Tag Archives: utep basketball

UTEP has bolstered its backcourt for the 2017-18 season with the addition of former McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier to the roster. 

The graduate transfer was admitted to school on Tuesday and will have one year of eligibility with the Miners, pending the approval of a medical redshirt for the 2016-17 season.  He will be pursuing his Master’s degree in leadership studies.

“We are looking forward to integrating Keith into what we think can be a very fine basketball team,” UTEP coach Tim Floyd said.  “He is going to bring some experience, and some winning experience from his days with Larry Brown at SMU.  He is a proven scorer, and a very versatile player who can play multiple positions.  We are adding another perimeter player who can shoot the basketball.  We look forward to working with Keith and hope he has a great year for the Miners.”

The 6-5, 190-pound Frazier spent part of last season at North Texas, averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in four games.

He played his prep ball at Kimball High School in Dallas.  Frazier garnered McDonald’s All-American honors as a senior after averaging 23.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting 43 percent from three-point land for the 4A state finalists.  He was also an All-State honoree, was rated as high as no. 18 nationally, and was appointed the Dallas Morning News Area Player of the Year. 

Frazier led Kimball High to the Class 4A state title as a junior, averaging 21.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists.

Frazier spent the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons at SMU, during a period where the Mustangs posted 79 victories and played in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

He appeared in 63 games for SMU, scoring 493 points (7.8 ppg) with 178 rebounds (2.8 rpg), 73 assists (1.2 apg), 22 blocks (0.3 bpg) and 40 steals (0.6 spg).  He shot 43.2 percent (174-for-403) from the field, 37.1 percent (79-for-213) from three-point range and 78.6 percent (66-for-84) from the line.  He scored a career-high 23 points against Brown and New Hampshire during the 2015-16 season.

During the 2014-15 campaign, he recorded his first career double-double versus Illinois-Chicago with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and scored 20 points against UC Santa Barbara.

UTEP Basketball season tickets are on sale now by calling (915) 747-6150.

The UTEP men’s basketball team will embark on its first foreign tour in 12 years on Tuesday.

The Miners will spend four full days in Costa Rica, where they will play three games versus Canadian teams while sampling the culture and landscape of the beautiful Central American country.

“Ideally what we’d like out of this trip is for everybody to get a lot of minutes,” UTEP coach Tim Floyd said.  “We’ve got three ballgames.  We’d like for our players to play in different situations, different roles.  We might have big lineups out there with big guards.  We might have three small guards out there at one time, and two bigs at one time.  We’re hoping for some kind of carryover from what we’ve worked on in practice.  We’d like to come out of this injury-free and we’d like to come out of it a more experienced team.”

The Miners will depart for Dallas on Tuesday morning, and arrive in San Jose at 6 p.m. local time.  They have games scheduled versus McGill University on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and Thursday (5 p.m.), and the University of British Columbia on Friday (11:30 a.m.).  The team will arrive in El Paso mid-afternoon on Sunday after enjoying an off-day Saturday.

The Miners’ visit will include a tour of San Jose on Wednesday, a visit to the Holy Spirit orphanage on Thursday, a walk across a crocodile bridge on Friday and a Zip Line experience on Saturday.

From a basketball standpoint, the Miners will take on a McGill University team out of Montreal that has already played four games versus Division I opponents this month.  The Redmen lost to Alabama (96-57), SMU (86-83 in overtime) and Towson (84-53) in Montreal and beat Kent State (85-79) on Monday afternoon in Costa Rica.

The starting lineup for the first game against McGill University, based on a fan vote, will feature three freshmen – forward Tirus Smith and guards Evan Gilyard and Trey Wade, who will joined by senior forward Jake Flaggert and senior center Matt Willms.

NCAA teams are permitted to take foreign tours once every four years.  The 2005-06 Miners went to Madrid and the Canary Islands and also played three games versus Telde, UD Vecindario and Gran Canaria.

It was a chance for the 2017-18 UTEP Miners to stretch their legs, show their skills and have some fun with fans Saturday night at the Don Haskins Center.

The Miners put on a show for the UTEP faithful, running a scrimmage, a slam dunk contest and autograph session.  Our very own Andres Acosta was there, and while he didn’t show off his patented Windmill Dunk, he did take his gear and brings you his view of the fun in today’s Story in Many Pics.

The UTEP men’s basketball team will open play in the 2017 Puerto Rico Tip-Off against old Western Athletic Conference rival Boise State, tournament officials announced on Wednesday.

The Miners and the Broncos will square off at the Coliseo Municipal Tomas Dones in Fajardo, P.R. on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. Atlantic Time (noon Mountain time).  It will be the second game of the day following Illinois State vs. South Carolina at 12:30 Atlantic time.

