Hall of Famer and former AD Dave Currey passes at 80
ORANGE, Calif. – Dave Currey was a Hall of Fame leader in every sense of the word. The impact he left on Chapman community echoes through generation upon generation of Chapman student-athletes and still resonates through the staff of the Chapman University Athletics department.
With heavy hearts, we are passing on the news to the Chapman community of the passing of Hall of Famer and former Athletics Director, Dave Currey. Currey passed away in his home on July 14, 2023 following an illness.
He was inducted into Chapman's Hall of Fame in 2017 and received the prestigious SCIAC Distinguished Service Award in 2022.
The measure of Currey's impact on the Chapman community cannot truly be measured as 25 years of student-athletes came and went with Currey leading the department. His leadership guided Chapman Athletics through the transition period from Division II to Division III, which included the reinstatement of Chapman football – still the only four-year college football program in Orange County.
He created a culture around Chapman Athletics that embodied the Division III philosophy and celebrated longevity among a coaching staff that his fingerprints still cover. Currey hired 11 of Chapman's 14 current head coaches in addition to Chapman current Director of Athletics, Associate Athletics Director and Director of Sports Medicine. Several other employees were students during Currey's tenure.
After Currey led Chapman through the transition to Division III, he also led the Panthers through a successful bid to join the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference in 2012. The Panthers won two Division III national championships during Currey's tenure and quickly became a force within the SCIAC.
The Anderson Athletics Complex – where a plaque commemorating the Dave Currey Endowment welcomes all visitors – was built toward the end of his years as Chapman Athletics' leader. The home of the Panthers became one of the premier facilities in Division III when it was built in 2006 and brought the aquatics programs on campus for the first time.
His impact on Chapman Athletics and the greater Chapman community is still felt daily and will continue to ripple through the future generations of Chapman student-athletes. The memories of his leadership and friendship are fondly remembered among the many employees who had the pleasure to work alongside him.
Our deepest condolences are sent to his children John David and Tracey; his wife, Elaine; and the entire Currey family. Our hearts are with you and we mourn with you. Thank you for the quarter century that you shared him with us.