WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Tim Cass, who has spent the past nine years with The University of New Mexico in a variety of top athletic administrative positions, has been announced as the new General Manager of the United States Tennis Association National Campus. The move ends an over 20-year association between Cass and the school that includes stints as a head coach and an All-American athlete.
With the USTA, Cass will manage the day to day operations of the USTA National Campus. He will be tasked with ensuring that the facility and its respective programs are run at the highest level. Cass will develop and implement operating policies for the facility, oversee the hiring and development of the USTA National Campus team, and manage usage and scheduling. The USTA broke ground on the USTA National Campus, the New Home of American Tennis in Lake Nona, in April of 2015. A model tennis facility, the USTA National Campus, expected to be completed in late 2016, will feature more than 100 tennis courts, and will be divided into areas that focus on the complete tennis pathway.
“This is really a once in a lifetime opportunity for myself and my family,” said Cass. “I graduated from New Mexico, and so did my wife. To have coached at New Mexico, to have served as an administrator here, it’s very difficult to leave. It’s hard to leave the friendships that we have made, but I’m very excited at what is ahead in the next chapter for my family.”
“When you spend nearly a quarter of a century at one place, there are so many great memories and friendships that it’s impossible to list without forgetting something. My family and I will always be a part of this community, and we truly are Lobos for Life!”
“I’m very happy for Tim as he embarks on the next chapter of his career,” said Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs. “Tim has done great things for our university and our department. He will definitely be missed.”
For the previous nine years, Cass has served in a variety of titles from Senior Associate Athletic Director to Deputy Athletic Director to his most recent title of Chief Operations Officer. In his roles he has served as the sport coordinator with oversight for football, men’s basketball, and men’s and women’s tennis. Additionally, Cass oversaw UNM’s Nike contract, facilities, game management, the letterman’s association, the Lobo Tennis Club and capital projects.
Heavily involved in fundraising, UNM has seen approximately $100 million in facility upgrades and renovations for Lobo Athletics under Tim’s oversight. Cass oversaw the 18-month, $60 million renovation of The Pit, which was completed in time for the 2010-11 season. The renovation was featured in the April 2011 edition of Athletics Administration magazine as the featured article.
Some of his most recent projects have included the addition of the U.S. Bank End Zone Club, the Lobo Field baseball renovation, the football Indoor Practice Facility, the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium and the Football Weight Room. The McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium was recently named as one of 13 winners in the USTA’s 34th annual Facility Awards Program. It was the only winner in the Educational Institution category.
Overall, Cass has been a very successful fundraiser, raising over $10 million in private gifts over the course of his career.
In 2011, he was inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame for his work as a collegiate tennis coach and administrator. He is also a 2012 UNM Hall of Honor inductee and in 2014 he was the recipient of the UNM Lobo Award.
Cass was an All-American for the Lobos in men’s tennis, earning the honor in doubles in 1986. He also was a three-time All-WAC honoree. After graduating from UNM in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration he was named the head tennis coach of the Lobos at age 23. He spent eight years coaching UNM, winning five consecutive WAC titles (1991-95), and going to six straight NCAA Tournaments. He guided New Mexico to a No. 6 national ranking in 1995.
In between his two stints with UNM, Cass served as head men’s tennis coach at Texas A&M for 10 seasons (1997-06). Over that span, the Aggies won four Big 12 titles, reached the Sweet 16 or better in the NCAA Tournament six years in a row and lead the nation in attendance.
Cass is married to the former Laura Wood, who is an Albuquerque native and UNM graduate. The couple has two sons, Dylan Craig, Hayden Francis, and a daughter Ashlyn Anne. Laura is an attorney in private practice in Albuquerque.