Sports

Sports

Women’s basketball: Defense shows out in blowout win against Western New Mexico

Rodney Prunty | November 18

Defense was the order of the day for the Lobos on Friday, Nov. 15. Their strong effort was a huge part of their 85-56 win against the Western New Mexico University Mustangs. The Lobos finished the game with 13 steals and six blocks. Head Coach Mike Bradbury said he was very satisfied with his team's defensive performance during the night. “We were good in transition and it was good to see,” Bradbury said. “It led to some easy baskets.”

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Sports

Volleyball: Lobos ground Air Force for third conference win

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 18

he University of New Mexico’s volleyball team won in four sets against the Air Force Academy Falcons on Tuesday, Nov. 12, keeping a tournament appearance alive. Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar said he’s excited for the team and its ability to fight after winning three games in a row thus far. “I’m stoked for the team, you know? They’re playing hard,” Newman-Gonchar said. “They know it’s one of those weeks where it’s ‘sleep, drive, sleep, drive.’” On Nov. 9, the Lobos faced the Utah State University Aggies at home and won in an exhausting five-set victory. They continued their path to victory against the Falcons.

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Sports

Football: Lobos claw to a nail-biting 38-35 victory over ranked Washington State

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 18

The University of New Mexico football team came up big against nationally ranked No. 19/18 Washington State University Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 16, securing a tight 38-35 victory. The Lobos left Saturday night sporting a 5-6 record — 3-3 in conference play. A scene from a movie unfolded at University Stadium. From end zone to end zone, fans wearing cherry and silver blanketed the field, howling for a Lobo victory against a nationally ranked team. The last time the Lobos beat a ranked opponent was 2003, and the last time they beat a ranked opponent at home was 1994, according to a Lobo Athletics Instagram post.

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Sports

Volleyball: Lobos wrangle the Broncos in tight four-set victory

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 18

The University of New Mexico’s volleyball team won in four sets against the Boise State University Broncos in the Senior Night game on Thursday, Nov. 14. This victory solidified an incredible comeback for UNM from their previous nine-loss nightmare just weeks prior. Now the Lobos move to 6-10 in conference play and 13-13 overall to stay alive in the hunt for a tournament appearance. There was a large fan turnout for the seniors. Before the game started, Lobo seniors were recognized on the court with plaques, flowers and the ear-ringing cheers of the crowd.

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Sports

Volleyball: Lobos stun Utah State Aggies with a five-set victory

Elizabeth Bolke and Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 11

The University of New Mexico volleyball team won in a nail-biting five-set victory over the Utah State University Aggies on Saturday, Nov. 9. The Lobos beat two Mountain West rival teams in one week, whiplashing UNM fans after their previous nine consecutive losses. UNM rose to 11-13 overall and 4-10 in conference play, keeping the door open for a tournament appearance. Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar attributed his team's two wins at home to their resilience on the court and their motivation for a tournament.

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Sports

Football: The big bad Lobos defeat San Diego State Aztecs

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 11

The University of New Mexico Lobos won 21-16 against the San Diego State University Aztecs on Friday, Nov. 8. The Lobos sandwiched a disappointing mid-quarter performance with an exciting beginning and end, ultimately securing the conference win. The Lobos are now 4-6 overall. They only need two more wins to be bowl-eligible this season. UNM led an explosive first quarter with two huge plays by running back Eli Sanders. Sanders had two rushing touchdowns of over 50-yards — one being a devastating 68 yards that left the Aztecs scrambling. Sanders finished the game with 16 carries for 173 yards and two touchdowns — a testimony to the Lobos’ fiery offense.

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Sports

Women’s basketball: Lobos bounce back with a win against Morehead State

Maria Fernandez | November 11

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team took on the Morehead State University Eagles at The Pit on Thursday, Nov. 7. The Lobos won 66-56. The Lobos were fresh off their 80-78 loss against Northern Arizona University on Nov. 4. They came back with improvements on rebounding and defense, Head Coach Mike Bradbury said. The Lobos ran a strong offense for most of the game, thwarting multiple layup attempts by Morehead State, but struggled to consistently put points on the scoreboard.

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Sports

Volleyball: Lobos beat Nevada, breaking losing streak

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | November 11

The University of New Mexico Lobos were starving for a win after nine consecutive volleyball losses, breaking their losing streak in four sets against the Nevada Wolf Pack on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 7. Head Coach Jon Newman-Gonchar said the results proved the team’s grit. “This team has had a challenging past few weeks, but they have never backed down, and kept committed,” Newman-Gonchar said. “We can’t wait to do it again.”

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Sports

Men's basketball: Lobos tip the season off with an opening night win

Rodney Prunty | November 7

The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team tipped the season off against the Nicholls State University Colonels on Monday, Nov. 4. The reigning Mountain West champs came into the game looking to start the season off right. They did just that, beat the Colonels 91-84 to start off the season 1-0. It was obvious in the first half that the Lobos were a bit rusty to begin. They could barely shoot from the three-point line. The Lobos shot a horrendous 18.2% from three. With their three-point game off, the Lobos focused more on their inside game and let center Nelly Junior Joseph go to work down deep.

