ALISSA, SHE’S COMING RIGHT UP. CRISTIANA UNM, WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY CLUB RECENTLY WRAPPED UP ITS FIRST SEASON. EVEN IF THE WIN COLUMN WAS A BIT LIGHT THIS YEAR, THE TEAM SAYS IT WAS STILL A BIG SUCCESS. NOW, REPORTER ALYSSA MUNOZ JOY JOINS US LIVE. ALISSA, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST WINS ON THE SCOREBOARD. GOOD MORNING. YES THAT’S RIGHT. THE PLAYERS AND COACH SAY THIS ISN’T JUST BUILDING A TEAM. IT’S BREAKING THE ICE FOR YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS THE STATE. THE TEAM WAS FOUNDED TWO YEARS AGO AND THEY PLAY IN THE AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION FOR MUCH OF THEIR SEASON, THE LOBOS SKATED WITH JUST 13 PLAYERS. INSTEAD OF WINS AND LOSSES. THEY SAY THIS WAS ABOUT LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S HOCKEY IN THE STATE. THE TEAM’S ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SAYS JUST HAVING THE CHANCE TO PLAY COLLEGE HOCKEY IN NEW MEXICO FEELS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY COLLEGE HOCKEY. I KNEW I WOULDN’T BE GOING TO COLLEGE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN NEW MEXICO, AND I THINK WITH THE FREE COLLEGE WE HAVE HERE IN THE STATE, IT’S JUST AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO GET IN THE STATE, TO STAY IN STATE IF THEY WANT TO, AND HAVE THAT PIPELINE, WHICH IS SOMETHING I NEVER SAW HAPPENING IN MY LIFETIME. THE HEAD COACH SAYS THE NEXT STEP IS EXPANDING THE ROSTER, DEVELOPING LOCAL TALENT, AND EVENTUALLY COMPETING FOR CONFERENCE TITLES AND NATIONAL TOURNAMENT SPOT. THE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY SEEN STRONG RECRUITMENT INTEREST AS IT HEADS INTO THE NEXT SEASON, WI
UNM women’s ice hockey club celebrates successful first season
The players and coach believe they are not just building a team, but breaking the ice for young women across the state
Updated: 5:40 AM MDT Mar 31, 2026
The University of New Mexico’s women’s ice hockey club recently wrapped up its first season, and despite a light win column, the team considers it a significant success.The players and coach believe they are not just building a team, but breaking the ice for young women across the state.The team was founded two years ago and plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. For much of their season, the Lobos skated with just 13 players. Instead of focusing on wins and losses, they aimed to lay the foundation for the future of women’s hockey in New Mexico.”I never thought I would have the opportunity to play college hockey,” said assistant captain Kylie Phillips. “I knew I wouldn’t be going to college anywhere other than New Mexico. I think with the free college we have here in the state, it’s just an amazing opportunity for kids here in the state to stay in-state if they want to and have that pipeline, which is something I never saw happening in my lifetime.”Head coach Jarrod Ronquillo said the next step is expanding the roster, developing local talent, and eventually competing for conference titles and a national tournament spot. The program has already seen strong recruitment interest as it heads into next season.”In the last three weeks, I’ve had over 60 recruitment meetings, each one in half an hour each. So, I think we might run out of jerseys for our prospect camp, which is a good problem to have,” Ronquillo said.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
The University of New Mexico’s women’s ice hockey club recently wrapped up its first season, and despite a light win column, the team considers it a significant success.
The players and coach believe they are not just building a team, but breaking the ice for young women across the state.
The team was founded two years ago and plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. For much of their season, the Lobos skated with just 13 players. Instead of focusing on wins and losses, they aimed to lay the foundation for the future of women’s hockey in New Mexico.
“I never thought I would have the opportunity to play college hockey,” said assistant captain Kylie Phillips. “I knew I wouldn’t be going to college anywhere other than New Mexico. I think with the free college we have here in the state, it’s just an amazing opportunity for kids here in the state to stay in-state if they want to and have that pipeline, which is something I never saw happening in my lifetime.”
Head coach Jarrod Ronquillo said the next step is expanding the roster, developing local talent, and eventually competing for conference titles and a national tournament spot. The program has already seen strong recruitment interest as it heads into next season.
“In the last three weeks, I’ve had over 60 recruitment meetings, each one in half an hour each. So, I think we might run out of jerseys for our prospect camp, which is a good problem to have,” Ronquillo said.