In Brief : Delany Named to Head Big Ten

James E. Delany was named today to succeed Wayne Duke as commissioner of the Big Ten athletic conference.

Delany was introduced at a news conference late this morning. He had been considered the leading candidate to succeed Duke, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Delany, 41, a native of South Orange, N.J., has served as commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference since July, 1979. Earlier, he worked in the NCAA rules enforcement division and as an associate attorney general in North Carolina’s state Justice Department.