In a moment of redemption and resilience, the New Mexico men’s tennis team delivered its most dominant performance of the season when it mattered most. Just days after a crushing 4-3 loss to Boise State that cost them a share of the Mountain West regular-season title, the Lobos stormed back to shut out the 42nd-ranked Broncos 4-0 in the Mountain West Tournament final, claiming their fourth conference championship in the past seven seasons and punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Aram Noroozian, whose heartbreaking loss last week sealed the regular-season title for Boise State, made sure the story ended differently this time. The All-Mountain West standout first helped secure the doubles point in a nail-biting tiebreak and then delivered a statement win at No. 1 singles, dismantling nationally-ranked Jett Middleton 6-2, 6-4 to put the Lobos in control. From there, New Mexico never looked back.
This victory marks the Lobos’ first Mountain West Tournament title since 2009 and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2021. Head coach Rob Bareford becomes the first Lobo coach to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament in his debut season since Bart Scott did it a decade ago.
UNM set the tone early in doubles play, with Noroozian and Georgio Samaha clinching a tense 7-6 (7-5) win after Avery Tallakson and Aditya Balsekar scored a quick victory at No. 3. Noroozian’s sharp serve and net play in the tiebreak sealed the first point, and the Lobos rode that momentum into singles.
Dario Ciobotaru, seeking revenge after a previous loss to Boise’s Lukas Velik, played with poise and precision in a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 3. With UNM up 2-0, the clinching drama shifted to Tallakson, who capped a remarkable tournament with a 7-6, 6-4 win over John Chin, securing the championship. Tallakson, who also clinched the semifinal win and overcame a 5-0 first-set deficit in that match, was named Mountain West Tournament MVP.
The Lobos’ latest title adds to a banner year for UNM Athletics, marking the school’s fifth conference championship of the academic year alongside men’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s indoor track and field.
Tallakson Rallies Lobos Past Utah State, Into MW Final
With their season hanging in the balance, Avery Tallakson delivered the comeback of the tournament. Trailing 5-0 and facing set point in his opening set, the sophomore reeled off six straight games, forced a tiebreak, and never looked back—ultimately clinching a 4-2 win for the Lobos over Utah State in the Mountain West semifinals.
The No. 72-ranked Lobos earned their spot in the championship match with their gritty victory over the Aggies. It was a rematch of last week’s regular season finale, where UNM ended Utah State’s 12-match home win streak.
In doubles, Tallakson and Balsekar secured the point after Daniil Kakhniuk and Nicolas Recoura opened with a 6-3 win. Singles action saw UNM’s Dario Ciobotaru fall in straight sets, but Aram Noroozian claimed his 20th win of the season to restore the lead with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 1. Kakhniuk followed with a clutch 7-6 win in his second set, pushing UNM within one point of clinching.
With multiple third sets unfolding, it became a race to the finish. Utah State’s Mohamman Alkotop narrowed the gap by winning at No. 2, but Tallakson’s fourth ace of the match sealed the deal moments before Samaha could complete his comeback.
The win earned the Lobos a championship rematch with Boise State, who had edged them 4-3 in Boise the previous week.
Lobos Draw Stanford in NCAA Tournament First Round
Fresh off their Mountain West title run, the New Mexico men’s tennis team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. The Lobos (16-8) will travel to face national No. 4 seed Stanford on Friday in Palo Alto, California. The Cardinal enter with a 22-5 record and are coming off an ACC Tournament title.
The Lobos closed their season on a tear, winning 12 of their final 15 matches, including a flawless 3-0 run through the Mountain West Tournament. Avery Tallakson leads the Lobos with 25 singles wins, while Aram Noroozian earned All-Mountain West honors in both singles and doubles, alongside teammate Georgio Samaha.
The NCAA appearance is the 11th in program history for UNM. Their last came in 2021, a 4-1 loss to No. 8 Texas A&M. The winner of Friday’s match will face the winner of Alabama and Pepperdine in Sunday’s second round.
