USC’s Barbara Hedges Named Washington’s Athletic Director

Barbara Hedges, senior associate athletic director at USC, has been named the University of Washington’s athletic director.

Hedges, who has been at USC since 1973, will be the first woman to head Washington’s athletic program and only the second woman named to such a position at an NCAA Division I-A school.

The first woman named to head an athletic program in Division I-A was Maryalyce Hill at San Diego State in 1983.

“I’m absolutely delighted and very excited,” Hedges said. “It will be very difficult for me to leave the University of Southern California, but this is a great opportunity for me.”

William Gerberding, Washington’s president, said he selected Hedges from three finalists because of her experience in the Pacific 10 Conference. Don Purvis, athletic director at Ball State in Ohio, and Chuck Armstrong, Washington’s interim athletic director, also were candidates for the job.

Hedges, who will start her new job Aug. 1, replaces former athletic director Mike Lude, who was forced by Washington administrators to retire last November. Hedges will earn a salary of $110,000, the university said in a news release.