EDITORIAL

Dan Guerrero certainly has left his mark in his nearly 10-year stint

at UC Irvine.

The athletic director resurrected the baseball program and helped

revitalize the school’s basketball program, which is among the best in

the West now.

The men’s basketball team provided everyone a great run this season.

Posting a great 20-11 record, the Anteaters traveled to Provo, Utah, to

play in the National Invitation Tournament in March. There, they suffered

a first-round loss against BYU,

Baseball, meanwhile, has always been on Guerrero’s mind since he

started at UCI. The team folded in the early ‘90s and officials have

eagerly awaited its return. In fact, in his first week on the job, he

received a baseball autographed by the 1973 UCI national champion team.

Even today, with the latest baseball team in its inaugural season, the

young Anteaters are giving their Big West colleagues a run for their

money. They’re in third place behind power player Cal State Fullerton and

Cal State Northridge.

Well, when you do well enough, in theory, you gain promotions. And

that’s just what Guerrero will get when he graduates to the next level,

his alma mater of UCLA, in July.

There, he’ll work with a school that’s already nationally known for

several sports -- football and basketball to name two.

But back here at UCI, a gap will need to be filled. Guerrero obviously

helped place the university on the map and his replacement will need to

keep it there.

So, while we’ll miss Guerrero and wish him luck, we urge UCI officials

to find an equally talented athletic director to fill his shoes.