Vicky Chun Blazes Trails As Yale Athletic Director
By James Moreau | 10 Oct, 2025

Yale’s Vicky Chun used her experience as a pioneering coach and player to transform the athletic department to make room for AAPI student-athletes.

Vicky Chun became Yale University’s first woman and first Asian American athletic director when she was appointed to the position in 2018.

She began her tenure by spearheading a complete overhaul of the athletic department’s facilities, directing more than $100 million toward new construction and renovations.  Keeping up in the arms race has yielded the Bulldogs significant success, with teams securing 11 national championships and 38 Ivy League titles.

Chun has also had an impact in fundraising by raising over $65 million from Yale’s donors.

Prior to Yale she made history in 2012 as the first Asian American woman athletic director at the D1 level at her alma mater Colgate University.  She had spent five years working as associate AD after stints at NCAA and as commissioner of New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association.

Preceding her time as an administrator Chun was a student-athlete and coach for the Raiders.   She was an assistant for the volleyball program in 1993 before leading the program for the next three seasons.   The team saw great success with a 67-27 record and earned Colgate’s first-ever NCAA tournament berth.

As a player the Chinese American led the Raiders to a conference championship and was named Patriot League Player of the Year in 1991.   Chun graduated the same year with degrees in poli sci and education.  She earned a masters in history in 1994.

Colgate volleyball retired Chun’s jersey in 2015 to honor her accomplishments during her time as both a student-athlete and a coach. In 2021, along with University of Washington’s current AD Pat Chun, and former America East Conference commissioner Amy Huchthausen, Vicky Chun founded Asian American & Pacific Islander Athletics Alliance, or 4AAPI, to create a college sports community for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.   The number AAPI collegiate student-athletes increased 50% from 2012 to 2022.