Fans of the UNM women’s basketball team got to say goodbye to one of the most successful senior classes to play for the program Saturday night at The Pit.
Nikki Heckroth, Miranda Sanchez and Jennifer Williams played their last regular-season home game in front of fans who have cheered, and occasionally booed, them for four years.
With an 84-35 record during that span — second best in school history — and three postseason appearances, the seniors will be remembered for helping to bring UNM’s women’s basketball program back to respectability.
“We have had a lot of success with them; they have been a very important part of our program,” head coach Don Flanagan said. “They have been as good as I expected, and, in many ways, better than I expected.”
Each has aided in leading the team to postseason success, including the 1998 Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship, which led to UNM’s only NCAA Tournament berth; the 1999 WAC Pacific Division championship, and a spot in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament; and another WNIT appearance last year.
“Miranda brought the three ball to the post in a great competitive nature, Nikki brought leadership and a great will and determination to be a great player,” Flanagan said. “Jennifer brought toughness in the post. If I had to recruit those three all over again, I would.”
Heckroth will end her career ranked third all-time at UNM in assists and fourth in steals. She also is a two-time academic all-conference selection.
Sanchez will finish in fifth place in career scoring, second in free throw percentage, first in 3-point field-goal percentage and should finish first in 3-point field goals, provided she hits one more before the regular season ends. She is just the ninth Lobo to reach the 1,000-point mark in a career.
Williams is UNM’s career leader in field-goal percentage (.551) and in the top three in single-season field goal percentages.
“I worked hard for four years, it was a phase in my life and I will never forget it,” Williams said. “I tried to bring a good attitude and hard work, and I hope people saw that.”
The Pit was filled with banners and signs by fans, showing their appreciation for the seniors’ careers. The fans showered the seniors with a loud ovation each time they would come in or out of the game.
“I think we have brought a lot to the program,” Sanchez said. “We have brought leadership on and off the court and how to the play the game of basketball. We have helped build the program a little bit, and, hopefully, it will continue.”
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All three were instrumental in getting the win in their final home game.
Sanchez contributed 11 points and was two-of-five from behind the arc, Heckroth added nine assists and two steals and Williams came off the bench to score six points and grab three rebounds.
Perhaps the most entertaining moment came with two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game. Heckroth and Williams were on the floor, and Sanchez was on the bench, feeling dizzy during most of the second half. The crowd started chanting, “We want Mir,” and got louder as the clock wound down. Sanchez finally went into the game with 34 seconds left after a timeout and the crowd roared with excitement.
“At first, I did not know what they were saying, and then I picked it up and I was pretty amazed,” Sanchez said. “That was my signal to go back in, no matter how bad I felt. I owed it to them to go back in.”
Flanagan said one reason the team played so sloppy in the victory was he thought the seniors were nervous and anxious. Sanchez agreed, saying she was really nervous walking down the ramp for the last time.
