The University of New Mexico put together a weekend that showcased both grit and depth across its athletic programs, highlighted by a record-setting football performance in the Rio Grande Rivalry, a national showcase in cross country, and dramatic wins and milestones for women’s soccer and golf. Even in defeat, volleyball showed flashes of promise as the Lobos officially entered Mountain West play.
Football: Defense and Layne Lead Lobos to Rivalry Triumph
Before a sellout crowd of 37,440 at University Stadium, the Lobos (3-1) delivered a second-half surge to defeat New Mexico State 38-20 in the 15th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry.
Quarterback Jack Layne put together one of the best performances of his career, completing 23 of 30 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Five different receivers found the end zone, including Cade Keith, Shawn Miller, Dorian Thomas, and Scottre Humphrey, while Keagan Johnson posted 117 receiving yards and a touchdown on five receptions.
After trailing 17-14 at halftime, UNM seized momentum on a Luke Drzewiecki 44-yard field goal and never looked back. Layne’s 24-yard touchdown to Thomas gave the Lobos their first lead, and the defense slammed the door shut—outscoring the Aggies 24-3 after the break.
That defensive effort tied a program record with nine sacks and held NMSU to just 15 rushing yards on 30 attempts. Keyshawn James-Newby (2.5 sacks) led a relentless front, while Xavier Slayton picked off Aggie quarterback Logan Fife to halt a key drive. Head coach Jason Eck capped the afternoon by hoisting “The Chile Roaster,” a brand-new rivalry trophy crafted by student organizations.
It marked the second straight week UNM dominated the second half, outscoring UCLA 21-3 the week before.
Cross Country: Lobos Test Themselves at Cowboy Jamboree
New Mexico’s distance dominance was on display in Stillwater, where the men finished second overall and the women third at the OSU Cowboy Jamboree against some of the nation’s best.
The No. 2-ranked men’s team was led by Collins Kiprotich, who crossed third overall in 23:38.0, just ahead of teammates Vincent Chirchir (4th) and Evans Kiplagat (5th). The Lobos totaled 41 points, just behind host No. 3 Oklahoma State (36).
On the women’s side, No. 3 New Mexico packed all five scorers inside the top 20, led by freshman Marion Jepngetich, who took third overall in her collegiate debut (20:15.8). Behind her, Nicola Jansen, Tilly Simpson, Alice Seguin, and Jasmine Wood each delivered top-20 finishes.
The showing further solidified UNM as a national contender on both sides.
Soccer: Puerto Sparks Conference Opener, Earns Weekly Honor
At the UNM Soccer Complex, the Lobos embodied their fight song’s refrain—“fighting ever, yielding never.” Senior forward Alèjandra Puerto scored twice in the second half to rally UNM from behind against Colorado College, before Gabby Beaudry’s header in the 89th minute sealed a 3-2 victory in the Mountain West opener.
Puerto’s brace—her second multi-goal match of the season—brought her season total to six, tied for the conference lead. On Monday, she was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, the first such honor of her career.
Head coach Heather Dyche praised her team’s resilience: “Last year in these games, we tended to implode. To see them grind it out, stay positive, and pull out a win was huge.”
The Lobos (5-2-2, 1-0 MW) now head to San José State and Fresno State before returning home Oct. 9.
Women’s Golf: Cepeda Emerging as a Force
Freshman Ava Cepeda is quickly making a name for herself on the course. At the Red Raider Invitational in Lubbock, she carded a three-day score of 1-over, earning her first career top-five finish and marking her second straight top-15 placement.
Though UNM finished 11th overall in the team standings, head coach Jill Trujillo lauded Cepeda’s poise: “Ava held strong in tough, windy conditions today. I have no doubt there will be a tournament win for her in the near future.”
The Lobos return Oct. 3-5 for the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Denver.
Volleyball: Lobos Falter in Opener but Show Fight
The volleyball team (8-4, 0-1 MW) dropped its conference opener to Utah State in straight sets, but the night wasn’t without positives.
Addison France led UNM with eight kills, while Lauryn Payne returned from injury to add seven. The Lobos rallied late in the second set and even led 12-8 in the third before the Aggies closed on a 17-4 run.
Head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar’s team will look to regroup quickly with Boise State visiting Johnson Center on Saturday morning.