New Mexico’s track and field program is making waves, with standout performances propelling its athletes into the national spotlight. From record-breaking races to historic achievements, the Lobos are proving themselves as a powerhouse in collegiate track and field.
Habtom Samuel’s Record-Breaking Feat Earns Bowerman Watch List Spot
New Mexico sophomore Habtom Samuel continues to etch his name in the history books, earning a spot on The Bowerman Mid-Indoor Watch List following a remarkable performance in Boston. Last weekend, Samuel shattered his own 5,000m UNM and Mountain West records, clocking in at 13:04.92—a time that places him at No. 4 on the NCAA All-Time list. This announcement, made by the USTFCCCA on Wednesday, solidifies Samuel’s position among the nation’s elite distance runners.
Samuel, who started the year on The Bowerman Preseason Watch List, has competed in two indoor races so far. He kicked off the season at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational in Albuquerque, running a converted mile time of 3:54.37—currently the 13th-best mark in NCAA Division I. However, his defining moment came in Boston, where he recorded the fastest 5,000m time in UNM and Mountain West history.
His trajectory toward collegiate greatness continues to rise. In 2024, as a true freshman, Samuel became only the second male Lobo to be named a semifinalist for The Bowerman, joining two-time semifinalist Josh Kerr (2017, 2018). His dominance last season included sweeping the indoor 3,000m and 5,000m Mountain West titles and earning four First Team All-American finishes—five when counting cross country. Samuel remains a force in the distance-running circuit, securing another Mountain West Championship title and finishing as an NCAA XC Runner-Up for the second straight year. Following his latest accolades, he was named USTFCCCA Mountain Region Athlete of the Year, alongside UNM’s Pamela Kosgei on the women’s side.
The Bowerman, awarded annually to the top male and female collegiate track and field athletes, is the sport’s highest individual honor. Should Samuel make the final ballot in June, he would become the first Lobo in history to be named a finalist.
Pamela Kosgei Garners National Recognition
On the women’s Mid-Indoor Watch List, freshman Pamela Kosgei received votes for the first time, following a series of record-breaking performances. In just three collegiate indoor races, Kosgei has already rewritten three UNM indoor program records, with her most recent coming last Friday in Seattle. Kosgei joins an elite group, becoming the first freshman women’s distance runner to receive votes for the watch list—a distinction previously achieved only by male distance runners like Stanford’s Grant Fisher (2016) and Oregon’s Edward Cheserek (2014).
Young and Pouzancre Hoyer Capture Mountain West Honors
New Mexico’s dominance extended beyond distance events, as Brodie Young and Lou-Anne Pouzancre Hoyer were named Mountain West Track Athletes of the Week. Young set a new personal best of 45.96 in the 400m, breaking a 16-year-old UNM school record while also setting a Scottish indoor national record. His time ranks No. 2 all-time among Mountain West performers and No. 13 on the British all-time list. Young also delivered a standout relay performance, recording the fastest split of the day for UNM at 45.37.
Pouzancre Hoyer, in her 400m season debut, recorded the fastest time in the Mountain West with a blistering 52.80 personal best. Her converted time of 52.91 now ranks No. 22 in the nation and holds significant rankings in French track history, including No. 2 on the French U23 All-Time List. She capped off her weekend by anchoring UNM’s 4x400m relay team to a new program record.
UNM’s Continued Success on the National Stage
The Lobos showcased their depth in the first regular-season team-scoring meet at the ABQ Convention Center since 2019. Competing against a field that featured 24 nationally ranked teams, the UNM women placed 7th overall with 30 points, while the men finished 8th with 25 points. These performances underscore the team’s growing presence in national rankings.
Looking ahead, New Mexico’s track and field athletes will split their efforts this weekend, competing at both the Don Kirby Elite in Albuquerque and the UW Husky Classic in Seattle. Fans can catch the action through live streaming on FloTrack or follow along for real-time updates via @UNMLoboXCTF on social media.
With record-breaking performances and national recognition piling up, the Lobos are setting the stage for an electrifying season, proving that they belong among the best in collegiate track and field.
New Mexico sophomore Oliver Cage has been named the Mountain West Men’s Golfer of the Week, conference officials announced Thursday. Cage earned the recognition after securing a top-20 finish at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson.
Competing as an individual, Cage was the Lobos’ top performer at the event, finishing tied for 19th at 6-under par. He posted rounds of 67-72-71 at OMNI Tucson National, recording a collegiate-best total of 210. His opening round 5-under 67 marked the lowest score of his Lobo career.
Cage becomes the first New Mexico golfer this season to receive a Mountain West weekly or monthly honor.
The Lobos will return to action from Feb. 13-15 at the John Burns Intercollegiate, hosted on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
The Lobos wrapped up their opening weekend with a 2-2 tie against St. John’s on Sunday, as the game was called in the eighth inning due to a travel time restriction.
The tie marks New Mexico’s first since a 1-1 draw against UConn on March 15, 2003, and only the fourth in program history.
