From a men’s basketball team student manager to interim athletic director, Ryan Berryman has made a meteoric rise up the ranks of the University of New Mexico’s athletics department. The 31-year-old has seen Lobo athletics go through some turbulent times, and in 2025 achieve one of the most successful years in its history.

In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Berryman joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron to discuss his path to attaining his position, the figures who served as his influences, UNM’s recent success and the department’s ambitions for the future.

A standout basketball player at East Mountain High School, Berryman explains his decision to pursue administrative roles instead of going down the coaching path. He talks about his early days at UNM, where he got his first opportunities working in athletics under former men’s basketball coaches Craig Neal and Steve Alford.

Berryman shares what he learned during a stop at the University of Washington, where he served as senior associate athletic director and chief financial officer before returning to UNM in March of 2025 as deputy athletic director — chief operating officer under Fernando Lovo. He was named interim AD soon after Lovo accepted the AD job at Colorado in late December.

Looking to the future, Berryman discusses renovation plans for University Stadium and the potential for development near UNM’s athletic complexes. He also speaks on the athletic department’s ambitions in a new-look Mountain West Conference, where he wants to see the Lobos positioned for conference championships in every sport.

In the second segment, Will and James run through a big week of district games for local prep hoops teams. They also marvel at Diego Pavia, the incredible shrinking quarterback. The guys wrap things up trying to decide which events they want to compete in during the upcoming New Mexico Senior Olympics Winter Games in Santa Fe.