Other first-round matchups are Iowa State vs. Appalachian State (6:30 p.m. Atlantic time) and Tulsa vs. Western Michigan (9 p.m. Atlantic time).

The UTEP-Boise State game will be televised on ESPNU.

UTEP returns four starters and five of its top six scorers from last year’s squad that won 13 of its last 17 games and tied for third place in Conference USA.  Boise State is coming off a 20-12 campaign (12-6 Mountain West) and welcomes back leading scorer Chandler Hutchison, who averaged 17.4 ppg in 2016-17 and was voted first team All-Conference by Mountain West coaches.

The Miners and the Broncos last met during the 2004-05 season.  UTEP leads the series 6-5 and beat Boise State, 91-78, in the 2005 WAC championship game – the last meeting between the teams.

UTEP will play a total of three games in the tournament on Nov. 16, 17 and 19.  All 12 games of the 2017 Puerto Rico Tip-Off will be televised on ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS or ESPN3.

In addition to tickets, travel packages and discounted hotel accommodations are also available to fans through Anthony Travel, the official travel provider of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Packages include hotel accommodations, game-day transportation, an all-session pass to the games and access to an exclusive banquet reception with the players and coaches (limited availability).

For more information or to book travel to the tournament, please visit www.anthonytravel.com/espn/puerto-rico-tipoff or call (888) 632-6951.

Puerto Rico, a family-friendly tournament and resort destination, hosts the teams to three days of games, practices and immersion in Puerto Rican culture.  For additional information, please visit www.puertoricotipoff.com.

Thursday, November 16 at Tomás Dones Coliseum in Fajardo

•     Game 1 – Illinois State vs. South Carolina, 9:30 a.m. MT, ESPN2

•     Game 2 – Boise State vs. UTEP, 12 p.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 3 – Iowa State vs. Appalachian State, 3:30 p.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 4 – Tulsa vs. Western Michigan, 6 p.m. MT, ESPNEWS

 

Friday, November 17 at Tomás Dones Coliseum in Fajardo

•     Game 5 – Illinois State/South Carolina loser vs. Boise State/UTEP loser, 9:30 a.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 6 – Illinois State/South Carolina winner vs. Boise State/UTEP winner, 12 p.m. MT, ESPN2

•     Game 7 – Iowa State/Appalachian State loser vs. Tulsa/Western Michigan loser, 3 p.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 8 – Iowa State/Appalachian State winner vs. Tulsa/Western Michigan winner, 5 p.m. MT, ESPNU

 

Sunday, November 19 at Tomás Dones Coliseum in Fajardo

•     Game 9 – Game 5 and Game 7 losers, 9:30 a.m. MT, ESPN3

•     Game 10 – Game 5 and Game 7 winners, 12 p.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 11 – Game 6 and Game 8 losers, 3 p.m. MT, ESPNU

•     Game 12, Championship – Game 6 and Game 8 winners, 5:30 p.m. MT, ESPN2

Non-bracketed games – Bridgewater at Appalachian State, November 12; Western Michigan at South Carolina, November 13.

 

Tickets to the “UTEP Basketball Preseason Preview,” a scrimmage with proceeds helping fund the team’s trip to Costa Rica, will go on sale Monday (July 24) at the University Ticket Center.

The event will feature a scrimmage with returning UTEP players competing against newcomers, a slam dunk contest and three-point shootout, and an autograph session.  Complimentary 2017-18 schedule posters will be available.

Concessions will be sold.

The Miners will depart for Costa Rica on Tuesday, Aug. 15 and play three games before returning to El Paso on Sunday, Aug. 20.

Fans will have the opportunity to vote for the starting lineup for the first game in Costa Rica at the Aug. 12 event.

The “UTEP Basketball Preseason Preview” will start at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 in the Haskins Center.

General admission seats are $10.  The University Ticket Center has two locations, one at 2901 North Mesa (next to the Don Haskins Center) and the other on the East side at 1452 Zaragoza Suite A500.  The phone number is 747-5234.

Tickets will also be sold online with surcharges applying.

UTEP is looking for national anthem singers for the 2017-18 athletic year.

“If you believe you have what it takes, you’re invited to try out at the UTEP Athletics National Anthem Showcase on Saturday (July 22) from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Memorial Gym room 120,”  UTEP officials say.

All vocalists and musicians are welcome to audition.  Parking passes are available upon registration.

Those interested need to register by Thursday, July 20, by contacting Andrea Urbina in the UTEP Marketing Department, (915) 747-6065 or via e-mail amurbina@miners.utep.edu.

The return of the New Mexico Lobos to the Don Haskins Center, a matchup with Washington State in “The Bear’s Den” and participation in the preseason Puerto Rico Tip-Off highlight the 2017-18 UTEP men’s basketball schedule, released on Wednesday.

