Sports

Sports

UNM, NCAA begin to prepare for fall sports

Spencer Butler | July 12

When COVID-19 forced the NCAA to cancel spring sports and eliminate the NCAA basketball tournament, the question arose over whether UNM fall sports would meet the same fate. While local outbreak fears still linger, other college athletic programs have started to have fall sport teams practice with strict guidelines. This includes regular COVID-19 testing for players and staff and practicing in smaller groups in an attempt to combat the virus’ spread. On July 1, UNM Athletics director Eddie Nuñez said that one of 88 individuals associated with the UNM football team — including players, coaches and staff — tested positive for COVID-19 after testing took place on June 27.

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Sports

United resumes 2020 season with 2-1 escape against Switchbacks

Andrew Gunn | July 12

COLORADO SPRINGS — After 126 days, COVID-19 protocol stacked upon COVID-19 protocol and a seemingly endless wait for a return to soccer for New Mexico United supporters, the black and yellow returned to competition on a blistering Saturday evening in Colorado. The resumption of the USL Championship was a triumph for New Mexico, as a late Chris Wehan goal and stout defending saw United (1-1) take three points from and remain undefeated all-time against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (1-1). The 2-1 victory in front of a threadbare crowd of 1,000 spectators brought New Mexico to third behind Colorado Springs in the four-team Group C table with the weekend’s slate complete.

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Sports

Men's basketball: Jackson and Caldwell enter transfer portal

Joe Rull | March 30

Former University of New Mexico men's basketball starters JJ Caldwell and Vance Jackson announced their intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal after another disappointing season which saw a midseason collapse marred by suspensions and injuries. With one year of college eligibility remaining, Jackson is expected to graduate and play immediately for his new school under the NCAA's graduate transfer rule. Jackson's 2019-20 season was hindered by injury during the second half of the season, causing him to miss five games. Following the Lobos' season-ending loss to Utah State in the second round of the Mountain West Conference (MWC) championship tournament, "Vegas" Vance told reporters that he was sure he'd be back at UNM next season.

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Sports

Sam Choi named to the 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup Team

Spencer Butler | March 28

Sam Choi, a sophomore on The University of New Mexico’s men's golf team, has been named to the 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup International Team for his outstanding performance this season. Choi, originally from the Republic of Korea, was one of two members from the Mountain West to earn a spot on this prestigious team, which mostly consists of individuals from Power-5 programs. The nod adds to an impressive list of accolades, as Choi was selected as a 2018-2019 Co-Freshman of the Year and has twice won Mountain West Golfer of the Week award.

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Sports

Spring sports, winter championships canceled amid COVID-19 fears

Spencer Butler | March 13

The Mountain West Conference announced Thursday all spring sports and remaining Mountain West winter sports championships will be canceled due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. The cancelations follow the NCAA’s order to cancel all spring and winter events.  Cancelations include the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which were slated to take place at the Albuquerque Convention Center in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, this weekend.  The conference’s Board of Directors announced the decision shortly after the NCAA canceled all of its nationwide winter and spring championship events. The board had previously held these events to an “indefinite suspension” until March 12.

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Sports

Baseball captures three wins against Hofstra

Spencer Butler | March 8

The University of New Mexico’s baseball team captured three walk-off victories this weekend against Hofstra, which also gave them a sweep of the weekend’s games. The first game happened on Friday, March 6 and saw the Lobos win 12-11. UNM scored the first run of the game, which came on a single by Shane Podsednik and put the Lobos up 1-0. Hofstra, however, plated four runs in the top of the third, which gave them the lead.

