The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents today approved a three-year contract for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Athletics Director Tina Kunzer-Murphy, removing the interim tag she's held since taking over the position July 1.
Kunzer-Murphy is the first female, and first 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ alum, to head university athletics. Before joining 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, Kunzer-Murphy spent twelve years as the executive director of the Las Vegas Bowl for ESPN Regional Television Inc. She also served as general manager for ESPN Regional's corporate sales office at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's department of intercollegiate athletics from 2000 to 2005.
"I want to thank the Board of Regents for the tremendous support that they've given to me and to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Athletics," Kunzer-Murphy said. "I also want to thank President Neal Smatresk for this unbelievable and humbling opportunity to work on behalf of our 450 student-athletes and their talented head coaches. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us but it's a great thing to wake up every morning knowing that you get a chance to make a real difference at your alma mater in your own hometown."
The three-year contract was unanimously approved by the Board, and is effective January 1, 2014.
A Las Vegas native and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ graduate, Kunzer-Murphy has a long history with 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, first as a player and head coach of women's tennis then as assistant athletics director and director of sponsorships for alumni relations.
She has experience with compliance in university, conference and NCAA regulations, as well as day-to-day operations for athletics. She managed the Western Athletic Conference football championship and basketball tournaments for Las Vegas Events, Inc. and the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.
A 2007 inductee of the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, Kunzer-Murphy became the first woman to serve as chairperson of the Football Bowl Association. In the summer of 2011, she was honored as Las Vegas' Sportsperson of the Year. She was recognized by the Las Vegas Sun as one of the Top 10 Most Influential Sports Professionals in Nevada in 2008.
Kunzer-Murphy earned two degrees from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ - a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1975 and a master's in education in 1977.
