New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA)

photo of the 2021 Class 4A State Football Champions from Lovington High School. The Wildcats beat Ruidoso 41-21 in the final.

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Former Albuquerque Academy Standout Notah Begay III Announces Return of NB3 Collegiate Matchplay at Twin Warriors

Former Albuquerque Academy standout and four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III announced Tuesday the return of the NB3 Collegiate Matchplay at Twin Warriors, a premier collegiate golf event hosted by Begay and presented by the Pueblo of Santa Ana in partnership with Nusenda Credit Union.
The tournament is scheduled for September 29-30, 2026, at Twin Warriors Golf Club and will once again receive live national television coverage on Golf Channel.
Begay, a graduate of Stanford University and an inductee into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame, has become one of golf's most respected ambassadors while continuing to champion opportunities for young athletes through the NB3 Foundation.
The NB3 Collegiate Matchplay features a unique round-robin format that showcases eight NCAA Division I programs—four men's teams and four women's teams—in head-to-head competition. Each team will compete in three matches, with five points available in each contest. The team accumulating the most total points over the two-day event will be crowned champion.
The NB3 Collegiate Matchplay features a round-robin format that brings together eight Division I programs-four men’s teams and four women’s teams-for a head-to-head competition. Each team will compete in three matches, with five points available per match and total points determining the overall champion. Competing in the women’s division: University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Oklahoma. Competing in the men’s division: University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Houston.
The tournament is free and open to the public and will include a designated autograph area, giving junior and high school golfers the opportunity to meet and interact with participating collegiate student-athletes.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the NB3 Foundation, which has served Native American youth since 2005 by providing programs that promote health, wellness, education, and increased participation in sports.

photo of the 2021 8-Man Football State Champions from Tatum. The Coyotes beat Melrose in the final 22-14.

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On Monday, New Mexico’s longtime volleyball coach Flo Valdez was officially inducted into the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Valdez and the Class of 2026 was honored at the 43ndinduction ceremony of the National High School Hall of Fame, which was held at the 107th NFHS Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT.

Valdez is one of 12 individuals selected for induction into the 2026 Class of the National High School Hall of Fame.

“Flo Valdez’s impact reaches far beyond her accomplishments,” said NMAA Executive Director Dusty Young. “Her dedication to creating opportunities for young women, advancing education-based athletics, and leading at both the state and national levels has left a lasting legacy.”

A proud graduate of Roswell High School, Flo Valdez has more than 1,000 victories on her volleyball coaching career in New Mexico and Texas. Over her 44-year career, she guided her teams to three New Mexico State Championships (1976, 1977, 1993) and four State Runner-Up finishes (1978, 1983, 1991, 1992). Her programs also captured 14 District Championships. Her honors include National Athletic Coaches Association Regional Volleyball Coach of the Year (1987, 1994), New Mexico High School Coaches Association Volleyball Coach of the Year (1987, 1993), and Albuquerque Journal Volleyball Coach of the Year (1991). She became the first woman ever inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor. She also has been inducted into the Texas Girls Coaches Hall of Fame, the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

Flo also achieved remarkable success in track and field, winning 10 District Championships and a State Championship in 1989 (with 4 state runner-up finishes). She established girls’ athletic programs in volleyball, basketball, softball, badminton, and track and field at Tatum High School in the late 1960s, later expanding those opportunities through pilot programs at Hobbs High School in the 1970s. She even guided the Hobbs girls’ gymnastics team to a third-place finish at the State Championships. As a basketball coach at Roswell High School, she racked up over 250 wins, a pair of District Championships and seven trips to the State Basketball Championships.

WATCH the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony video with Flo Valdez by clicking the link below
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https://youtu.be/1ohj2sgLAKE

NFHS Honors New Mexico Pair with Citation Awards

Sunday in Salt Lake City, Utah, former NMAA Executive Director Sally Marquez and former New Mexico High School Coaches Association Executive Director Dr. Thomas “Buster” Mabrey were honored by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for their outstanding service, leadership, and lifelong dedication to high school athletics and activities. The NFHS celebrated Marquez and Dr. Mabrey each with a prestigious NFHS Citation Award at the annual NFHS Summer Meetings.
An award designed to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the NFHS, state high school associations, athletic director and coaching professions, the officiating avocation and fine arts/performing arts programs, the NFHS Citation is one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school athletics and performing arts.
“Throughout her career, Sally Marquez has exemplified an unwavering dedication to students, education, and the lifelong impact of education-based athletics and activities,” said NMAA Executive Director Dusty Young. “Her work serves as a powerful reminder that when students, education, and character-building activities are prioritized, lives are changed for the better.”

