- 1978
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Five-Time NBA champion Michael Cooper
He attended Pasadena High School, graduating in 1974, then Pasadena City College before transferring to the University of New Mexico. He played for the New Mexico Lobos for two seasons, 1976 – 1978, and was named first-team All-Western Athletic Conference. In his senior season, the Lobos won the WAC title, with Cooper averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists ...
History of the Lobos
The New Mexico Lobos have a long and storied history of NCAA sports excellence. As one of the oldest teams in the nation, they are proud to boast some impressive accomplishments over their many years competing at the college level. From winning multiple conference championships to producing All-Americans and Olympic athletes, there is no doubt that Lobos fans have plenty to cheer about!
Regarding basketball success, The University of New Mexico has been a powerhouse for decades. They won their first Western Athletic Conference championship in 1975. They followed it up with an incredible run from 1982 through 1988, where they made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (including Sweet Sixteen runs in 1984 & 1985). During this stretch, they produced several NBA stars, such as Michael Cooper (Los Angeles Lakers) & Luc Longley (Chicago Bulls). More recently, UNM has continued its strong play by making four straight NCAA tournaments between 2009-12 while producing numerous All-Americans, such as Cameron Bairstow & Tony Snell, who both went on to be drafted into the NBA.
On top of all these successes on hardwood floors around America’s campuses, The University Of New Mexico also boasts an illustrious track record when it comes to football too! In recent times under head coach Bob Davie, the program had gone from near rock bottom to relevancy with five bowl game appearances since 2012, including wins against Arizona State Sun Devils(2016)and Utah Utes(2017). Prior even further back than that, though, UNM was considered one if not THE premier team out west during much of its early existence. During this period, known fondly by Lobo fans as “The Glory Days,”; UNM won 8 conference titles along with two Cotton Bowls victories against Nebraska Cornhuskers(1960)& Arkansas Razorbacks(1961). This era saw legendary players like Glynn Griffing, Bill Adams, Randy Johnson, etc.. grace Albuquerque's gridiron stages which solidified UNMs place among college football royalty permanently!
So whether you're talking hoops or pigskin, Lobos Sports deserves your attention! With so much success throughout their history and current-day relevance, we here at Sports Fans Blog can confidently say that w
College Sports Established
1892
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
College Name
University of New Mexico
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1907 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
1999 - Present / Mountain West Conference
1962 – 1999 / Western Athletic Conference
1951 – 1962 / Skyline Conference
1931 – 1951 / Border Conference
Nickname
Lobos - Regarding college sports, few teams have as unique a nickname as the New Mexico Lobos. But where did this name come from? Let’s look at this iconic NCAA team's history and nickname origins.
The University of New Mexico has been competing in collegiate athletics since 1892, but it wasn’t until 1924 that they adopted their official mascot: The Lobo. This was thanks to an article written by local newspaper columnist Drue Jennings who suggested that the school adopt “Lobos” in honor of their state animal – the Mexican Gray Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi).
What makes this story even more interesting is that there are two different theories on how exactly “Lobos” came to be associated with wolves. Some believe that Drue Jennings used Spanish slang for the wolf when choosing his suggestion, while others think he was inspired by Native American folklore, which often referred to wolves as "Mountain Howlers." Regardless, both stories highlight why Lobos is an appropriate choice for UNM's mascot - it pays homage to one of nature's most majestic animals. It captures some critical aspects of New Mexico's culture and heritage!
Furthermore, over time "Lobo" has become synonymous with strength and courage among fans throughout all levels, including youth sports programs which further solidifies its place within UNM athletics today! It's no wonder so many people proudly wear or display items featuring The Lobo logo whenever they can - after all these years, we still recognize how unique our beloved team truly is!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.