UC Irvine Expects More Applicants for Athletic Director Post

In its slow-moving search for a new athletic director, UC Irvine has 40 candidates with 35 to 60 more applicants expected by the deadline, now extended to Feb. 28, interim athletic director Horace Mitchell said Monday.

A committee of Irvine faculty members, including women’s track and field Coach Danny Williams and men’s tennis Coach Greg Patton, and an outside search firm are completing the list of candidates to replace John Caine, who resigned Oct. 1.

The top candidates will be interviewed at Irvine in March, Mitchell said.

The committee will then recommend two to four candidates to Mitchell, who will make the final decision with the approval of Chancellor Jack Peltason.

“I’m entirely confident that come spring we’ll announce a new athletic director,” Mitchell said. “One of the biggest things is we want to get a permanent administration in place as soon as possible.

“We’re very happy with the people we have already.”