Sports

Sports

Volleyball: Poll projects UNM to finish fifth in MW

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 21

New Mexico will play like a team with something to prove this year. Despite limping to the finish line with multiple injuries last year, the Lobos finished among the top four teams in the conference. This year: UNM has been picked to finish fifth. “We have three all-conference players, the most players returning, and two kids on the preseason (All-Mountain West) team,” head coach Jeff Nelson said. “We’re going to play with a big chip on our shoulders and make them play like they’ve got something to prove.”

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Sports

Volleyball: Surprises abound at intrasquad scrimmage

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 21

In sports, it is almost guaranteed that not everything is going to go as planned. On New Mexico’s Fan Appreciation Night, it was hard to tell what the plan was amidst Silver’s 2-1 victory over the Cherry team during Thursday night’s intrasquad volleyball scrimmage. Before the match, Nelson said he was going to give fans a glimpse at what his starting rotation could potentially look like.

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Sports

Women's soccer: Season begins vs. No. 1 Florida State

J.R. Oppenheim | August 20

It’s simply a coincidence that Heather Dyche will face her alma mater in her first regular-season coaching outing for the UNM women’s soccer team. The game was also scheduled prior to Florida State’s 2014 national championship victory and its No. 1 preseason ranking. With that in mind, Dyche said she and the Lobos expect a tough game Friday night when the Lobos host the top-ranked Seminoles in the 2015 Lobo Invitational at the UNM Soccer Complex. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. following the 5 p.m. match between USC and Texas Tech.

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Sports

Men's soccer: Lobos shut out Grand Canyon in exhibition

Isabel Gonzalez | August 20

New Mexico wanted a shutout after its first exhibition game, in which the Lobos allowed a goal 22 seconds before the final whistle was blown. The Lobos got their shutout on Wednesday night against the Grand Canyon University Antelopes, winning 3-0 in their last home preseason match.

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Sports

Volleyball: Exhibition scrimmage tonight

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 20

For nearly 10 years the Lobos have geared up against former UNM volleyball athletes to start the season. For the first time since 2006, though, New Mexico fans will not get to see an exhibition match against the Lobo alumnae. However, head coach Jeff Nelson said UNM fans will be in for a treat this evening during Fan Appreciation Night, with first serve scheduled for 6:30 p.m. He said the free-admission event will showcase some talented play in the intrasquad match, followed by post-game autographs from the 2015 roster.

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Sports

Football: Rothschiller doesn't let height deter skills

Thomas Romero-Salas | August 20

An ideal physical specimen Jake Rothschiller is not. However, being one of the shortest safeties for New Mexico hasn’t stopped the 5-foot-7 Rothschiller from getting plenty of reps in during this fall camp.

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Sports

Men's soccer: Lobos host rising Grand Canyon program in second exhibition

Isabel Gonzalez | August 18

The Lobos will continue its preseason action Wednesday when they face Grand Canyon University for their second and last home exhibition of the year. GCU is trying to become a top-notch soccer school. Not only is Grand Canyon getting a brand new soccer stadium this year, they also just hired a new coach with a wealth of experience. Schellas Hyndman was the head coach for FC Dallas, a Major League Soccer team, from 2008-13. In 2010, Dallas made it to the MLS Cup Final, and Hyndman was named Coach of the Year.

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Sports

Lobos win exhibition vs Fort Lewis

August 17

The UNM women’s soccer team was dull to start its exhibition Monday night at the UNM Soccer Complex, but the Lobos hit their stride as the game progressed and took a 3-1 win over Fort Lewis. The Lobos controlled the ball for much of the first half, keeping the ball in their offensive end for large periods of time.

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Sports

Volleyball: New, returning players alike vie for starting positions

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 17

New Mexico’s three starting spots for outside hitter are up for grabs. Head volleyball coach Jeff Nelson said junior Cassie House is the front-runner to fill Chantale Riddle’s big shoes on the right side. However, Nelson said nothing is set in stone, and each of the five outside hitters has a real shot at claiming the position. House, along with fellow juniors Julia Warren and Devanne Sours, is a returning starter from last year’s big hitting position. While Warren switched to libero mid-season, where she earned first team All-Conference honors, she will likely return to her natural position above the net.

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Sports

Lobos down Falcons in rainy preseason match

Isabel Gonzalez | August 17

The UNM men’s soccer team kicked off the 2015 fall sports season with a 2-1 win over Air Force during an exhibition game Saturday. Light rain was frequent, and a 42-minute lightning delay interrupted the first half of the match. However, unpleasant weather was not enough to stop the 1,180 fans who came to support their team. “That was awesome,” head coach Jeremy Fishbein said. “People are behind this team, and you can feel their energy.”

