Services Center at Ohio University in Athens. He will address the status of Division I-A football and the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), followed by a question and answer period. The event is open to the public and media.

Swofford, who graduated from Ohio University in 1973 with a master's degree in sports administration, is in his fifth year as ACC commissioner. During his first four years, ACC teams won 13 national titles and participated in 25 national championship games.

Swofford has been a driving force in the development of the BCS, a consortium of colleges, conferences and administrators formed in 1998 to determine the national champion in Division I football. He also has served as coordinator of the BCS the past two football seasons.

Before heading the ACC, Swofford was director of athletics at the University of North Carolina from 1980 to 1997. During his tenure, Tar Heel teams won 123 league championships and 24 national championships, including 18 by women's sports. In 1993-94, North Carolina won the inaugural Sears Directors' Cup and finished in the top six of the Sears Cup standings his last three years.

For more information on Swofford's visit, contact the Sports Administration Office at (740) 593-4666.