Northern New Mexico College is looking to completely revamp the fan experience for the 2023-24 basketball season.
One side of the gymnasium’s bleachers are folded up. In their place will be a VIP section and a kids area. Parts of the student lounge will be converted into fan areas on game days. And they will look to offer tailgates before games during the season. Aragon also mentioned a car show before their Nov. 20 season opener against New Mexico Highlands.
These are just some of the changes that new men’s basketball coach and athletic director Jesus Aragon is making as he enters his first season fully at the helm of Northern. For years, Northern has occupied a strange position in Española as almost an afterthought behind high school basketball, with crowds largely limited to diehards and parents. Aragon hopes to change that, and make games fun for families.
A year ago, Ryan Cordova was fired as coach and athletic director right as the season began, forcing Aragon into a tough spot taking on both roles, neither of which he had planned for, having no prior experience at the college level.
But now, Aragon is fully taking on the job, and looking to bring Northern basketball into the future both on and off the court. He spent the whole offseason looking to revamp the program and finding ways to engage the local community.
“I’m really excited,” Aragon said. “This is something that I built. This is something that’s been established since June, July.”
A VIP season pass is listed at $103 on the website. For a single game, a VIP ticket is $20.
Eagles players feel more of a “brotherhood” this year, and feel that their connections drive each other in practice and help the team.
“Last year, everyone had kind of like different groups,” said forward Tony Counts. “This year, everyone feels like a family.”
The Eagles bring just a few holdovers from last season. But added to the roster are a group of local-area guards and 7-footers from overseas. Nico Majuec stands 7 feet, 2 inches tall, with an ability to shoot from outside. Mabeny Naam, also from South Sudan, stands at 7 feet. Emmanuel Taban, a transfer from Division-I Portland State, brings experience playing at a high level.
From locally, high expectations are on Eloy Medina, a West Mesa graduate that joined the University of New Mexico as a walk-on before then going to play at Bakersfield Community College in California. Reyes Herrera, a Bernalillo graduate who Oklahoma Panhandle State, returns to New Mexico and is expected to be a starting guard.
This year’s team also has Ricky Padilla and Jordan Duda, graduates from Española Valley.
“Everything’s going really well,” Aragon said. “We recruited really good kids. They’re really humble, ready to work.
Northern finished last year 2-6 in conference play. This year, they expect to improve on that with a more height-driven team. Aragon wants a difficult first half of the season to prepare them for conference opponents.
“We didn’t exactly live up to expectations last year,” Reyes Herrera said. “So, we kind of have a chip on our shoulder. I think we’re going to shock our league.”
On the schedule this year are four Division I opponents, and several more in Division II.
Through the summer, the team attended and hosted training camps. They also visited local elementary and middle schools, and gave away tickets for students to attend games through the season.
The Eagles will host a tournament on Dec. 8-9, which includes Lincoln University, a team hosted by NBA Legend Gary Payton. Aragon said they are planning a ceremony for him and new Northern assistant Terry Tyler, a longtime NBA player.
Northern’s season tips off on Nov. 2 in Oklahoma City, facing Florida College.
Women’s Team
A year ago, Northern’s women’s basketball team qualified for the conference tournament, despite finishing the season with just five active players.
“I don’t want to say it was impossible, because obviously it was possible, we did it,” said Miranda Salazar. “But, I mean, having extra players would have been helpful for us.”
This year, all five players are back, including Salazar, the starting point guard who graduated from Española Valley. Joining them is a fresh class of players looking to improve that team under first-year coach Samantha Stukes.
One of those new players is Gillian Roybal, who graduated from Valley, and played at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Now she’s back in New Mexico with the Lady Eagles.
“I just wanted to be closer to home,” Roybal said.
Salazar said the team has more height than she has seen in the past, and much of the team has positional versatility.
“We have a lot more scoring threats,” Roybal said.
The Lady Eagles play at Idaho State on Nov. 3. Their first home game is Nov. 25 against Western Colorado.