Summer of 2007 will forever live in my memory as the Summer of Scandal. I've never seen three major sports get hit so hard in such a short amount of time.
The middle of the summer is usually the least active time of year for the active sports fan.
After a week of two-a-day training sessions and a pair of exhibition games, the women's soccer team is dog tired - just don't call them underdogs.
The Jeff Nelson era is underway for the UNM volleyball team. Nelson made his coaching debut in style Saturday as the Lobos swept the UNM alumni team 30-12, 30-24, 30-14 in an exhibition match at Johnson Gym.
The UNM men's and women's tennis teams are dusting off their rackets and gearing up for the Lobo Labor Day Tournament. The tournament, held Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 at the Lobo Tennis Club, serves as a great way for Lobo players to get back into playing shape, men's head coach Alan Dils said.
Head coach Rocky Long threw a new twist into two-a-day practices for the UNM football team this summer. And even though waking up at 6 a.m. may not be appealing for players, Long is confident the pros will outweigh the cons.
First-year head coach Jeff Nelson is attempting to rebuild the UNM women's volleyball program. In 2006, under head coach Kelley McKee, UNM went 10-20 overall and finished 5-11 in conference play, taking eighth in the Mountain West Conference.
UNM intends to combat Albuquerque's fickle weather with its indoor practice facility. A variety of Lobo sports teams will benefit from the facility, head football coach Rocky Long said.
The UNM men's basketball program is beginning a new era after one of the most difficult years in its history. After the Lobos' second losing season in 24 years, Steve Alford was hired to replace Ritchie Mckay in order to bring the howl back to The Pit.
With a new coach comes a new system, and with a new system comes new recruiting ideas. But UNM track and field and cross country head coach Joe Franklin said that even though it's a new system, the program will continue to pursue local athletes.
When Matt Henry decided to retire from UNM, he said he was leaving partly because former Athletics Director Rudy Davalos wasn't committed to the track and cross country teams.
Just in case the stakes of the rivalry weren't high enough, UNM and NMSU tacked on a bonus to add to the competition between the two schools.
UNM men's golfer Steve Saunders didn't repeat as the Albuquerque Men's City Amateur Golf champion. But his results weren't too shabby.
The Lobos are losing a player from the UNM men's basketball team but gaining another at a much-needed position. David Kanyinda spent his freshman season in 2006-07 playing a minimal role for the Lobos. The 6-foot-2-inch guard from Sandia High School averaged 1.5 points per game with UNM last season.
UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs didn't have to travel far to find his new baseball coach. Ray Birmingham, who spent 18 seasons as the head coach at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, replaces Rich Alday, who led the Lobos for 18 seasons.
If you haven't watched Major League Baseball all season, start now. Dust off your ball caps, pull out your jerseys and get ready for the best players in the country to take the field. With the selections being made July 1, it's that time again for the MLB All-Star Game, and this year promises more surprises than Oprah at Christmastime.
The turnover of head coaches at UNM continues. Ray Birmingham was named head coach of the Lobo baseball team on June 20. He signed a five-year contract worth $90,000 per season. Birmingham spent the past 18 seasons coaching New Mexico Junior College.
Members of the UNM track and cross country teams might not have heard of Joe Franklin before, but that doesn't mean he's not qualified for the job. Franklin was named head coach of the Lobos after coaching 12 years at Butler University, where he helped build a strong program.
Staff Report The UNM men's soccer team has added two players to a roster already loaded with experience. The Lobos announced on June 14 that they got commitments from Diego Barrera and Joel Thiessen. Barrera is transferring to UNM after three years at Loyola Marymount University.
Staff Report A couple of assistant coaches are moving up the ranks at UNM. Athletics Director Paul Krebs filled the holes of the ski team and women's golf team on June 14. After head ski coach George Brooks retired from UNM in 2007, Krebs announced Fredrik Landstedt as his replacement.
Solutions by The State News
