CLAREMONT, Calif. - After eight years of working with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps athletics, most recently as the assistant athletic director for facility operations, recreation, and engagement, Chris Spells will step down at the end of the academic year to assume a new role as the director of athletics and recreation at UC Santa Cruz, beginning on June 1.

Spells joined CMS Athletics with the primary role of operationalizing Roberts Pavilion, the campus' new 150,000 square foot facility for Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation in the Spring of 2016. In addition, he served as the Director of Recreation, and helped revitalize the campus' recreation and wellness offerings with club sports, intramurals, and fitness programming.

In 2022, Spells was promoted to his current assistant athletic director role. Among his many responsibilities including serving as the tournament director for the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship, which was held at Roberts Pavilion this past December. He also coordinated gameday and daily operations for all 21 varsity sports, as well as recreational programming, and served on both the SAAC Committee and the DEI Committee.

"We are so excited for Chris, said Erica Perkins Jasper, the William B. Arce Director of Athletics, Physical Education, & Recreation and George R. Roberts Fellow at CMS. "He is more than ready to be an athletic director, and I am thrilled for him to seize this opportunity. We are so appreciative of all the work Chris has done in his eight years with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, and we are grateful that we will get to spend this spring with him before he departs to Santa Cruz."

This past summer, Spells participated in the NCAA Pathway Program under the direction of NCAA leadership development, which is an intensive, experiential learning opportunity for selected participants who work at an NCAA school or conference in Divisions I, II or III. 

Before joining Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Spells worked in the athletics department at Stanford as the assistant director of recreational facilities and operations. During his five years in Palo Alto, he worked in a variety of roles, including leading games and event management, and also had the opportunity to open and manage two new recreation facilities on their campus.

CMS has now had two of assistant athletic directors move on to lead Division III programs in the last two years, as Nikki Ayers was hired as the director of athletics at Juniata in the summer of 2022, and recently returned to Claremont with a Juniata volleyball team that won the national title in December.  

"I am extremely thankful to Erica for her leadership, mentorship, and support throughout the entirety of our time together here at CMS," said Spells. "I am forever grateful to our campus community, our coaches, and staff, and of course the students of CMC, Mudd, and Scripps for their support over the years. My family and I are so excited for this next chapter with UC Santa Cruz, and will be soaking up every bit of this final semester at CMS."