Sports - The Daily Lobo

Sports

UNM Volleyball drops the ball against Aggies, ending win streak

Wyatt S. Padilla | September 22

It’s Rivalry Week across NCAA Volleyball, and the Battle of I-25 was on full display as New Mexico’s two division one universities competed till the end. The University of New Mexico Lobos ultimately were bested by their Rio Grande rival, the New Mexico State Aggies, on Wednesday, Sept. 17. This NMSU victory marks a snap in a three-game win streak in the rivalry for the Lobos Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar’s volleyball team. Both squads fought till the end, as the match went five sets. The first set was won by the Aggies 25-18, the second and third going to the Lobos, 25-23 and 25-18 respectively, before things swung back in favor of the Aggies, who took the fourth set 25-23 and fifth 15-7.

Sports

UNM Volleyball takes home win against NMSU

Marina Olmstead | September 19

The University of New Mexico Women’s Volleyball team had a rivalry match with the New Mexico State University Aggies on Tuesday, Sept. 16. NMSU came with fire, but UNM was not going to let go of their winning ways. NMSU came for blood in the first set of the match, with the score being tugged back and forth between the two teams. With outside hitter Uliana Yastrub bringing in UNM’s first kill, the score quickly turned in favor of the Lobos. The first break was called with a score of 15-11 with the Lobos on top. Only seconds back into the game, middle blocker Zoe Leonard slammed down NMSU’s attempt at a point. A timeout was called by NMSU, as they were hurting from a 23-17 score. NMSU brought back the heat, creeping up on the Lobos, but the first set ended in triumph for UNM as they secured it 25-21.

Sports

United falls in close match to FC Tulsa

Esmeralda Lozano | September 19

After a nail-biting night at New Mexico United’s home turf, fans were left disappointed as the team fell short, losing to FC Tulsa on Saturday, Sept. 13. United is currently at 10 wins, three draws and 10 losses. The game began when University of New Mexico Lobos Football Head Coach Jason Eck helped United get first possession of the ball after winning a coin toss. The energy was high from the start, as both players and fans carried passion and hope that another victory would be added to their record. The first half played out much as United had envisioned, with sharp distribution and precise timing with smooth momentum.

Opinion

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week: NFL week two edition

Rodney Prunty | September 19

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. NFL week two has come and gone and we saw blowouts, comebacks, thrilling conclusions and, of course, bobbleheads. Here are a few bobbleheads who should’ve stayed at home this week.

Sports

Lobo Aquatics hosts Jeff Mortensen Memorial Open

Marina Olmstead | September 15

The Lobo Aquatic Club hosted the Jeff Mortensen Memorial Open swim competition on Sept. 13-14 at the University of New Mexico Seidler Natatorium. Under the lead of their coach, Jarrod Trainor, the Lobos were eager to show off their hard training during the home meet. The competition itself is dedicated to Jeffrey Mortensen, who died in 2016. Before his death, Mortenson was a prominent member of the Lobo Aquatic Club Masters Swim Team, as well as a supporter of UNM’s women’s swim team.

Sports

A thorn in the Bruins’ shoulder

Wyatt S. Padilla | September 15

The University of New Mexico Lobo football team pushed the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins to their limits, beating the Bruins 35-10. The Lobos proved their ferocity both on defense and offense, during the game on Friday, Sept. 12, at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. This Lobos victory marks their first-ever win over a Big Ten opponent in football and their first triumph against a Power Conference program since the 2008 season. The last time UNM faced UCLA was in 2002, when former Lobos kicker Katie Hnida became the first female player in a bowl game.

Sports

OPINION: NFL Bobbleheads Week One

Simon Reseigh | September 12

The long wait is over as Week One of the 2025 NFL season wrapped up Monday night with the Minnesota Vikings shocking the Chicago Bears 27-24 at Soldier Field. Where there are winners, there are losers. But not all losses are created equal, some teams feature players who single-handedly cost them the game. These players are favorably called Bobbleheads. Here are the biggest Bobbleheads from Week One who helped their teams start the season on the wrong foot.

