The summer might be sizzling, but the momentum behind Lobo Athletics is even hotter.
With an eye toward sustained success and a nod to excellence, New Mexico Baseball made a significant internal move Monday: Michael Lopez has been promoted to Associate Head Coach. It’s a title that reflects not just his impact on the program, but his growing national profile as one of the most respected young minds in collegiate pitching.
Lopez joined UNM ahead of the 2021-22 season — the same year Tod Brown took the reins of the program — and the tandem has steadily rebuilt the Lobos into contenders. Each of the past three seasons saw the Lobos increase both their win total and winning percentage, with the 2025 campaign culminating in a 30-23 record and another trip to the Mountain West Tournament.
“Michael has been a crucial part of what we’re building in Albuquerque,” said Brown. “It’s a well-deserved promotion for one of the best young pitching coaches in the country.”
The stats back him up. In 2025, Lopez’s staff matched their 2024 output with 394 strikeouts — the seventh-highest mark in program history and the most since 2019. His bullpen also delivered with 15 saves, the third-most in UNM history and the highest total since 2016. Left-hander Daxton Purser was rewarded with All-Mountain West Second Team honors, the first Lobo pitcher to receive such recognition in four years.
Lopez’s track record goes beyond raw numbers. In 2023, he helped right-hander Isaac Gallegos reach the MLB Draft, all while cutting the team ERA from a bloated 9.06 to 5.95 — UNM’s lowest in nearly a decade.
Before arriving in Albuquerque, Lopez built a reputation as a leader and recruiter at Howard College, where he posted a 48-19 record as head coach. His résumé includes assistant roles at Marymount California University and the University of Arizona, where he was part of the 2012 Wildcats squad that captured the NCAA National Championship.
Ten Lobos Land on Athlon’s Preseason All-MW Team
Across campus, the gridiron is buzzing as well, with ten Lobo football players earning preseason All-Mountain West honors from Athlon Sports. The tally places UNM seventh in the league for total selections — but their three first-teamers trail only perennial powers Boise State, Hawai’i, and San Diego State.
Leading the pack is electric running back Scottre Humphrey, who stormed through defenses last fall for 1,386 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. His 6.96 yards per carry ranked third nationally at the FCS level and set a blistering tone for the Lobo offense.
Joining him on the first team are offensive lineman Richard Pearce, a cornerstone of UNM’s record-setting attack, and kick returner Abraham Williams, who returns to form after an injury-shortened 2024 season. Williams already owns five 100-yard kickoff return touchdowns from his time at Weber State.
Wide receiver Keagan Johnson headlines the second-team selections after transferring from Iowa and Kansas State, where he proved a consistent playmaker. Defensive standouts Jaxton Eck and Dmitri Johnson — both second-teamers — bring proven toughness to the heart of UNM’s defense. Eck, a transfer from Idaho, notched 134 tackles and an interception in 2024, while Johnson’s clutch interception against Utah State was one of last season’s signature moments.
On the third team is defensive lineman Keyshawn James-Newby, who was a disruptive force at Idaho with 10.5 sacks last season. The fourth team is rounded out by offensive lineman Tevin Shaw, linebacker Randolph Kpai, and defensive lineman Gabriel Lopez, all key pieces in what could be a breakout year for the Lobo defense.
Golf Returns to the National Spotlight at Twin Warriors
Meanwhile, the beauty of the New Mexico landscape and the rising profile of Lobo golf will be on full display this fall, as both the men’s and women’s teams return to the NB3 Matchplay at Twin Warriors Golf Club, October 7–8.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the International Balloon Fiesta and hosted by former PGA pro Notah Begay III and the Pueblo of Santa Ana, the nationally televised event will again air live on Golf Channel as part of its fall collegiate golf slate.
New Mexico will be joined by New Mexico State, UNLV, and Oregon on the men’s side, while the women’s field will feature Arizona, Texas A&M, and NMSU. The unique round-robin match play format makes every hole matter, with points determining the ultimate team champions.
“The opportunity to showcase our program, our people, and our beautiful state on national TV is one we don’t take for granted,” said men’s coach Jake Harrington. “We’re honored to be back.”
Last year, the men’s team finished with a 1-1-1 record, while the women posted a 1-2 mark. This year, they’ll look to build on that performance — and continue raising the national profile of UNM golf.
Admission is free, and young golfers will have the chance to meet and learn from some of the nation’s top collegiate talent in a special autograph area.
Just as the hot air balloons rise each October over Twin Warriors, the Lobo brand continues to rise — from the dugout to the gridiron to the greens.
