Tamica Smith Jones, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, University of California, Riverside (DI)

Tamica Smith Jones was named UC Riverside's director of intercollegiate athletics in June of 2015 following two years as the senior associate athletics director for internal affairs and senior woman administrator (SWA) at UT San Antonio.

The Highlanders won Big West Championships in Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, and Men's Golf during her inaugural year at the helm, and earned the program's first individual national champion in UC Riverside's Division I era when Vesta Bell took home championship hardware in the Indoor Weight Throw. That results also helped the Highlanders to their best finish ever in the Big West Conference Commissioner's Cup standings.

In May, 2016, Smith Jones was appointed to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Sport Committee which determines the host institutions and sites of the Championships in collaboration with the Women's Basketball Oversight Committee, and selects, seeds and brackets the Championship. In July, 2017, she was named to the Division I-AAA ADA Executive Committee, and one month later, she was named the Women Leaders In College Sports Division I Administrator of the Year.

Assemblymember Jose Medina present Smith Jones with the 2017 61st Assembly District Woman of Distinction Award in March of 2017.

UC Riverside has made a number of facility upgrades since 2015, including renovating the SRC Arena floor (home to the Highlanders’ Volleyball and Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs), re-turfing portions of the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium, and adding safety features to the UC Riverside Sports Complex.

The Highlanders have increased their community outreach over the past several years, assisting with such projects as the Hometown Heroes’ Run, the Adrian Dell and Carmen Roberts Foundation Backpack Giveaway and  Feeding America Inland Empire,

They have also built a number of new relationships with downtown Riverside, bringing events like "Meet A Highlander, Be A Highlander," at Loft 84 "Celebration of Champions," and "99 For Title IX" to the downtown area.

The Atlanta, Ga., native is an active member of many professional organizations and committees. She is or has been a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (featured article on “Balancing your personal and professional brand” in June 2014 NACDA Magazine), Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (currently serves as a member of WLCS Advancement Fund Committee), NCAA Leadership Selection Committee for Ethnic Males and Females, and Achieving Coaches Excellence Program Selection Committee. Smith-Jones also has served at or presented to the NCAA Committee for Women’s Athletics, NCAA Division II Athletic Directors Committee, NCAA Football Coaches Academy and Selection Committee, NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills Continuing Education Conference, Career in Sports Forum and NCAA Division II Leadership Action Academy.