News in Brief: Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć Carla Williams Named to College Football Playoff Committee

February 8, 2024 • By Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu

February 8, 2024
Headshot of Carla Williams

Carla Williams is in her seventh year as director of athletics at UVA. (UVA Athletics photo)

University of Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams has been appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee. 

CFP executive director Bill Hancock made the announcement Thursday, ensuring Williams’ place on the six-person committee for three years. Her appointment, under new committee chair and University of Michigan Athletics Director Warde Manuel, begins this spring. 

“It is an honor to be invited to serve on the College Football Playoff selection committee,” Williams said. “This is an exciting time for the sport with the expansion to 12 teams. There is a tremendous responsibility associated with this position, and I am excited to serve at such an important time in the sport’s history.”

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips called Williams an “outstanding advocate for college football” who will be a “knowledgeable, passionate and valuable member” of the committee.

“Throughout her time at Virginia, as well as her entire career,” Phillips said, “Carla has consistently shown to be a tremendous leader.”

Williams is in her seventh year as director of athletics at Virginia. During her time in Charlottesville, UVA teams have captured multiple national titles across numerous sports, including the 2019 men’s basketball title, 2019 and 2021 men’s lacrosse titles, three straight women’s swimming and diving championships from 2021 to ’23, and the 2022 and 2023 men’s tennis team titles. In addition, UVA teams have won 17 ACC championships. 

In the classroom, UVA has placed record numbers of student-athletes on the ACC Honor Roll, achieved the highest-grade point averages in program history, and been recognized by the NCAA for outstanding achievement in its Academic Progress Reports. In all, 12 UVA student-athletes have been named ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in their respective sports since 2020. 

In 2021, the Sports Business Journal named Williams one of its finalists for NCAA Division I Athletics Director of the Year Award.

Media Contacts

Jim Daves

Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations

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