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Now in his 18th year as UCLA's director of athletics, Peter Dalis ranks
first in seniority among Pac-10 athletic directors. During his 17 years on
the job, he has continued the Bruin tradition of competing for national
titles and conference championships. UCLA has won 35 NCAA championships (21
men's and 14 women's) - five more than it won during the J.D. Morgan Era and
over 42% of UCLA's all-time total - played in 11 bowl games, winning eight,
and played in the NCAA men's basketball tournament 13 times, including each
of the last 12 years. During that span, UCLA has moved into the No. 1 spot
nationally in terms of NCAA and collegiate team championships after trailing
by 20 NCAA titles when he became AD.
No school in the nation can match UCLA's combination of NCAA team titles, football bowl victories, NCAA men's basketball tournament appearances, Sears Cup and USA Today rankings and Olympic medals over the past 17 years. During his tenure as athletic director, one of Dalis' long-term goals has been to provide the coaches and staff with appropriate office space. The Morgan Center construction project, scheduled to be in Fall 2000, will provide private offices for coaches and administrators, a new academic and counseling center for student-athletes and a new Hall of Fame to celebrate UCLA's athletic success.
Another facility enhancement is the new soccer field located on the infield of Drake Stadium, which now has a new international track.
In January of 1996, Dalis selected Bob Toledo as head coach of the football program. During Toledo's tenure, the Bruins have set a school record with 20 straight victories and won back-to-back Pac-10 titles in 1997 and 1998.
In November of 1996, Dalis named Steve Lavin as head coach of the men's basketball program.During Lavin's tenure, UCLA has reached the NCAA Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 twice. Only four coaches in the nation (none from the Pac-10) have led their schools to three Sweet 16's in the last four years.
Dalis has also had a major impact on the future of the Pacific-10 Conference. During his tenure as chair of the league's Television Committee, he helped negotiate new long-term contracts with ABC and Fox Sports Net that will pay the Pac-10 over $200 million during the term of the agreements, a large boost from the previous broadcast contracts.
Here are some of UCLA's accomplishments under Dalis:
This past year, UCLA won four NCAA titles (its highest total since 1983-84) in men's water polo, women's indoor track and field, women's gymnastics and men's volleyball. In addition, the Bruins won the national championship in women's water polo for the fourth time in five years. In NCAA competition, UCLA placed second in softball, third in women's outdoor track and field, tied for third in men's soccer, tied for fifth in women's volleyball, men's tennis and women's tennis, placed eighth in women's swimming and tied for ninth in men's basketball, reaching the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years, women's soccer and baseball.
In 1998-99, UCLA won an NCAA title in softball and finished second in men's tennis and women's outdoor track. In addition, UCLA placed fifth in women's basketball (tied) and women's gymnastics, tied for eighth in women's indoor track, tied for ninth in men's soccer, 13th in men's indoor track, 16th in women's swimming, tied for 16th in men's outdoor track, tied for 17th in women's tennis and women's volleyball. The Bruins also defeated USC in football for the eighth straight year and finished eighth in both polls and the women's water polo team placed third in its national championship.
In 1997-98, UCLA won two NCAA titles in the sports of men's soccer (third) and men's volleyball (17th), reaching the championship match for the sixth straight year. In addition, UCLA defeated USC in football for the seventh straight year, won 10 consecutive games and finished the year ranked No. 5. UCLA also won a third consecutive national collegiate championship in women's water polo. It also placed second in women's track, fifth in women's gymnastics, tied for fifth in women's soccer and men's tennis, sixth in men's track, tied for eighth in men's golf and tied for ninth in men's basketball (10th straight tournament appearance) and women's tennis.
In 1996-97, UCLA added two NCAA titles and a collegiate championship to its victory total. The Bruins won their first-ever NCAA crown in women's gymnastics and their second straight in men's water polo and also won a second consecutive national title in women's water polo. In addition, UCLA finished second in men's volleyball and softball, tied for third in men's tennis, fifth in women's golf and tied for fifth in men's basketball and women's tennis. Overall, UCLA finished in the Top 11 in 16 sports.
