It began with tremendous promise, as he earned a spot on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented to the nation’s top center. But before he could play a single down in a game, he tore his ACL and MCL, bringing his senior year to a screeching halt.
A negative experience to be sure, but Gatewood found some positives in it.
“I learned a lot more about the offense,” he said. “I got to really see what was going on and helped break down the defensive films for the players. But the biggest positive I took out of it was that I realized how much I missed playing. My love for the game grew even more from sitting out for so long, as opposed to taking it for granted.”
Now he’s back on the Rimington Trophy list, eager to make up for lost time and on a mission to close out his Miner career on a high note.
“I’m excited to get back out there and have a big senior year,” he said.
Gatewood grew up in an athletic family.
“My mom [Denisa Gatewood] played softball and basketball in high school,” he said. “My dad [Kevin Gatewood] played football and baseball. He went on to Cisco Junior College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He won a national championship there.”
So it was only natural that Gatewood would follow in his parents’ footsteps. He first picked up a football when he was about five years old.
“My dad put me in flag football,” he said. “I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I started liking it. And then I loved it, and I never wanted to stop playing.”
Originally a quarterback in flag football, Gatewood moved to the defensive line in third grade as he got bigger and stronger. Then he went back and forth between the defensive line and the offensive line for several years, before playing exclusively on the O-line as a junior and senior in high school.
Gatewood attended Permian High School in Odessa, Texas, made famous by the motion picture “Friday Night Lights.”
“It was awesome playing there,” he said. “I wear my mojo shirt everywhere and everybody is like, ‘Oh, you went to Permian!’ People came from everywhere to see our school.”
Gatewood made the varsity team as a sophomore, at the age of 14. He watched college recruiters come through the program scouting his junior and senior teammates, while he longed to play at the next level.
“I told my dad, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to play college football,’” he said. “I grew up watching the game. It was my dream.”
Gatewood earned a spot on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Super Team as a senior, and was an honorable mention All-State honoree. He drew interest from Abilene Christian, Angelo State, Arizona State, Navy, Texas Tech and West Texas A&M, but UTEP’s recruiting pitch made the biggest impression.
“UTEP was the only school I made an official visit to,” he said. “I came here and just fell in love with the place.”
The excitement of joining a Division I program was soon replaced by the stark reality that he wasn’t ready to contribute immediately.
“I actually came here as a guard, and the day before camp [then-offensive line coach] Spencer Leftwich called me and said I was getting moved to center,” Gatewood said. “I said ‘Coach, I’ve never snapped in my life.’ He said ‘We’ll teach you.’ I went to camp in Alpine and I struggled my first year. I redshirted on the scout team. I didn’t like it. I was nervous. I felt like I couldn’t do it. The next year, I had Eric Lee in front of me at center. He showed me the ropes and taught me everything. I just started slowly getting better and better at the position.”
Gatewood’s confidence continued to grow, and he was a staple in the starting lineup in 2016 and 2017 prior to getting hurt.
“Every time I went into a game, I got to feel out different teams and how they did things,” he said. “I have a lot of experience under my belt, I’ve seen it all and I’ve gone against a lot of guys.”
Two years ago, he had the added benefit of playing alongside future NFL second round draft pick Will Hernandez.
“Man, was he physical and tough,” he said. “He taught me how to push myself. He would always yell at me in the weight room and say, ‘Go up a weight.’ He taught me different techniques that he used, and basically how to be physical on the field. It worked out perfectly, us playing together. I knew that if something happened and I got beat, he was going to be right there next to me.”
Gatewood is looking to put together a consistent senior season.
“Every game, I’ve got to play my best,” he said. “This is it. This is my last year. This is my last chance. I’ve got 12 games. I’ve got to take it one game at a time, make them count and play to the best of my ability.”
Gatewood received his Kinesiology degree in May, 2018 and is working on his Masters in Leadership Studies this fall. And while he dreams of following his former teammate Hernandez to the NFL, he fully plans to complete that degree.
“My motto has always been that when you start something, you’ve got to finish it,” he said.
As he works to make all his dreams come true, Gatewood will continue to lean on his wife, Rylee Jones, for support.
“She was actually my high school sweetheart,” he said. “I was getting ready to go to UTEP, and she was going to Texas Tech for PT school. That was her dream. Of course we didn’t want to be separated, so she talked to [UTEP Director of Sports Medicine] Dawn Hearn and she got a scholarship to be an athletic trainer here. So we’ve been together at UTEP. I proposed to her on Christmas Eve [2018] and we got married in February.”
