Make no mistake: Las Vegas would not have blossomed into the bona fide professional sports town it is today if not for the contributions of UNLV alums Rossi Ralenkotter and Pat Christenson, as well as legendary basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian. However, several other individuals with ties to UNLV have played — and continue to play — an important role in in shaping the city’s professional sports identity.
Tina Kunzer-Murphy ’75 BS and M.Ed. Physical Education
The UNLV alumna served as executive director of the Las Vegas Bowl from 2000-12. Under her leadership, the city’s annual postseason college football game at UNLV-operated Sam Boyd Stadium consistently grew in stature. In 2001, the Las Vegas Bowl aligned with the Pac-12 Conference, paving the way for marquee teams like UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington to compete.
That Pac-12 affiliation boosted the Las Vegas Bowl’s profile and helped the game enjoy a run of six consecutive sellouts, as well as increased viewership on ESPN.
Thanks to the Las Vegas Bowl’s success, multiple NCAA conferences subsequently chose to stage various men’s and women’s athletic tournaments in Las Vegas (including at the Thomas & Mack). With locals and visitors consistently supporting those events, Southern Nevada solidified its reputation as an attractive sports destination.
Kunzer-Murphy returned to her alma mater in 2013 when she became the first woman (and first alum) to be named UNLV athletics director.
Sandra Douglass Morgan ’03 JD
Morgan was named president of the Raiders in July 2022, becoming the first Black female to hold that position in NFL history.
In her role, Morgan is responsible for overseeing all non-football-related operations, including the organization’s community engagement and outreach efforts.
Morgan’s background includes serving on the Nevada Gaming Commission, including as chair and executive director of the commission from 2019-20. She also is a past member of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and currently is part of the leadership team for the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee.
[Read "A Rebel Becomes a Raider"]
Bo Bernhard ’99 MA and ’02 PhD Sociology
Then the executive director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute, Bernhard played a pivotal — albeit behind-the-scenes — role in convincing Raiders owner Mark Davis that Las Vegas could be a viable home for his franchise.
Bernhard co-authored a whitepaper titled, “Professional Team Sports in Las Vegas: What the Research Says.” During a private meeting at the Gaming Institute in February 2015, Bernhard presented the 113-page report to Davis and laid out the main points.
Davis was impressed with what he saw, particularly the section that allayed concerns about sports gambling and possible integrity issues. Today, it’s widely recognized that Bernhard’s research findings went a long way toward Las Vegas landing one of the NFL’s most storied franchises (and a state-of-the-art stadium that’s also home to the Rebels football team).
Bernhard is now vice president of economic development for UNLV.
Jeremy Aguero ’97 BA Hotel Administration and ’04 JD;
Brian Gordon ’96 BSBA Accounting
Shortly after completing his undergraduate degree at UNLV, Aguero, above, founded the Las Vegas-based financial consulting firm Applied Analysis. He has since worked with governors, state legislators, economic development authorities, the Vegas Chamber, and tourism officials to offer economic research context for their decision-making.
When local and state leaders were considering whether or not to invest public money in what would become Allegiant Stadium, they turned to Aguero and his firm to crunch the numbers. Ultimately, Aguero’s findings helped the board determine the stadium — which was the final piece that attracted the Raiders to Las Vegas — made financial sense.
Most recently, Aguero has been involved with the Oakland Athletics relocation efforts to Southern Nevada.
While not as well known as his oft-quoted business partner, Gordon has been an equally important player in boosting Las Vegas’ professional sports profile. Since joining Applied Analysis in late 2000, Gordon has worked with the UFC during the organization’s rapid ascent, analyzing the economic impacts of its business operations and its impact on visitation to Nevada.
He also was instrumental in evaluating the economic impact of a state-of-the-art multipurpose venue on the Las Vegas Strip: T-Mobile Arena. Home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, T-Mobile Arena also frequently hosts UFC and championship boxing events, and will be the site of the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four hockey championship.
George Maloof ’88 BS Hospitality
Maloof opened the Palms Resort & Casino in the early 2000s. Additionally, he and his family owned the NBA’s Sacramento Kings from 1998-2013 and currently are minority owners of the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Maloof family’s association with the NBA was instrumental in helping Las Vegas land the NBA Summer League. The two-week showcase of NBA rookies and other young players has been held at the Thomas & Mack Center and adjacent Cox Pavilion each July since 2004.
Steve Stallworth ’87 BA Communication Studies
Prior to his 30-year career in the events management business in Las Vegas, Stallworth played quarterback at UNLV (including serving as team captain in 1985).
Four years after graduation, Stallworth began a decade-long run working under Pat Christenson as associate director for the Thomas & Mack Center.
Then in 2001, Stallworth was named general manager of Orleans Arena, one of Las Vegas’ first modern venues that followed in the footsteps of the T&M. Among the Orleans Arena’s primary tenants during Stallworth’s tenure as GM: the Las Vegas Wranglers minor league hockey team.
Stallworth remained with Orleans Arena until 2008, when he accepted his current role as general manager of South Point Arena. The multipurpose facility hosts dozens of rodeo and equestrian events each year.
