ENMU Green & Silver Magazine - April 2022

Page 15

Anderson Finds Success at Utah State By Todd Fuqua

In his first year as head football coach at Utah State, Blake Anderson (MS 94) led the Aggies to a 11-3 record, earning a Mountain West Conference championship and guiding the team to a Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl victory over Oregon State.

“I was open-minded, but I don’t know if any of us saw 11-3 and a bowl game championship,” Anderson said. “We just wanted to be the best team we could be. These guys kept breaking barriers and had an unreal season.” Blake is a long way from his days as a graduate assistant coach for ENMU in 1992–93 under Head Coach Howard Stearns.

Brandon Misuraca is Next ENMU Men’s Soccer Coach

Courtesy Utah State University

Part of what made Utah State’s season so remarkable is how unremarkable the season before had been when the Aggies went 1-5 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. It was the second-best one-year turnaround in the nation, behind only Michigan.

“Everyone has to start somewhere, and for me coaching at ENMU was a great opportunity,” Anderson said. “I learned a different work ethic needed to be a coach, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

Cheers at Greyhound Arena

By Cameron Brennan

ENMU’s men’s soccer program is returning, and Brandon Misuraca will be the coach when the new season starts in fall of 2022. Misuraca is the seventh coach in program history.

Prior to leading the Aggies program, Misuraca was the assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s programs at University of Houston-Victoria. With both programs, Misuraca coached more Brandon Misuraca than 25 All-Conference, All-Region and national award winners. He helped the men’s program to their first appearance in the NAIA National Tournament in 2017.

Photo by Kemet Gatchell

Misuraca joins ENMU after a three season stint at Oklahoma Pan Handle State University. Misuraca was the Aggies first ever coach of the program, posting a winning record in their inaugural season in 2019 (9-6-2). During the 2020 campaign, played in the spring of 2021, OPSU finished 4-8-4.

Greyhound Club President Rose Robbins (BS 81), right, raises a glass of wine at Greyhound Arena, served by Dennis Kerg (BS 10) during the Greyhound’s final home basketball games against Western New Mexico, Feb. 26, 2022. The day marked the first time in the arena’s 55-year existence that alcohol was served during any event held there. In a partnership with Enchantment Vineyards, ENMU’s Department of Athletics secured a “picnic license,” allowing ENMU to sell wine from Portales’ own Enchantment Vineyards on a one-time-only basis.

For more news, please visit GoEasternAthletics.com or download the ENMU Athletics app. Green & Silver | April 2022

15


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.