Oct. 11, 2005
University of New Mexico director of athletics Rudy Davalos today announced he will retire from his position effective Aug. 31, 2006.
Davalos, who will turn 67 in November, was named UNM’s 11th director on Nov. 16, 1992, after a five-year stint as the athletics director at the University of Houston.
He is in his 13th year with the Lobos, and only Roy Johnson (1920-49) and Pete McDavid (1956-74) have served the office longer.
“It’s been a great run,” said Davalos, who has hired all but three of UNM’s current head coaches. “I’ve been blessed with great coaches, a great staff and a tremendous group of young men and women who have represented the University of New Mexico extremely well academically and in competition. Lobo fans are a passionate group and I have been fortunate to spend 13 years of my professional career at this great institution and in this great city. The program is in excellent shape financially, academically and competitively. Whoever takes my place is coming into an excellent situation. I plan on helping the University and the athletics department in any way I can in future years.
“I have my health and I’m really looking forward to being totally independent; to be able to spend a lot of time with my children and grandchildren. They live in various parts of the country and it will be nice to take off and see each one of them whenever I want.
“During the 13 years I have been at UNM, I’ve served under four presidents, three governors and numerous regents. These people, along with a great group of legislators, have been very supportive and non-interfering, which I’m sure that is part of the reason we have been so successful.”
Earlier today, the UNM Board of Regents announced that the new basketball practice facility currently under construction south of The Pit will bear Davalos’ name. It will be called the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center. The facility, which will house offices for both men’s and women’s basketball, is expected to be completed by late November.
“To have the new basketball practice facility named after me by our University is one of the nicest things I have had happen to me in my professional career. My whole family appreciates this wonderful gesture.”
Jamie Koch (pronounced like cook), President of the UNM Board of Regents, said Davalos’ successor would be named by June 1, 2006.
“Rudy has set a standard for what we would like to have in an athletics director,” said Koch. “He placed a well-rounded, across-the-board emphasis is all sports from an academic and athletics standpoint. We will certainly use Rudy as a resource in finding the next person to lead the department.”
“Rudy has done a great job for the University as athletics director,” said UNM President Louis Caldera. “Our program is as competitive as it’s ever been and stronger academically and financially because of the talented and high integrity coaches and staff Rudy recruited to UNM, and the leadership he’s provided. Thanks to his efforts, our intercollegiate program is poised for a sustained period of greatness.”
Davalos currently serves on the NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Committee and the Executive Committee of NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics). Davalos was recognized by Sports Illustrated in 2002 as one of the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports.
Davalos leaves a legacy of unparalleled academic, athletics and financial success during his tenure at UNM. Davalos’ many accomplishments while at UNM:
Highlights During Rudy Davalos’ Tenure at the University of New Mexico (1992-current)
Academics
The student-athletes representing the Lobos’ 21 sports compiled a school-record 3.05 GPA during the 2004 fall semester and a 3.02 in the spring of 2005, the sixth straight semester the Lobos have surpassed a 3.0…the department’s highest combined student-athlete GPA prior to 1992 was 2.73 on two occasions…16 student-athletes were named to academic All-America teams in 2004-05, and 93 have gained national academic recognition since 1993
Athletics Competition in 2004-05
UNM finished 48th nationally in the Sports Academy Director’s Cup, the second-best ranking in school history…UNM was 43rd in 1995-96
A school-record 15 teams represented UNM at NCAA postseason competition
UNM was one of just 11 NCAA Div. I institutions to have its football team play in a bowl game and also have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament
Athletics Competition (1993-2005)
The UNM ski team won the 2004 NCAA championship, the first Lobo program to claim a national title
In the 10 years before Davalos came to UNM, only five sports combined to win or share 10 conference titles…since his arrival, eight teams have won or shared 35 regular-season or postseason conference championships…UNM has been represented at NCAA postseason competition 112 times, while 147 student-athletes have earned All-America recognition
From 1983-92, football was 29-88 overall and 15-61 in conference play…since 1993, the overall mark is 73-76, 46-47 in league action…the record stands at 31-25 the past since 2001, including 20-11 in MWC play with three straight bowl appearances for the first time in program history
Men’s basketball has made 10 trips to postseason since 1993, including seven NCAA Tournaments…from 1983-92, the Lobos advanced to the NCAAs only once
All of the women’s basketball postseason showings have occurred in the past eight years with five NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 in 2003, and three NITs
Attendance