Pamela Kosgei Named Finalist for The Bowerman
In what may be the crowning moment of a historic freshman campaign, New Mexico distance sensation Pamela Kosgei has been named a finalist for The Bowerman, collegiate track and field’s most prestigious honor.
The Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya native is only the fourth woman in history to be named a finalist in her freshman season, joining Olympic legends Sydney McLaughlin, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Athing Mu. Even more impressively, she is the first-ever Mountain West athlete to reach this stage and the first woman in UNM history to earn the distinction.
Kosgei’s resume in 2025 was nothing short of extraordinary. She capped a perfect outdoor season with a dominant 5K/10K sweep at the NCAA Outdoor Championships — a feat accomplished by only five women in NCAA history and just three since 1998. Her 10,000-meter victory came in a meet-record time of 31:17.82, which stands as the No. 3 all-time mark in collegiate history. Even more staggering, she owns the No. 2 mark as well, clocking a 31:02.73 earlier in the season.
In April, Kosgei nearly rewrote the 5,000m record book at the Bryan Clay Invitational, finishing in 14:52.45, just 0.27 seconds off the collegiate record. She also added a 9:15.93 steeplechase win at Stanford — then the second-fastest time ever — and made headlines again with a 31:58.51 10K at Albuquerque’s Don Kirby Twilight, the fastest high-altitude time outside of Africa.
Kosgei also earned All-America honors indoors in the 5,000m and became the first Lobo since Weini Kelati to claim First Team All-American status in two events in the same season.
With online fan voting open through Thursday and the official Bowerman presentation set for December 18 in Texas, Kosgei now has the chance to etch her name into history beside the sport’s most iconic names.
Kipkurui Turns Pro, Signs with Nike After Historic Season
While Kosgei continues to rise on the collegiate stage, her fellow Kenyan and Lobo teammate Ishmael Kipkurui has already made the leap to the next level. The NCAA 10,000-meter national champion and collegiate record holder officially signed a professional contract with Nike this week, concluding a sensational freshman season with the Lobos.
Kipkurui didn’t waste time making his pro debut — and he made it count. Running at the 50th Prefontaine Classic, he shattered his own record with a blistering 26:47.72, finishing fifth in an elite international field. That performance earned him a coveted spot on the Kenyan National Team for the upcoming 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
“We’re thrilled Ishmael has secured a spot on the Kenyan team,” said UNM Head Coach Darren Gauson. “He’s already one of the top 10,000-meter runners in the world, and we can’t wait to see what he accomplishes with Nike.”
Kipkurui was nothing short of unstoppable in 2025, setting the collegiate 10K record with a 26:50.21 at Sound Running’s “THE TEN” before taking NCAA gold in Eugene. He also finished fourth all-time collegiately in the 5,000m (13:09.24) and earned First Team All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at Nationals.
Indoors, he finished runner-up in both the 3K and 5K at the Mountain West Championships and earned All-America honors at NCAAs. He ends his Lobo career as a three-time First Team All-American and the third male semifinalist for The Bowerman in school history, joining Josh Kerr and Habtom Samuel.
Lobo Track & Field: National Standing at an All-Time High
Kosgei and Kipkurui’s achievements cap what was arguably the greatest combined season in Lobo Track & Field history. In total, UNM earned eight First Team All-America honors, including three individual NCAA titles, and both the men’s and women’s teams finished Top 10 nationally at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
- Men: 5th place with a program-record 31 points
- Women: 9th place with 25 points, the second-most in school history
The Lobos are now the only non-Power Five program to finish Top 10 for both men and women in 2025 — joining an elite group that includes USC, Texas A&M, and Arkansas. In USTFCCCA’s Program of the Year rankings, UNM finished 7th on the men’s side and 8th for the women — the first time both squads placed Top 10 in the same season.
Swim & Dive Earns CSCAA Academic Honors
The accolades haven’t just been athletic this summer.
The UNM Swimming & Diving team was named a Spring Scholar All-America Team by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), and three Lobo student-athletes were honored individually as All-America Scholar-Athletes:
- Alice English – Population Health
- Isabella Gomez – Communications
- Arianna Pelligra – Political Science
All three earned Second Team honors, requiring a GPA of 3.5 or better and qualification for postseason competition.
Under head coach Naya Higashijima, the Lobos turned in their best season since 2019-20, climbing to their highest Mountain West finish in five years — and proving once again that Lobo excellence spans the pool and the classroom.
The State of the Pack: Stronger Than Ever
With record-breaking performances, professional contracts, national awards, and academic recognition, Lobo Athletics is operating at a level of success rarely seen across the board. From Elgeyo-Marakwet to Eugene, from Albuquerque to Tokyo — the Lobos are not just showing up.
They’re setting the pace.