LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- The Mountain West officially announced its preseason all-conference team, and after a 9-4 Rate Bowl season a year ago, the 2026 preseason team is loaded with Lobos. Jaxton Eck was named the preseason Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, and he was one of five Lobos named to the team.
Along with Eck, Brian Booker, a second-team postseason pick last year, was named to the preseason team. On offense, versatile lineman Malik Aliane was honored along with tight end Cade Keith and transfer receiver Troy Omeire.
The last time the Lobos had five players on the official preseason team was in 2005, which was the second of back-to-back seasons with five. The 2003 season saw a Lobo record six players named to the preseason team. The preseason team is just one team, unlike the postseason teams, which have a first and second team.
Eck in 2025 was the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, recording 129 tackles on the season, finishing 10th nationally in tackles and 10th in tackles per game at 9.9. Booker was a key interior piece of UNM’s rushing defense, which was the most improved in the nation in 2025. He recorded 19 tackles in 2025 with 3.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Among tight ends, Keith leads all returning players in receptions, and he was both the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and the Freshman of the Week after a record-setting day in a 33-14 win over Utah State. Overall, Keith caught 20 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. Aliane, who has played basically all five offensive line positions in his career, is one of four returning starters along the line. After starting at guard and center in 2024, Aliane, a native of Rouen, France, moved to left tackle and started 11 games there and two at left guard, starting all 13 games last season.
Omeire played for UNLV last year and caught 31 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns. He played against UNM last year, catching four passes for 60 yards in a game UNM won 40-35 to garner bowl eligibility.
The Lobos, which featured a top-10 offense in school history in terms of total points and a top-20 rushing defense last year, open the season on September 5 with the first of back-to-back home games. UNM will play a pair of first-time opponents, facing Central Michigan on opening night, September 5 at 8 pm before hosting Mercyhurst the next week on September 12. That game will be UNM’s first MW+ broadcast. Lobo Football will have three games on MW+ this season. Fans can watch those games, plus exclusive content as well as soccer and volleyball by signing up right here at watch.themw.com/new-mexico/?ra=new-mexico.
The Lobos went a perfect 6-0, it’s first unbeaten record at home since 1963, and the first 6-0 season at home since 1938. Overall, going back to 2024, UNM has won seven straight at University Stadium, as UNM led the nation in percentage of attendance increase last year at 57.8% from 2024 to 2025.
Season tickets are on sale and can be purchased for as low as $86 at www.golobos.com/RealOnes26. Additionally, UNM’s award-winning promotion “Kids Free”, where each purchase of a single-game ticket last year allowed for two children 12 and under to come for free, has been extended to season tickets as well for the 2026 season. There is no reason to miss a moment of what is shaping up to be a fun season at University Stadium as UNM returns 14 starters, the most in the Mountain West.