The 2024-2025 Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent will make his return to the Land of Enchantment this summer to play for The Enchantment. Dent may not be rocking cherry and silver, but he will represent the state of New Mexico as team captain alongside former alumni.
Running back Hershul Olloway Jr. of St. Pius X High School verbally committed to the University of New Mexico on May 22 via an announcement on X. Now New Mexico’s newest pair of hands in the backfield, Olloway Jr. rushed for 1,930 yards and 28 touchdowns in his junior season, and his speed also led him to a pair of victories in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash finals at the 2026 NMAA State Track & Field Championships last month.
James Laubstein, the 6-foot-3, 211-pound freight train at quarterback, is back for the Lobos this upcoming season. The Bethany, Connecticut, native will return for his sixth season of college football after winning an appeal to the NCAA for a waiver granting him another year of eligibility.
The University of New Mexico Lobos baseball team returned to Santa Ana Star Field one last time for a fourth matchup in the Rio Grande rivalry against the New Mexico State University Aggies. Despite the Aggies taking the first three games throughout the season, the Lobos would win the finale on May 12 by a final score of 12-6, sending Lobo fans home happy this time. This contest saw New Mexico State draw first blood, as Aggies designated hitter Aidan Taclas drove in a run with a double in the first inning, but Lobo starting pitcher Cooper Corkrean hunkered down and held the Aggies to just the one run in that inning. Promptly in the home half with runners at the corners, Lobo third baseman Akili Carris tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly.
The University of New Mexico Lobos added another signal caller to the quarterback room this spring after landing 2027 3-star Bradley Cassier out of St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica, California. At 6-foot-4-inches and 200 lbs, Cassier is listed as the 101st overall quarterback recruit in the nation and the 173rd overall player in the state of California, according to Profile Recruiting player rankings. Cassier chose the Lobos amid offers from schools such as Arizona State University, Washington State University, Colorado State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Boston College.
When there’s a winner, there’s a loser. Sometimes a player can do everything in their power to win a game and still lose. Just as often, a player’s performance can cost their team the game. These players are favorably called bobbleheads.
After just one season, the University of New Mexico and men’s basketball coach Eric Olen have agreed to a five-year contract, keeping him in New Mexico for the foreseeable future. In his single season at the helm, Olen led the Lobos to a 26-11 record (13-7 in conference play), and an NIT tournament appearance where they made a deep run but ultimately lost to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Olen also now holds the title for most postseason wins (conference & national tournaments) by a first-year Lobo head coach with four.
It’s been over two weeks since University of New Mexico Lobos’ Head Coach Jason Eck and his squad wrapped up their annual spring game to conclude the spring portion of practices for the 2026 football team. While we are still five months away from the season opener versus Central Michigan on Sept. 5, spring ball gave us an early look at what’s to come this fall at University Stadium.
Following a win versus AV Alta FC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, New Mexico United were back at it at home for two big matchups between the El Paso Locomotive FC on Star Wars Night on Wednesday, May 6, and the Las Vegas Lights FC on Country Night, Saturday, May 9. United forward Greg Hurst used the power of the force to score his first two goals of the season, both in the first half versus the Locomotive on May 6. “It took six games to get a goal, and I managed to get two, but I've never lost any confidence,” Hurst said.
Born in Pocatello, Idaho, becoming a standout football player in his hometown of Helena, Montana, and now competing at the highest level of professional football in the world. Former Lobo Keyshawn James-Newby has found his opportunity with the Philadelphia Eagles. On Saturday, April 25, the former Lobos defensive end became the first Lobo drafted since safety Jerrick Reed II in 2023. James-Newby is the 67th player to be drafted from the University of New Mexico all-time, and is the first Lobo defensive lineman drafted since Larry Dibbles in 1973. The Eagles selected James-Newby with the 252nd pick in the seventh round.
