The Amy Eagan show for June 4, 2026

Gary D Stocker (00:01.305) Welcome back to the Amy Egan Show, where University of New Mexico head women's basketball coach Amy Egan joins us regularly during the summer and each week during the basketball season to talk, of course, about University of New Mexico basketball, academics, the Mountain West, the Mountain West Conference, and much, much more. And before we co-talk with Coach Egan today, one of our players, Layla Abdorakib, joins us to talk about her journey, her basketball journey. And Layla, thanks for making time this morning. Laila Abdurraqib (00:28.966) Thanks for having me. Thank you so much. Gary D Stocker (00:30.903) And let's just kind of do a little bio here. Tell us about your hometown, tell us about your high school. Laila Abdurraqib (00:34.902) Okay, so I was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. and I kinda moved from there to Louisiana and then Indiana. So I mean hometown, I would say Fisher's Indiana, 'cause I lived there for the longest. but I say I'm from Cleveland a lot. So, you know, if you ask me, depending on the day, I might say Cleveland, I might say Louisiana or I might say Indiana. I know. Yeah, and then high school wise, I went to Lawrence Central High School in Indiana. Gary D Stocker (01:00.865) Okay. Interesting. Interesting. And then what year in college are you? Laila Abdurraqib (01:05.964) I'm going to my sophomore year of college. here. Yeah. Gary D Stocker (01:07.755) Sophomore year and your freshman year you were where? You're in in Mexico. I I'm still learning where all the players came from. So well good. And and why New Mexico? I'm sure you had lots of choices for playing college basketball. Why the University of New Mexico as a freshman? And then why again as a sophomore? Laila Abdurraqib (01:14.987) Yeah. Laila Abdurraqib (01:24.438) Well as a freshman I came and you know, I believe sometimes things just feel right. I came on my visit and, you know, at the end of the visit I kinda just was like, it felt right. You know, I actually started crying a little bit when I was going back on my on my point. You it was emotional because I was I was scared 'cause, you know, being young it is I'm the only child, so I was leaving my two parents that I have at home and going over a thousand miles away. But it felt right, honestly. the fans are amazing, the atmosphere is amazing. You know, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Gary D Stocker (01:36.266) Ha ha. Gary D Stocker (01:44.81) Okay. Gary D Stocker (01:54.029) Well, of course basketball is a big part of your life. You'll have your four years of eligibility or whatever the NCAA ultimately decides, maybe forty years, who knows? But eventually that eligibility will go away. W what are you majoring in now? What do you kinda look like to do what do you look to do after that basketball experience at New Mexico? Laila Abdurraqib (01:56.662) Mm-hmm. Laila Abdurraqib (02:01.811) Yeah. Laila Abdurraqib (02:12.481) so I'm majoring in mass communications and journalism. Well, with a minor in communications. I wanna be a sports journalist. I kinda just grew up always wanting to be a sports journalist, so that's the goal. if it doesn't work out then, you know, it's gonna have to work out 'cause I don't really have a plan B after that. Gary D Stocker (02:29.047) Well, this is a time to look into being in s into sports and in journalism because of all that's going on with NIL and all that kind of stuff. So probably pretty good timing on your part. And let let's talk about, you know, wh all essentially a whole new team has joined you at New Mexico since this this past season ended. And you look ahead and you watch the girls, at least on video I'm guessing, you haven't actually got together as a team 'til next week, right? Laila Abdurraqib (02:36.596) Yeah. Yeah. Laila Abdurraqib (02:52.199) Yes, my Monday. Gary D Stocker (02:53.837) So you get together as a team on Monday, maybe this will be a better question next time you and I chat, but just based on what you know so far, what do you look forward to in the twenty six, twenty seven season? Laila Abdurraqib (03:03.123) Well, I will say that it kind of starts with Coach Amy and the staff, you know. they recruited me this day and obviously I did, you know, I had no second guess about it. I was I was all in from jump. just because of how they spoke to me in terms of, you know, one they see me girl as a basketball player and as, you know, as a person, obviously, as w as a young woman. you know, putting academics first, you know, things of that nature. Just regular things that a lot of the times in college sports right now, especially with NIL and stuff like that, like are pushed to the side. so it really felt like one, I had people that care about me and that I had a family feeling around me. And I do believe that that's not just me. So I know there's gonna be like minded young women coming into this program and I'm super excited for that. You know, last year we won around twenty games, twenty two, twenty three games. so which is you know, obviously it's good, but you know, I I like to win. I'm I'm a winner. I love to win. So this this this season looking forward to winning again, obviously. taking back that Gary D Stocker (03:51.298) Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Laila Abdurraqib (04:02.369) My OMS championship title. and just growing, you know, growing as a person, growing as a teammate as well, you know. I haven't had new teammates since well, okay, let me not say that, because last year