Defensively, the Lobos held firm under pressure, as St. John’s put runners in scoring position in six innings—including three instances where a runner reached third base. The Johnnies ultimately stranded 11 runners throughout the game.
The Lobos struck first in the second inning after Jessica DeLeon led off with a single up the middle. Keyannah Chavez followed with a sacrifice bunt, reaching safely on a throwing error that put both runners in scoring position. Sydney Carithers then laid down a bunt, and a heads-up baserunning sequence saw pinch-runner Hayden Luderer score at home. Chavez capitalized on an uncovered second base, stealing the bag before racing home on a defensive miscue to give New Mexico an early 2-0 lead.
St. John’s responded in the third, cutting the deficit with a two-run homer following a critical defensive play from the Lobos. With a runner on, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson fired a throw to Carithers at home, preventing a score before the Johnnies connected for their long ball.
The Lobos had scoring opportunities in the fourth and fifth innings, with Miracle McKenzie reaching second on a hit-by-pitch and Ashley Archuleta delivering a two-out double, but both threats ended without additional runs.
In extra innings, the Lobos placed Archuleta on second to start the eighth, and Katherine Brunner reached on a pinch-hit single to advance her to third before the game was called due to time constraints.
UNM utilized three pitchers, with Natalie Fritz starting and throwing two scoreless innings. McKenna Guest pitched one inning in relief, allowing both St. John’s runs, while Marina Tinari closed the game with four scoreless innings, striking out one.
New Mexico finishes the weekend at 3-3-1 and will return to Texas for the Bobcat Tournament at Texas State from Feb. 14-16.
The Lobos opened Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Houston Christian, completing a weekend sweep of the Huskies behind standout performances from freshmen Miracle McKenzie and Natalie Fritz.
Keyannah Chavez was the first to reach base with a leadoff walk in the second inning. Ashley Archuleta followed with an infield single, setting up runners in scoring position. However, the Lobos left the bases loaded after a pop-up ended the frame.
New Mexico broke through in the third when DeNae Vasquez-Dickson singled up the middle and Chavez reached on an error. Archuleta then walked on a full count to load the bases, and McKenzie delivered with a clutch single to bring in two runs.
Houston Christian tied the game in the bottom of the third on a double, prompting a pitching change. Fritz entered in relief and kept the game level, recording key outs to halt the Husky offense.
The Lobos reclaimed the lead in the fourth, capitalizing on a defensive miscue. Carithers reached on an error, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and ultimately scored on a passed ball, putting UNM up 3-2.
In the seventh, Fritz showcased her composure, striking out two batters before issuing a walk. She responded by fanning the next hitter to secure the win—her first as a Lobo. Fritz finished with 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four.
In the second game of the day, New Mexico battled Houston to extra innings but fell 6-4 in 10 innings. The Lobos matched the Cougars run-for-run before a walk-off home run decided the contest.
Freshman Jessica DeLeon drove in two runs, while Carithers led UNM with three hits. The Lobos collected 13 hits in total but left 11 runners stranded.
The Lobos secured a 1-0 shutout win over Houston Christian on Friday, with McKenna Guest delivering a dominant pitching performance.
New Mexico’s lone run came in the first inning when McKenzie laced a hit up the middle to bring home Keyannah Chavez. That was all Guest needed, as she held the Huskies to just four hits over seven innings.
Guest retired 11 straight batters at one point, striking out four and allowing only two walks. The Lobos’ defense was solid, turning key double plays to keep Houston Christian off the scoreboard.
In the second game of the doubleheader, New Mexico built an 8-3 lead but couldn’t hold off Houston’s late rally, falling 9-8 on a walk-off.
The Lobos scored three runs in the first before Houston responded with three of its own in the third. UNM reclaimed the lead in the fourth and added three more runs on a pinch-hit home run by Ella Dawson in the fifth. The Lobos added a run in the sixth, but Houston mounted a late-game surge, scoring six unanswered runs.
Williams went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Dawson led with three RBIs. Five UNM pitchers saw action, with Fritz striking out five in 3.2 innings of relief.
The Lobos now turn their attention to their next challenge—the Bobcat Tournament at Texas State from Feb. 14-16.
The New Mexico men’s basketball team secured its 20th victory of the season in dominant fashion, cruising to an 88-53 win over Air Force on Saturday afternoon. This marks the third consecutive season the Lobos (20-4, 12-1 MW) have reached the 20-win milestone. Their 35-point win over the Falcons (3-21, 0-13) was their largest road victory in Mountain West play since the 2011-12 season.
Game Highlights: Donovan Dent led the charge with 25 points and six assists, while Nelly Junior Joseph recorded his fifth straight double-double with 14 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. Tru Washington added 16 points, his highest total in a Mountain West game, and Filip Borovicanin contributed 10 points.
How It Happened: The Lobos started slow, trailing 5-0 after four minutes, but responded with a 13-0 run to take a 15-8 lead with 10:45 left in the first half. By halftime, New Mexico held a 34-24 advantage, powered by Dent’s nine points and five assists and Joseph’s 14 rebounds.
