UNM, New Mexico State watch with interest as realignment revs up again

Jul. 15—Right here we’re once more.

The convention realignment carousel in faculty athletics is spinning at present as quick as ever.

Relying in your perspective, the latest splash of stories of USC and UCLA becoming a member of the Huge Ten Convention was both wildly unpredictable (actually, who noticed the 2 storied Los Angeles-based faculties opting to affix the Midwest/East Coast-based league?) or it was painfully apparent as faculty soccer has appeared to be heading towards both two or 4 mega conferences for a while. (The Huge 12 misplaced marquee members Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC a yr in the past.)

In the meantime, different faculties and conferences across the nation — together with the College of New Mexico Lobos and New Mexico State Aggies — are left taking part in an uncomfortable ready recreation of seeing what gutted conferences just like the Huge 12 and Pac-12 do earlier than the subsequent tier of packages determine what really is greatest for them.

“For those who mentioned you knew one thing was going to occur, I believe that may be a joke,” NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia mentioned. “You could be ecstatic the place you are at and joyful about the place you are going, however you higher hold your head on a swivel, too.”

The Aggies are competing of their ultimate yr as a soccer unbiased and member of the Western Athletic Convention in all different sports activities earlier than becoming a member of Convention USA, together with for soccer, for 2023-24.

UNM athletic director Eddie Nuñez echoed the sentiment that the panorama is one that’s ever altering and requires fixed consideration. He’s in his fifth yr and began after the 2016 realignment blitz that even included the Lobos sending a memo the Journal reported on searching for an invite then to the Huge 12.

Whereas the Lobos stay as dedicated as ever to the Mountain West Convention, Nuñez mentioned there’s a fixed push to make the athletic division as robust as attainable for no matter scenario could current itself down the street — Mountain West or not.

“Our continued focus is on being the most effective complete athletics program within the Mountain West and offering a world-class expertise for our student-athletes,” Nuñez mentioned in an announcement despatched to the Journal. “We’re proud members of the MWC, the strongest Group of 5 convention. We are not any completely different than many different establishments throughout this era of uncertainty in faculty athletics in that we’re at all times in search of methods to higher place our establishment and lift the profile of our packages.”

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Nuñez famous the division in recent times has confirmed robust in a number of areas: fundraising, lecturers, championships in numerous sports activities and a continued effort to enhance neighborhood engagement.

Whereas a return to nationwide relevance for males’s basketball and enchancment from the soccer staff on the sphere would assist in a wide range of methods — particularly at a time when soccer tv cash is the gasoline fueling all the faculty athletics trade — Nuñez and UNM notice vital facility upgrades for soccer is the only most necessary issue to place his athletic division in place to be extra engaging to a convention that is likely to be trying so as to add a brand new member.

“With our continued dedication to enhancing our amenities, with the addition of the New Mexico Mutual Champions Coaching Heart, we’re making unimaginable strides however nonetheless have extra facility enhancements which can be obligatory,” Nuñez mentioned.

Earlier this month, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson mentioned on Denver-based KOA-AM radio that, whereas he like everyone seems to be ready on what could also be subsequent for remaining members of the Pac-12 and Huge 12, he is pleased with the place the league is in proper now.

“I believe we’re ready the place we solidified ourselves — a few of our establishments had a possibility to depart a yr in the past and be a part of the American (Athletic Convention) and opted to remain,” Thompson mentioned. “And I believe that was a wise transfer. We had our greatest yr ever — 4 10-win soccer groups; we had 4 groups within the males’s basketball (NCAA Match). … There could possibly be some Huge 12 faculties, there could possibly be some Pac-12 faculties that could possibly be within the Mountain West Convention.”