Three weeks after UAA announced athletic director Keith Hackett will resign, UAA senior associate athletic director Tim McDiffett was named the school's interim director of athletics Wednesday.
Hackett in June accepted the athletic director position at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, to be closer to family.
His last day will be Friday and McDiffett will begin his new duties Monday.
A member of the athletic department since 1981, McDiffett has served as an associate athletic director since 1991, including the past four years as senior associate AD.
[UAA athletic director Hackett resigns for similar job at college in Iowa]
In his current role, he oversees the department's external functions of corporate sponsorships, advertising, marketing, promotion, merchandising and licensing. He manages the department's media rights contracts, oversees games management of all UAA athletic home competitions and supervises three sports — men's basketball, women's volleyball and skiing.
McDiffett has twice previously served as interim athletic director at UAA, in 1992 and 2013.
"I am confident that Tim will provide leadership and stability during this time of transition," said Patrick Shier, UAA interim vice chancellor for administrative services, in a news release.
"He brings strong communication and marketing skills and has played a critical role in nearly every aspect of the athletic department's functioning during his career."
A native of Alta Vista, Kansas, McDiffett earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Kansas State University in 1977.