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.
Lars Loeseth was one of the brightest and most successful athletes UNM has seen in recent years. And now, he is being recognized for it. Last week, ESPN The Magazine named Loeseth to the Academic All-American At-Large First Team.
UNM distance runner Jeremy Johnson couldn't have had a better ending to his collegiate track and field career. The senior earned All-American honors in the 10,000 meters after finishing seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 7 in Sacramento, Calif. Head coach Matt Henry said the award is the product of hours of hard work and training.
Two UNM baseball players were drafted in the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on June 8. Infielder Jordan Pacheco was picked in the ninth round by the Colorado Rockies and was the 282nd overall pick. Pitcher Bobby LaFromboise was taken in the 14th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 433rd pick.
The UNM men's golf team ended its season with a 29th-place finish at the NCAA Championships on June 1. The Lobos shot an 11-over-par 291 in the final round and finished with a three-day score of 872. UNM started 26th after the first day of play before falling to 28th after the second round.
In his first taste of competition, Steve Alford is pleased with what he has seen as the UNM men's basketball head coach. The Lobos came back to Albuquerque on June 1 after completing a weeklong trip in Nassau, Bahamas, where they played four exhibition games.
The UNM track and field team will be well-represented at the sport's biggest stage this season. Javelin thrower Katie Coronado, sprinters Ariel Burr and Jarrin Solomon and distance runners Timmie Murphy and Jeremy Johnson will make their first trip to the NCAA Championships, June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.
In 18 years at the helm of the UNM baseball team, head coach Rich Alday has a long list of accomplishments. Now, Alday is passing the torch. He announced May 21 he is stepping down as head coach.
The UNM men's basketball team has had mixed results in its first competition under head coach Steve Alford. The Lobos left May 25 for a week-long trip to the Bahamas, where they are playing three exhibition games against Bahamian club teams and one game against the College of the Bahamas Caribs.
Staff Report The No. 19 UNM women's golf team finished its season with a 22nd place showing at the NCAA National Championships held at the LPGA International Legends Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Lobos concluded their 13th appearance at the championships with a four-day total of 1,254 - 102-shots over par.
by Adrian Doerfler Daily Lobo The UNM track and field team had one of its best showings at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships under head coach Matt Henry on May 25-26 in Des Moines, Iowa. Of the eight athletes who qualified for regionals, four qualified for nationals and two are hoping to advance as at-large bids.
Baseball Recap: UNM is 22-25 overall and 8-10 in MWC play. The Lobos have won four of their last six and will play in the MWC Championships in Las Vegas starting May 22. Season highlight: Head coach Rich Alday won his 500th game as a Lobo on March 30 after the Lobos beat San Diego State 11-5. Season ...
by Brandon Call Daily Lobo If the top five players picked in the NFL Draft are any indication of things to come, it should be an interesting season. As everyone expected, the Oakland Raiders went for a quarterback and selected LSU's JaMarcus Russell. Russell is probably the best quarterback of the class, but he is no savior for the Raiders' offense.
by Steven Fernandez Daily Lobo This time, the UNM football defense shouldn't mind seeing the scoreboard light up. Today's Cherry-Silver spring football game at University Stadium will feature a new scoring system that will give the defense a chance to outscore the offense.
by Steven Fernandez Daily Lobo I can't decide what was the most absurd occurrence from the NFL Draft weekend - Brady Quinn plummeting to No. 22, the Patriots acquiring Randy Moss or the Philadelphia Eagles drafting Kevin Kolb out of Kazakhstan with their first pick.
Solutions by The State News
