After gaining thoughtful experience as an Assistant Athletic Director at CU Boulder, CMU alum Rob Courtney returned to Mesa Athletics on Nov. 7. That Friday night, before the volleyball game, he and his wife spoke at a press conference about his hiring. Previous Athletic Director (AD) Joan McDermott had stepped down in Sept. 2025.
Courtney expressed that his transition has been welcoming and easy. He noted that CMU feels like home, and that he is excited to be back.
“It means the world to me. I got my career started here at Colorado Mesa, got my first opportunity to work in the athletic department when I was a student here, and what Colorado Mesa represents is a big reason why I wanted to come back here,” Courtney said.
Courtney’s wife, Kelli Courtney, played basketball at CMU during her undergrad years. This connection helped push their return.
Senior Vice President of Development and CEO of the Foundation Robin Brown was named interim AD until Courtney’s hiring. Brown worked closely with Courtney before he left for Boulder. She said that CMU athletics is a unique department.
“We have 29 sports, over 900 athletes. So it’s a big part of our university. It’s a big part of our culture.10% of our student body are athletes,” Brown said.
Brown mentioned that CMU athletes are high performers in the community, representing CMU’s cultures and values beyond campus.
“I think President Marshall has done a great job really presenting those values and making sure that the campus climate, or campus in general, is following the campus values,” Courtney said. “And those are the same values that I want to instill in our coaches and our student athletes.”
These values will be what allows student athletes to continue to thrive in the world after they leave their respective sports, Courtney mentioned. He urged that CMU is not just preparing athletes for their time on campus, but the 40-50 years they spend away from it as well.
CMU athletics is set on being a competitor within the nation. Courtney said that he is confident that CMU is close to getting its first team national championship, and noted that his time at CU Boulder allowed him to see athletics from a different lens. He expressed that he is looking forward to bringing new ideas to CMU.
CMU’s wide variety of sports makes travel costs, even within conferences, expensive. Brown and Courtney agree that fundraising and connecting with donors will be key points for athletics to grow and prosper.
“I’m just really excited about Rob and the expertise that he’s going to bring to the role, and I do think he’s going to be a great leader for our program. I also think the program is also in really good shape to begin with,” Brown said.
During his first few days, Courtney said that it is too early to promise any major fundamental changes in athletic facilities and departments. However, he is planning on meeting with all members of faculty in athletics and preparing to upgrade what is needed; that way, CMU stays on top of the RMAC and of Division II athletics.
“This is a joint effort from the CMU community, and we look forward to connecting with them,” Courtney said. “We value the support that campus has given us, and we look forward to growing that support from our side.”
