Sports

News

UNM finds interim athletics director

Nichole Harwood | August 13

UNM interim President Chaouki Abdallah has appointed Janice Ruggiero as Acting Director of Intercollegiate Athletics while UNM continues it’s search to fill the position permanently. The transition from Paul Krebs’ term has gone as smoothly as possible and her experience has prepared her for the temporary position, Ruggiero said. “I have been very fortunate to have overseen most departments within our athletic department excluding the external operations,” she said. “I have been here for almost 28 years so I know the different individuals to go to for most situations that may arise.” 

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Sports

Men's Soccer: Lobos finish strong in opening exhibition game

Robert Maler | August 13

UNM’s men’s soccer was unbeaten at home last season and continued to protect home turf with an exhibition win over Air Force on Saturday. Both teams had stretches in the first half where each controlled the ball, but Air Force and New Mexico played to a dead heat, going into halftime tied 0-0 at the UNM Soccer Complex. The Falcons struck first, putting an Austin Dewing shot past the goalkeeper at the 61:11 mark to snag a 1-0 advantage over the Lobos. But the lead was short-lived.

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Sports

Men's Soccer: Lobos begin 2017 campaign with exhibition match against Air Force

Robert Maler | August 12

The New Mexico men’s soccer team has a nearly even split of new and returning players, and they are likely itching to showcase their talents in some upcoming exhibition matches. Head coach Jeremy Fishbein said the coaching staff is just as excited, and all the work that has been put in since January will finally be put into action on Saturday, Aug. 12 against Air Force. “It’s a new season; we’re real excited about the team,” he said. “The returning guys have really put in a lot of work and they are prepared — and I’m excited about these new guys and seeing them get their first college minutes.” Fishbein said there are 27 student-athletes — 13 newcomers and 14 returning players — and each will be looking to make an impact.

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Sports

Men's Basketball Q&A: Keyana Smith reveals how Lobos pursue academic success

Robert Maler | August 11

A recent academic award for the New Mexico men’s basketball team may have had Lobo fans remembering some of the issues and the start of last season and pondering the simple question — how? Former head coach Craig Neal said he was disappointed in several things early on in the 2016-17 season, prompting him to shake up the starting lineup. He cited some of the issues having to do with effort on the court but also said there were players that were failing to meet expectations in the classroom. The players answered the academic call, setting a high standard for others to follow along the way. The team picked up the pace to secure a cumulative grade point average that reached 3.05. Tim Williams, who was a senior last season, said the players realized that if they didn’t take care of things in the classroom, there wouldn’t be basketball. He said they decided to really buckle down to get things corrected.

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Sports

Track and Field: New and former Lobos notch strong showings in international competition

Cameron Goeldner | August 11

Four current and former Lobos track and field athletes are currently competing at the IAAF World Championships in London, England. Current Lobo and reigning NCAA Champion Josh Kerr will represent Great Britain in the 1,500 Meter Run and is joined by Lobo Alumni and Olympians Courtney Frerichs, who will compete for the United States in the 3000-meter women's steeplechase and Jarrin Solomon, representing Trinidad & Tobago in the men's 1,600-meter relay. Armoush, representing Jordan in the women's 1,500-meter run will round out the field for the Lobos. In total, the Mountain West Conference will have 10 representatives in London. Kerr, who, in addition to being named the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year, completed the indoor/outdoor sweep. He became just the 11th athlete in NCAA history, and the first since 2008, to complete the feat, winning the National Championships in the mile and the 1,500 meter run at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor championships.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: New assistant coach prepares for ambitious season ahead

Matthew Narvaiz | August 2

His first day on the job was not much different from many others, albeit he is the newest member of the University of New Mexico men’s basketball coaching staff.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Former Lobo Tim Williams signs deal to play overseas

Robert Maler | July 31

Former Lobo forward Tim Williams worked out for a few NBA teams, but found himself on the outside looking in after the draft. He still found a way to begin a pro career — multiple reports confirmed the big man signed with Atomerőmű SE, a professional basketball team based in Paks, Hungary. Although Williams will be thousands of miles away from the United States and likely adjusting to a vastly different environment, there will also be some familiarity.

