The University of New Mexico athletic department delivered a busy and impactful week across multiple programs, highlighted by a dominant conference-opening win for the men’s basketball team, key coaching announcements in volleyball and men’s tennis, competitive performances in women’s basketball and swimming & diving, and continued momentum across winter sports.
Men’s Basketball: Lobos Dominate San Jose State in Mountain West Opener
New Mexico men’s basketball opened Mountain West play in emphatic fashion Saturday night at The Pit, rolling past San Jose State 88–65 to extend its winning streak to seven games. The Lobos improved to 10–2 overall and 1–0 in conference play, while the Spartans dropped to 5–7.
Playing shorthanded with regular starters Tomislav Buljan and Chris Howell sidelined due to injury, New Mexico leaned heavily on its depth. Milos Vicentic delivered his best performance of the season, scoring a season-high 19 points off the bench to lead the Lobos. Jake Hall added 18 points, including 12 after halftime, while JT Rock and Uriah Tenette chipped in 11 apiece. Deyton Albury rounded out the balanced effort with 10 points and a season-high seven assists.
New Mexico controlled the game from the opening minutes, using an 8–0 run late in the first half to take a 41–28 lead into the break. After San Jose State briefly cut the deficit to five early in the second half, the Lobos responded with composure and closed the game with a season-best 17–0 run, pushing the margin to as many as 31 points.
The win carried historical significance, as UNM improved to 17–10 all-time in Mountain West openers and remained undefeated at home in conference openers. The Lobos also won their 19th straight home game, tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the nation, and became the first FBS program in three seasons to post an undefeated calendar year at home in both football and men’s basketball.
New Mexico shot an impressive 83.3 percent from inside the arc, its best two-point shooting performance since 2018, in front of a crowd of 12,785—the largest at The Pit for a San Jose State game since the 2015–16 season.
The Lobos now take a 10-day holiday break before returning to action Dec. 30 at Boise State, followed by a home matchup with Wyoming on Jan. 3.
Women’s Basketball: Antonio Leads Lobos in Rivalry Loss at UNLV
Despite a season-high 22-point performance from Cacia Antonio, New Mexico women’s basketball fell 89–71 at UNLV on Saturday in a Mountain West rivalry matchup.
Antonio was one of three Lobos to score in double figures, marking the first time this season UNM lost a game when three players reached double digits and the team scored at least 70 points. Destinee Hooks finished with 13 points to extend her double-digit scoring streak to 13 games, while Nayli Padilla added 10 points, hitting two three-pointers.
The Lobos started strong, scoring the first six points of the game, but UNLV seized control late in the first quarter with a decisive 17–0 run. Antonio accounted for eight of UNM’s 13 first-quarter points, but the Lady Rebels built a commanding lead that proved too much to overcome.
New Mexico showed resilience in the second half, trimming the deficit to as few as 18 points multiple times. Antonio continued her strong play, scoring efficiently in the paint and adding second-chance points, while Hooks scored 10 of her points in the fourth quarter. However, UNLV maintained control down the stretch to secure the win.
The Lobos moved to 9–4 overall and 1–1 in conference play and will return to action on New Year’s Eve, hosting Wyoming at 1 p.m. MT.
Volleyball: Brian Hosfeld Named 11th Head Coach of Lobo Volleyball
New Mexico Volleyball officially turned the page to a new era this week, announcing the hiring of Brian Hosfeld as the program’s 11th head coach.
Hosfeld arrives in Albuquerque with more than three decades of coaching experience and an extensive résumé that includes success at both the collegiate and international levels. Most recently, he spent four seasons as Associate Head Coach at Wichita State, where the Shockers compiled an 81–46 record, captured an AAC Tournament title, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2024.
Hosfeld previously served as the winningest head coach in Baylor history, leading the Bears to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1999. His background also includes a national championship as an assistant at Long Beach State, as well as three Final Four appearances during his tenure at Texas, where the Longhorns posted a .849 winning percentage while he was on staff.
Athletic Director Fernando Lovo cited Hosfeld’s leadership, experience, and proven success as key factors in the hire, while Hosfeld emphasized his excitement to develop student-athletes both on and off the court as he begins his tenure with the Lobos.
Men’s Tennis: Georgio Samaha Returns as Assistant Coach
Former Lobo standout Georgio Samaha is back with the men’s tennis program, returning as a second assistant coach under head coach Rob Bareford.
Samaha concluded his playing career last season as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history, recording 83 career singles wins—eighth-most all-time at UNM—and 62 doubles victories. Bareford praised Samaha’s ability to teach and connect with players, noting his familiarity with the program as a major asset.
The Lobos, fresh off a 2025 Mountain West Tournament championship, open the 2025 season on Jan. 18 with matches against Idaho and Western New Mexico.
Swimming & Diving: Lobos Compete at UC Davis in First Long-Course Meet
New Mexico Swimming & Diving wrapped up its weekend at UC Davis, competing in its first long-course (meters) meet of the season.
Alice English led the Lobos with Zone-qualifying performances on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards for the second consecutive day. She finished fourth on the 3-meter with a score of 284.1 and placed third on the 1-meter with a 280.5. Rithika Colvin narrowly missed a Zone score in the 1-meter, finishing seventh with a 263.85.
In the pool, Mollie Gorman placed fourth in both the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, while Arianna Stokes added a fourth-place finish in the 50-meter freestyle.
The Lobos will be back in action Jan. 9–10, traveling to Denver to face the Pioneers before competing in a double-dual against Air Force and Colorado State at the U.S. Air Force Academy.