NCAA president Dempsey to retire

INDIANAPOLIS - Cedric Dempsey, in the final year of his contract as president of the NCAA, will retire at the end of the year. <br> <br> Dempsey, who will be 70 in April, took over as the NCAA&#39;s third executive director in 1994. His title was changed to president in 1998. <br> <br> His retirement announcement Tuesday came on the final day of the NCAA&#39;s annual convention. <br> <br> During Dempsey&#39;s tenure, he led a restructuring of the NCAA&#39;s governing body, separating the leadership groups by each of the three divisions. He also presided over the move in 1999 of the association&#39;s national office from Overland Park, Kan., to Indianapolis, and he was involved in the most recent TV contracts with CBS and ESPN. <br> <br> ``Ced may have been as perfect as any candidate could be, coming to lead the organization when he did,&#39;&#39; NCAA executive committee chairman Bob Lawless said. <br> <br> Dempsey has overcome health problems, beating non-Hodgkin&#39;s lymphoma cancer while athletic director at Arizona. Three years ago, he underwent heart-valve replacement surgery. <br> <br> ``My energy level is really good,&#39;&#39; he said Saturday, when he said he was still undecided about retirement. ``I just want to make sure my wife is right when she says, &#39;I don&#39;t mind if you continue working, I just don&#39;t want you to die when you quit.&#39;&#39;&#39;