Accelerate New Mexico
Athletics
Building the Future for Students, Faculty, and Communities
UNM Athletics is committed to student-athlete success and competitive excellence. By creating an inclusive environment through recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performance people, we provide a great fan experience, inspire community engagement, and serve as a great source of pride for New Mexico.
Through the Accelerate New Mexico campaign, we can address some of our greatest challenges.
Overview:
UNM Athletics has distinguished itself through a combination of competitive success, individual excellence, and a passionate sports culture. Beyond its many championships and individual honors, UNM Athletics is distinctive for its passionate, fan-based audience and strong community support. The Pit, UNM’s iconic basketball arena, remains one of the toughest places to play in college basketball, fostering an electric atmosphere that fuels the team’s success.
The Lobos are New Mexico’s flagship athletes and some of UNM’s highest-performing students. Many will stay in the state after graduating and help drive economic and community growth in New Mexico.
List of Priorities:
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UNM Athletics will strive to grow each of our 16 teams’ sports enhancement funds through philanthropic giving that provides vital support beyond scholarships and operating dollars. Much of this funding is used for team travel expenses, food and nutrition, uniforms, gear, and additional student-athlete experiences like competing for World Championships or providing the team with international opportunities.
The goal is to raise between $250,000 and $500,000 for each team. This would allow the team to use $250,000 for short- and medium-term needs and $250,000 to create an endowment fund for the future with support from our Lobo Lettermen and more.
$4-8 million of philanthropic funding would create this much-needed sports enhancement fund.
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The recruitment and retention of talent is core to any organization, and it has never been more important than it is now in college athletics. Court decisions and NCAA rule changes at the national level have fundamentally changed the resources an institution is expected to provide to create a holistic student-athlete experience.
The Lobos’ competitive success is now directly influenced by the University’s ability to recruit and retain student-athletes with name, image, and likeness (NIL) funding. The Lobo Alliance, launched in 2024, was designed to align stakeholders with the common purpose of retaining talent in New Mexico. By investing in NIL and the Lobo Alliance, supporters can directly contribute to the growth and success of UNM Athletics, strengthening the institution’s reputation and securing long-term success.
$5-7 million per year of philanthropic funding would support these important initiatives.
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UNM Athletics is committed to enhancing and maintaining a high-quality student-athlete experience to support the holistic student-athlete experience. The department envisions a new center for all student-athletes, focused on providing the nutrition, meals, and fellowship currently provided by our peers across the country. Currently, our student-athletes eat from to-go boxes or catering lines. Our aspirational goal is to unify all student-athletes, under one roof, while providing pre- and post-competition nutrition in a space that could also be mobilized on game days for our fans and supporters.
$10 million of philanthropic funding would help us create this visionary center.
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To stay competitive within our athletic conference and NCAA, a key campaign priority is improving University Stadium, with a heightened focus on the existing Stadium Tower, press box, and premium seating areas. Originally built in 1960, University Stadium is largely untouched from its original construction outside of surface level improvements. The current facilities are dated and past their useful life.
While the State of New Mexico has appropriated legislative funding to improve the bones of the Stadium, private resources are needed to improve the existing premium areas on the Zia I, Zia II, and press box and media levels. Improvements to these spaces impact public perception, as all visitors to our University and to our stadium frequent these spaces. Improving this area will also allow for additional suites and increased revenue opportunities.
$10-25 million in philanthropic funding is requested for this once-in-a-generation project.
In summary
Through Accelerate New Mexico, we are seeking philanthropic support for these initiatives:
$4-8 million for sports enhancement funds
$5-7 million per year to enhance the student-athlete experience via NIL funding
$10 million to create a new nutrition and wellness center for student-athletes
$10-25 million for a state-of-the-art University Stadium and upgraded facilities
Ryan Berryman
Vice President / Director of Athletics
“In today’s rapidly changing collegiate athletics landscape, revenue generation and private philanthropy have never been more important. As the flagship athletics program in the State of New Mexico, the Lobos represent not only our University, but our entire city and state on a national stage.
As we enter this next era of Lobo Athletics, it will be important that we think strategically about who we want to align ourselves with, not just as an athletic program, but as an institution. Who we compete alongside matters. The national exposure we generate matters. The proud Lobos across the world who choose to support this campaign matter.
Together, we will shape the future of Lobo Athletics. Go Lobos!”
We realize that these are ambitious goals. But the university-wide momentum and energy of the Accelerate New Mexico campaign presents us with a historic opportunity to rise to the challenges of today to build a better tomorrow for our student-athletes and the entire Lobos community.