Sports

Sports

Men's Basketball: Lobos post solid win, crushing Rams on the glass

Robert Maler | March 3

The University of New Mexico men's basketball team has known for a while that its only path to the NCAA Tournament is to win the Mountain West Championship later in the month. But that doesn't mean the final three regular season games aren't still important — and the Lobos treated Saturday's bout against Colorado State as such, winning 77-65 to improve to 6-10 in conference play and 12-16 overall. The win puts UNM in a tie with Boise State for 9th in the conference and keeps alive the possibility of climbing higher in the seeding prior to the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.

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Sports

Baseball: Improbable come-from-behind extends Lobo winning streak

Robert Maler | March 3

Lobo baseball was down to its final out in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday. New Mexico trailed San Jose State by one run, but was threatening within runners on the corners. A base hit would have tied the game, but that's not what happened in the game's final at-bat. Tyler Kelly put the ball in play — a slow dribbler toward third base — and while it wasn't an easy put out, it looked as though Spartan third baseman Troy Viola would scoop it up and make the throw to first to end the game.

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Blowout win over Rams keep MW title hopes in play for Lobos

Cameron Goeldner | March 3

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team went to Fort Collins on Saturday and took care of business in a wire-to-wire victory over  the last-place Colorado State Rams with a 79-56 victory to set up a showdown with Boise State on Monday that will effectively decide the Mountain West regular season champion.  “We kept our focus where it was supposed to be and played hard for 40 minutes,” head coach Mike Bradbury told the Albuquerque Journal. “You always worry a little about letting down but our players did a good job. Our defense forced 15 turnovers and we ended up with 10 more shots than CSU. I’m happy with that.”

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos "walk" their way to big win over San Jose State

Robert Maler | March 2

The University of New Mexico baseball team continued to improve on its record and run its current winning streak to five games by taking down the San Jose State Spartans Friday night at Santa Ana Star Field. New Mexico (7-3, 1-0 MW) won the conference opener and first matchup in a three-game series by a score of 14-2. But the Lobos gaudy run total probably didn’t come the way most might expect. UNM enjoyed an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second after junior catcher Reese O’Farrell drove in teammates Tyler Kelly and Connor Mang with a two-run single.

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Lobos travel to face Colorado State

Cameron Goeldner | March 2

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team (22-4, 12-3 Mountain West) travels north on Saturday to take on Colorado State University (8-18, 2-13 MW) at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colorado at 2 p.m. The Lobos got the better of the Rams when the two teams met in Albuquerque in January, 70-58. The Rams are currently in the midst of a six-game losing streak, but took league's top team, Boise State, to overtime before falling in their match up on Wednesday.  

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Lobos beat Spartans in record setting fashion

Cameron Goeldner | February 28

Staying after practice every day to shoot threes as Jaedyn De La Cerda does was bound to pay off for her eventually, and on Wednesday night against San Jose State, it did.  The Roswell native set a record for the most points off the bench, finishing with 31 to go along with seven rebounds, tying a career high, and three assists in a 110-72 victory over the Spartans.  “She’s put the work in, she’s put the time in, and when you do that generally, at some point it will pay off,” head coach Mike Bradbury said. “When you get your opportunity, she was ready for that. It’s well deserved.”

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Sports

Football: Romell Jordan, former UNM football player, dies unexpectedly

Cameron Goeldner | February 28

Former New Mexico running back Romell Jordan has died unexpectedly. He was 23-years old. Jordan’s death was first announced in a statement from the Boston Red Sox, where his brother Blake Swihart plays catcher.  Jordan played three years with the Lobos, rushing for 551 yards to go along with 85 receiving yards. He dealt with injuries for most of his time as a Lobo, including losing the entire 2016 season to a torn ACL he suffered in spring practice. He also dealt with the passing of his mother the following September. 

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Sports

Sports issue: Esports thrive at UNM

Mark Jacobson | February 26

Esports have enjoyed a large bump in popularity in the last five to ten years.  Tournaments have emerged from basements into convention centers and arenas. The purse for victorious teams has increased exponentially. From League of Legends to NBA 2K, the rise has been precipitous. The University of New Mexico even added their own Esports club in Sept. of 2018.

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Opinion

Sports Column: There's more to cheerleading than meets the eye

Alanie Rael | February 25

Stereotypes surrounding cheerleading have a history that dates back decades and are concepts most people grew up hearing.  Assumptions like “cheerleaders are dumb” or “cheerleading isn’t a real sport” are common when discussing the topic of cheerleading. But for many, cheerleading is a lot more than its stereotypes. As University of New Mexico cheerleaders, sophomores Amaia Bracamontes and JC Oellien have been confronted by these “standards” that seem to define them as athletes. 

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Sports

Sports Issue: ABQ soccer club look to kick off first season

Andrew Gunn | February 25

After months of anticipation, press releases, social media hype, and some familiar player signings, the New Mexico United soccer club is set to kick off their inaugural season this week at Isotopes Park. Officially unveiled as an expansion club on June 7, 2018, New Mexico United will play in the United Soccer League Championship league (USL), which occupies the second tier of the U.S. soccer pyramid under Major League Soccer (MLS). As part of a rapidly expanding soccer landscape in the U.S., United will join 35 other teams in the league in pursuit of domestic silverware, including the USL Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. While other pro or semi-pro soccer clubs in New Mexico have come and gone (New Mexico Chiles, Albuquerque Geckos), United appears set to stick around. In years past, scores of clubs around the country have folded due to lack of fan support, an inability to pay their players and league restructuring. The USL, meanwhile, has gained a firmer financial footing in the U.S. market through a closer relationship with MLS, promotion to Division II status by the U.S. soccer board of directors and a broadcast partnership with ESPN.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobo hopes work ethic will bring success

Matthew Narvaiz | February 25

It’s a Thursday afternoon practice and the cool, dryness of the Albuquerque air has a piercing touch. Coaches, players and staffers are all wearing long sleeves, jackets, or are layered in clothes to keep from the cold.  Standing near home plate, watching his teammates take batting practice, is Jared Mang — the 5’9 senior outfielder out of Los Alamos, New Mexico. He is wearing a red long sleeve emblazoned with a Lobo and a baseball diamond around it. To keep from the cold, he also has on a skull cap, though it's noticeably wrapped around his neck — to keep warm — with his helmet atop his head.

