Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda, announced today the appointment of Dr. Christina Rivera to the CWSA Board of Directors. Rivera, the Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at UCLA joins the CWSA Board of Directors as a District and Divisional representative.

"We are thrilled to welcome Christina as a member of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Board of Directors,” stated Voelz. “UCLA serves as an important institutional partner to many initiatives that support our annual event in Los Angeles. Christina has already shown her superb leadership in organizing the CWSA/HONDA UCLA outreach event, ‘Training Like an Athlete’ for the associates  of our 25 year partners, American Honda. It is clear she will be a terrific addition to our Board."

The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) program recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding female student-athletes in NCAA-member institutions throughout the United States. The CWSA has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 40 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.  

Rivera began her tenure at UCLA in September 2007 and serves as the Associate Athletic Director for Academic & Student Services (AS2) and its S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Program - Student-Athletes Understand that CharacterCreates Educational Self-Sufficiency.

She is responsible for the academic and student support services provided to Bruin student-athletes in 24 varsity sports. Specifically, she leads a program that provides an interactive learning environment that emphasizes life-long learning habits, goal setting, teamwork, leadership and character. Centered on the idea of the self-sufficient, independent learner, the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Program features academic counseling, tutorial services, academic mentoring, educational assessments, student-athlete orientation, summer school, and other programs aimed at empowering student-athletes to achieve their academic, career and personal goals.

She also is responsible for daily interface with the Director of Student-Athlete Counseling and the College Counseling staff that are assigned to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics as well as working with the Director of Compliance in the oversight of the academic eligibility certification process.

"It is an honor to serve as a member of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards  Board of Directors, in the footsteps of many a strong SWA from UCLA,” said Rivera. “The CWSA holds a special place in our UCLA history with its founding 40 years ago by our Director of Athletics for Women, Judith Holland, and I am happy to play my part in this tradition."

"The Collegiate Womens Sports Awards has had a long standing affiliation with UCLA and we are happy to have this continuing tradition as Christina joins our illustrious Board of Directors,” stated Jeanne Lenti Ponsetto, Chair of the CWSA Board of Directors. “She will be a terrific addition as she represents the up-and-coming athletics administrators that will carry the CWSA banner for the next generation of young women who achieve the CWSA distinction.”