Eddie Nunez has agreed to a five-year contract to become athletic director at the University of Houston, the school announced Saturday.
Nunez will leave the University of New Mexico to join the Cougars and the Big 12 Conference. He was named the Lobos' athletic director in 2017 and his title was changed to include vice president in 2021.
Nunez, who played basketball for former coach Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators, also worked for the LSU athletic department and will now lead a university trying to gain ground in the crowded Big 12. He will be introduced Wednesday.
“Eddie Nunez brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success at a time of great transformation in college athletics,” Houston President Renu Khator said in a statement. “His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to elevate our athletic programs, enhance the student-athlete experience and build on the tremendous momentum at the University of Houston.”
In its first season in the new league, the Houston football team went 4-8 last year, finishing the schedule on a four-game losing streak. Following the season, former coach Dana Holgorsen was fired and replaced by Willie Fritz, who led Tulane to a program renaissance.
Nunez will replace Chris Pezman, who was fired after seven years in that role, in June. At the time, in a statement, Khator said: “Chris Pezman led our athletics program through a period of incredible transformation, and we are grateful for his leadership over the past six years. He has been a critical part of our entry into the Big 12 Conference and has championed student-athlete success on the field and in the classroom.
“This was a difficult but necessary decision as we navigate a paradigm shift in college athletics.”
The Cougars open the football season on Aug. 31 against UNLV.
