STOCKTON, Calif. – Janet Lucas, the director of athletics at University of the Pacific since 2018, has announced her retirement, effective August 2, 2023. The first female director of athletics at Pacific, Lucas will conclude a 43-year career in college athletics. Lucas is accustomed to breaking barriers as women hold the director of athletics role at just 15% of NCAA Division I programs.
"The opportunity to lead and serve this athletics program is one that I will always cherish and look back upon with much appreciation," Lucas said. "This place, the Pacific Athletics family and our collective mission are tremendously important to me. After much consideration, the time has come for me to step away and begin the next stage of my life."
While her tenure has included championships, opening new facilities, hiring new coaches and staff, and encouraging student-athletes to achieve at the highest level possible, it is the people where she has had the most significant impact.
"My life in college athletics has been an amazing ride – one that has provided a fulfilling and exciting career, overflowing with so many amazing people that have been a vital part of my journey."
"Janet has had a tremendous impact on Pacific Athletics and truthfully all of intercollegiate athletics during her amazing 43-year career," said Wes Yourth, Deputy Director of Athletics. "She led Pacific Athletics over the past five years through what could be defined as one of the most tumultuous times in our industry and, quite frankly, the world. Janet did so with a tireless work ethic focused on problem-solving and putting people first. Due to this approach, Pacific Athletics is well-positioned to continue to recruit, develop and graduate student-athletes into champions for life. I am grateful for Janet's mentorship and wisdom and wish her the best on her retirement and the next part of her journey."
Bradley Davis, is entering his 18th year on the Pacific women's basketball staff and his ninth as head coach, also cited Lucas's leadership during her tenure.
"I think Janet's student-athlete-centered approach was key to successfully navigating 'the COVID years' of athletics," said Davis. "In an arena where it is all about winning on the court/field and in the classroom, Janet's leadership enabled us to strive for that while also meeting the needs of our student-athletes during these unprecedented times. I appreciated the opportunities and guidance she provided our coaches and staff, but I will always appreciate how she led in supporting our student-athletes through COVID times of shutdowns and isolations in a way that kept us all moving forward for Pacific."
"Through selfless outreach, Janet made the community feel welcome as members of the Pacific family," said Elizabeth Demichelis, DDS, a 1987 Pacific graduate and basketball season ticket holder. "She brought alumni back into the fold through her acknowledgment of their past contributions to Pacific's grand history. I am not alone in gratitude to Janet for where she has taken the Pacific Athletics program over the last several years. She built a competitive program that included championships and Olympians, but more importantly, built the athletes' character to help them develop both athletics skills and academic excellence."
During her time at Pacific, Lucas has led a reshaping of the athletics program, providing upgrades to the student-athlete experience, focusing on the growth of support services, dynamic initiatives in business operations and enhancements in marketing and fundraising.
Several essential facilities were enhanced during her tenure, including the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center, which added a state-of-the-art video board. The renovated facility hosted the 2019 NCAA Men's Water Polo and the 2023 NCAA Women's Water Polo national championships.
The Pacific golf program opened its new home, the Walter Chang Golf and Learning Center, in February 2020 as part of an innovative partnership with The Reserve at Spanos Park. The 4,200-square-foot facility includes heated hitting bays, a conference room, coaches offices, locker rooms. In 2019, the 5,634-seat Alex G. Spanos Center was renovated with new LED lighting, refurbished and redesigned courts and the addition of two video boards and two endzone ribbon boards. New LED scorer tables were added in 2022.
Lucas was also instrumental in bringing to life the vision for the Stagg Memorial Football Plaza, completed in April of 2022. The 9,000-square-foot plaza in the heart of the athletics complex provides a gathering point for students, alumni and supporters. While honoring Pacific's football legacy, this project also re-established a vital connection with the university's football alumni and fans.
During her tenure, men's soccer, women's water polo, and men's water polo have earned NCAA Tournament berths. The leaders of men's basketball, women's soccer, men's water polo and women's water polo have earned conference coach of the year honors.
"Janet has left a lasting impression on all of us as student-athletes and more broadly as members of the Pacific Tiger community," said Rosie Schweizer, president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a senior on the women's basketball team. "We have been fortunate to have had a strong leader who has listened to our opinions and worked to help create a lasting positive environment to foster success and competitiveness both in the classroom and on the court, on the field and in the pool."
The student-athletes have surpassed an average 3.00 GPA in each semester during her tenure. In addition, five NCAA Elite 90 Awards, a national honor recognizing a student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level while also achieving the highest academic standards, were presented to Pacific student-athletes during Lucas' five years.
Lucas joined Pacific after a 12-year tenure at UC Riverside, where she served as the executive associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, including a tenure as interim director of athletics. In 2015, she received national recognition for her impact on college athletics. She was named the NCAA Division I Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, now the Women Leaders in College Sports.
"Congratulations to Janet Lucas," said Irv Ray, an author and legendary track and field coach at UC Riverside who also served as a USA National Coach. "In her 43 years of devoted service to intercollegiate athletics, she mentored and supported student-athletes and coaches with integrity and long hours of service. She was the best sports supervisor I have ever worked with in my tenure as a track and field coach. She made a huge difference in the lives of student-athletes and coaches, and I wish her the best in the years ahead."
She also served in similar leadership roles at Cal State Northridge from 2004 to 2006 and James Madison from 1989-2004, along with appointments at Maine and Baylor. As a collegiate student-athlete on both the volleyball and basketball teams, Lucas graduated from Wake Forest University and earned a master's degree in sports administration at Ohio University.
"As I reflect on my time at Pacific, I am leaving proud of this program, the Pacific Athletics family and what we have accomplished," Lucas said. "As I look to the future, I will be eager to see the Pacific Tigers achieve in many new and inspirational ways in the classroom, in competition and in the community as Pacific continues to develop champions in life."
