Judith M. Sweet, former NCAA president and long-time director of athletics at the University of California, San Diego, will join the NCAA staff in December as vice-president of championships.

Sweet will join the NCAA staff after completing her academic assignments at UC San Diego. She has served on the teacher education faculty since retiring as director of athletics at the university in 1999.

One of the first women in America to administer joint men's and women's athletics programs, Sweet was named athletics director at UC San Diego in 1975 and over the next 24 years supervised 23 sports programs. The program received the Sears Directors' Cup for Division III in 1998 in recognition of the school's athletics success in NCAA championships for both men and women.

"We are very fortunate to have someone of Judy's background and experience in charge of our championships events," said Cedric W. Dempsey, NCAA president. "Her depth of knowledge of college sports and administrative experience in running a broad range of events will ensure that NCAA championships continue to be great experiences for student-athletes.

"I couldn't be happier that she has agreed to join our team," Dempsey said.

Since 1983, Sweet has served on 20 NCAA committees, including the NCAA Council and Executive Committee. In 1986, she was elected to a two-year term as Division III vice-president, and then to a two-year term as NCAA secretary-treasurer. In 1991, she became the first and (because of governance restructuring in 1997) only female to serve as NCAA president -- the Association's highest membership post.

Sweet will be the chief administrator of the championships group, which is responsible for overseeing the conduct and administration of functions and activities related to the conduct of the National Collegiate Championships program. That includes the management and supervision of the administrators, support staff and interns that make up the championships group. In addition, Sweet will assume duties as the Association's senior woman administrator, which means she will be involved in the NCAA president's leadership team and have oversight responsibilities in projects and issues that are beyond just championships.

"It feels like I've been training for this position all of my career," said Sweet. "While it's difficult to leave the city of San Diego and UC San Diego, I am so excited about the opportunity to join the NCAA staff.

"It's a great next step in my career."

Sweet's other NCAA committee appointments include chairing the Council and Executive Committee in 1991-92, the Budget Subcommittee in 1989-90, the Special Advisory Committee to Review Recommendations Regarding Distribution of Revenues in 1990-97, and the Review and Planning Committee from 1996-97. Sweet just concluded a term as a member of the NCAA Foundation Board of Directors.

She also has served on the board of directors for the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) (currently serving as president) and the board of trustees for the United States Sports Academy.

Sweet was named Division III Athletics Director of the Year for 1998-99 by NACDA, won the Honda Award for Outstanding Achievement in Women's Athletics in 1998, was named Administrator of the Year in 1992 by NACWAA, and has won numerous other awards.

An honors graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1969, Sweet also has a master's of science degree in education with honors from the University of Arizona in 1972 and a master's degree in business administration with distinction in 1981 from National University.