Advertise on podcast: The New Mexican Sports Den with Will and James

Our guest for this week's podcast was Derek Hanson, the brand manager for 740 The Fan, KNFL-AM in Fargo, North Dakota. A longtime Fargo resident, he hosts a sports talk show on KNFL and KFGO, 104.7 FM. He was with us to share his insights on North Dakota State's football team. The Bison will be in Albuquerque this Saturday to face New Mexico at University Stadium, a game that will go down as one of the biggest regular season games in program history. North Dakota State is in its first season at the Football Bowl Championship level and is the newest addition to the Mountain West Conference. The Bison (6-1 overall, 3-1 in the conference) have the nation's second-ranked defense. The Lobos (5-1, 2-0) are hoping for a sellout crowd, which would be the third in the last two seasons under coach Jason Eck. UNM has won 10 straight games at home, and the Lobos have never lost a home game since Eck took over as coach prior to last season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six wins in seven games has already secured a winning season for the Santa Fe Indian School football team. It’s uncharted territory for the players of a program that had gone four straight seasons with just one win, and the Braves are hoping to keep the momentum rolling. 
 In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, SFIS head coach Anthony “Bones” Segura joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports Will Webber and James Barron to discuss his squad’s dramatic turnaround and its aspirations as the playoffs near. Segura, now in his third year at the helm, has the Braves sitting at 6-1 heading into Friday’s key matchup with Newcomb (3-3) in their regular season home finale. SFIS hits the road for its last two regular season games, played at Shiprock and Cuba. A former star running back at Capital, Segura discusses some of the early challenges he faced when taking over a program that had fallen on hard times. He also shares what he’s learned from mentors, including Bill Moon. While the Braves are enjoying their new success, Segura says they still have big aspirations. Their goals to start the season, he said, were to win their district and to host a playoff game, both of which are still in play. In the second segment, Will and James make their prep football picks and offer support for longtime Albuquerque Journal sports writer James Yodice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A member of a top-three NCAA cross country team in the nation, it would be easy to assume the University of New Mexico’s Tina Nisoli followed the course of most other exemplary athletes with a decorated prep career translating into college success. But her story took an uncommon route. Nisoli went to a high school — Los Alamos High — that has one of the top cross country teams in New Mexico year after year. But Nisoli never participated in cross country or track at the school. What she did was run every afternoon during a free period after lunch because she was restless and needed a release to be able to sit still in class the rest of the day. Often she would wear Converse sneakers and jeans, not athletic apparel and running shoes. Now, she has a chance to wear a medal around her neck at the end of the season as the Lobos pursue a national championship. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron speak with Nisoli about her unusual path to becoming an elite college athlete. Nisoli shares why she decided not to run in high school and how she still ended up running for a college program that is consistently one of the best in the nation. She also talks about how she has balanced athletics with studying to be a nurse. The Lobos’ men’s and women’s teams have both produced not just some of the best runners in the NCAA, but some of the best in the world. Nisoli shares what sort of influence they have had on her through her college career. In the second segment, Will and James review the football action from the past week and make their picks for this week’s prep football games, including the game of the week between St. Michael’s and West Las Vegas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hudson Mayes transferred to the University of New Mexico after a freshman season at UC San Diego where he averaged 11.1 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and was named honorable mention All-Big West Conference. The physical 6-foot-5 guard is expected to be an impact player for the retooled Lobos as they look to compete for a Mountain West title in head coach Eric Olen’s second season at the helm. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Mayes joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron to discuss the path that led him to Albuquerque, his family’s athletic background, his expectations for the Lobos and what UNM fans can expect from him on the court. Mayes is the son of Derrick Mayes, who was an All-American receiver at Notre Dame in the 1990s who won Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers, and Gayle Brown-Mayes, an actress and model. Roger Brown, his grandfather, played in the ABA and was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Mayes talks about how being part of a sports family influenced his upbringing and about the decision he had to pursue basketball versus football. Discussing his game on the court, Mayes says it took him a while to learn how to take advantage of his physicality and now he says