It took the University of New Mexico just one day to find their new women’s tennis head coach as on Thursday, July 9, the University named Joe Vann to the position. This announcement comes after the former head coach, Vicky Maes, announced Wednesday she would be stepping down to take a new role as the Director of the Lobo Tennis Club.
University of New Mexico track & field and cross country star Habtom Samuel announced Tuesday that he would be leaving the University after completing his junior year to begin his professional career via a statement on social media. Samuel, an Eritrean native who competed as a Lobo for his entire collegiate career, would have had a fourth year of eligibility remaining, and in remarks to the media last month said he would “definitely” return next season for UNM, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
This year’s FIFA World Cup has taken sports fans by storm this summer, as viewers of different backgrounds are able to support their favorite professional soccer players, as well as those representing their country. With the summertime being more quiet and calm on campus, the University of New Mexico has decided to host watch parties for World Cup games in the Student Union Building atrium to keep spirits afloat, as well as connect people.
Following a win vs Sacramento Republic FC during USL Championship action, New Mexico United was back at home to face Atlante FC in an international friendly on Wednesday, July 1. The game turned out to be a very competitive shootout, with United going blow for blow in a 3-3 draw. This game was about the resilience of New Mexico, who made a comeback not once, but twice to end even.
The Enchantment — headlined by Lobos legend Donovan Dent — has announced their New Mexico-packed roster ahead of their upcoming tournament with a $2 million prize on the line.
Athletes from the University of New Mexico took top honors in the Mountain West yesterday, with the announcement of multiple awards including Male Athlete and Female Athlete of the Year for Habtom Samuel and Pamela Kosgei, respectively, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Akili Carris. Samuel and Kosgei’s wins mark the first time in Mountain West history that both Athletes of the Year came from the same school.
Following a successful stretch at home against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Albuquerque Isotopes looked to build on that momentum going into their series with the Salt Lake Bees. Albuquerque had its moments, with room to improve as they split the series 3-3.
The Lobos’ recruiting department continues to score behind the scenes, helping secure six new commitments within the past week. As of publication, New Mexico is up to 15 total commits and counting for their 2027 recruiting class.
The college basketball season is still months away, but building team chemistry takes time. The New Mexico Lobos Men’s Basketball team hosted an open practice at the Pit on Tuesday, June 23 to give a preview to fans of what to look forward to in the fall.
The Albuquerque Isotopes faced off against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys last week in a homestand following a tough road trip with stops in Salt Lake City and Tacoma. However, Albuquerque looked rejuvenated this time after those rough outings, taking the series from the Space Cowboys 4-2.
The wheels are in motion for New Mexico Goatheads hockey ahead of their inaugural season as General Manager Jared Johnson announced former NHL player Zack Stortini would be the team’s first head coach on Saturday, June 20. “The biggest thing for us was him just wanting to be here and be excited about it,” Johnson said. “At the same time, he knows what it takes to get to the highest level. You don't see a lot of guys drop from the AHL to the ECHL on the coaching side, so for him to want to make that jump and be a head coach and choose to do it here was everything we needed to know about him.”
This year’s NBA Finals were an exhilarating ride, with the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs neck-and-neck at pivotal moments during the five games played. The Spurs led by double digits at some point in every game, yet they could not stave off the Knicks. The Knicks’ appearance in the finals ended a 27-year drought of early endings to their season, and their Game 5 win ended a 53-year title drought.
“My dad said in one of our meetings during the spring, ‘if we put out the same effort we put out last year, we’re gonna get a worse result,’” University of New Mexico linebacker Jaxton Eck said of his father, Head Coach Jason Eck. There isn't a better way to put it, and it couldn’t be more true for the 2026 New Mexico Lobos. They’ll need a different type of effort, one much greater than last year’s 9-win season — ending in a bowl game — type of effort. They’re aware of the year 1964, which sits embedded at the top of University Stadium; A year representing greatness, but also a reminder of the 61 straight seasons the UNM football program fell short of their goal: winning a conference championship.
After a dominant performance against Phoenix Rising, New Mexico United was back at home vs Orange County SC on Juneteenth. After jumping out to a quick lead, New Mexico was unable to capitalize on other scoring opportunities as they would draw even in the end. However, with the draw, Orange County still has not defeated United since 2019. United struck first with an early goal in the 2nd minute from defender Kipp Keller, who would continue to be the motor for both the offense and the defense with 6 defensive contributions.
The Lobos’ 2027 recruiting class is starting to take shape as the Albuquerque summer heat continues to melt away at the Lobo faithful — waiting patiently for fall camp to begin. At the time of publication, the Lobos have eight total commits, five on defense and three on offense, including four newcomers who verbally committed last week.
Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes, certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. This year's NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs has brought us down-to-the-wire action throughout every game, but with that comes the emergence of bobbleheads and two stand out above the rest, specifically for their errors in a pivotal Game 4 of this series.
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will be soon making its return to New Mexico this year for their Summer Tour. The number-one wrestling promotion will once again test their limits to deliver suplexes, clotheslines, and body slams under the bright lights, along with big- name wrestlers and characters filled with charisma. The company announced 10 dates for its summer full of events, with their first two stops being in Las Cruces at the Pan American Center on Saturday, July 11 and in Albuquerque at the Pit on Sunday, July 12.
The Lobos’ football team has taken the field for 94 years, and not once have they entered a season as the betting-odd favorites to win the conference, until now. After hiring Head Coach Jason Eck, who led the team to just their sixth season with nine or more wins in program history and a trip to the Rate Bowl – their first bowl appearance since 2016 – the Lobos became one of the nation's top stories in all of college football.
Following a scoreless draw on the road versus the Hartford Athletic, New Mexico United returned home for some Prinx Tires USL Cup action versus Phoenix Rising. New Mexico dismantled Phoenix 4-0 after a huge second-half performance. New Mexico applied pressure throughout the first half, but gained more shots on goal in the closing minutes. In the extra time before the whistle blew at half, United forward Niall Reid-Stephen scored off of a perfect assist from defender Christopher Gloster.
Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes, certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren Early in the playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked to be in prime position to repeat as champions. They had the best record in the NBA and came into the Western Conference Finals 8-0 in the postseason, sweeping both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. However, throughout the regular season, one team seemed to have their number, and that happened to be the team they would have to face with a trip to the NBA finals up for grabs.
Solutions by The State News
