OUR STORY
The Pit Press site, livestream, and podcast were created to feature exclusive UNM Athletics content that could not be found in the local or national markets. A collective of UNM graduates and former beat writers who covered UNM athletics - with backgrounds in journalism, business, sports marketing and sports broadcasting - developed the idea and launched it in Jan. 2023. The sole purpose is to provide an objective insight into UNM Athletics, student-athletes, coaches, Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) and other relevant topics around the Mountain West Conference. The topics and opinions are their own and are not affiliated with The University of New Mexico.
Their professional experiences include the Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball Club LLC), ESPN, the UNM Student Newspaper (New Mexico Daily Lobo), The Albuquerque Journal, 95.9 FM/610 AM KNML The Sports Animal (Albuquerque, N.M.), Proview Networks (New Mexico NFHS Network), and Western New Mexico University.
MEET THE TEAM.
MEET THE TEAM.
ERIK MOULTON
Founder and owner of The Pit Press. Moulton was born and raised in Santa Fe, N.M. He’s a former college baseball player (Luna Community College and Peru State College) with a knack for the business and the entertainment side of sports. Moulton holds an accounting and business degree from New Mexico Highlands University and a master’s degree from UNM in Sports Administration (2010). Moulton has married his business/sales background to his love for sports, he joined the Albuquerque Isotopes (Sales and Promotions) straight out of college. Now a dad and husband (Jennifer his wife and his son Ben who is two years old) work full-time in the medical sales industry. His love for sports (Cubs, Cowboys, golf) and UNM led him to the idea of The Pit Press. It was a way for him to still be involved in the sports media industry and follow his beloved Lobos. “Growing up, I listened to every Lobo sports talk show leading up to and following every game. As soon as we emptied The Pit, I’d go straight to my car and turn on 770 to listen to postgame. During basketball and football season, I’d talk with family and friends about the games in fine detail, read every article I could get my hands on, and check local/national outlets for content; I really could not get enough of it. I figured that I couldn’t be the only one thirsty for more Lobo talk and content”. He approached Ryan Tomari with the idea in December of 2022, since Ryan already had his own podcast established and had experience with covering the program(s) while at the Daily Lobo and Albuquerque Journal. Their idea came to fruition in January of 2023.
ED NUNEZ
The seasoned veteran of The Pit Press Live! and The Pit Press Podcast. Ed Nunez was born and raised in Albuquerque, where he attended Highland High School and graduated from UNM in 1986. A Lobo fanatic since 1970, he has many memories of UNM sporting events from the past and present. Nunez looks forward to this continued new endeavor with his Pit Press co-hosts. Nunez retired from the City of Albuquerque in 2019 and is now a play-by-play broadcaster with Proview Networks in Albuquerque and is also the play-by-play voice of the Western New Mexico Mustangs in Silver City, N.M. He is also the Sports Director at 99.9 FM The Beat in Albuquerque and is a Public Announcer for the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Athletics Association. He hosts “Road to The Pit: A New Mexico High School Basketball Journey
NICK NUNEZ
Contributor to the Pit Press Live! and the Road to the Pit Podcast. Nick graduated from UNM with a bachelor's degree in history (2014) and a law degree (2018). Nick has a passion for local high school sports in New Mexico and is also a play-by-play announcer for ProView Networks. Nick and Ed co-host the Road the Pit Podcast and interview local high school athletes and coaches about their accomplishments both on and off the field/court. Nick also provides analysis and commentary on UNM sports on the Pit Press Live!
Mark “Ticky” Smith
Mark "Ticky" Smith is an Albuquerque native who graduated from Eldorado High School and the University of New Mexico. He is one of the most accomplished and decorated sports journalists in New Mexico history, winning more than 30 awards during his four-decade career in television, radio, print and online media. Mark is the only person to ever be named the National Sports Media Association’s New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year (1984) and New Mexico Sportswriter of the Year (2013, 2014). In 1996, he was the top individual honored by the Associated Press Managing Editors for national investigative story of the year. Mark also made national news by breaking numerous stories during the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy by a teammate. Mark was interviewed numerous times on broadcasts by CNN, ESPN, MSNBC and the Today Show. He has also been a correspondent for CNN and ESPN.
Mark was the Albuquerque Journal’s Lobo basketball beat writer for 15 seasons (1998-2013) and later an assistant sports editor and editorial writer at the paper. He spent 31 years writing for the Journal and was well known for his longtime coverage of the Albuquerque Men’s City Amateur Golf Championship. The event’s traveling trophy is named after Mark.
He later was editor in chief of EnchantmentSports.com, in which he broke numerous stories, including the New Mexico Bowl using a fraud as its title sponsor, which made national news. He also was the only journalist to uncover video and getting interviews proving the truth behind the killing of former Lobo baseball player Jackson Weller. No other media touched the true story, instead burying it under a plethora of false statements and spins from ex-UNM coach baseball coach Ray Birmingham.
Mark’s father, the late Emanuel “Manny” Smith served as a teacher, principal and master teacher during a nearly 40-year career with Albuquerque Public Schools. Manny was nine-time state handball champion and a highly-touted local actor. Mark’s mother, Rosemary, was honored as a distinguished teacher during her 42-career as an APS teacher. Mark has one child, Brock Emanuel Smith (16), a sophomore at Rio Rancho High School with a 4.2 grade point average.
Jeffery Gordon
Jeffery Gordon (not that one) has 15 years of journalism experience as a sports reporter and TV producer. Jeffery covered the Patrick Mahomes era at Texas Tech, Texas High School Football and had the privilege of getting yelled at by Terrell Owens! He was the third sports anchor at KOB once upon a time, where he anchored on holidays and weekends in the middle of the summer, so you probably never saw him. He also has a regional Emmy Award from his time as a local news producer (it’s cool when it’s convenient, but it’s not like the Hollywood version of the Emmys). He loves pop culture and movies. He’s the co-founder of the Box Office QB’s podcast.