Joseph Almaguer joined NM State Athletics in June 2019 as the Athletics Human Resources Coordinator. In March 2022, he briefly expanded his role to include Athletics Equipment Manager, a position he held until May 2022. In January 2023, Almaguer was promoted to Athletics Operations Manager and also received the title of HR Director for Athletics, where he oversaw the department’s operations while managing dual responsibilities.
In January 2026, Almaguer was promoted to Associate Athletics Director for Administration. In his current role, he provides administrative leadership and support across all areas of NM State Athletics while assisting the Director of Athletics with the continued advancement of the department. He oversees Human Resources for Athletics and serves as the department’s primary liaison to the University’s Office of General Counsel. Almaguer also serves as the sport administrator for volleyball and men’s golf.
In his role, Almaguer works closely with coaches, staff and University leadership on a wide range of administrative and operational matters. His responsibilities include human resources, personnel management, departmental operations, contracts, payroll, compliance, budgeting, policy development and process improvement. He also supports the department’s NCAA and EADA reporting requirements, external audits, and public records responsibilities, while developing systems and processes that improve efficiency and support the day-to-day operations of NM State Athletics.
Before joining Athletics, Almaguer worked in NMSU’s central Human Resources Department. He served as Chair of NMSU’s Employee Council from 2019 to 2022 and later served as Treasurer. He remains a voting member of Employee Council through 2029, continuing to represent and advocate for the interests of NMSU staff. Almaguer currently also serves on the myNMSU Portal Governance Committee, a subcommittee of the IT Governance Committee, where he represents staff interests and helps guide decisions related to portal content, accessibility and ongoing improvements to the myNMSU experience.
Almaguer has also been actively involved in several campus committees, including NMSU’s Climate Action Team, COVID-19 Pandemic Action Team, and the Staff Performance Evaluation Process Improvement Team, where he played a key role in revamping the staff evaluation process.
A lifelong New Mexican and graduate of Mayfield High School, Almaguer earned his degree from NMSU and is continuing his education, currently pursuing a degree in Arts and Sciences at NMSU. Almaguer and his wife, Vicki, are the proud parents of two sons, Judah and Javier.
