ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — On Tuesday, the COVID Safe Practices for Intercollegiate Athletics document was amended, allowing for New Mexico Lobo athletic teams to practice on campus while adhering to the rules and policies mandated.
Lobo teams have now started to practice on campus, with the women’s basketball team the first team to resume practicing on campus. What does this mean for Lobo fans and the teams for the rest of the 2020-21 seasons?
Talkin’ About Practice
Lobo sports teams will now be able to practice in full groups on campus, while adhering to COVID-safe standards. Teams will be able to hold full practices without a numbers restriction.
Can We Come and Watch Practice?
Fans are not allowed to come and watch practices due to the health order. Practices for now are limited to Tier 1 personnel, which is basically student-athletes, coaches, trainers and team staff and personnel.
Can We Buy Tickets to Games?
At the current time, the amended health order only permits for our teams to be able to practice on campus. No intercollegiate contests are allowed to be held on campus or in the state at this time.
I’ve Seen the Schedules, and There are Home Games Scheduled…
The schedules have been made and finalized for many sports, and in some cases, teams are slated to play at home. If UNM cannot host games at the time of the contest, UNM will look to other alternative sites, potentially as a neutral site with UNM acting as “host” (as women’s basketball is doing in this week “hosting” Fresno State in Canyon, Texas), or just flipping a contest and playing it on the road and the home venue of the opponent (as Lobo Football did when its game vs. San Jose State was played in San Jose and not at University Stadium).
Which Teams Are Playing?
Currently, the two Lobo Basketball teams are the only ones that have games scheduled and are playing right now. Lobo Football did finish its 2020 season.
Along with the regular spring sports of baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf and track and field, the fall sports of women’s soccer, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country will have modified seasons in the spring. All of these sports have been cleared to begin practice and most have already started.
Teams are starting to post schedules at GoLobos.com, and all should be up in the next few days.
What about Swimming and Diving?
Due to the short amount of time between the changing of the health order and the Mountain West Championships, the team elected to opt out and not compete this season. It would have been difficult to get the required number of meets in to be eligible, and many of the student-athletes not from New Mexico were back home planning to do school remotely and train. The team will compete in the 2021-22 season with just about the entire team coming back and nine newcomers.
Can UNM have Spring Football?
Yes! Lobo Football, which won its final two games of the 2020 season, will be allowed to have full football practices for the spring and potentially host a spring game. No timetable has been set for spring practice to start. UNM can have 15 practices.
How Do I Know When Our Teams Playing?
Fans can click the Lobo Calendar/Scores link under the “Fans” tab at GoLobos.com, or just bookmark this page: www.golobos.com/all-sports-schedule/. Fans can toggle between a list view and the calendar view to see what events are scheduled.
How Can I Help?
There are several ways, first and foremost is by washing your hands, wearing a mask and staying socially distant to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Second, you can register for the COVID-19 vaccination. You can log on to https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/ and register for the vaccine. After confirming your registration, you will eventually receive an email with instructions on where and when to get your vaccination. If you are lucky, you can be one of the many who are receiving their vaccinations at The Pit!
Fans can support the Together for Tomorrow Campaign here. A gift of any size will directly support your Lobos as we return to practice, travel for competition, and practice safe testing protocols to ensure student-athlete safety. Visit UNMLoboClub.com, or click on the Lobo Club tab at golobos.com to give directly to any of UNM’s 18 athletic teams, or for scholarships and endowments. Fans can also head to UNMLoboClub.com for more information and ways to help.
As for our teams, please continue to support our student-athletes, who despite the many hardships have worked very hard in the classroom and on their own to train and be ready for whatever seasons lie ahead. You can follow all our teams on social media and through the Lobo Sports App, which can be downloaded for your phones from Google Play or the App Store.
Businesses can also contact PlayFly Sports, which handles sponsorship opportunities in and around Lobo Athletics. Businesses can contact PlayFly at 505-463-5124 or email felicia@unmsports.com for more information.