A huge help in those six wins was the outstanding play of freshman middle, Mattie Tigges. Tigges was a major threat offensively, knocking down 74 kills in 140 attacks for an incredible 0.457 attack percentage, and also served up seven aces. She was also a force on defense, with 12 digs, 3 solo blocks, and 18 block assists. Because of her prowess on the court last week, Cadet Tigges has been selected as the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division 1 Player of the Week for Oct. 15-21. Here’s the link to that article on the NJCAA website: NJCAA Volleyball Players of the Week – Oct. 15-21, 2012. 

“I noticed that [Tigges] stood out at Clarendon,” said head coach Shelby Forchtner.  “She really was the go-to person at that match.  Before the Tri-Tournament we showed her her stats for the match at Clarendon, 23 kills, and encouraged her to continue like that.  She did that game after game up in Colorado and had a really high hitting percentage plus she also had several aces and some great digs on defense.”

Next up for Tigges and the Lady Broncos will be the first of the final two matches on the regular season, on the road yet again in Midland to face the Lady Chaps on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2:00 pm.

On a bright sunny day in west Texas, the NMMI Bronco tennis team was part of the opening ceremony at the new Bush Tennis center in Odessa TX. The new 40 plus court complex was funded by the Bush Family. The duel match between NMMI and the U of Texas Permian Basin was the 1^st college match played at the facility.

The match itself was a nail bitter with the Broncos pulling out a 5-4 victory. The contest came down to the final match of the day. With the score locked at 4-4, Luke Paeni(#3 player) won a 3^rd set tie-breaker to  give the Institute the victory.

Other winners in singles were: Chris Hargrove at #3, Chris Sami at #4 and team captain Oscar Hernandez at #6. In doubles NMMI won at #2 where Hargrove and Paeni dominated.

On the women’s side, #1 singles player Amanda Korinihona won in two sets, while #2 Paola Hernandez lost in a third set tie-breaker. The two had previously combined in doubles, narrowly losing, 9-7. Imma Bonghaam also made the trip and lost her singles match.  “I was very happy for our girls as they played well,” said first year head coach Dan O’Connell.

Next up for both teams during this Fall off-season will be a trip down to Hobbs to square off against the University of the Southwest, Saturday, Sept. 22 @ 10:00 am.

Luke Paeni and Chris Hargrove led the way. This pair won 2 of 4 doubles matches and 2 of 3 singles matches. Both Pedro Ruiz and Dylan McArthur ( Roswell High School) won their 1^st college matches with a win in the singles competition. Team captain Oscar Hernandez also won a singles match.

The Broncos next play the 22 of Sept at University of Texas Permian Basis in Odessa TX.

JV lost in 3 sets: 20-25, 25-19, 13-15 to Ruidoso’s C team. “We were down by 10 in the first set and fought our way back to get within 5 points, and were down in the 3rd set 3-13 and almost came back to get the win! Although we spotted Ruidoso too many points in sets 1 and 2, they pulled together as and played as a team to finish each set. I am so proud of them for not giving up!” said coach Schooley.

Bronco Track & Field head coach Jack Batson shakes hands with Etta Briscoe after signing to play for NMMI next year.

Coach Jack Batson has signed a field event specialist for next spring’s Bronco Women’s Track and Field team. Etta Briscoe graduated last year from Raton High School, here in New Mexico, where she won first place in the shot put at the NMAA Class AAA State Championship Meet, with a throw of 35′ 10″.

Coach Batson took some time during the letter of intent signing, held in the shot put ring at Raton’s Tiger Stadium, to ask future NMMI cadet Etta Briscoe a few questions:

Coach Batson: Why did you pick NMMI to go to College?
Etta: Well, it really wasn’t my first choice of college. I was planning on going to Luna Community College, but my coach called me and told me about the school. Then I went down to Roswell and saw the college and fell in love!

Coach Batson: What are your goals while at NMMI?
Etta: My goals is to become physically and mentally in shape. I also want to improve on my math skills. My last goal is to go to Nationals for shot put and hammer throw!

Coach Batson: What are your goals after NMMI?
Etta: After NMMI I would like to go to Denver Colorado and continue to pursue my dream to become a nurse.  I also want to continue to train for the Olympics.

Coach Batson: What are your Track and Field goals while at NMMI?
Etta: Again, I want to go to Nationals for shot put and hammer throw! I also want to try to become better in Javelin and Discus.

Coach Batson: What was it like winning the State Championship in the shot put?
Etta: It was amazing! Honestly, I wasn’t planning on winning state. It was the greatest feeling in the world!! There really isn’t much more I can say, but that I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Ms. Briscoe wanted to do the signing in the very ring in which she spent so much time practicing.

