Ex-ENMU standout elected to HOF

Jennifer Goble-Poyer, who starred at Eastern New Mexico University in women's basketball and volleyball, will be enshrined in the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame later this summer.

Goble-Poyer will become the first former ENMU student athlete inducted into the Hall, according to a news release from ENMU's John Houser.

"This was a wonderful surprise," said Goble-Poyer. "It is truly humbling to be honored with so many great people involved in New Mexico sports."

She joins Tucumcari native Danny Villanueva, who played in the NFL for eight seasons, rodeo star Ty Murray, Cindy Roybal and Cheryl Johnson in the Hall's class of 2022.

They will be honored Aug. 19 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Goble-Poyer came to ENMU in the fall of 1990 and immediately starred on the basketball court. She was twice the Lone Star Conference Player Co-Player of the Year and the LSC Freshmen of the Year. She was a four-time all-LSC pick, leaving ENMU as the all-time scoring leader with 1,852 points. She also left ENMU as the top per-game scoring average for a season (23.9 in 91-92) and a career (20.4). She led the Zia's to a regular season LSC basketball title and their best-ever record (23-5) in 1992-93.

In volleyball, Goble-Poyer was a four-time first-team all-LSC pick and named the LSC player or co-player of the year all four years. Goble-Poyer was also named the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame Athlete of the Year in 1993 and voted the Greatest Zia in all four years she played.

In 2000, Goble-Poyer was inducted into ENMU's Athletics Hall of Honor. In 2011, she was elected to the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor, and in 2012, ENMU retired her basketball and volleyball jersey numbers, making her the most decorated athlete in ENMU history.

"On behalf of ENMU, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to Jennifer," said James Johnston, ENMU chancellor.

This is the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame's 49th annual induction banquet.

Noteworthy inductees over the years include Clovis High and Texas Tech basketball star Bubba Jennings, the racing Unsers and the NFL's Brian Urlacher.