In summer 2025, Dr. Howard N. Davis was promoted to Associate Vice President/Athletics Director at California Lutheran University. Davis has been with CLU since August 2023, serving as Interim Athletic Director before being named permanent Athletic Director in March 2024.
In the new role, Davis will serve on the President’s Cabinet and report directly to President Dr. John Nunes. “I am honored and appreciative that President Nunes recognizes the value and importance of intercollegiate athletics at Cal Lutheran,” said Davis.
In Davis’s time the Regal soccer team captured the 2023 NCAA Championship, followed shortly thereafter by the 2024 men’s volleyball NCAA National Championship. Four teams and two individuals qualified for the NCAA championship competition in his first year. The Regal and Kingsmen basketball programs have flourished in his two years with Cal Lutheran, capturing two SCIAC regular season titles and earning bids for the NCAA tournament, including hosting the regionals in 2024, including the first time CLU had hosted an NCAA championship event since In 2024, for the first time in the school’s history, both the men and women won the regular season SCIAC title in the same year, including a 27-0 regular season home record in 2023-24. Kingsmen baseball also qualified for an NCAA at large berth in 2024. Two CLU swimmers qualified for NCAA nationals in 2024.
In Davis’s second year, the Regal soccer team returned to the NCAA tournament field. Women’s basketball captured the SCIAC postseason tournament, grabbing the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. The men’s volleyball team upset the previously undefeated and number 1-ranked New York University to advance to the NCAA Final Four. In 2025, swimmer Lincoln Hall captured a 4th place finish in the 50 freestyle. Tennis star, Carmen Bufkin, became the first Regal tennis player to qualify for the NCAA national tournament, where she advanced to the round of 8 and qualified as an All-American.
“The phenomenal success the CLU athletic program has enjoyed over the past two years has nothing to do with me,” said Davis. “All of that success is a result of our coaches’ tireless work and dedication. I was simply fortunate to be on the sideline cheering on these amazing coaches and student athletes.”
"This type of remarkable success does not happen without the dedicated work of an incredible support staff," said Davis. "The CLU Athletic Training Staff, Athletic Performance Staff, Associate Athletic Director/Compliance Staff Manager – Athletic Facilities & Sports Events Operations, Sports Information staff and Operations Coordinator & Budget Analyst all provide critical support to the 22 CLU athletic programs. Additionally, our partners across campus, especially in Facilities & Maintenance, Student Life, Human Resources, and Marketing, make working at CLU a team sport and a joy.”
To properly celebrate and mark the amazing 2023-24 athletic year, CLU Athletics hosted a major event called “The Road to Victory.” The event thanks three major athletic facility donors and supporters: Rod Gilbert of the Gilbert Sports & Fitness Center, Karsten and Kirsten Lundring, who are a constant presence at CLU contests and give generously to several programs (and are the namesakes of the Lundring Conference Room), and the Samuelson family, who were instrumental in the Samuelson Aquatic Center and the campus chapel. That event launched a re-imagining of the Victory Club, the CLU Athletics booster club, and the Champions Fund, to support CLU participation in NCAA championship play. “The Road to Victory was an important event to thank those who sacrificed and contributed to our beautiful facilities and who constantly support our student athletes and coaches,” said Davis. “Two NCAA championships in the same academic year just does not happen, and to recognize those young men and women was also really important.”
Revamping of the Athletics Suite with athletic-branded furniture, new CLU colored flooring, enhanced wall hangings, making it an attractive and usable space for everyday use by student athletes, coaches, and staff. The space has even hosted pre-game social hours, NCAA watch parties, and NCAA Selection Show Viewing.
Another advance in the CLU athletic program this year has been elevated engagement with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). These leaders of leaders have taken active roles in cross-sport and community engagement and support, as well as events to build CLU SAAC into a vital resource for the athletic program, offering advice and counsel on several operational matters.
In the past year, with the onboarding of Flo Sports, a SCIAC streaming service for all athletic contests, Cal Lutheran continues to enhance the viewing experience for parents and fans with new computers, cameras, and other streaming equipment.
Davis has initiated a “Grand Buddy” program where nearby retirement community members are matched with student athletes who are interested in a mentoring, supportive relationship with retirees. “Many times, our student athletes are away from home, sometimes far away, and can benefit from a nearby and experienced support system. The retirees are excited to build upon their legacy by sharing their wisdom and life experience with our terrific young student athletes,” said Davis. “We are excited about what a win-win these relationships can be for both our student athletes and their Grand Buddies.”
Davis has also emphasized opportunities for Cal Lutheran student-athletes to support one another. SAAC has created “Partner Teams,” which gives two teams scheduled opportunities to support their opposite team. “Our student athletes terrifically support one another,” said Davis. “They exhibit an ethos of selflessness and care for one another. To witness how CLU student athletes show up for one another at our NCAA selection shows, bus send-offs to NCAA play, and daily is something I will always admire. Our coaching staff models that supportive behavior.”
Davis’ tenure has been marked by tremendous departmental growth in student-athlete numbers and programs. In those two years, CLU has added 92 student-athletes to its rosters, spread among male and female teams.
Last spring, women’s flag football was added as a club team and will play as a club in spring 2026 before transitioning to intercollegiate in 2026-27. “We are thrilled with the addition of women’s flag football. The tremendous growth of the sport at the high school and youth levels makes this a no-brainer in our university’s commitment to accommodating the interests and abilities of our service area,” said Davis. “CLU has long demonstrated fidelity to the letter and spirit of Title IX. Adding women’s flag football is another example of that.”
Beginning in the fall of 2026, CLU will add an Esports program reporting to athletics. An on-campus Esports facility will be built over the spring and summer of 2026. “Esports is an exciting addition for CLU because of the synergy it provides between athletics and academic affairs in support of our nationally renowned Sports Management program,” said Davis.
Davis’ athletic roots in Ventura County trace back more than 35 years. He spent 10 years as the Athletic Director at Moorpark College before entering academic administration. He served six years as the dean of student learning over the largest academic division on the campus. Then, he served for a year and a half as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Antelope Valley College. Before Moorpark College, Davis was the founding Athletic Director at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, where he served for six years. His entry into athletics was as an assistant basketball at Claremont Mudd Scripps before becoming head coach at Damien High School and Hueneme High School, and assistant coach at Moorpark College.
A lifelong teacher, Davis also teaches in the doctoral and master’s degree programs at CSU Northridge’s Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program. He holds an Ed.D from California Lutheran University in Higher Education Leadership, an M.A in Education from Claremont Graduate University, and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Redlands. Davis and his wife, Christina, live in Thousand Oaks and have been married for nearly four decades and have three grown daughters and five grandsons.
