INDIANAPOLIS — University of Washington president Mark A. Emmert is the NCAA's new chief executive.

Emmert succeeds Myles Brand, who died last September from pancreatic cancer. Brand was the first president to die in office. Jim Isch has served as interim president since Sept. 22.

Emmert was a surprise choice. The early front-runners were University of Hartford president Walter Harrison, Georgia president Michael Adams and NCAA executive Bernard Franklin.