New Mexico States parts ways with AD Moccia following report of sexual abuse in hoops program

New Mexico State leaves athletic director Mario Moccia following investigation criticizing the school’s handling of the sexual abuse scandal which temporarily shut down the Aggies men’s basketball program.

Valerio Ferme, who took over as university president to begin the year, announced Thursday that Moccia was fired and that Amber Burdge, NMSU’s assistant athletic director for strategic initiatives and leadership, would serve as interim athletic director. .

“After carefully reviewing the recent report released by the New Mexico Department of Justice, I felt we needed a fresh start in our athletics program,” Ferme said. “I have every confidence in Dr. Burdge’s ability to lead our athletic department and look forward to working with her in the months to come.”

Ferme said Burdge played a key role in NMSU’s strategic response to hazing prevention as the school’s senior administrator and deputy Title IX coordinator.

Two former basketball players have agreed to enter into plea agreements in the assault cases brought against them while a third is due to go to trial next month.

Assault allegations forced New Mexico State to pause its 2022-23 season. In 2023, the school paid 8 million dollars to settle a lawsuit filed by two of the victims, former players Deuce Benjamin and Shak Odunewu, who became public with stories of their abuse.

But also in 2023, New Mexico State gave Moccia a five-year contract extension and a raise from $72,000 to $351,000 per year in the first year of the new deal, which was set to expire in 2028.

That agreement was signed by Chancellor Dan Arvizu the same day he resigned from his position — a timing that the school says was coincidental.

The state Department of Justice’s review of the sexual assaults found that they “did not occur in a vacuum, but reflected a more pervasive toxic culture throughout the program.”

“The team’s entourage had numerous opportunities to observe this toxic culture as it developed, but they failed to effectively intervene and prevent it,” the report states. “This inaction has been compounded by inadequate preventive institutional safeguards. »

Among the report’s criticisms of Moccia was that he did not do enough after learning of the assaults, relying on his belief that once staff reported the case to the school’s Office of Institutional Equity, he had fulfilled his responsibility.

“First of all, it should be noted that this belief conflicts with actual practice; Director Moccia encountered and observed relevant videos of (two of the accused players) after the OIE received Deuce Benjamin’s report in February 2022,” the report states.

The report also highlights the school’s lack of transparency in using booster funds instead of public funds to pay Moccia under his new contract.

“Although the use of AAC funds for Moccia compensation was publicly reported in mid-2023, the use of media to inform donors of the potential use of their donations is insufficient,” the statement said. report.

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