Peter Thomas Dalis, who served as director of athletics at UCLA for 19 years, died Saturday, Nov. 15, at his home in Pacific Palisades due to complications from multiple myeloma. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing at age 76.

A lifelong Bruin, he spent his entire career at the Westwood campus. Appointed UCLA's athletic director by former Chancellor Charles E. Young in 1983, he had been associated with UCLA either as a student or an employee since the fall of 1955.

When he retired as UCLA’s director of athletics on June 30, 2002, Dalis ranked first in seniority among Pac-10 athletic directors. During his 19 years on the job, he continued the Bruin tradition of competing for national titles and conference championships. UCLA won 39 NCAA championships (22 men’s and 17 women’s) — nine more than it won during the J.D. Morgan era. Under Dalis' leadership, UCLA moved into the No. 1 spot nationally in terms of NCAA and collegiate team championships after trailing by 20 NCAA titles when Dalis became athletic director.

Under Dalis, the Bruin football program won a school-record 20 straight games (1997-98), recorded four 10-win seasons (1987, 1988, 1997, 1998) and played in 12 bowl games, winning eight. The men’s basketball program played in the NCAA tournament 15 times — including in each of his final 14 years — and won the title in 1995. The teams reached the "elite eight" twice and "sweet 16" five other times.

Dalis was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.

“Pete’s passing is a great loss for the UCLA family,” said UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero. “Pete was a great representative of this university and an outstanding athletic director who always put the welfare of student-athletes at the forefront. On a personal note, he was very gracious with his time during my early days as athletic director, and I always appreciated it.”

Born in Los Angeles on Dec. 8, 1937, Dalis was the son of Greek immigrants Anastasia and Tom. He attended Manual Arts High School prior to graduating from UCLA.

As an undergraduate at UCLA, Dalis served as football manager for four years, including as senior manager for head coach Henry Russell "Red" Sanders. Dalis earned a B.S. degree in 1959, majoring in physical education with a concentration in administration. In Jan. 1963, he earned an M.S. in education. He was also a member of the Army Reserves.

Prior to becoming athletic director, he served as director of UCLA’s Cultural and Recreational Affairs Department.

During his tenure as athletic director, one of Dalis’ long-term goals was to provide the coaches and staff with appropriate office space. Construction of the Morgan Intercollegiate Athletics Center in August 2000  provided offices for coaches and administrators, a new academic and counseling center for student-athletes, and a new Hall of Fame to celebrate UCLA’s athletic success.

In February of 2002, the athletic department broke ground on a two-year, $14 million project developed with Dalis’ guidance. It doubled the size of the weight room and added a state-of-the-art medical training facility for student-athletes, a football locker room and video rooms, and locker rooms for athletes in several other sports. Another facility enhancement was the soccer field located on the infield of Drake Stadium.

Dalis also had a major impact on the future of the Pacific-10 Conference. During his tenure as chair of the league’s television committee, he helped negotiate new long-term contracts with ABC and Fox Sports Net that paid the Pac-10 more than $200 million during the term of the agreements, a large boost from the previous broadcast contracts.

In July of 2001, Dalis was ranked No. 5 among Southern California sports power brokers in a study published by the Los Angeles Times.

UCLA’s many accomplishments under Dalis included these highlights:

  • In 1997, Sports Illustrated selected UCLA as the No. 1 athletic university in the entire country.
  • UCLA won at least one NCAA team title in 17 of his 19 years as athletic director and at least two titles in 13 of those 19 years.
  • UCLA won NCAA team titles in 14 sports — men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s gymnastics, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s track, men’s volleyball, men’s water polo, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, women’s volleyball, women’s indoor track and field, and women’s water polo.
  • UCLA student-athletes earned 38 NCAA post-graduate scholarships during Dalis’ tenure.
  • UCLA placed among the top five in all nine years of the Sears Directors Cup. The Bruins were second in 2000-2001, 1999-2000 and 1995-96, and third in 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1996-97.
  • The Bruin football team ranked first or second in the Pac-10 in attendance in three of Dalis’ final four years.
  • Bruin teams won 108 conference titles during Dalis’ 19 years as director of athletics.

Dalis’ successes were not limited to the playing field. When he became athletic director in 1983, UCLA had no endowed scholarships. Under his direction, UCLA endowed over half — 174 — of its athletic grant-in-aids through private donations, growing the endowment principal from $0 to $24 million.

Selected 1987-88 Axios Sportsman of the Year, Dalis was a member of the Los Angeles-Athens Sister City Committee as well as the Los Angeles Sports Council and the Rose Bowl Management Committee. He had been a member of the NCAA Special Events Committee and served as chair of the Pac-10 television committee. He was also a member of the Board of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.

The John R. Wooden Recreation and Sports Center represented many hours of hard work by Dalis, who was a central figure in the project from its inception in 1975. He prepared the original feasibility study and enjoyed hands-on responsibility through the design and construction stages, culminating with the opening in May 1983.

Dalis, who played a major role in the planning and construction of the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, was utilized as a capital project consultant by several other schools, including the University of Connecticut and Australia’s University of New South Wales. He also played a major role in UCLA’s participation in the 1984 Olympic Games and was selected to the LAOOC Citizens Advisory Commission.

Due to his love of golf, he joined the Bel-Air Country Club and was an active member, serving on numerous committees.

Dalis is survived by his wife, Margaret Wigmore Dalis, whom he married in June 1993, and her two children; his brother Gus; nephews Tom, Chris and Mike; four great-grand nephews and one great-grand niece.

Services will take place at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, located at 1324 S. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, 90006. A viewing will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, with services scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19. A lunch will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in the name of Pete Dalis to the UCLA Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund.

For information about the fund, call 310-206-3302. A list of the 39 NCAA championships UCLA won during the Dalis era is available here.