Kimberly Sanchez Rael, Chair of the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico | The University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico Vice President and Director of Athletics Eddie Nuñez, whose seven-year tenure has witnessed successes for the Lobos on the field, in the classroom, and in fundraising, has accepted a position as Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Houston, a member of the Big XII Conference.
During his seven years in the AD’s chair, Nuñez oversaw numerous Lobo success stories, starting with a National Championship in Cross Country in 2017. From 2017 to 2024, UNM totaled 53 NCAA Tournament appearances and 22 Mountain West titles. Among UNM’s 455 All-Conference performers were 49 conference Athletes of the Year and 17 conference Coach of the Year awards. Academically, UNM’s 1,517 Mountain West All-Academic selections and 1,142 Mountain West Scholar-Athletes are the highest total among all Mountain West schools over that time frame.
“I want to thank Eddie for the work that he has done here at The University of New Mexico,” said University President Garnett S. Stokes. “He has led Lobo Nation with pride and enthusiasm, and he and his wife Jane have been terrific ambassadors for UNM and our athletic department. Our success on the field and in the classroom is a reflection of his leadership, and it is a source of pride for all Lobos.”
Nuñez, UNM’s 13th Director of Athletics, was instrumental in constructing the department’s newest facility, the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center, which opened in 2023. He also hired new head coaches for UNM’s two most prominent programs: Richard Pitino for men’s basketball and Bronco Mendenhall for football. Pitino led the Lobos to a Mountain West title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024; Mendenhall's hire was named the top hire in college football by two national publications.
Nationally during his time at UNM, Nuñez was named to the Lead1 Board of Directors and chaired the NCAA men's basketball oversight committee. In 2021, Nuñez became just the third person in Mountain West history—and first in 14 years—to be honored with the Commissioner’s Award for guiding the department through a challenging COVID year while securing six conference titles. In 2022 he was named a member of the NCAA Division I Council.
