#BestOfThe2000s: Carmen Messina

@UNMLoboFB on Twitter

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Carmen Messina, who parlayed a record-breaking career into a stint with the Detroit Lions, was voted as the third linebacker to the Lobo Football #BestOfThe2000s team by the fans, joining Dallas Bollema and Dakota Cox as three of the four linebackers.  Messina was voted in by the slimmest margin yet in the fan voting, which will see 29 players in all voted to the team, 12 on offense, 12 on defense, four on special teams and one all-purpose player..

Messina picked up 50.0% of the vote, barely besting Nick Speegle (38.9%) in the closest voting yet.  Speegle by virtue of his second place finish, advanced to the final vote, where he is joined by Zach Arnett, Alex Hart and Charles Moss.  Voting will continue for the final linebacker spot until noon on Wednesday.  Rounding out the vote in round three was Billy Strother (8.9%) who finished second in two straight polls, and Mike Mohoric (4.1%).  Overall 170 votes were cast int he third linebacker poll.

The series is a way to engage Lobo fans with the current situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Messina played during a time when Lobo football was struggling, winning just three of his final 40 games.  Messina gave those Lobo defenses a fighting chance.  He finished his career third in tackles at UNM with 454, and he stood as the lone record holder for the Mountain West for seven seasons until Andrew Wingard tied him in his final game, ironically against UNM, in the 2018 finale.  Messina’s 162 tackles in 2009 are tied for third in a single season at UNM, and he led the nation in tackles per game.

He led the team in tackles, sacks (3.0) and TFLs (12.5) in 2011, and his seven forced fumbles are tied for sixth on the UNM career charts.  He was a two-time captain and earned Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week for his paly against UNLV in a 21-14 win.  He was twice named first team All-Mountain West, in 2009 and 2011 and he played in a postseason All-Star game, the Casino Del Sol Game in Tucson, Arizona.  He was the 2011 Bill Brannin team MVP and twice he was the Colonel H.J. Golightly Defensive MVP.  He also won the 2011 Chuck Cummings Award for morale and team spirit.

For his career, he racked up 454 tackles, 30.0 TFLs including 9.0 sacks, two interceptions and six forced fumbles.

#BestOfThe2000s Team (Selected by the Fans)