With many storylines for Aggie fans to follow, whether it is baskeball, baseball, softball tennis, wimming or tack and field, the Spring semester is sure to be filled with intrigue.
Men’s basketball aims return to NCAA Tournament
In 2010 the Aggies earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
After an injury plagued 2011 campaign, NMSU looks to return to the big dance in 2012. However the Aggies are not the only WAC squad with NCAA Tournament aspirations.
Nevada has gotten off to an impressive start this season and is currently on an 11-game win streak.
After years of residing towards the bottom of the standings, Hawai’i has emerged as a conference contender. The Warriors started their turnaround last season and currently sit in third place in the WAC standings.
Then of course there is Utah State, the defending conference champion. The blue Aggies are not the team they have been the past couple of seasons, but they still cannot be counted it by any means. NMSU defeated Utah State by 20 on Jan. 12 in Las Cruces.
After a solid non-conference season, NMSU will attempt to take care of business in WAC play and return to the NCAA Tournament.
Women’s basketball looks to finish new era on high note
The first year of the Mark Trakh has seen its share of challenges. Seven of the Aggies’ 17 games this season have been decided by four points or less.
The team is 2-3 in one-point games and 2-5 in games decided by four points or less. With a full slate of conference games still on the schedule, the Aggies hope to improve on closing out games and winning close contests.
The Aggies are 4-13 overall and 1-1 in WAC play. NMSU defeated Idaho 61-47 on Jan. 14, earning its first conference win of the season.
Seniors Tabytha Wampler and Kaitlyn Soto have each had strong seasons for the Aggies. Wampler has seven double-doubles this season, while Soto leads the team in assists and minutes played.
Softball sets out to defend WAC title
After a milestone 2011 in which the Aggies tallied a school-record 44 wins en route to winning the program’s first WAC championship, NMSU softball returns with high expectations in 2012.
The team has a challenging non-conference schedule this year. The Aggies have 19 games against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament in 2011, including defending national champion Arizona State.
The good news for NMSU is the team returns 13 players from last year’s history-making season, including All-WAC honorees Tiare Jennings, Alex Newman, Teresa Conrad and Valerie Swedberg.
The Aggies begin the 2012 campaign by hosting the four-day Hotel Encanto Invitational in Las Cruces beginning Feb. 10.
Aggie baseball looks for strong finish
The NMSU baseball team had a strong non-conference run last season, but finished WAC play with a record of 9-15. The team finished 34-24 overall and lost to Louisiana Tech and Nevada in the conference tournament.
The Aggies start the 2012 season on Feb. 17 when the team plays the first of a four-game series against Wake Forrest at Presley Askew Field. Among the players returning from last season is shortstop Ty Forney, who was named second team All-WAC in 2011
The real contest for NMSU may come when WAC play rolls around. The Aggies open up conference play at home against Nevada on Apr. 5.
Swimming and diving in WAC Championships
The Aggie swimming and diving teams travel to San Antonio next month for the WAC Championships.
The teams have two meets before the championships. The Aggies host Idaho on Jan. 21 and travel to Albuquerque to face New Mexico on Feb 4. Then it is off to the Lone Star State where the teams compete in the WAC Championships starting on Feb. 22.
Among the swimmers making headlines this season is freshman Jessica Legge, who was named WAC Swimmer of the Week for the week of Jan. 3-10. Legge had strong performances in a five-team meet in Tucson, Ariz., which included squads from the University of Arizona, Oregon State, Northern Arizona, Idaho and Iowa.
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