Sports

Isotopes go head-to-head against Round Rock

Elizabeth Bolke | September 10

This past week, the Isotopes went up against Round Rock in a back and forth series starting on Sept. 2 which finished with both teams trading wins and tying at three games a piece. Jose Torres was the star of the first game of the series with two home runs, the first at the bottom of the third inning and a second home run at the bottom of the seventh inning. The Isotopes would win game one 8-6. The second game of the series was a slow one, with only three runs from Round Rock, which was enough to get them the win as the Isotopes got shut out. The first and second games set a similar pattern for the next four games of the series.

Sports

Lobos take first rivalry game of the year

Alex Joe | September 8

The University Of New Mexico soccer team faced off against their in-state rivals, the New Mexico State University Aggies on Sunday, Sept. 7. The Lobos entered the game all smiles, as Head Coach Heather Dyche was awarded prior to the game for her 100th win following their victory over the University of Oregon on Aug. 28. The game would end on a high note as the Lobos pitched a shutout of the Aggies 4-0, giving Dyche her 102nd win.\\ The Lobos remain undefeated this season with a record of four wins and two ties.

Sports

Lobo running backs shine in win over Bengals

Rodney Prunty | September 8

The ground game was on full display for the University of New Mexico Lobos football team on Saturday, Sept. 6. Running backs Scottre Humphrey, D.J. McKinney, and Damon Bankston made their presence known, giving Idaho State University Bengals problems all game. At the end of the day, the dominance of the running game was too much for the Bengals to handle as the Lobos secured a 32-22 victory and earned Head Coach Jason Eck his first win as a New Mexico Lobo. University stadium was filled with 17,639 fans, the largest crowd the Lobos have gotten for a home opener since 2018.

Sports

Former Lobo Jacory Croskey-Merritt takes on the NFL

Austin Bishop | September 8

In New Mexico, Jacory Croskey-Merritt turned critics into believers. That same grit is fueling his NFL dream with the Washington Commanders. A rookie running back some believe will make noise this season, Croskey-Merritt is coming off a breakout season in 2023 at the University of New Mexico, where he rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns in his only season with the Lobos. Croskey-Merritt became the first Lobo to rush over 200 yards in back-to-back games, cementing his legacy. “The thing that stood out was he was a violent runner, an explosive runner, and his efforts were extreme,” then Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Bryant Vincent told Fox Sports.

Sports

Lobo volleyball sweeps invitational, starts season 3-0

Austin Bishop | September 1

The Lobos won their first match of the Lobo Invitational, sweeping the Manhattan Jaspers in three sets. The Lobos faced Northern Arizona University next in the invitational, where it came down to the wire. The final match against Houston Christian University, ending with another three-set sweep from the Lobos. The invitational took place at Johnson Gym, Aug. 29-30. In the first set versus NAU, the Lobos went back and forth competitively, with a tough start to the first set which tied 16-16. NAU then began to pull away, ultimately concluding the first set 25-17.

Sports

United struggle at home vs Sacramento Republic FC

Alex Joe | September 1

On Saturday, Aug. 30, New Mexico United lost to Sacramento Republic FC at home 2-0, achieving field dominance, but come up empty in front of the goal. United came into the game 8-8-3, in seventh place in the Western Conference and in need of a positive performance against a tough, defensive, Sacramento who sat in second in the conference at 8-5-7. Offense was a struggle in the first half for United with approximately 200 passes but only one shot that was not on target, opposed to three shots with two on target for Sacramento. Along with a lack of shots, both teams accumulated a lengthy number of fouls: nine in the first half for United and 10 for Sacramento.

Sports

Lobos howl but Michigan prevails

Rodney Prunty | September 1

The University of New Mexico Lobo football team kicked off the 2025 season at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday Aug. 30. The Lobos came into the game as underdogs, led by their new Head Coach Jason Eck, hoping to spoil the University of Michigan’s freshman Quarterback Bryce Underwood’s debut. Instead, Underwood led Michigan's offense, throwing for 251 yards and a touchdown, helping the 14th-ranked Michigan Wolverines beat the Lobos 34-17. The Lobos struggled from the get-go, as the Wolverine offense made it to mid-field on the first drive, after which Michigan Running Back Justice Haynes took it 56 yards to the house. Following a Lobos three-and-out, Haynes was able to find the endzone again on a 5-yard touchdown run. The first quarter ended with the Wolverines up 14-0.

