ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobo women’s basketball team was picked to finish second in the Mountain West predicted order of finish, with UNM also placing three on the preseason All-Mountain West team, as announced by the conference on Wednesday.
As a team, New Mexico received 264 points and two first-place votes, while Shaiquel McGruder was named to the All-Mountain West team, Amaya Brown was named Preseason Newcomer of the Year and Hannah Robbins was selected as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
It is the second-straight season that the Lobos were picked to finish second in the preseason poll, with UNM finishing second in the conference last season, and the third time in head coach Mike Bradbury’s tenure.
McGruder earned her first preseason conference honor after being named to the MW All-Conference and All-Defensive teams last season, and was also named to the MW All-Defensive Team as a junior. Last season, the Ohio native led the conference in field-goal percentage, shooting 60.8 percent from the floor, and scored in double figures in 25 games with seven games with 20-plus points.
Defensively, she recorded multiple steals in 20 games, and at least one steal in 28 games including in every conference game but five. Additionally, she had at least one block in 23 games, including twice registering five blocks, a game with four blocks and five games with three blocks. In conference games, McGruder recorded a block in 13 conference games with eight games with multiple blocks and six games with three or more blocks, and had one game with four blocks and one game with five blocks. She finished fourth in the MW in steals per game at 1.83 per game, as well as second in blocked shots and blocked shots per game with 49 and 1.36, respectively.
Last season, McGruder produced the best numbers in her career as a Lobo in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, assists, made three-pointers, made baskets and free throws. She also led the team in steals, rebounds and made baskets and was second in scoring.
McGruder is 18 points away from the 1000-career point milestone, and with 622 rebounds, would be the 18th Lobo in program history to join the 1,000 point, 500 rebound club.
Brown joins LaTascya Duff in earning the preseason newcomer accolade, with Duff earning the honor in 2020-21. An Albuquerque native, Brown returns home to play for the Lobos after spending the last three years at Florida State. During her time with the Seminoles, the redshirt-senior played in 44 games and recorded 55 rebounds, 37 assists, 17 steals and six blocks.
Robbins is the first Lobo to be named preseason freshman of the year since N’Dea Flye in 2017, and the fourth overall, joining Mykiel Burleson in 2016 and Jannon Otto in 2015. Out of Phoenix, Arizona and PHH Prep, the Lobo guard averaged 16.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore and 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks per game her junior year.
The Lobos host two exhibitions starting on Oct. 29 before opening the season on Nov. 7 on the road at Southern Utah. Tickets for the 18-game home women’s schedule start at $110, with chairback seating starting at $220. Fans can purchase season tickets online at GoLobos.com/tickets or in person at the University Arena Ticket Office.
2022-23 MOUNTAIN WEST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Rank Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. UNLV (26) 297
2. New Mexico (2) 264
3. Colorado State 232
4. Wyoming 207
5. San Diego State 200
6. Nevada 142
7. Boise State 140
8. Air Force 125
9. Fresno State 113
10. San José State 67
11. Utah State 61
2022-23 PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM
Pos. Name Yr. Team
G McKenna Hofschild Sr. Colorado State
F Shaiquel McGruder Sr. New Mexico
G Sophia Ramos Sr. San Diego State
G Essence Booker Sr. UNLV
C Desi-Rae Young Jr. UNLV
Preseason Player of the Year
Desi-Rae Young, Jr., C, UNLV
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Amaya Brown, Sr., G, New Mexico
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Hannah Robbins, G, New Mexico