51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ President Neal Smatresk today announced the appointment of Tina Kunzer-Murphy as interim athletic director effective July 1, 2013.
"Tina Kunzer-Murphy has agreed to step into the role of interim athletic director on the heels of Jim Livengood's retirement," said 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ President Neal Smatresk. "Tina brings a wealth of experience to 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ and I am truly grateful that she will be serving in this critical role."
Kunzer-Murphy has been serving as director of alumni sponsorship and development for the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Alumni Relations department since January 2013.
Previously Kunzer-Murphy spent twelve years as the executive director of the Las Vegas Bowl for ESPN Regional Television Inc. Prior to her work with the Las Vegas Bowl, she was the general manager for the ESPN Regional Institution Project for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's department of intercollegiate athletics (2000-2005).
Kunzer-Murphy served as the senior associate athletic director at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA (1992-1993). Before that she served in progressively responsible roles within 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's intercollegiate athletics department for 15 years (1977-1992), from head women's tennis coach and senior assistant athletic director.
Kunzer-Murphy 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 chairman 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 a bachelor of science in physical education and a master of education in secondary education from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ.
