April 3, 2010
University of New Mexico Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs announced the University and men’s head basketball coach Steve Alford have agreed on a two-year contract extension that will keep Alford at UNM through the 2019-20 season. Specific details will be announced when the contract is finalized.
Alford is 76-26 (.745) in three seasons at New Mexico, guiding the Lobos to postseason play every year. Alford has more wins, a higher winning percentage and more regular-season conference titles (2) than any previous Lobo coach after three seasons.
“In three years, Steve has not only raised the profile of the New Mexico basketball program within the Mountain West Conference, but also on the national stage,” said Krebs. “Lobo basketball has made dramatic improvement competitively and academically under Steve’s watch. Steve has been a tremendous ambassador for the University of New Mexico, the city of Albuquerque and the state of New Mexico. We hope he and his family will be here a long time.”
Despite having just one senior in 2009-10, New Mexico finished 30-5 while setting a school record for wins and playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years. UNM was a No. 3 seed in the East Region and advanced to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 1999.
The Lobos were ranked in the top-25 for 12 weeks and finished No. 8 in the final AP poll, the second-highest in school history.
“I feel very blessed that the administration wanted to sign me to an extension,” said Alford. “I couldn’t be more pleased with being with the Lobos for a long time. I think we are building something very special. For the administration to show loyalty to our program and what we are trying to accomplish both in the classroom and on the basketball floor means a great deal to me, my staff and our families. I am very appreciative that this team and this relationship will continue for a long time.”
UNM was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West Conference each of the past seasons. The Lobos tied for the title in 2008-09 by winning its last five games. In 2009-10, New Mexico started 0-2 in league play, but ripped off a conference and school-record 14 straight wins to claim its first outright conference championship in 16 years.
Alford has been chosen MWC Coach of the Year each of the past two seasons. He is 37-11 (.771) in three seasons of conference play. The Lobos’ lowest finish under Alford is third place in 2007-08 after landing in eighth place the year before Alford started at UNM.
“The success of this year’s team brought an unprecedented amount of national coverage and positive attention to our University,” said Krebs. “While it’s nearly impossible to calculate the financial impact of all the articles and interviews that were conducted on New Mexico basketball, I think it is fair to say it would be in the millions of dollars. All of that publicity places the University of New Mexico in a very positive light.”
Steve Alford Highlights at New Mexico (2007-10)
76-26 record in 3 seasons
Has more wins (76), a higher winning percentage (.745) and more regular-season conference titles (2) than any previous Lobo coach after first three seasons
UNM finished third (2008), tied for a conference title (2009) and won an outright league championship (2010)…the Lobos finished 15-17 in the Mountain West the year before Alford arrived, finishing 8th, and losing the play-in game at the MWC Tournament
Two of UNM’s top-four semester grade-point-averages have come in the past four terms
5 of 6 seniors have graduated and current senior Roman Martinez will graduate in May 2010, making it 6 of 7 in Alford’s three seasons
UNM’s first Academic All-American (Roman Martinez 2010) in 35 years…Martinez also received the 2010 Chip Hilton Award given to the nation’s top Division I men’s graduating senior for demonstrating outstanding character, leadership and talent
Two-time Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year (2008-09 and 2009-10)
Overall road record of 24-15, 16-8 in MWC games…the Lobos only won 22 road games in nine seasons before Alford arrived
Two MWC players of the year (J.R. Giddens 2008, Darington Hobson 2010)
One NBA 1st round draft pick (J.R. Giddens, Boston Celtics in 2008)
2009-10
The Lobos set school records for:
wins (30)
road wins (10)
wins away from home (13)
consecutive conference wins (14)
conference road wins (7)
consecutive conference road wins (7)
wins over top-25 opponents (6)
FTs attempted (909)
Picked to finish 5th in the MWC preseason poll, UNM started league play 0-2 before winning an MWC-record 14 straight conference games…the Lobos are 19-2 in their last 21 regular-season conference games
New Mexico won its 2nd straight Mountain West Conference regular-season title at 14-2, and first outright conference championship since 1994
UNM rose to 8th in both major polls, the highest ranking for New Mexico since December of 1997
The Lobos finished 8th in the final AP poll (before the NCAA Tournament)…that’s the Lobos’ second-highest finish all-time…the 1967-68 team ended 6th
New Mexico tied a Mountain West Conference record with 30 wins…UNLV won 30 in 2006-07 and BYU also won 30 this season
Alford was named MWC Coach of the Year for the 2nd straight season…he finished 3rd in balloting for AP national coach of the year and was 1 of 4 finalists for the Naismith national coach of the year
The Lobos had winning streaks of 12 and 15 games, respectively
UNM tied a school and MWC record with 14 wins in conference play…the Lobos went 14-4 in the Western Athletic Conference in 1993-94
Based on a minimum of six games played, UNM was the only team in the nation undefeated when playing a ranked opponent…the Lobos were 6-0
Junior guard Darington Hobson was named 3rd Team All-America by AP, MWC Player of the Year and MWC Newcomer of the Year…he also gained All-America honors from FOXSports.com and Sporting News…Hobson is the first Lobo to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in a single season