Average attendance after three football games in 2005 is 40,509, a figure that would represent the school’s fourth record in the past five years…17,404 season tickets were sold in 2005, a record for the third straight season
Average attendance for football since 1993 is 28,955 compared to just 17,502 from 1983-92…the average is 34,421 since 2001
Lobo men’s and women’s basketball have both ranked in the top-15 in national average attendance each of the past seven years…the women were 4th in 2004-05 at 10,674 a game, the men 14th at 14,308
Among the nation’s leaders in men’s and women’s soccer
Facilities
With the tremendous aid of the governors, New Mexico state legislature, local businesses and private contributors, virtually every UNM athletics facility has received a facelift…thanks to current governor Bill Richardson, the most recent construction includes a $4.2 million men’s and women’s basketball practice facility, plus improvements at Lobo Field for softball and at the UNM track
At the northeast corner of University Stadium, new restrooms, ticket booths, concessions and novelty stands, and a new entrance were completed before the 2004 season…overall capacity was increased to more than 37,000 prior to the 2001 season with the addition of seats in the north end zone…a new scoreboard and LoboVision videoboard were also installed
The Tow Diehm Athletics Facility – which houses the weight room, sports medicine and the Lobo football team – rates as one of the premier training centers in intercollegiate athletics
Additional improvements include lights for the football practice fields, renovations and exterior landscaping at The Pit, new locker rooms for men’s and women’s basketball and the Olympic sports programs, two tennis bubbles, new infield grass and lights for the soccer and track stadium and significant improvements to the softball field
Financial
Not once has UNM finished a fiscal year over budget since Davalos took over
When Davalos started in 1992, the department’s budget was $9.4 million…the Lobos are operating the 2005-06 fiscal year with a budget of more than $22 million
Fund-Raising
UNM’s nationally-respected marketing and promotions program and fund-raising organization (Lobo Club) produces more than $6 million annually…12 years ago it was less than one-third of that and corporate sponsorships did not exist
Davalos has been the leader behind several projects that benefit UNM student-athletes like the implementation of skysuites at University Stadium and the Lobo Level seating at The Pit, which adds nearly $500,000 a year to the scholarship fund
Hired to be the athletics director at Houston in January of 1987, Davalos was credited with the procurement of gift-in-kind donation to the Cougar athletics department in excess of $32 million. He spearheaded projects at UH that led to a state-of-the-art athletics facility, a baseball stadium, tennis courts and renovation of departmental offices.
With Davalos at the controls of the UH athletics department, the Cougar program enjoyed enormous success. The Houston football program produced a Heisman Trophy winner (Andre Ware in 1989) during the Davalos tenure.
While at Houston, Davalos served on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee from the Midwest Region. He was relieved of those duties when he took the New Mexico job, but returned to the committee on September 1, 1994, an appointment that ended in 1999. He has also served on the NCAA Championship Competition Cabinet and the NCAA Div. I Baseball Committee.
Davalos’ administrative career on the collegiate level began in 1975 as the athletics director at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He spent nine years (1975-84) as the leader of the Roadrunner athletics department before being hired at Houston.
Davalos returned to San Antonio to serve as the director of community relations for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. Davalos also worked as a television and radio commentator for the Spurs. He spent one season with the NBA team until his return to Houston as the athletics director in 1987.
Before Davalos entered the ranks of athletics administration he was a long time basketball coach. His coaching career began in 1961 as an assistant coach at Georgetown (Ky.) College. He also had assistant coaching stints at Kentucky (1962) and Auburn (1963-70) before being named head men’s basketball coach at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1970. He was the head coach at South for three seasons (1970-73).
Davalos led the Tigers to the College Athletic Conference championship and produced the best single-season record in the school’s history with a 23-4 mark in 1972-73.
Davalos moved to the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA in 1973. He was an assistant coach and Director of Player Personnel for three years, until his move to the University of Texas-San Antonio.
Davalos’ leadership in college athletics began as early as 1960, when he was the captain of the Southwest Texas State basketball team. An All-American point guard for the Bobcats, Davalos led SWTS to an NAIA national title. He was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, the Southwest Texas State Hall of Fame in 1983, the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 and the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He was also named a Southwest Texas State Distinguished Alumnus in 2001.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Davalos graduated from Southwest Texas State in 1960 with a degree in Education. He received his master’s degree in Education from Georgetown (Ky.) College in 1962.
