Cal athletic director announces plans to step down
Cal has a new chancellor, a new football coach and a new men’s basketball coach. In a matter of months, the Bears will have a new athletic director, as well.
Mike Williams, on the job for three years, won’t seek an extension of his contract beyond its May 2018 expiration. Williams informed chancellor Carol Christ of his decision Tuesday afternoon, then told staff, coaches and donors through the evening.
He plans to stay on the job until a replacement is hired or his contract expires in the spring — whichever comes first.
“I made a three- or fouryear commitment,’’ Williams told this newspaper. “It shouldn’t be a shock that I’m marking the end of my commitment to the campus.”
The administrative environment has only gotten more difficult during his tenure, with the athletic department squeezed by massive debt service payments on the Memorial Stadium and training center projects. Originally appointed in 2014 on an interim basis, Williams became the Bears’ permanent athletic director a year later.
The Bears are expected to cut expenses dramatically to help lower the operating deficit (approximately $18 million for the 2017 fiscal year). Those cuts could include the elimination of sports.
“The people around me do a really good job of staying focused,’’ Williams said. “if you keep your head down, it makes things a lot easier.”
Williams attended Cal and became a trustee a decade ago. He also served on the high-profile Chancellor’s Task Force on Academics and Athletics before becoming the interim athletic director when Sandy Barbour stepped down in 2014.
Under Williams’ tenure, Cal’s academic performance — as measured by the Academic Progress Rate — has improved dramatically.
“Mike has done an extraordinary job supporting and improving the academic performance of student-athletes,” Christ said in the university’s news release.
“He has shown an unwavering commitment to their welfare, and to the quality of their experiences in the classroom and their competitive arenas. I deeply appreciate his service.’’
Williams also oversaw Cal’s partnerships with apparel giant Under Armour and multimedia powerhouse Learfield, which will combine to generate a net increase of approximately $8 million annually for the athletic department.
Cal made no reference in the news release to the upcoming search for Williams’ replacement, but he had a tip:
“Financial skills will be imperative.”
Golf
Cal’s Collin Morikawa (2-under 138), Stanford’s Maverick McNealy (1-under 139) and San Jose’s Justin Suh (3-over 143) qualified for match play at the men’s U.S. Amateur Championship being played at Riviera CC and Bel-Aire CC in Los Angeles. Match play begins Wednesday. Medalist Hayden Wood of Oklahoma State set a tournament record with a two-day score of 131.