April 14, 2006
The Rudy Davalos Basketball Center was officially dedicated this afternoon in front of nearly 400 patrons, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and numerous athletics administrators and coaches from around the nation.
The $4.2 million facility – funded by Richardson – was named after the Lobos’ outgoing athletics director by the University of New Mexico Board of Regents. Rudy Davalos, 67, announced his retirement from UNM last October.
The sparkling 26,000-square-foot facility located adjacent to The Pit will house operations for Lobo men’s and women’s basketball. It includes practice courts, coaches’ offices, a video control room and theater, computer lab and a multi-purpose room for special events. The facility will also be utilized for upcoming NCAA Basketball championship events hosted by the University of New Mexico.
What They Are Saying…
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
“Rudy Davalos synonymous with athletics, synonymous with the New Mexico Lobos and synonymous with great academics. The Pit and this practice facility are great facilities and they are synonymous with Rudy Davalos.”
Mike Roberts – UNM Basketball/Football Play-by-Play Announcer for the past 37 years
“In his nearly 14-year tenure as the Director of Athletics at the University of new Mexico, Rudy Davalos has altered the Lobos’ program academically, athletically and financially…Today, we officially dedicate the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center.”
David Harris – Acting UNM President
“Clearly, here at New Mexico, Rudy has projected Lobo athletics to the top of the pile. By any measuring stick, Rudy has improved our athletics capability in any aspect that your can conjure up. For that, we owe Rudy a debt of gratitude.”
Jamie Koch – President, UNM Board of Regents
“When you look at what our athletics director has done – capital improvements, over 300 student-athletes with a 3.0 (grade-point-average), second in the Mountain West Conference in all sports and the quality of coaches he has – it is going to be tough to match what he has done.”
Tom Jernstedt – Executive VP, NCAA
“I have had the opportunity to see other basketball facilities and practice centers around the country and this is up there with the best of them.”
Kiki Saavedra – New Mexico Legislature
“There’s doers and there’s talkers…Rudy and I became friends 14 years ago and I can tell you he’s a doer. He says what he’s going to do and it’s done.”
Don Flanagan – UNM Women’s Basketball Head Coach
“I never thought this buiding would get done this quickly. It is amazing to me what has been accomplished. It shows that with some great energy, some funding and people motivated you can get things done in a positive way. This building is an example of that. From women’s and men’s basketball, we appreciate this building. It is something we can be proud of. From the outside to the inside, from the top to the bottom, from the Governor to the laboroer, this is a job well done.”
Linda Estes – Former SWA, Assoc A.D. at UNM
“Rudy made a commitment to equity and there’s no better example than the perfect equality in the facilities for men and women in the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center”
John Perner – Lobo Club President
“This is more than just a practce facility…this is the culmination of a career that has transformed the University of New Mexico athletics department. Rudy has given everything he has from day one to make this a better place. This building is a tribute to a man who gave 13 years, using his gifts and work ethic to make the Lobos great for a community that lives and breathes Cherry and Silver.”
David Gibson – Former UNM Men’s Basketball Player (1995-98)
“The experience that Lobo athletes have are very personal. They are personal to their families and very personal to the individual…great leadership by people like Rudy Davalos give us those types of experiences that really change our lives.”
Del Archuleta – Molzen-Corbin & Associates
“The passion that Rudy Davalos has makes everyone want to come here and help him build facilities like this one.”
Craig Thompson – Commissioner, Mountain West Conference
“You can sum up Rudy Davalos in three words. They are consistency, because he never waivers on his ideas, loyalty, he is loyal to everyone he is associated with, and word, he always tells you if he can or can’t do something and he follows through with it.”
DeLoss Dodds – Director of Athletics, University of Texas
“Rudy is one of those guys who is for the student athlete. That is what we are all about. Athletic directors are for the student-athlete. Rudy is one of those guys who makes things happen and he is a guy with vision, a guy who sees the big picture and foremost he is a guy who takes care of the student-athlete.”
McKinley Boston – Director of Athletics, New Mexico State University
“Rudy has set the bar so high for athletics, academics and competitiveness, that we’re climbing a slope and trying desperately to catch up. We are very proud of what Rudy has accomplished in creating a nationally-acclaimed program in the state of New Mexico.”