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Sports

UFC 214: Jon "Bones" Jones reclaims light heavyweight title

Robert Maler | July 31

“The winner by knockout and now — and again — the new undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion of the world...Jon 'Bones' Jones.” That was the announcement booming from the golden voice of Bruce Buffer after Jones defeated Daniel "DC" Cormier at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California to emerge with the title in the headline fight at UFC 214. Jones has ties to New Mexico in more ways than one. He has trained out of the local Jackson Wink MMA Academy for many years, but he was also stripped of his title in 2015 following an arrest for a hit-and-run accident in Albuquerque. The incident occurred just months after he defeated Cormier in their first championship match.

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Sports

UFC: More than a title on the line for Cormier and Jones

Matthew Narvaiz | July 27

Saturday’s title fight between current light heavyweight champion Daniel "DC" Cormier and the former champion, Jon "Bones" Jones, is a spectacle in its own right. While Cormier has elevated to stardom, Jones has taken the beaten path of sorts after he was involved in a hit-and-run incident in April 2015, which stripped him of his title. Then in July of 2016 he was banned for a year from competing by USADA after he tested positive for a banned substance. The two couldn’t have been on more opposite sides of the spectrum, but at the same time, on equal footing entering Saturday’s rubber match. For Cormier, the fight represents a completion of himself as a fighter, since his only loss in the Octagon was to “Bones.” As for Jones, the fight represents the overcoming of his old self and the subsequent redemption of the new Jones.

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News

Editors' Picks: Some of our favorite shots and stories from 2016 until now

July 23

Editorial Note: These articles and images have been revisited (and some reprinted) as part of our "Editors' Picks" issue. The pieces can be viewed by clicking the links listed below. This issue was created with the intent of showcasing some of the Daily Lobo's best work from Aug. 2016 until now. Our news, sports, culture, photo and music editors — along with our Editor-in-Chief — selected some of the most memorable pieces and moments to compile this year-in-review style issue. Although we were unable to include everything in print, more of our favorites can be found online and in our archives. The Daily Lobo staff

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Sports

Football: Strong turnout highlights women's clinic

Robert Maler | July 23

A blustery wind and ominous-looking thunderstorm weren’t enough to scare off a bevy of women, who came out in strong numbers for the 24th Annual Lobo Football Women’s Clinic on Friday. The storm ultimately missed Dreamstyle Stadium, offering just a few sprinkles and allowing the event to go off without a hitch. The parking lot continued to fill up as women continued to check-in and fill up the tents near the south end zone. Ashley Bowen, a former UNM student, and Michaela Holler, a current nursing major at UNM, attended the clinic for the first time.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: UNM roster nearing completion, while former Lobos find new teams

Robert Maler | July 22

Shortly after the conclusion of the 2016-17 Lobo basketball season, a mass exodus of players began. Despite a coaching change that saw some players have a change of heart, the team still lost six players who had played significant minutes. Former Lobo point guard Jordan Hunter was the last and most recent of the six to find a new home. Hunter announced that he will be sitting out a year and intends to play out his eligibility at Lamar via Twitter. With all six former players finding new landing spots, some might argue that the UNM team last year had plenty of talent and the ability to be much better than its 17-14 overall record. But other than former shooting guard Elijah Brown, no player came close to averaging double figures. Regardless of whether the players, the coaches, injuries (or a combination of all three) deserve the blame, none of them seemed to play up to their potential.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Weir calls new Aussie signee "a perfect fit"

Matthew Narvaiz | July 21

The Lobos recruited Down Under for their latest signee to the University of New Mexico's men’s basketball program for the 2017-18 basketball season. That signee is 6-foot-5 wing guard/forward Makuach Maluach, who hails from Australia but was born in Sudan. Maluach,19, brings a healthy dose of basketball background with him, as he was a member of the Australian junior national team, where he competed in the FIBA U18 Oceania Championships—there, he averaged 7.2 ppg amd five rebounds in 2016. He also played prep ball at Newington College in Stanmore, NSW, Australia under head coach Rex Nottage.

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Sports

Track and Field: Kerr receives Athlete of the Year Award

Matthew Narvaiz | July 20

Awards seem to be a frequent sight for the University of New Mexico’s student athletes. This time, Josh Kerr, distance runner and incoming sophomore, managed to pick up one of the highest honors given to a student-athlete — he was named Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year. Last season, Kerr also picked up two individual NCAA titles during the 2017 track season for the mile run and the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor championships. “It’s a great honor for Josh and the University of New Mexico to be honored with the highest athletic award that the Mountain West can give. To be a two-time NCAA champion at such a young age is a testament to his dedication and talent,” Track and Field head coach Joe Franklin said in a press release.