In 1995-96, UCLA added two NCAA titles and a collegiate championship to its victory total. The Bruins won NCAA crowns in men's volleyball and men's water polo. They also won the national collegiate title in women's water polo. In addition, UCLA placed second in women's gymnastics and men's tennis, third in men's outdoor track, tied for third in softball and women's tennis and fourth in women's golf. Overall, UCLA finished in the Top 11 in 16 sports.
In 1994-95, UCLA won NCAA titles in men's basketball and men's volleyball and finished second in women's volleyball, men's track, women's track and women's indoor track, tied for third in men's soccer and men's tennis and fourth in men's water polo and women's gymnastics. Overall, UCLA placed 15 teams in the Top Tens of various NCAA championships.
During the 1993-94 school year, UCLA finished second in the NCAA volleyball championships and placed third in women's track, men's tennis (tied) and softball (tied) and the football team played in the Rose Bowl. Overall, UCLA placed 11 teams in the Top Tens of various NCAA championships.
During the 1992-93 school year, UCLA won an NCAA championship in men's volleyball. During the 1991-92 school year, the UCLA women's volleyball and women's softball teams won NCAA titles. UCLA won three NCAA titles in 1990-91, one in 1989-90, two in 1988-89, three in 1987-88 and 1986-87, one in 1985-86, two in 1984-85 and four in 1983-84.
Dalis' successes have not been limited to the playing fields. When he became athletic director in 1983, UCLA had no endowed scholarships. Under his direction, UCLA has now endowed over half - 148 - of its athletic grant-in-aids through private donations, growing the endowment principal from $0 to $18 million.
Selected 1987-88 Axios Sportsman of the Year, Dalis is a member of the Los Angeles-Athens Sister City Committee as well as the Los Angeles Sports Council and the Rose Bowl Management Committee. He has been a member of the NCAA Special Events Committee and served as chair of the Pac-10 Television Committee. He is also a member of the Board of the Southern California Committee For The Olympic Games.
Dalis, appointed by former Chancellor Charles E. Young in 1983, has been associated with UCLA, either as a student or an employee, since the fall of 1955. Prior to becoming athletic director, he served as director of UCLA's impressive Cultural and Recreational Affairs department.
The John R. Wooden Center represents many hours of hard work by Dalis, who was a central figure in the project from its inception in 1975. He prepared the original feasibility study and enjoyed ³hands-on² responsibility through the design and construction stages, culminating with the opening in May of 1983.
Dalis, who played a major role in the planning and construction of the Sunset Canyon Rec Center, has been utilized as a capital project consultant by several other schools, including the University of Connecticut and Australia's University of New South Wales. He also played a major role in UCLA's participation in the 1984 Olympic Games and was selected to the LAOOC Citizens Advisory Commission.
As an undergraduate at UCLA, he served as football manager for four years, including senior manager for Red Sanders. Dalis earned a B.S. degree in 1959, majoring in Physical Education with a concentration in administration. In Jan. 1963, he earned an M.S. in Education.
NCAA Championships Won in the Dalis Era
1983-84Men's Gymnastics
Men's Tennis
Men's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1984-85
Women's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1985-86
Men's Soccer
1986-87
Men's Gymnastics
Men's Track & Field
Men's Volleyball
1987-88
Men's Golf
Men's Track & Field
Women's Softball
1988-89
Men's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1989-90
Women's Softball
1990-91
Men's Soccer
Women's Volleyball
Women's Golf
1991-92
Women's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1992-93
Men's Volleyball
1994-95
Men's Basketball
Men's Volleyball
1995-96
Men's Water Polo
Men's Volleyball
1996-97
Men's Water Polo
Women's Gymnastics
1997-98
Men's Soccer
Men's Volleyball
1998-99
Women's Softball
1999-2000
Men's Water Polo
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Women's Gymnastics
Men's Volleyball