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Sports

Women's soccer: New coaches, veteran athletes

J.R. Oppenheim | August 17

Women’s soccer looks forward to strong season behind returning starters While the New Mexico women’s soccer team features a brand new coaching staff, the Lobos have plenty of experience returning for the upcoming campaign. The team will bring back 10 of its 11 starters from a roster that finished third in the Mountain West Conference. Three of those players — redshirt senior goalie Cassie Ulrich, senior midfielder Dylann O’Connor and redshirt sophomore defender Emily Chavez — earned all-conference recognition a year ago.

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Sports

Football: QB at wideout shows intellect

Thomas Romero-Salas | August 17

It didn’t take long for Patrick Reed to realize there wouldn’t be much playing time as quarterback for him. All Reed had to do was take one look at the depth chart to see that he was behind incumbent redshirt sophomore starter Lamar Jordan, redshirt junior transfer Austin Apodaca and redshirt freshman JaJuan Lawson. That prompted Reed to propose a position switch during spring football practice: He told head coach Bob Davie that he wanted to go from quarterback to wide receiver. Davie accepted Reed’s proposal, and the redshirt freshman has proven that he’s a capable wideout thus far.

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Sports

Lobos add Notre Dame to 2019 football schedule

Thomas Romero-Salas | August 13

Head coach Bob Davie won’t need a season ticket to watch his former team Notre Dame play in 2019. In fact, Davie will be on the opposite sideline against the Fighting Irish, coaching his current New Mexico team.

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Lobos adapting to life after Riddle

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 13

New Mexico will sport a completely different look this year than in recent years. After five years, UNM’s dominant right side hitter Chantale Riddle had her NCAA eligibility expire and the volleyball team must find a new identity. A season ago, Riddle was chasing two prestigious milestones in UNM history.

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Sports

Players ready to put soccer hazing scandal behind them

J.R. Oppenheim | August 11

One year removed from a hazing scandal that rocked the New Mexico women’s soccer program, two returning players said Tuesday the team has put the events behind it and is ready to move forward to its 2015 campaign. Both senior goalkeeper Cassie Ulrich and midfielder Dylann O’Connor said they and the rest of the team take responsibility for their actions when upperclassmen hazed freshmen last August. UNM’s investigation uncovered underage drinking and the spraying of a “soap and water” mixture on the freshman.

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Sports

Sports briefs for Aug. 10, 2015

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 10

New Mexico will play the Auburn Tigers in the first round of ESPN’s Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. On Thursday ESPN released the entire bracket for the eight teams playing in the tournament. UNM drew the Tigers and play is set for Dec. 22. The SEC-member Tigers finished 15-20 during the 2014-2015 season and went 4-14 against their conference opponents.

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Sports

Football: Dakota Cox ready to prove himself, team hits tackling

Thomas Romero-Salas | August 10

It’s hard to imagine that anyone would doubt Dakota Cox’s talent, but there’s been little mention of New Mexico’s best linebacker in the preseason. Cox wasn’t named in any major watch lists, nor did his name appear on the Preseason All-Mountain West Team. The main reason Cox’s name hasn’t been appearing often is because the junior linebacker is coming off a torn left ACL. He missed the final three games of the 2014 season and still led UNM in tackles with 116. “I would say yes, I was definitely frustrated, but it gives me something to play for,” Cox said after Sunday’s practice. “Every season you’ve got to go in with the mindset that you can be on any list that you want. That’s one thing I’m playing for, is to prove people wrong and that I’m back.”

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Sports

Volleyball: Coach Nelson confident in growing team

Liam Cary-Eaves | August 10

After a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Mountain West last year, New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said his volleyball squad may be deeper than ever heading into the 2015 campaign. The Lobos began fall practices Wednesday morning with the first two-a-day practice of the season. Nelson scheduled two practices almost every day in order to get his squad ready for the season opener at the Ball State tournament beginning on 
August 28. “We really only lost one position, and we have six returning starters,” Nelson said. “... I think, overall, it’s a better group.”

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Sports

Last chance for Davie's first four-year seniors

Thomas Romero-Salas | July 29

Time has almost run out for most of Bob Davie’s first recruiting class.The 2015 season will most likely be the last for eight of Davie’s first 24 recruits. During the last three years, those players haven’t had much success on the field, with a record of 11-35.

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Sports

Lobos predicted to finish last in Mountain Division

Thomas Romero-Salas | July 28

Expectations are still low for New Mexico. At the Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas, Nevada, the conference announced the preseason polls for the Mountain and West Divisions.