Many years ago, Tim Herron competed in NCAA golf at UNM and has since played on the PGA Tour for many years. Herron sent his son, Carson-Herron, to UNM to both educate and play golf. Carson recently posted a 1-under 71 in the NCAA Salem (SC) Regional Tournament, which helped the UNM team advance to the 2023 NCAA Championship. The event will be held at the Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, where 30 NCAA college teams will participate. The UNM coach, Glenn Millikan, should be commended for this great team performance.
In other sports news, RBP Corrales expressed their admiration for NM United, saying that without the team, they would not have donated any money to UNM’s NIL Foundation. Joe from ABQ Sunday’s Sports Speak Up! praised both UNM and underperforming coaches, such as Mike Bradbury for the Lady Robo basketball team and Richard Pitino for the men’s team. They criticized the athletic director, Eddie Nunez, for being incompetent and for the university paying millions of dollars for poor coaching.
The extension of UNM alumni caused mixed reactions, as Richard Pitino and Mike Bradbury received contract extensions despite underperforming. Rudy Attorney expressed that Pitino brought renewed interest to Lobo’s basketball in his 14-0 start last season and increased crowd numbers, but then the Lobos faltered during conference play. However, it is irrelevant whether Pitino deserved an extension because a large, wealthy university would easily pay for him from UNM if they wanted him. The hope is that his extension is a commitment to continue building great things at UNM for the long term.
In high school sports news, the No. 10 seed Ruidoso contended for the state baseball championship against No. 1 seed Sandia Prep. Ruidoso led 5-0 into the final inning but went into overtime and ultimately lost the championship. Jim Chicarello, 80+, led the La Cueva women’s track and field team to a state championship, showcasing that age is not a limitation. The NFHS has changed the rules so that 1-1 free throws are not required in high school basketball games, which confused many local fans.
Finally, ARROYO DEL OSO Dam 9, a well-designed 9-hole golf course primarily played by senior men and women, is in need of maintenance. The fairways and putting surfaces have little grass and are covered in holes and bare spots, and the city is urged to fix this issue.