Lobos Sit Seventh After Opening Round of Mountain West Championship
The New Mexico women’s golf team opened play at the 2026 Mountain West Championship on Tuesday with a challenging first round at the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club, finishing the day in seventh place after posting a 14-over team score.
In a tightly contested field, San José State and Colorado State set the early pace, each carding 3-over rounds to share the lead. UNLV and Grand Canyon sit just one shot back at 4-over, while Nevada (+6) and Wyoming (+11) round out the top six ahead of the Lobos. Boise State (+15), San Diego State (+17), and Fresno State (+26) complete the standings.
Freshman Ava Cepeda delivered the standout performance for New Mexico in her postseason debut, firing an even-par 72 to place tied for sixth individually. Cepeda’s steady play kept the Lobos within striking distance despite a round marked by missed opportunities across the lineup.
Chelsea Truong showed resilience after a difficult front nine, where she sat at 6-over, before mounting an impressive comeback with a 2-under back nine to finish with a 78 (+6). Ciara Rushmer added a 4-over performance, while Juliette Hole also carded a 78. Maria Caparros Levin rounded out the scoring with an 88.
Head coach Jill Trujillo emphasized both the positives and areas for improvement following the round.
“Ava played very steady for us today and Chelsea had a good comeback on the back nine,” Trujillo said. “We made a lot of small mistakes that cost us bogeys, but we’re not out of it yet. We’ll come back tomorrow with a solid round.”
With two rounds remaining, the Lobos remain within reach of moving up the leaderboard as the championship continues Wednesday and concludes Thursday.
Record-Breaking Performances Highlight Massive Weekend for Lobos Track & Field
New Mexico Track & Field delivered one of its most impressive collective showings of the outdoor season, competing across three California meets—the Bryan Clay Invitational, Mt. SAC Relays, and Beach Invitational—and emerging with two program records and eight all-time top-10 marks.
The headline performances came from Eva Ngom and Taniya Looney, who each etched their names into the program record books.
At the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Ngom matched the school’s outdoor 400m record with a blazing 52.08, a nearly one-second improvement on her previous personal best. Her performance ties the fastest mark in program history and continues a breakout freshman campaign. Teammate Sofia Pineda also impressed in the event, running a personal-best 53.55 to move into sixth all-time at UNM.
Meanwhile, at the Mt. SAC Relays, Looney shattered the school record in the 100m with an 11.37 performance—achieved despite running into a headwind. The mark stands as one of the fastest in the Mountain West this season and underscores her emergence as one of the conference’s elite sprinters.
The Lobos also dominated in distance events at the Bryan Clay Invitational, particularly in the women’s 1,500m. Tilly Simpson (4:12.32) and Jasmine Wood (4:15.19) both posted top-10 finishes while moving into No. 3 and No. 10, respectively, on the program’s all-time list. Li-Mari Dekker and Natalie Bitetti also recorded personal bests, highlighting the depth of the distance group.
On the men’s side, Matthew Endrody (3:37.66) and Collins Kiprotich (3:39.53) delivered standout performances in the elite 1,500m sections, both recording personal bests and climbing into the program’s all-time top six.
Additional highlights included a season-best 51.37 in the 400m hurdles from Levente Soos (2nd place), a personal-best 13.54 in the 100m hurdles from Adryana Shelby (No. 2 all-time at UNM), and a strong 3:33.91 showing in the women’s 4×400 relay—tying for No. 3 in school history.
Across sprints, distance, and field events, the Lobos showcased both elite top-end performances and impressive depth, positioning themselves well as the championship portion of the season approaches.
Habtom Samuel Rewrites NCAA Record Book Again
Habtom Samuel continues to redefine excellence in collegiate distance running.
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, Samuel broke his own NCAA outdoor 5,000m record with a dominant performance, clocking 13:03.47 in one of the fastest races ever run at the collegiate level. The Eritrean standout closed with a devastating 1:58 over his final two laps, leaving a stacked field far behind.
The margin of victory was emphatic—Oklahoma State’s Deni Kipngetich (13:13.43) and BYU’s Tayvon Kitchen (13:16.27) were more than 10 seconds back, underscoring Samuel’s control over the race.
