UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero to Retire June 30, 2020 [Updated]

The day we have ALL been waiting for is finally here!

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero has announced that he will retire at the end of the current school year.

A nationwide search for a replacement is expected to begin immediately.

In UCLA's press release, Guerrero indicated that one of the reasons he is retiring now is because he has been battling cancer. While we may be gleeful about the announcement that he is retiring, Bruins Nation wishes him well as he battles that horrific disease.

The question now, of course, is: Who will replace him?

Ben Bolch of the LA Times has listed current Fresno State AD and former Bruin Terry Tumey as a "strong candidate...."

Of course, this likely cements another year of Chip Kelly at the helm of the football program as Guerrero will almost certainly leave the direction of the program up to his replacement.

Stick with Bruins Nation for what will be our continuing coverage of the search for a new AD.


Go Bruins!

UPDATE 9/19 (7:17 PM): UCLA Athletics has sent out a letter from Dan Guerrero to the UCLA community:

Dear Bruin Faithful:

I have been a Bruin for well over 50 years, first as a young fan, listening to Bruin games on the radio; then as a student-athlete, wearing the blue and gold on the baseball diamond at Sawtelle Field; then as an alum and fan; and finally, as your Director of Athletics for the last 17 years. Throughout, I have tried to honorably uphold the great traditions and strong values of the world’s greatest university, which made me into the man that I am.

Today, I write to let you know that I have made the decision that the 2019-20 academic year will be my last as your director of athletics, as I will conclude my tenure July 1, 2020. Two significant changes in my life over the last 18 months have led me to this decision after much consideration and discussion with my family and the Chancellor. First, though it was not widely known, I successfully battled the toughest opponent I have ever had to face: cancer. The world-class medical team at UCLA, however, helped me beat the disease and my prognosis for the future is excellent. Second, my wife, Anne Marie, and I recently welcomed our second granddaughter, and spending time with our growing family is incredibly important to me. For these reasons, it is time for me to step aside and for UCLA Athletics to flourish under new leadership. In the remaining year ahead, however, we still have a great deal of work to do and championships to win, and I look forward to every minute of it.

My time at the helm of UCLA Athletics has been the honor of a lifetime and I want to thank all of you, the Bruin Family, for making my years here the best of my life. I’m proud of what we accomplished together. We achieved great success, many milestones and extraordinary team and individual accolades. We didn’t win every championship we sought, but we always fought valiantly and strove for excellence – for the very best outcome for UCLA – in every endeavor.

What I’ll remember more than anything over the past 17 years are the triumphs and the countless celebrations. Your support of UCLA Athletics and our student-athletes has made all of the championships, the records, the graduations and other memorable moments possible. Thank you for your loyal, faithful support of our Bruins.

I have pledged to Chancellor Block my commitment to a seamless transition, and I will do my part to ensure our department is ready for my successor by continuing to work hard each and every day on behalf of Bruins everywhere.

Sincerely,

Dan Guerrero