It’s been a whirlwind stretch across University of New Mexico athletics, with programs racking up headlines on the court, course, and pool deck. From a five-set rivalry thriller in Las Cruces to a freshman golfer etching his name alongside Tiger Woods, the Lobos have kept fans buzzing heading into the heart of the fall season.
Volleyball: Rivalry Split and History for France
After rallying to beat New Mexico State in five sets on Tuesday, Lobo volleyball saw the Aggies punch back less than 24 hours later. UNM (8-3) dropped a five-set battle in Las Cruces, falling 18-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 7-15, as NMSU (7-3) snapped the Lobos’ three-match win streak in the series. It marked the first time since 1988 the rivals pushed each other to five sets in back-to-back meetings.
The Lobos’ offense was balanced, with four players finishing in double-digit kills — Gioia Riccato (13), Seenane Brewer (11), Reagan Miller (10), and Addison France (10). France, though, stole the show. The freshman notched the first triple-double under head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar and just the eighth in the Mountain West over the last decade, tallying 17 digs, 14 assists, and 10 kills. Her performance earned her Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season.
UNM now turns to conference play, opening against Utah State and Boise State this weekend at the Johnson Center.
Golf: Albers Joins Tiger in Record Books
On the course, New Mexico men’s golf has wasted no time making noise in 2025-26. The Lobos opened the year as co-champions of The Wohali before following up with a runner-up finish at the 70th annual William H. Tucker Invitational.
Freshman Emil Albers headlined the week, winning the Tucker individual title with a 13-under finish — a freshman scoring record at UNM and only the second freshman champion in tournament history, joining none other than Tiger Woods (1994). The German standout posted rounds of 67-68-68, while fellow freshman Thayer Plewe added a top-10 finish at 6-under.
“It’s always tough to defend your home course, but I’m proud of how the guys battled,” head coach Jake Harrington said. “To have Emil win and multiple players in contention shows the depth of this team.”
The Lobos’ strong start marks their first back-to-back top-two season-opening finishes since 2004-05.
Swimming: Colket Joins Higashijima’s Staff
In the pool, head coach Naya Higashijima added a major piece to her staff, naming former SMU assistant Thomas Colket as UNM’s new assistant swimming coach. Colket arrives with experience coaching NCAA qualifiers and national-level athletes, while also bringing his perspective as a former swimmer at SMU and Texas, where he was part of two NCAA championship teams.
“Tom’s positivity and experience through adversity will be invaluable to our team,” Higashijima said.
Tennis: Ciobotaru Takes on ITA Championships
Men’s tennis will also be represented on the national stage as junior Dario Ciobotaru heads to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the ITA Championships. The lone holdover from last year’s Mountain West title-winning lineup, Ciobotaru will look to play his way into the 64-player main draw.
Men’s Basketball: Exhibition Slate Set
Meanwhile, men’s basketball announced a unique home-and-home exhibition series with Washington State, beginning Oct. 25 in Pullman. The Cougars will return the trip in 2026-27, marking the first time the teams will square off in The Pit since 2015.