LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) — New Mexico State University officially welcomed Joe Fields as its new athletic director during an introductory press conference at the Fulton Athletics Center on Thursday.

Fields' introductory press conference was held three days after NMSU announced the hiring of Fields.

Fields was picked following a nationwide search to replace Mario Moccia, who guided the Aggies’ sports programs for nearly a decade before being fired on Jan. 2 this year, on the second day of new NMSU President Valerio Ferme’s tenure.

"He impressed me for his focus on personal and organizational excellence across the board, and his desire to elevate not only athletics, but the student-athletes and the university to the next level," Ferme said during the introductory press conference on

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