On Friday, April 24, the University of New Mexico Lobo track and field team hosted its final home meet of the 2025-26 season with the Don Kirby Tailwind Twilight, celebrating the team’s seniors. Going into the meet, the men’s team was ranked No. 21 nationally and the women’s team No. 22. “We love hosting track meets,” Lobos Head coach Darren Gauson said. “This is our second Twilight meet of the year. Having an opportunity for us to have some local schools, it’s great to have UTEP here, New Mexico State, New Mexico Junior College, a few others as well.”
If there’s one true takeaway from Saturday’s spring game, the Jason Eck effect is as real as it gets. On April 26, University Stadium saw its biggest attendance in a long time for their annual spring game. In a game of the University of New Mexico Lobos battling Lobos, it wasn’t hard to see that the defense is ahead of the offense at this point in the year. Given the returning players on defense, that should be expected.
Following their series against the University of Nevada, the University of New Mexico Lobos continued their home stand by crushing the Colorado State University Pueblo Thunderwolves 11-3 on Tuesday, April 21. After starting pitcher Ethin Woltz faced the minimum, the Lobo offense promptly got the party started as the first four men in the Lobo lineup reached and plated 2 runs before the Thunderwolf starting pitcher Cole Bloomer could record an out. Bloomer was promptly pulled from the game, but the Lobo offense continued as they batted around in a 5-run first inning that saw doubles from right fielder Anthony Diaz, shortstop Karsen Waslefsky and first baseman Gene Trujillo.
After their loss to New Mexico State University in March, the Lobos had been hoping to avenge the loss, and they did just that on Tuesday, April 21, winning 10-6. “I think we were playing better softball a month later than we were a month ago,” University of New Mexico Head Coach Nicole Orgeron said. The game against the Aggies started with NMSU scoring 4 runs in the first inning, highlighted by a 3-run home run from designated player Madi Bachman.
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. The NFL draft and NBA playoffs are here and we have seen a bobbleheaded pick and bobbleheaded performance.
The Isotopes returned to Albuquerque after a series win in El Paso against the Chihuahuas for a six-game set against the Oklahoma City Comets. The Isotopes would go on to win the series, taking four of the six games. At the top of the second inning in game one of the series, the Comets got on the board first with a 5-run inning highlighted by left fielder Zach Ehrhard hitting the first inside the park grand slam at Isotopes Park. The Isotopes scored their second run in the 5th and were down 9-2 before a rally in the bottom of the seventh, plating 4 runs.
After sweeping San Diego State University the previous weekend but dropping a game in Las Cruces against New Mexico State University, the Lobos returned to Santa Ana Star Field for a three-game set against the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. The University of New Mexico would win one of the three games in the series, which was held Friday to Sunday, April 17-19, with Nevada taking first place in the Mountain West. “We could have just as easily won two out of three or lost all three games, but winning one was very important and I’m proud of the fight this team showed in this series,” Lobo Head Coach Tod Brown said.
The Lobo football team wrapped up their third week of spring practice on Friday, April 17. The University of New Mexico held its second scrimmage throughout practice as they inch closer to their annual spring game. Linebackers kept making play after play during the scrimmage. The linebacker position has a case to be the strongest position group heading into next season.
The Lobos returned to Santa Ana Star field after their weekend series win against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a rematch with the Texas Tech University Red Raiders who run-ruled them the last time these teams matched up and ultimately crushed the Lobos again, 10-5. The game began with Ethin Woltz, the first of 10 pitchers the Lobos threw in this bullpen game, spinning two scoreless innings while Lobos designated hitter Damian Garcia started scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first.
In a series between two of the top teams in the Mountain West, the Lobos came out on top by sweeping the three-game set and taking first place in the Mountain West standings. After losing to Texas Tech University earlier in the week, the University of New Mexico was able to win three straight against the San Diego State University Aztecs on April 10-12. Game one of the series was an absolute thrill ride. Starting pitcher Cristian Mogen was looking for a bounce-back start after a rough outing his last time in Las Vegas, and he delivered in a big way. He gave the Lobos a quality start, going 7 innings, allowing 3 runs and striking out 11 while walking just 1 runner.
Solutions by The State News
