NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The UNM men’s basketball team returns to the court Wednesday night in Fort Collins against Colorado State. The Lobos are looking to get their first Mountain West win of the season, and it will be a challenge as the Rams are ranked No. 23 in the country and have a record of 13-1. The Lobos have lost four straight and have one won a single game outside of the Pit. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Meanwhile, the Lobo football team got back to the weight room this week. One of the priorities for the 2022 season is getting stronger, and staying healthier. To help make the goal a possibility, head coach Danny Gonzales brought in a new director of athletic performance, Derrick Baker. He comes to the Lobos from San Diego State where he had familiarity with Gonzales and Rocky Long and hopes to bring the success that he had with the Aztecs can translate to the Lobos. “The vision is to bring New Mexico back, to get them in the forefront, the top of the Mountain West,” said Baker. “I am coming from a program that has had that success and I want to bring it here. This is my first director role and I want to make a name for myself, a name for the program, and put my stamp on the way things are done here.”
The Lobos begin spring practices next month.
In other news, the Lobo baseball team is practicing as the season starts next month. Tod Brown is the new head coach for the team, and he has liked what he’s seen from his squad so far. “So far so good,” said Brown. “We had a great fall. We got a lot of work done and we got a chance to work out our guys. So, we have a good idea of what we have on the team. It’s the unknowns that is bothersome but I do know that we do have some good players that are talented and are really excited to get going and that’s a good place to start.”
While coach Brown is new to the Mountain West, he does know the importance of having strong hitters in the conference. “We want to be a swiss army knife at the plate this year offensively and I think what we have been doing during the fall and what we are doing now is kind of leading up to that,” said senior infielder, Cameron Willman. The Lobos open their 2022 season against Oregon State on Feb. 18. Also, the annual First Pitch Banquet is this Friday at Sandia Golf Club.
