Joe Fields’ first year as the Athletic Director at New Mexico State University (NMSU) has been marked by significant changes and promising developments. Fields, who took over in October after serving as Tulsa’s deputy AD, has made strategic moves to strengthen NMSU’s athletic programs.
Coaching Changes
Fields initiated coaching changes in women’s basketball and tennis due to underperformance. Emily Wang’s contract as women’s tennis coach was not renewed after a 10-10 season, and she was replaced by Abigail Wind, who previously helped Tarleton State achieve success. In women’s basketball, Fields replaced Jody Adams with Adeniyi Amadou from Rhode Island, emphasizing the need for better NIL support to attract talent.
The softball program saw a more complex transition. Kathy Rodolph was let go, and interim coach Benet Higgs impressed Fields enough to secure the permanent position. The reasons behind these changes remain undisclosed.
Fundraising Success
Fields launched the Lou & Mary Henson Excellence Fund, which quickly raised $1 million, demonstrating strong donor support despite initial concerns following the previous AD’s firing. Fields also secured $9 million in state funding and initiated a new $18.225 million football press box project, aimed at enhancing revenue and broadcast quality.
Staff and Revenue Developments
Fields restructured his staff, bringing in new deputies aligned with his vision while retaining key personnel like Savage, who played a crucial role in fundraising. New revenue streams were established through an Adidas apparel deal and a jersey patch sponsorship with Inn of the Mountain Gods, adding financial stability to NMSU’s athletics.
Fields is also exploring naming rights deals for major sports venues and aims to increase home games against rivals UNM and UTEP, which could further boost revenue.
Looking Ahead
While Fields’ first year has been promising, his tenure will ultimately be judged by the success of NMSU’s teams. The foundation laid in his inaugural year suggests a positive trajectory for the Aggies.
Original reporting: Las Cruces Sun News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
