ALBUQUERQUE – Two legendary figures in New Mexico high school athletics, including a former Four Corners-area athletic director, were honored Sunday for their lifelong dedication to education-based sports.
Former New Mexico Activities Association Executive Director Sally Marquez and the late Dr. Thomas “Buster” Mabrey, former executive director of the New Mexico High School Coaches Association, each received the prestigious National Federation of State High School Associations Citation Award during the organization’s annual summer meetings.
The NFHS Citation is one of the highest achievements in high school sports and performing arts, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to state associations, coaching, officiating and athletic administration.
Marquez steered the NMAA through more than a decade of growth and cultural change, serving as executive director from 2012 until her retirement in 2024. She originally joined the association in 2004 as an associate director.
Under her leadership, student participation increased statewide, and she spearheaded major sportsmanship programs, including the “Compete With Class” initiative and the “Two Strikes” sportsmanship bylaw.
Her influence extended well beyond New Mexico. Marquez served on the NFHS board of directors from 2019 to 2023 and was elected national president of the NFHS for the 2022-23 school year.
“Throughout her career, Marquez has exemplified an unwavering dedication to students, education, and the lifelong impact of education-based athletics and activities,” NMAA Executive Director Dusty Young said. “Her work serves as a powerful reminder that when students, education, and character-building activities are prioritized, lives are changed for the better.”
A graduate of Albuquerque’s Manzano High School, Marquez was a three-sport athlete before playing basketball for four years at the University of New Mexico. Her 40-year career in education included roles as a mathematics teacher, dean of students, assistant principal and personnel director across New Mexico, Virginia and Texas. She was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Mabrey, a passionate advocate for the coaching profession whose sudden passing on Dec. 30, 2024, shook the state’s athletic community, was honored posthumously.
Mabrey had a deep connection to the Four Corners region, serving as the athletic director at Piedra Vista High School in Farmington in 2006 before stepping into his 16-year tenure as executive director of the NMHSCA in 2008.
During his time leading the coaches association, Mabrey transformed the organization by launching professional development programs, expanding statewide clinics, organizing all-star events and elevating the voice of coaches across New Mexico.
“This award reflects both his enduring commitment to New Mexico’s students and his broader influence on education-based athletics and activities across the country,” Young said. “It is a truly deserving tribute.”
A 1985 graduate of Hobbs High School, Mabrey served in the U.S. Navy aboard a nuclear submarine before returning to New Mexico. He began his career in athletics as a basketball official while working in the oil fields. He moved into coaching in 1992 at Mayfield High School, where he contributed to three football state championships and led the track and field program to a district title.
Mabrey was posthumously inducted into the NMHSCA Hall of Honor in 2025. His legacy continues through his wife, Lori Mabrey, who served on the NMHSCA board of directors and continues to promote the values that defined his career.