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Courtesy of Chapman Athletics--
ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University Athletics has announced a change in leadership at the end of the fall semester. Mike O'Brien will step away from his role on Dec. 18 and Doug Aiken will be promoted to Interim Director of Athletics.
"I'm honored to continue to serve Chapman, our talented student-athletes, coaches, and staff in this new capacity. I've been so blessed to call Chapman my home for 30 years and I'm humbled to have the opportunity to lead this program." Aiken said. "I've been extremely fortunate to work with and learn from some incredible leaders at Chapman, including David Currey, Terry Boesel and Mike O'Brien. This is an amazing team I get to work with as we spearhead this next era of Athletics, and we'll do so every day with a tremendous amount of Panther Pride."
A lifelong Panther – Aiken first came to the Chapman campus as a freshman on the baseball team in the fall of 1995. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Broadcast Journalism and a Master of Arts in Organization Leadership.
He immediately joined the administrative staff as the Sports Information Director upon graduating in 1999 and was promoted to the Associate Director of Athletics in 2015. He has helped to shape the strategic, academic, and competitive success of our 23 NCAA Division III programs, serving as the institutional lead for student-athlete eligibility and NCAA compliance in his role as Associate AD. He also helped oversee the athletics budget, provide direct sport supervision for 10 varsity teams, and collaborate extensively with campus partners.
Doug's leadership has helped elevate Chapman's athletics profile by supporting multiple SCIAC championships and a 2019 national title in baseball, while also supporting consistently high student-athlete academic performance and retention. His campus-wide impact is further reflected through service on the Chapman Undergraduate Assembly, the IMPACT Committee, and numerous NCAA and SCIAC committees that shape policies and championships regionally and nationally. Beyond his administrative responsibilities, Doug's commitment to student development can be seen through his work teaching courses, providing mentorship, and leading student-athlete educational programming and other initiatives.
The University is continuing to evaluate a timeline for a national search for the full-time role of the David Currey Endowed Director of Athletics.
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