NMSU’s Jack Nixon reflects on career, donates tapes to NMSU Library

For those with an interest in Aggie sports history, Nixon’s collection of audio tapes of those games holds a treasure trove of memories, so he’s decided to donate them to the NMSU Library’s Archives and Special Collections department. The tapes go as far back as 1976, and hold precious memories for Nixon, as well. He’s called games for men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball over the years.

“I’ve been accumulating these tapes, along with hundreds on digital, and I wondered if the NMSU Library would want these,” he said. “I wasn’t sure, and thought this might be too trivial.”

Nixon said he was ecstatic when he talked to Dennis Daily, department head of NMSU Library’s Archives and Special Collections, who said the library would be grateful to have the collection.

“That made me feel really good and, in some way, it validated that whatever I had done had value to some people at NMSU,” Nixon said. “The fact that I was able to donate that and that it would be a more secure place – I was eager to do it.”

Nixon recalls many memorable moments during these games, but some standouts will forever remain highlights in his career.

“Through the 44 years, I’ve seen and announced a lot of games,” he said. “There have been a few – three specifically – that I think will forever be in Aggie fans’ minds, and they certainly will be in my mind after all the games I’ve been able to broadcast.”

“The first one would be when Indiana State basketball and Larry Bird came to the Pan Am Center in February of 1978,” he recalled. “Indiana State was not ranked first in the country at the time, but they were a big deal, and everyone knew who Larry Bird was – the best player at the time.”

In front of a packed house of more than 13,000 fans in the Pan Am Center, the Aggies were able to take the lead.

“It all comes down to the last shot and who do you suppose is going to take the last shot?” Nixon recalled. “At that point, the Aggies had to dig in and make one last defensive stand to make sure they could wrap this victory up.”

Another basketball game that stood out for Nixon was against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1990. He said the Aggies had never beat UNLV in any sport at the time, and the opposing team was ranked in the top 10, with all kinds of great players who went on to win the national title that year. The support of Aggie fans that particular night helped fire up NM State to victory.

“There was a pregame ritual where students would hang a piñata in the form of the other school’s mascot, which in this game was a papier-mâché shark, after UNLV’s head coach Jerry Tarkanian ‘Tark the Shark.’ That started that night and set the tone for the rest of the season,” Nixon shared.

The game went back and forth, and NM State was finally in striking distance within the final minute of the game, getting the ball to Keith Hill.

“Once again, it came down to having to defend and at the end of the game, the Aggies had a one-point lead, but UNLV had the ball in front court,” Nixon recalled. “NM State had to buckle down one last time if they were going to beat UNLV for the first time.”

The final game that lives in Nixon’s mind happened more recently – in 2019. NM State men’s basketball was up against rival Grand Canyon University in a home game and hosted another packed house at the Pan American Center.

“The Aggies developed a rivalry in the Western Athletic Conference with GCU and it wasn’t like UTEP or UNM rivalries – it was different because Grand Canyon were considered the wannabes,” he said. “The Aggies were the kings in basketball in the WAC, and GCU had all the money, all the national attention, but they could never get by NM State, as long as the Aggies were in the WAC.”

Nixon shared that this game had a lot of back and forth on the court, and the Aggies got a lead with the final minute to go.

“The Aggies were up by five and it looks like a victory celebration is at hand. However, Grand Canyon turned the Aggies over and over,” he said. “So at this point, GCU is up by one and there’s one and a fraction second left in the game. One player was shooting a free throw and misses the front end of the shot, the rebound comes to Johnny McCants, and then it’s winning time.”

Throughout his 44-year career, Nixon has worked with nine football coaches, nine basketball coaches, and six different conferences for NM State Athletics. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know new people, and one thing I’ve learned through this job is flexibility. It’s a valuable lesson I did learn.”

He’s also grateful for his experience and the support he’s seen from fans, the teams and coaches.

“One of the things that has made this job so fun is the games in the Pan Am Center – is the fans are so loving of the Aggie team. That really adds to it,” he said. “You get to work with people, you get to know the players and coaches a little bit, and you kind of feel for them. You understand how hard they work and how much they put into this. The passion they have – you can’t help but get caught up in it and after you do it for a couple of years, you feel a part of it.”

As Nixon prepares to call his final games this season, he reflected on what he will miss the most, which is sharing camaraderie with people.

“You travel with the team, you get up at 5 in the morning, you wait in the airports with them, you suffer the boredom with, the friendships and fellowships – things like that,” he said. “Another thing I’ve really enjoyed about this is the preparation. I really like that. I like studying about a team and the players. Although that’s part of the work, that’s something I’ve really enjoyed doing, too.”

For NM State Athletics schedules and ticket information, visit nmstatesports.com.