Gatewood found it difficult to manage family life, football and school when he first arrived at UTEP, but he has a handle on it now.
“It’s all about being committed and knowing you’ve got to get things done,” he said. “The first two years, I was in the MAC [Miner Athlete Academic Center] so they helped with tutoring and keeping me on track. And after that, Rylee helped me. We were in the same major, so we kind of had the same classes. If I was taking classes in the fall, she may have taken those classes already.”
So this is it, Gatewood’s final go-round in the classroom and on the field, and he’s excited about the Miners’ prospects on the cusp of the 2019 season.
“I just want us to have a winning season, and anything that happens from there is going to be great,” he said. “I’ve told all the guys, ‘I want to go to a bowl game.’ I got to experience it my first year. I didn’t play – I redshirted – but it was the greatest feeling ever just being there.
“We’ve got to take it one game at a time. That’s our thing, the 1-0 [concept]. I feel like this has to be my best year, and I just want to play to the best of my ability and give it my all for 12 games.”
The Miners will conduct an open practice on Glory Field from 9:20-11:20 a.m. Immediately following practice, UTEP players and coaches will sign complimentary UTEP football schedule posters in the Sun Bowl stadium concourse.
The UTEP cross country, rifle and soccer teams will also participate in the autograph session.
“We are looking forward to having the fans come out to watch us practice on Fan Day so they can get a good feel for what they are going to see from us this year,” UTEP coach Dana Dimel said. “It will also be nice to have fans meet the team afterward and learn about the guys they are going to see on the field this fall.”
Fan Day promises to bring fun for the entire family with games and a DJ. The UTEP band and cheerleaders will also take part in the day’s events.
“This is a great opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with our student-athletes before the season starts!” UTEP Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing Daniel Veale said. “Giving them the chance to connect and interact with the community is the best way to kick off a new year!”
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels for the 2019 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center).
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online, or by calling (915) 747-6150.
“Anyone who has spent even the slightest bit of time in our great community has been touched by the warm, loving and welcoming nature of El Pasoans,” Director of Athletics Jim Senter said.
“The events of Aug. 3rd left us shaken, but it hasn’t deterred our spirit. Our objective is to not only pay tribute to the victims of this senseless violence, but to celebrate all things that make El Paso so wonderful – including the efforts of the first responders and other heroes in the face of this unspeakable tragedy.”
The #ElPasoStrong campaign will kick off at the soccer team’s season opener versus Wyoming on August 22 at University Field (7 p.m.), and continue at the football season opener against Houston Baptist on August 31 in the Sun Bowl (6 p.m.), and the volleyball season opener versus Coppin State on September 6 at Memorial Gym (10 a.m.).
In addition, the Miner men’s basketball team will battle 2019 national runner-up Texas Tech in an exhibition game at the Don Haskins Center on October 12 (7 p.m.), with all proceeds being donated to a local non-profit supporting the victims of the August 3 tragedy.
The UTEP football team will wear #ElPasoStrong decals on their helmets throughout the duration of the 2019 season, beginning against Houston Baptist on August 31.
The HBU game will include recognition of the victims and heroes of the August 3 tragedy as well as a halftime celebration of “Everything El Paso” including performances by the UTEP band, cheer and spirit teams, as well as other special appearances.
The football game will be held in conjunction with a busy weekend of #ElPasoStrong events on the UTEP campus, with Minerpalooza slated for Friday, August 30 and a Khalid benefit concert scheduled for Sunday, September 1 in the Don Haskins Center.
The basketball exhibition will also feature a celebration of El Paso. All tickets will be $10 with general admission (first come/first served) seating.
The exhibition game is not part of the 2019-20 season ticket package as all proceeds will benefit a local non-profit supporting the victims of the tragedy in El Paso.
Tickets are on sale now at the UTEP Ticket Center, located at 2901 North Mesa next to the Don Haskins Center and the UTEP Ticket Center East Side location, located at 1452 Zaragoza Suite A-1500.
Tickets can also be purchased by calling (915) 747-5234 as well as online. Parking for the exhibition game will not be reserved and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, all UTEP student athletes will wear #ElPasoStrong warmup t-shirts prior to their 2019-20 home events.
