ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Greg Heiar met his new basketball players Sunday night. Monday Heiar was formally introduced to the New Mexico State fan base. Heiar is very familiar with the style of basketball the Aggies play.
Heiar and former coach Chris Jans were on a couple of staffs together. Heiar said not much will change in the program. He told fans his team will play hard.
“I use to use the term or motto play hard, play smart, play together. I changed when I went to Northwest Florida because today kids don’t compete enough,” said Heiar. “They play all the time and when they lose, they play again. Competing is something that is just different. When you compete, you compete to win. So, we’re going to compete hard, compete smart, compete together. When you do that you have a heck of a lot of fun winning championships.”
Heiar won a national junior college championship this past season at Northwest Florida. He comes to the Aggies with 22 years of coaching experience.
In other sports news, NMSU guard Teddy Allen is one of 40 finalist up for the Lou Henson Award. The award honors the top player at a mid major institution. A winner will be announced at the Final Four April 1.
Former Lobo swim coach Bill Spahn has died. Spahn suffered a heart attack while competing in a swim meet in Colorado last Friday. He died Saturday morning. Spahn was 79 years old.
Brian Mendoza scored a fifth round knockout of Benjamin Whitaker on a fight card in Minneapolis, Minnesota Saturday night. The New Mexico boxer, who trains in Las Vegas, believes his best days are ahead of him in the 154 pound division. His record is now 20-2.
UNM athletic director Eddie Nunez would like to host a regional of the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments. The Lobos are working on making it a possible reality in the future, but it will take time.