COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – New Mexico had two players earn All-Mountain West honors as the conference announced its 2025-26 men’s basketball awards on Tuesday. Jake Hall was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year and earned first-team all-Mountain West honors, while Tomislav Buljan was named second-team All-Mountain West.
Hall is the third Lobo to be named Mountain West Freshman of the Year, joining Kendall Williams in 2010-11 and JT Toppin in 2023-24. He becomes just the third freshman in the history of the conference to earn first-team All-Mountain West honors, joining San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard in 2009-10 and UNLV’s Anthony Bennett in 2012-13. Hall is the second Lobo freshman to earn first-team all-conference recognition, joining Kenny Thomas, who was first-team All-WAC in 1995-96.
In Mountain West play this season, Hall was fifth in the conference in scoring at 17.5 points per game, the highest average ever for a freshman in league play in Mountain West history. His 350 total points in conference play not only set a Mountain West freshman record, but are 36 more than any other freshman in the league’s history. His 66 three-pointers in conference play tied UNM’s season record (Anthony Mathis also had 66 in 2017-18) and blew away the previous conference freshman record of 40 (UNLV’s Patrick McCaw in 2014-15). His 32-point performance in the regular season finale at Utah State was the highest scoring game by a Mountain West freshman this season and was his sixth 20-point game in conference play, tying another conference freshman record. Hall ended the regular season with 17 straight double-figure games, tying Bennett’s Mountain West freshman record for longest streak of double-figure games by a freshman.
Overall this season, Hall has become New Mexico’s all-time leading freshman scorer with 506 points and leads all freshmen nationally with 99 three-pointers. He enters the postseason seven threes shy of Mathis’ school record of 106 three-pointers in a season, set in 2018-19.
Buljan earns second-team All-Mountain West honors after leading the conference in rebounding (10.95 rpg) and double-doubles (10) during conference play. He was the only player in the conference this season to average a double-double in league play. Buljan’s 10 double-doubles in conference play ties the Mountain West freshman record set by Leonard. His 4.58 offensive rebounds per game in Mountain West play not only led the league, but was more than one rebound per game more than any other player in the conference.
On the season, Buljan averages 12.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, the only Mountain West player averaging a double-double. His four 15-rebound games this season doubled the previous UNM freshman record of two, set by Thomas and Toppin.
The Lobos (22-9, 13-7) are the No. 3 seed in the Mountain West Tournament and will begin play on Thursday with a quarterfinal matchup with either Boise State or San Jose State. Game time at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas is 9:30 p.m. MT (8:30 p.m. PT) and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Jake Hall and Tomislav Buljan Earn All-Mountain West Honors