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Sports

This town ain’t big enough for both of us

Rodney Prunty | November 4

The Lobos’ offense seemed to get back to form against the University of Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday, Nov. 2. There was a standout performance on the offensive side of the ball from running back Eli Sanders, who accumulated 205 yards rushing and two touchdowns while averaging 12 yards per carry. Unfortunately, there are no moral victories in football; you either win or you lose. Despite the great display of offense, the defense could not do its job. The Lobos ended up losing 49-45. The Lobos came out aggressive in the first quarter with a fast-paced offense. On the Lobos’ first drive, they advanced all the way down the field, finding the end zone in only two minutes and 27 seconds. They went for two but failed.

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Sports

UNM women’s basketball team prepares for the season

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | October 28

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team is preparing for the 2024-25 season. The team will tip the season off against Northern Arizona University at The Pit on Nov. 4. Before then, they will play New Mexico Highlands University on Oct. 20 and Western Colorado University on Oct. 26 in exhibition games. The Lobos are trying to climb their way to a Mountain West Championship this season after falling short last season — defeated by San Diego State University in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament. The women's basketball team has made significant changes over the off-season to foster another winning season.

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Sports

Football: Lobos' winning streak comes to an end against Colorado State

Rodney Prunty | October 28

Turnovers, penalties and missed opportunities — all words that could describe how the University of New Mexico football team played offensively against the Colorado State University Rams on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Lobos lost 17-6. Throughout the game, the defense did its part, holding Colorado State to only 10 points. Shockingly, it was a lackluster performance from the offense, only being able to muster 6 points throughout. It was baffling to see after they recently put up three straight 50-point games. However, this can be attributed to the injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Nevertheless, with the lack of offensive production, the Lobos’ three-game winning streak came to end.

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Sports

Football: Lobos comeback sparks third straight victory

Rodney Prunty | October 23

The University of New Mexico football team fought tooth and nail against the Utah State University Aggies on Saturday, Oct. 19. Despite a rough start for the Lobos, they were able to dig deep and defeat Utah State 50-45. The Lobos found themselves in a hole early on in the first quarter. Their first drive was disastrous. Quarterback Devon Dampier threw a terrible ball into coverage, which resulted in an interception. The Aggies capitalized on the early turnover, converting it into points as they wound up in the end zone.

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Sports

UNM football players reflect on potential of Guardian caps

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | October 18

Amid increased scrutiny over player safety, particularly concerning concussions and long-term brain health, Lobo football players weighed the potential introduction of Guardian caps at the University of New Mexico. As the sport of football evolves, so does the equipment used to protect its athletes. One innovation gaining traction is the Guardian cap, a soft-shell helmet cover designed to reduce impact during practices and games. The NFL announced at the beginning of this season that Guardian caps can be used in games.

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Sports

Football: Lobos dominate against Air Force Academy

Rodney Prunty | October 14

The University of New Mexico football team put on a show as they dominated against the United States Air Force Academy Falcons, beating them 52-37 at home on Saturday, Oct. 13. The Lobos were firing on all cylinders as offensively they could not be stopped, with solid defensive play helping throughout the game. The first quarter was a grind-it-out quarter from both teams. The Lobos had a quick three-and-out on their first possession of the game, which was then followed up by a long nine-minute drive by the Falcons. Despite the long drive by Air Force, the Lobos’ defense held strong, holding them to 3 points.

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Sports

UNM men’s basketball team prepares for the season

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | October 14

The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is gearing up for the 2024-25 season, looking to build on a successful previous year in which it claimed the title as Mountain West champion and made an NCAA tournament appearance. The Lobos have bolstered their roster over the off-season with potential key additions, including highly-touted recruits and experienced transfers.

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Sports

Students react to Rio Grande Rivalry win

Paloma Chapa | October 7

For the first time since 2021, the University of New Mexico football team beat New Mexico State University in the match known as the “Rio Grande Rivalry.” UNM and NMSU have been football rivals since 1894, according to Source NM. On Sept. 28, the Lobos beat the Aggies 50-40 at NMSU’s home field. Entering the game with no wins this year, the Lobos were favored to win. Despite this, people had their doubts.

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Sports

Lobos rush their way to victory against New Mexico State

Rodney Prunty | September 30

The University of New Mexico Lobos battled in a heated football game against the crosstown rival New Mexico State University Aggies on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Lobos proved too much to handle for NMSU as they dominated on the field with a relentless rushing attack. The Lobos had a total of 331 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The defense performed when needed, assisting the Lobos with their first win of the season and defeating the Aggies 50-40.

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Sports

Football: Lobos remain winless after loss to Fresno State

Rodney Prunty | September 23

The University of New Mexico football team matched up against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. The Lobos struggled to find their rhythm on both sides of the ball, which ultimately led to them losing the game 38-21. The defense struggled to get off the field early, which led to Fresno State wearing down the defense and managing the clock for the majority of the game. The offense was not helping matters either as players came out flat, turning the ball over and getting off the field early into drives. Adding to all that, the Lobos were penalized a total of 17 times in the game — a tie for the most penalties in the program's history.

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Sports

OPINION: New Mexican Hispanic athletes who defined their sports

Nate Bernard | September 23

Throughout its history, New Mexico has continued to enchant athletics by raising the best and brightest to compete both nationally and internationally. They bring to the table unique experiences gained from their upbringing in the diverse state. Sixteen athletes with ties to New Mexico competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their success exemplifies our athletic tradition carried on from generation to generation. Though it would be impossible to showcase all of the incredible Hispanic New Mexican athletes, here are some whose impact can still be felt today.