UC San Diego

Sara Allard returned to her alma mater in 2018 to manage the UC San Diego Athletics Department's transition to NCAA Division I status. In 2022, she was named Senior Associate AD for Sport Administration and Strategic Priorities and, in 2024 was elevated to Deputy Director of Athletics.

Allard, who played softball at UC San Diego while working toward a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science, served the department upon graduation in a number of areas, including compliance, student services and as Assistant Softball Coach. In 2010 she was named Assistant Athletics Director responsible for student-athlete development, compliance, financial aid and internal operations.

After spending two years as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Internal Relations at Cal Poly Pomona, Allard returned to San Diego as Assistant Director of Compliance at the University of San Diego. While working toward her Master of Arts in Leadership Studies at USD, she was elevated in 2015 to Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance.