NMT Miner Soccer History, 21st Century

 

Since the 1970s, soccer has been a favorite intramural and occasional extramural sport among students at New Mexico Tech. The NMT men's soccer team and club in its present form (The Miners) began in January of 2000 with a dedicated group of guys eager to play competitive soccer. Under the leadership of coach and advisor Paul Fuierer (Prof. Materials Engineering), the Miners joined and competed in the Albuquerque Men's Soccer League (ASL) and New Mexico state tournaments. By the Spring of 2003, the Miners amassed an impressive win/loss record of 42-14-3 in the ASL. In Fall 2004, the team joined the National Intramural & Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) collegiate club soccer organization. This was a significant step up in competition, with regular conference (Southwest Region VI) opponents NMSU, UTEP, UoA, NAU and ASU. The Miners have competed continuously in this league ever since, subsequently led by coaches Jon Smith (2008), Brad Winton (2009-2013), Gary Engels (2014-2015), Billy Oxford (2016-2020), Lucas Ridgeway (2022), Ian Roberson (2023-2024), and Michael Armijo (2024-). Notable club presidents include Derek Lamppa, Paul Dailey, Kyle Benalil, Jordan Gonzales, Evan Call, Cesar Torres, and Kol Fuierer.