One dedicated New Mexico runner is going out a champion, both literally and figuratively, putting the finishing touches on a storybook ending to a decorated collegiate career. Not many athletes could claim the success that distance runner Courtney Frerichs has enjoyed this past year.
Even in an alumni basketball game, there is no love lost between New Mexico and New Mexico State. The inaugural Battle of the Rio Grande Alumni match showcased plenty of the physical play and edginess that a regular season contest between UNM and NMSU usually has. UNM battled through the chippy play to claim a 102-97 victory over NMSU at WisePies Arena aka The Pit Saturday night.
New Mexico fans will get to witness Mike Bradbury’s team quite a bit in the month of November. The Mountain West released the schedules for each of the teams in the conference, and UNM will be playing its first four contests (two exhibitions) in front of Lobo fans.
The New Mexico women’s tennis team has an international flair, featuring players from four countries outside of the United States. One player from France took an interesting journey on her way to New Mexico. Ludivine Burguiere might stand out to some, when compared to the average tennis player. She frequently wears a headband to pull her hair back when she plays, but always has on a pair of compression calf sleeves to complement a bright pair of tennis shoes.
For the third time since the end of the season, the New Mexico Lobos have announced yet another player headed to the show. Junior lefty Colton Thomson became the second pitcher and third individual to be announced to a major league roster, after signing with the St Louis Cardinals.
New Mexico women’s cross country and track team has finished the highest it ever has under head coach Joe Franklin. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Terry Crawford Program of the Year announced that UNM finished eighth in the standings for the 2015-2016 seasons. It is the third time under Franklin the women were able to place in the award, coming in 16th in 2014 and 14th last year.
Several athletes have set the foundation across the sports world to be accepted for their identities and recognized for their talents in what was once an exclusive hetero-normative world. Michael Sam, drafted by the St. Louis Rams, was the first openly gay athlete to come out to play in the NFL in 2014. A major story around the sports community, the news showcased the bravery and emotion surrounding the former All-American linebacker at Missouri.
By Robert Maler Some say records are made to be broken. That was the case this weekend as Courtney Frerichs was crowned as a national champion among some of the best athletes in Eugene, Oregon this weekend.
Things just keep getting better and better for Chris DeVito. Just days after being named to the District VIII Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America, the catcher/DH was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round, 253rd overall.
Despite a top-five finish in the men’s 1500 meter qualifier on Wednesday, the New Mexico men’s track and field team was unable to put up any points at the National Outdoor Championship this year in Eugene, Ore. Freshman runner Josh Kerr finished 10th in the men’s 1,500-meter final on Friday, bringing a close to the 2016 outdoor track and field season for the men.
New Mexico’s women’s basketball program joined the men with a top-25 fan base in the nation. The NCAA announced on Friday morning that the women’s basketball program finished 11th in the nation with an average of 5,511 fans in 17 home games at WisePies Arena.
The New Mexico women’s track and field team is amidst a logjam with six teams tied for eighth place, thanks to Alice Wright. For the second year, the sophomore freshman has been rewarded with All-American honors after her 32 minute and 46.99 second time in the 10,000-meter was the second best in the nation.
Day one of the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships presented a freshman face competing in the finals in addition to two UNM careers coming to a close. Freshman Josh Kerr’s new personal record 3 minutes, 41.08 second time in the 1,500-meter run was good enough for fifth place on the day, giving him an automatic bid to compete on Friday for gold.
For half a century New Mexico fans have been amongst the elite in the nation to watch UNM men’s basketball. According to a release on Wednesday, UNM’s 13,030 fans in attendance per 16 home games ranked 23rd in the nation. It is the 50th consecutive year that the Lobos have cracked the top-25.
Add another accolade to the New Mexico baseball team’s season. Local product Andrew Pratt has earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors, according to the UNM baseball twitter account.
Though their postseason journey ended early, New Mexico was appointed two to the All-NCAA Lubbock Regional squad, announced by Texas Tech on Monday.
Shortly after the New Mexico men’s tennis season officially concluded, the team’s head coach announced it will also be the end of his coaching tenure. New Mexico’s Bart Van Leijsen and Hayden Sabatka started their quest for a national championship at the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
While awaiting her chance to race for gold this weekend, Courtney Frerichs has been recognized as the NCAA Division I Mountain Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association announced on Monday.
Within 24 hours two New Mexico head coaches stepped down from their respected positions. On Thursday, UNM announced that Bart Scott will no longer be the head coach of the men’s tennis program after just two seasons at the helm of the program. On Friday, Kunio Kono announced his resignation from the swimming and diving team after four years.
New Mexico had plenty of opportunities to continue its season in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Dallas Baptists on Sunday afternoon. However, the 13 runners left on base put an end to the UNM’s postseason dreams.
Solutions by The State News
