June 23, 2011
Albuquerque, N.M. — Kate Nicewicz, formerly of Tennessee Tech, has been named assistant communications director for the University of New Mexico, where she will coordinate public relations and communications efforts for Lobo women’s basketball and men’s soccer. Also, associate communications director Chris Deal, who has spent the past five years handling a variety of sports, most recently football, is moving on to a similar position with Oklahoma State University.
Nicewicz comes to the Duke City from Tennessee Tech, where she spent the past year a half on staff handling soccer, baseball, and men’s basketball. Nicewicz helped promote a 20-win team at Tennessee Tech, and handled much of the information regarding former head coach Mike Sutton, who suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome, forcing him to coach many times from a wheelchair. The Sutton story was covered by numerous media outlets nationally, including ESPN and the New York Times.
She also served as a secondary contact for football at Tennessee Tech, and organized TTU’s basketball tip-off function “Celebrating 60 with Earl Lloyd”, honoring Earl Lloyd, who broke the color barrier in the NBA.
“Kate in my mind is a rising star in this industry, and comes to UNM highly recommended”, said Asst. A.D. for Communications Frank Mercogliano. “Kate has a wide variety of experience. She can write, promote, organize, and can really push the great stories that we have with our men’s soccer team and women’s basketball team to the media and the public. I’m excited for her to start, and I know both programs are as well.
While Nicewicz is coming to the program, Chris Deal is leaving after five years to return to his alma mater and work with the Oklahoma State football program. Deal will work in the sports information office and serve as the lead contact for coachgundy.com, the official website of OSU Coach Mike Gundy and the Oklahoma State football team. Deal, who has covered a variety of sports at UNM, served as the lead contact for football at the school last season, and also oversaw the university athletic website GoLobos.com. After gaining over 8 million hits last year, Deal helped with the recent redesign of the site, which occurred in late April.
“Oklahoma State is getting not just a great SID in Chris Deal, but a great person,” said Mercogliano. “Chris is all the things you want in that he works hard, he’s smart, and he is in it to promote the student-athletes and the coaches and the program.”
“This is a great opportunity for Chris to return to his alma mater and his home state. While we are going to miss him at New Mexico, I couldn’t be happier for him.”
“I’m thankful to Paul Krebs and Greg Remington for the opportunity to work for this great institution,” said Deal. “I’ve had the privilege of working with so many amazing professionals and developed outstanding relationships during my time at New Mexico. UNM allowed me to grow both professionally and personally, and I’m very appreciative of my time in Albuquerque.”
TRANSACTION — Kate Nicewicz named assistant communications director. Chris Deal resigned as associate communications director to take a similar position with Oklahoma State.