“Our home schedule has been upgraded with Washington State and the Lobos, who have been our biggest rivals for nearly 90 years,” UTEP coach Tim Floyd said.  “The series makes sense, and I applaud the administration at New Mexico for recognizing that.  We like the multi-team event in Puerto Rico because of the quality of the opponents, including a potential matchup with 2017 Final Four participant South Carolina.

The WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational has an NCAA Tournament team from a year ago in North Carolina Wilmington.  We always try to schedule teams that will prepare us well for a strong conference slate.”

The Miners, who return four starters and five of their top six scorers from last year’s squad that tied for third place in Conference USA with a 12-6 mark, will tip-off the campaign with the annual Orange & White Scrimmage on Oct. 21 at the Haskins Center.  Following a pair of exhibitions versus Sul Ross State (Oct. 28) and Western New Mexico (Nov. 3), the regular season will get underway in El Paso against Louisiana College on Nov. 10.

The Miners will join Appalachian State, Boise State, Illinois State, Iowa State, South Carolina, Tulsa and Western Michigan in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, with games scheduled for Nov. 16, 17 and 19 at the Tomás Dones Coliseum in Fajardo, P.R.  Iowa State joined South Carolina in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, while Boise State and Illinois State appeared in the NIT.

The Miners will lock up with I-10 rival NM State twice in six days, beginning on Nov. 25 in Las Cruces.

UTEP will begin a stretch of nine consecutive home games against Lamar, a 19-game winner and CollegeInsider.com Tournament entry last season, on Nov. 27.  The Miners will play back-to-back rivalry games in the Haskins Center against NM State (Nov. 30) and New Mexico (Dec. 2), prior to completing a four-game series with the Cougars out of the Pac-12 Conference on Dec. 9.

New Mexico will be making its first appearance in the Don Haskins Center since January 2, 2008.

After a 10-day break for finals, UTEP will host Incarnate Word (Dec. 19) prior to battling Howard (Dec. 21) in the first round of the 56th annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational.  The Miners will meet either North Carolina Wilmington (29 wins/NCAA Tournament in ’16-17) or North Dakota State (19 wins in ’16-17) on day two of the tourney Dec. 22.

The Miners will be home for the entire month of December for the first time since 2012, and only the second time since 2005.

The 18-game Conference USA schedule tips off at home versus North Texas on Dec. 28, the earliest date of a league opener since 2001.  It marks only the second time in the modern era (since 1965) that the Miners will launch conference play prior to the new year.

“There are always challenging games both home and on the road in conference play,” Floyd said.  “Because there are 14 teams, it’s hard to tell who the frontrunners will be.  There are teams coming to our place that have always presented problems.  And we have three very difficult road trips against teams that we have struggled against away from home.”

The Miners will face all three C-USA Texas schools – North Texas, Rice, UTSA – twice each for only the second time in four years.  The Miners will also play LA Tech and Southern Miss twice.  Single games are scheduled versus Charlotte (away), FIU (home), Florida Atlantic (home), Marshall (home), Middle Tennessee (away), Old Dominion (away), UAB (away) and WKU (home).

UTEP will have a three-game C-USA road swing Jan. 20-27 (at UTSA, at UAB, at Middle Tennessee), followed by a three-game homestand Feb. 1-10 (WKU, Marshall, UTSA).  The Miners will start and end their league slate against North Texas and Rice.  The Mean Green and the Owls will serve as UTEP’s first two league opponents for the third time in four years.

The Conference USA Championship is slated for March 7-10 at The Star in Frisco, Texas. UTEP Basketball season tickets, starting at $160, are on sale now by calling (915) 747-6150.

2017-18 UTEP Men’s Basketball Schedule

Oct. 21            Orange & White Scrimmage

Oct. 28            Sul Ross State (EXB)

Nov. 3            Western New Mexico (EXB)

Nov. 10            Louisiana College

Nov. 16            vs. TBA+

Nov. 17            vs. TBA+

Nov. 19            vs. TBA+

Nov. 25            at NM State

Nov. 27            Lamar

Nov. 30            NM State

Dec. 2            New Mexico

Dec. 9            Washington State

Dec. 19            Incarnate Word

Dec. 21            Howard#

Dec. 22            North Carolina Wilmington/North Dakota State#

Dec. 28            North Texas*

Dec. 30            Rice*

Jan. 4            at Southern Miss*

Jan. 6            at LA Tech*

Jan. 11            Florida Atlantic*

Jan. 13            FIU*

Jan. 20            at UTSA*

Jan. 25             at UAB*

Jan. 27            at Middle Tennessee*

Feb. 1            WKU*

Feb. 3            Marshall*

Feb. 10            UTSA*

Feb. 15            at Charlotte*

Feb. 17            at Old Dominion*

Feb. 22            LA Tech*

Feb. 24            Southern Miss*

March 1            at Rice*

March 3            at North Texas*

March 7-10            at Conference USA Championship^

+ Puerto Rico Tip-Off

# WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational

* Conference USA game

^ Frisco, Texas

The 2017 edition of the UTEP Men’s Basketball Camps is almost here.  The Miner coaching staff and players will conduct two camps for boys and girls of all skill levels, ages 7-17.  The first is June 19-21, and the second is June 26-29.

