It’s Back! Night Of Champions Tuesday, May 4 at 6 pm
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s been 13 years since to last “Night of Champions”, a weightlifting competition for the Lobo Football team that always brought out the fans, the beef, and the best in the Lobo Athletic Performance Program.
Just like Danny Gonzales, silver game pants, old school logos on helmets and bone-crushing hits on defense have all returned to become core tenets of the Lobo football program, tomorrow night, the Night of Champions makes its triumphant return.
Night of Champions will begin at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 4. The event is free for the public and will take place inside of University Stadium to allow fans to be able to enjoy while remaining socially distant. Fans are required to wear masks inside the facility to comply with the current State of New Mexico health orders. There will not be concessions available, and fans may bring food or drinks (non-alcoholic) into the facility. Parking for the event is also free, and fans can enter through Gate 1, located in the Southwest Corner of University Stadium.
Night of Champions will see the culmination of the post-spring practice strength program. Fifteen Lobos will compete on Tuesday night, attempting personal bests in the bench press, the squat and the power clean. The weights will be on the turf to allow for fans to be in the stands and cheer on their favorite Lobos.
Night of Champions began with Dennis Franchoine in 1992 and continued with Rocky Long, and was a highlight of the spring seasons during both tenures. It was something that Coach Gonzales promised to bring back all the way back at his introductory press conference, and after the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the spring season in 2020, he is glad, more than anyone, to bring back an evening of fun for the team, and hopefully the fans.
“Night of Champions was always a great event, and it really has served as a great way for us to continue to build our team and program after a successful spring season,” said Gonzales. “We have traditionally done the event inside the weight room, but we are moving it outside into the stadium for safety and to allow media and fans to be able to come out and enjoy the event. The weather should be great, and I hope our fans enjoy it.”
The event, which should last between 60 and 90 minutes, was held inside the Tow Diehm Weight Room every year from 1999-08, with the exception of the 1995 event, which was moved to Johnson Center.