April 24, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Rudy Davalos, athletics director at the University of New Mexico, has been named the Dr. Albert C. Yates Distinguished Service Award recipient. The Dr. Albert C. Yates Award is bestowed upon an individual who has successfully supported, promoted and exemplified the ideals of the Mountain West Conference or a member institution. The award is named in honor of the former Colorado State University president. Davalos is just the fourth recipient of the award, joining Linda Estes, former New Mexico senior woman administrator, Elaine Michaelis, former BYU head volleyball coach and women’s athletic director, and LaVell Edwards, former BYU head football coach.
Named New Mexico’s 11th athletics director on Nov. 16, 1992, Davalos has served the UNM athletics department for more than 13 years – the third-longest tenure of any Lobo athletic director. He announced his retirement in October, effective August 31, 2006.
Davalos was one of the original athletics directors when the Mountain West Conference was formed. He has been committed to excellence for the Conference as well as Lobo athletics and leaves a legacy of unparalleled academic, athletics and financial success during his tenure at UNM.
The student-athletes representing the Lobos’ 21 sports have compiled a GPA of 3.0 or better for seven straight semesters, including a school-record 3.05 GPA during the 2004 fall semester. Sixteen student-athletes were named to academic All-America teams in 2004-05, and 93 have gained national academic recognition since 1993.
Through his unified efforts with the governors, New Mexico state legislature, local businesses and private contributors, Davalos orchestrated improvements to nearly every athletics facility at UNM. Recent additions to the football stadium included additional seating, bringing capacity to more than 38,000 and resulting in record attendance the past three seasons. The new scoreboard and LoboVision videoboard were also installed at the stadium, and the Tow Diehm Athletics Facility rates as one of the premier training centers in intercollegiate athletics. The recently completed basketball practice facility was named in his honor: The Rudy Davalos Basketball Center.
From a competition standpoint, Davalos’ leadership has served as the cornerstone for success at UNM. Under his guidance, the football team appeared in three straight bowl games for the first time in school history and the men’s and women’s basketball teams have combined for 18 postseason appearances since 1993, including 13 NCAA Tournament berths. In the 2004-05 academic year, a school-record 15 teams represented New Mexico in NCAA postseason competition. The Lobo ski team also brought UNM its first national championship in 2004, and the men’s soccer team reached the NCAA championship game in 2005. In 10 years prior to the Davalos era, the school won 10 conference titles among five sports. Since his arrival in 1993, eight teams have combined for 36 conference championships.
As an administrator, Davalos’ influence has reverberated throughout Division I athletics. He has served on the NCAA Championship Competition Cabinet, as well as NCAA Committees for men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball. He currently resides on the Executive Committee for the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). In 2002, he was recognized by Sports Illustrated as one of the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports.
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. In 1976 he received the Catholic Youth Organization’s “Man in Youth” award. 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 is married to the former Gail Marlin. They have three children, David, Doug and Deana.