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Sports

Lobo Men's basketball ends 2019-2020 season

Joe Rull | March 8

A true tale of two halves, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball 2019-2020 season came to an end in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Championship tournament.  After a promising 15-3 start, the Lobos (19-14, 7-11) stumbled to the finish line, entering the tournament on a 3-10 skid. UNM’s lackluster mark in conference regular-season play was good enough for the seventh seed in the 11-team conference tournament. The seeding drew UNM a play-in round matchup against San Jose State, with whom the Lobos split their two-game regular-season sla

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Sports

Lobos go 3-1 in BYU four-game homestand

Spencer Butler | March 2

This week, the University of New Mexico’s baseball team continued their home slate with a 3-1 series victory against the BYU Cougars. With the triumph, UNM improved to 8-3 this season.  The series began with an 8-7 victory on Thursday, Feb. 27, at Santa Ana Star Field.  The Lobos broke a ...

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Sports

UNM secures 7th seed in MWC after win against Utah

Joe Rull | March 1

THE PIT — It was quite the swan song for seniors JaQuan Lyle and Corey Manigault. Saturday, Feb. 29 marked the University of New Mexico's senior night and the end of Lyle and Manigault's home collegiate careers. A surging Utah State team (23-8, 12-6 MWC) came into the game having won nine of its last ten games and clinching second place in the conference. It was only fitting that the tandem took control during the game's waning moments and lifted UNM (18-14, 7-11 MWC) to a stunning 14-point comeback, giving the Lobos a 66-64 victory in their final home game of the season.

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Sports

Robertson, Hosey shine in senior night loss vs. Air Force

Angelina Pompeo | February 26

THE PIT — Monday night's matchup against Air Force (8-20, 6-11 MW) marked the UNM women's basketball team's Senior Night, where the Lobos honored its final-year players — namely starters Aisia Robertson and Jordan Hosey. The first half was hauntingly slow as UNM managed just 22 points. 14 of the team's 21 turnovers came in the first two frames, as the Lobo offense outside of Robertson and Hosey's performances stalled.

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Sports

Women's basketball falls again to Boise State

Angelina Pompeo | February 25

THE PIT — In their second matchup of the season, the Lobos fell 95-76 to Boise State's Broncos after losing a halftime lead and an eventual fourth-quarter collapse. At their previous meeting at the beginning of December, the Broncos (20-9, 12-5 MW) beat the University of New Mexico (14-15, 5-11 MW) by a single point. During the game, the team and crowd alike dressed in pink to support breast cancer awareness, and survivors were recognized on the court during breaks in the tilt.

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Sports

Lobos continue downward spiral with loss at Boise State

Joe Rull | February 23

BOISE, IDAHO  — 2020 hasn't been kind to the Lobos, to say the least. Sunday's 74-61 loss at Boise State (19-10, 11-6 MW) marked the University of New Mexico men's basketball team's 10th defeat since the start of the calendar year. It was the team's seventh loss in the last eight games. After entering 2020 with an impressive 13-2 mark, the Lobos now sit at 17-12, locked in seventh place in the Mountain West.

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Sports

Baseball sweeps home opener against Northern Colorado

Spencer Butler | February 23

SANTA ANA STAR FIELD — The University of New Mexico baseball team swept its 2020 home opener last weekend against the University of Northern Colorado. The series kicked off on Friday, Feb. 21 with a 7-6 win against the Bears. Northern Colorado struck early, as UNM junior Aaron Makil gave up two of his three runs in the top of the fourth inning, putting the Lobos in an early hole. UNM bounced back in the bottom of the same frame with a Connor Mang score after Ediberto Reyes' sacrifice groundout. UNM scored again on back-to-back doubles by Harry Fullerton and Shane Podsednik, locking the score at 2-2.

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Sports

Lady Lobos go 1-1 in Nevada road trip

Angelina Pompeo | February 20

This week, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team (14-14, 5-10 MW) played two games in Nevada, starting on Feb. 15 with an emphatic 80-64 win against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (12-13, 8-6 MW) and concluded with an 86-78 overtime loss against the University of Nevada (14-12, 7-8 MW) on Feb. 19.  Before heading into the UNLV game, Assistant Coach Bill Ferrara emphasized the importance of rebounding on both ends of the floor for team success. Going into the game, Ferrarra had noted that “it has certainly been a rough match-up for us physically”, and that “they play two bigs at all times and they pound it inside and they drive it on you. We have to contain the penetration.” After a physical first half in which neither team pulled away, the Lobos channeled their energy and dominated the final two frames, outscoring UNLV 44-27. 

