Lobos Host New Mexico Highlands in First Game of 2024-25 Season Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The 2024-25 Lobo women’s basketball season begins Sunday with fans able to get their first look at the new Lobo roster in their first exhibition against New Mexico Highlands at 2 p.m. in The Pit.
While coming off a 21-11 overall record and a 12-6 record in conference, the Lobos present a new look this season with 10 newcomers comprised of six transfers and four freshmen.
UNM returns one starter from a season ago in Viané Cumber, who was recently named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team. The Lobo senior averaged 11.4 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, both career bests, as well as had a career-best 39 assists, 22 steals and five blocks. Entering their sophomore seasons, Lara Langermann and Paris Lauro return after making 32 appearances with six starts and 22 appearances, respectively. Hulda Joaquim begins her third year with the Lobos and played in 31 games last year for a combined 44 games during her Lobo career.
Joining the Lobos in the offseason were 10 newcomers with four freshmen set to make their collegiate debut on Sunday in Reza Po, Joana Magalhães, Nayli Padilla and Lilli Hakkarainen. The Lobos are a relatively young team with eight of the 14 underclassmen, however, of the 14, eight also bring Division I collegiate experience with the addition of transfers Drew Jordon (Wagner), Clarissa Craig (Cincinnati), Amhyia Moreland (San José State) and Alyssa Hargrove (Austin Peay) to compliment the four Lobo returners.
For NMHU, the Cowgirls have a first-year head coach after going 6-22, 5-17 in the RMAC last season and have a New Mexico-heavy roster with 13 of the 17 players from New Mexico.
Historically, the Lobos last played New Mexico Highlands in an exhibition on Nov. 4, 2015, a 78-41 Lobo victory in which current graduate assistant Jaisa Nunn led the Lobos with 18 points.
Sunday’s exhibition will be one of two for UNM before the season gets underway with the season opener on Nov. 4 against Northern Arizona at 11 a.m. MT in The Pit.