Head coach Ben Wallis is entering his 12th season coaching Division I collegiate volleyball, and his first leading the Miners. Wallis has seen many first practices, and understands these days come with an extraordinary amount of excitement for the staff and team. However, even he was surprised by the enthusiasm that was brought to the court in the initial practice.
“It was pleasantly surprising,” Wallis said. “I thought everybody was really excited. I think that is natural, but even still some teams in some years you have to get them to be excited the first day, and these guys were ready to roll. They were pumped about being here. They were amped up, and paying attention to detail pretty early. I think they are excited about the year and excited about learning, so that was a really good sign.”
Coach Wallis and staff made it a point on day one to preach the mindset of being relentless, and beating every team they play in the category of effort.
“There is a real need for our team to be the hardest playing, most relentless team in our conference, in order for us to beat some of the teams we are going to play,” Wallis noted. “I think we can out play people just by pure unadulterated effort. We could lead the conference in effort if we wanted to. That is why we started out with some of the effort drills that we did, to set the tone. We are going to play harder than everybody. We will put the people on the floor that will play harder than everybody. It’s a message I wanted to send quickly.”
The Miners are also maintaining a focus on improving their offensive and defensive efficiency. Last year’s squad struggled on both sides of the court, resulting in a five-win season. The first-year head coach understands the need for improvement, and when asked on what the focus is heading into the season he had a short and simple answer: “Scoring.”
“This team was dead last in the conference in offensive efficiency, being able to score,” Wallis emphasized. “They were also second-to-last in defensive efficiency. So they didn’t stop anybody and they didn’t score enough. For us, we really want to raise our offensive efficiency to a place where we can compete with the top teams in our conference. If we do that we will be able to win matches against low-RPI teams that maybe we aren’t expected to right now.”
The Orange and Blue’s first bit of action will come on August 17th at 2 p.m., in Memorial Gym. This will mark the inaugural “Meet the Miners” event, where fans can come watch UTEP in an intrasquad scrimmage. Fans can come interact with the new staff and players, as well as pick up a team poster.
For complete coverage of UTEP Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPVB (Instagram) and @UTEP_VB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
The majority of the session was spent working on individual position drills, including on the offensive line, a group that enters the 2019 season with a wealth of experience after enduring an injury-ridden 2018 campaign.
“We have a lot of competition going on up front and you have to have that in order for guys to get better,” offensive line coach Mike Simmonds said following practice. “You need people pushing you. We have some young guys rising to the top. We are really excited about some of the guys we brought in here with recruiting because we are going to be playing some freshman. We started a couple last year and I know that is probably going to end up happening again this year.”
UTEP returns just one offensive lineman who started all 12 games in 2018 in redshirt sophomore Bobby DeHaro, but the Miners were able to get the younger guys in the group plenty of experience due to the injuries suffered last season. Simmonds is hopeful the experience gained a year ago combined with the incoming freshman translates well to the gridiron this fall.
“Your older guys have to be on the field, your older guys who have been in the wars,” Simmonds said. “Greg Long didn’t get a chance to play last year, so I am excited to see him get back out there. We need the older guys to be in that lineup and kind of pave the way for this offense. Those young guys could be in a reserve role and we use them when we need them. We are going to end up starting some young guys this year again, but they are going to be more skilled then last year of course because they got some game time under their belts.”
Long, who is entering his redshirt junior season for the Miners, missed most of the last two seasons due to injury, while Derron Gatewood sat out the entire 2018 season because of injury.
“Derron is a true natural-born leader for us,” Simmonds said of Gatewood returning to the lineup. “Unfortunately, he lost last season, but he got it back with a medical redshirt. He is going to be a rock for us inside. He is very intelligent. He is a force on the inside and we are excited to have him lead this group.”
Gatewood, a redshirt senior from Odessa, is one of the experienced veterans on the offensive line, and is looking to end his Miner career on a high note in 2019, beginning with the work done by the unit this week in Ruidoso.
“It is a nice environment out here and I feel like the whole team has bought in,” Gatewood said. “We have been putting consistent practices in and everyone has finally bought in. I feel like we are getting on the right track. It is a great feeling just knowing I get to be back out here with my brothers and actually be on the field with them instead of the sidelines this year. It is about being out there with them and being a leader to make sure we stay on track and win some games. This offense is going to be a tight unit that will be physical, fast and smarter about everything we do so we eliminate mistakes.”
