University of Houston

Eddie Nuñez
Director of Athletics

Eddie Nuñez

Eddie Nuñez was named Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Houston on Aug. 17, 2024, joining the Cougars after successfully holding leadership positions at the University of New Mexico and LSU.

Prior to Houston, Nuñez served as Vice President/Director of Athletics at New Mexico dating to Aug. 31, 2017. During his tenure at UNM, Nuñez oversaw significant success both on and off the field. Under his leadership, the Lobos secured 53 NCAA Tournament appearances, 22 Mountain West Conference titles, and numerous academic accolades, including leading the Mountain West in academic honors. He also spearheaded the development of the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center and restructured key partnerships to ensure the long-term financial success of UNM Athletics.

In his seven years in the AD’s chair, Nuñez presided over plenty of success stories, starting with a National Championship in Cross Country in 2017. The 455 All-Conference performers included 49 conference Athletes of the Year and 17 conference Coach of the Year awards. Academically, UNM’s 1,517 Mountain West All-Academic selections and 1,142 Mountain West Scholar-Athletes are the highest total among all Mountain West schools over that time frame.

In 2023-24, the Lobos picked up three conference titles including a historic run to the Mountain West title in men’s basketball. The men’s cross country team returned to the top of the league with its first title in 10 years as well. Overall, UNM had 14 conference Athletes of the Year and three CSC Academic All-Americans. The department once again turned in record GPAs, including a record GPA under new head coach Bronco Mendenhall, a hire that was rated as one of the best by any AD in the 2024 hiring cycle.

In 2022-23 under Nuñez the Lobos won three conference titles including extending one of the nation’s longest winning streaks as the women’s cross country team won its 15th straight Mountain West title.

The Lobos also picked up three CSC Academic All-Americans including a first in the men’s tennis program. During 2022-23, Nuñez oversaw the construction of UNM’s newest facility, the New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center, a facility utilized by all Lobo sports teams which become a focal point inside of University Stadium.

In 2021-22, the Lobos were able to successfully navigate through COVID-19 issues which limited certain aspects of UNM’s athletic operation. Despite various roadblocks, UNM won three conference titles including back-to-back women’s soccer titles. Nuñez also hired new coaches for Lobo Men’s Basketball and baseball, invigorating the fan bases of both programs. UNM’s student-athletes again posted a top-5 semester GPA, and the Lobos against had two student-athletes named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

In 2020-21, despite the hardships associated with COVID-19, the Lobos led the Mountain West with six championships, winning in women’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s cross country, women’s golf, men’s golf and men’s tennis. Those six championships tied for the most for any Group of 5 institution in 2020-21. Nuñez expertly led a department that had three major programs in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball need to shift its base of operations out of state. Despite that, UNM once again had several program records for GPA, including the best two-year GPA in the history of UNM Athletics. Nuñez was also named to the LEAD1 Board of Directors.

For his work throughout the 2020-21 season, Nuñez became just the third person in the history of the Mountain West to be honored with the Commissioner’s Award, becoming the first recipient in 14 years.

The 2019-20 academic year was one of great success as UNM’s student- athletes set a host of records for grade point averages. Additionally, three programs were honored by the NCAA for APR public recognition, women’s golf was the top academic program in the nation for a season straight year, and UNM led the Mountain West is scholar-athletes for an eighth straight year. With a 3.74 GPA, the department set the GPA record for a second-straight semester.

The 2018-19 academic year saw four teams (women’s soccer, women’s cross country, men’s golf and men’s tennis) win Mountain West titles, and UNM picked up a national runner-up finish in women’s cross country and its highest finish, fifth, in women’s indoor track & field. The department also had a pair of individual national champions and five CoSIDA/Google Cloud Academic All-America selections.

The 2017-18, his first at New Mexico, saw the department win its third NCAA title in the long rich history of UNM athletics as the women’s cross country team won its second title in three seasons. The department also saw 14 top-five GPAs spread out amongst its programs, and UNM’s first-ever individual national champion in women’s cross country.

Throughout it all, academic success defined his tenure. In his time at New Mexico, 12 of 14 programs set program GPA records, and 13 of 14 turned in at least two top-5 semester GPAs. Additionally, GPA records for male, female and all student- athletes were set four times. The Lobos also initiated a highly-successful stole ceremony to honor all graduating student-athletes.

He also made his mark on the department in many areas. Nuñez hired new coaches in women’s volleyball, women’s tennis, swimming and diving and he hired Bronco Mendenhall, who is No. 7 among active FBS coaches in wins to lead the football program. He also hired former Big Ten Coach of the Year Richard Pitino to lead the men’s basketball program.

Under Nuñez, UNM entered exciting new partnerships with PlayFly Sports (formerly OutFront Sports), rebranding UNM’s external marketing arm as New Mexico Sports Properties. UNM also boasted partnerships with Paciolan (earning their “Newcomer of the Year” Award), Athlete Network, Licensing – Affinity, Merchandise, and a three-year comprehensive partnership with UNM Hospital and Health Sciences to provide medical assistance and mental health services for Lobo student-athletes.

Nuñez also extended the department’s longstanding partnership with Nike to continue as the official outfitter of the university’s athletic programs.

He led the restructuring of the Lobo Club to streamline, align and enhance the fundraising efforts towards UNM athletics. This new restructuring was instrumental in improving donations, increasing Lobo Club membership, improving customer service and reestablishing trust with donors and supporters. These efforts helped increase funding for the mental health and wellness of our student-athletes and established three new endowments for the long-term success of the athletic department and the support of student-athletes, including specific endowments for men’s basketball and football. During Nunez’s tenure, the Lobo Club Champions Council continued to grow in members and in financial support.

Nuñez has played an important role nationally as a leader in the field of college athletics. In January of 2021, he was appointed to the LEAD1 Executive Committee and Board of Directors, an organization that represents the athletics directors, programs and student-athletes of the 130 member universities of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

That followed his August 2020 appointment to the 30-person Lead1 Working Group for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in College Sports. That working group explores initiatives to strengthen senior leadership pipelines, expand professional development opportunities, influence legislation that supports underrepresented populations and recommend strategies of accountability.

He also served on the Executive Board for the New Mexico Bowl and served on a variety of committees with the Mountain West, including serving on the Mountain West Executive Board.

For 14 years, starting in 2003, Nuñez served in a variety of high-level administrative capacities at LSU, one of the nation’s top athletic departments. He also served as the department’s liaison with LSU Sports Properties, the Tiger Athletic Foundation and University Licensing and Brand Management.

While he held seven positions and titles at LSU, the department continually flourished. Under his guidance, LSU experienced of $400 million in facility renovations and construction, and Nuñez led the renegotiations of a 10-year multi-media rights agreement with Outfront Media Sports.

Additionally, he oversaw planning and management of the LSU Athletics Strategic Plan, Marketing and Promotions, Athletic Communications, Social and Digital Media, Creative Services, Video/ Network Broadcast Services and all capital projects.

While he made his mark collegiately at LSU, Nuñez began his career as a collegiate administrator at Vanderbilt University, where he was the Director of Game and Event Management where he also assisted in construction and planning of numerous facility upgrades.

A former college athlete, Nuñez played four years of basketball, starting at Miami-Dade Community College before transferring to the University of Florida, playing for Billy Donovan. He then spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Donovan at Florida before being named an administrative assistant at Marquette in the men’s basketball program.

A native of Miami, Florida, Nuñez received his Associate Degree in arts and architecture from Miami-Dade Community College, his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from the University of Florida. He is married to the former Jane Hess and the couple are proud parents of two daughters, Elizabeth and Anna.