LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Learfield Sports appointed Chris Lahey general manager for its new local entity, NM State Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for New Mexico State University Athletics. NM State alum Catrina Torres will join Lahey as manager, business development.

Lahey, ChrisLahey brings nearly 20 years of professional and collegiate sports industry expertise to Las Cruces, including a 10-year stint with ESPN Regional Television at the University of South Florida. Most recently, he served over two years as associate athletic director for external operations at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Fla. His previous experience also includes serving as senior director of corporate affairs for MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays and as vice president, sales and marketing for the AFL’s Tampa Bay Storm.

Lahey will lead all aspects of the extensive rights relationship between Learfield Sports and NM State Athletics, which includes signage, digital, corporate sponsorships, hospitality, event marketing, radio play-by-play and coaches’ shows, and television. Also, Lahey will collaborate with NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia and his entire athletic administration; directing all efforts as the Aggies’ first comprehensive multimedia rights partner in university history.

Catrina TorresTorres, who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from NM State, previously served in the NM State Athletic Department from 2005-2008 in marketing and promotions. Most recently she was the marketing and client service specialist for Reel FX Creative Studios in Dallas, Texas, where she resided since 2010.

“I’m pleased for the opportunity to be in Las Cruces and play an integral role in helping launch NM State Sports Properties,” said Lahey. “There’s such a strong story to tell here, and a great brand in the Aggies. I’m looking forward to working with Mario, his team and Catrina as we talk with local and regional businesses who want to learn more about aligning their own brand with us and understand the tremendous value of tapping into the passionate collegiate sports fan base.”

NM State is one of the more than 100 collegiate properties represented by Learfield Sports. The company’s rich history includes four decades of developing trusted, long-term relationships with some of the most revered institutions and associations in the world of college sports. Learfield has prominence in all of the major conferences and titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with award co-founders NACDA and USA Today. Learfield represents collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas for their respective multimedia rights and sponsorship initiatives, and offers these partners with professional concessions and ticket sales, licensing and trademark consulting, digital platform expertise and venue signage and technology systems through its owned companies. To learn more, visit www.learfieldsports.com.