UTEP returns to the practice fields at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning for a two-hour session. Fans are invited to spend Saturday afternoon mingling with the 2019 Miners at the annual Community Day, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at the MCM Eleganté Lodge & Resort in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
The 2019 season begins with the Miners playing hosts to Houston Baptist on Saturday, Aug. 31 in the Sun Bowl. Kickoff for the season-opener is set for 6 p.m. MT.
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels from the 2018 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online, or by calling (915) 747-6150.
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
The Miners headed out to the practice fields first thing on Thursday morning for a light walk-through, but were able to have a laid-back afternoon with the players being given the option between hitting the links to do some golfing or head to the local movie theater.
The majority of the week has been filled with physical training sessions and team meetings, but many of the Miners traded in pads for golf clubs on Thursday. The long drive and putting competitions highlighted the afternoon on the golf course with players trying their hand at golf.
The Miners return to the practice fields at 9 a.m. on Friday at the MCM Eleganté Lodge & Resort in Ruidoso, New Mexico. UTEP will practice in Ruidoso for the remainder of the week before heading back to campus on Sunday.
The 2019 season begins with the Miners playing hosts to Houston Baptist on Saturday, Aug. 31 in the Sun Bowl. Kickoff for the season-opener is set for 6 p.m. MT.
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels from the 2018 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online or by calling (915) 747-6150.
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
“We were excited to get started tonight,” Balogun said. “As a coaching staff we believe defense and team chemistry wins championships. With that being said, we will spend a great amount of time this preseason working on our defensive organization and team unity both on and off the field. As a new staff we have 24 players who don’t know our day-to-day in-season expectations, which will take considerable repetition and attention to detail by us.”
The opening practice contained a lot of emphasis on defensive shape and communication, two things that will be of upmost importance for a squad which will start a freshman in net. In the mix for that starting goalkeeper nod will be newcomers Zoey Lopez (Montwood HS) and Emily Parrott (Lone Star HS).
The duo is part of a big influx of talent, with 11 freshmen set to suit up this fall. That works out to nearly half of the roster (11 of 24) being comprised of freshmen, something Balogun isn’t shying away from.
“Our freshmen will be a big part of our success on and off the field,” Balogun said. “Not only do they make up a large part of our roster, many of them passed their fitness test on the first day. In addition, freshmen are typically eager to learn which makes teaching them our system a bit easier.”
Overall UTEP returns 13 players from last year’s squad, including six who started at least eight matches in 2018. Seniors Danielle Carreon, Lauren Crenshaw and Kori Lewis will be counted on for their leadership, something Crenshaw understands is especially vital this season.
“Having leadership this year is really important because we have such a young squad,” Crenshaw said. “Going into my senior year, I want to leave on a good note and make a good impression on the younger players so they can hopefully become leaders one day.”
The Miners will continue training over the next two weeks before kicking off the 2019 season at home against Wyoming on Aug. 22 (7 p.m.).
The match will be the first of two in the Sun City to start the year, with ACU (Aug. 25, 1 p.m.) rounding out the opening weekend of action.
For complete coverage of UTEP soccer, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPSoccer (Twitter), @UTEPMinersSoccer (Instagram) and on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
A significant storyline in this year’s fall camp is the homegrown talent displayed on UTEP’s roster. A total of 23 players on the 2019 UTEP Football roster are considered El Pasoans, hailing from local high schools and looking to make a major impact this upcoming season for the Miners.
One of those local products is redshirt junior Greg Long, who was a standout lineman at Eastwood High School during his prep days before joining the Miners in 2016. Long is gearing up to make his long-awaited return to the offensive line after missing the majority of the last two seasons due to injuries.
“The offense is really working to establish our identity,” Long said of his team’s progress through fall camp. “It is a lot of fun being out here with my team playing for UTEP and I am really excited for the season. Being a hometown hero for my town and playing for UTEP means a lot, especially after what happened last week. I am proud to be a Miner, proud to be an El Pasoan and proud to be El Paso Strong.”
Another offensive lineman found right in UTEP’s backyard is redshirt sophomore guard Bobby DeHaro, who earned All-Conference USA Honorable Mention accolades in 2018 after starting every game for the Miners a season ago. The El Paso native hails from Montwood High School and looks to continue to be a mainstay on the Miner offensive line in 2019.