I had new teammates. But like in terms of like probably this many like that, since I was in second grade. So it'll definitely be an adjustment for me. But I I'm super excited to meet all the girls and you know, the ones that are still here, decide to play with them again and just, you know, play for the fans, honestly. Gary D Stocker (04:04.963) Legal. Gary D Stocker (04:31.777) And I I g I guess the last question I have is I know basketball, college basketball at the D one level in particular, is essentially a full time job, plus your academic requirements for for your degrees, but you gotta have some spare time and Layla, what do you like to do when you're not doing basketball or studying? Laila Abdurraqib (04:47.813) well, I I really enjoy music. I love music. I like to cook and bake. I love shopping. I that's one thing I always do I always shop. I travel a lot. I grew up traveling with my family, so I like to travel and play video games, honestly. I'm I'm pretty pretty simple. Gary D Stocker (05:05.793) Okay. Well Leila, thanks for making time this morning. And again our special guest on the Amy Egan podcast has been Layla Abdorkib. And Layla, I wish you best of luck and I'll be down to Albuquerque sometime and I'll look forward to shaking your hand and meeting you in person. Laila Abdurraqib (05:18.921) Well, thanks for having me. Have a great day. Gary D Stocker (05:21.145) Thank you, So coach, always good to chat with you on the podcast. Layla was a joy to talk to as we started today's podcast. Bring the listeners up to date on your team and what's going on on campus. Amy Eagan (13:11.724) Yeah, well it's getting really, really exciting around here right now with a lot of our the team starting to trickle in and move into their place. And you know, we start on Monday with with team meetings and workouts and all that kind of stuff. So starting Monday we'll really be off and running and laying the groundwork for who we wanna be and what what we're gonna do. And so it's really getting exciting here and not just in our office, but in the community and across campus 'cause everybody knows it's starting to happen and there's been I think a lot of anticipation since I got hired with that. So it's been really fun and I'm really looking forward to all of them being here. Gary D Stocker (13:52.981) And and talk about what you like to accomplish during the first summer and then share with the listeners the NCAA rules for summer basketball sessions. Amy Eagan (14:01.73) Yeah, you know, every summer's a little bit different depending on how many kids you have returning versus how many kids, you know, are new. this summer will really be about laying the foundation to our program, and that's the foundation off the floor, on the floor, X's, no's, you know, offense, defense, that kind of stuff, culture, all those kind of things. And that's really what we'll spend a ton of time this summer really working on. And so, You know, typically like, you know, at Linda when we were kind of getting to that point where we're doing a lot more individual skill work and those kind of things with those kids. this summer will be a little bit more of of team stuff, just so we can really kind of get ahead with that. so it'll look a little bit different in regards to that, but you know, the NCAA rules, which are kind of ever changing, we know in every world, but we get eight, we get eight weeks with them in the summer. And you can use less than that. I think we're using like six this summer. but I always say I feel like, you know, we can l use less weeks when we have the right kids that understand when they're at home they still have to work out, they still have to get shots up, they still have to do their lifting, their conditioning, those kind of things. And so those are typically the kind of kids that we recruit with it. And so eight hours a week or or eight hours, eight eight weeks, sorry, eight weeks. and then we get eight hours a week that we can spend any way we want. So the way we usually do it in summer is we spend four hours on like strength and conditioning and then four hours on the court. And then we'll have different meetings with you know, some different culture stuff and those kind of things on top of that. But you know, it it kind of just depends every week on what we feel we need. You know, and that's kind of ever changing when you have a whole new team and a whole new program with stuff. So We'll adjust as we need to, whether it's day to day or week to week, or within the summer to what we feel like we need in order to continue to lay the foundation in the culture here. Gary D Stocker (15:57.493) And and I recall when you and I did so many things together at Lindenwood University, support was good but sometimes problematic. Talk about the support systems in place for your program at the University of New Mexico. Amy Eagan (16:10.87) Yeah, I mean, it's been unbelievable. from on campus to in the community. I mean, it it's crazy. And, you know, I know people have continuously either text me or commented on stuff like how good my social media has been here. And that's because we have somebody that runs that social media for us, you know, and that really has great ideas with that. that you know, is asking me on a day-to-day basis what I need with it. does our graphics, you know, those kind of things. And that's just it's just at a different level, you know, with a lot of that. And they know how big the community is here and and the community that wants the support. So if you want the community support, you gotta, you