University of North Texas Athletics

Mike Villa starts his first year with the North Texas athletics department as the assistant athletic director for equipment services. Villa started his career as a student equipment manager and rose through the ranks at the collegiate and professional level.

Prior to North Texas, Villa spent seven years at UTSA. He was hired as the head equipment manager in April of 2010 and was promoted to assistant athletics director in 2014. 

Villa also worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-10, where he served as assistant equipment manager for the National Football League franchise. He was responsible for helmet and shoulder pad preparation and maintenance, coach and staff sideline apparel, game-day locker room setup and daily laundry needs, among other duties. He also assisted the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIV preparation and game-day activities as a member of the Buccaneers’ host support staff. 

Prior to joining Tampa Bay’s staff, Villa served as head equipment manager for the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League from December 2006-September 2007. He was responsible for ordering and maintaining inventory of all apparel, managing the equipment budget, setting up the practice field, maintaining helmets and shoulder pads and serving as the liaison to the Orleans Arena, the game and practice facility for the Gladiators. 

As a student at UTEP, Villa served as an equipment manager from 2000-06, including four years as the head student equipment manager. 

Villa earned his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies with specializations in kinesiology, health promotion and criminal justice from UTEP in December 2006. 

Villa graduated from Odessa High School in 2000 and he is married to the former Mariza Gutierrez. The couple has one daughter, Meadow.