Since the University of New Mexico’s women’s basketball team was officially established in 1974 — 75 years after the founding of the men’s basketball team — and began playing sanctioned games against other collegiate teams, there have been many outstanding players appearing in The Pit. However, these five are the best of the best.
Vianè Cumber, is an honorable mention for this list. The Sandia High School graduate played all four years, from 2021-25 of her collegiate career at UNM and over that career became the all-time leader in three-pointers made at the University.
5. Dionne Marsh
The 6’1” forward played from 2004-08. She averaged over 13 points per game every one of her four seasons with the Lobos and 14.8 points per game for her career.
She managed to make the NCAA tournament every year she was on the roster — part of a seven-year streak where the team made the tournament each year.
4. Jaisa Nunn
The former star center and current graduate assistant for the team was known for her efficiency and rebounding prowess. She broke out in her last two seasons at UNM, averaging 17 and 17.5 points per game in her junior and senior seasons.
Nunn also averaged 8.9 rebounds for her career and 10.2 rebounds in her junior season. She played from 2015-19.
3. Cherise Beynon
Beynon played from 2014-18 and was one of the best guards the Lobos have seen. She averaged 4.7 assists per game, averaging 6.8 assists in her last season, and leading the conference. She could put the ball in the basket, as she averaged 13.5 points per game.
2. Abby Garchek
Garcheck had the second-best scoring season in Lobo history in 1997-98. She averaged 20.2 points per game while also leading the women’s team to their first NCAA tournament appearance that same year. Besides being a pure scorer, she also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals over her Lobo career.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
She was briefly signed to the WNBA, with the Detroit Shock, in 2002 before being cut.
1. Jordan Adams-Smith
The best Lobo women’s basketball player, Adams-Smith, led the Lobos to their only appearance in the third round of the NCAA tournament, in either men’s or women's basketball history. She played from 1999-2003 with her best season being her senior season, where she averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.
She holds the most blocks in all UNM basketball history, with 344 in her career. She was 18th overall in the 2003 WNBA draft, selected by the Minnesota Lynx, one of the few UNM players to ever make the league. Over her WNBA career, she played ten games and averaged 3.3 points.
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
