NM State remembers legacy of Karen Fey

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The primary architect of women's athletics at NM State, Karen Fey sadly passed away in December of 2021 at the age of 80.

 "I was saddened to learn of Karen Fey's passing," commented NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia. "She was the mother of Title IX as far as NM State athletics was concerned in her 30 years as Senior Woman Administrator. I knew her personally from my undergraduate days and she was extremely passionate for promoting women's athletic success. She also had a tremendous career as head women's basketball coach, totaling 130 victories while laying the groundwork for our program's future success."

 Through her lengthy stay at NM State, Fey did a little bit of everything. She had oversight of 13 of the Aggies' 15 NCAA Division I programs including all nine women's sports as the senior woman administrator.

 One of the organizers of the High Country Athletic Conference in 1982, Fey was instrumental in NM State receiving charter membership. In 1990, she was responsible for overseeing the institution's transition from the HCAC to the Big West Conference and was also involved in facilitating NM State's move to the Sun Belt in the early 2000s.

 Fey came to NM State in 1973 and until 1980 served as the head coach of the women's basketball program, compiling a 130-80 record and a trio of 20-plus win seasons. She was named the Intermountain Athletic Conference Mountain Division Coach of the Year in 1979-80, her final season as the then-Roadrunners' bench boss. For her all-around efforts at NM State, Fey was inducted into the US Bank/NM State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.

 "Karen hired me in 1983 to be the Roadrunner women's basketball coach," commented Patrick Knapp, who currently serves as a color analyst for NM State women's basketball games. "She had great faith in me and for that I will be forever grateful. I saw immediately that women's basketball was her baby but she was passionate about all of the women's athletic programs at NM State. She was inspirational to say the least - to all of us. Karen was also an outstanding fundraiser as well and many of the people who remain in this community supported her with whatever she needed to further her mission of making women's athletics a priority at NM State. Our women's teams always knew she had their back and I am so proud to have known her. I would like to thank Karen for all she did during her lengthy - and impressive - career at NM State."

 "As a member of the Hall of Fame selection committee in her later years, she gave some excellent council on former female student-athletes who might have otherwise been overlooked in the selection process," Moccia continued.

 A native of Janesville, Wis., Fey earned her bachelor's of science degree in biology and physical education from UW-LaCrosse in 1963. A decade later, Fey received her master's degree in the same fields from Wyoming. While an undergraduate student at UW-LaCrosse, she competed in swimming and basketball before taking part in the 1964 Olympic trials for fencing in 1964.

 "When I hear the name Karen Fey, I have such great memories of one of the friendliest Aggies I ever had the pleasure to know," stated NM State head softball coach Kathy Rodolph. "As a professional, I applied for the NM State softball position while coaching at El Paso Community College after we finished seventh in the nation at the junior college level. Though I wasn't hired at the time, I was fortunately enough to become NM State head coach two years later. A few months after I was hired, I ran into Karen on a flight. She stopped me and told me she thought it was one of the best hires ever at NM State and that meant the world to me. She had a way of making you feel like you were the best version of yourself and I am forever grateful to have had the chance to know such a special woman!"

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