New Mexico’s fall will be tested early on, as UNM released its 2016 schedule on Monday morning.
The Lobos won’t even be able to showcase the 2016 squad until a month into the season, with their first seven nonconference games being on the road. The first two games will be against nationally ranked opponents.
“We are excited about our schedule but we recognize that it’s going to be difficult,” head coach Heather Dyche said in a UNM release. “We are on the road the first four weekends of the year and we have a consistently hard road during conference season as well.”
UNM will start off on Aug. 19 against No. 21 Texas Tech followed by No. 24 California, a week later. The remaining five games will feature Pacific on Aug. 26, Weber State on Sept. 2, Grand Canyon on Sept. 9, and NAU on Sept. 11.
The Lobos will remain in non-league play in the middle of September with the Rio Grande Rivalry scheduled for September 16 against NMSU.
UNM will then transition into Mountain West competition with Colorado College (Sep. 23) and Air Force (Sep. 25) both coming into town.
UNM’s brief three-game home-stand will be interrupted with a four game road trip to San Jose State (Sep. 30), Fresno State (Oct. 2), Nevada (Oct. 7), and UNLV (Oct. 9).
The Lobos will get another brief home visit with Utah State (Oct. 14), Boise State (Oct. 16), and senior day taking place against Wyoming on Oct. 21.
The Lobos will conclude with an Oct. 23 game at Colorado State game followed by the season finale at San Diego State on Oct. 28.
In Dyche’s first year as head coach for the women’s soccer team, the Lobos were able to place third in the regular season with a 7-3-1 MW record (10-8-2 overall) and made it to the semi-final round of the conference semi-finals.
The 1-1 tie at the end of the game against eventual champion San Jose State, advancing on penalty kicks 3-2.
Dyche will look to build on her first year success, and appears to be doing so with a rigorous schedule.
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“It’s going to test us, but with this team and the level of players that we have, it’s something we embrace and look forward to,” Dyche said in the release."
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
