The University of New Mexico welcomed its seventh women’s basketball coach on Wednesday, April 8, at an introductory press conference that saw Amy Eagan assume the role as decade of Mike Bradbury officially ended.
Eagan faces the task of retaining the players on the roster, transfer hunting for new additions and staff building, all to build a roster for next season that can compete for a Mountain West title.
Eagan has experience competing at the top and the success that follows, with an overall coaching record of 329-191 that spans across five different stops. Under her belt of 17 seasons, she has six conference titles, five NCAA DII Tournament appearances and a DII National Runner-up trophy.
Most recently, she was the head coach at Lindenwood University where she led the Lions into their D1 transition. In her first season, the Lions went 7-21, and by year three, her team went 25-8 and split the Ohio Valley Regular Season title with Western Illinois. Lindenwood also finished at number 96 in the NET, which was ahead of 10 of 12 Mountain West programs, 20th in 2-point field goal percentage and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage.
Eagan was welcomed by donors, current UNM players, administration, UNM women’s basketball alumni and other program leaders including men’s basketball Head Coach Eric Olen, football Head Coach Jason Eck and others. As she donned the cherry blazer that so many have worn before her, she was hit with the feeling of finding home, Eagan said.
“If you have ever walked into a room and immediately knew you were home, you know exactly how I feel,” Eagan said during the press conference.
Eagan has already put together some of her staff since getting to The Pit. She brought some of her staff from Lindenwood with her, as her Associate Head Coach Jordan Mellott — who has been with her for six years, and runs her offense — will join her. Lindsay Ward will be an assistant coach and Makayla Wallace will serve as director of operations.
As for the Lobos who were a part of last year’s team, only three have announced they will be returning, as Laila Abdurraqib, Kaia Foster and Drew Jordan have committed to return for the Eagan era. Five Lobos have entered the transfer portal, including two of the Lobos starters, Joana Magalhães and Destinee Hooks, who were key players for UNM over the past two years. Both centers Jessie Joaquim and Emma Nujjuma, as well as freshman Tyler Jones, have all entered the portal.
Eagan will now begin her tenure in Albuquerque by sharpening the Lobos’ teeth in a newly-shaped Mountain West with a college landscape that continues to get more volatile.
Wyatt S. Padilla is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @wyattspadilla
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