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Highland High School alum Mark Koski has a new elevated position within the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Koski, who has been a NFHS administrator for 19 years, has been named the first deputy executive director for strategy and external affairs. This is a new position within the NFHS.
“I am honored to take on this expanded role working alongside … member state associations to move the NFHS forward,” Koski said in a release. “The issues facing education-based athletics and activities are increasingly complex, and I look forward to strengthening our legislative engagement, aligning our external affairs strategies and ensuring the NFHS remains a strong and effective advocate for state associations, and the students and schools we serve.”
Koski is a former teacher and coach at Manzano, and a former staff member of the New Mexico Activities Association. He attended Highland High.
For the past six years, Koski has been serving as the NFHS’ chief marketing officer.
According to the NFHS release, Koski will be in charge of oversight of the NFHS’ legislative affairs and advocacy strategy. He will work to align policy resources, legislative campaigns and messaging with the NFHS mission, strategic priorities and the needs of member state associations.
He will continue to serve as vice president of the NFHS Network and as the NFHS’ primary liaison to the NFHS Network. The NFHS is the national governing body and serves almost 20,000 high schools across the country.
Koski earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and a master’s degree in sport administration from UNM.
HIGHLAND HOF: Former Hornets head football coach Judge Chavez is among the Class of 2026 inductees into the Highland High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Chavez is one of 13 inductees this year who will be formally recognized on Saturday.
Chavez is Highland’s second winningest football coach, following Bill Gentry, and led the Hornets to nine playoff appearances.
Also being inducted:
*
Mary Lynn Griffin (1980) — a cross country and track runner, who also competed in gymnastics when that was a sanctioned sport in New Mexico;
*
Diana Baca (1984) — like Griffin a two-sport runner who was a city cross country champion and also a high school cross country All-American;
*
Brandon and Brad Alderman (1992) — state champion wrestlers for Highland who were both nationally ranked as seniors and also All-Americans who later attended the University of Wyoming;
*
Susan Vigil MacEachen (1975) — a standout runner for the Hornets who achieved many regional and national accolades on the track, and who competed in cross country and track at the University of New Mexico;
*
Dewey Bohling (1955) — who competed in football and track and field, and was part of state champion teams in both sports. He was a double state throwing champion for the Hive;
*
Anthony Gray (1955) — football and track and field star who was part of a state championship football team and several state track team winners, and was an individual state champ in multiple track and field events;
*
Guy Wimberly (1956) — one of the school’s most famous golfers, played on three state championship golf teams for Highland, and later on multiple conference championship teams for UNM where he was twice an All-American;
*
The late Rod Nichols (1982) — surely Highland’s greatest-ever baseball player who was an All-State performer and later played for the Lobos before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians;
*
Shawn Baker (1993) — an electrifying basketball talent for the Hornets who helped Highland into the state championship game in 1992 and 1993, and later was an All-American for New Mexico Junior College;
*
Bryant Wells (1990) — who starred in football and track and field and was a member of Highland’s 1989 state championship football team where he was a top running back and defensive back;
*
Mark Murdock (1959) — who played football and baseball at Highland, and was a member of the school’s 1959 state championship baseball team and who later played at Baylor.
ATRISCO ATHLETE HONORED: Ari Hernandez is a junior at Atrisco Heritage. She has been named to the first Positive Athlete + USA Basketball Foundation All-American Team. Hernandez is one of just 10 honorees to have been chosen from 1,500 nominations to recognize character, service and leadership.
She was born with arthrogryposis, which is a rare congenital condition in which a baby is born with multiple joint contractures (stiff or fixed joints) in two or more areas.
James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or via X at @JamesDYodice.
Continue reading...
Koski, who has been a NFHS administrator for 19 years, has been named the first deputy executive director for strategy and external affairs. This is a new position within the NFHS.
“I am honored to take on this expanded role working alongside … member state associations to move the NFHS forward,” Koski said in a release. “The issues facing education-based athletics and activities are increasingly complex, and I look forward to strengthening our legislative engagement, aligning our external affairs strategies and ensuring the NFHS remains a strong and effective advocate for state associations, and the students and schools we serve.”
Koski is a former teacher and coach at Manzano, and a former staff member of the New Mexico Activities Association. He attended Highland High.
For the past six years, Koski has been serving as the NFHS’ chief marketing officer.
According to the NFHS release, Koski will be in charge of oversight of the NFHS’ legislative affairs and advocacy strategy. He will work to align policy resources, legislative campaigns and messaging with the NFHS mission, strategic priorities and the needs of member state associations.
He will continue to serve as vice president of the NFHS Network and as the NFHS’ primary liaison to the NFHS Network. The NFHS is the national governing body and serves almost 20,000 high schools across the country.
Koski earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and a master’s degree in sport administration from UNM.
HIGHLAND HOF: Former Hornets head football coach Judge Chavez is among the Class of 2026 inductees into the Highland High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Chavez is one of 13 inductees this year who will be formally recognized on Saturday.
Chavez is Highland’s second winningest football coach, following Bill Gentry, and led the Hornets to nine playoff appearances.
Also being inducted:
*
Mary Lynn Griffin (1980) — a cross country and track runner, who also competed in gymnastics when that was a sanctioned sport in New Mexico;
*
Diana Baca (1984) — like Griffin a two-sport runner who was a city cross country champion and also a high school cross country All-American;
*
Brandon and Brad Alderman (1992) — state champion wrestlers for Highland who were both nationally ranked as seniors and also All-Americans who later attended the University of Wyoming;
*
Susan Vigil MacEachen (1975) — a standout runner for the Hornets who achieved many regional and national accolades on the track, and who competed in cross country and track at the University of New Mexico;
*
Dewey Bohling (1955) — who competed in football and track and field, and was part of state champion teams in both sports. He was a double state throwing champion for the Hive;
*
Anthony Gray (1955) — football and track and field star who was part of a state championship football team and several state track team winners, and was an individual state champ in multiple track and field events;
*
Guy Wimberly (1956) — one of the school’s most famous golfers, played on three state championship golf teams for Highland, and later on multiple conference championship teams for UNM where he was twice an All-American;
*
The late Rod Nichols (1982) — surely Highland’s greatest-ever baseball player who was an All-State performer and later played for the Lobos before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians;
*
Shawn Baker (1993) — an electrifying basketball talent for the Hornets who helped Highland into the state championship game in 1992 and 1993, and later was an All-American for New Mexico Junior College;
*
Bryant Wells (1990) — who starred in football and track and field and was a member of Highland’s 1989 state championship football team where he was a top running back and defensive back;
*
Mark Murdock (1959) — who played football and baseball at Highland, and was a member of the school’s 1959 state championship baseball team and who later played at Baylor.
ATRISCO ATHLETE HONORED: Ari Hernandez is a junior at Atrisco Heritage. She has been named to the first Positive Athlete + USA Basketball Foundation All-American Team. Hernandez is one of just 10 honorees to have been chosen from 1,500 nominations to recognize character, service and leadership.
She was born with arthrogryposis, which is a rare congenital condition in which a baby is born with multiple joint contractures (stiff or fixed joints) in two or more areas.
James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at [email protected] or via X at @JamesDYodice.
Continue reading...
