The 2024 season will mark the 25th straight season in which the Johnson Center is Lobo Volleyball’s primary home court. Its two-leveled seating, with bleachers on the floor level opposite the benches and mezzanine seats surrounding the entirety of the court, has allowed Lobo fans to pack the venue for home games consistently while still feeling up close and personal.
The Lobo faithful have piled into Johnson to root for Lobo Volleyball from the program’s inception until 1996 when they moved to The Pit, where they averaged 1,026 people per game from 1996-1999. UNM returned to the Johnson Center in 2000, and in the nearly quarter-century since, UNM has had eight of its 15 highest-attended seasons in program history, breaking the program record in total and average attendance in back-to-back seasons in 2009 and 2010 when they went to the NCAA Tournament in both years. In 2010, the Lobos averaged 2,232 fans during its 15 home matches, good for tops in the MW and 12th in the nation in attendance.
More recently in the Jon Newman-Gonchar Era, total and average attendance has risen in each of the last three seasons since the COVID pandemic. UNM finished the 2021 season with 7,481 total attendees for a 575 average, improving to 10,094 total in 2022 (841 average). In 2023, they improved again to 12,433 total with an average of 956 per game — the highest since 2016 (1,248) and highest of Newman-Gonchar’s tenure. Senior Day in 2023 brought in 1,589 fans to the Johnson Center – the highest-attended Lobo Volleyball game of the season. With the 2023 home schedule (including three games at The Pit for the Lobo Invitational) now complete, the Lobos’ average of 956 fans per game is the highest since 2016 – including seven games with over 1,000 in attendance.
In Johnson Center, the Lobos have exclusive access to the Lobo Team Room. This room features work areas and computers to study, a leather couch for a little relaxation and numerous awards and plaques that decorated the walls to remind the team of its successful past. Outside the team room, UNM’s All-Americans are honored as their jerseys are showcased. Across the hall is the Lobo Alumni Wall, which features autographs from former players.
| Rank | Opponent | Attendance | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State | 7,008 | The Pit | 10/31/92 |
| 2 | Utah | 6,152 | The Pit | 10/20/90 |
| 3 | TCU | 5,114 | The Pit | 10/5/96 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 4,473 | The Pit | 9/10/16 |
| 5 | Washington State | 4,281 | Johnson | 12/6/91 |
| 6 | No. 5 Nebraska | 4,112 | Johnson | 8/27/11 |
| 7 | No. 2 Texas | 3,875 | Johnson | 8/29/14 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 3,868 | Johnson | 11/11/94 |
| 9 | BYU | 3,852 | Johnson | 10/26/91 |
| 10 | Stanford | 3,831 | Johnson | 8/29/10 |
| 11 | Wyoming | 3,478 | Johnson | 11/13/10 |
| 12 | Pepperdine | 3,378 | Johnson | 12/1/90 |
| 13 | Texas | 3,307 | Johnson | 9/27/91 |
| 14 | LSU | 3,267 | The Pit | 9/19/15 |
| 15 | Colorado State | 2,919 | Johnson | 11/8/91 |
Directions:
Johnson Center is located on the southern end of UNM’s main campus, just off Central Avenue. Take the Central Avenue exit off of I-25 and head east on Central Avenue. Take a left on Yale and a right on to Redondo Road. Johnson Center will be on the left after the parking garage. There are two parking areas, the parking garage located in front of the Johnson Center and Lot A across the street (Redondo Road) from the Johnson Center. There is a charge for parking for weekday events at Johnson Center.