Sports

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.

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Sports

Baseball: Mang, Garley take home first Mountain West weekly awards

Matthew Narvaiz | February 18

In the first week of action back on the diamond, both Jared Mang and Nathaniel Garley took home the first weekly Mountain West awards, the conference announced on Monday.  Mang was named MW Player of the Week, while Garley was named MW Pitcher of the Week. 

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Lobos unable to finish strong, lose seventh home game of season

Robert Maler | February 18

The University of New Mexico men's basketball team looked pretty good in California for at least one half when it faced Fresno State a couple of weeks ago, but saw the game slip away thanks to some lengthy scoring droughts and spotty play. New Mexico (11-14, 5-8 MW) probably liked its chances if it could be more consistent this time around — play just a little bit better for a little bit longer. The Lobos did, and held a led deep in the second half, but saw the same outcome duplicated when it fell to the Bulldogs 81-73 on Saturday night at Dreamstyle Arena aka The Pit.

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Sports

Women's Basketball: Fresno State bests Lobos in close match

Robert Maler | February 18

California hasn't been kind to the University of New Mexico women's basketball lately, as the team just dropped two of three games there this month. New Mexico (20-4, 10-3 MW) dropped a close one, 61-59, to San Diego State on Feb. 6, which snapped a six-game winning streak. And though the Lobos got back on track with a win over San Jose State on Wednesday, they faded Saturday in the second half in a 77-70 loss at Fresno State.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Lobos exploit Spartan weaknesses from 32-point win

Robert Maler | February 17

San Jose State stood toe-to-toe with the University of New Mexico men's basketball team for a while, but the Lobos eventually wore the Spartans down and cruised to a 32-point blowout on Wednesday evening. New Mexico (11-13, 5-7 MW) registered the first points of the game after sophomore point guard Keith McGee drilled a 3-pointer to open the scoring. But Noah Baumann answered right back to tie things up, one of eight first-half ties along the way.

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Sports

Baseball: No. 8 Oregon State capitalizes on UNM’s late-inning pitching mistakes

Matthew Narvaiz | February 15

After a strong start at the plate, in which the University of New Mexico baseball team had as much as a 4-0 lead on No.8 Oregon State, it was pitching in the final innings that led to the Lobos’ demise.  New Mexico (0-1) gave up three runs in the seventh and three in the bottom of the ninth, ultimately surrendering a victory to the Beavers (1-0), 6-5, on Friday afternoon in Surprise, Arizona.  It was the season opener for both teams. 

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Sports

Baseball Season Preview: Birmingham, Lobos ready for a fresh start

Matthew Narvaiz | February 13

What word best describes this year’s baseball squad — it depends on who you ask.  Jared Mang, a captain and senior outfielder for the University of New Mexico baseball team, described this Lobos team as “competitive.”  If you ask Justin Watari, a junior infielder, he’ll say “chemistry.”  And if you ask head coach Ray Birmingham how to describe this season’s team, he’ll give you a witty, yet informative, take on his players. 

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Sports

Baseball: Program starts "rebuild" with First Pitch Banquet

Robert Maler | February 11

The University of New Mexico baseball team held its "First Pitch Banquet" on Friday afternoon as the team welcomed an ESPN personality to the local baseball community and attempted to raise funds for the upcoming season. UNM baseball head coach Ray Birmingham said he is tasked with raising $150,000 every year through donations and the banquet was a step toward accomplishing that goal.

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Sports

Softball: Lobos take two of three in New Mexico State Invitational

Cameron Goeldner | February 11

The New Mexico Softball team started their season off at the New Mexico State Classic in Las Cruces this weekend, playing three games over two days and recording a 2-1 record to start the season.  Victories over UTEP and Creighton were followed by a one-run defeat to the Aggies on Saturday afternoon.