Georgia deputy athletic director Carla Williams is the new athletic director at Virginia.

“I am so happy for Carla. She has worked so hard for this opportunity and will be a dynamic leader for the University of Virginia athletics program,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said. “Carla has been a tremendous asset to our staff in all areas of the UGA program and her skill set is remarkable. She has experience in virtually every part of our athletic program --- from a student-athlete all the way to Deputy Director. I know I'll miss working alongside my good friend. We are very proud of Carla and wish her the very best in her role as Director of Athletics at the University of Virginia.”

A former Lady Bulldog basketball player, Williams has served as McGarity’s top lieutenant, handling a number of responsibilities, including NCAA compliance, external and event operations and academic support.

Williams becomes the first female African-American athletics director at a Power Five conference institution and is the fifth active female athletics director at that level.

In her role as deputy director of athletics at Georgia, Williams was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department and its $127 million budget. She served as administrator for the Bulldogs’ football and Lady Bulldogs’ women's basketball programs and also had supervisory responsibility for academic support services, business operations, compliance, event management, external operations, facilities and new construction, human resources, sports facilitators (21 sports and 15 head coaches), sports medicine, strength and conditioning, student services and ticketing. Since 2011, she has helped to oversee $162 million in facility additions, upgrades and improvement.

“I am excited to partner with Carla Williams in building an exceptional football program and developing our student-athletes to their fullest potential,” head football coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

“This is an exciting time in UVA athletics and I look forward to working with Carla Williams,” head men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett said. “Her vast experiences as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator at top Power Five schools are impressive. The people I respect in the coaching profession who have worked under Carla could not have given her a better endorsement.”