Patricia Thomas was appointed director of intercollegiate athletics in December of 2008, becoming the first female African American Athletic Director in the school's history. According to the most recent report from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), less than eight percent of Athletic Directors at all member schools are African American. Thomas' appointment is part of the sweeping changes President Allen Sessoms has made on the UDC campus.

 In announcing her appointment Sessoms said, "We are pleased to have Patricia joining UDC as our new athletic director”. "Her outstanding credentials and the respect she has garnered within NCAA athletics make her the best choice for the new direction of UDC."

As Athletic Director, Thomas oversees all operations in the Athletics Department for the UDC Firebirds, specifically the university's 10 Division II teams including men's and women's basketball, men’s soccer, men’s & women’s tennis, women’s track, men’s and women’s cross country and women’s volleyball.

 Thomas brought over 30 years of experience in NCAA athletics to her new position.  Prior to accepting the post at UDC, Thomas served as a member of the NCAA Division I Management Council and as the Senior Associate Athletic Director at Georgetown University. As Senior Associate Athletic Director, Thomas was responsible for providing direct support to student-athletes and served as the sports administrator for over fifteen sports programs.

 A well-respected member of the NCAA community, Thomas has been acknowledged nationally for her work in NCAA and Big East Athletics. In addition to her service on the DI Management Council, she has also served as a member of the NCAA Division I Championships and Competition Cabinet, Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport Committee, Big East Conference Executive Committee, and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). In recognition of her experience and knowledge,  Thomas was recently selected to serve on the NCAA Division II Management Council.

 Since assuming the position, Thomas has enhanced the Department's compliance component by hiring seasoned staff dedicated solely to overseeing this critical function, and  established an academic enhancement component, whose mission is to support the student-athletes' academic success and welfare. She has also established an internal operations unit, which addresses day-to-day operations in facilities management improvement and support staff functions.

 Thomas is guiding the department’s strategic plan which addresses continued growth while achieving academic and athletic success. Among her significant accomplishments since becoming UDC’s Athletic Director was successfully guiding the University to its first, ever, membership in an athletic conference. UDC became an associate member of the East Coast Conference (ECC) in the fall of 2009. Men's and women's tennis are affiliated with the ECC. Thomas is also exploring conference membership in all sports. She has significantly enhanced the physical appearance of the UDC Sports Complex, and is presently developing plans for expansion and making additional improvements to the facilities.