IRVINE, Calif. – Chancellor Howard Gillman has appointed Paula Smith as UC Irvine's interim Director of Athletics following the departure of Michael Izzi to CSUN.

Smith, who has served as UCI's Deputy Athletic Director since 2012, also acted as UCI's interim Director of Athletics from August 2007 to February 2008.

Smith is in her 13th year with the Anteaters and is a member of the Athletic Department's senior management team as well as serving on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics.  In conjunction with the Director of Athletics, she provides leadership and assistance for Department staff's compliance within the department, campus, conference, NCAA, and government rules, regulations, and policies. Smith also provides administrative supervision of UCI's athletic programs and serves as the university's Senior Woman Administrator to the NCAA and Big West Conference.

In addition to her UC Irvine duties, Smith was selected to serve on the NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Committee, beginning in September 2013 and concluding in September 2017.  Over the past 25 years, Smith has served on several national committees, most recently the NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee and Council.

A national search will be conducted for the next Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.