Colorado University Athletics
New Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo poses with his wife Jordan, his kids Liam and Layla, parents Patricia and Fernando Sr. and CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz
Colorado Introduces Fernando Lovo as Director of Athletics
January 05, 2026 | General
BOULDER – The University of Colorado Boulder officially introduced Fernando Lovo as its new Director of Athletics on Monday afternoon, marking the beginning of a new era for CU Athletics during a press conference at the NerdWallet Touchdown Club in the Dal Ward Athletic Center.
Chancellor Justin Schwartz opened the event by emphasizing the alignment and collaboration that drove the search process, calling the CU athletic director role "a coveted position" built on a foundation of excellence established by the people across campus, the CU system and the Board of Regents. Schwartz credited longtime athletic director Rick George for creating that foundation and thanked him for assisting with the transition before assuming the role of Athletic Director Emeritus.
"Our greatest success comes when we're all on the same page with the same goals and expectations," Schwartz said. "Fernando embodies the integrity, innovation and people-first approach that define CU Boulder."
Schwartz outlined several non-negotiable qualities in the search, including a commitment to ethics, holistic student-athlete development and community building, while also navigating the complexity of modern college athletics. He pointed to Lovo's experience across multiple Power Four programs and his recent success leading New Mexico Athletics as evidence that Lovo is uniquely prepared for the challenges ahead.
Lovo echoed those themes in his opening remarks, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about joining what he called a destination institution.
"This is the flagship institution of a great state, and with that distinction comes responsibility," Lovo said. "Colorado Athletics will reflect the ambitions, values and pride of this university and of the people we represent, and at the center of everything we do will always be our student-athletes."
Lovo thanked University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes for her leadership and support, while also highlighting the importance of alignment across CU leadership as a key reason he chose to make the move to Boulder. He also paid tribute to Rick George, calling him "a titan in this industry" and praising the strong foundation he built at Colorado.
"I can't do this without you," Lovo said. "What you've built here is meaningful, rooted in integrity and competitive excellence, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside you."
Throughout the press conference, Lovo repeatedly emphasized relationships — with student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, donors and fans — as the cornerstone of success. He described his first 30, 60 and 90 days as a period focused on listening and learning, including meeting individually with coaches and staff and engaging the broader CU community.
Tradition and competitiveness also featured prominently in Lovo's vision. He spoke about the power of CU's history and traditions, while making it clear that expectations remain high across every sport.
"Make no mistake about it, we are here to compete and we are here to win," Lovo said. "Our responsibility as administrators is to provide our coaches and student-athletes with the resources and environment necessary to compete for championships — consistently and with integrity."
During the question-and-answer portion, Lovo addressed topics ranging from name, image and likeness to revenue generation and the evolving landscape of college athletics. He stressed innovation, alignment and integrity as guiding principles, while expressing confidence in CU's ability to lead during a time of rapid change.
Schwartz reinforced the importance of a strong partnership between the university and athletics, noting that CU Athletics remains a highly visible extension of the institution's values and mission.
"Colorado Athletics is not separate from the university — it's central to who we are," Schwartz said. "That alignment is more important than ever."
Lovo closed the event by reiterating his enthusiasm for the opportunity and the future of CU Athletics.
"When we are aligned in our vision and united in our purpose, there is truly no limit to what we can achieve together," he said. "I can't wait to lock arms, get to work, have some fun and build the future of Colorado Athletics."
Chancellor Justin Schwartz opened the event by emphasizing the alignment and collaboration that drove the search process, calling the CU athletic director role "a coveted position" built on a foundation of excellence established by the people across campus, the CU system and the Board of Regents. Schwartz credited longtime athletic director Rick George for creating that foundation and thanked him for assisting with the transition before assuming the role of Athletic Director Emeritus.
"Our greatest success comes when we're all on the same page with the same goals and expectations," Schwartz said. "Fernando embodies the integrity, innovation and people-first approach that define CU Boulder."
Schwartz outlined several non-negotiable qualities in the search, including a commitment to ethics, holistic student-athlete development and community building, while also navigating the complexity of modern college athletics. He pointed to Lovo's experience across multiple Power Four programs and his recent success leading New Mexico Athletics as evidence that Lovo is uniquely prepared for the challenges ahead.
Lovo echoed those themes in his opening remarks, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about joining what he called a destination institution.
"This is the flagship institution of a great state, and with that distinction comes responsibility," Lovo said. "Colorado Athletics will reflect the ambitions, values and pride of this university and of the people we represent, and at the center of everything we do will always be our student-athletes."
Lovo thanked University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes for her leadership and support, while also highlighting the importance of alignment across CU leadership as a key reason he chose to make the move to Boulder. He also paid tribute to Rick George, calling him "a titan in this industry" and praising the strong foundation he built at Colorado.
"I can't do this without you," Lovo said. "What you've built here is meaningful, rooted in integrity and competitive excellence, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside you."
Throughout the press conference, Lovo repeatedly emphasized relationships — with student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, donors and fans — as the cornerstone of success. He described his first 30, 60 and 90 days as a period focused on listening and learning, including meeting individually with coaches and staff and engaging the broader CU community.
Tradition and competitiveness also featured prominently in Lovo's vision. He spoke about the power of CU's history and traditions, while making it clear that expectations remain high across every sport.
"Make no mistake about it, we are here to compete and we are here to win," Lovo said. "Our responsibility as administrators is to provide our coaches and student-athletes with the resources and environment necessary to compete for championships — consistently and with integrity."
During the question-and-answer portion, Lovo addressed topics ranging from name, image and likeness to revenue generation and the evolving landscape of college athletics. He stressed innovation, alignment and integrity as guiding principles, while expressing confidence in CU's ability to lead during a time of rapid change.
Schwartz reinforced the importance of a strong partnership between the university and athletics, noting that CU Athletics remains a highly visible extension of the institution's values and mission.
"Colorado Athletics is not separate from the university — it's central to who we are," Schwartz said. "That alignment is more important than ever."
Lovo closed the event by reiterating his enthusiasm for the opportunity and the future of CU Athletics.
"When we are aligned in our vision and united in our purpose, there is truly no limit to what we can achieve together," he said. "I can't wait to lock arms, get to work, have some fun and build the future of Colorado Athletics."
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Mark Johnson sits down with with new Athletic Director Fernando Lovo
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