“This is my third camp and I am just trying to perfect my craft,” DeHaro noted. “Coach (Dana) Dimel and Coach (Mike) Simmonds have a really good system going on here. It’s about being mentally tough and getting through the camp grind. With what happened last week, I want to give my condolences to the families. These are tough times, but we are working hard. We are aware of what is happening with everything going on back home right now. We want to do everything we can for the town of El Paso and be El Paso Strong.”
In addition to the El Paso natives on the offensive line, another local standout looking to make a name for himself in a Miner uniform is freshman running back Deion Hankins. Hankins graduated from Parkland High School in El Paso and joins the Miners fresh off a stellar prep career where he set city records for rushing yards and touchdowns during his high school days.
“I am still getting used to the experience and trying to get the plays down,” Hankins said following the team’s third practice in Ruidoso. “I am just trying to be myself and more comfortable in my running style. Once I get the plays down, I will be good. I am just trying to execute better. Coach (Reggie) Mitchell is really concerned about every little detail, so I am just trying to get the small things down and put everything together for this season.”
The Miners return to the practice fields at 9:40 a.m. on Thursday for a one-hour walk-through at the MCM Eleganté Lodge & Resort in Ruidoso, New Mexico. UTEP will practice in Ruidoso for the remainder of the week before heading back to campus on Sunday.
The 2019 season begins with the Miners playing hosts to Houston Baptist on Saturday, Aug. 31 in the Sun Bowl. Kickoff for the season-opener is set for 6 p.m. MT.
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels from the 2018 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online, or by calling (915) 747-6150.
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
A point of emphasis for UTEP this fall is replacing seven starters on the defensive side of the ball, a tall task for second-year defensive coordinator Mike Cox, who enters the 2019 season looking to fill the void after losing his top four tacklers from a season ago.
Through the first few days of fall camp, Cox is optimistic about where his unit his headed and the goals for the upcoming season.
“We have to create more turnovers,” Cox said. “That is the biggest thing we talked about in the offseason. We have to create more turnovers and be more disruptive. There are some key pieces we are replacing at the safety position. We obviously lost some guys at the corner position. We lost two good players there from last year, but I like the effort and where we are at with guys like Robert Corner, Josh Caldwell and Duron Lowe. Those guys had a good day today, so they will continue to improve. We lost linebacker A.J. Hotchkins from a year ago, but I think Jayson VanHook is doing a very good job and I look for us to not skip a beat there.”
Despite losing some key guys, the 2019 Miners will turn to a handful of pivotal playmakers, including seniors Denzel Chukwukelu (DL), Chris Richardson (DL) and Justin Rogers (DB), who Cox said has taken on a more commanding role on defense this year.
“He has great leadership,” Cox said of his impressions of Rogers early on this fall.
“He has stepped it up a notch and we need it from him. We need all the leaders to take an interest like he has. It is helping the other guys. He holds those guys accountable. It is special when it comes from a leader and not just from a coach.”
Although there will be a few familiar names and faces returning on defense this season, the UTEP defense will feature plenty of newcomers after the team lost a significant amount of production from the 2018 squad.
“We are very impressed with all of our newcomers like the new junior college guys like Corner and Lowe,” Cox noted. “At safety, we have Ty’reke James, who is doing a nice job. The new guys on defense like Jalen Rudolph, McKel Broussard and Jerome Wilson – all those young guys are doing a nice job and they are going to be good players for us. We are excited about the future and to know where they are going to fit in right now. We will have to see how fall camp plays out.”
The Miners return to the practice fields at 9:35 a.m. on Wednesday at the MCM Eleganté Lodge & Resort in Ruidoso, New Mexico. UTEP will practice in Ruidoso for the remainder of the week before heading back to campus on Sunday.
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels from the 2018 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center).
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online, or by calling (915) 747-6150.
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
“Kickoff is just 26 days away and we can’t wait to get the season started!” Director of Athletics Jim Senter said. “One of our top goals for 2019 is to re-establish our homefield advantage and it all starts on August 31st versus Houston Baptist. We expect to put a much-improved product on the field, but filling up the stadium will go a long way towards reasserting our dominance in the Sun Bowl. We have special pricing in effect for the Houston Baptist game and I invite all Miner fans to get back on board for the Orange Revival!”
