As the Mountain West Tennis Championships kick off, the New Mexico Lobos are bringing more than just momentum—they’re bringing accolades. Standout performers Aram Noroozian and Georgio Samaha were named to the All-Mountain West team, a well-deserved nod for their dominance in both singles and doubles this season. Noroozian earned back-to-back All-MW honors in singles, while he and Samaha, who snagged his first career All-MW selection, were also honored as a top-tier doubles duo.
Dominant Duo: Noroozian and Samaha
Noroozian posted an impressive 19-8 overall singles record, including a 10-4 mark in spring dual matches—every one played at the fiercely competitive No. 1 spot. Though just 1-1 in Mountain West play, he’s surged at the right time, winning six of his last seven matches. Meanwhile, his chemistry with Samaha on the doubles court has been electric. Ranked as high as No. 49 nationally, the pair boasts a 20-6 overall record and a 14-3 spring campaign—all at No. 1 doubles. Hitting the 20-win mark as a pair is rarefied air and a testament to their consistency.
Both players are climbing the Lobos’ all-time charts—Samaha now ranks in the top 30 for singles wins and sits 22nd in doubles victories. As the No. 2 seed in the Mountain West Tournament, UNM will rely on their leadership when they square off against host and No. 7 seed UNLV in Wednesday night’s quarterfinals. UNLV, despite their lower seeding, enters with heavy hitters, including the Mountain West Player and Freshman of the Year, Illia Snitari.
Thriller in Boise: Lobos Fall Just Short of Title in 4-3 Heartbreaker
It was the kind of showdown you’d expect from two top-tier Mountain West contenders. In front of a home crowd, No. 42 Boise State edged the Lobos 4-3, clinching the outright regular season title in a dramatic, tiebreak-filled battle.
The decisive match came at No. 1 singles, where Boise’s Jett Middleton narrowly defeated Aram Noroozian in straight sets—each ending in heartbreak for the Lobo star. Noroozian staved off multiple set points in the opener before falling 10-8 in the tiebreak, then pushed the second to another breaker, which Middleton claimed 7-1 with a flurry of winners.
UNM had its moments. The Lobos swept the doubles point and earned gritty three-set singles wins from Avery Tallakson and Samaha. Still, BSU secured two three-set victories of their own to seal it. Samaha, for his part, notched his 83rd singles win—tying him for 8th in Lobo history—and logged his 62nd doubles win, now 22nd all-time at UNM.
With a potential rematch in sight, the Lobos are locked in on their Wednesday quarterfinal clash with UNLV, hoping to punch a ticket back to the final.
UNM Takes Down Utah State, Sets Stage for Winner-Take-All vs. Boise
The Lobos aren’t just chasing a title—they’re rewriting streaks. New Mexico handed Utah State its first home loss in over a year, ending the Aggies’ 12-match home winning streak with a commanding 4-1 win in Logan.
Noroozian rebounded from the Boise loss in a big way, clinching the victory in three sets after a back-and-forth battle. He dropped the opening set but found another gear, grinding out a 6-4 second and navigating pressure late in the third to seal the deal.
UNM dominated in doubles—Noroozian/Samaha and Kakhniuk/Recoura both posted 6-3 wins—and rode that momentum into singles. Samaha earned his 82nd career win, Ciobotaru notched his 20th of the season, and the Lobos never looked back.
With Boise State looming Saturday morning, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A win means the No. 1 seed and a shot at another Mountain West title. The Lobos have won it all in 2019, 2021, and 2023—will 2025 be next?
Vandeputte Earns All-Mountain West Nod, Lobos Eye Air Force in MW Opener
On the women’s side, senior Maud Vandeputte added a prestigious line to her resume, earning her first career All-Mountain West honor after a dominant spring season. Vandeputte went 10-2 in the spring, playing at both the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, and enters the postseason on a hot streak.
UNM’s women’s team, seeded 10th, will look for redemption against No. 7 Air Force on Wednesday morning. Their previous meeting was a razor-thin 4-3 loss, sealed in a marathon at No. 6 singles. This time, the Lobos are out for revenge.
A win would advance them to Thursday’s quarterfinals against second-seeded Nevada.
Nevada Outlasts Lobos in Regular Season Finale
UNM’s regular season came to a close with a 4-1 loss to No. 65 Nevada. Maria Sodre was the bright spot, earning a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles. The Wolf Pack, however, controlled the doubles and secured wins at Nos. 2, 4, and 6.
Despite the setback, the Lobos showed resilience, with Sarah O’Connor pushing her match to a tiebreak after dropping the opening set 6-0.
Now, it’s all eyes on the Mountain West Tournament. UNM will open play Wednesday at 11 a.m. MT against a to-be-determined opponent—Air Force, Wyoming, or Fresno State.
