New Mexico Highlands University Athletics

New Mexico Highlands competes in NCAA Division II, which offers athletic scholarships but with smaller crowds than big-time Division I programs. The Cowboys and Cowgirls field teams across 10 varsity sports, with 331 total athletes making up about 21% of the student body. The university invests $2.1 million in athletic scholarships annually. NMHU competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference alongside schools like Colorado State Pueblo and Fort Lewis College. The athletics program serves a predominantly Hispanic student body, with 61% of students identifying as Hispanic. Division II athletics at Highlands provides competitive opportunities without the massive time commitments of Division I, allowing student-athletes to balance sports with academics at this rural New Mexico institution founded in 1893.