UC Merced Executive Director of Recreation & Athletics David Dunham has been named California Pacific Conference Athletic Director of the Year for the second straight year and for the third time in four years.
Under Dunham's leadership in 2024-25, UC Merced won a Cal Pac-record 13 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 NAIA national championship competition.
Three of UC Merced's teams were nationally ranked, including women's soccer, which finished its NAIA era ranked ninth nationally after a run to the NAIA quarterfinals.
Dunham has won the athletic director award five times in his 18 years at UC Merced.
UC Merced's combined record in California Pacific Conference games over the past year was 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 the men's and women's volleyball and cross country teams, respectively. Seven teams produced the sport’s Cal Pac Player of the Year.
The Bobcats’ success resulted in their first top 10 finish in the NAIA Learfield Director's Cup Fall standings and the first top 40 finish in the winter standings. The Bobcats eighth-place finish in the fall tied for the second-highest ranking of any Cal Pac institution in the last 25 years.
UC Merced student-athletes also excelled academically. Nearly 40% made the fall semester Dean's List, including 48 who achieved a 3.75 GPA or better. Fourteen Bobcats produced a 4.0 GPA. Forty-four were named Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Dunham supported his student-athletes in many ways this year, including adding an assistant director of athletics/SWA and a strength and conditioning coach. He recently secured a grant to start a fueling station next semester where student-athletes can replenish their bodies with nutritious food and drinks.
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 players on the men's soccer team were pen pals with Gracey Elementary students to help the children meet state writing standards. The Bobcats also participated in many events at Chenowith Elementary.
Dunham also worked 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 will lead the Bobcats into NCAA Division II competition in 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.