The camp will be held at the Don Haskins Center from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day and will teach the fundamentals of basketball through a variety of skill work, games and contests.

Each camper will receive a t-shirt on the first day of camp, and certificate at the end of the camp.  Various trophies and prizes will be awarded to campers who stand out in talent, skill level, hustle and sportsmanship.

Campers can bring their own lunch, or purchase lunch and/or snacks on site. The cost is $200 for the June 19-21 camp, and $250 for the June 26-29 camp.

Campers receive $50 off by signing up for both camps.  UTEP staff and military members receive a $50 discount for each camp. Walk-ups will be accepted.

Registration will take place in the East concourse of the Don Haskins Center.  With Glory Road closed for both camps, parking will be available by the UTEP Ticket Center off of Mesa Street.

To register or for more information, call UTEP Director of Basketball Operations Evan Eustachy at (915) 747-6235 or visit the camp’s website.

UTEP Basketball 2017-18 Season Tickets are now on sale.  Miner hoops fans can get on board for an action-packed campaign with Omega Harris, Matt Willms and the Miner men, or the UTEP women under the direction of first-year head coach Kevin Baker.

Fans who renew their season tickets (men’s or women’s) by Aug. 4 will be entered into a drawing to win one of four fabulous prizes.  The earlier the renewal, the greater the opportunity to win!  Payment plans are available.

The UTEP men return five of their top six scorers from last year’s squad that charged to a 13-4 record in its last 17 games and tied for third place in Conference USA.  Buoyed by the addition of a top-flight recruiting class, the Miners are looking to contend for the league title in 2017-18.  UTEP will feature a potent inside-outside combination in seniors Harris (17.0 ppg), a 1,000-point scorer, and Willms, who ranks ninth in school history with 98 blocked shots.

The Miners’ non-conference home schedule features matchups with arch-rivals NM State and New Mexico, as well as Pac-12 squad Washington State.

With the third-best winning percentage among all schools in the state of Texas since 2007, the UTEP women’s program has established itself as a proven winner.  The task on continuing that run of success now falls on Baker, who was announced as the eighth head coach in program history on April 24.

Baker has an outstanding track record, setting school records for wins at every stop of his career.  He is an eight-time coach of the year.  Baker has a combined college coaching record 122-30, including 50-14 in two seasons (2015-17) at Angelo State University.  Overall he is 344-131, which included 10 years as a high school head coach at four schools in Texas.

Call (915) 747-6150 today or visit UTEP Athletics on line to sign up.

Raise the Pick

“Raise the Pick’ is a MAC initiative focused on generating the necessary financial support to provide UTEP student-athletes a first-class athletic and academic experience.

Three ways YOU can “Raise the Pick”:

• Current season ticket holders can add to the donation portion of their season ticket.
  • As a suggestion, your donation increase could be 10%/20%/30% that you can add towards your invoice.
• New donors donating this year towards student-athlete scholarships. (Minimum $100).
• Refer a friend to join the MAC for the first time. (Minimum $100).

By joining the “Raise the Pick” initiative you will receive a special invite to the “Raise the Pick” appreciation pre-game basketball dinner in the Larry K. Durham Center. [Date TBD]

For any questions or more information please call the Season Ticket Office at 747-6150 or go online.

Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod announced today the 2018 and 2019 Conference USA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships will be hosted at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, in partnership with the University of North Texas, the Dallas Cowboys and Visit Frisco.

Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star will be the presenting sponsor of the 2018 C-USA Basketball Championships, which are scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 through Saturday, March 10, with all 22 games – 11 men’s and 11 women’s games – being held at The Star. The conference champions receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

“We are really excited about the Conference USA Championships moving to Frisco,” said UTEP men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd.  “It’s the second-most ideal location for us outside of El Paso.  With our fans being able to drive to Dallas, plus the large alumni base that we have all over the state, we would hope for a tremendous turnout of UTEP supporters.”

“Frisco is a great venue for the Conference USA Championships,” said UTEP women’s basketball coach Kevin Baker.  “The quality of basketball that will be on display is reason enough to attend, but Frisco also offers a tremendous geographic location with restaurants and hotels all within walking distance of the arena.  It’s a terrific place for student-athletes and fans to have a memorable experience.”

