Sports

Sports

UNM Mixed Martial Arts Club goes the distance and becomes official

Nate Bernard | February 24

What started as a small group of University of New Mexico student fighters meeting in the mat room to train has now become the official Mixed Martial Arts Club. Founded by experienced fighters, the club meets every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 4-5 p.m. in Johnson Center to kick ass and take names. Prior to the club’s conception, a fighting community at UNM built its ground game through word of mouth, according to black belt karate fighter and MMA Club Treasurer Mark Evans.

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Sports

Santa Fe’s indoor soccer team strives for community first

Addison Fulton and Rodney Prunty | February 24

Overseeing Santa Fe’s indoor soccer team comes with a lot of responsibility, which Santa Fe Gloom’s owner David Fresquez proudly handles. Fresquez started the team in December 2023 because he wanted children and families to have fun in Santa Fe even when the weather was too cold or too hot for outdoor sports. Initially, Fresquez tried to base the team out of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center’s ice rink, but city officials did not approve the plan. Fresquez, however, was not discouraged.

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Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos’ unforgettable finish leads to victory against Boise State

Esmeralda Lozano | February 17

On Thursday, Feb. 13, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team took on Boise State University. Both teams came into the game on losing streaks and were hungry for a win. At the end of regulation, the score was 75-75, sending the teams into overtime.  The Lobos secured an 88-83 victory with a game-sealing 3-pointer by Vianè Cumber. The first quarter started off rocky for the Lobos. They had a hard time with offensive rebounds making it hard to seek the rest of the game. They ended the quarter on a tight score of 14-15 due to a pick-up on offense.

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Sports

City Council approves $30 million bond for New Mexico United stadium

Maria Fernandez | February 17

On Feb. 3, the Albuquerque City Council approved the issuance and sale of a $30 million Industrial Revenue Bond to fund the construction and maintenance of a stadium for New Mexico United. Plans for the stadium were first approved by the City Council by an 8-1 vote in August 2024.

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Sports

Men’s basketball: Tru Washington takes over

Rodney Prunty | February 17

The Pit saw a sold-out stadium with 15,411 fans on Sunday, Feb. 16, as people came to see the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team in a Mountain West showdown against the Utah State University Aggies. Both teams put on a show and the game was closely fought throughout. Guard Tru Washington had a huge impact on the game, making his presence known especially in the second half. Washington was one of the major factors that went into the Lobos leaving The Pit with a 82-79 win.

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Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos lasso Cowboys in comeback win

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 17

The University of New Mexico Lobos were able to scratch out a tough win against the University of Wyoming Cowboys, beating them 71-67 Wednesday, Feb.12. This extends their win streak to seven straight games. It was like deja vu at The Pit, as the game started similarly to when the two teams faced off earlier this season. The Lobos struggled early and found themselves down 39-29 by halftime. They had 10 turnovers in the first half and only made 32% of their shots.

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — Super Bowl edition

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | February 17

In a Super Bowl stunner, the Kansas City Chiefs were thrashed around by a suffocating Philadelphia Eagles defense that clipped their hopes for a three-peat with a 40-22 loss. The Chiefs grossly underestimated a brutal Eagles roster, and on the world stage, the Eagles shut down the Chiefs’ offense and dominated their defense. Great success doesn’t come without a losing team, and sometimes athletes jeopardize their team’s chances. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Here are two Chiefs bobbleheads who inadvertently helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes’ misfires

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Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos remain on top with win over Rams

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 11

The University of New Mexico Lobos tacked on another dominant win on Wednesday, Feb. 5, when they faced off against the Colorado State Rams. The Lobos launched an aerial attack on the Rams and were able to respond to the physical style of play, coming away with a 87-65 win. The Lobos had an impressive shooting night, especially from beyond the arc. They finished 9-14 (64.3%) on 3-point attempts. Three of those nine makes came from guard CJ Noland. Noland shot the lights out, scoring 19 points without missing a shot. He was 7-7 from the field and nailed two free throws on top of it. He accomplished this despite only playing for 22 minutes.

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Sports

Black athletes represent UNM, then and now

Maria Fernandez | February 10

Over the years, many brilliant Black athletes have worn the University of New Mexico’s cherry and silver colors. From basketball to track and field, each player has left an indelible mark on the University’s history and put UNM Athletics on national stages. From winning national titles to setting records in their sports, everyone has a unique story. Here are five Black athletes who hit it out of the park during and after their time at UNM. Ira Harge When Ira Harge joined the Lobo basketball team in 1962, he was the tallest player to ever don a Lobo uniform at 6 feet 9 inches, according to UNM Athletics. Harge helped the team beat both New York University and Drake University during the 1963-64 season. Over the course of two seasons, Harge scored over 1,000 points for the Lobos.

