April 9, 2008
PHOTO GALLERY
ALL-ACCESS: Interview with Jeremiah Lovato
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The 2008 University of New Mexico spring football season got off to a rousing start last night with the 18th annual Night of Champions weightlifting exhibition, conducted by UNM Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Mark Paulsen and his staff at the L.F. “Tow” Diehm Athletics Facility. Five position records were set and senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Lovato became the first Lobo ever to power clean over 400 pounds on a memorable night of competition in front of a packed house.
Lovato, former walk-on from Albuquerque’s South Valley neighborhood, broke the 400-pound barrier in dramatic fashion. With one attempt remaining, he crouched and pulled the massive weight onto his chest and slowly rose into a standing position before being mobbed by his teammates.
Lovato, who dedicated his performance to the memory of his uncle, was officially credited with a power clean of 401 pounds to break the program’s all-time record of 391 set by former running back Jarrod Baxter in 2001.
Earlier in the evening, sophomore wide receiver Chris Hernandez helped the Lobos set a program record as he became the 44th player on the 2008 squad to surpass 300 pounds in the power clean. Hernandez, who weighed in at 185 pounds last year, achieved the lift on his third and final attempt.
The Night of Champions saw three more power clean records go down. Junior lobo safety Clint McPeek set the defensive back mark with a 374-pound lift to cap a back and forth battle with fellow safety Danny Martin. Senior H-back Matt Quillen’s 384-pound clean was yet another position record and tied for the third-best in program history. Junior punter Adam Miller, meanwhile, improved his own record to 338 pounds.
Earlier in the night, junior quarterback Victor James upped his own record in the bench press to 405 pounds.
In the team competition, The Quadzillas, consisting of Martin, linebackers Zach Arnett, Terel Anyaibe and Herbert Felder, defensive end Matt Lamb, and offensive lineman Erik Cook, defeated four other squads to take home the title. The Quadzillas lifted a team total of 2,537 pounds in six lifts (two bench, two squat, two clean).
The 2008 conditioning season saw several other records fall before the Night of Champions. Senior cornerback Glover Quin set a defensive back record by vertical jumping 40.6 inches and senior safety Brandon Johnson broke his own record with a squat of 575 pounds. James also improved his incline press record to 345 pounds.