Kosgei, Samuel Shine at The Louies as Lobos Make History on the Track
The red carpet was rolled out for Lobo greatness at the Second Annual Louies, where the University of New Mexico celebrated the achievements of its standout student-athletes across academics, service, and competition. Among the night’s biggest winners were Pamela Kosgei and Habtom Samuel, who each took home two major honors following sensational campaigns in cross country and indoor track — and they’re far from done, with outdoor season dominance already underway.
The evening, hosted by the Voice of the Lobos Robert Portnoy, recognized not just individual brilliance but team efforts as well. Men’s and women’s golf earned top GPA honors, football was lauded for most improved GPA, and softball was recognized for logging the most community service hours. The event featured highlights from the year, trivia, and awards presented by both academic staff and student-athletes — blending celebration with community spirit.
Record-Breaking Performances Highlight California Weekend
Out on the track, the Lobos continued to make noise on the national stage during a whirlwind weekend at the Mt. SAC Relays and Beach Invitational. Six performances landed in the all-time Top 10 for UNM, underscoring the team’s surge in the 400m and 400m hurdles.
Headlining the men’s side was Brodie Young, who torched the track in the elite heat of the 400m with a blistering 45.63 — a new outdoor PR and the third-fastest time in program history. On the women’s side, Lou-Anne Pouzancre Hoyer (53.18) and Rebecca Grieve (53.23) turned in the No. 3 and No. 4 all-time marks at UNM, while Sofia Pineda joined the party with a personal-best 54.46, good for No. 6 all-time.
Over the hurdles, Hanna Kiess dropped jaws with a 58.73 in the 400m hurdles, her fifth straight PR and the third-best time in UNM history. Her NCAA regional qualifying stock continues to rise — she’s shaved more than four seconds off her debut time since last year. On the men’s side, Levente Soos clocked a 51.17 to climb to No. 7 all-time, while Jacob Cavanaugh and Kahari Wilbon rounded out a day of eight lifetime bests for the Lobos.
Samuel Sets NCAA 5K Record, Kosgei Nearly Matches Women’s Mark
Day one of the Bryan Clay Invitational delivered historic results for New Mexico — and college track & field as a whole. Habtom Samuel delivered an unforgettable run in the men’s 5,000m, clocking 13:05.87 to set a new NCAA outdoor record. His effort outpaced a loaded field, including teammate and NCAA 10,000m record holder Ishmael Kipkurui, who finished second with a time of 13:09.24 — now fourth-fastest in collegiate outdoor history.
Not to be outdone, Pamela Kosgei came within .27 seconds of a collegiate record herself, winning the women’s 5,000m in 14:52.45. That time narrowly missed Parker Valby’s all-time best but solidified Kosgei’s status as one of the most versatile distance runners in the nation. Incredibly, the freshman now owns NCAA top-10 all-time performances in five events: indoor 3,000m, indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, 10,000m, and the steeplechase.
In total, the Lobos posted 15 personal bests on the day and added five new all-time Top 10 marks, continuing a spring surge that could carry New Mexico deep into the postseason.
Baseball: Lobos Sweep Aggies, Stay Hot in MW Race with UNLV Series Win
New Mexico Baseball continues to build momentum late in the season, completing a four-game season sweep of in-state rival New Mexico State with a 7-6 victory on Tuesday at Santa Ana Star Field. The win not only marked the Lobos’ first perfect season against the Aggies since 2022, but also their 200th all-time win at SAS Field since it opened in 2013. UNM is now 23-17 (10-8 MW) and has won seven of its last nine games.
Senior RHP Dayne Pengelly turned in one of his best starts of the season, going 7.0 innings and allowing just four earned runs. RHP Ty Cunningham locked down his 10th save of the season, moving within one of tying the UNM single-season record. Offensively, Tye Wood and Will Asby both homered and scored twice, while Jordy Oriach hit two doubles to retake the conference lead in that category.
The win over NMSU was part of a productive week that also saw the Lobos take two of three on the road from UNLV, clinching their first true road series win of 2024. In Thursday’s opener, the Lobos blasted six home runs in a 13-7 rout, led by two-homer games from Josh McAlister and Ethan Ott. McAlister continued his tear throughout the weekend, slugging his 12th home run of the year in the finale and earning Mountain West Player of the Week honors after driving in eight runs across four games.
Following a 10-3 loss on Friday, UNM bounced back with a 6-3 win Saturday thanks to dominant relief pitching from Luke Wiseman and Ty Cunningham, who combined for 4.1 scoreless innings. The Lobos are now tied for second in the Mountain West with Nevada and San Diego State.
With the offense averaging over 15 runs across their last seven wins and the bullpen finding its rhythm, New Mexico will look to stay hot as they return home for a weekend series against San Jose State. All games will stream free via the MW Network.