For UC Irvine senior associate athletic director John Hauscarriague, hosting a championship at UC Irvine isn’t just about the games—it’s about creating an environment where every detail feels intentional, welcoming and professional. As the university recently completed hosting a NIT men’s basketball postseason contest and prepares to host three Big West championships this spring, Hauscarriague emphasizes that success starts with a unified team and a shared commitment to excellence. 

“It all starts with a really good team,” Hauscarriague said. “Our athletic director, Paula Smith, does an amazing job empowering our staff and emboldening us to hold quality events.” From media relations to facilities and game production, every department plays a crucial role in bringing high-level competitions to life. “Everyone works together in a collaborative way, along with The Big West office, to make sure the competitions are fair, sportsmanship is held at a high standard, and the events are quality.” 

  

UCI’s reputation as a premier host site comes from more than just its location—it’s the sum of its resources, people, and thoughtful planning. Hauscarriague credits the media relations team, led by Stacey King, for managing the mechanics of competition, from statistics to table crews, ensuring games go off without a hitch. “They do an excellent job of making sure that we run a smooth competition,”  

Facilities are another cornerstone. With Danny Spitzer and Melissa Ramos leading the way, the spaces are prepared to meet the demands of postseason play. “We feel like we have facilities that are conducive to running championships,” Hauscarriague said. “It gives all the student-athletes competing a really good experience.” 

The setting also plays a role. “Our location is excellent. We’re very convenient to most of the schools in The Big West, and when it comes to weather, we have probably the best weather in the country.” 

  

Among UCI’s standout facilities, the home of men's and women's volleyball and men's and women's basketball is a point of pride. “The Bren Events Center has proved itself to be a very formidable and excellent competition venue,” Hauscarriague said. Opened in 1986, it continues to serve at a high level thanks to consistent maintenance and thoughtful design. “We have the locker room space to host multiple teams and officials, which makes operations much easier to manage.” 

For men’s volleyball, the venue features a Teraflex floor—one of the top surfaces in the sport. “In terms of an indoor facility, if you look around The Big West, I think the Bren Events Center stands out among the top indoor venues,” Hauscarriague said. 

The Bren is first in the Spring 2026 hosting rotation, set to welcome the powerhouse league’s six teams for The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship from April 23-25.  

Also playing hosts back in 2023, Anteaters’ head coach and alumnus David Kniffin is pleased to bring three days of high-level competition back to Southern California. 

“Playing in the Bren is just such a great place to play for any team. To be honest, I think it's a fairly neutral facility,” Kniffin reflected. “It's just a great volleyball venue, and it's super accessible to the volleyball community.  

“It's been great to watch the environment in the Bren Center trend up over the years. Every year for the past couple of years we've seen increases in attendance, but the biggest thing is just the increase in fan engagement this year. That's super exciting for us because I feel like we've just got a much more educated fan base right now and a fan base that's just growing in their love for watching volley.” 

Next on the docket is welcoming the multi-event student-athletes to Anteater Stadium May 8-9 for the first weekend of the 2026 Big West Track & Field Championships. The heptathlon and decathlon events will be decided at UCI before the main event takes center stage at Long Beach State the following weekend. 

Rounding out the spring as the final Big West Championship on the books, the top five Big West squads will hit the diamond at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark May 20-24 at the 2026 Big West Baseball Championship. 

Baseball is another area where UCI shines. “We think our field is a Major League quality field,” Hauscarriague said, crediting field manager James Yogi for his dedication. “He takes immense pride in how that field plays and how it looks.” 

Historically, The Big West has produced some of the top talent in Major League Baseball and top moments in collegiate baseball.  

UCI alum and skipper of the Anteaters Ben Orloff reflects on the importance of being able to showcase Big West baseball diamonds in the conference postseason and – hopefully – beyond. 

“I just think what baseball has meant to The Big West is special. You look across with multiple national championships, the amount of guys playing in the major leagues from The Big West, that I think to get so many of the guys in one spot for a weekend, playing for a chance to play in the postseason is really special,” Orloff said. “The regionals, the super regionals, the College World Series in our sport is just so special. And so for the conference championship to be hosted at Irvine, for everybody to get to see that competition and what people are playing for, that will make it really exciting and fun for everybody involved.” 

  

   Planning Beyond the Spotlight   
While fans see the polished final product, much of the work happens well in advance of what teams and fans see during competition.

“There is a lot of planning,” Hauscarriague said. “It begins months and months ahead of time.”  

Regular meetings keep everyone aligned. “We start well in advance of the event and meet periodically coming up to the events, at least monthly. As we get closer, it often escalates to about weekly, just to make sure we’re all on track.” 

One of Hauscarriague’s main responsibilities is building the budget and coordinating postseason events with The Big West staff, including championship manuals and handbooks. “The Big West has a fantastic checklist for us to help navigate all the requirements.” 
  

For Hauscarriague and the team at UC Irvine, the postseason is about more than competition—it’s about creating memorable experiences. “We run very good regular-season competitions, so we’re already at a good foundation,” Hauscarriague said. “But we recognize when it comes to postseason that it is special, and we really want to make sure that we pay attention to all the details.” 

That precision and focus allows coaches to focus on the competition, without worrying about logistics. “All those details go into allowing the coaches to focus on the competitions and not have to worry about things like locker rooms or other logistical things. As much as we can take care of ahead of time goes into producing a quality experience for everybody involved.”  
 

At the heart of every championship, Hauscarriague said, is a simple goal. “Ultimately, we want everyone to feel like that was a fair competition and that the student-athletes had the best opportunity to reach their potential in their performance.” 

It’s also about leaving a lasting impression. “We want the coaches to walk away feeling like UC Irvine did a great job hosting this event. And for the fans—specifically the parents—that they feel like their student-athlete was able to be the focus of the event.”