Almost all NCAA Division I conferences are asking their member schools to observe a moment of silence before all athletics events this weekend to honor NCAA President Myles Brand.

Brand, NCAA president since January 2003, died Wednesday.

The Pacific-10 Conference will commemorate Brand  with a moment of silence before all conference athletics events. In addition, a presentation in his honor will occur before kickoff of this weekend’s Pac-10 football games, Commissioner Larry Scott announced. 

“Myles Brand was a passionate advocate for the ‘student’ part of ‘student-athlete,’ ” said Arizona State President Michael Crow, chair of the Pac-10 Chief Executive Officers. “The academic reforms initiated under his leadership of the NCAA have had a remarkable effect on the academic achievement level of student-athletes.”

The honoring of Brand also was noted in Division III, where moments of silence planned for this weekend were announced for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Northern Athletics Conference, the Liberty League, the City University of New York Athletic Conference and the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

Also, Division III’s Little East Conference on Friday requested that its members read the following statement at athletics contests this weekend:

“College athletics lost a true friend on Wednesday with the passing of NCAA President Myles Brand. Dr. Brand was a champion of student-athlete well-being and a tireless advocate for the educational experience of intercollegiate athletics, and the values of diversity, gender equity, service and sportsmanship. Please join us in a moment of silence to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Myles Brand.”

Other similar memorials are expected in Division III.

Division I’s Sun Belt Conference was the first to announce plans to honor Brand.

“I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Myles Brand, and I always had a great amount of respect for the work that he did,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters. “He was an exceptional leader who truly understood the importance of collegiate athletics in the realm of higher education. He will be greatly missed.”

The Mid-American Conference asked that a statement be read before the moment of silence that acknowledges Brand's focus on “scholarship, academic accountability and achievement, and student-athlete well-being.”

Conference USA, the Patriot League, the Horizon League, the Atlantic Sun Conference, the West Coast Conference, the Colonial Athletic Association and the Southwestern Athletic Conference are among other leagues asking their institutions to observe a moment of silence before games this weekend.

“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of our friend, Myles Brand,” said Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky. “He was a remarkable man and a wonderful leader for intercollegiate athletics. His leadership and accomplishments will certainly benefit student-athletes, coaches and higher education for decades to come.”

Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone called Brand a leader in higher education and a champion for the student-athlete.

“In addition, his influence was felt as a respected member of the Indianapolis community,” LeCrone said from the Horizon League office in Indianapolis. “He will be sorely missed.”

Division II’s Northeast-10 Conference created the following statement to be read before the National Anthem at league games this weekend:

“College athletics lost a true friend on Wednesday when NCAA President Myles Brand lost his battle with cancer. Dr. Brand was a champion of student-athlete well-being and a great friend and advocate of our Division II community. Under his leadership, Division II redefined itself and forged its strategic platform that highly values the educational experience of its student-athletes and places its emphasis on service, learning, sportsmanship, passion and balance. We ask that you join us now in a moment of silence for Dr. Myles Brand.”

Away from the field of play, the National Association published a special edition of its e-mail newsletter, the Daily Review. The product included comments from the presidents of 14 NACDA-administered associations.

Meanwhile, the Women’s Sports Foundation Web site was dominated by a tribute to Brand.