Dan Guerrero Appointed Chair of NCAA Div I Basketball Committee For 2009-10

By Bruin Basketball Report

Dan Guerrero, athletics director at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been appointed chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2009-10 academic year.

Guerrero’s term will begin September 1, 2009, following formal approval by the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet in early 2009. He will replace current chair Mike Slive, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.

Guerrero is vice president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and chairs the NCAA’s Division I Men’s Basketball Academic Enhancement Group. He also serves on the executive board of the Division I Athletic Directors Association and last year was named NACDA’s Division I West Region Athletic Director of the Year.

In addition, Guerrero serves on the College Basketball Partnership, a committee formed by NCAA President Myles Brand that includes many of the most influential people in the sport. He also was named as one of the top 100 most influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine and was ranked among the top 30 most influential minorities in sports by Sports Illustrated.

“It is truly an honor to follow in the footsteps of my colleagues who have previously served the NCAA membership as chair of this prestigious committee,” said Guerrero. “Their extraordinary leadership has helped to ensure that this great sporting event remains at the pinnacle for generations of college basketball fans everywhere. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on the committee and, as chair, will endeavor to listen, lead and embrace this wonderful opportunity.”

Since Guerrero was named director of athletics in 2002, UCLA has won a nation-best 17 national championships in 11 different sports, bringing the school’s all-time total to a record 103 national titles. Bruin teams have also placed second on 13 occasions and finished in the top five 22 times, and UCLA has placed in the top six in the NACDA Director’s Cup standings, including second-place finishes in each of the past three years, during Guerrero’s tenure.

A 1974 graduate of UCLA and a 1996 inductee into the school’s Baseball Hall of Fame, Guerrero received a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1982. He was director of athletics at Cal State Dominguez Hills from 1988-92 before taking over the same position at the University of California, Irvine from 1992-2002.

“Dan is an excellent choice to chair the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee in 2009-10,” said Tom Jernstedt, executive vice president of the NCAA. “The NCAA has been fortunate to have had chairs of this committee who have had tremendous integrity and vision, and Dan certainly keeps that tradition alive. His leadership skills, energy level and passion for college basketball will serve the membership and the Division I men’s basketball championship well.”