INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA found its new president in the same place it got its last one — the university administration office.

Now, college sports’ largest governing body is hoping Mark Emmert can be just as effective.

The University of Washington president became the NCAA’s top executive on Tuesday, ending the search for Myles Brand’s successor that began in November.

“It’s a pleasure and a challenge to follow Myles,” Emmert said. “His legacy is so strong and because of the impact he had on the organization in a relatively short period of time, the foundation for me to build on is very, very strong. But it’s a challenge because those are big shoes to fill.”

The 57-year-old Emmert emerged from a field that started with nearly 100 candidates, was winnowed to 32, and finally down to the handful of contenders who interviewed with the NCAA’s executive committee on Tuesday.

By late afternoon, Oregon State president and committee chairman Ed Ray called Emmert to offer him the job. An hour later, Emmert was introduced as the NCAA’s fifth CEO.

Emmert will begin serving his five-year term Nov. 1. He earned $906,500 in total annual compensation at Washington, second to only Ohio State’s E. Gordon Gee among public university presidents, but the NCAA did not release the financial details of his contract. Brand reportedly earned about $1.7 million per year.