The performance not only reaffirms Samuel’s position atop the NCAA rankings but also strengthens his case as the favorite in both the 5,000m and 10,000m heading into the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Samuel, Ngom Earn Weekly Conference Honors
Following a historic weekend, Habtom Samuel and Eva Ngom were recognized by the Mountain West for their performances.
Samuel earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors for the second time this outdoor season, adding to an already decorated career that now includes 11 conference weekly awards and multiple national recognitions this year alone.
Ngom was named Women’s Freshman of the Week—her second such honor this academic year—after a remarkable weekend in which she recorded personal bests in all three of her individual events. Her 400m record-tying performance and strong relay split further cement her status as one of the conference’s rising stars.
Samuel’s dominance also earned him USTFCCCA Co-National Athlete of the Week honors, sharing recognition with Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum.
Softball: Lobos Claim Statement Series Win Over Fresno State
New Mexico softball showed resilience and firepower in securing a pivotal series win over Fresno State, bouncing back from a Game 1 loss to take the final two contests in dramatic fashion.
After falling 12-6 in the opener—highlighted by a costly seven-run fourth inning—the Lobos responded with a thrilling 6-5 walk-off victory on Saturday. Hayden Luderer provided the heroics, launching a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to cap the comeback.
McKenna Guest was equally instrumental, tossing a complete game with a career-high 157 pitches while striking out six.
The Lobos carried that momentum into Sunday, delivering a dominant 12-1 run-rule victory to clinch the series. A nine-run second inning broke the game open, with Miracle McKenzie and Melanie Macias leading the offensive explosion. McKenzie finished with five RBIs, while Macias added two home runs.
Freshman Caitlin Benningfield was outstanding in the circle, allowing just two hits in a complete-game effort.
The series win marks a significant step forward for the program, which has historically struggled against Fresno State but is now showing clear progress.
Baseball: Lobos Rally to Salvage Series Finale vs. Nevada
New Mexico baseball endured a rollercoaster weekend against first-place Nevada, ultimately salvaging the series finale with a gritty 9-7 comeback victory.
After dropping the first two games—including a 15-2 run-rule loss—the Lobos faced a 5-0 deficit early in Sunday’s game. However, they responded with nine runs over the next three innings, fueled by contributions throughout the lineup.
Garrett Rede played a pivotal role in his return to the lineup, recording three hits, scoring twice, and driving in two runs. Lenny Junior Ashby and Luke Mansy each added home runs, while the bullpen stabilized the game after a rough start.
Cooper Corkrean delivered a key performance out of the bullpen, allowing just two runs over five innings to earn the win.
The victory keeps the Lobos firmly in the Mountain West race, sitting just a half-game behind Nevada.
Men’s Tennis Builds Momentum Ahead of MW Tournament
New Mexico men’s tennis closed the regular season with mixed results but secured the No. 6 seed in the upcoming Mountain West Tournament.
The Lobos celebrated Senior Day with a 4-2 victory over Air Force, highlighted by dramatic doubles play and clutch performances in singles. Dario Ciobotaru clinched the match with a hard-fought win featuring two intense tiebreakers.
However, UNM dropped its regular-season finale 4-0 at San Diego State, a match that was closer than the scoreline suggested, with several courts still in contention.
The Lobos now turn their focus to the conference tournament, where they will face Boise State in a rematch of last year’s championship.
Volleyball Announces New-Look 2026 Conference Schedule
New Mexico volleyball is set to enter a new era under head coach Brian Hosfeld, with the Mountain West unveiling a revamped 2026 conference schedule.
The addition of Hawaii, UC Davis, and UTEP introduces a new format in which teams will play back-to-back matches against the same opponent each week.
The Lobos will open conference play on the road at Hawaii in late September before hosting Nevada for their home opener in early October. The schedule includes extended home and road stretches, culminating in a season-ending homestand against Wyoming.
All matches will be streamed on the Mountain West’s new subscription platform, signaling a step forward in visibility for the program.
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