Mike Ketcham

Mike Ketcham

Mike Ketcham joined the UNLV Athletics Department as Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations on February 1, 2022. In July of 2024, Ketcham was promoted to Executive Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations.

Ketcham is responsible for external oversight of the department’s fundraising Arm (Rebel Athletic Fund), Marketing, Branding and Ticket Operations. He also played a vital role in bringing Learfield/Amplify-Ticketing to UNLV, in August of 2023, to enhance ticket sales, strategies and revenue generation.

Ketcham serves as the multi-media rights partner (Learfield) liaison and also the sport supervisor for the Runnin’ Rebel men’s basketball program.

Ketcham assisted Athletics Director, Erick Harper, in launching UNLV’s first-ever Athletics Capital Campaign in 2023, called Rebel Up, with a goal of $150 million. In less than a year the campaign has received more than $15 million in donations.

Ketcham joined UNLV Athletics by way of the University of Arizona, where he was Senior Associate Athletics Director for Men's Basketball and Administration. In addition to his duties as sport supervisor for the Wildcats' men's basketball, football (2014-18), men's golf and women's golf programs, he played an integral role in fundraising and major gifts for the Wildcat Club.

"We are excited to add Mike to our staff and feel very fortunate that he and his wife Kathy have become part of the Rebel family," UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper said when the announcement was made. "I have known him for over a decade and couldn't be more thrilled to have him here. Mike's knowledge and experience in intercollegiate athletics will make us better. He is a tremendous person and an exceptional fundraiser and is committed to the student-athlete experience. As a former student-athlete and coach himself, Mike understands the value of teamwork and collaboration."

Ketcham joined Arizona Athletics in 2010 and had a multitude of responsibilities during his time in Tucson, participating in the development and coordination of all functions, policies and procedures for the Pac-12 Conference institution's athletics department, which has 20 sports programs and an annual budget in excess of $90 million while serving more than 500 student-athletes.

"My wife Kathy and I are incredibly excited and honored to join the UNLV family and community," Ketcham said. "I am looking forward to being a part of this new team and helping our student- athletes fulfill their goals both academically and athletically. Las Vegas is a special place with great opportunity and I can't wait to get to know and engage with our community and campus partners. I want to thank President Whitfield and Erick Harper for this fantastic opportunity."

Ketcham was also a member of Arizona Athletics' Executive Team, advising Vice President for Athletics Dave Heeke on upper echelon matters concerning the department. He was actively engaged in identifying, cultivating and securing donors for the department's fundraising arm. With his assistance, the Wildcat Club's annual membership doubled from 6,000 to 12,000 members.

He first joined Arizona Athletics as Associate AD for Major Gifts before being elevated to Senior Associate AD in 2014. He served as the sports supervisor for men's basketball since 2011 and for football from 2014-18.

Ketcham was the project lead for Arizona's $14.8 million golf facility fundraising project and played an integral role in four major capital campaign projects: the $72 million Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, the $30 million Phase I of the McKale Center Renovation Project, the $7.2 million Ginny L. Clements Academic Center and the $16 million Cole & Jeannie Davis Indoor Sports Center.

Ketcham's background also includes extensive fundraising experience as both a championship-winning collegiate golf coach and a high school athletics director. Prior to his arrival in Tucson, Ketcham spent four years as Athletics Director at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he oversaw a 19-sport athletic program.

A 1988 graduate of the University of Arkansas, Ketcham was the Head Men's Golf Coach at his alma mater from 2001-06. During that time, he led the Razorbacks to three NCAA Regional berths and two appearances in the NCAA Championships.

From 1996-2001, Ketcham served as Head Men's Golf Coach at Oregon State where he led the Beavers to four NCAA Regional appearances and a spot in the 2001 NCAA Championships. Ketcham got his start on the Division I coaching level at San Jose State from 1994-96, where he led the Spartans to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in his final campaign.

Ketcham started his coaching career at Scottsdale Community College from 1992-94, where he won back-to-back JUCO national championships, while also earning National Junior College Coach of the Year honors in both of those seasons.

Ketcham was a two-year letterwinner as a student-athlete at Arkansas in 1986 and 1987. He helped the Razorbacks reach the NCAA Championships in both of his seasons on the team. The Ottumwa, Iowa, native and his wife, Kathy, have two children, Kesley (27) and Michael (24).