Former USC "eligibility coordinator" Dr. Christina Rivera to join UCLA Athletic Department

Now this is interesting; here’s a news release from Tuesday, August 21:

"The UCLA Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Christina Rivera to the post of Assistant Athletic Director for Academic and Student Services, effective Sept. 24.

"Rivera joins the Bruins after spending the last four years as the Associate Director and Eligibility Coordinator for Student-Athlete Academic Services at USC. She was responsible for managing the full-time academic counselors and was the administrative oversight of the school's Life Skills Program as well as the supervisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

"Prior to her stint at USC, Rivera was the Athletic Academic Counselor for Student-Athlete Services at Ohio State University from August 2002 to 2003. With the Buckeyes, she monitored the academic progress of student-athletes for numerous teams, including football, men's volleyball and softball. During her time in Columbus, she was also a lecturer for the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services, as well as for the Athletic Department. Two years prior to her appointment in the OSU Athletic Department, she was an Academic Mentor for the university.

"Rivera earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration at Ohio State in August 2004 and her Master of Science in Education at the University of Pennsylvania in August 1998."

If you are asking yourself why the @#$% UCLA is hiring USC’s eligibility coordinator, the answer was provided in the final two sentences of the release:

"Rivera earned her undergrad at UC Irvine, during the time that UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero was leading the UCI Athletic Department, graduating in March 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Ecology. Rivera was also a four-year letterwinner on the Anteaters' women's soccer team.

"‘We are very excited to add Christina to our staff,’ Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA Petrina Long said. "This hire makes our student-athlete academic area that much stronger. Since she earned her undergraduate degree at UC Irvine, she is familiar with the academic goals of the UC system.’"

The UC Irvine pipeline into the UCLA Athletic Department now includes Guerrero, Long and baseball coach John Savage, with Rivera to join in a month.