Keeping local talent in New Mexico has been a priority for many UNM athletics programs. Recruiting in-state allows players to remain close to family members while also providing another level of excitement for the fan base.
Jeff Nelson, head coach of UNM’s volleyball team, said he has experienced first-hand what it means to feature New Mexico-based players on his roster.
“Obviously it’s great to have New Mexico kids, and I think it helps with attendance and things like that,” Nelson said. “It creates more interest and more buzz around the community.”
Even if people in Albuquerque aren’t able to make it out to the games, Nelson said he has been questioned about the local players able to make the cut to play as a Lobo. He said fans are constantly coming up to him around town to ask about the five in-state players on his roster.
Born and raised in Rio Rancho, outside hitter Cassie House said the appeal to play for Nelson in front of a home crowd provides an uplifting feeling after having grown up around the program.
House said it is fun for her to be able to welcome players from outside the New Mexico volleyball community because she is able to introduce players to her own family. She said it allows the group to grow closer and encourages everyone to experience the “homey” nature of the program.
Julia Warren, as a teammate of House at the club level in high school and as another outside hitter for the Lobos, said it is a great feeling to come out and play for a team she idolized growing up.
“We all grew up watching Lobo volleyball, being ball girls and coming to the games,” Warren said. “We all aspired to be here, and now that we’re here it’s amazing ... It’s a great way to give back to all of the people in club and high school who helped us.”
It isn’t just New Mexico-based players that UNM chases after. New Mexico women’s basketball coach Yvonne Sanchez was a local player at Eldorado during her teenage years.
After growing up as a fan of both UNM and New Mexico State, Sanchez said it was without question who she would cheer for when the two teams faced off. The head coach said she is a Lobo at heart and always will be.
“I was a local player here,” Sanchez said. “Trying to get local kids to stay home is the biggest focus we have. We really don’t want kids to go away.”
There have been a few instances of UNM recruiting high-caliber in-state players, but Sanchez said the recruits just didn’t come. Part of the problem with the recruitment of local players is that kids want to experience something they don’t know, according to Sanchez.
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Josh Goss, a junior midfielder for the men’s soccer team, is a prime example of Sanchez’s description of an individual who desires a change of scenery. Goss moved to Arizona in high school, but returned to Albuquerque for college.
He said after being away from the Land of Enchantment, he knew he could still pursue his collegiate career in the city he grew up in.
“I kind of felt I that I needed to get away from New Mexico to follow my dream,” Goss said. “But then, after being away for five or six months, I knew I could still pursue the highest level by coming back home and playing for UNM.”
New Mexico’s elite program in collegiate soccer enticed Goss to return and continue to grow. Goss said it is an honor to know how highly touted the program is at UNM while being able to be a part of a team he watched in his younger years.
“You know what type of team they are, and to know you’re at that level too after working so hard for years is pretty special,” Goss said. “It’s the perfect place for me to be.”
The women’s basketball team is also working toward becoming an elite program in the nation. Sanchez said the recent success UNM has experienced has opened doors to recruits that may have been thinking about leaving.
Even during the hardships, senior basketball forward Alexa Chavez, who walked onto the squad as a local kid from Santa Fe, never faltered on her path to becoming a Lobo.
Sanchez said that even though Chavez wasn’t quite ready to be a Division I player in her first year as part of the program, her work ethic and drive pushed the power forward to earn a scholarship and a become a starter in the 2014-2015 campaign.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play here,” Chavez said. “For the past three years I’ve been able to do that, and it’s just an amazing environment to be in.”
One of the things that appealed to Chavez was her ability to play in front of her family, as she had done throughout her youth. She said she looks up to where her family sits every game to make sure they made the trek down from Santa Fe. After she nods to her support group in WisePies Arena, Chavez said she is able to feel at ease.
“I’ve played in front of them my whole life,” Chavez said. “It just makes me more comfortable to see them in the stands.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on twitter @Liam_CE.
