Lobos announce two new additions to transfer class

In finishing up their portal class, the Lobos added another onetime highly-touted recruit — this time on special teams.

California transfer punter Michael Kern signed with New Mexico, the program announced Thursday via news release.

The 6-3, 195-pound sophomore was previously rated by 24/7 Sports as the fourth-best punter in the class of 2024, choosing Texas before transferring to Cal after one year. He is expected to compete with returner Charles Steinkamp to start at punter after Daniel Hughes entered the transfer portal, vacating the role. 

In 11 games last season with the Bears, Kern punted 39 times for an average of 41.5 yards, the 12th-best mark in the 16-team ACC. He recorded a career-long 60-yard punt in a 41-25 loss to Duke in October, setting up one of four 200-plus yard performances on the season.

Before that, Kern began his college career at Texas, where he was the starter for the Longhorns 16-game run to the College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinals. He averaged 41.6 yards on 41 punts, including a season-long 57-yarder in a CFP quarterfinal win over Arizona State.

A Fort Lauderdale, Florida native, Kern was named to MaxPreps All-America team after averaging 46.3 yards per punt as a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The former three-star prospect chose Texas out of high school over additional offers from Florida, Miami and Army.

Kern has two years of eligibility remaining. He joins Idaho transfer cornerback Joshua Barnes as one of two new names to appear in a release detailing UNM’s 27-player transfer class.

A 5-10, 185-pound redshirt freshman, Barnes appeared in five games over the last two seasons with the Vandals. The Los Angeles native and former three-star prospect joins the Lobos with three years of eligibility remaining.

A position-by-position breakdown of UNM’s 27 transfer signees:

Quarterback

-Luke Moga (Oregon)

Running back

-Cameron Mathews (Memphis)

-Kiefer Sibley (North Texas)

Wide receiver

-Troy Omeire (UNLV)

-Miles Williams (Eastern Washington)

Offensive line

-Markus Fetcho (Laney College)

-Ken Meir (Temple)

-Cole Millward (Weber State)

Tight end

-Joey Olsen (Southern California)

-Bear Tenney (Sacramento State)

-Tripp Walsh (Iowa State)

Defensive line

-Jalen Charles (Memphis)

-Deven Dyer (Western New Mexico)

-AJ Robinson (Independence Community College)

-Albert Tuakalau (College of San Mateo)

Linebacker

-Clay Martineau (Boise State)

-Trenton Rooker (Copiah-Lincoln Community College)

Defensive back

-Ormanie Arnold (Cincinnati)

-KJ Battle (Towson)

-Kevin Longstreet (Southern California)

-Joshua Barnes (Idaho)

-William Hicks (Hampton)

-Eric McClain (Ball State)

Kicker

-Konner Olsen (Western Kentucky)

-Nicholas Romero (Wagner)

Punter

-Michael Kern (California)

Long snapper

-Lincoln Epstein (Central Michigan)

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.