New Mexico Lobos basketball — program history

The University of New Mexico competes in the Mountain West Conference and plays in "The Pit," one of the most legendary home-court advantages in college basketball. The Lobos have made numerous NCAA Tournament appearances and have a passionate fan base in Albuquerque.

The name

The Lobos (Spanish for "wolves") mascot was adopted in 1920, reflecting the Mexican gray wolves native to the American Southwest and New Mexico's bilingual heritage.

Signature moment

The 2013-14 season, when the Lobos went 15-3 in Mountain West play and captured a third straight Mountain West Tournament title, backed by the famed home-court advantage of The Pit.

The Pit is built below ground level, creating a sunken arena effect that amplifies crowd noise and gives the Lobos one of the best home-court advantages in the country.

The New Mexico Lobos compete in the MWC and hold an all-time record of 1634–1176 (.581 winning percentage) across 122 recorded seasons dating back to 1899-00.

Season-by-season results

SeasonRecordConferenceCoachAP peak
2025-2623-1013-7 (MWC)Eric Olen
2024-2527-817-3 (MWC)Richard Pitino
2023-2426-1010-8 (MWC)Richard PitinoAP #19
2022-2322-128-10 (MWC)Richard PitinoAP #21
2021-2213-195-12 (MWC)Richard Pitino
2020-216-161-8 (MWC)Paul Weir
2019-2019-147-11 (MWC)Paul Weir
2018-1914-187-11 (MWC)Paul Weir
2017-1819-1512-6 (MWC)Paul Weir
2016-1717-1410-8 (MWC)Craig Neal
2015-1617-1510-8 (MWC)Craig Neal
2014-1515-167-11 (MWC)Craig Neal
2013-1427-715-3 (MWC)Craig NealAP #17
2012-1329-613-3 (MWC)Steve AlfordAP #10
2011-1228-710-4 (MWC)Steve AlfordAP #18
2010-1122-138-8 (MWC)Steve Alford
2009-1030-514-2 (MWC)Steve AlfordAP #8
2008-0922-1212-4 (MWC)Steve Alford
2007-0824-911-5 (MWC)Steve Alford
2006-0715-174-12 (MWC)Ritchie McKay
2005-0617-138-8 (MWC)Ritchie McKay
2004-0526-710-4 (MWC)Ritchie McKay
2003-0414-145-9 (MWC)Ritchie McKay
2002-0310-184-10 (MWC)Ritchie McKay
2001-0216-146-8 (MWC)Fran Fraschilla
2000-0121-136-8 (MWC)Fran Fraschilla
1999-0018-149-5 (MWC)Fran Fraschilla
1998-9925-99-5 (WAC)Dave BlissAP #11
1997-9824-811-3 (WAC)Dave BlissAP #8
1996-9725-811-5 (WAC)Dave BlissAP #9
1995-9628-514-4 (WAC)Dave BlissAP #23
1994-9515-159-9 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1993-9423-814-4 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1992-9324-713-5 (WAC)Dave BlissAP #21
1991-9220-1311-5 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1990-9120-1010-6 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1989-9020-149-7 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1988-8922-1111-5 (WAC)Dave Bliss
1987-8822-148-8 (WAC)Gary ColsonAP #18
1986-8725-1011-5 (WAC)Gary Colson
1985-8617-148-8 (WAC)Gary Colson
1984-8519-139-7 (WAC)Gary Colson
1983-8424-1110-6 (WAC)Gary Colson
1982-8314-156-10 (WAC)Gary Colson
1981-8214-147-9 (WAC)Gary Colson
1980-8111-156-10 (WAC)Gary Colson
1978-7919-108-4 (WAC)Norm Ellenberger
1977-7824-413-1 (WAC)Norm EllenbergerAP #5
1976-7719-118-6 (WAC)Norm Ellenberger
1975-7616-118-6 (WAC)Norm Ellenberger
1974-7513-134-10 (WAC)Norm Ellenberger
1973-7422-710-4 (WAC)Norm EllenbergerAP #8
1972-7321-69-5 (WAC)Norm EllenbergerAP #15
1971-7215-117-7 (WAC)Bob KingAP #16
1970-7114-124-10 (WAC)Bob King
1969-7013-137-7 (WAC)Bob King
1968-6917-94-6 (WAC)Bob KingAP #5
1967-6823-58-2 (WAC)Bob KingAP #4
1966-6719-85-5 (WAC)Bob KingAP #3
1965-6616-84-6 (WAC)Bob King
1964-6519-85-5 (WAC)Bob KingAP #10
1963-6423-67-3 (WAC)Bob King
1962-6316-94-6 (WAC)Bob King
1961-626-203-11 (MSAC)Bob Sweeney
1960-616-173-11 (MSAC)Bob Sweeney
1959-606-193-11 (MSAC)Bob Sweeney
1958-593-191-13 (MSAC)Bob Sweeney
1957-583-210-14 (MSAC)Bill Stockton
1956-575-211-13 (MSAC)Bill Stockton
1955-566-165-9 (MSAC)Bill Stockton
1954-557-172-12 (MSAC)Woody Clements
1953-5411-115-9 (MSAC)Woody Clements
1952-5310-145-9 (MSAC)Woody Clements
1951-526-191-13 (MSAC)Berl Huffman
1950-5113-119-7 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1949-505-19BIAAWoody Clements
1948-4910-127-9 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1947-4814-158-8 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1946-4711-810-6 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1945-4616-913-8 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1944-4514-212-0 (BIAA)Woody Clements
1943-4411-23-0 (BIAA)George White
1942-433-171-11 (BIAA)Willis Barnes
1941-429-135-11 (BIAA)Willis Barnes
1940-415-18IndBenjamin Sacks
1939-403-221-15 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1938-394-214-16 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1937-389-166-10 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1936-3712-1410-10 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1935-3616-1011-9 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1934-3510-107-9 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1933-3416-46-4 (BIAA)Roy Johnson
1932-3313-68-6 (BIAA)Thomas Churchill
1931-3210-65-5 (BIAA)Thomas Churchill
1930-319-7IndThomas Churchill
1929-3016-4IndRoy Johnson
1928-2914-9IndRoy Johnson
1927-2812-7IndRoy Johnson
1926-2713-4IndRoy Johnson
1925-2612-2IndRoy Johnson
1924-2512-1IndRoy Johnson
1923-245-3IndRoy Johnson
1922-232-7IndRoy Johnson
1921-220-2IndRoy Johnson
1919-200-3IndRoy Johnson
1918-192-4IndJohn McGough
1916-174-1IndHutch Hutchinson
1915-169-2IndHutch Hutchinson
1914-158-1IndHutch Hutchinson
1913-140-1IndHutch Hutchinson
1912-136-0IndHutch Hutchinson
1911-121-2IndHutch Hutchinson
1910-114-1IndHutch Hutchinson
1909-102-3Ind
1908-091-0Ind
1907-085-1Ind
1906-071-1Ind
1905-062-2Ind
1904-051-0Ind
1902-031-2Ind
1901-022-0Ind
1899-000-1Ind

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