Las Vegas, New Mexico - The New Mexico Highlands Cowboys hit the road for the first time this season heading to Silver City for a 6:00 pm game with Western New Mexico on Thursday night.
The Cowboys are 1-0 entering play on Thursday after last week's thrilling
35-34 victory over Eastern New Mexico to open the 2026 campaign.
COACH KURT TAUFA'ASAU:
Kurt Taufa'asau enters his third season as head football coach at New Mexico Highlands University in 2026 after being named to the position on May 29, 2024.
Taufa'asau earned his first victory at New Mexico Highlands on October 12, 2024, guiding the Cowboys to a thrilling 33-30 Homecoming win over Chadron State at Sanchez Family Stadium.
In his second season at the helm, Taufa'asau guided the Cowboys to a 6-5 record, their highest win total since 2012. New Mexico Highlands opened the 2025 season with a 3-0 record, the program's best start since 2011. The Cowboys also defeated in-state rivals Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 2012. Running back
Jeffery Jones and safety
Trevor Romaldo earned All-America honors following the season, marking the program's first football All-Americans under Taufa'asau.
Prior to his arrival in Las Vegas, Taufa'asau served as head coach at New Mexico Military Institute for three seasons, compiling a 27-10 overall record and a 15-6 mark in Southwest Junior College Football Conference play. He led the Broncos to a 12-1 record and the NJCAA Division I National Championship in 2021.
A native of Pago Pago, American Samoa, Taufa'asau began his collegiate playing career at New Mexico Military Institute, earning First Team All-Western States Football League honors as a defensive lineman in 2009. He later continued his career at the University of Wyoming, where he played during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and earned a degree in sociology. Following his collegiate career, Taufa'asau spent time with the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
Taufa'asau began his coaching career in 2015 as the defensive line coach at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah. He returned to New Mexico Military Institute in 2016 in the same role and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2019 while continuing to coach the defensive line. That season, he helped guide the Broncos to the SWJCFC Championship Game, marking the program's first appearance after just four seasons in the conference.
COACH TAUFA'ASAU NMHU 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
- Defeated both Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico in the same season for the first time since 2012.
- Six wins were the most for the program since 2012.
- Finished No. 5 nationally in rushing offense.
- Swept the RMAC Freshman of the Year honors.
- Received a three-year contract extension following the 2025 season.
TURNAROUND: Under Coach Taufa'asau's guidance, NMHU Football improved from two wins in 2024 to six wins in 2025, the eighth-best year-over-year improvement among NCAA Division II football programs.
2026 RMAC PRESEASON POLL: New Mexico Highlands University, 6-5 overall and 4-5 in the RMAC a year ago, was picked to finish sixth in this year's poll with 31 points in voting by the conference's 10 head coaches.
Dawson Chapman and
Dontaivious Nelson were named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. Chapman appeared in all 11 games last season for the Cowboys, recording 18 tackles, while Nelson was named the RMAC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS: Western New Mexico opened the season with an impressive 62-45 win over Adams State in Alamosa. Freshman running back Joshua Gaines earned Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the week for his four touchdown performance against the Grizzlies. As a team WNMU rushed for 496 yards on 48 carries in the season opening win.
Billy Hickman is in his fifth season as head coach at Western New Mexico.
MUSTANGS/COWBOYS SERIES NOTES:
Last WNMU win September 14th, 2024, 36-30 in Silver City
Last NMHU win September 6th, 2025, 69-55 in Las Vegas
WNMU won the first game in the long-time series 13-0 in 1934
LA BATALLA BOWL: Saturday night marks the 15th edition of
La Batalla Bowl. The winner of the game claims "A Warrior's Helmet" which was first awarded in 2007. The Mustangs hold an 8-6 edge in La Batalla Bowl history.
La Batalla Bowl History
2025 NMHU 69-55 in Las Vegas
2024 WNMU 36-33 in Silver City
2023 NMHU 48-42 in Las Vegas
2021 NMHU 31-28 in Silver City
2019 WNMU 23-17 in Las Vegas
2015 WNMU 38-37 in Silver City
2014 NMHU 59-38 in Las Vegas
2013 WNMU 43-14 in Silver City
2012 NMHU 58-0 in Las Vegas
2011 WNMU 25-18 in Silver City
2010 WNMU 38-13 in Las Vegas
2009 WNMU 50-30 in Silver City
2008 NMHU 17-14 in Las Vegas
2007 WNMU 29-16 in Silver City
HOMEGROWN COWBOYS: Once again this season Coach Taufa'asau and his staff diligently recruited their home state as the 2026 New Mexico Highlands football roster features over 40 players who played high school football in the state of New Mexico.
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT RIVALS: For the fourth consecutive year, the Cowboys play their two instate rivals in non-conference games.
New Mexico Highlands University announced a four-year scheduling agreement with Western New Mexico University earlier this year, extending the football series between the two in-state rivals through the 2029 season.
UP NEXT: The Cowboys open RMAC play on September 12th travelling to Durango, Colorado, for a 6:00 pm contest with Fort Lewis College.
The next home game for NMHU is on September 19th when Black Hills State travels to historic Las Vegas for a 12:00 pm kickoff.
RMAC NETWORK: All nine of the remaining games on the schedule will be broadcast on the RMAC Network with New Mexico Broadcaster of the Year Scott Galetti returning as the Voice of the Cowboys for all the games in historic Las Vegas this season. Visit
RMACNetwork.com for information on purchasing a subscription so you can follow the Cowboys all season long.
SEASON TICKETS: Season and single game tickets for Cowboy football are on sale now…purchase your tickets at
NMHUAthletics.com/Tickets!
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: NMHU is a cashless campus. All purchases must be made using debit/credit cards or mobile payment.
NMHU has implemented a
strict clear bag policy for all on-campus events.
No outside food or drinks are permitted in Sanchez Family Stadium.
No pets are allowed in Sanchez Family Stadium.
