It was a week of milestones, emotional farewells, and promising beginnings across University of New Mexico athletics. From the volleyball team’s Senior Day comeback and men’s basketball’s dominant start to a coaching legend’s departure and the unveiling of an ambitious track and field schedule, the Lobos showcased resilience and momentum as several programs closed or began new chapters.
Heather Dyche Departs After Transformative Run
After 11 seasons at the helm of Lobo women’s soccer, head coach Heather Dyche is moving on to a new challenge with U.S. Soccer, where she’ll lead the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team. Her tenure at New Mexico reshaped the program into a model of excellence in the Mountain West — capturing four regular-season titles, one tournament championship, and making two NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first-ever Second Round berth in 2020.
Dyche leaves UNM as the program’s all-time leader in career winning percentage (.600) and conference victories (63). Her 106 career wins rank second in school history, and her teams recorded six 10-win seasons, including a program-record five straight from 2017 to 2021. Her impact extended beyond wins and losses — Dyche built a culture of academic success and community engagement that will leave a lasting legacy in Albuquerque.
Volleyball Closes Home Slate in Dramatic Fashion
The Lobo volleyball team wrapped up its home schedule with an emotional and spirited Senior Day victory, rebounding from a straight-sets loss to UNLV on Thursday to defeat San Diego State in four sets (22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-16) on Saturday at Johnson Center.
Senior Lauryn Payne, honored pregame alongside teammates, led the charge with 16 kills, while Addison France added 13 and Reagan Miller hit a blistering .636 with seven kills on 11 swings. Setter Madeleine Miller dished out 40 assists — her eighth match this season with 40 or more — as the Lobos (11-14, 3-11 MW) improved their Senior Day record to 3-0 over the past three seasons.
In the earlier matchup, New Mexico (10-14, 2-11 MW) struggled to contain UNLV, falling 25-20, 25-17, 25-23 despite Gioia Riccato’s 11 kills and Madison Blanco’s solid two-ace, eight-dig effort. However, the team responded with poise against SDSU, showing resilience that bodes well for the program’s growth heading into 2026.
Men’s Basketball Starts Olen Era with Authority
The Eric Olen era began in emphatic fashion as Lobo men’s basketball rolled to a pair of convincing home wins to open the 2025–26 campaign. Behind a mix of youth and energy, UNM opened with a 76-54 win over East Texas A&M before handling UT Arlington 74-56 on Saturday, marking the team’s first back-to-back 18+ point victories to start a season since 2019–20.
Freshmen Uriah Tenette and Jake Hall each scored 14 in their collegiate debuts, while Tomislav Buljan grabbed 15 rebounds in his first outing — the most by a Lobo in a debut and tied for fourth-most by a freshman in program history. Against UT Arlington, Buljan led all scorers with 17 points, 13 coming after halftime, as Deyton Albury added 15.
The Lobos’ defense has been dominant, holding opponents to fewer than 20 first-half points in consecutive games for the first time since 2005–06 and allowing just 110 total points through two games — their best defensive start since 2011–12. Olen praised the team’s early form:
“I thought today was a good performance, especially defensively again,” Olen said. “Some of that defensive activity led to offense and that got us some separation. I certainly feel like we made some progress today.”
The Lobos (2-0) will close their three-game homestand Tuesday against UC Riverside.
Women’s Hoops Battles at Colorado
Despite a strong first half and a standout performance from Destinee Hooks, the UNM women’s basketball team fell 84-59 to Colorado on Thursday night in Boulder. Hooks finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, marking her seventh career 20-point game, while the Lobos drained nine three-pointers overall.
UNM trailed by just one at halftime (33-32) after a stellar second quarter that saw Hooks score 12 and the Lobos outscore CU 20-15. However, Colorado seized control with a 33-point third quarter to pull away. Laila Abdurraqib added nine points off the bench, and Alyssa Hargrove led with three assists in a game that featured 10 lead changes before the Buffaloes’ surge.
Tennis Closes Fall Season on a High Note
At the CSUN Hidden Duals, the Lobo women’s tennis team capped its fall campaign with a winning record, finishing 19-17 overall (12-13 singles, 7-4 doubles). Lea Malazdra stood out with a perfect 3-0 singles weekend, while Yu Yun “Kathy” Tsai and Coumba Ben Niangadou each tallied multiple wins. Tsai and Niangadou also teamed up for a commanding 6-1 doubles victory on the final day.
The strong showing gives UNM momentum heading into dual match play, which begins in January.
Track & Field Releases 2026 Indoor Schedule
UNM Track & Field unveiled its full 2025–26 indoor schedule, featuring four high-profile home meets at the Albuquerque Convention Center — a facility renowned for producing national-caliber performances. Last season, 20 marks from Albuquerque ranked in the NCAA’s Top 10 nationally.
The Lobos are coming off one of their most successful years in program history, highlighted by two national titles from Pamela Kosgei, a men’s team fifth-place finish at NCAA Outdoors, and a Mountain West championship sweep by the women’s team.
For 2026, UNM will again aim for national contention with elite athletes like Habtom Samuel and Marion Jepngetich returning, while the Mountain West Indoor Championships will shift to Reno, Nev., Feb. 26–28 — the first time in a decade the meet will be held outside Albuquerque.