ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After four years and two stops at the NCAA Tournament, coach Richard Pitino is moving on from the Lobos to the Musketeers.

He officially accepted the Men’s Basketball Head Coach position at Xavier.

“I feel like he could have built something here, definitely, I don’t really know how to feel about it, we just went back-to-back NCAA tournaments,” said Marcos Valenzuela, a student at the University of New Mexico.

Pitino took to X Wednesday morning and said “Thank you New Mexico! I was down when I got here, and you brought me back. You treated me and my family so well…. I’m grateful for my four years here.”

Students KOB 4 spoke to say it’s a hard pill to swallow. Especially with players like Donovan Dent and Tru Washington hitting the transfer portal.

“I think he left the program better than when he started, so I am excited that he is like going on to bigger and better things. But also it feels like it hurts. I got so attached to this Lobo basketball team and I think if he stayed, Donovan Dent would have considered staying,” said fellow student, Isabell Campbell.

Basketball fans also wonder how the new era of college sports with NIL and revenue sharing will affect retention and recruitment.

“We got so close this year, the reason that we didn’t get father is we just don’t have the NIL money to keep up with these players and these big programs,” said Campbell.

“I just feel that maybe we need more funding. Maybe take funding out of the football team and put it towards the basketball team and other sports and see if we could prosper that way,” said Adrian Hernandez, who also attends UNM.

Emotions aside, Lobos we spoke to said they wish him well and look forward to rebuilding.

“I wish him the best, you know, he did all he could, they won a game in the tournament. So hopefully the next coach can equate to the same amount, if not more,” said Jaydon Charter.