Sports

Lobos tie 3-3 after comeback lead slips in second half

Paloma Chapa | August 25

On Sunday, Aug. 24, the University of New Mexico women’s soccer team played against the Colorado School of Mines, tying the game after leading 3-2 from three comeback goals. Colorado forward Bella Campos scored two early goals, giving the Orediggers a 2-0 lead until the 24th minute when Lobos forward Nicole Anderson scored the Lobos’ first goal of the game. After their first goal, the Lobos became a threat to the Orediggers’ lead, dominating their half and taking more shots — some of which were close range but deflected off of the Mines defense.

Sports

Isotopes split series against Las Vegas Aviators

Rodney Prunty | August 25

The Albuquerque Isotopes stole game four from the Las Vegas Aviators with a 8-7 win on Friday, Aug. 22 at Isotopes Park. The Isotopes came into the game down 2-1 in the series, as they won the opening game, but dropped games two and three. The Isotopes were able to return from the back-to-back losses and tie the series at two-a-piece. Similar to game three of the series, the beginning of the game did not start out so well for the Isotopes, who found themselves down 6-0 by the time the bottom of the third rolled around. This was mainly due to shaky pitching and sloppy play in the field; however, in the bottom of the third, the Isotopes started to pick things up with outfielder Zac Veen’s two run homer, making the score 6-2.

Opinion

OPINION: Will James Harden be a Hall of Famer?

Austin Bishop | August 25

When basketball fans talk about three point shooters, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Larry Bird usually dominate the conversation. However, over a sixteen year career, James Harden has proven that he belongs in the conversation with the best. Even though his stats are impressive, Harden has no ring and several playoff disappointments, a challenge to his Hall of Famer candidacy. The numbers don’t lie, James Harden is number 14 as an all-time scoring leader, 2018 MVP, 11- time all star and six-time NBA First Team. Harden in recent memory has led his team to multiple playoff runs and even carried his teams numerous times.

Sports

Lobo Volleyball wins exhibition match vs New Mexico Highlands

Austin Bishop | August 25

The University of New Mexico’s Lobo Women’s Volleyball went against the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls in an exhibition match on Saturday, Aug. 23, marking their first match of the season. The exhibition hit off with a bang, with the first point of the match being a kill by outside hitter Naomi Chankoumi. The Lobos kept up the pressure, serving strong and sharp. Setter and outside hitter Addison France made the second kill in the first set leading 2-0. There was not much fight from New Mexico Highlands in the first set, but the Cowgirls began to pick up as the last set was closing. Even though the Lobos were ahead, they did not slow down. The Lobos closed out the first set with a massive total of twelve kills, quickly leading the Lobos to a 25-7 victory.

Sports

OPINION: NFL 2025 division winner predictions

Simon Reseigh | August 25

The long wait is almost over. The NFL season is set to kick off Sept. 4 with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles facing their division rival, the Dallas Cowboys. The NFL is often the most unpredictable league in sports, but here are predictions for each division winner for the 2025–26 season. AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (14-3) The Ravens are coming off a heartbreaking playoff loss in January to the Buffalo Bills and will look to take the AFC crown.

Sports

Isotopes dominate in series opener versus Las Vegas, then fall in next two games

Elizabeth Bolke | August 22

The Albuquerque Isotopes take on the Las Vegas Aviators again this week, coming home after splitting the series with the Oklahoma City Comets last week. The Isotopes were looking for a win in game one to start the series. Isotopes Manager Pedro Lopez said he feels the team could have won 4 out of the six against Oklahoma City. “Unfortunately, it didn't happen. We ended up splitting, but it’s nice to be home and get the first one out of the way,” Lopez said.