Longtime coach, administrator Fred ‘Mr. UNLV’ Albrecht dies at 71

Fred Albrecht, a longtime UNLV coach and administrator who helped create the school's alumni program, died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 71.

Known by friends and colleagues across Nevada as "Mr. UNLV," Albrecht founded the university's alumni relations program and led fundraising and construction efforts for the school's Tam Alumni Center, the current home of the UNLV Alumni Association.

"You can see Fred's handiwork all over the university," said Jim Ratigan, executive director of UNLV's Alumni Association and a longtime friend of Albrecht's. "Fred ate, slept and bled UNLV."

Albrecht spent 38 years working under seven UNLV presidents before retiring in 2007. He arrived as an assistant basketball coach in 1970 and retired as vice president for university and community relations, serving in a variety of roles that included director of alumni relations, interim athletic director and executive director of athletic fundraising. The native of Youngstown, Ohio, also became the winningest coach in UNLV tennis history and earned a master's degree in education from UNLV during his time working on campus.

He continued serving the university after retirement, working on committees and advocating for the school's initiatives, including an alumni-driven project honoring famed basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian with a bronze statue and namesake scholarship. In recognition of his achievements, Albrecht was awarded the UNLV President's Medal and was inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.

"I think he really could be characterized as Mr. UNLV — he's really done it all and totally dedicated his adult life to make UNLV better," said former Gov. Bob Miller, a friend of Albrecht's. "I don't think there's anybody that's met Fred and that hasn't liked him, and I've never heard him say a bad thing about anyone else. Anyone that's ever met him has felt a sense of loss."

Albrecht is survived by his wife, Connie, daughter Michelle Castro, grandson Andrew Castro, sister Carol Pinney, brother-in-law Patrick Pinney, niece Laura Pinney, sister-in-law Dixie Morrissey and brother-in-law Manny Morrissey.

The family will hold a celebration of Albrecht's life at 11 a.m. Saturday at UNLV's Student Union, with a reception to follow in the same building. The family requests donations to the Fred C. Albrecht Scholarship Fund at UNLV.

"We are just so grateful for everyone that has stepped in with phone calls and support," Michelle Castro said. "My father was loved by so many people."

Albrecht was diagnosed with advanced neck cancer in 2001, and despite a bleak prognosis, he lived disease-free until about 2009 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer that eventually spread to his bones. He succumbed to the disease surrounded by family.

"It's been a long battle, but he's such a fighter," Michelle Castro said. "He never once complained about anything — he just faced everything with such grace. You know, he was Fred Albrecht. You never saw him sweat."

Contact Ana Ley at aley@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512. Find her on Twitter @la__ley