Mary Jo Campbell

Mary Jo Campbell has been involved in sports as a participant, teacher, coach, professor and administrator since elementary school days. She competed in golf, softball, basketball and volleyball during high school and college, and was the first girl to compete on a boy’s high school golf team in her hometown of Independence, Mo. In 1960, Campbell won the Kansas City Junior Golf Tournament. During her college days at UNM, she was a member of the Dean’s Honor Roll in the General Honors Program and a top-flight golfer. Campbell also holds the distinction of being the first recipient of a sports scholarship for a woman at the University of New Mexico.

After Campbell completed her B.S. at UNM and an M.A. in Exercise Physiology and Motor Learning from the University of California at Santa Barbara, she taught high school physical education and coached a girl’s track and field team. Campbell taught physical education at the Ohio State University, receiving her Ph.D. in 1973. Campbell returned to UNM where she would eventually live and breathe her 30-year career in Physical Education.

During Campbell’s tenure at UNM she served honorably as a faculty member and administrator. Her teaching was characterized by “high student expectation, fairness, knowledge of the subject and interesting presentations,” says longtime colleague and Emeritus Professor, John Gustafson, Ph.D.

Campbell served as a program coordinator, department chairperson, division director and Chair of the Department of Physical Performance and Development within the College of Education. Gustafson further states, “As an unusually efficient administrator, she became a leader in the College of Education and carries the reputation as one who ‘gets things done’”.

Among Campbell’s passions are her lifetime work in directing and overseeing youth sports programs. For more than 30 years she has been the director of the Summer Youth Sports Program, and, since 1995, Cambell has led the National Youth Sports Program at the University of New Mexico. Charlotte Piper, a former UNM professor and Hall of Honor recipient in 1999, proudly states, “Dr. Campbell doesn’t brag of her laurels, but she has positively touched many student’s lives as well as her colleagues.”

In June of 2005, Campbell started another chapter in her athletic life—she retired from UNM. Campbell will be sorely missed by all those that benefited from her lifelong knowledge of promoting physical activity and championing fitness and sports for children and college students. She will now be enjoying the lush fairways and green pastures of myriad golf courses across the country.

Gary Colson

Gary Colson was hired by the University of New Mexico in late 1979 to help repair the damage left in the wake of the Lobogate scandal. A man of remarkable character and high morals, Colson’s impact on UNM basketball was felt in a big way.

After a couple of rebuilding years, New Mexico’s return to basketball prominence began in earnest during the early part of the 1983-84 season. The highlight was a 65-60 victory over 7th-ranked UCLA at Pauley Pavilion that came just days after the end of four years of NCAA probation. That win triggered a 24-11 season and sent the Lobos back to the postseason.

History was made in The Pit on Jan. 2, 1988, when New Mexico edged No. 1 Arizona 61-59. That remains the Lobos’ only victory over a top-ranked team. One week later, UNM bounced 5th ranked Wyoming to vault into the national rankings for the first time in six years.

Colson finished his eight-year Lobo coaching career with a record of 146-106, however, his last five teams all advanced to postseason play and averaged more than 21 wins a season over that span. Colson’s overall collegiate head coaching record is at 563-385 in 34 seasons at Valdosta (Ga.) State, Pepperdine, UNM and Fresno State.

Colson has maintained relationships with a lot of his former Lobo players, many of whom remain in Albuquerque and are successful business leaders. He restored the integrity of Lobo basketball.

Colson is currently in his fourth season as an assistant to Jerry West, who is the President of Basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.

Carol Rhudy

Carol Rhudy (pronounced like rudy) graduated from UNM in 1964 but didn't receive her UNM varsity letter until 1991.  It was then that the Alumni Lettermen's Association identified 67 female student-athletes whose performance and dedication to their sport brought honor to the University.

This year Rhudy is being inducted into the Association's Athletic Hall of Honor for her accomplishments as a swimmer specializing in the breaststroke and backstroke.

Since graduating from UNM, Rhudy taught K-12 in several states before settling in Michigan in 1977.  In 1985 she was in a serious car accident and turned to water therapy to heal her many broken bones. Soon after, Rhudy began helping others recover from injuries and surgeries.  She is part owner of two businesses, Aquatic Therapy Group and New Wave Aquatic Rehab.

Rhudy is an active volunteer in many organizations including the United Way, American Cancer Society, National Arthritis Foundation and the American Red Cross. She competes in water aerobics and water running competitions.

Bill Weeks

Bill Weeks has won more conference championships — three — than any head coach in the history of Lobo football. Taking over for Marv Levy before the 1960 season at the young age of 31, Weeks’ early teams set the standard by which all other New Mexico squads are measured.

After starting his coaching career 5-5 in 1960, Weeks and the Lobos embarked on the most successful four-year run in school history. In 1961, the Lobos finished 7-4 and won the Aviation Bowl with a 29-12 victory over Western Michigan.

That was followed by outright Western Athletic Conference titles in 1962 and ’63 and tying for the crown in 1964. From 1961-64, the Lobos won 29 games against just 12 losses and one tie. Weeks spent eight years as head coach at UNM, compiling a career record of 40-41-1.

