With colleges done for the season, most of the news in the Western Athletic Conference has been of the off-the-court/field variety.
Steve Macy, who has served as associate commissioner in charge of marketing and promotions for the conference, is leaving the conference to become associate athletic director in charge of marketing and promotions at New Mexico State University.
"It's time to try something different and see how the skills I've developed do at a college campus," Macy said from his office in Denver, Colo. "I'm excited about what is going on there. The energy and synergy surrounding New Mexico State is exciting.
"This was a hard decision. I work for an unbelievably great guy (commissioner Karl Benson). Leaving Karl is the toughest thing."
Macy said that he hopes to be an athletic director or conference commissioner someday, and that this move could help him.
"We're extremely excited that Steve has accepted the offer to become our associate athletics director," said NMSU AD McKinley Boston. "Based upon the areas of growth, especially with television and Aggie Vision, we think he will be a great fit in providing leadership in that area. Aggie Vision is a very important part of our future as well as a revenue stream, and his background in working with television will be invaluable long-term to our department."
Macy is expected to start in mid-July. His wife and children are expected to join him before the school year starts in Las Cruces.
MAILMAN DELIVERS
Louisiana Tech hired alumnus Karl Malone to be its director of basketball promotions and assistant strength and conditioning coach recently, and the former NBA star immediately donated $350,000 to the athletic department.
"It felt like the right thing to do," said Malone, who came to Louisiana Tech in 1982 and left as a junior when the Utah Jazz drafted him. "It's very exciting for me to be able to."
The donation includes $300,000 toward a new floor on the basketball court at the Thomas Assembly Center, which opened in 1982, Malone's freshman year. Presently, Tech's floor is one of the worst in the WAC.
The other $50,000 is for the volleyball program, to recognize achievement in spite of tight budgets.
When Malone pulled the check from his pocket and gave it to school president Dan Reneau, the boosters crowding the room burst into applause and cheers.
"The Mailman keeps on delivering," Reneau said.
But refurbishing the assembly center, will be a team effort, Malone said.
"Everybody has to be involved to make this work," Malone said. "This is the time for the Tech family to step up and make this happen."
Malone joins the staff of new men's basketball coach Kerry Rupp, a personal friend who was hired on Malone's recommendation.
"Karl Malone has been a generous benefactor to this university since his playing days," said athletics director Jim Oakes. "His gift today will certainly make a big difference for the basketball and volleyball programs."
PLAYBOY RECOGNIZES DUO
For the first time since 1992, the WAC has had two players named to the Playboy 2007 College All-America Football Team in Boise State junior offensive tackle Ryan Clady and San Jose State senior defensive back Dwight Lowery.
Clady, a SI.com second-team All-American and first-team All-WAC selection last season, was a huge reason why the the Broncos finished the 2006 season second in the country in scoring, sixth in rushing and 10th in total offense. Clady is also one of 43 players named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List. He is the first player from Boise State to be chosen as a Playboy All-American.
Lowery, a senior from Santa Cruz, Calif., is just the second San Jose State University football player named to a Playboy All-America team. Middle linebacker Dave Chaney was named to the 1971 squad. Lowery was a first team All-America (AFCA and FWAA) last year after intercepting nine passes for the Spartans.
The players were at the Hilton Pointe Resort at Tapatio Cliffs in Phoenix, Ariz., last weekend where they took part in the Dream Team photo shoot for the magazine, as well as taking part in segments filmed for the College Football Preview, a one-hour nationally syndicated television show that will air shortly before the football season begins.
ESPN ADDS GAME
ESPN announced an additional game will be added to the 2007 WAC ESPN/ESPN2 football television schedule giving the conference 11 games.
The game between Fresno State and New Mexico State has been moved to Nov. 30 and will kick off at 5 p.m. on ESPN2.
The 2007 television schedule kicks off with 2007 Fiesta Bowl Champion Boise State hosting Southern Mississippi on Sept. 27 in a game that will be shown on ESPN.
The following weeks will feature eight conference matchups with four in October and four in November.
Boise State will host two Sunday ESPN contests with New Mexico State on Oct. 7 and Nevada on Oct. 14. Sandwiched in between will be a Friday night contest with Hawai'i traveling to San Jose State (ESPN). The October schedule concludes with Fresno State hosting Boise State on Oct. 26 (ESPN2).
November opens up with a Friday contest between Nevada and New Mexico State in Las Cruces on Nov. 2 (ESPN2). Two weeks later, Hawai'i travels to Reno to face the Wolf Pack on Nov. 16 (ESPN2). The day after Thanksgiving will feature the top two WAC teams from 2006 as Hawai'i hosts Boise State in an ESPN2 telecast.
The television schedule concludes with a Fresno State being shown twice in six days as the Bulldogs host Kansas State on Nov. 24 and travel to New Mexico State on Friday, Nov. 30. Hawai'i welcomes Washington the next day.