Frisco will be the eighth location to host the C-USA Men’s Basketball Championship and the 13th host city for the C-USA Women’s Basketball Championship.  UTEP hosted the 2011 and 2014 Men’s and Women’s Championship.

Ticket information will be announced this fall.

Nicole Dunson (UTSA), Michael Madrid (San Jacinto College) and Lori Morris (Southwestern College) will venture to the Sun City to join the UTEP women’s basketball program as full-time assistant coaches, head coach Kevin Baker announced Tuesday.

The group brings wide-ranging experience to a UTEP program that has produced the third-highest winning percentage in the state of Texas since 2006-07.

“I am beyond excited about the coaching staff that we were able to put in place,” Baker said. “I consider this to be an all-star cast of coaches. All three of our new staff members worked hard to build their careers the old fashioned way. They earned it. My goal was to surround myself with the most talented, hardest working, and well connected coaches available. I feel that we now have a coaching staff in place that will rival any other program in the nation.”

A bio on each of the individuals, along with a quote by Baker, follows below.

Nicole Dunson

UTSA, 2005/2007

Dunson joins UTEP after spending the past four years as an assistant coach with Conference USA rival UTSA. She oversaw the guard development while also aiding in the day-to-day responsibilities with the squad.  She helped the Roadrunners make a smooth transition into C-USA; they piled up 54 total wins in that time frame while also garnering a fourth-place finish (2014-15) and a seventh-place showing (2016-17).

Prior to returning to her alma mater, Dunson enjoyed a successful two-year run as the head girls’ varsity basketball coach at Richard King High School in Corpus Christi. She guided her charges to the 2011-12 District 28-5A Championship in addition to a berth in the state playoffs in each of the seasons. The Corpus Christi native also was selected to coach in the 2013 CBCA All-Star Game.

Her initial head coaching experience came at the helm of San Antonio’s Hartlandale High School girls’ basketball program. She also was the head junior varsity track & field coach while also serving as a health and physical education teacher. Dunson embarked on her coaching career as head coach for the girls U14 Shooting Stars Basketball AAU program in 2006.

As a student-athlete Dunson played two years with UCF before transferring to UTSA. She sat out the 2002-03 season due to NCAA transfer rules and the following campaign while recovering from a right knee injury. Dunson proved to be worth the wait, accounting for 8.8 points/game while draining 42 percent from 3-point range in her first year. Upon the conclusion of her senior season she was chosen as the 2005-06 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year. She drilled 44.1 percent from distance to place 18th nationally. Moreover she garnered the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award in 2006 and was named a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI honoree. To this day Dunson holds the UTSA single-season and career mark in 3-point field goal percentage.

Dunson earned her degree in biology from UTSA in 2005 before going to secure a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in sports psychology two years later.

“Everything about Nicole Dunson screams winner and success. Nicole is the type of coach who has worked for everything she has ever gotten in the game of basketball. She was a very hard working and successful player that battled injuries and overcame them. She cut her teeth at the high school level and earned a place on staff at UTSA.  From there she became a fantastic recruiter and on-the-floor coach. The amount of impact she will have in our program will be immeasurable. Nicole is one of the most talented up-and-coming coaches in the country.” – UTEP head coach Kevin Baker

Michael Madrid

Eastern New Mexico, 1998

Madrid has an impressive resume with ample experience at both the high school (10 years) and college levels (13 years). Most recently he put together a record-setting run in two years with San Jacinto College while forging a combined record of 46-20. In 2016-17 the squad rolled to a mark of 24-9 while making the NJCAA Tournament for the first time in the college’s history. San Jacinto went 22-11 in 2015-16 and earned the Region XIV Tournament Runner-up honors, which at the time was the farthest any women’s basketball team at the college had ever advanced. The squad knocked off nationally-ranked Trinity Valley to secure the spot in the title tilt before ultimately falling to Blinn College.

Prior to this tenure at San Jacinto, he won 24 games in his first opportunity to serve as a head coach over two season with Paris Junior College. Immediately beforehand he was an assistant coach at Texas Woman’s University for a trio of seasons, helping the Pioneers win their first Lone Star Conference tournament championship in any sport and advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association South Central Region tournament.

His coaching career started at New Mexico’s Portales High School, which culminated with the squad taking home the 2001 Class 3A championship. After one year with Lubbock Estacado High School as a boys’ football, track, and basketball coach, he coached boys’ basketball for two years at Lubbock High School. Madrid then served five years-one as a graduate assistant and four as an assistant coach- at Lubbock Christian University. The team advanced to the NAIA National Championships Tournament all five years, including being the national runner-up in 2005-06. It also won the 2006-07 Sooner Athletic Conference title.