Weeks came to New Mexico in 1956 as an assistant to Dick Clausen. He served as end coach and chief scout for two years, followed by two seasons mentoring UNM’s offensive backfield for Levy.

A native of Hampton, Iowa, Weeks is a 1951 graduate of Iowa State where he was a three-year starter and a two-time all-conference quarterback for the Cyclones.

Weeks played in the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl following his senior season. He was scheduled to play in the College All-Star game, but was called to active duty with the Marine Corps. Weeks was drafted and signed by the Philadelphia Eagles but an auto accident ended any possibility of a professional career.

Woody Clements
Posthumous Inductee

Woody Clements served two terms as the Lobos’ head men’s basketball coach. His first stint of seven years from 1944-45 to 1950-51 produced four winning seasons and an overall record of 84-76, including a sparkling 14-2 mark in Clements’ rookie year. The Lobos took first place in the Border Conference with a perfect 12-0 ledger.

After a one-year hiatus following the 1950-51 season, Clements returned for three years from 1951-52 through 1954-55. His career record was 113-119.

Patty Howard Olliges
Distinguished Service

Patty Howard Olliges is a 1961 graduate of UNM. When she attended the University when there was no women's golf team, so she practiced with the men's team, coached by Dick McGuire. She played in the 1957 William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, a co-ed tournament at the time, which McGuire started in 1955. Olliges credits McGuire with her becoming such an avid golfer, which she remains to this day.

The Patty Howard Championship Golf Complex was dedicated in September of 2000. Funded by a generous contribution from Olliges, the addition provided both the Lobo men's and women's programs with a state-of-the-art office building. The complex includes a meeting room with video capabilities, as well as offices for both head and assistant coaches of Lobo men's and women's golf.

Glen Millican—
2005 Coach of the Year
Head Coach: Golf

Head men’s golf coach Glen Millican, a 1998 UNM graduate, led the Lobos to a fifth-place finish at the 2005 NCAA Championships, the school’s best finish since placing fifth in 1979. The Lobos also captured their third straight Mountain West Conference title in Millican’s fourth season, which is the school’s longest conference title run since winning nine in a row between 1957-65. Junior Spencer Levin was named a first team All American before turning pro.

Kailin Downs
Female Athlete of The Year

Kailin Downs became the first player in the history of Mountain West Conference women's golf to be named to the all-league team four consecutive years. Downs, one of the most prolific players in New Mexico history, closed her storied career as the all-time scoring leader with a 74.38 average. Named MWC Golfer of the Month seven times during her career, Downs placed in the top five at 15 tournaments, including a first-place finish at the 2003 Dick McGuire Invitational. An honorable mention All- American in 2002-03 and 2003-04, Downs owns the junior (73.91) and sophomore (74.1) scoring-average records at UNM. The two-time Mountain West Conference Golfer of the Year also excelled outside of the classroom, earning NGCA Scholar-Athlete honors four times in addition to being named a third-team Academic All-American in 2003-04.

Martina Stursova
Female Athlete of The Year

Martina Stursova was a three-year All-American for the Lobo women's Nordic ski team. The two-time Academic All-American from Policka, Czech Republic, led New Mexico to three consecutive team titles in the women's freestyle event at the NCAA Championships. Stursova posted eight individual wins in her career and placed in the top-10 in 29 of her 32 career collegiate races. She also helped lead UNM to the 2004 NCAA skiing national championship, the first team title in any sport at the University of New Mexico. Last season, Stursova scored four wins and finished third in both the women's freestyle and classic races at the NCAA Championships. Her performance helped the Lobos place fourth overall in 2005, the eighth consecutive year the ski team placed in the top-5 at the NCAA Championships.

Maja Kovacek
Female Athlete of The Year

A native of Pula, Croatia, Maja Kovacek has been New Mexico's top singles and doubles player for the past three years, playing most of her matches at the No. 1 position. Kovacek currently holds an overall career singles record of 76-34 and a doubles record of 87-28, the most wins in UNM history. She is the only player in UNM women's tennis history to be an NCAA participant in singles and doubles two consecutive years. Kovacek became the first All-American for the New Mexico women's tennis team after she and former Lobo Sandy Lukowski reached the semifinals in the 2004 NCAA doubles championship.

Nick Speegle
Male Athlete of The Year

Nick Speegle was a four-year starter at outside linebacker from 2001-04. A consistent defensive force after working his way into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman, Speegle made 43 starts, including 42 straight, to close his career. He never missed a game despite battling through a number of painful injuries over the years. A graduate of Albuquerque La Cueva High School, Speegle was a two-time honorable mention all-MWC selection before breaking through with first team honors in his final season. He finished his career ranked 14th at UNM with 317 career tackles. A four-time Academic All-MWC honoree, Speegle graduated in May of 2004 with a degree in General Management. He posted a 3.97 cumulative GPA, earning just three B grades during his undergraduate career. Speegle was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.