Chichester ready to keep UCI on map

Steve Virgen

Bob Chichester officially started working as UC Irvine’s Athletic

Director Oct. 14th, but the date that’s better associated with The

Chichester Era was Oct. 11. That’s when UCI held its Midnight Magic,

a celebration of its basketball teams. That’s also when Chichester

experienced what he said will be a lasting memory for him as an

Anteater.

“It was particularly neat for me because that was the first event

that I attended at the Bren Center,” Chichester said. “To see the

students line up two hours before the doors opened and to go out and

talk to the students, it gave a little flavor of what the atmosphere

is probably like at Duke. To see the complete side of the Bren Center

fill up with students, it was special. It shows what the electricity

can be like at the Bren when the students are supportive. I know that

all might sound corny, but it was exciting.”

Chichester’s first month at UCI has been exciting for him and the

Anteaters, to say the least. And, it has also been busy. Actually,

his first week was rather busy. Chichester, who took over a NCAA

Division I athletic program that could be best described as

up-and-coming, spent his first week introducing himself to the people

on campus and in the community, and in the process he began work on

the school’s budget.

“That week was pretty much a whirlwind,” Chichester said. “I got

the sense people were going about 80 miles per hour and I was going

about 40 miles per hour. I wanted to meet as many people as I could,

who had a connection with our program.”

Last week, while Chichester was in Oklahoma with the UCI men’s

basketball team, he explained why he wanted to meet so many people.

Budget cuts in the athletic department, and perhaps among academics,

as well, could be coming soon. A decision could come as soon as

December or January.

“My idea all along has been, in order to meet the expectations

that were put before me when I was hired, I’m going to have to reach

out to the community and search for support,” Chichester said. “In

order to compete, we have to have the resources to do that. We’ll see

what happens in January, but in the meantime I’m going to press

forward and gather support from the community.”

Chichester also revealed goals and priorities when he took time

out of his busy schedule while in Oklahoma. He said renovation at

Crawford Hall and the completion of Anteater Ballpark are among the

top of the list.

Renovation of Crawford Hall is actually an understatement.

Chichester described the job he wants done as an upgrade, yet a

better description would probably be, overhaul. Chichester said the

facility is outdated and there definitely needs to be change in the

near future.

Anteater Ballpark, Chichester said, is also vital because of its

effect on the campus and the community.

“The baseball stadium is a priority,” Chichester said. “It’s

important because I think what a completed baseball stadium can do

for the campus and the community. It will give our baseball program a

great opportunity to continue to improve. We have one of the best

young coaches in the country in John Savage. We should provide him

with the facility that will match.”

Chichester, who served as senior associate athletic director for

administration, academic affairs and Olympic Sports at the University

of Colorado the past three years before coming to UCI, said he saw

some potential of the success last week that could be in store for

the Anteaters.

Though the UCI men’s basketball team lost twice in Norman, Okla,

Chichester became excited about the future. When he heard the

Anteaters jumping and hollering before their game against Western

Michigan, Chichester also heard other facets to get pumped up about.

“I heard that Pat has started to build a stronger Irvine team,”

Chichester said upon hearing the UCI men’s basketball team get ready

for its game. “And, from what I saw (against Oklahoma), was a perfect

opportunity for potential, especially as we get to the conference

season. Pat has as much depth as he has ever had at UCI. If we

continue to improve over the next six to 10 games, it will be a very

interesting conference schedule. I can understand why some of the

bigger schools don’t want to schedule us. I’ve called other schools

and some of the bigger schools don’t want to schedule us because of

Pat’s reputation.”

When Chichester came to UCI, he came with a reputation, as well,

that of being mellow, down to earth and very personable. That was one

of the many reasons he was hired, said Jordan Harris, a forward on

the men’s basketball team who was on the AD search committee.

“I just thought he was a pretty cool guy,” said Harris, who was

the first student-athlete that Chichester met. “He was really

personable. He came across as being real intelligent. I just liked

him. He didn’t rub me the wrong way. You could just tell he was a

good person. I thought it was a good choice that he became our AD. He

was the one person I liked the most. I was happy to see him get the

job.”