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Sports

Lobos drop third straight as Alford wins in Pit return

Joe Rull | February 19

The Lobo crowd gave former head coaches Steve Alford and Craig Neal a true Pit welcome Tuesday night, as the now-Nevada coaching duo were introduced to thundering jeers from 12,000 strong. "The Pit shouldn't be quiet," Alford said. "The Pit shouldn't be doing standing ovations or clapping for the opposing coach, no matter who it was. I was here for six years. I never saw that happen, so it's what makes The Pit very, very special." In the end, it was Alford and Neal — University of New Mexico's previous men's basketball head coaches directly prior to the current Paul Weir era — who ended up on top. Nevada led the Wolf Pack to an 88-74 victory and handed UNM (17-11, 6-9) its third straight loss.

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Sports

Lobo baseball opens season at Sanderson Ford Classic

Spencer Butler | February 19

SURPRISE, A.Z. — The University of New Mexico baseball team played its first games of the season, taking part in the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic at Surprise Stadium in Arizona and splitting its games with two wins and two losses. UNM opened the season against 25th-ranked Oregon State, falling 11-4. This marks the third year in a row the Lobos have opened their season against the Beavers, with this installment getting away from the Lobos early as Oregon State ended the first inning with a 9-0 lead. Five of the runs came off junior pitcher Cody Dye, who was making his first start since 2018 after a season-ending Tommy John surgery and was unable to record an out before being pulled for sophomore Isiah Campa.

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Sports

Lobos lose nail-biter to UNLV

Joe Rull | February 18

The freefall continues for men's basketball. The team has now lost seven of its last nine games after a nailbiter at home against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (13-14, 8-6 MWC). One of the nation's top free-throw shooting teams, UNM (17-10, 6-8 MWC) missed 7 of its final 11 shots from the charity stripe as the game slipped away. "It seemed like we just ran out of a little bit of gas," UNM head coach Paul Weir said."“We didn't seem to play with a ton of just energy tonight, to begin with ... it was probably the first time we felt just flat in a while."

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Sports

Lobo football lands 23 recruits on National Signing Day

Spencer Butler | February 12

The University of New Mexico Lobo football team landed 23 new recruits last week — 22 being high school recruits. Of the recruits, 11 are for the offensive side of the ball, while 12 of the recruits are for the defensive side of the field, an area that the Lobos struggled in last season. For the offense, incoming head coach Danny Gonzales was able to ink five offensive linemen, three receivers, two tight ends and one running back.

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Sports

Athletics app would share user data with advertisers

Justin Garcia | February 12

An incoming University of New Mexico app would share users' data to advertisers, according to Athletics Department officials. UNM Athletics Director Eddie Nuñez briefly discussed the app during his presentation on the University's new deal with Outfront Media, a multimedia rights company. The new app would provide attendees of UNM sporting events with an augmented reality experience, according to Deputy Athletics Director David Williams. "(The app) was one of the first things that Outfront wanted to do. They’ve had success with it at other institutions similar to ours," Williams said in an interview with the Daily Lobo.

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Sports

Opinion: Losing team, supportive fans

Joe Rull | February 5

Ah, the Pit.  The mile-high home of Lobo basketball since 1966 has a storied history as one of most daunting venues in all of college hoops, and certainly one of its loudest. With stands angling steeply to a playing floor, the Pit gives the fans a legitimate presence in the game.  It’s customary for the thousands of Lobo faithful to stay on their feet from the opening tip until University of New Mexico records its first points of the game. Generally, this comes in the game’s opening sequence to a raucous, Pit-worthy roar.  Cut to last week’s game against still-unbeaten San Diego State.