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Sports

Lobo football player Richard Pearce speaks on family, career goals and Black history

Rodney Prunty | February 10

For University of New Mexico offensive lineman Richard Pearce, family is everything. Raised by his parents in Alabama, Pearce always had a close relationship with his family. Pearce grew up with two sisters in a small community. His family supports him through and through, he said, as they all take turns showing up for his games. “Once everything falls, that's all you have left,” Pearce said. “It's about having someone there through everything in life.”

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Sports

Honoring legacy and progress with Black History Month in UNM Athletics

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | February 10

As February unfolds, Black History Month serves as a time of reflection and recognition, honoring the past while celebrating progress in all fields, including sports. At the University of New Mexico, two basketball staff members, Assistant Coach Tarvish Felton and Director of Player Development Isaiah Fernandez, shared their perspectives with the Daily Lobo on the significance of Black History Month and athletics in shaping opportunities for future generations.

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA, Feb. 1-6

Rodney Prunty | February 7

This week in the NBA, we saw interesting trades, blowout wins and closely fought games. Along with that, we saw three bobbleheads emerge. Nico Harrison The first non-player to be featured as a bobblehead is Nico Harrison. He is the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, and on Saturday, Feb. 1, he might have made a case for himself not to hold the position anymore.

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NFL championship edition

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh and Rodney Prunty | February 3

The stage is set as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will meet for the second time in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9 after winning their NFC and AFC championship games. On the opposing side, the Washington Commanders and the Buffalo Bills were defeated, in part thanks to these bobbleheads whose performances lost them the shot at the trophy.

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Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos silence Aggies

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 3

On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Lobos took the top spot in the Mountain West standings. The game was fueled by a dominant second half against the Utah State Aggies in Logan, Utah, winning 82-63. While neither team shot especially well in the first half, the Lobos were able to find the bottom of the basket with efficiency in the second half while the Aggies’ percentages steadily declined. Despite struggling to make 3-pointers in the first half, making only 1-9, their outside shooting was what won the Lobos the game. They finished 7-22 and 6-13 in the second half from behind the arc.

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Sports

OPINION: 2025 NFL mock draft — Top five picks

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | January 27

As collegiate athletes climb their way into the draft, here are five players who I think could be in the first round for their talent. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars: defensive tackle Mason Graham The Jacksonville Jaguars have the fifth overall pick of the NFL season after a disappointing 4-13 finish. With trouble on the defensive line, the Jaguars should draft defensive tackle Mason Graham from the University of Michigan to patch up holes in the defense. The 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound player had 3 ½ sacks and 46 total tackles this season, making him a solid pick for the Jaguars.

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NFL divisional round edition

Rodney Prunty | January 24

Last week, these three players were getting ready to help their teams get past the divisional round with a chance at keeping their Super Bowl chances alive. This week, they are sitting at home wondering what plays they could’ve done differently to avoid being labeled as bobbleheads.

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Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos speed past Bulldogs

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | January 22

The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team came away with a commanding victory against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Monday, Jan. 20, winning 95-67. It was all Lobos from start to finish. UNM came ready to play, jumped out to a 16-0 start and never relinquished the lead. The Lobos were able to stifle Fresno’s fast pace and didn’t allow a bucket for the first five minutes of the contest. The Bulldogs played too fast for their own good, leading to careless turnovers and missed shots early on.

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Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos dismantle Broncos

Rodney Prunty | January 20

The University of New Mexico men's basketball team was able to get back in the win column as they put on a show at The Pit against another conference opponent, the Boise State Broncos on Friday, Jan. 17. Coming off of a disappointing 71-70 loss to conference opponent San José State, the Lobos outplayed and outcoached the Broncos. The Lobos blew out Boise State 84-65. Throughout the first half, it was clear Boise State had no answer for the Lobos’ offense, and a big reason for that was guard Donovan Dent. Dent was everywhere on the floor — one moment making a flashy pass to a teammate, the next doing an impressive finish at the rim. Donovan Dent was just doing Donovan Dent things.

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Sports

OPINION: College football National Championship winner prediction

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | January 18

The College Football Playoffs will come to an exciting conclusion on Monday, Jan. 20, when the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for an all-or-nothing national championship. With Atlanta being painted shades of green and red from opposing fans, here are predictions for the potential winner of the National Championship.

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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NFL Wild card edition

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | January 18

Wild Card Weekend came to an exciting conclusion when six NFL teams advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. However, with great success also comes disappointment, as the losing teams grappled with teammates whose bad performances crumbled a potential run at a Super Bowl. These players are favorably called bobbleheads. With a long road ahead for AFC and NFC contenders that advanced, here is a list of bobbleheads who helped buy their team a ticket to Cancun instead.