The University of New Mexico continued to demonstrate that success extends far beyond competition venues during the 2025-26 academic year, as Lobo student-athletes produced one of the strongest academic performances in school history while several track and field athletes capped the season with national championships at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The spring semester marked another milestone for New Mexico Athletics, with student-athletes posting a combined 3.62 GPA. The mark stands as the second-highest semester GPA ever recorded by the department and the best spring semester GPA in school history.
The achievement continues an unprecedented stretch of academic success across Lobo Athletics. The department’s five highest overall GPAs have all occurred during the last five semesters, while both men’s and women’s programs have seen similar record-setting trends.
“We have established a culture of academic excellence through the Lobo Center for Student-Athlete Success,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman said. “We have shown you can both win championships and excel in the classroom.”
Women’s tennis led the department with a remarkable 4.06 GPA, narrowly missing the department record of 4.08 set by women’s golf in 2022. The mark represents the second-highest GPA in department history and only the ninth time a UNM team has recorded a GPA of 4.0 or better.
Overall, 11 of UNM’s 14 athletic programs recorded at least one top-five semester GPA in program history during the academic year, while eight programs established new records. A total of 286 student-athletes finished the semester with at least a 3.0 GPA, and 80 earned perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Football continued to establish a standard both on and off the field under head coach Jason Eck. The program, which finished 9-4 and tied for first place in the Mountain West last fall, has now posted the three highest semester GPAs in school history during Eck’s tenure.
Baseball and softball also continued impressive academic runs. The top five GPAs in baseball program history have all come under head coach Tod Brown, while softball’s five highest semester GPAs have all been achieved under Nicole Orgeron.
Men’s golf once again led all men’s programs with a 3.80 GPA, marking the sixth consecutive semester the program has held that distinction.
Jepngetich Captures National Championship as Women Shine in Eugene
While Lobo student-athletes excelled in the classroom, New Mexico’s women’s track and field program once again proved itself among the nation’s elite at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Sophomore Marion Jepngetich delivered the highlight performance of the week, capturing the NCAA women’s 5,000-meter national championship.
Jepngetich crossed the finish line in 15:13.01 and was later elevated to champion following the disqualification of Alabama’s Doris Lemngole. The title marked the first NCAA championship of her career and continued New Mexico’s dominance in the event after Pamela Kosgei captured the crown in 2025.
The victory also helped the Lobos secure three individual national championships during the four-day meet.
Kosgei added another impressive chapter to her decorated collegiate career. The sophomore finished runner-up in the women’s 10,000 meters, clocking 31:56.49 to earn First Team All-America honors. She followed that performance with a fifth-place finish in the 5,000-meter final.
The pair combined to score 22 points for the Lobos, helping New Mexico finish tied for 12th in the team standings. The total represented the third-highest outdoor championship point total in program history and the best finish among all non-Power Four institutions.
Taniya Looney also concluded a breakthrough season on the national stage. The junior sprinter earned Second Team All-America honors in both the 100 and 200 meters after becoming the first Lobo woman since 1984 to qualify for NCAA Outdoors in both events.
Looney narrowly missed advancing to the finals, finishing 13th in the 100 meters and 15th in the 200 meters to cap one of the most successful sprint seasons in program history.
Combined with Kosgei’s runner-up finish and Jepngetich’s national title, the women’s squad once again established itself as one of the premier distance programs in collegiate track and field.
Samuel Completes Historic Double for Lobo Men
On the men’s side, Habtom Samuel delivered one of the most dominant championship performances in NCAA track and field this season.
The Eritrean junior opened the week by winning the NCAA 10,000-meter title, leading much of the race before pulling away late to finish in 27:51.31. The victory marked his second career NCAA outdoor title in the event and continued a remarkable streak for New Mexico, which has now produced the men’s 10,000-meter national champion in three consecutive years.
Samuel wasn’t finished.
Two nights later, he returned to the track and completed the coveted 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter double by winning the 5,000-meter title in 13:38.93.
The accomplishment made Samuel just the 15th athlete in collegiate history to sweep both events at the same NCAA Outdoor Championships and the first since 2023.
The victories gave Samuel five career NCAA championships and further cemented his status as the most decorated athlete in New Mexico track and field history. He finished the 2025-26 academic year undefeated against collegiate competition while capturing NCAA titles in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.
Samuel’s 20 individual points propelled the Lobo men to a 14th-place finish in the national team standings. His point total alone outscored 122 teams at the championship meet.
New Mexico also received NCAA Championship appearances from Matthew Endrödy and Evans Kiplagat. Endrödy qualified in the 1,500 meters after an impressive sophomore campaign, while Kiplagat earned his first appearance in the NCAA Outdoor 10,000-meter final.
Together, the performances capped another memorable season for a men’s distance program that continues to rank among the nation’s best.
Men’s Tennis Adds Experienced Transfer
Away from the track, New Mexico men’s tennis continued building toward another Mountain West title run with the addition of transfer Max Relic.
The former Utah standout will join the Lobos for the 2026-27 season after spending the past year with the Utes. Relic posted a 6-2 singles record and 9-2 doubles mark during fall competition at Utah, including a perfect 4-0 showing in both singles and doubles at the Utah Invitational.
Before arriving at Utah, the London, England native competed at Montana State, where he played under current New Mexico head coach Rob Bareford.
As a freshman with the Bobcats, Relic earned All-Big Sky honors in singles and Honorable Mention All-Big Sky recognition in doubles while competing primarily at the No. 1 position.
“The culture Coach Bareford has built, along with the program’s competitive ambition, made it an easy decision,” Relic said. “I’m excited to be part of the Lobo family and can’t wait to help the team compete for a championship.”
Relic arrives as New Mexico looks to build on last season’s Mountain West Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, the program’s first NCAA berth in a decade.
His addition provides another experienced option for a roster that will be aiming for a fifth conference title since 2019 and continued success under Bareford following a breakthrough first season.
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