Air Force briefly cut the deficit to five early in the second half before UNM erupted with a 13-0 run to extend the lead to 49-31. Another 7-0 surge pushed the margin to 22 points with 12 minutes remaining. The Lobos’ dominance continued, highlighted by a 10-0 run that put them up 74-42 with under seven minutes to play. They closed the game on a 7-0 spurt to seal the 35-point victory.
Lobo Notes:
- This was UNM’s largest Mountain West road win since an 82-41 triumph at Air Force in 2011-12.
- The Lobos reached 20 wins in just 24 games, their fastest pace since 2012-13.
- Their 12-1 Mountain West record marks their best start in conference play since 1977-78 (WAC).
- New Mexico executed three runs of 10-0 or better in the game, increasing their season total to 13 in conference play.
- Joseph’s 21 rebounds were the most by a Lobo since 2011 and the second-most in Mountain West history.
- Joseph is the first Lobo since 2013-14 to record five consecutive double-doubles.
Coach Richard Pitino on the Team’s Performance: “Our guys are playing with great chemistry and having fun. Defensively, we were phenomenal, forcing 18 turnovers. Winning 20 games is a testament to our hard work. This is always a tough place to play, and I thought our preparation and execution were excellent.”
Mountain West Player of the Week – Nelly Junior Joseph
New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week, the conference announced Monday. This marks his fourth selection this season, tying Drew Gordon (2011-12) for the second-most in a single season by a Lobo, trailing only J.R. Giddens’ five in 2007-08.
Joseph is just the third Lobo to win back-to-back weekly honors, joining Giddens and Roman Martinez (2009-10). Over his career, he has now earned 11 conference Player of the Week awards, including seven from his time at Iona.
The Lobos have now claimed seven Mountain West Player of the Week awards this season, a program record. New Mexico joins 2010-11 San Diego State and 2018-19 Nevada as the only Mountain West teams with two players winning at least three awards in a season.
Joseph’s week was highlighted by an 18-point, 11-rebound, five-block, four-assist, three-steal performance in an 87-65 win over Colorado State—the Rams’ most lopsided loss in three years. He followed that with 14 points and 21 rebounds in the Lobos’ rout of Air Force.
Lobos Tennis Dominates Weber State
The New Mexico women’s tennis team bounced back from an earlier loss with a commanding 7-0 sweep of Weber State on Sunday. After a hard-fought doubles point, the Lobos took control in singles play, winning all 12 sets.
In doubles, Rebekkah Gaines and Maria Sodre dominated at No. 1 with a 6-1 win, while Sarah O’Connor and Maria Matsoukatidi fell 6-3 at No. 3. The decisive match at No. 2 saw Maud Vandeputte and Sofia Taborga rally from a 5-2 deficit to win in a tiebreaker, 7-5.
The Lobos then rolled in singles, with Vandeputte (6-1, 6-2), Sodre (6-2, 6-2), and Taborga (6-3, 6-3) clinching the team victory. O’Connor, Matsoukatidi, and Gaines completed the sweep with straight-set wins.
UNM will travel to UTEP and New Mexico State next weekend.
Lobo Women’s Basketball Falls to UNLV
Despite a season-high 15 three-pointers, the New Mexico women’s basketball team fell 90-65 to UNLV on Saturday. Destinee Hooks led UNM with 15 points, while Alyssa Hargrove and Viané Cumber added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The Rebels set the tone early with a 13-0 run, taking a 15-5 lead. The Lobos fought back with back-to-back Hooks three-pointers but trailed 22-12 at the end of the first. UNLV stretched the lead to 18 in the second quarter and took a 38-20 advantage into halftime.
UNM’s hot shooting from beyond the arc kept them competitive, hitting seven three-pointers in the third quarter. However, UNLV maintained control, leading by 23 heading into the final period. The Lobos cut the deficit to 17 midway through the fourth, but the Rebels responded to close out the game.
Hargrove recorded five steals to tie her season high, while Cumber hit two three-pointers in the fourth quarter to keep the Lobos within striking distance.
Lobo Women’s Golf Finishes 10th in San Diego State Classic
The New Mexico women’s golf team wrapped up its first spring event at the San Diego State Classic, finishing 10th at 49-over par.
Stanford dominated the field at 31-under, with UNLV (1-over), Georgia (12-over), Oregon State (13-over), and BYU (15-over) rounding out the top five.
Freshman Chelsea Truong led the Lobos, tying for 38th at 12-over after a final-round 80. Annie Saechueng and Maria Caparros Levin posted UNM’s best final rounds with matching 76s, finishing T-47th at 15-over. Maria Garcia and Rebecca Galasso rounded out the lineup at 16-over and 18-over, respectively.
Next up, the Lobos travel to California for the Bruin/Wave Invitational on Feb. 24-25, co-hosted by UCLA and Pepperdine.