Hello UNM student body - it is another year of academics and with that comes the athletics. Congrats to the football team for going on the road and defeating the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
In case you did not know, Oct. 12 was the official day in which basketball teams across the nation started practice. Last weekend the Lobo Howl gave fans a chance to see both the women and men's basketball teams in action.
The men's team has been through some difficulties the past three seasons. The program has set the standard of being invited to the tournament on an annual basis. For those not knowing what I mean when I say the tournament, I mean the NCAA tournament, a.k.a. the "Big Dance."
The past three years the men have not been able reach that standard. Various reasons ranging from distractions to bad luck can be attributed to the problem.
This year, we are under going some changes to better the program. As you all know, we have a new coach - Ritchie McKay from Oregon State. He has some experience in the Mountain West Conference where he was once the coach at Colorado State.
A quick synopsis of Coach McKay is that he is an honest and well-spoken man. Just the little time he has been here he has taught our team both about life and basketball. It is important when your coach cares about what you do on and off the court. One thing I can say about Coach McKay is that he has good communication skills. He has instant credibility amongst us players because of his playing experience. We realize that he knows what he is talking about because he has been in similar situations.
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I would like to use this week's column as a way of getting the student body familiar with the new guys on the team.
First off is Mike McCowan who is 6 feet 8 inches tall. McCowan is a sophomore from Oklahoma who transferred from Northeastern Community College, where he played for one year. He is a guy who can rebound and set good screens to get people open. He can also score when needed.
Next up is Javin Tindall, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall. He is a junior from Wichita, Kan., and transferred from Redlands Community College, where he won the Junior College National Championship. When you see him on campus just ask to see his championship ring. Javin brings a mature style to our team and he knows how to win. The combination of his leadership and his ability to knock down the consistent jumper will help our team immensely this year.
David Chiotti is 6 feet 8 inches tall. He is a freshman from San Jose, Calif. He attended Saint Francis High School, the same school that produced fellow teammate Senque Carey. Dave brings physical play to the team.
Jeff Hart, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall, is another incoming freshman and a local product from Sandia High School. Jeff is an above average shooter with good range. With his speed and work ethic Jeff will represent many match-up problems in the future as a Lobo.
Mikal Monette is 6 feet 5 inches tall. He is another local player, hailing from Cibola High School. Mikal brings toughness and hard work. He is on the short end for a post player but he still finds ways to get rebounds from players who are taller than him.
Billy Feeney, who is 6 feet 9 inches tall, is in his redshirt year right now because of rules regarding transferring. He comes from Portland State. Billy is tall and has a great shooting touch and feel for the game. He creates many match-up problems because he is a tall guard. He should contribute instantly during the 2003-04 season. Having this year off, Billy will be allowed to practice and put on weight, which will give him a jump-start going into next season.
Now for the returning players. Senior guard Senque Carey is improving day by day and will bring leadership to the team. Jamaal Williams is a revitalized player because he is going to play his natural small forward position and has more confidence coming into this year. Chad Bell has put on some pounds and has worked hard both in the weight room and on the floor to improve his skills and become an impact player for us this season.
Ryan Ashcraft has gained tremendous confidence going from a walk-on to a scholarship player. He has the uncanny ability of always being around the ball and he is an excellent defender.
Mark Walters sat out last year and now he will get his chance to play. Mark is strong and very, very athletic. As a hard-nosed defender he will often be asked to guard the other teams best player. He can also score when asked to.
Last, I will help bring leadership and guidance to the team.
Well, that's it for now, nothing much more than the Lobo Howl and first official day of practice has been going on so far.
Our first game is an exhibition game against the EA all-stars on Nov. 1. I will keep you all up to date every week when new stuff occurs.
