The University of New Mexico football team will be one of the most visible programs in the Mountain West this season, with the conference announcing that at least nine Lobo games will be broadcast nationally during the 2026 campaign.
Coming off a breakthrough 9-4 season and a share of the Mountain West championship, New Mexico will open the year under the national spotlight. The season opener against Central Michigan on Aug. 29 will air on FS1 with an 8 p.m. kickoff, marking the Lobos’ first home season opener against an FBS opponent since 2014.
The national exposure continues throughout the non-conference schedule. New Mexico’s first-ever meeting with the Oklahoma Sooners will air on ESPN2 on Sept. 19, while the 116th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry against New Mexico State Aggies will be televised on CBS Sports Network on Sept. 26.
The Lobos will also receive significant conference exposure. Home matchups against UNLV Rebels and Air Force Falcons will air on The CW, while road contests at Nevada Wolf Pack and Wyoming Cowboys are slated for national broadcasts. The Oct. 24 Homecoming game against North Dakota State Bison was later added to The CW schedule, giving New Mexico nine nationally televised games.
The schedule reflects growing interest in a program that posted one of its best seasons in recent memory in 2025 and enters the upcoming season with elevated expectations.
Samuel Headlines NCAA Qualifiers
While football was making headlines off the field, New Mexico Track and Field continued its remarkable postseason run at the NCAA West Regional Preliminary Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The biggest star of the week was undoubtedly Habtom Samuel, who arrived at regionals fresh off a historic performance at the LA Track Fest. Just days before competition began, Samuel shattered the collegiate outdoor 5,000-meter record with a world-leading time of 12:57.23, becoming the first collegian to break the 13-minute barrier outdoors while also setting a new Eritrean national record.
Samuel carried that momentum into Fayetteville. He won the men’s 10,000-meter semifinal in 28:42.53 to secure a return trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships before adding a victory in the 5,000-meter semifinal later in the week. The reigning national champion in the 10K remains undefeated against collegiate competition this academic year and will compete in both distance events in Eugene for the third consecutive season.
Joining Samuel in the men’s national field are fellow distance runner Evans Kiplagat and middle-distance standout Matthew Endrödy.
Kiplagat earned his first career NCAA Outdoor Championships berth by finishing eighth in the 10,000-meter semifinal, while Endrödy qualified for nationals in the 1,500 meters after advancing through both rounds of competition. The South African sophomore becomes the first Lobo man since 2018 to reach the NCAA Outdoor Championship semifinals in the event.
On the women’s side, defending NCAA champion Pamela Kosgei once again proved she is among the nation’s elite.
Kosgei finished second in the regional 10,000-meter semifinal in a blistering 31:27.58, one of the fastest performances in collegiate history. She later qualified for the 5,000-meter final as well, setting up another double attempt at the national championships after sweeping both events last season.
Kosgei will be joined in Eugene by teammate Marion Jepngetich, who secured qualification in the 5,000 meters, and sprinter Taniya Looney, whose breakthrough weekend made program history.
Looney became the first Lobo woman since 1984 to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the 100 and 200 meters. She posted a wind-aided 10.85 in the 100-meter quarterfinals before following it up with a school-record 22.66 in the 200.
In total, New Mexico will send six athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, highlighted by Samuel’s pursuit of national titles and Kosgei’s attempt to defend her crowns in both distance events.
Volleyball Releases First Schedule Under Hosfeld
The New Mexico volleyball program unveiled its 2026 schedule, the first under new head coach Brian Hosfeld.
The schedule features several high-profile nonconference tests, including matches against power-conference opponents Colorado Buffaloes Women’s Volleyball, Nebraska Cornhuskers Women’s Volleyball, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Women’s Volleyball and Baylor Bears Women’s Volleyball.
Perhaps the most notable change is the venue. The majority of home matches will be played at The Pit for the first time since 1999, giving the program a larger stage as it begins a new era.
Conference play also takes on a new look as the Mountain West welcomes new members University of Hawaiʻi Athletics, UC Davis Athletics and UTEP Athletics. The Lobos will open conference competition with a pair of road matches in Hawai’i in late September.
Soccer Adds Defensive Reinforcements
The women’s soccer program completed its 2026 roster by signing two defensive-minded additions.
Goalkeeper Madison London arrives from Creighton University after spending her freshman season with the Bluejays. A highly regarded Canadian prospect, London has participated in multiple Canadian youth national team camps and earned her first international youth cap earlier this year.
Defender Alison Peralta joins the Lobos after two seasons at Arizona Western College. Peralta helped the Matadors win two conference championships and reach consecutive national championship matches during her junior college career.
The additions round out the roster for first-year head coach Karley Nelson as the Lobos prepare for the upcoming season.
Men’s Tennis Adds New Assistant Coach
New Mexico men’s tennis added experience to its coaching staff with the hiring of Wyatt DeMulling as assistant coach.
DeMulling arrives from University of Oregon, where he helped guide the Ducks to a 14-11 record last season. Before entering coaching, he enjoyed a successful collegiate career at Boise State University, earning All-Mountain West honors and recording 65 singles victories.
His familiarity with the conference and experience at the highest levels of college tennis were key factors in his selection by head coach Rob Bareford.
Berryman Earns National Recognition
New Mexico Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman received national recognition this week after being named to Silver Waves Media’s list of the Top Athletic Directors in America.
Berryman, who officially became UNM’s 15th athletic director in March, was one of only two Mountain West athletic directors included on the list and is currently the second-youngest Division I athletic director in the country.
Since taking over the department, Berryman has overseen several high-profile initiatives, including a long-term naming rights agreement with Nusenda Credit Union that will officially rename University Arena as The Pit – Powered by Nusenda beginning with the 2026-27 basketball season.
A three-time UNM graduate and former student manager for Lobo basketball, Berryman’s rise through collegiate athletics has been closely tied to the university. His inclusion on the national list serves as another sign of the growing momentum surrounding New Mexico athletics as the department prepares for the 2026-27 academic year.
Comments