Tickets are at the UTEP Ticket Center, located at 2901 North Mesa next to the Don Haskins Center and are also available at the UTEP Ticket Center East Side location, located at 1452 Zaragoza Suite A-1500. Tickets can be purchased over the phone by calling (915) 747-5234.
Special pricing is in effect for the Miners’ season opener against Houston Baptist on Aug. 31. General admission seats are only $10 and all reserved seats are $15.
Group pricing is just $5 per ticket for groups of 15 or more for the Houston Baptist game.
For all other home games, ticket prices are $12 for general admission and start at $20 for reserved seating. UTEP will host Nevada on Sept. 21, UTSA on Oct. 5, LA Tech on Oct. 26, Charlotte on Nov. 9 and Rice on Nov. 30.
Three-game mini packs are also available starting at $48.
Westside Ticket Center hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am-6 pm and Saturday, 8 am-4 pm. Eastside Ticket Center hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am-6 pm and Saturday, 10 am-4 pm. Hours are subject to change.
To purchase single-game tickets online, click here.
UTEP Season Tickets, starting at just $60, are available by visiting the UTEP Season Ticket Office (Brumbelow Building Room 109, next to the Haskins Center) or by calling (915) 747-6150.
2019 UTEP Football Home Schedule
Date Opponent Time Promotion(s)
Aug. 31 Houston Baptist 6pm Orange Revival/Spirit Night/Extra Yard for Teachers
Sept. 21 Nevada 6pm Hall of Fame/Band Night/Youth Football Night
Oct. 5 UTSA* 6pm Homecoming
Oct. 26 LA Tech* 6pm Military Appreciation
Nov. 9 Charlotte* 1pm TBA
Nov. 30 Rice* 1pm Thanks Day/Senior Day
*Indicates Conference USA game
The Miners are scheduled to play the Spartans on the road on Sept. 26, 2026 in what will mark the team’s fifth visit to San Jose all-time and first since the 2004 campaign.
San Jose State will make the return trip to El Paso a year later to battle UTEP on Sept. 25, 2027 in the Sun Bowl.
The series history between UTEP and San Jose State dates back to 1966 when the Miners knocked off the Spartans, 35-0, in El Paso. Beginning in 1996, UTEP and San Jose State met every year for the next nine seasons as Western Athletic Conference members.
The all-time series between the Miners and Spartans is knotted at 5-5 with UTEP coming out on top, 38-20, in the most recent meeting in San Jose in 2004.
UTEP Football Season Tickets are on sale now and prices have been reduced at all levels from the 2018 season. The UTEP Season Ticket Office is located at Brumbelow Building Room 109 (next to the Don Haskins Center). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tickets can also be purchased online or by calling (915) 747-6150.
For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
“While the legal process has not come to a complete conclusion, we believe that the final charges against Kai will not be as severe as what has been reported,” Senter said.
“Young people make mistakes and it is important that they learn from these mistakes. We believe in restorative justice and feel that Kai will benefit more in the long run by getting the necessary support and guidance from his coaches and teammates, rather than being dismissed from the team.”
“While we welcome Kai back to our football team, I want to make it very clear that he will have a list of expectations placed on him,” Dimel said. “We will keep these expectations in-house, but a zero tolerance policy will be in effect. The rest is up to Kai, but we’re hopeful that he can come out of all this the best possible person and teammate.”
A senior quarterback from Fort Washington, Md., Locksley played in nine games for the Miners in 2018 with eight starts. He threw for 937 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 340 yards with six scores.
“Our Orange and Navy Scrimmage should be a competitive and exciting glimpse into the 2019 season,” Wallis said. “We have a large roster that has several new faces after bringing in 10 new players to our team. All of the players we’ve added to the roster bring unique talents that complement each other. There will be competition at every position in our gym every day in practice, and that will make life hard on me when constructing lineups for our matches all year. Our young players will push our returners for playing time immediately, and that will ultimately make us better.”
UTEP fans are invited out for a sneak peek at the 2019 Miner Volleyball squad. The “Meet the Miners” event is free and open to the public.
Event goers will be able to pick up this year’s schedule poster, watch the team scrimmage and hear from new head coach Ben Wallis. After the scrimmage, fans will be invited down to the court to receive autographs and take pictures with the Miners.
Information on the new “Point Miners” club, which supports the UTEP Volleyball program, will be available and staff from the Miner Athletic Club will be on site to answer any questions.
The “Meet the Miners” event is part of the new outreach strategies by UTEP Athletics as well as the volleyball program to better engage the El Paso community and the Borderland.