Madrid earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Eastern New Mexico University in 1998 before receiving his master’s degree in sports administration in 2001. He also holds a master’s degree in education administration from Lubbock Christian University. Madrid and his wife, Sammie, have a daughter (Ryan).

“Michael is the total package. He is a talented recruiter and a very accomplished head coach. He started out in the high school ranks and worked his way up the ladder. Michael has consistently signed outstanding players throughout his career and has a solid grasp on what wins games at the collegiate level. Michael will help our program on the floor tremendously, on the road recruiting quality players, and in the community at large.” – UTEP head coach Kevin Baker

Lori Morris

University of San Diego, 1984/Azusa Pacific, 1990

Morris has spent the past two seasons as head coach for Southwestern College, but jumped at the opportunity to get back into the DI ranks. She was an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator for two years at Air Force (2013-15), worked with the CSU Fullerton program for a year (2012-13) and spent four season at Louisiana (2008-12), three of which as the associate head coach.

 

Before her time with ULL Morris was the head coach at Southwestern Junior College for one year (2007-08). In addition to the standard duties commensurate with the position, she was responsible for conditioning, weights, study hall and grade checks. She also taught Basketball Theory, Basketball Activity, Film and Intercollegiate Basketball at SWJC. Morris was also extremely involved with the community, and even opened a basketball player development class for high school players along running mini clinics.

Prior to entering the collegiate ranks Morris had an outstanding 20-year run as the head coach of the Montgomery High School girls’ basketball team from 1987-07. She assumed the position after serving as an assistant coach in 1986-87. She developed 18 players who went on to compete at either the junior-college or university level. Morris guided MHS to Metro League Championships in 1990, 1995, 1996 and 1997, Mesa League Championships in 2002 and 2005 and the Southbay Championship in 2007. MHS also secured a pair of runner-up accolades in the California Interscholastic Federation Division. She was voted as a coach of the year on multiple occasions.

Morris was a standout player at San Diego (1980-84), concluding her career ranked second all-time in assists (480). Morris continues to rank second in helpers, while also garnering top-10 placement in the career records for assists per game (4.2/3rd), field goal attempts (1,070/5th), steals (177/5th), steals per game (1.55/9th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46/9th). She paced the Toreros in assists all four years, including 162 in 1981-81 (third in USD single season) and 129 in 1983-84 (fifth in USD single season).

She received her bachelor’s degree in language arts from San Diego in 1984 and earned her master’s degree in education with an emphasis in administration from Azusa Pacific in 1990.

“Lori Morris is the kind of coach that any staff in America would be fortunate to bring on board. Lori brings over 30 years of experience to the table as a high school coach, junior college coach, Division I recruiting coordinator, and a Division III head coach.  Lori has coached all over the country and has built up a network of coaches and a trusted coaching tree that one must have to be successful at this level. Lori has great energy and work ethic which benefit our program and our players.”- UTEP head coach Kevin Baker

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Thirty-five past and present UTEP student-athletes will receive their diplomas at spring commencement on Saturday (May 13) in the Don Haskins Center.

The list includes 13 representatives from the football program, five from soccer, three from women’s basketball, three from men’s track and field, two from men’s basketball, two from rifle, two from softball, two from volleyball, and one each from men’s golf, women’s golf and women’s track and field.

Of the 35 graduates, 25 have earned placement on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll (minimum 3.0 grade point average) during their careers, and seven have been recipients of C-USA Academic Medals (minimum 3.75 GPA).

Spring 2017 UTEP Graduating Student-Athletes

Brittney Adams (Women’s Track & Field)

Has been a part of two C-USA Indoor Championship teams … member of the distance medley unit that won back-to-back conference titles …  Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Dominic Artis (Men’s Basketball)

Second Team All-Conference USA in 2017 … first player in school history to lead the team in rebounding, assists and steals … one of only four players in Conference USA history to tally 400 points, 150 rebounds, 150 assists and 50 steals in a season … ranks fifth in school history in assists including 187 in 2016-17, third-most in the UTEP record book … member of the 2016 C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Alexa Bain (Soccer)

Four-year starter on defense who helped UTEP post a record of 48-25-11 … started 64 of 76 games played, earning more than 5,000 minutes on the pitch … efforts aided the Miners in notching 33 shutouts for her career, including a single-season school-record tying 11 in 2016 … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

 

Bri Barreiro (Soccer)

Recorded 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points while playing more than 5,000 minutes in her career … started 69 of 76 games played, including all 22 as a senior … helped UTEP post a combined record of 48-25-11 during her four years … two-time C-USA Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team member … four-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … management major.

