From the NMAA
NMAA ANNOUNCES NMAA HALL OF FAME ‘CLASS OF 2016’
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - The New Mexico Activities Association, in conjunction with the NMAA Hall of Fame Committee, announces the Class of 2016 for induction into the NMAA Hall of Fame. The NMAA Hall of Fame induction ceremony and luncheon will be Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 12 p.m. at the Marriott Pyramid Hotel.
The ring ceremony will take place during the U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships on March 10, 2016, at halftime of the 6:30 p.m. semifinal game at WisePies Arena aka The Pit.
The Inductees Are:
Gene Pino – Del Norte, La Cueva, Albuquerque Public Schools, NMAA
Gene was a student-athlete participating in football, basketball, and track for the Belen Eagles. He graduated from the University of New Mexico earning his B.S. and M.S. degrees in physical education and sports administration. He was a teacher, coach, athletic coordinator, assistant principal and Executive Director of the APS Foundation for Albuquerque Public Schools. He served as the district chairperson for 1-AAAAA, as a member of the NMAA Foundation Board of Directors, and has been an Assistant Director at the New Mexico Activities Association for the last ten years. He was part of a team of community leaders to reinstate middle school sports in Albuquerque Public Schools in 1995.
Tim Rice – Crownpoint, Gallup McKinley County Schools
Tim graduated from Olney High School and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma. He was a teacher, coach, and athletic director at Crownpoint High School for 37 years. His cross country teams won four state championships along with five runner-up and seven third place finishes. He served on the NMAA sportsmanship, scholarship, and realignment committees. He was also a Coaches Education instructor and has been a track and field official at the NMAA State Track Championships for 41 consecutive years.
Gary Tripp – Moriarty/Edgewood, Rio Rancho Public Schools, NMAA
Gary was an all-state athlete participating in football, basketball, and baseball for the West Las Vegas Dons. He graduated from New Mexico Highlands University while lettering in the sport of baseball. He was a teacher, coach, athletic director, and principal for the Moriarty-Edgewood School District for 16 years before serving as an assistant principal and principal at Rio Rancho High School for five years. He then took over as the Executive Director of the NMAA – a position that he held for eight years. During his tenure, he helped the NMAA become one of the top interscholastic associations in the country. He spearheaded efforts to host first class state tournaments, form sport specific coaches committees, implement the Pursuing Victory with Honor sportsmanship program, and create the NMAA Foundation which has given back over $200,000 to the students of New Mexico since 2007.
The NMAA Hall of Fame was established in 1976 and is comprised of an elite group of 97 accomplished individuals who have made significant contributions to interscholastic athletics and activities in New Mexico. In order to be considered, nominees must show great support of the NMAA’s philosophy and objectives, they must have a combination of involvement in formulating regulations and procedures for various interscholastic education programs, and they must have a minimum of 25 years of service, 20 of which must have been in New Mexico. Nominations are then screened by the NMAA Hall of Fame Selection Committee which consists of current and former leaders within interscholastic athletics and activities. The committee meets in October each year and then selects a maximum of four individuals for induction. The Class of 2016 – Gene Pino, Tim Rice, and Gary Tripp - will represent the 98th through 100thmembers of this prestigious group.
For additional information pertaining to this release, please contact Dusty Young, NMAA Associate Director at (505) 977-5385 or dusty@nmact.org.
NMAA ANNOUNCES NMAA HALL OF FAME ‘CLASS OF 2016’
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - The New Mexico Activities Association, in conjunction with the NMAA Hall of Fame Committee, announces the Class of 2016 for induction into the NMAA Hall of Fame. The NMAA Hall of Fame induction ceremony and luncheon will be Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 12 p.m. at the Marriott Pyramid Hotel.
The ring ceremony will take place during the U.S. Bank State Basketball Championships on March 10, 2016, at halftime of the 6:30 p.m. semifinal game at WisePies Arena aka The Pit.
The Inductees Are:
Gene Pino – Del Norte, La Cueva, Albuquerque Public Schools, NMAA
Gene was a student-athlete participating in football, basketball, and track for the Belen Eagles. He graduated from the University of New Mexico earning his B.S. and M.S. degrees in physical education and sports administration. He was a teacher, coach, athletic coordinator, assistant principal and Executive Director of the APS Foundation for Albuquerque Public Schools. He served as the district chairperson for 1-AAAAA, as a member of the NMAA Foundation Board of Directors, and has been an Assistant Director at the New Mexico Activities Association for the last ten years. He was part of a team of community leaders to reinstate middle school sports in Albuquerque Public Schools in 1995.
Tim Rice – Crownpoint, Gallup McKinley County Schools
Tim graduated from Olney High School and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma. He was a teacher, coach, and athletic director at Crownpoint High School for 37 years. His cross country teams won four state championships along with five runner-up and seven third place finishes. He served on the NMAA sportsmanship, scholarship, and realignment committees. He was also a Coaches Education instructor and has been a track and field official at the NMAA State Track Championships for 41 consecutive years.
Gary Tripp – Moriarty/Edgewood, Rio Rancho Public Schools, NMAA
Gary was an all-state athlete participating in football, basketball, and baseball for the West Las Vegas Dons. He graduated from New Mexico Highlands University while lettering in the sport of baseball. He was a teacher, coach, athletic director, and principal for the Moriarty-Edgewood School District for 16 years before serving as an assistant principal and principal at Rio Rancho High School for five years. He then took over as the Executive Director of the NMAA – a position that he held for eight years. During his tenure, he helped the NMAA become one of the top interscholastic associations in the country. He spearheaded efforts to host first class state tournaments, form sport specific coaches committees, implement the Pursuing Victory with Honor sportsmanship program, and create the NMAA Foundation which has given back over $200,000 to the students of New Mexico since 2007.
The NMAA Hall of Fame was established in 1976 and is comprised of an elite group of 97 accomplished individuals who have made significant contributions to interscholastic athletics and activities in New Mexico. In order to be considered, nominees must show great support of the NMAA’s philosophy and objectives, they must have a combination of involvement in formulating regulations and procedures for various interscholastic education programs, and they must have a minimum of 25 years of service, 20 of which must have been in New Mexico. Nominations are then screened by the NMAA Hall of Fame Selection Committee which consists of current and former leaders within interscholastic athletics and activities. The committee meets in October each year and then selects a maximum of four individuals for induction. The Class of 2016 – Gene Pino, Tim Rice, and Gary Tripp - will represent the 98th through 100thmembers of this prestigious group.
For additional information pertaining to this release, please contact Dusty Young, NMAA Associate Director at (505) 977-5385 or dusty@nmact.org.