Wallis and his staff will split their 20-player roster into two squads (Orange & Navy), and play a full match with officials. At the conclusion of the contest, fans will have the opportunity to meet, take pictures and get to know the players and coaches. Fans will also have a chance to take home signed 2019 volleyball posters.
“After our intrasquad scrimmage we will be hosting a Meet the Miners event, where the community can meet, greet and get to know our players and our staff,” Wallis said. “It is very important to me that our city feels like they have access to our players and our program, so it is a lot more fun for them to come out and cheer us on. I am hopeful that our fans will come out to not only see a new style of volleyball that we’ll be incorporating, but also the excitement, passion and tenacity that we will be playing with.”
The Miners, in Wallis’s first season, have added 10 players (six freshmen and four transfers) to the roster. The newcomers include three setters. Wallis filled out a good portion of the roster with local talent as well.
Freshmen Sophia Chacon, Abigail Padilla, Sofia Sifuentes and Jessica Landeros all hail from the Sun City. Wallis also brought Emily Perez and Priscilla Sanchez back to the 915 after stints at Incarnate Word and Jacksonville State, respectively. These six will join Erika Sianez and Briana Arellano in playing in their home city of El Paso.
“The roster from top to bottom is very athletic and our setting is much improved,” Wallis said. “We have a significant amount of competition at the setting position, after adding three setters since the fall. Kristen (Fritsche), the only returning setter on the roster from last year, is much better after a long spring in which she improved both technically and tactically. We have four setters on the roster, all who have a chance to play.”
Coach Wallis will be entering his first season leading the Miners after serving as Associate Head Coach of NM State for the past six years. He played a pivotal role in in three WAC championships for the Aggies, and has coached four AVCA All-Americans during his career.
For complete coverage of UTEP Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPVB (Instagram) and @UTEP_VB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com
“With football season right around the corner, we are thrilled to once again partner with UTEP Athletics for the UTEP Alumni/Athletics Tailgates,” said Maribel Villalva, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations.
“These tailgates, newly rebranded as the ‘Pickaxe Tailgate Parties,’ continue to grow every year and are easily the biggest UTEP tailgates in El Paso. We love that we can host Miner fans, families, students and our proud alumni on Kidd Field, just steps away from Sun Bowl Stadium. Our tailgates are a great way to engage the UTEP community and celebrate the Miner Spirit that unites us. We invite everyone to begin their football game experience with us on Kidd Field. We’ll provide the food and the entertainment. You just need to bring the Miner Pride.”
The relaunched “Pickaxe Tailgate Parties” will be held three and a half hours prior to kickoff (2:30 p.m.) on Kidd Field for the 6 p.m. home games, beginning on Aug. 31 before the Miners take the field to battle Houston Baptist in their season opener.
The “Pickaxe Tailgate Parties” will take place three hours prior to kickoff (10 a.m.) on Kidd Field for the Miners’ 1 p.m. November home games.
“We’re excited about collaborating with the UTEP Alumni Association this fall to provide a premier tailgating experience for all Miner fans,” said Director of Athletics Jim Senter. “The ‘Pickaxe Tailgate Parties’ provide the perfect opportunity to have a great time with your friends and family while getting fired up for every UTEP home game!”
Fans can enjoy a hearty catered meal, soft drinks, two beers, entertainment and a pep rally. Beer is available for patrons 21 years of age and older, and wine will be sold separately.
The “Pickaxe Tailgate Parties” offer enjoyment for the whole family, including a Mini-Miners play area for youth and a cash bar for adults.
Tailgate packages are on sale online through Aug. 28 and in-person through Aug. 31. Season prices are $70 for students/youth (5-20 years old), $80 for UTEP Alumni Association/Miner Athletic Club members, and $90 for the general public.
Fans who purchase the season package will receive a 2019 tailgate t-shirt. Single-game tailgate tickets are $20. Pre-purchased tickets are highly encouraged.
On-site tickets are not guaranteed and will be limited to the first 25 people on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the Homecoming tailgate (Oct. 5) will not be available on-site.
Football game tickets are not included, but are available for purchase by calling (915) 747-6150. For more information on the Pickaxe Tailgate Parties, please call (915) 747-8600, email tailgate@utep.edu or visit the tailgate website.
El Paso Herald-Post El Paso News & Opinion