attacking the basket is a major part of his offensive arsenal. In discussing his expectations for the team, he says the guard-laden squad will need to focus on rebounding but that the Lobos have all the talent to compete with anybody. In the second segment, the guys share their thoughts on the UNM football team’s dominant win over in-state rival New Mexico State before getting into their prep football picks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ faithful may have come out of Saturday’s game against the University of New Mexico football team more frustrated with their team than impressed with the opposition, but Lobos fans certainly had something to be proud after watching their squad hang tough in a tight 14-6 loss in Norman. UNM got $1.6 million to play the game and gained a level of respect after pushing a Top 25 team to the brink. The Lobos now face New Mexico State in the Rio Grande Rivalry looking to build more momentum before they begin their quest to win the Mountain West. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron share their thoughts on UNM’s solid performance at Oklahoma, look ahead to the Lobos-Aggies rivalry game and offer their prep football picks for the week. Will went to the game at OU and describes the environment from the 80,000-seat stadium, which held a lot of boo birds. The guys offer their take on the Lobos’ quarterback situation and praise the team’s stingy defense that has held its first three opponents to an average of 9.3 points per game. In the second segment, Will and James discuss some make-or-break games for local prep football teams, including a big showdown for Las Vegas Robertson and Pojoaque Valley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even during an 0-2 start to the season, the Santa Fe High football team showed it was going to be a formidable squad that plays at a fast pace. Since a 3-0 overtime loss to perennial Class 3A power St. Michael’s in Week 2, the Demons has racked up two blowout victories and seem to have found their stride. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Santa Fe New Mexican sports reporters Will Webber and James Barron speak with Santa Fe High head coach Adrian Gonzales about his team’s strong play and aspirations for the season. Since their 41-33 loss at Alamogordo in their season opener, the Demons have locked in on defense and upped their physicality, Gonzales said. The tight loss to St. Mike’s was followed by a 35-0 throttling of Clovis, a team that had had Santa Fe High’s number for years. Last week, the Demons had an offensive explosion in a 55-24 win against Highland. For a program that rarely sees the playoffs, Gonzales said “everybody’s bought in to our goals” this season and the Demons are aiming to host a first-round playoff game this year. In the second segment, Will and James chat about the University of New Mexico football team’s big game Saturday in Norman against No. 24 Oklahoma. The Sooners will be motivated after a stumble against Michigan last week. The Lobos will be motivated by the chance to notch a landmark win against a ranked team. The guys then share their Week 5 prep football picks, including what could be a competitive clash between Santa Fe High and Los Lunas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re three weeks deep into the prep football season and the University of New Mexico football team has finally kicked off its highly anticipated campaign. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron offer their thoughts on the Lobos’ dominant 38-7 victory over Central Michigan and share their Week 4 prep football picks. The guys came away impressed with UNM on both sides of the ball in their lopsided win over the Chippewas. The defense held Central Michigan to just 66 total yards through the first three quarters, while the offense amassed 205 of its 364 yards on the ground with a balanced rushing attack. Will and James also discuss the tragic death of Alexia Verdugo Sigala, a 24-year-old who was the C-team coach for Capital High School’s volleyball program. In the second segment, the guys make their picks for the upcoming slate of prep football games. They discuss Santa Fe High’s impressive win over Clovis, West Las Vegas’ strong start to the season and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The past week of The Santa Fe New Mexican's sports coverage was an eventful one for being so early in the fall sports season. It included the return of former Baylor football coach Art Briles to college football after a decade and a Santa Fe football rivalry going down to the wire.  In the latest episode of "The Sports Den" podcast, sports writers Will Webber and James Barron discuss Briles' debut as head coach of Eastern New Mexico University in the Greyhounds' opener against New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M. The Division II showdown delivered on the drama, with Highlands making a goal-line stand on a two-point conversion to sneak out a 35-34 victory.  Briles didn't have much to say after the loss. Barron talks about his brief interview and the guys discuss how it will be difficult for Briles to escape questions about his past at Baylor as he travels around the Lone Star Conference in his first season with Eastern New Mexico.  There also happened to be a thrilling — yes, thrilling — 3-0 overtime win for St. Michael's football team over intracity rival Santa Fe High at Ivan Head Stadium last Friday. Will and James reflect on what they learned about each team after a game where the result wasn't so much a surprise but the score certainly was.  