Watts, Kosgei Named Mountain West Track Athletes of the Week
New Mexico track and field continued to shine at altitude as sprinter Cam Watts and distance phenom Pamela Kosgei earned Mountain West weekly honors following standout performances at the Lobos’ home meet.
Watts, a football player turned sprinter, broke his own school record with a blazing 10.05 (converted to 10.08) in the 100m dash. The time not only leads the Mountain West by over two-tenths of a second, it ranks No. 7 in the West Region, No. 18 nationally, and No. 2 in MW history behind only Malachi Snow’s 10.00.
Kosgei, meanwhile, continued her dominant freshman season with a converted 10,000m time of 30:55.37, a performance second only to Parker Valby in NCAA history. Her run at elevation shaved over eight seconds off her previous PR and solidified her status as the national leader in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.
The Lobos wrap up their regular season May 3 at the Arizona Desert Heat Classic in Tucson, their final tune-up before championship season begins.
Women’s Basketball Signs Jessie Joaquim for 2025-26
The New Mexico women’s basketball team bolstered its frontcourt with the addition of Jessie Joaquim, a 6-2 forward from Cochise College and sister of former Lobo Hulda Joaquim.
Joaquim, a defensive force and rebounding machine, averaged 6.1 points and 6.6 rebounds over two seasons and was named ACCAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. She posted 18 double-figure scoring games and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 19 contests, including three 20-rebound performances.
Her sophomore leap was significant: 331 points, 340 rebounds, and 37 steals, compared to just 19 points and 34 rebounds as a freshman. Head coach Mike Bradbury praised her athleticism and energy, calling her a versatile threat in the paint.
Originally from Maputo, Mozambique, Joaquim attended high school in Madeira, Portugal. She plans to major in psychology and said the program’s culture and the relationship with the coaching staff were key factors in her commitment.
Lobos Drop Series Finale to Nevada in Run-Rule Loss
The University of New Mexico softball team couldn’t overcome a fast start by Nevada, falling 9-1 in six innings in Sunday’s series finale at Lobo Softball Field.
The Wolf Pack jumped out early with four runs in the opening frame and never looked back. The Lobos threatened to respond in the bottom half, putting runners on the corners with one out after Ashley Archuleta doubled and Miracle McKenzie drew a walk, but a groundout ended the inning without damage.
Nevada added solo home runs in the third to extend the lead to 6-0 before Hayden Luderer provided the lone highlight for the Lobos, leading off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot—her second of the season and UNM’s fourth home run of the series. Archuleta and McKenzie once again put pressure on the Wolf Pack with a walk and single, but a fielder’s choice stranded them on the corners.
Jewels Hanawahine led off the fourth with a double, but UNM couldn’t capitalize. Nevada then tacked on three unearned runs in the sixth, aided by three Lobo errors, pushing the game into run-rule territory.
The Lobos tallied four hits, including three for extra bases, but couldn’t find sustained offense. In the circle, UNM used four pitchers: McKenna Guest started but was pulled in the first, with Marina Tinari and Brooke Umali each throwing 2.1 innings, and Caprice Barela finishing the game.
New Mexico concludes its conference slate next weekend at UNLV, beginning Thursday.
Lobos Surrender Early Lead, Fall to Nevada in Game Two
The Lobos struck first but couldn’t hold off the Nevada offense, falling 7-4 on Saturday afternoon in game two of the Mountain West series at home.
UNM opened the scoring with a two-out rally in the first. After a leadoff single from Ashley Archuleta and a gritty 11-pitch walk by Miracle McKenzie, Sydney Carithers lined a two-strike single to center to plate the first run.
Katherine Brunner extended the lead in the second, launching a two-run homer to center following a fielding error that allowed Jewels Hanawahine to reach base, giving the Lobos a 3-0 advantage.
Nevada responded quickly, tying the game in the third on a pair of home runs. The Wolf Pack then took the lead in the fifth with a three-run burst on three hits.
