For many University of New Mexico students, the Daily Lobo isn’t just a student newspaper — it’s the start of a lifelong career. Two former reporters, Ryan Tomari and Isabel Gonzalez, carved their own paths from the Lobo newsroom to the world beyond.
Ryan Tomari
Tomari’s journey into journalism began before he ever stepped onto UNM’s campus. A natural storyteller and lifelong sports fan, Tomari worked as a high school sports reporter, inspired by a teacher who had once written for Stars and Stripes. After deciding to stay closer to home, he ended up at UNM, where he found his place at the Daily Lobo in 2008.
Tomari’s introduction to the Lobo came through a pickup flag football game at Johnson Field, where he met future colleagues who encouraged him to get involved. Soon, he was covering Lobo Athletics, building a foundation that would launch him into the professional world.
“I always enjoyed picking up a newspaper and reading about sports,” Tomari said. “Being at a game, seeing history in person — that’s the coolest thing.”
Tomari leveraged his experience at the Daily Lobo for opportunities at the Albuquerque Journal and later at CBS Sports in Manhattan, where he freelanced as a researcher covering the NFL and college athletics.
Today, Tomari continues his passion for sports journalism as co-founder of The Pit Press, an independent news outlet that covers UNM Athletics year-round. The outlet has grown from a podcast into a full-fledged media company, with Tomari balancing this endeavor alongside his career in sales.
“Without the Daily Lobo, I wouldn’t have had the friendships, the skills or the drive to start my own media company,” Tomari said.
Isabel Gonzalez
For Isabel Gonzalez, journalism wasn’t the original plan. Born in Mexico and raised on soccer, Gonzalez initially pursued advertising through UNM’s Interdisciplinary Film and Digital Media program. A mix-up during freshman advising steered her into journalism courses — and eventually into a new passion.
Through her early involvement with Lobo TV and her transition into sports writing for the Daily Lobo in 2014, Gonzalez found her calling. Covering men’s soccer and later men’s basketball, she discovered a love for storytelling that connected her with the campus community.
“Coming from another country, sports made me feel connected to people here,” Gonzalez said. “It became a way to be part of the culture.”
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After graduating from UNM, Gonzalez freelanced for SB Nation, covering Gonzaga men’s basketball during a Final Four run. She later joined CBS Sports, where she now serves as the lead women’s college basketball writer, covering everything from March Madness to the WNBA.
Gonzalez takes pride in elevating women’s sports coverage, using her platform to tell impactful stories.
“At first, I didn’t have a background in women’s basketball,” Gonzalez said. “But my editors believed in my writing skills. Covering women’s sports is about treating them with the same level of respect and depth as any other beat.”
For both Tomari and Gonzalez, the Daily Lobo provided more than bylines — it offered opportunities, relationships and the foundation to build fulfilling careers.
“Stick with what you love,” Tomari said. “It can take you further than you ever expected.”
Whether building a news outlet from scratch or leading national basketball coverage, both credited their time at the Lobo for helping them find their voice — and encouraged future journalists to follow theirs.
“Say yes to opportunities, even if you don’t know where they’ll lead,” Gonzalez said.
Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on x @kubiakizabella
