The Great Outdoors: UNM men's club set to open 2026 at Los Alamos Shootout 

LOS ALAMOS —  This weekend will mark the beginning of the University of New Mexico’s men’s club ice hockey 2026 campaign. But instead of returning to the McDermott Athletic Center, the Lobos will be taking things outside of the box.

Figuratively and quite literally.

From Jan. 16-18, the Ice Lobos will compete in the Nuclear Shootout College Hockey Tournament in Los Alamos, a hockey weekend held completely outdoors on the Los Alamos County Outdoor Rink.

UNM has hosted the outdoor tourney the last couple of years, but they may have never had this much momentum heading into their trip north.

New Mexico is currently sitting in first place in the West Coast Hockey Conference of ACHA’s Division II, sporting a 13-4 record after an eight-game win streak in the fall.

Their win streak included series sweeps over Eastern Texas Baptist, Colorado State, Grand Canyon and Cal State Northridge. UNM rode the eight-game run into a home series with Metro State, splitting the weekend to close out their 2025 schedule.

Now, in a new year, the Lobos will look for more of the same. UNM still has a plethora of big-time matchups coming up ahead of the WCHC playoffs in February, including two of its three opponents this weekend being WCHC foes (Cal State Northridge and UCLA).

Along with the West Coast trio is Michigan State, a team that is no stranger to some winter weather. 

Playing outside can sometimes be unpredictable. Glare from the sun, ice conditions fluctuating along with possible wind and precipitation may be present. Los Alamos is set for a weekend of lows in the mid-20s with highs in the mid-40s, so if you are planning on attending, bring some mittens.

But through whatever conditions, the Lobos come to the mountains prepared. Last year, New Mexico went 3-1 in the shootout series, including wins over Texas A&M and Santa Clara. Then, in 2024, the team knocked off a top-ranked Air Force team, ending their undefeated run.

Will UNM continue its hot streak up in the Atomic City? Or will a visitor come into town and steal the show?

No matter what unfolds, two things are certain: It will be fun, and it will be cold.