SILVER CITY, NM — For Kelley Lee, football has been a part of his life long before he became a coach. A New Mexico native and three-sport athlete at Hot Springs High School, Lee eventually brought his talents to Western New Mexico University, where he played quarterback for the Mustangs from 1996 through 1999. He graduated from WNMU in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Lee's time at Western New Mexico became an important foundation for a career that would take him across New Mexico, Texas and the collegiate football landscape. After finishing his playing career, he began building experience as a coach, starting as a graduate assistant at Eastern New Mexico University in 2002 and 2003. During those two seasons, he worked with running backs and quarterbacks.

From there, Lee continued to work his way through different coaching positions. He served as the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico Military Institute in 2006 and 2007 before moving to Midland College in 2008 as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. At NMMI, the offense finished second nationally in rushing in both seasons, while the 2006 offense ranked fourth nationally in total offense.

Lee then returned to New Mexico high school football as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at Valencia High School. When he took over the program, Valencia had finished 1-9. Over his three seasons, Lee helped turn the program around, leading the Jaguars to a 26-9 overall record and the state playoffs in each of his three seasons. In 2011, Valencia finished 11-1, and Lee was named Metro Coach of the Year.

His success at the high school level opened another door at Eastern New Mexico University, where he returned as an offensive coordinator in 2012. Lee spent several seasons developing the Greyhounds' offense before being named head coach in 2017. In his first season as head coach, he led Eastern New Mexico to an 8-2 regular-season record and a 6-2 mark in Lone Star Conference play.

Lee's first tenure as the Greyhounds' head coach produced some of the strongest seasons of his coaching career. In 2019, Eastern New Mexico finished 8-4 and earned the program's first Division II bowl victory, defeating Southern Arkansas 20-13 in the Heritage Bowl. That season, the Greyhounds also set a school record with 4,191 rushing yards.

After his first stint at Eastern New Mexico, Lee spent two seasons as the head football coach at Veterans Memorial Early College High School in Texas. His teams went 17-7 during those two seasons before he returned to Eastern New Mexico for another stint as head coach in 2023.

Lee's second tenure at Eastern New Mexico lasted through the 2025 season. Across his six seasons as the program's head coach, his overall college record was 32-34. During his first tenure, he led the Greyhounds to the 2019 Heritage Bowl championship and developed numerous All-Lone Star Conference players and three All-Americans.

While his coaching career has taken him away from Silver City for much of the past two decades, Lee's football journey has now brought him back to the area where his collegiate career began. In January 2026, Lee was named the head football coach at Silver High School in Silver City.

His career represents a journey that began on the field as a Mustang quarterback and eventually developed into a career centered around coaching and developing athletes. From his playing days at Western New Mexico to coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, Lee has spent more than two decades building his experience in football.

For WNMU, Lee's story is a reminder that the relationships and experiences built during a student-athlete's time on campus can become the starting point for what comes next. His journey from Mustang quarterback to coach has taken him through numerous programs and communities, ultimately bringing him back to the Silver City area and continuing his career in the sport that has shaped much of his life.

Kelley Lee's story began at Western New Mexico University. More than two decades later, his connection to the Silver City community continues as he enters the next chapter of his coaching career at Silver High School.

Stay tuned next week as we continue our Alumni of the Week series and highlight another Mustang making an impact beyond Western New Mexico University.

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Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (X, TikTok & Instagram).