Always a leader in the community, Davalos was twice (1984, 1986) chairman of the San Antonio Summer Youth Games. He previously served on the board of directors of the San Antonio Boys Club of America and the San Antonio YMCA. Davalos currently serves on the Albuquerque Sports Council board of directors.
Davalos has been recognized repeatedly throughout his career for his efforts on behalf of young people. In 1976 he received the Catholic Youth Organization’s “Man in Youth” award. He is also a former president of the San Antonio Quarterback Club.
Davalos, 66, is married to the former Gail Marlin. They have three children, David, Doug and Deana.
What They’re Saying About Rudy Davalos
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson
“Rudy Davalos has helped to build UNM athletics into one of the premier collegiate programs in the nation. Under Rudy’s leadership, UNM’s sports teams have experienced unprecedented success. Even more importantly, UNM is recognized for the academic excellence and graduation rates of its student-athletes. On behalf of the entire state, I applaud Rudy for his outstanding achievements.”
William Gordon, Provost, Wake Forest University; President, University of New Mexico (1999-2002)
“During those years I worked with Rudy, there were always two things I could count on. The first was his single-minded determination to make UNM athletics something we could all take pride in, and the second was his unquestioned loyalty to UNM and its mission. He was a great colleague, he remains a great friend, and he has created an athletics program that is characterized by true excellence.”
Craig Thompson, Commissioner, Mountain West Conference
“Rudy’s greatest strength is his passion to both the student-athlete and the programs with which he works. He could be known to wear his emotions on his sleeve at times, but that’s only reflective of his deep caring.”
McKinley Boston, Director of Athletics, New Mexico State
“I would like to congratulate Rudy on his pending retirement. He’s got a lot to celebrate. He’s clearly leaving the UNM program in great shape. For those of us who have worked closely with him, I know what an outstanding leader he is, but I got to see the fun side of him and well as the serious side. He will be missed in the industry. Probably the thing that has defined him more than anything is his personality. I’m sure he’ll have a great time and I will miss him as a professional colleague.”
Tom Jernstedt, Executive Vice President, NCAA
“Rudy’s contributions to intercollegiate athletics as an administrator are significant and commendable. I have admired and respected his service, dedication and commitment to the goals and objectives of the NCAA throughout his distinguished career. Rudy’s excellent service on both the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee and NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee were particularly noteworthy. My sincerest congratulations on his retirement and best wishes to he and Gail as they begin the next chapter of their lives.”
Rocky Long, UNM Head Football Coach (1998-current)
“The University of New Mexico, especially the athletics department, has a lot to be thankful for because of Rudy Davalos. He was the perfect man for the job. The improvement in this program has been phenomenal both on and off the field. Everyone here will miss him. Hopefully, we will not take a step backward without his leadership. What he has done for the UNM athletics department has been exceptional and greatly appreciated by everyone who works here.”
Ritchie McKay, UNM Head Men’s Basketball Coach (2002-current)
“Rudy Davalos has meant as much to the advancement and furthering of our athletics program at the University of New Mexico as any athletics director has meant to any program in the country. His knowledge, expertise and representation have been invaluable in bringing our program to its peak. Obviously, I am sad to see him depart, but I am excited for his future.”
Don Flanagan, UNM Head Women’s Basketball Coach (1995-current)
“My relationship with Rudy has been excellent. He is a former basketball coach so we had a lot of similar experiences and he allowed me room to run my program. He was never standing over me telling me I needed to do this or that and I appreciate the space that he gave me to develop the program that I wanted, so I am going to miss him.”
Linda Estes, Senior Woman Administrator, University of New Mexico Athletics Department (1973-2000)
“What a ride Rudy Davalos has given the University of New Mexico athletics department. Until Rudy came, the department really never took off. He gave great support to not only women’s athletics but to all of the Olympic sports. It will be very hard to replace Rudy. I certainly felt privileged to work with him.”
Bob Gallagher, President, Board of Regents, New Mexico State University
“Rudy has raised the bar on what a premier athletics department should look like. It starts with outstanding work ethic and morals that serve as the foundation for the department to grow. Those of us who are involved in intercollegiate athletics look to Rudy and his department as an outstanding example of where many universities aspire to be. I am personally and professionally a better person because of the time I have spent with Rudy. We wish he and Gail all of the best as they move into the next step of their lives.”