know, be able to find ways to get to reach them and touch them. And you know, fortunately for us down here, that's sometimes with with social media and that. so it's been really good. I mean, you know, we have a a coaches, we're we're having we put in a first Coaches Connect, Lobo Coaches Connect thing that we're gonna clinic type thing that we're gonna do this summer. It's actually next week. We have over 50 either middle school or high school coaches signed up that are gonna come already. we have a fan fest, like a meet and greet with us and the team the following week. We have over 85 people, I think, that are signed up for that right now. and so we're kind of really off and running with it and really excited, you know. I had the opportunity when I was at Drury to to be at one of the best division twos in the country, right? And when you are on and a lot of times at a a great, great s institution, you're obviously supported well by the community, those kind of things. I mean, we led the country often in in attendance there. And I just know what that is and what we're be what we're able to give our kids when you when you have that attendance, right? And so, I'm really excited for that down here. I think Gary D Stocker (18:00.813) Yeah. Yeah. Amy Eagan (18:04.984) We've really gotten a lot of interest from the community and and from s from fans and so we're looking to if you wanna say blow it out of the water, you know, with them and really start off right with them, to get them here and get to games. Gary D Stocker (18:19.415) And then I guess the last question, not only did you have to put a team together when you moved to New Mexico a couple of months ago, you had to put a staff together. share with the listeners the staff that you brought together, at least some of the staff you brought together. Amy Eagan (18:31.468) Yeah, yeah. So I really want to talk a few a little bit about kind of our our new people that I hired. I mean, I think everybody probably on here already knows the people that I brought with me, with J Mo and and Lindsay and and Coach Wally. And so I'm sure they already know those. But we also hired three other people on f as full time staff minor members. One of them is Patrick Harrison, and Patrick was at Wichita State last year and He's been in New Mexico State. So he's been at, you know, a lot of like schools that have been at this level and has a ton of great connections. and he's just been so valuable to us starting this off with getting us off and running with recruiting and where we need to be with that and and really just taking hold of that with it. So very blessed and and grateful that he he's here with us. and then we hired Sidney McHenry as our dobo. Sydney worked for coach Coach Jordan down at Adam State, or worked with him at at Adam State. So we had a connection there with her and she's she got here just a couple of weeks ago and is off and running with with everything in the Dobo spot and more. 'Cause you know, now Dobos, all your coaches can coach on court now. So, where before you couldn't do that. You could only have a certain number that coached. So she's also has great coaching experience, great recruiting experience, great west coast ties. Gary D Stocker (19:56.909) And and for the for those who don't know, what is Adobo? Amy Eagan (19:59.469) Yeah, director of basketball operations. So they kind of handle like the travel and you know the hotels, those kind of things, the air, the flights, those kind of things, and organizing all that when you're on the road. but they do so much more than that now, like I was saying. So she does a ton more than that with it. And then we also hired KK Rodriguez, who unfortunately I had to put had to coach against and when she was at SIUE. but you know, I saw her in high school play a lot. She originally went to Tulsa, so I followed kind of her college career. I honestly called her and tried to get her to Lindenwood when we first took over in that, but she she went to SIUE. So but just a great player, but most importantly a great kid and a great person. So she just got down here last week and is she's the special assistant to the head coach, so that's her role. And so she she's gonna take a lot off my plate in regards to helping me with with things. So I have six full-time coaches and then I have two GAs, which we'll talk about here in the future once we finish that the the last hire of that. and then obviously we have an athletic trainer and a strength and conditioning coach, Coach Julius, who came with us. So a really big staff. and I just don't think there's any reason that you know we should lose any games. Gary D Stocker (21:25.293) Ha ha I've heard you say that before. Amy Eagan (21:25.304) With the as big a staff as I got. yeah. So I I'm looking forward to us really, you know, being able to do even more than than I've been able to do in the past, in regards to everything, whether it's in the community or or recruiting or on the court with these kids. So because our staff is so big. Gary D Stocker (21:46.723) Well, coach, I guess it starts to get more serious next Monday. It'll get really serious in September, October. But the you know, the warm up has ended, right? And it really starts to get serious. Starts to get serious next Monday. so as always, coach, a pleasure to have you on the podcast. It's your podcast. we'll continue to do those throughout the summer. And again, once the season starts, we'll do them week to week. Coach, we'll talk to you again soon. Amy Eagan (21:55.789) Yeah. Amy Eagan (22:08.792) Thanks, Gary.