Fernando Lovo sees a championship pedigree for Colorado
- Leo Rivera IV
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
As Rick George steps down, a hungry new face is taking on the role of Colorado’s athletic director.
Former New Mexico vice president and director of athletics Fernando Lovo succeeded George as the seventh athletic director in the university’s history after unanimous approval from the Board of Regents.
Although he started his job on Jan. 1, the 37-year-old addressed the media for the first time today in Boulder.
“To me, this is a destination job,” Lovo said. “This is an unbelievable academic institution that has an iconic brand… One that’s recognizable across the globe. Those opportunities don’t come around often.”
Lovo brings along his wife and two children to Boulder, standing on a foundation of ethics and family values. He expressed an urgency to prioritize relationships with the community and learn how to serve the needs of the students.
“Colorado athletics will reflect the ambitions, values and pride of this university and the people we represent,” Lovo said. “At the center of everything we do will always be our student athletes.”
Lovo expressed his gratitude to George for establishing the foundation of coaches and athletes at CU. The pair will work alongside each other for the semester to ensure a smooth transition. Building on what's already here, Lovo sees no better measure of success than winning.
“The most important thing that administrators can do early on is to listen. Our coaches are the CEOs of our program, and it’s our job as administrators to help them win championships,” Lovo said. “I had a coach one time that told me, ‘players and coaches win games, and administrators win championships.’ That’s what I believe.”
As an equipment and operations manager, he helped the Florida Gators win a national title in 2008 and served as the football operations coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes during their 2014 championship run. Those experiences have shaped Lovo's passion and pursuit of excellence.
For the Buffaloes to achieve championship standards as a program, Lovo admits he must get out and actively engage with alumni and potential donors who believe in his vision. Fundraising and leveraging NIL to increase revenue for the school will be essential to keeping Colorado competitive in the modern era of college athletics.
“If we can all come together, if we can all be united, I really, truly believe that championships are gonna become the norm here,” Lovo said. “That’s our expectation, that’s the chancellor’s expectation, and I wouldn’t want it to be anything different.”