It was a week to remember for the University of New Mexico athletics program — one that saw the Lobos secure a long-awaited football bowl berth, sweep the Mountain West cross country championships, notch early-season basketball wins, and notch a commanding volleyball victory at home. From the track to The Pit and all the way to Las Vegas, the cherry and silver were shining bright.
Football: Bowl Bound After Nine Years
For the first time since 2016, Lobo football is headed bowling. New Mexico stunned UNLV on the road Saturday night, outlasting the Rebels 40–35 in a dramatic finish at Allegiant Stadium.
The Lobos jumped out to a 21–0 lead before UNLV clawed all the way back to take a 35–34 advantage with just 6:35 to play — but New Mexico refused to fold. Quarterback Jack Layne found Keagan Johnson for three clutch receptions on the ensuing drive, covering 59 total yards and setting up D.J. McKinney’s 13-yard touchdown run with 2:57 remaining that sealed the victory and sent the Lobo sideline into delirium.
New Mexico’s offense delivered fireworks all night: Layne connected with Damon Bankston for two touchdowns, including an 84-yard screen-pass sprint, while James Laubstein added a 12-yard scoring strike to Simon Mapa. Luke Drzewiecki’s 46-yard field goal capped off a first half that ended 31–21 in favor of UNM.
Defensively, the Lobos recovered three fumbles and came up big late, forcing a turnover on downs and recovering a desperate UNLV lateral attempt to ice the win. The result pushed UNM to 6–3 overall (3–2 MW), securing bowl eligibility for the first time in nine years and proving that head coach Danny Gonzales’ rebuild has taken full flight.
Cross Country: Complete Mountain West Domination
If football’s bowl-clinching win was the heart of the week, New Mexico cross country was its soul. The Lobos swept the Mountain West men’s and women’s team and individual championships Friday morning at Woodward Park, marking the program’s first back-to-back sweep since 2014.
Junior sensation Habtom Samuel continued to etch his name into conference history, becoming the first Mountain West athlete — male or female — to win three consecutive individual titles. He blazed through the men’s 8K in 22:32.0, breaking his own meet record and finishing more than 24 seconds ahead of the field. Behind him, Vincent Chirchir (2nd), Evans Kiplagat (4th), Mathew Kosgei (8th), and Iker Sanchez (11th) sealed an emphatic 26-point team score, well clear of Boise State’s 72.
On the women’s side, Pamela Kosgei repeated as champion in her season debut, clocking 19:20.8 in the 6K — her second straight MW title. She led a powerhouse pack that included Judy Rono (3rd), Jasmine Wood (4th), and Marion Jepngetich (5th), giving New Mexico four of the top five finishers. With Nicola Jansen (11th) rounding out the scoring five, the women cruised to a 24-point total and another team crown.
In all, 12 Lobos earned All-Mountain West honors, with head coach Darren Gauson named both Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year. It’s the 18th consecutive season that New Mexico has won at least one conference cross country title — a streak of dominance unmatched in the Mountain West.
Women’s Basketball: Craig’s Debut Headlines Season-Opening Win
At The Pit on Monday night, the Lobo women’s basketball team tipped off its 2025 campaign with a convincing 77–59 victory over Northern Arizona. Newcomer Clarissa Craig made an immediate impact, matching her career high with 16 points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field and 8-for-9 from the line.
The Lobos closed the game on a 10–1 run over the final 5:40, holding the Lumberjacks to just five points in the fourth quarter. Destinee Hooks (12 points) and Alyssa Hargrove (11) joined Craig in double figures as New Mexico led nearly wire-to-wire and by as many as 19.
Defensively, the Lobos were relentless, forcing 17 turnovers and turning them into 20 points. Joana Magalhães led the charge with a career-high six steals, while Nayli Padilla and Hargrove added three and two, respectively.
Six Lobos finished with at least eight points as UNM showed the balanced scoring and defensive intensity head coach Mike Bradbury hopes will define the season. The team now heads to Boulder to face Colorado before returning home on Nov. 9 to meet North Carolina A&T.
Men’s Basketball: Chol Lights Up The Pit in Preseason Finale
In men’s hoops, Antonio Chol put on a show in Thursday’s 64–54 exhibition win over Northern Arizona, knocking down five three-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points.
The Lobos never trailed and got scoring contributions from 10 of 11 players, showcasing the depth head coach Eric Olen has built entering the new season. Jake Hall added 12 points off the bench, and Chris Howell dished out five assists to go with eight points as New Mexico’s offense moved the ball efficiently, tallying 13 assists on 17 made field goals.
UNM led 29–19 at the half and fended off a late NAU push with a 7–0 run early in the second. The win marked the Lobos’ 68th exhibition victory in their last 75 outings, and Olen said afterward that while his team still has areas to refine, the pieces are falling into place ahead of the Nov. 5 regular-season opener against East Texas A&M.
Volleyball: A Pink Night to Remember — and One to Forget
Inside Johnson Center, it was a tale of two matches for Lobo Volleyball this week.
On Thursday, the Lobos delivered their most dominant performance of the conference season, sweeping Nevada (25–14, 25–14, 25–21) on Pink Night. UNM hit a season-high .368 while limiting the Wolf Pack to just .126, led by Lauryn Payne (13 kills) and Addison France (10). Gioia Riccato and Reagan Miller combined for 16 more kills, while setter Madeleine Miller ran the offense to perfection with 33 assists.
The defensive effort was just as sharp — Camila Canedo notched 16 digs and the Lobos outblocked Nevada 9–4. The win improved UNM to 10–12 (3–8 MW) and extended its dominance in the all-time series to 21–4 against the Wolf Pack.
However, Saturday’s follow-up didn’t go as smoothly. The Lobos were swept (12–25, 22–25, 22–24) by Air Force despite a late rally in the third set. France led with seven kills, while Payne and Miller added six each, but New Mexico struggled to maintain rhythm offensively, hitting just .118 for the match.
The Lobos now turn their attention to their final homestand, hosting UNLV on Thursday and San Diego State on Saturday for Senior Day — both matches streaming live on the Mountain West Network.
Soccer: Season Ends in Hard-Fought Championship Loss
The Lobo women’s soccer team saw its 2025 campaign come to an end Sunday in a 1–0 loss to Utah State in the Mountain West Championship. Despite controlling much of the first half — outshooting the Aggies 8–5 and holding a 5–1 edge in corner kicks — New Mexico couldn’t convert its chances, and a 71st-minute strike by USU proved to be the difference.
Goalkeeper Alyson Campbell made several key stops, and Alysa Whelchel and Allie Anderson both had strong early looks, but the Aggie defense held firm. The loss ends UNM’s season at 8–5–6, capping another competitive campaign for head coach Heather Dyche’s squad.