Services will take place at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral (1324 S. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, 90006). A viewing will take place at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, November 18 with services scheduled for 11:00 am on Wednesday, November 19. A lunch will follow the service.
Born in Los Angeles on December 8, 1937, Dalis, 76, was the son of Greek immigrants Anastasia and Tom. He attended Manual Arts High School prior to graduating from UCLA. A life-long Bruin, he never left the Westwood campus.
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. During that span, UCLA moved into the No. 1 spot nationally in terms of NCAA and collegiate team championships after trailing by 20 NCAA titles when he became AD.
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 each of his final 14 years, won the title in 1995 and reached the Elite Eight twice and Sweet 16 five other times.
“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.”
Dalis was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2010 and the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
During his tenure as athletic director, one of Dalis' long-term goals was to provide the coaches and staff with appropriate office space. The Morgan Center construction project, completed in August of 2000, provided private 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 two-year, $14 million project developed with Dalis' guidance, which entailed doubling the size of the current weight room, a state-of-the-art medical training facility for student-athletes, a new football locker room and video rooms, and locker rooms for 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 over $200 million during the term of the agreements, a large boost from the previous broadcast contracts.
In July of 2001, he was ranked No. 5 among Southern California Sports power brokers in a study published by the Los Angeles Times.
Here are some of UCLA's accomplishments under Dalis:
- 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 19 years and at least two titles in 13 of the 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 fields. 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.
Dalis, appointed by former Chancellor Charles E. Young in 1983, had been associated with UCLA, either as a student or an employee, since the fall of 1955. Prior to becoming athletic director, he served as director of UCLA's impressive Cultural and Recreational Affairs department.
The John R. Wooden 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 of 1983.
Dalis, who played a major role in the planning and construction of the Sunset Canyon Rec 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.
As an undergraduate at UCLA, he served as football manager for four years, including senior manager for 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.
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 of 1993, and her two children; his brother Gus and his wife Helen; nephews Tom, Chris and Mike, their wives, four great-grand nephews and one great-grand niece.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donation be made in the name of Pete Dalis to the UCLA Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund (310-206-3302).
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS WON IN THE DALIS ERA (39)
1983-84
Men's Gymnastics
Men's Tennis
Men's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1984-85
Women's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1985-86
Men's Soccer
1986-87
Men's Gymnastics
Men's Track & Field
Men's Volleyball
1987-88
Men's Golf
Men's Track & Field
Women's Softball
1988-89
Men's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1989-90
Women's Softball
1990-91
Men's Soccer
Women's Volleyball
Women's Golf
1991-92
Women's Volleyball
Women's Softball
1992-93
Men's Volleyball
1994-95
Men's Basketball
Men's Volleyball
1995-96
Men's Water Polo
Men's Volleyball
1996-97
Men's Water Polo
Women's Gymnastics
1997-98
Men's Soccer
Men's Volleyball
1998-99
Women's Softball
1999-2000
Men's Water Polo
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Women's Gymnastics
Men's Volleyball
2000-01
Men's Water Polo
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Women's Gymnastics
Women's Water Polo