New UW AD Pat Chun: ‘We will not take a back seat to anyone’

With the Husky marching band playing “Bow Down to Washington,” and a couple hundred boosters, coaches, players and administrators standing and clapping, Pat Chun walked to the dais at the Don James Center and was officially introduced Thursday as Washington’s new athletic director.

“His commitment to student-athlete success off the field as well as on is unquestionable, and that is part of why I am really excited,” UW president Ana Mari Cauce said of Chun, who spent the past six years as athletic director at Washington State. “In fact, I am thrilled that he will be here to help us navigate a very difficult environment and to make sure that we are poised for success.”

Said Chun: “This is a unique moment in time for UW and college athletics. As college sports continues to go through dynamic change, Washington and the Big Ten Conference should be leaders, not followers. We will not take a back seat to anyone, and we will ensure that our voices are heard at the highest levels of college athletics.”

Cauce said the Huskies reached out to Chun in August when Jen Cohen left her job as Washington AD to take the same job at USC.

At that time, Chun told UW he wasn’t interested because was considered a leading contender to become athletic director at Ohio State to replace Gene Smith, who is retiring in June. Chun received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State and worked in its athletic department for 15 years.

But Ohio State hired Ross Bjork from Texas A&M, so Chun was in a much different position when Troy Dannen announced last week he was leaving as Washington’s AD after seven months to take the same job at Nebraska.

Shortly after Dannen’s announcement, Chun got a call from his friend Cohen, who wanted to know what Chun was thinking about the newly opened job at UW.

“She spent the rest of the phone call talking about the people, the relationships, the selflessness and the pride the Huskies have with this athletic department, with this university and with this community,” Chun said.

After meeting with Cauce and other UW administrators on Monday, Chun accepted the job Tuesday.

“This was not the Big Ten school we thought maybe we’d be at, but the reality is the Good Lord works in different ways,” Chun said. “This is where we’re at, this is where we’re supposed to be, and we’re excited about that opportunity.

“It happened fast, and I don’t know if this would have happened if it didn’t happen so fast.”

Cauce said Chun’s experience working in the Big Ten with Ohio State was a big plus as Washington begins play in that conference next fall.

“Just to be clear, this was a national search and we looked for the best person in the country,” Cauce said. “It was incidental that that person was at Washington State, although there are some pluses because he does know our state.”

Those comments will probably do little to diminish the anger in Pullman from Chun leaving for rival Washington, and as the Cougars work to recover from being left out of conference realignment after the Pac-12 collapsed in August. That collapse happened when Washington and Oregon bolted for the Big Ten.

WSU president Kirk Schulz told Cougfan.com that he “was pissed off and pretty upset” when Chun told him he was leaving, and he said his relationship with Cauce was “definitely damaged.”

“To be honest, (the relationship) probably won’t, as long as I am president and she is president, ever be quite the same,” Schulz told Cougfan.com.

Cauce said she had not seen those comments.

“We will do some repair work, and we will continue to work together for the best of the entire state,” she said.

Chun spent a few minutes Thursday praising Schulz, his colleagues and the athletes at Washington State.

He said he has avoided social media, where some of the reaction has been quite harsh.

“So purposely, I’m oblivious,” Chun said. “I’m just so happy with the outreach I’ve received from Cougs, which has been nothing short of hugs through a text message. That’s the kind of outreach I’ve received.”

Chun spent Wednesday night meeting with Washington’s coaches and is still in the process of acquainting himself with his new surroundings. But he is already clear in what he wants at UW.

“On Montlake, while football often gets the most attention, we will pursue championships — and I say that plural — in every sport that we sponsor,” he said. “We will provide our student-athletes with a transformational student-athlete experience that will shape the rest of their lives. We will support them as they pursue their degrees and career interests.”