Judith M. Sweet, NCAA senior vice president for championships and education services, has announced that she will leave the NCAA staff in August to return to her home in San Diego.

Sweet, who also serves as senior woman administrator for the national office, said she has no immediate professional plans.

“Judy has made a significant difference to intercollegiate athletics in multiple ways,” said NCAA President Myles Brand. “She certainly has been a national leader and a steadfast advocate for women’s sports.

“Her commitment to the principles of higher education and the role of athletics in that experience has been the guiding force in a career that has made a difference in the lives of thousands of young men and women. Her contributions to the NCAA — both from the campus and on the national office staff — frankly are beyond calculation. College sports is fortunate she chose athletics administration as the place to make her contribution.”

Sweet joined the NCAA in December 2000 as vice president for championships. She was promoted in 2003 to the new position of senior vice president for championships and education services. In that role, she has overseen most NCAA championships, the education services staff (including the NCAA Hall of Champions), statistics and playing rules administration.

Also, she was designated senior woman administrator for the national office in 2001.

Before joining the staff, Sweet was athletics director at the University of California, San Diego. In that role, she was one of the first women in America to administer joint men’s and women’s programs.

Sweet became active in the Association’s structure in the early 1980s and served on 20 NCAA committees before being elected membership president in 1991. She was the only woman to serve in that capacity.

She also was a member of the NCAA Council, the Executive Committee and served as Division III vice president. Other assignments included stints as chair of the Budget Subcommittee, the Special Advisory Committee to Review Recommendations Regarding Distribution of Revenues, and the Committee on Review and Planning.

Beyond the NCAA, Sweet has been a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (she also was president of that organization).