CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. – University of California, Merced Executive Director of Recreation & Athletics David Dunham was named the California Pacific Conference Athletic Director of the Year. It marks the second straight year that Dunham has won the award and the third time in the last four years. Overall, Dunham is a five-time winner of the award during his time at UC Merced.
Under Dunham's leadership in 2024-25, UC Merced won a Cal Pac record thirteen conference championships and became the first school in NAIA history to qualify its men's and women's basketball teams, men's and women's cross country teams, men's and women's soccer teams, and men's and women's volleyball teams for the NAIA National Championships. Three of UC Merced's teams were nationally-ranked, including women's soccer who finished their NAIA era ranked No. 9 in the country after a run to the NAIA Quarterfinals.
UC Merced's combined record in California Pacific Conference games over the past year was a historical 53-3-2. Four of Dunham's coaches earned Cal Pac Coach of the Year honors, including Ai Prachumsri and Vicente Velarde earning the award for both their men's and women's teams. Seven of the Bobcats 12 teams also produced the Cal Pac Player of the Year.
The Bobcats success resulted in their first ever top ten finish in the NAIA Learfield Director's Cup Fall standings and first top 40 finish in the winter standings. The Bobcats eighth-place finish in the fall was tied for the second highest ranking of any Cal Pac institution in the last 25 years.
UC Merced student-athletes accomplished all the success in competition while excelling academically. Nearly 40% of UC Merced student-athletes made the Dean's List this past fall, including 48 Bobcats achieving a 3.75 GPA or better. Fourteen Bobcats produced a 4.0 GPA. Forty-four Bobcats were named Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Dunham's leadership doesn't stop there. He has supported his student-athletes in many other ways this year including enhancing staffing with an Assistant Director of Athletics/SWA and a Strength & Conditioning Coach. He also recently secured a grant to start a fueling station next semester where student-athletes can replenish their bodies throughout the day with food/drinks of nutritional value.
Additionally, Dunham's teams continued to engage with the community. Not only were multiple teams involved with youth camps, Read Across America, and the Merced Christmas parade, but the men's soccer team was pen pals with Gracey Elementary students to help the kids meet state writing standards. The Bobcats also participated in many events at Chenowith Elementary.
Dunham also worked with local sports in the community to bring high school and club competitions to UC Merced's facilities, including Buhach Colony High School using UC Merced for its home soccer and flag football games.
This year, Dunham and his staff also hosted five California Pacific Conference Championship events – cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's soccer, and men's volleyball.
Along with his work at UC Merced, Dunham has served as the Cal Pac Representative for the National Administrative Council and the NAIA Women's Soccer Selection Committee.
Dunham has served as UC Merced's Athletic Director for 18 years and will lead the Bobcats into NCAA Division II competition this September after 14 years in the NAIA. Nine of the Bobcats' 12 intercollegiate varsity programs will compete in the CCAA. Men's and women's water polo will join the Western Water Polo Association. Men's volleyball is applying for membership in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. A founding member of UC Merced, Dunham has helped UC Merced grow from four sports with 48 student-athletes in 2011 to 12 sports and 221 student-athletes as of today. He has also overseen various facility upgrades and has been impactful in the area of fundraising.
Under Dunham, UC Merced finishes its time in the California Pacific Conference with 33 team championships across all sports.
