The first weekend of September brought no shortage of storylines for the University of New Mexico, as Lobo athletics opened the fall campaign with gritty performances on the cross country course, the football field, and even future additions to the tennis roster. From a men’s team victory at the Lori Fitzgerald Open to a competitive showing against a top-15 opponent in Ann Arbor, New Mexico set an early tone for a year that promises both promise and progress.
Cross Country: Men Claim Victory, Women Shine Behind Freshman Standout
The Lobo men wasted no time making their presence known in the 2025 cross country season, capturing first place at their annual rust-buster, the Lori Fitzgerald Open. Paced by sophomore Iker Sanchez’s sixth-place finish (14:37.47), New Mexico packed six runners inside the top 15 to secure the team title with 42 points, edging out Big 12 foe Texas Tech (47) and Conference USA contender UTEP (91).
For the men, the win was especially notable as four runners — Dylan Maloney, Matthew Endrody, Joshua Abraham, and Matthew Giardina — made their collegiate debuts, all finishing inside the top 15.
On the women’s side, the Lobos placed third with 67 points, but it was freshman Millie McLelland-Brooks who stole the spotlight. In her collegiate debut, the Scottish newcomer crossed in 17:39.78 to finish third overall and as the top Lobo. For her efforts, McLelland-Brooks was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week, marking her as one to watch as the season unfolds. She was joined in the scoring pack by Charlotte O’Meara (12th, 18:03.14) and Millie Robinson (13th, 18:05.94), both also true freshmen making strong first impressions.
The Lobos return to action Sept. 13 at the Lobo XC Invitational, once again hosting at UNM’s North Course.
Football: Eck’s Debut Shows Fight Against Michigan
While the cross country squads were racing in Albuquerque, Jason Eck was making his debut on the sidelines in Ann Arbor. Facing a daunting task against No. 14 Michigan in front of 110,648 fans — the 324th consecutive game at the Big House with over 100,000 in attendance — the Lobos showed resilience before ultimately falling 34-17.
Quarterback Jack Layne endured a rocky start with three interceptions, but his grit stood out. The junior finished 31-of-47 for 208 yards and led a pair of touchdown drives that kept New Mexico within striking distance heading into the final quarter. A 15-play, 75-yard march capped by a Layne-to-Dorian Thomas touchdown made it 27-17 late in the third, forcing Michigan to keep its starters on the field deep into the game.
Though the Wolverines eventually pulled away behind running back Justice Haynes’ three-touchdown performance, Eck’s Lobos showed flashes of promise. Creative play-calling, including a direct-snap touchdown trick play in the first half, and a defense that stiffened after early miscues, suggested the foundation of a new era is firmly being laid.
Tennis: Labitzke Joins 2025-26 Roster
Beyond the weekend’s competitions, Lobo men’s tennis added an international piece to its future. Head coach Rob Bareford announced the signing of Berlin native Carl Labitzke for the 2025-26 season. Ranked as high as No. 40 in Europe during his junior career and consistently a top-10 player in Germany across age groups, the lefty arrives with a résumé that includes three Berlin singles titles and an ITF world ranking of No. 2485.
“We are thrilled to welcome Carl to the Lobo family,” Bareford said. “He’s a strong lefty with the potential to become really, really good.”
Labitzke will join a retooled roster headlined by returners Dario Ciobotaru, Connor Dils, and Philip Bosin, along with several transfers. The program, fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance, will return to the national stage in January 2026 when it competes at the ITA Kickoff Weekend against UCLA.A Weekend of First Impressions
From the grit of cross country freshmen to the composure of a football team punching above its weight in the Big House, the weekend carried a consistent theme across UNM athletics: new beginnings. With young talent making waves and new leadership settling in, the Lobos are writing the first chapters of a season — and perhaps an era — defined by resilience, potential, and promise
Basketball Programs Set Challenging Non-Conference Slates
The New Mexico men’s and women’s basketball teams each unveiled their 2025-26 non-conference schedules, promising a mix of home-court action at The Pit and high-profile tests on the road.
For Richard Pitino’s men’s squad, the campaign tips off with The Lobo Howl on Oct. 4, followed by an Oct. 30 exhibition against Northern Arizona. UNM’s regular-season non-conference slate features seven home games and marquee matchups in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, where the Lobos will face Nebraska on Nov. 20 and then either Kansas State or Mississippi State the following day. Road trips include the Rio Grande Rivalry at New Mexico State (Nov. 15) and a challenging tilt at VCU (Dec. 10). In total, the Lobos will play 18 games at The Pit this season, including 10 Mountain West home contests once conference play begins.
On the women’s side, the Lobos also start the year with The Howl on Oct. 4 before an exhibition against Adams State (Oct. 22) and a trip to UT Arlington (Oct. 28). The regular-season home opener comes Nov. 3 against Northern Arizona, one of seven non-conference home games. Key matchups include a Nov. 6 road clash at Colorado—their first visit to Boulder since 2001—along with hosting Texas Tech on Nov. 23 and Houston on Dec. 13. UNM will also travel to Tucson to face Arizona on Dec. 7 and compete in the Florida Gulf Classic Challenge on Nov. 28-29. In all, the Lobos will face up to five Power 4 opponents before conference play.
Soccer Reaches Historic Milestones in Oregon
On the pitch, Heather Dyche’s women’s soccer team capped a landmark road swing in Oregon with two consecutive 1-0 victories.
First came Thursday night’s triumph at Oregon, where Alèjandra Puerto’s 68th-minute strike gave Dyche her 100th career win at UNM—almost exactly a decade after her first victory. Freshman goalkeeper Jasmin Gonzalez-Rutt made three saves to preserve the clean sheet, while Savanah Sanchez recorded her first collegiate assist on the decisive play.
The Lobos followed with another shutout, this time at Oregon State on Sunday, where Gabby Beaudry’s sixth-minute goal stood as the difference in the program’s first-ever win over the Beavers. Making her first career start in goal, Alyson Campbell finished with six saves in a composed performance, securing the team’s second clean sheet of the weekend.
For her efforts, Sanchez was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week after logging 129 minutes between the two matches and assisting on Puerto’s game-winner against Oregon. The Albuquerque native has started all five matches this season, tallying one goal and one assist while putting all six of her shots on target.
Volleyball Opens Season with Statement Sweep
Back home in Albuquerque, New Mexico volleyball delivered a dominant opening weekend at the Johnson Center, sweeping through the Lobo Invitational with a 3-0 record.
The Lobos opened Friday with a three-set sweep of Manhattan before gutting out a five-set thriller against Northern Arizona, avenging last season’s loss in Flagstaff. Outside hitter Gioia Riccato starred with 33 kills across the two matches, while newcomers Addison France and Naomi Chankoumi each posted double-digit performances.
UNM closed the weekend with a clinical 3-0 sweep of Houston Christian on Saturday, hitting .370 as a team. Chankoumi led with 13 kills on .346 hitting, Riccato added 11 kills and 13 digs, and setter Madeleine Miller orchestrated the attack with 40 assists and 10 digs. The Lobos out-blocked HCU 7-4 and improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2022.