 

Tyler Batson (Football)

Three-year letterwinner … saw action in 36 games as a wide receiver … led the team in yards per reception (22.8) in 2016 … during junior season, caught 21 passes for 365 yards with three touchdowns and a team-leading 18.8 yards per catch … posted a career-best 143 yards and a pair of scores, including a career-long 76-yard touchdown, during a win over Florida Atlantic in 2015 … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Cosmas Boit (Men’s Track & Field)

Four-time All-Conference USA and 2016 All-Region honoree … member of the 2014 C-USA Indoor Championship team … two-time C-USA Cross Country Championship team member … Member of the 2016 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

 

Cedric Click (Football)

Played in 48 games for the Miners …  tallied a total of 30 tackles, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery … as a sophomore posted 92 yards on five kickoff returns and a career-long return of 30 yards versus San Diego State … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Aleah Davis (Soccer)

Garnered All-League and All-Region accolades in all four years, making her the first Miner to achieve the feat … started every game (82) of her career … ranked tied for third at UTEP for game-winning goals (10) and tied for eighth in assists (17) … compiled more than 100 community service hours in her career … voted to the 2016 NSCAA Senior women’s College Scholar All-America team and the C-USA Women’s Soccer All-Academic team … recipient of the 2017 “Golden Miner Award” … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … kinesiology major.

 

Frederik Dreier (Men’s Golf)

Two-time Conference USA Golfer of the Year (2015-16, 2016-17), only the third player in C-USA history to garner the award in back-to-back years … has played in 46 tournaments for the Miners, compiling a 72.3 scoring average … led the Miners to their first conference title in 32 years this season … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

Derek Elmendorff (Football)

All-Conference USA Freshman Team member in 2014 … has played in 33 games, making 29 starts at right guard … part of an offensive line that led Conference USA in fewest sacks allowed in back-to-back seasons … efforts helped the Miners average 185.5 rushing yards per game and score 20 rushing touchdowns last season … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … Criminal Justice major.

 

Jake Flaggert (Men’s Basketball)

Has played in 93 games for the Miners, making 31 starts last season … led Conference USA in charges drawn for the second straight year in 2016-17 and has 57 in his career … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017-18 … two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Marketing major.

 

Taylor Grohmann (Softball)

Won nine games during her career on the mound for UTEP, including a victory on Senior Day May 7 …  registered her first career hit on Senior Day and scored a run … posted a 5-3 record in 2016, helping lead the Miners to the Conference USA Tournament … Kinesiology major.

Amber Herrera (Women’s Golf)

Played in 29 tournaments for the Miners … top finish was a tie for fourth place at the New Mexico dual match in February of 2015 … former president of UTEP’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Interdisciplinary Studies/Education major.

 

Carnell Horn (Men’s Track & Field)

Member of the 2013 C-USA Outdoor Championship team … member of the 4x400m relay that qualified to the 2014 and 2015 NCAA West Regional Preliminary … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2013 and three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Biological Sciences major.

 

Alvin Jones (Football)

Second team All-Conference USA in 2017 … has 241 tackles with a year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … led the team in tackles in back-to-back seasons, notching 93 in both 2015 and 2016 … has 10.5 career sacks and 29.5 career tackles for losses … registered career-high 16 tackles in a pair of games … Communication major.

 

Lawna Kennedy (Women’s Basketball)

Junior college transfer who helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship and make a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT … played in 60 career games, including 36 starts, while earning 14.8 minutes/game … scored more than 250 points and grabbed better than 175 rebounds … health promotion major.

 

Jessica Kinder (Rifle)

Four-year team member who had career averages of 555 in smallbore and 582 in air rifle … recorded the second-best air rifle average (586) on the team in 2016-17 … fired a 592 in air rifle to tie for the ninth-best in program history at the 2017 Patriot Rifle League Championships … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2015 and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … kinesiology major.

 

Anthony Kyles (Football)

Played in 20 games, making five starts at right guard … part of offensive line that led Conference USA in fewest sacks allowed for back-to-back seasons … efforts helped the Miners average 185.5 rushing yards per game and score 20 rushing touchdowns last season … Member of the 2015 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Lindsey Larson (Volleyball)

Has played in 118 matches and 434 sets for the Miners … led the team in assists (642) and service aces (24) as a senior while finishing her career with 2,677 assists, 71 service aces and 317 blocks … named second team All-Conference USA in 2016 … four-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and five-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Civil Engineering major.

 

Mack Leftwich (Football)

Was the starting quarterback in 11 games for the Miners … as a sophomore, led UTEP in passing yards (1,228), touchdown passes (nine), completions (105), attempts (192) and passing efficiency (120.8) … threw for 231 yards with a pair of scores during a victory over Rice in 2015 … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Nicole Lindsay (Soccer)

Played in 81 games, including 55 starts, while securing more than 4,700 minutes of playing time … helped the Miners forge a record of 48-25-11 during her four years … played all over the pitch, contributing two goals and seven assists for 13 points … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … marketing major.