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Sports

Sports Issue: Lobos go 2-3 at Hawaii Invitational

Cameron Goeldner | February 25

The University of New Mexico softball team went 2-3 at the Hawaii Invitational last week, with an additional loss to Hawaii prior to the start of the tournament.  In a matchup with the Rainbow Wahine on Wednesday with Kianna Spencer in the circle, the Lobos lost a close matchup 2-1. Spencer threw six innings, giving up five hits, two runs (one earned), four strikeouts and no walks.

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Sports

Sports Issue: Jarrod Ronquillo works hard, loves his team

Robert Maler and Alanie Rael | February 25

His father was a Lobo. His mother was a Lobo. But coming to the University of New Mexico and becoming a Lobo himself may have seemed like a long-shot for Jarrod Ronquillo. Ronquillo, a two-sport athlete in high school, excelled on the soccer field — at an All-State level in fact, his father Tony Rochillo said. Jarrod went to high school in Minnesota and was pretty good in hockey as well, something that is probably vastly more competitive up north where more people seem to grow up around the game.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Despite difficult season, Lobos still have potential

Robert Maler | February 25

For many fans, the University of New Mexico men's basketball team has failed to live up to expectations this season — as high hopes and tremendous upside turned to mediocrity and relative embarrassment at times. The team returned a pair of seniors in Anthony Mathis and Dane Kuiper as well as sophomores Makauch Maluach and Vladimir Pinchuk — all of whom seemed to flourish under the leadership of then first-year UNM head coach Paul Weir. That quartet was joined by a slew of transfers, a couple of whom came from some high-profile programs. Vance Jackson came to UNM via UCONN, JaQuan Lyle transferred from Ohio State and the long-awaited debut eventually saw Carlton Bragg, who had previously played as a Kansas Jayhawk, take the floor.

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Opinion

Sports Column: Team sports are an integral part of campus community

February 25

Team sports can be an integral part of creating a cohesive and healthy campus community. For three years, I attended a private art university that did not offer any organized sports.  At first, I didn’t really care because I was an ‘artist’ and many artists didn’t do sports. At least, that’s the impression art school gave me, and I ran with it. I had participated in team sports my entire life — basketball, soccer and softball as a kid to competitive swimming as a teen— so when I was fresh out of high school, I wanted something completely different.

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Postseason looks promising for Lobos

Robert Maler | February 25

The University of New Mexico women's basketball team has put together an historically good season so far and things are looking pretty promising as postseason play draws near. New Mexico (21-4, 11-3 MW) has engineered one of the most successful seasons in program history to this point. And despite a couple of recent missteps against San Diego State and Fresno State, UNM still has a shot at garnering the top seed in the Mountain West after Boise State just stubbed its toe on Saturday at Utah State.

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Sports

Sports Issue: Former AD Krebs enters no plea to felony charges

Danielle Prokop | February 25

 Former Athletic Director Paul Krebs made his first appearance in 2nd District Judicial Court before Justice William Parnell on Friday.  He entered no plea. The court appearance was very short, lasting only five minutes or so. According to the prosecution, a preliminary hearing will be scheduled soon. He appeared with his attorney, Paul Kennedy.  Five felony accounts were leveled against Krebs, stemming from investigations surrounding the infamous Scotland trip in 2015 — during which, UNM said it paid $25,000 of public funds for boosters, Krebs, family and a few others to golf in luxury at Trump Aberdeen.

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Lobos win with strong second half

Matthew Narvaiz | February 21

The New Mexico women’s basketball team defeated Utah State 74-56 on Wednesday, thanks to scoring from the bench and a resurgent second half in which the Lobos dominated the Aggies in terms of rebounds.  Both Jaedyn De La Cerda and Antonia Anderson contributed 14 and 13 points each off the bench, as UNM outscored the Aggies 36-22 in the second half.  “The last 13 minutes we really played,” UNM head coach Mike Bradbury said. “Our response was really, really good. And I think that made a difference.”

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos held scoreless by No. 7 Oregon State

Matthew Narvaiz | February 20

While the University of New Mexico baseball team was able to garner two wins over the weekend against the likes of Gonzaga and Minnesota, the  No. 7 Oregon State Beavers once again proved to be the Lobos' kryptonite. On Friday, the Beavers worked a late-inning comeback to defeat UNM. And on Monday, the Beavers dominated from beginning to end, defeating the Lobos 5-0 to conclude the tournament in Surprise, Arizona.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos host home opener against Niagara in four game weekend slate

Matthew Narvaiz | February 20

The University of New Mexico baseball team will play its first game at Santa Ana Star Field this season, hosting Niagara in a four-game slate which features a doubleheader on Saturday. The Lobos (2-2) are coming off a series in Surprise, Arizona in which they split their four appearances. Both losses came against No. 7 Oregon State -- first in the series opener, which they led all the way up until the bottom of the ninth inning, when the Beavers scored three runs to take a 6-5 victory; and again on Monday, in the series finale, when the Lobos were shutout 5-0 by Oregon State.