Lobos picked 5th in preseason Mountain West poll, Albury named all-league

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The UNM Lobos, in their first season under head coach Eric Olen and with an entirely new roster from last season's NCAA Tournament team, are picked to finish fifth in the 12-team Mountain West conference this season, according to a media poll released Wednesday at the league's conference media day event.

"With something new, comes a lot of uncertainty," UNM senior guard Chris Howell said Thursday after the poll was released. "Nobody believes in our team more than the coaching staff and more than us in the locker room, so we just expect to go out there and produce for the fans and for ourselves."

UNM senior point guard Deyton Albury, a transfer from Utah State who was peppered with questions Thursday about playing the Aggies in Logan, Utah, later this season, was the lone Lobo voted to the 10-man preseason all-conference team.

News of his preseason accolade came to Albury by way of his home in the Bahamas.

"I got the message from my father this morning," said Albury, who along with other players at Thursday's media day event were actually attending a financial literacy seminar provided by the conference before the media obligations this year. "Seeing it (the preseason honor), pretty excited to know that people know who I am and know what I'm capable of, but I still have to go out there and prove myself and still have to go there and win games. So it's exciting."

When Howell, a senior guard who started every game last season for Olen's NCAA Tournament, Big West Champion UC San Diego squad, was asked if he felt slighted by not getting the same preseason love, he grinned.

"As far as myself, that I couldn't honestly care less about preseason accolades," Howell said, before reaching over to put his hand on Albury's shoulder. "This guy deserves it for sure, though."

San Diego State is the unanimous preseason pick to win the league, receiving all 26 first-place votes. Junior wing Miles Byrd of the Aztecs was voted the MW Preseason Player of the Year and his SDSU teammate Elzie Harrington, a guard, was voted Preseason Freshman of the Year.

The Aztecs (312 total points) were followed in the predicted order of finish by Utah State (275) and Boise State (260). League newcomer Grand Canyon (224) checked in at fourth in and has preseason Newcomer of the Year winner Brian Moore Jr., who starred last year at Norfolk State.

"Not to be smart about it," San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher joked, "but usually there's a hater somewhere that's not going to vote you in. Unanimous — it's all because we return the most players. We have the most returning players and I think people people find comfort in that. And I think people under value the coaches in this league. ... There are good coaches and one or two of them are going to be able to take 10 or 12 new guys and put a competitive team together. But over the long run, it's usually experience that wins."

The Lobos' 182 points edged UNLV (174), and its first-year head coach Josh Pastner. The poll was rounded out by Colorado State and Nevada tying for seventh, each with 164 points.

A large gap in points followed before the bottom four in the poll: Wyoming, San Jose State, Fresno State and Air Force.

2025-26 Preseason All-MW Poll

Place, team, first place votes in parenthesis and total points

1. SDSU (26) — 312

2. Utah State — 275

3. Boise State — 260

4. Grand Canyon — 224

5. New Mexico — 182

6. UNLV — 174

t7. Colorado State — 164

t7. Nevada — 164

9. Wyoming — 96

10. San Jose State — 82

11. Fresno State — 65

12. Air Force — 30

2025-26 Preseason All-MW team

F Andrew Meadow, Jr., Boise State

G Jaden Henley, Sr., Grand Canyon

G Brian Moore Jr., Sr., Grand Canyon

F Elijah Price, So., Nevada

G Deyton Albury Sr. New Mexico

G Miles Byrd, Jr., San Diego State

G Reese Dixon-Waters, Sr., San Diego State

F Magoon Gwath, So., San Diego State

F Kimani Hamilton, Sr., UNLV

G Mason Falslev, Jr., Utah State

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Miles Byrd, SDSU

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Brian Moore, Grand Canyon

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Elzie Harrington, SDSU

Geoff Grammer's Preseason All-MW ballot

Here is my preseason All-Mountain West predicted order of finish and preseason player awards.

Order of finish:

1. San Diego State

2. Boise State

3. Utah State

4. New Mexico

5. Grand Canyon

6. Colorado State

7. Nevada

8. UNLV

9. Wyoming

10. San Jose State

11. Fresno State

12. Air Force

Preseason All-Conference

(10 players Listed alphabetically)

Deyton Albury, New Mexico

Javan Buchanan, Boise State

Miles Byrd, San Diego State

Reese Dixon-Waters, San Diego State

Mason Falslev, Utah State

Magoon Gwath, San Diego State

Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon

Andrew Meadow, Boise State

Brian Moore Jr., Grand Canyon

Elijah Price, Nevada

Preseason player awards:

Player of the Year: Miles Byrd, SDSU

Freshman of the Year: Naas Cunningham, UNLV

Newcomer of the Year: Brian Moore Jr., Grand Canyon

FOY NOTE: Cunningham is a redshirt freshman who transferred from Alabama but did not play in a game last season so is still eligible for MW Freshman of the Year.

NOY NOTE: Newcomer of the Year is open to any player new to the conference who is not a freshman. That disqualifies transfers such as UNM’s Albury and GCU’s Henley, who played last season at Utah State and UNLV, respectively.