By Gilbert Quiñonez
Daily Bruin Contributor
Another one bites the dust. Princeton athletic director Gary
Walters announced on Tuesday that he is out of the running for the
UCLA athletic director position.
“I have great respect for UCLA as an athletic and academic
institution,” Walters said in a statement. “I hope the
process has been as edifying for them as it was for me. I wish them
well in appointing a new leader who will have the opportunity to
add luster to the school’s already impressive
record.”
Outgoing UCLA athletic director Peter Dalis is retiring in
June.
Walters may have stayed in Princeton because of his familiarity
with it and his other ties to the school. Walters graduated from
there in 1967. His son Nick is currently a student at Princeton,
and he and his wife currently live at Princeton.
In Walters’ eight years as the athletic director at
Princeton, the Tigers have won 17 national championships and also,
90 Ivy League titles.
Three main candidates remain, including UC Irvine athletic
director Dan Guerrero, Boise State athletic director Gene
Bleymaier, and UCLA associate athletic director Betsy
Stephenson.
Guerrero is a former Bruin baseball player. His job within the
UC system may help his case.
Bleymaier played football for UCLA, and is the only main
candidate to actually have been in charge of a football
program.
Stephenson has also been considered to be second in charge
behind Dalis.