Softball to Host Fall Matchup Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico softball team will host its first fall game this Saturday, Oct. 21 at Lobo Softball Field, taking on New Mexico Highlands in an exciting fall matchup at 1 p.m.

Saturday’s game will be the Lobos’ first outing under new head coach Paula Congleton and will serve as the Lobo fans’ first opportunity to see the new squad in action. Admission to the event is free.

Congleton joined the Lobos officially on June 20, 2016 when she was named the next head coach in UNM softball history. The decorated Lobo alum brings with her over 20 years of head coaching experience at Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, Calif. She will be assisted by Tyler Heil, who coached with Congleton at Santa Barbara, and Megan Betsa who was a three-time All-American at the University of Michigan.

The 2017-18 Lobo fall roster features 13 returners from the 2017 squad including senior Chelsea Johnson who finished last season with a .369 batting average, third on the team, while leading the squad in homeruns (7). Defensively the Lobos also return their best ERA pitcher from 2017 in senior Krissy Fortner. UNM welcomes 10 new faces to the team that will be eligible to debut on Saturday.

The Lobos’ first regular-season game is scheduled for Friday, February 9 against Utah in Tempe, Ariz. UNM’s first home match is scheduled for Friday, March 9 vs St. Mary’s. Full schedule will be released as more dates and times become available. All dates, times and opponents subject to change.