COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of New Mexico Director of Athletics Eddie Nuñez has been named the Mountain West Commissioner’s Award recipient for 2020-2021. The award is chosen by the MW Recognition Committee, made up of two athletic directors, two senior women administrators and two faculty athletic representatives.

The prestigious Commissioner’s Award is bestowed upon an individual who, through dedicated effort and service, has achieved a singularly distinguished accomplishment during the current academic year that has significantly enhanced the MW or a member institution. Nuñez, nominated for guiding New Mexico to a league-high six Conference championships during the 2020-21 campaign while navigating his athletic programs through the unfamiliar and unanticipated challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the third recipient of the Commissioner’s Award.

Facing a strict public health order in New Mexico that would not allow gatherings or practices of more than five people and having its first football game at Colorado State canceled, Nuñez orchestrated a plan to move its first home game against San Jose State to San Jose.  Following the game against the Spartans, he moved his entire football operation of more than 140 people to Las Vegas, including student-athletes and coaches, trainers and staff for 43 days.

New Mexico played three of its seven MW games at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, which was previously home to UNLV. The Lobos became the first team in FBS history to play an entire season of at least seven games with no home games and managed to complete the 2020 campaign without a single positive covid test.

While dealing with the football season from Las Vegas, Nuñez also arranged for the New Mexico men’s and women’s basketball teams to set up operations out of state as well, with both teams settling in Texas. Overall, the Lobo men’s basketball team completed its season despite more than 100 days out on the road, playing “home games” in Houston, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; St. George, Utah and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The women’s basketball team spent more than 90 days out of the road, playing “home” games in Canyon, Texas, before being allowed to play in Albuquerque for the final two games of the season. The Lobos’ claimed their first regular-season outright league championship in 16 years (2004-05) after finishing the season 14-3 and 11-3 in the league.

The women’s cross-country team saw similar success, winning its 13th consecutive conference title, despite only have a month of preparation time due to local COVID -19 guidelines.

UMN women’s soccer had success on the pitch after registering a 10-1 record in MW action to capture the Conference title. The Lobos became the first school in the State of New Mexico to advance past the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 4-2 penalty kick win over Navy.

The Lobo’s men’s and women’s golf and men’s tennis won Mountain West championships in the spring of 2021, despite not being able to start practice until February 1. All three programs also made it through their seasons with no COVID-19 positive tests.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Nuñez organized and led the UNM athletic department to give back to the Albuquerque and New Mexico communities. The department donated to the Lobo Food Bank, which allowed access to food for UNM students in need. Nuñez also helped coordinate several department-wide PPE drives, while transforming The Pit to a mass COVID-19 vaccination site.

Nuñez concluded the academic year by being named by his peers to the LEAD1 Association Board of Directors.

Past Commissioner Award Recipients

  • 2006-07: Marco Zucconi, San Diego State
  • 2003-04: Chris Hill, Utah