Fort Sumner's Christa Boyle (bottom row, center) signs to run Cross Country next season for coach Jan Olesinski and the NMMI Lady Broncos. Top Row: Fort Sumner coach Matt Moyer, Shilo Boyle (Christa's borther). Bottom Row: Edward Boyle (Christa's father), Christa Boyle, and Christy Boyle (Christa's mother).

Coach Jan Olesinski is hoping for a team bid to the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship meet this coming Fall. He’s already recruited two young women from his native Poland, another pair from the islands of Fiji, and now he’s landed the one of the best distance runners in the State of New Mexico.

Christa Boyle, a Fort Sumner High School graduate, has signed to run for Coach ‘O’ and oh yes, she can run! She’s the three-time Class A State Champion in the 800 meter Run, and five-time Class A State Champion in the 1600 and 3200 meter events. FIVE times. So that means she won her first State titles as an eighth grader.

“I help coach the NMMI high school track and field teams during the Spring semester,” says Coach Olesinski, “so I knew she was good and have been watching her for the last few years.  I talked to her coach, and also asked her if she’d consider coming here to NMMI. They were kind of excited; didn’t say no, didn’t say yes, but that it was a good option. Everything just worked out from there. They don’t offer cross country at Fort Sumner, but she’s a great athlete and a great runner who’s done a lot of training on her own to get better. She shouldn’t have any problems making the transition to the cross country format.”

Below is an audio clip, in mp3 format, of an interview with Christa and her parents, Edward and Christy: Christa Boyle With Parents

Pedro Ruiz (left) and Dillon McArthur right) pose with Coach Gene Hardman (center) before inking their intention to play tennis next semester for the Institute.

The doubles team of Dillon McArthur and Pedro Ruiz has been recruited by NMMI Bronco head tennis coach Gene Hardman, to continue playing at the next level. McArthur and Ruiz signed their letter of intent today in front of friends and family, and both look forward to possibilities and challenges that NMMI offers. The two former Roswell High athletes played side-by-side the past two seasons under Coyote coach Kelly MacDonald. This past season, they qualified and competed in the NMAA’s Class 4A State Boys’ Doubles Championships.

The audio files below, in mp3 format, are interviews with the players, their parents, and coach Hardman:
Dillon McArthur and his mother, Sarah
Pedro Ruiz with his mother, Alicia
Coach Hardman

Bottom row: Pedro Ruiz, Coach Gene Hardman, Dillon McArthur. Top row: Pedro's mother and father, Alicia and Nicolas Ruiz; and Dillon's mother and father, Sarah and Shaun McArthur.

Despite the summer heat, almost 50 area kids have signed up and are participating in this year’s Bronco Football Summer Camp. They began Monday (June 25th) and will continue through Thursday (June 28th), with two sessions, one in the morning for the younger Elementary-aged kids, and one in the afternoon for Middle School-aged kids.

Head coach Joe Forchtner has let his newly hired assistant coaches take the lead in developing the daily schedule of events, and coaches Jamison Bisch, Brandon Romero, and Drew Thatcher have come up with a great blend of drills and games which make learning the essential football skills and techniques a whole lotta fun!

Interview with coaches Bisch and Romero about the 2012 Bronco Football Summer Camp
(in mp3 format, 2mins)

Interview with Head Bronco Volleyball Coach Shelby Forchtner, about Cotric and Soto
(In mp3 format, 7 mins.)

Soto signs to play for Victory University at the Hobbs High School gymnasium, surrounded by her family, the Rotunnos. Soto was an Eagle at Hobbs High, and will be an Eagle once again at VU.

Here’s the press release from Arkansas State’s Assistant Director for Sports Information Van Provence:

Cook will become the Broncos’ head coach after spending the last six seasons as an assistant at ASU, coaching infielders and hitters.  Cook helped coach the Red Wolves to some of the most productive offensive seasons in ASU history, finishing in the top 10 in school history in hits, runs scored and RBIs in each of the last three seasons leading up to 2012.  Additionally, the 2009 and 2010 ASU teams both finished in the top-10 rankings in school history in batting average.

Since arriving at ASU, he has coached 10 players who have gone on to play professional baseball, including five taken in the Major League Baseball Draft.

“We are very excited for Chris and this opportunity for him,” said Raffo.  “It is a wonderful opportunity for him and his family.  He is more than ready to become a head coach.  He has done a fantastic job here at Arkansas State over the past six years, and has done a wonderful job with recruiting, with our hitters and developing our infielders.  We couldn’t ask for more, and the time he has spent working on our playing field has made it one of the best in the Sun Belt.  We wish him and his family the best and we know he will do a terrific job.”

As you can see, Coach Cook is very well qualified to take over the head coaching position for the Broncos.  The Bronco baseball program looks forward, with great expectation, to a new start for their 2012-13 season.

Here’s the link to Coach Cook’s bio info on the ASU athletic website:
http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=35024&SPID=2740&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=7200&ATCLID=777637&Q_SEASON=2011