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Two Lobo big men announced their departures from the program on Sunday.

On Monday, versatile 6-foot-9 Austrian forward Benjamin "Benni" Schuch became the first to announce he's ready to try to fill their shoes — however big they may be.

"Officially committed to the University of New Mexico," Schuch wrote on Instagram. "Grateful to everyone who helped me along the way. The work continues. Go Lobos."

The UNM basketball team a couple hours later posted themselves on social media, confirming Schuch had officially “signed” with the Lobos — a step up from “committed” in the sometimes confusing, but always active world of college recruiting.

UNM is working under the assumption that Schuch will have three years of eligibility with the school planning to appeal for a fourth season. The 19-year-old played this past season for Zentro Basket Madrid, a professional club in Spain, but isn’t believed to have exceeded the compensation limits the NCAA would deem worth a year of college eligibility.

Schuch has made appearances for the Austrian senior national team, but really showed versatility and potential when averaging 13.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists while starring for Austria’s FIBA U20 EuroBasket team last summer.

His best performance with the senior national team came in January when he played 27 minutes in a FIBA World Cup qualifier game against Netherlands, scoring 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting (3-of-9 from 3-point range) and filled the box score with seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots.

“That’s such a good get,” said Brandon Goble, co-owner of Player Advocate LLC, VerbalCommits and JucoAdvocate. Goble, among other things, connects college basketball coaches around the country with players around the world.

Goble, who is not connected to this recruitment with UNM, said he has seen Schuch play in person about six times and agreed with a description posed by the Journal that it’s hard to pin one position on Schuch because he can score inside and out, rebounds well and creates plays as a high-assist playmaker, too.

“Incredibly smart and versatile,” was Goble's description, adding with little hesitation that he suspects Schuch will be an instant contributor at UNM, even as a freshman.

Schuch was in the ����������ϼ� States touring schools with his father in the fall, including making a recruiting visit to UNM for the Dec. 1 game against Division II New Mexico Highlands. He sat a few rows behind the Lobos bench.

Schuch wasn’t the only international big man who visited the Pit in the fall. Fynn Lastring, a 6-11 center from Germany, also was on a recruiting visit and would be another player UNM would love to add to the roster.

That portal thing

The NCAA transfer portal — the one both of UNM’s top two big men from this past season in 6-9 Tomislav Buljan and 7-1 JT Rock announced they would be entering — officially opens Tuesday morning.

That is when schools can begin making direct contact with players who have formally entered their name into the portal.

As of Monday night, Buljan and Rock were the only Lobo players with remaining eligibility who had announced they were entering, but that isn’t likely to be the full list.

What about the coaches?

Remember that transfer portal before the transfer portal? The one where coaching staffs (not just head coaches, but the coaching staffs who spend the countless hours with the players all season) would be making their moves this time of year, too?

So far, the UNM coaching staff, all of whom just completed their first year, is intact and no one has publicly announced they’ll be moving on.

Because the Lobos' season extended into last week — the team played in the month of April for the first time in program history — the entire staff other than Olen is technically working without contracts.

Each assistant coach had one-year contracts with most running through March 31.

UNM Athletic Director Ryan Berryman said everyone on staff has been paid as usual per their contract terms.

Reach Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) .