UNM's athletic director Eddie Nu帽ez named chair of NCAA men's basketball oversight committee
Eddie Nu帽ez, right, is shown with UNM President Garnett Stokes after the April ribbon-cutting in front of the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center. Nu帽ez, UNM鈥檚 athletic director, on Friday was named chair of the NCAA Division I men鈥檚 basketball oversight committee.
University of New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nu帽ez has been named the chair of the NCAA Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Oversight Committee, the school announced Friday. His three-year term begins Aug. 1 and runs through June 30, 2026.
鈥淚鈥檓 very humbled and honored to be selected to the Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Oversight Committee,鈥� Nu帽ez said in a statement released by the school. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to work with our committee members as well as everyone to advance Men鈥檚 Basketball in this new and exciting time for the sport. I鈥檓 proud to be able to represent The University of New Mexico on a national stage.鈥�
Nu帽ez takes over for Judy McCloud, Conference USA commissioner. The current make-up of the committee includes just three other athletic directors. Several conference commissioners, associate commissioners, two student-athletes, one coach and two faculty athletic representatives make up the bulk of the committee.
According to the NCAA Governance website, the Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Oversight Committee 鈥渆nsures that appropriate oversight of men鈥檚 basketball is maintained, will enhance the development and public perception of the sport and make recommendations related to regular-season and postseason men鈥檚 basketball. The committee will prioritize enhancement of the student-athlete educational experience (academically and athletically), and in doing so, promote student-athletes鈥� personal growth and leadership development.鈥�
The committee will review recommendations from the NCAA Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Committee and process other NCAA Tournament championship-related issues. It will assume many of the duties of the former NCAA Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Issues Committee and will provide direction to the NCAA Division I Men鈥檚 Basketball Rules Committee regarding playing rules.
Nu帽ez, who is currently a member of the NCAA Division I Council, is also on the Board and on the Executive Board of Lead1, and he is the first and only Group of 5 athletic director ever to serve on the executive committee.
In 2021, Nu帽ez became just the third person ever honored by the Mountain West with the Commissioner鈥檚 Award, which he earned for his leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic that prevented UNM鈥檚 athletic programs from playing and practicing in the state.
Nu帽ez, who took over as UNM AD in August 2017, played four years of college basketball, two at Miami-Dade Community College before transferring to Florida. He then spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under coach Billy Donovan at Florida before being named a men鈥檚 basketball administrative assistant at Marquette.
