By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — UNLV has extended Athletics Director Erick “Harp” Harper’s c0ntract by four years from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030, signing an AD who guided the turn-around of the university’s struggling football program.
UNLV records show Harper will make a base salary of $505,000 a year under the extension announced Tuesday by UNLV interim President Chris Heavey.
Harper can also make tens of thousands of dollars more if teams make NCAA tournaments and win championships.
A former Kansas State football player, Harper was named UNLV’s 14th permanent athletics director Jan. 1, 2022, so he’s in his fifth year leading Rebel Athletics. He also served as the department’s interim athletics director from August 2021 through the end of that calendar year. Harper succeeded Desiree Reed-Francois, who left UNLV for the Missouri AD job before she became the Arizona AD in 2024.
Harper hired former football coach Barry Odom in December 2022 and signed current football coach Dan Mullen in December 2024 to after Odom left to coach Purdue.
Odom guided UNLV to bowl games and winning records and Mullen did likewise in 2025.
Harper, like several athletics directors right before him, has faced the challenge of guiding the UNLV basketball program back to national prominence. UNLV’s men’s basketball team last appeared in the national college basketball tournament in 2012 and gone through several head coaches.
Harper hired Josh Pastner in March 2025. Like Mullen, Pastner was working as a TV sports commentator when Harper hired the enthusiastic, high-energy hoops coach to lead the Runnin’ Rebels program.
Harper coped with a budget deficit before there was a surplus for the athletics financial plan. With five Mountain West Conference schools departing to join a revamped Pac-12, Harper kept UNLV in the Mountain West, which will call Las Vegas its home base.
A press release said UNLV Athletics launched the first athletics-specific capital campaign called “Rebel Up,” with a goal of $150 million. The campaign has generated more than $41 million in cash and cash equivalents, including money for student-athlete nutrition, a multi-use indoor facility, new endowments and commitments for health and mental wellness, career development, academic support and other uses,
Athletics also finished more than $7 million in capital improvements to the on-campus football complex, Thomas & Mack Center and other sports facilities. The department pays the Raiders to use Allegiant Stadium for its six home football games.
PSA