Gloria Nevarez Navigates College Athletics Realignment, Following Patty Viverito’s Trailblazing Legacy

FARGO — As North Dakota State University (NDSU) transitions to the Mountain West Conference, the move echoes a similar shift led decades ago by Patty Viverito, the former commissioner of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Viverito, who retired last year after 40 years leading the Missouri Valley, was a pioneer for women in a male-dominated field, and her influence continues to resonate as the landscape of college athletics undergoes significant realignment.

A Legacy of Leadership: Patty Viverito’s Four Decades at the Helm

Patty Viverito directed the Missouri Valley Football Conference for 40 years, serving as its commissioner since 1985 Missouri Valley Conference. Her tenure saw the league grow and adapt, notably integrating women’s sports programs in 1992 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Viverito was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2014, recognizing her significant contributions to collegiate athletics.

Nevarez Continues the Path, Leading Through Realignment

Gloria Nevarez, the current Mountain West Conference commissioner, acknowledges Viverito’s groundbreaking role. “She was the first in-the-seat with football,” Nevarez stated, highlighting the challenges women faced in securing leadership positions in football conferences Inforum. Nevarez is one of three female commissioners among the 10 FBS conferences, alongside Judy MacLeod of Conference USA and Teresa Gould of the Pac-12 Conference Inforum.

Mountain West Adapts to a Changing Landscape

Nevarez, in her third year as Mountain West commissioner, has overseen a period of substantial change. The conference has navigated the departure of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, and San Diego State to the Pac-12, while welcoming new members like Northern Illinois and Texas-El Paso Inforum. NDSU will join these teams in league play next fall.

NDSU’s Success a Key Factor in Mountain West Invitation

Nevarez emphasized that NDSU’s consistent success at the FCS level – with 10 national titles – was a significant factor in the conference’s decision to extend an invitation. “The ability, year after year, to be at the top of the FCS, the level of recruitment… Building a program that has translated into success has been really critical,” she explained Inforum.

Staying True to Core Values

Despite the ongoing upheaval in college athletics, Nevarez stressed the Mountain West’s commitment to its core mission: educating young people through sport and higher education. “People ask all the time, what’s going on in college athletics? It’s craziness. But at the core, we are still educating young people through sport and higher education and that is our mission,” she said. The Mountain West, she affirmed, does not aspire to emulate the SEC, Large Ten, or Big 12, but rather to maintain its competitive edge within its own identity Inforum.