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News

Hundreds of thousands in uncollected "Pit" suite fees place cloud over UNM athletics

Matthieu Cartron | July 19

It was only a few months ago that UNM was under fire for the Scotland golf trip scandal — the athletic director at the time, Paul Krebs, allegedly used public funds from UNM to finance a golf trip for himself, coworkers and business friends. Now, the focus has shifted to a new scandal involving perhaps the university’s most recognizable venue, “The Pit," recently renamed Dreamstyle Arena. Many reports have suggested there are uncollected skybox ticket revenues that date back as far as 2010 and total $432,000. The Lobo Club, the branch of UNM athletics charged with independent fundraising as well as financial management of the luxury suites, has come under heavy scrutiny for what appears to be errant and disorganized managing practices.

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Sports

Football: Lobos looking forward to upcoming annual women's clinic

Robert Maler | July 19

The 24th Annual Lobo Football Women’s Clinic is scheduled to begin on July 20 at Dreamstyle Stadium, giving women a firsthand look at the program. Head Coach Bob Davie seemed to be looking forward to hosting the upcoming clinic and generating some excitement, while also potentially picking up some new fans. “The Lobo Football Women’s Clinic has become a great tradition here at UNM,” he said in a release. "Every year we look forward to the opportunity to give the women of New Mexico an inside look of what Lobo football is all about."

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Sports

Men's Basketball: Lobos lose member of coaching staff to Western Kentucky

Matthew Narvaiz | July 16

Marc Hsu, who came along for the ride with new Lobo head coach Paul Weir to assist in coaching duties at New Mexico, is back on the road again. Hsu has left the program to continue his coaching career at Western Kentucky University, where he will take on the role of assistant coach. Before Hsu followed Weir to the University of New Mexico men’s basketball program, he made stops as an assistant coach at Barton County Community College (2005-06), Laurinburg Prep (2006-07), Chipola Junior College (2007), Oregon State (2007-08), Binghamton (2008-10), Texas Southern (2010-12), CSU Bakersfield (2013-16) and New Mexico State (2016-17).

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Sports

Football: Lobos viewed as one of most entertaining teams in the country

Robert Maler | July 9

Lobo football fans already had plenty of reason to be excited — coming off a nine-win season, earning a share of the division crown and capping things off with a victory in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The team showed a penchant for rattling off big plays and lighting up the scoreboard. At one point in the season, UNM running back Teriyon Gipson, as an individual, had as many plays of 50 yards or more as any other team in the nation. Now others are starting to take note of UNM’s potential and exciting style of play. Matt Brown of sportsonearth.com recently referred to the Lobos as “one of the most entertaining teams to watch” in college football, a release said.

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Sports

Men's Basketball: 2017-18 non-conference schedule released

Matthew Narvaiz | July 6

With the season a little over four months away, the University of New Mexico men's basketball team finalized its non-conference schedule for the 2017-18 season. The schedule of non-conference opponents features 13 games in total — eight at home in the newly named Dreamstyle Arena, five on the road. The home games include a matchup with Arizona – the team’s first time at The Pit in nearly 20 years – and a Dec. 9 Rio Grande Rivalry matchup with new Lobo head coach Paul Weir’s former team, New Mexico State. Other notable home matchups include: Tennessee Tech, Rice and Nebraska-Omaha. Nebraska-Omaha and Tennessee Tech’s visit to Dreamstyle Arena rounds out the first two games of the Emerald Coast Classic before the Lobos travel to Destin, Fla. to play TCU and either St. Bonaventure of Maryland in the very same tournament. From there, UNM will host Evansville on Nov. 29 in the 2017 Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge.

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Sports

Women’s Soccer: Lobos set academic program record, 2017 schedule announced

Matthieu Cartron | July 4

If any team has demonstrated the ability to balance both academics and athletics, it has been UNM women’s soccer. The latest semester marked the fourteenth consecutive semester in which Lobo women’s soccer maintained a collective 3.4 GPA or higher. Additionally, the team set a program record in the 2017 spring semester by achieving a 3.77 GPA. While several student-athletes outperformed that benchmark, all 27 scored higher than the 3.5 plateau.