New Mexico had a golden opportunity to rally in the sixth, loading the bases via back-to-back full-count pinch-hit walks from Ella Dawson and Georgia Heatcock and an infield single from Archuleta. But the threat ended on a ground ball to short.
Nevada added a run in the seventh before McKenzie capped her strong weekend with a solo home run—her second of the series—for the Lobos’ final tally.
Archuleta and McKenzie each posted two hits, with Brunner leading the team in RBIs. Guest started and struck out four over four innings, allowing six runs. Tinari provided 2.2 innings of relief before Barela recorded the final out.
Six-Run Inning Sinks Lobos in Series Opener vs. Nevada
Despite a 13-hit night and a late rally, the Lobos came up just short in Friday’s series opener against Nevada, falling 11-8 after a six-run fourth inning proved too much to overcome.
After falling behind 3-0, UNM tied the game with a three-run second inning. Sydney Carithers and Miracle McKenzie sparked the rally with back-to-back hits, and Jewels Hanawahine drove in two with a double to center. Emma Bramson followed with an RBI single to knot the score.
Nevada struck for six runs in the fourth to retake control, but McKenzie’s solo homer in the bottom half kept the Lobos within striking distance. The Wolf Pack added two more in the fifth before UNM began to chip away.
Carithers delivered a two-run double in the fifth, scoring Archuleta and Jessica DeLeon. McKenzie then singled to put runners on the corners, but a lineout stranded both.
Archuleta added a solo home run in the sixth, and Allie Williams doubled to start the seventh. Carithers and Hanawahine kept the inning alive, allowing Luderer to drive in another run. But with the tying run at the plate, a fly ball to left ended the comeback bid.
Carithers and McKenzie each went 3-for-4 with multiple RBIs, and Archuleta and Hanawahine also recorded multi-hit games. In the circle, Natalie Fritz started and was followed by Barela and Tinari, who closed with 2.2 strong innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.
Lobo Men’s Golf Rallies to Third at Mountain West Championship
The New Mexico men’s golf team surged up the leaderboard on the final day of the 2025 Mountain West Championship, carding a tournament-best 17-under round to finish third at 30-under par overall at Emerald Valley Golf Club.
San Diego State won the title at 54-under, with UNLV narrowly edging the Lobos for second at 31-under.
Mesa Falleur led the charge for New Mexico, firing a 6-under 66 on Sunday to finish tied for fourth at 11-under—his second top-five and fifth top-10 result of the season. Carson Herron added a 5-under 67 to finish at 6-under, while Oliver Cage matched that mark with a bogey-free 68 that featured a hole-in-one on the par-3 fifth hole.
Wyatt Provence and Clark Sonnenberg each contributed 2-under 70s to round out the scoring. Provence closed the tournament at 4-under, with Sonnenberg one stroke back at 3-under.
The Lobos now await their postseason fate. The NCAA selection show airs Wednesday at 11 a.m. MT on Golf Channel, with regional play set for May 12–14.
Lobos Crush Spartans to Clinch Series in Run-Rule Rout
New Mexico Baseball (25-17, 12-8 MW) secured its third straight Mountain West weekend series in emphatic fashion on Saturday, throttling San Jose State (20-23, 8-12 MW) 19-3 in a seven-inning run-rule victory at Santa Ana Star Field. The win marked the Lobos’ fourth in a row and ninth in their last 11, vaulting them into sole possession of second place in the conference standings.
Right-hander Cristian Mogen turned in the best outing of his young career, tossing five shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. The redshirt freshman faced just 17 batters across 63 efficient pitches, lowering his ERA from 19.29 to 9.31 while more than doubling his season innings total.
New Mexico’s offense erupted once again, posting its second straight 20-hit performance and scoring in five consecutive innings. After Khalil Walker opened the scoring with a 430-foot two-run blast in the second, the Lobos put up seven runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and seven more in the sixth to blow the game wide open.