The guys then get into previewing the University of New Mexico's season opener against Central Michigan, a team they think has the potential to give the Lobos trouble. UNM will have to play without returning starting quarterback Jack Layne, who has an elbow injury that coach Jason Eck says will keep him out for the season.  In the second segment, the guys make their Week 3 picks for local prep football teams. Saturday's St. Mike's showdown with rival Robertson could be a big test for the Horsemen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School’s back in session, Week 1 of the prep football season is in the books and The Santa Fe New Mexican’s sports writers have purpose in their lives once more. In the latest episode the “The Sports Den” podcast, Will Webber and James Barron share their takeaways and surprises from the first week of action on the gridiron, offer their picks for Week 2, chat about prep soccer and look to the start of the college football season. The guys open the pod by discussing the games they attended on Friday, with James offering his impressions of the St. Michael’s-Capital blowout and Will talking about Santa Fe High’s loss at Alamogordo. Their findings? St. Mike’s is still really good, Capital could use some conditioning, and Santa Fe High could give some teams trouble with its fast pace of play. The guys also chat about Santa Fe Indian School’s win over Zuni, Pojoaque’s victory over Taos, Española Valley's win over Los Alamos and more. College football begins this week, and Will and James have their eye on the matchup between New Mexico Highlands and Eastern New Mexico, where former Baylor coach Art Briles will make his return to the sidelines with the Grehyounds. New Mexico State, meanwhile, will have its hands full in its opener in Tallahassee against Florida State. The University of New Mexico Lobos will make their 2026 debut Sept. 5 against Central Michigan. James then shares his outlook for local soccer squads, focusing on the girls teams at Santa Fe Prep and St. Michael’s. The guys end the show with their Week 2 prep football picks, including the intracity rivalry game between St. Mike’s and Santa Fe High. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The return of high school football is just a couple days away and optimism is abundant as teams look to kick off the 2026 season on a positive note. Ahead of their intracity matchup Friday night, St. Michael’s coach Joey Fernandez and Capital coach John Michael Salazar join “The Sports Den” podcast to discuss the outlook and expectations for their teams. In the first segment, Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron offer their analysis of Week 1 matchups and make their picks. Fernandez joins for the second segment to talk about the lofty standards the Horsemen have set as they ride a 33-game winning streak into the season. St. Mike’s has some talented stars to replace from last year’s Class 3A championship squad, including quarterback Kamal Stith. Fernandez said the roster is thin this year and won’t have much room to deal with injuries but he likes the makeup of his squad as it looks to make another run at a title. Salazar comes on for the third segment to discuss how his team is hoping to build on a 4-7 record and playoff appearance last year. Pointing to a win last season against Highland where his team overcame a 21-0 deficit, Salazar says his players bring a bounce-back mentality to the field. With a difficult schedule that includes eight straight games against 2025 playoff teams to start the year, Salazar says he’s looking forward to seeing how his players handle the challenge. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you look at St. Michael’s trophy case you probably wouldn’t know it, but the school has been experiencing a declining enrollment since 2008. Now in place as St. Mike's new president, Dr. Paul Weir hopes to set the Santa Fe school on the path for a sustainable future while maintaining its dominant athletic tradition. Weir joins “The Sports Den” podcast to discuss his plans and priorities for the St. Michael's. He also talks to Santa Fe New Mexican sports reporters Will Webber and James Barron about his time as head men’s basketball coach at New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico. Weir, who was named St. Michael’s president in April, starts the interview by discussing some the changes that have been implemented so far, including a new cell phone policy, changes to the dress code and updated standards involving disciple, expectations and accountability at the Catholic school. The guys ask Weir some questions about athletic facilities, including the possibilities of replacing the grass football field with field turf and adding lights around the field to allow for night games. Weir said he’s exploring all options, with a focus on what decisions will best facilitate a sustainable future for the school. Weir also speaks about his recruitment of Santa Fe High star JB White when he was coach at the University of New Mexico, how White’s death impacted him and how he hopes to help White’s legacy live on. Weir, who coached at UNM during the COVID-19 pandemic, addresses the challenges of leading the program through that time, saying he doesn’t know if he’ll ever have the time or emotional capacity to unwrap that difficult period. “It was traumatic,” he said. “It was powerful in a lot of ways.” A Toronto native, Weir also talks about how New Mexico has become his home and the passion that he has developed for the state. Before bringing Weir on, Will and James talk about the start of their Tour of the North series highlighting the football programs of Northern New Mexico teams ahead of the season. They also discuss the Frijoles Fire and how the smoke spreading across the region could impact athletics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first official week of prep football practice is underway and the season kicks off Aug. 21. Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron have begun visiting schools for their Tour of the North series previewing the region’s squads and they’ve got some thoughts to share already. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Will and James discuss how they think the teams from Santa Fe will fare this season. Will St. Michael’s go undefeated yet again? If they drop a game, who would it be to? Will Santa Fe High and Capital make the playoffs? The guys go over these questions and more. And what about who will officiate the games? The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a crisis point for officials as numbers dropped significantly. Will goes over some numbers that show a positive uptick, but James says there’s still a great need for referees in Northern New Mexico. Will and James also chat about a recent ruling involving the NCAA’s new five-for-five eligibility rule and speculate on how it could impact the college sports landscape. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer break is nearly over, the Santa Fe Fuego’s season has come to an end and Will Webber and James Barron are about to be drowning in sports to cover once again. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, the Santa Fe New Mexican’s sports writers chat about gearing up for the fall sports season and offer a postmortem on another rough campaign for Santa Fe’s semi-pro baseball team. The Fuego finished among the worst teams in the Pecos League once again as they dealt with constant pitching struggles. Out of the 21 players who pitched for the team this year, 20 had an ERA of 10 or above. The organization has had basically one good season in its history when it won the Pecos League in 2014. According to Will and James, many of the squad’s struggles can be attributed to one big issue — its home field. With a horrible pitcher’s mound, tiny dimensions and poor field conditions, the guys say Fort Marcy ballpark is a venue where no hurler wants to toe the rubber. Without serious changes to the field, Will and James say the team will continue to struggle to attract any pitching talent. Will the city of Santa Fe ever step up to invest in improving the field? The guys share their thoughts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donovan Dent has been back in the state where he gained college hoops stardom, putting on basketball clinics at multiple schools around Northern New Mexico in July. The former University of New Mexico All-Mountain West Conference guard, who played at UCLA last year, is seeking a fifth year of eligibility following the NCAA’s new five-for-five rule. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron discuss Dent’s prospects for another year on the hardwood and if there’s a possibility he could return to the Lobos. Will shares clips from an interview of a conversation he had with Dent at a recent camp where Dent discussed his engagement, his time playing in the Big Ten and how he enjoys being back in New Mexico. The guys also chat about former UNM runner Josh Kerr recently breaking the world record in the mile, and New Mexico United’s recent surge in the USL Championship standings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Waterman’s life has been in boxes in recent years as he has followed coaching opportunities, but he’s hoping he’ll now be able to fully unpack and settle down for a while. The former University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball assistant coach was named the head coach of the program at New Mexico Highlands in late June and has been hard at work assembling a squad that can compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. In the latest episode of “The Sports Den” podcast, Waterman joins Santa Fe New Mexican sports writers Will Webber and James Barron to talk about his coaching journey and why he was drawn to the opportunity in Las Vegas, N.M. Waterman first talks about building a winning program at Division II Academy of Arts University in San Francisco. He inherited a program that had never won more than 12 games and helped the team win 20-plus games in four straight seasons, including two NCAA Tournament appearances. The school decided to discontinue its intercollegiate sports programs at the end of the 2024-25 season, leaving Waterman looking for another job. He ended up joining Eric Olen’s staff at UNM last season as the Lobos made a deep run in the National Invitation Tournament. In the episode, Olen shares his thoughts on Waterman and what he brought to the Lobos’ program. Waterman discusses the differences between coaching at the Division I and Division II levels and offers some insight on how his roster is shaping up. 
In the second segment, the guys discuss quarterback situations at Santa Fe High and St. Michael’s, then about a change coming to high school baseball that could lead to an increase in offensive output. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.