WSU will introduce Patrick Chun, former Florida Atlantic University athletic director, as its new AD at 11 a.m. Tuesday during a press conference.

Chun will become the 14th athletic director in Cougar athletics’ history, and the first Asian-American athletic director of a Power Five school.

“I am honored to serve the Washington State University family and I want to thank President Schulz and the search committee for entrusting me as the steward of the Department of Athletics,” Chun said in a WSU news release.  “The passion and pride of Cougar Nation is renowned and revered across the country and I will work with our great coaches and staff to impact the lives of our student-athletes and to build upon our past successes to achieve new heights.  My family and I are looking forward to joining the WSU community and we are excited to get started.”

Prior to being the athletic director at FAU for five and a half years, Chun worked for his alma mater, Ohio State University, from 1997 to 2012. Chun was hired to an array of positions, including executive associate athletics director from 2009-2012

Another specialty Chun has, something that has been a priority for WSU athletics in the wake of the budget crisis, is revenue production. During his time at FAU, he helped facilitate a 10-year agreement, expected to generate $25 million in revenue, with Learfield Sports.

Additionally, Chun is known to be a fundraiser. In 2015 at FAU, he faciliated a university record of $16 million to be received from the Schmidt Family Foundation. The funds were used for a new athletic complex, named the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence, which started construction in the fall of 2017.

Two $5 million grants were also given from the foundation to fund a sports medicine program and academic center.

Such additions to an athletic program were likely desirable to WSU, considering there are multiple plans for athletic facility improvement.

The first is an 1,800-square-foot clubhouse for the baseball program that includes a 1,400-square-foot Baseball Hall of Fame center. The facility also calls for a pitching lab, a team meeting room and training areas.

In addition to the baseball complex, Cougar Athletics has plans to move forward with phase two of the Cougar Soccer Complex renovation. The renovations call for 1,100 seats, a 3,000 square-foot press, concession area, restroom facilities and on-site ticketing.

WSU Athletics is also proposing fan indoor practice facility. The 100,000 square-foot facility will include a full-sized football field with new field turf and improved lighting. Other improvements include on-site locker rooms, athletic training space and storage.

According to the Cougar Athletic Fund, “The facility will benefit the majority of WSU’s athletic programs which include soccer, men’s and women’s golf, baseball, track and field and football.”

WSU President Kirk Schulz sent out an email on Monday addressing the hire.

“This is a game-changing day for our athletics program,” said Schulz. “We were focused on finding a leader with the right blend of experience, vision, and passion to lead Cougar athletics to the next level of success. In Pat, we’re confident we found that person. His achievements in fundraising, boosting the academic success rate of student athletes, and building strong relationships with the community—on-and off-campus—are exemplary.”