Walker finished 3-for-3 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, and three runs scored — falling a triple shy of the cycle for the second consecutive game. Will Asby launched his 10th home run of the year to ignite the seven-run fourth, while pinch-hitter Gene Trujillo added his second homer in as many games with a three-run shot in the sixth.
Asby became the fourth Lobo to reach double-digit home runs this season, joining Jordy Oriach (12), Josh McAlister (12), and Ethan Ott (11).
Ott continued his tear against the Spartans, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored to raise his weekend average to .833 (5-for-6). Luke Mansy (2-for-3, RBI) extended his team-leading on-base streak to 14 games, and Oriach, Waslefsky, and Andrew Neil also chipped in multi-hit efforts. Neil, who entered off the bench, delivered a pair of singles in the same inning to lift his batting average to .320.
Brodey Williams and Akili Carris each drove in runs as well, with Carris recording an RBI for the fourth straight game and fifth in his last six. In total, 10 Lobos tallied at least one hit and UNM took advantage of three San Jose State errors.
Tommy White handled the final two innings on the mound, allowing three runs on five hits to close out the run-rule win.
With San Diego State (16-29, 10-10 MW) dropping its first two games of the weekend and Nevada (24-18, 11-9 MW) splitting with Air Force, the Lobos moved into sole possession of second place in the Mountain West. A series sweep on Sunday would ensure they remain there heading into next weekend’s slate.
Lobos Headed to Kansas City for 2025 Hall of Fame Classic
The New Mexico men’s basketball team will compete in the 2025 Hall of Fame Classic, the tournament announced Thursday. The event will take place Nov. 20–21 at the T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
The four-team field for the 25th edition of the event includes New Mexico, Kansas State, Mississippi State, and Nebraska. Semifinal matchups, tip-off times, TV information, and ticket details will be announced at a later date.
All four programs finished the 2023–24 season ranked in the top 75 of the NCAA NET rankings. Both New Mexico and Mississippi State earned NCAA Tournament berths, while Nebraska won the inaugural College Basketball Crown postseason event.
The trip will mark UNM’s second-ever appearance at T-Mobile Center. The Lobos previously faced No. 13 Kansas at the venue in 2013, falling 80–63 in a neutral-site showdown.
New Mexico holds a 2–4 all-time record against Kansas State, with the most recent meetings coming during the 2006–07 season. The Lobos won the first game in Albuquerque before falling in Las Vegas in the return matchup. UNM is 1–0 against Nebraska (an 83–71 win in the 2009 NIT), and has never faced Mississippi State on the hardwood.
UNM Athletics Enhances Operations with Teamworks General Manager
The University of New Mexico has partnered with Teamworks General Manager (GM), becoming the fifth Mountain West institution to implement the cutting-edge platform designed to streamline athletic department operations and enhance student-athlete support.
Teamworks GM combines roster planning, NIL oversight, and financial modeling into a single system—equipping programs with the tools to modernize their approach in an evolving collegiate sports landscape. Key features include integrated budgeting, secure athlete payments, customizable player tags, and mock roster planning.
“We are excited to partner with Teamworks General Manager as this will greatly enhance the student-athlete experience and allow us to streamline many facets of what we do,” said Amy Beggin, UNM Sr. Associate A.D. for Compliance and SWA. “From communications to NIL opportunities to backend processes, this partnership is about putting our student-athletes first.”
UNM already uses Teamworks platforms for Compliance, Recruiting, and Camps. The addition of GM completes a robust Teamworks ecosystem, designed to eliminate silos and foster real-time collaboration across departments.
“New Mexico’s adoption of General Manager reflects a department committed to strategic innovation,” said Wes French, General Manager of Teamworks Personnel. “They’ve embraced a model of leadership that prioritizes data-driven decisions and streamlined execution.”
As college athletics continues to adapt to new models of governance and student-athlete empowerment, UNM’s adoption of GM underscores its commitment to operational excellence and competitive advantage.