The Washington Huskies didn’t have to look very far for their new athletic director. In fact, he was just across the state in Pullman as Washington State University’s Pat Chun is headed to Montlake after Troy Dannen departed for Nebraska last week.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Chun and Washington are finalizing a six-year deal to keep him in the state. He has been WSU’s athletic director since 2017 and has had some notable success during his time in Pullman. One of his greatest skills is his ability to fundraise, as from 2019-2023, he more than tripled the amount the university had raised in the previous five years.
His hiring could not come at a better time, as Washington is headed to the Big Ten conference after the shake up and collapse of the Pac-12. Chun spent 15 years in the conference at Ohio State University with former Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith as his mentor, where he gained experience in many different roles before being promoted to executive associate athletic director.
The Youngstown, Ohio native attended Ohio State and received his master’s from Duquesne University before returning to his alma mater in 1997.
He was recently appointed as the president of the National Association Directors of Athletics for the 2023-2024 academic year, where he has served as an officer since 2021 and been a part of the organization since 2016.
Chun also has experience in the NIL space, as he testified before the House of Representatives sub-committee to help develop federal standards when it comes to student athlete monetizing their names, images and likeness.
Washington hires WSU athletic director Pat Chun
The Washington Huskies have found their athletic director, poaching Pat Chun from rival Washington State.
