Director of Athletics
University of California San Diego
Earl Edwards accepted the position of Director of Athletics at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in March, 2000. Under his guidance, the 23-sport program has made a successful transition from the NCAA Division III to the Division II level. In fact, UCSD has surpassed all expectations in Division II, capturing women's soccer national championships in both 2000 and 2001, and finishing third in the 2001-02 Directors' Cup standings after placing fourth the previous year.
Edwards' move to UC San Diego represented a homecoming, as he had previously served as Associate Athletics Director at UCSD from 1987 to 1993. He then took a position as Director of Athletics at East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. During his seven-year tenure at the NCAA Division II institution, he served on numerous NCAA committees, including a 1999 appointment to the Division II Management Council. In 2003 Edwards became a NACDA Executive Committee member and continues to serve in that role. Additionally, he served as the president of NAADD during the 2002-03 academic year.
Edwards is a 1972 graduate of East Stroudsburg with a master's degree in Physical Education and Sports Administration from the University of Massachusetts. In addition to East Stroudsburg, he has athletic administration experience at UMass, UC Davis, the University of Michigan, Drexel University and UCSD. While previously serving at UCSD, Edwards initiated the Triton Athletic Associates, the athletic department's primary fund-raising source.
Edwards now presides over a UCSD program which is recognized nationally for its athletic and academic achievements. In the Fall of 2000, UCSD moved up to the NCAA Division II and joined the California Collegiate Athletic Association, widely recognized as one of the premier Division II conferences in the nation. CCAA member institutions include Cal Poly-Pomona, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Stanislaus, Chico State, UC Davis, Grand Canyon University, San Francisco State and Sonoma State.
