University Times

Donna D. Sanft, senior associate athletics director for administration, student life and compliance, was named interim director of athletics by Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg.

She succeeds Jeff Long, athletics director since 2003, who accepted a similar position at the University of Arkansas.

Sanft’s association with Pitt’s athletics department includes time as a student-athlete, gymnastics head coach and, for the past two decades, administrator. She has been responsible for coordinating Pitt’s compliance and NCAA rules education programs and overseeing the Panther Game Plan, a student-athlete life skills program.

Nordenberg appointed Executive Vice Chancellor Jerome Cochran to head the search committee for a permanent director of athletics.