New Mexico’s fall will be tested early on, as UNM released its 2016 schedule on Monday morning. The Lobos won’t even be able to showcase the 2016 squad until a month into the season, with their first seven nonconference games being on the road. The first two games will be against nationally ranked opponents.
The ending to New Mexico’s long road trip did not go as planned as the club has watched its first-place lead shrink to just 0.5 games. For the first time in the 2016 campaign, UNM dropped a Mountain West series after being away from Santa Ana Star Field for seven games, the Lobos’ longest stint away from home.
Sophomore Tyler Stevens righted New Mexico’s ship on Saturday afternoon after Friday night’s difficult outing by the Lobo pitching staff. Stevens threw a gem, working in eight innings of one-run ball. While his performance wasn’t flawless, the righty was able to work through some tough jams to keep UNM in the ballgame.
UNM's pitching was much better than Friday night's 23-4 blowout, but it wasn't enough as the Lobos couldn't get the offense going in its 2-1 loss to SDSU on Saturday afternoon. UNM has now dropped its past four games, along with nine straight at home. The final game is set for Sunday at noon. This is a developing story.
New Mexico maintained its 1.5 game lead in first place on Saturday but not in the way they wanted to after falling to UNLV 11-6 on Friday. The Lobos received some help from San Diego State who beat Fresno State with some late game heroics by a final of 4-2.
New Mexico stumbled out of the gates on Friday night in their series opener against San Diego State. The stumble led to a nightmare game for the Lobos who were blown out 23-4 against the Aztecs.
As the season is winding down, accolades are beginning to come in for first place New Mexico. However, junior DH Chris DeVito and senior pitcher Alex Estrella aren’t just getting noticed for their on-field efforts in a tight Mountain West Conference race. They are also dominating in the classroom.
Mike Bradbury is now ready for the 2016-2017 campaign, as far as his coaching staff goes. This week, the newest head coach at UNM said it feels good to have his staff in order and anticipates good things to come from his group.
A member of the New Mexico track and field team received national athlete of the week honors in her sport after she posted the top time in the world this year in her event. Courtney Frerichs was named Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the NCAA Division I Women’s National Athlete of the Week.
Immaculate pitching following the first inning has awarded UNM the Rio Grande for the 2016 campaign. It wasn’t without a fight, and by no means a blowout, but blanketing NMSU in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night has awarded New Mexico the Rio Grande Rivalry, after winning three of the four meetings.
A pair of New Mexico players broke records this past weekend in a series win at Boise State. After being swept at home by UNLV, the Lobos were able to get things going offensively against the Broncos by scoring a total of 13 runs in their first two games of the series.
New Mexico track and field wrapped up its regular season with a strong showing in Texas on Saturday, followed by rewriting the record books in a big way at the Jordan Payton Invitational on Sunday. Several Lobos started the weekend at the UTEP Invitational and turned in performances that could earn them qualifying marks for regionals.
New Mexico’s phone didn’t ring once in the 2016 NFL Draft this past weekend. However, for senior running back Jhurrell Pressley, the dream of joining the National Football League has not yet come to a close.
New Mexico’s 2016 campaign came to a close early after the final day in the Battle on the Bayou was cancelled. According to a UNM release, the Lobos’ last two scheduled matches of the season on Sunday were called off due to “inclement weather”.
The Lobos have dropped a game here and there, which is expected during the course of a long season. But forgoing a series has been a rarity. For just the second time all season, the Lobos faltered a three-game matchup with an opponent. Saturday’s 7-4 loss to ASU guaranteed their first series loss since UNM played Dallas Baptist in early March. Despite the loss, senior right hander Taylor Duree joined the UNM record books with his 76th career appearance, more than any other pitcher in New Mexico history.
UNM left Carson Schneider’s rough start on the hill plagued UNM in a 9-5 loss in the series’ opener against Arizona State on Friday night. The Sun Devils jumped all over the 6-foot-3-inch lefty in the first two innings, plating six to get put the Lobos in a big hole early on.
Beach volleyball will close out its 2016 campaign with a big weekend, playing five matches in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU will serve as the host team in the Battle on the Bayou tournament and will hope to keep its national championship aspirations alive, while the Lobos hope to keep climbing up the unofficial rankings ladder, where DiG Magazine currently places them at No. 16.
New is not always better. However, for Cherise Beynon, and the guards on the UNM women’s basketball roster, new will certainly be faster. With New Mexico’s most recent hire of Mike Bradbury to lead the charge for the women’s basketball program, a new dimension is coming.
After a disappointing week at home, in which New Mexico was swept by UNLV, the Lobos will look to turn things around on the road this week against Boise State.
Athletes are likely to experience several highs and lows during their careers, never knowing when an injury might derail them or be a temporary setback. For one young New Mexico tennis player, the journey has already included all of those experiences and she said she is happy for it.
Solutions by The State News
