The opening stretch of the spring season delivered a full spectrum of results for the University of New Mexico, as the Lobos posted dominant sweeps, dramatic comeback wins, hard-fought setbacks against elite competition, and historic performances that rewrote the record books. From women’s tennis opening unbeaten play and softball producing late-inning fireworks, to basketball battling through pivotal Mountain West tests and track & field redefining program standards, the week showcased both the depth and resilience of UNM athletics.
Women’s Tennis Opens Season Unbeaten Behind Sweeps and Clutch Clinchers
New Mexico women’s tennis opened the 2026 spring season in emphatic fashion, sweeping its opening doubleheader with two identical 7-0 victories over Western New Mexico and CSU Pueblo. The Lobos did not drop a single set across the day, improving to 2-0 and setting the tone for the season ahead.
Every Lobo on the 10-player roster saw match action, led by freshman Yu Yun “Kathy” Tsai and newcomer Bente Vandeputte. Vandeputte was flawless in her Lobo debut at No. 1 singles, winning both matches while dropping just two games across four sets. Tsai and Coumba Niangadou also went 2-0 in singles, while Tsai and Vandeputte paired together to go 2-0 in doubles, giving both players a perfect opening day.
The doubles lineup saw several strong debuts as well, including Vianca and Vivica Corley, who won 6-0 at No. 1 doubles in their first dual match appearance, and Sarah L’Allier, who posted a 6-0, 6-0 win against CSU Pueblo in her dual debut.
That dominant weekend earned Tsai her first career honor, as she was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week. Across four matches, Tsai went 4-0, winning 36 of 39 games and all 12 of her doubles games. She clinched the doubles point against Western New Mexico and showed versatility by playing at No. 3 singles and both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Tsai’s impact only grew during UNM’s trip to Houston. Against UTRGV, the Lobos found themselves trailing deep into the match before Tsai delivered twice in the biggest moments. She and Vandeputte clinched the doubles point with a gritty 7-5 win after breaking serve late, then Tsai erased a first-set deficit in singles to clinch a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory. Her 6-1 third-set finish sealed UNM’s third straight win and underscored her growing reputation as a closer.
The unbeaten run came to an end the following morning against Houston, as the Cougars handed UNM a 4-0 loss. Despite the scoreline, the match was highly competitive, with several singles contests going deep into third sets. UNM pushed Houston closer than any opponent this season, narrowly missing the chance to become the first team to score on the Cougars in 2026. The Lobos exited the weekend at 3-1 and now turn their attention to a Pacific Northwest road trip.
Women’s Basketball Sweeps Wyoming, Stumbles at Boise State
New Mexico women’s basketball continued its defensive dominance with a 58-51 win at Wyoming, completing a season sweep of the Cowgirls and improving to a perfect 12-0 when holding opponents under 60 points.
The Lobos received a massive spark from the bench, scoring 29 points from reserves. Nayli Padilla led the way with 13 points, including three triples and 11 points across the second half. Laila Abdurraqib added 12 points on efficient shooting, while Destinee Hooks chipped in 11. UNM controlled the game for more than 32 minutes, winning the rebounding battle and forcing timely turnovers.
A decisive 13-0 run in the third quarter broke the game open, as Padilla and Abdurraqib buried three-pointers and UNM built a lead it would not relinquish.
That momentum stalled in Boise, where the Lobos struggled offensively in a 63-35 loss to Boise State. UNM shot 25% from the floor and was held to just 17 points at halftime. Destinee Hooks led UNM with eight points, while Jessie Joaquim pulled down 10 rebounds. Despite forcing 13 steals, the Lobos were unable to overcome a prolonged scoring drought and saw their four-game win streak snapped.
Men’s Basketball Drops Two Heartbreakers at The Pit
The New Mexico men’s basketball team endured a difficult week at home, seeing its historic 23-game home winning streak come to an end in an 86-66 loss to Utah State. After a tightly contested first half, the Aggies surged early in the second, using a decisive run to pull away.
Tomislav Buljan led UNM with 17 points, while three freshmen—Jake Hall, Uriah Tenette, and Buljan—each scored in double figures for the fifth straight game. Despite the setback, the streak ended as the third-longest home run in program history.
The Lobos nearly rebounded two nights later but fell just short in a 91-90 thriller against Boise State. Luke Haupt delivered a career night, scoring a season-high 30 points, while Hall added 19 and Tenette poured in 14 off the bench. UNM rallied late to tie the game at 80 but could not regain the lead as Boise State closed the game at the free-throw line. The loss marked UNM’s first back-to-back home defeats since the 2023–24 season.
Softball Shows Fight, Earns Multiple Shutouts at Getterman Classic
New Mexico softball opened the season with resilience and late-game drama at the Getterman Classic. The Lobos suffered a heartbreaking 8-7 walk-off loss to Baylor after rallying from four runs down in the seventh inning to tie the game, highlighted by freshman Estrella Rowe’s three-hit collegiate debut.
UNM rebounded on Saturday, splitting the day with a loss to No. 22 Mississippi State and a dominant 3-0 shutout of Northwestern State behind a complete-game performance from McKenna Guest—her sixth career shutout.
The Lobos closed the weekend with another split, falling 1-0 to Wichita State before blanking Northwestern State again, 2-0. Freshman Caitlin Benningfield earned her first career win, while Arianna Capek recorded her first save. Gabrielle Briones powered the offense with an inside-the-park home run, and Briana Williams led all Lobos with three hits on the final day.
Track & Field Rewrites the Record Book at UNM Collegiate Classic
New Mexico track & field delivered one of its most historic weekends in program history at the UNM Collegiate Classic. Three program records fell on Saturday alone, as Taniya Looney (60m), Rebecca Grieve (400m), and the women’s 4x400m relay all set new standards.
Grieve became the first woman in UNM history to run under 52 seconds in the 400, clocking a 51.80 to take over the program record indoors and outdoors. Looney shattered the school’s 60m mark in her first race as a Lobo, while the women’s 4×400 relay demolished the previous record by more than five seconds.
Those performances earned three Mountain West weekly honors, with Brodie Young named Men’s Track Athlete of the Week, Grieve Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, and Eva Ngom Freshman of the Week. Young posted the conference’s fastest 400m time of the season, while Ngom recorded the fastest freshman 400m in the league and contributed to the record-setting relay.
Men’s Tennis Faces Elite Competition in Norman
New Mexico men’s tennis faced a tough test on the road, falling 4-0 to Oklahoma. The Lobos battled in doubles, splitting the first two matches before narrowly dropping the deciding contest. In singles, UNM faced four nationally ranked Sooners, with several matches remaining competitive even after the clinch.
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