Sally Marquez (Section 6)
Guided by a lifelong commitment to education and athletics, Sally Marquez steered the New Mexico Activities Association through more than a decade of growth and cultural change, positively impacting hundreds of thousands of young people along the way.
Marquez joined the NMAA in 2004 as an associate director and was promoted to assistant executive director in 2011. She then served as executive director from 2012 until her retirement in 2024.
Under Marquez’s leadership, participation in NMAA programs increased, and sportsmanship initiatives expanded. Those efforts included the Compete With Class Initiative and the Two Strikes Sportsmanship Bylaw, which emphasized accountability and respect in education-based athletics.
Beyond her role in New Mexico, Marquez’s influence extended nationally. She was on the NFHS Board of Directors, representing Section 6, from 2019 to 2023 and elected president of the NFHS for the 2022-23 school year. Marquez also contributed to several NFHS committees, including the Equity Committee, Volleyball Rules Committee, Basketball Rules Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Summer Meeting Advisory Committee, NFHS Appeals Committee and the NFHS Foundation Board of Directors.
Marquez’s educational career spanned 40 years. Prior to joining the NMAA, she held positions in New Mexico, Virginia and Texas, including mathematics teacher, dean of students, assistant principal and director of personnel.
A graduate of Manzano High School in Albuquerque, Marquez was a three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, where she was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team, and her master’s degree from Virginia Tech. Marquez was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Dr. Thomas Mabrey (NFHS Coaches Association)
Dr. Thomas “Buster” Mabrey was a lifelong champion of New Mexico high school athletics – and one of the state’s most passionate advocates for coaches and the coaching profession. His sudden passing on December 30, 2024, marked the end of a remarkable 16-year tenure as executive director of the New Mexico High School Coaches Association (NMHSCA), during which he transformed the organization and elevated the voice, visibility and value of coaches across the state.
Mabrey graduated from Hobbs (New Mexico) High School in 1985 and served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Aspro, a nuclear submarine stationed in Hawaii. After his service, he returned to New Mexico and began officiating basketball while working in the oil fields. His coaching career began in 1992 at Mayfield High School, where he was part of three football state championships and led the track team to a district title.
Mabrey later served with the New Mexico Activities Association and, in 2006, became the athletic director at Piedra Vista High School. In 2008, he stepped into his most influential role as executive director of the NMHSCA. During the ensuing 16 years, he dedicated himself to strengthening the profession of coaching – developing programs to support professional growth, organizing statewide clinics and all-star events, and building partnerships that provided new opportunities for coaches and athletes alike.
Mabrey’s legacy is carried forward by his wife, Lori Mabrey, who served on the NMHSCA Board of Directors and continues to uphold the values that defined his life’s work. Mabrey was posthumously inducted into the New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2025.
“This award reflects both his enduring commitment to New Mexico’s students and his broader influence on education-based athletics and activities across the country,” said Young. “It is a truly deserving tribute.”

photo of the 2022 Class 2A Football State Champions from Jal. The Panthers beat Texico in the final 41-21.

NMAA ELIGIBILITY CHANGES TO GO INTO EFFECT FOR 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR

Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, students may now transfer schools without penalty and be immediately eligible at the school of their choice on a first transfer (home school/charter school statutes still apply as do recruitment and undue influence rules). The measure is one of several changes to Section 6 of the NMAA Handbook. Member schools finalized the changes with a majority count of 67-60 in a referenda vote, after being approved by the NMAA Commission and NMAA Board of Directors.

"This change reflects the membership's desire to provide students and families with greater flexibility while maintaining the safeguards that protect the integrity of interscholastic activities," said NMAA Executive Director Dusty Young. "The transfer process has been one of the most discussed topics among our schools in recent years, and this adjustment creates a pathway for students making their first transfer. At the same time, our recruitment, undue influence, and home school and charter school regulations remain firmly in place to ensure a fair and equitable competitive environment for all member schools."

Click the link for a complete list of the changes to Section 6https://www.nmact.org/file/Section_6_Proposed_Changes.pdf