 

Sky Logan (Football)

Has played in 22 games, making 12 starts at the defensive end position … registered a total of 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, four pass breakups and one forced fumble … has one year of eligibility remaining this fall … two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Jay Mattox (Football)

Four-year starter that played in all 49 games for the Miners … finished his collegiate career tied for first in program history with 137 PATs … also rates no. 2 among kickers with 257 points, and no. 3 with 40 field goals made … concluded his senior campaign ranked second on the team in points (54) and finished 39-of-40 on PATs … member of the 2014 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Communication major.

 

Lulu McKinney (Women’s Basketball)

Graduating in just three years and has one season of eligibility remaining … helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship and advance to the WNIT quarterfinals … has played in 92 games with 45 starts … already ranks sixth all-time at UTEP for three-pointers made (107)… two-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Communication major.

 

Sterling Napier (Football)

Has played in 36 games for the Miners … was utilized in multiple blocking schemes last season, helping the team average 185.5 rushing yards with 20 rushing touchdowns … hauled in his first career touchdown last year versus Florida Atlantic … coming back for his senior season in 2017 … member of the 2015 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

 

Hannah Nicholson (Soccer)

Two-year letterwinner for the Miners before her career was derailed by injuries … in 2014 contributed one goal and five assists for seven points … four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Mechanical Engineering major.

 

Danielle Pearson (Softball)

Ranks second on UTEP’s all-time wins list … hurled over 490 innings and recorded over 200 strikeouts for the Orange and Blue … also collected over 80 hits during her career, while showing power at the plate with three home runs and 45 RBI … Member of the 2016 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Organizational & Corporate Communication major.

 

Erik Ramirez (Football)

Saw the field in the Miners’ 52-24 victory over North Texas last season … also played in two games as a freshman … has one year of eligibility remaining in 2017 … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2014 and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Chemistry major.

 

Kevin Rincon (Men’s Track & Field)

Has ranked among the top-10 in the javelin at the C-USA meets … helped the Miners to a second-place finish at the 2015 C-USA Outdoor Championships …. five-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Kinesiology major.

 

Brendan Royal (Football)

Played one season for the Miners, seeing action in all 12 games in 2016 … recorded 33 tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, an interception and three pass breakups … opened the campaign with three pass breakups, tied for third-most in a game in program history, during a victory over rival NM State … recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2016 and two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Monthserrat Serna (Rifle)

Four-year competitor who had a career average of 531 in smallbore and 556 in air rifle … set a career-high in air rifle (569) at the 2016 NCAA Qualifier …three-time recipient of a Conference USA Academic Medal and four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Biological Sciences major.

Sparkle Taylor (Women’s Basketball)

Prolific scorer who finished second all-time at UTEP in field goals made (530) and third in points (1,352) … also tied for sixth in free throws made (272) … 2017 All-Conference USA second team honoree and 2016 C-USA Sixth Player of the Year … helped UTEP win the 2016 C-USA regular-season championship … member of the 2017 Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll … Criminal Justice major.

 

Nick Usher (Football)

A three-year starter who saw the field in 49 games … last season he started all 12 contests and led the team in tackles for losses (8.0), sacks (5.5) and quarterback hurries (five) … rated third on the team with 77 tackles and added two pass breakups and a blocked kick … finished career tied for no. 10 in school history with 12 sacks … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Adrian Ward (Football)

Played two seasons for the Miners, starting in 22 games after transferring from Chabot College … earned 2004 All-WAC first team honors after tallying 59 tackles, 12 pass break-ups and five interceptions … led the Miners to eight wins and the Houston Bowl … registered a total of 98 tackles, 18 deflections and eight picks at UTEP … was chosen in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings … Multidisciplinary Studies major.

 

Naomi Whitehair (Volleyball)

Played in 260 sets over 87 matches in three years as a Miner … tallied 415 digs in her career … notched a career-high 16 digs against South Alabama as a senior … Health Promotion major.

Several well-known Miners have formed an alumni basketball team and, with the support and votes from UTEP fans, hope to make a national tournament that pays the winners $2million for the win.

The team, known as the ‘Glory Road Boys’, is made up of five former players: Omar Duran, Earvin Morris, Brent Murphy, Ioana Tofi and Jason Williams.  The team is looking to make the The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a national basketball tournament to be held this summer, similar in structure to the NCAA’s annual college basketball tournament.

The main difference, according to the TBT website, is 64 teams (with 16 in each region) are either selected based on their fan vote totals or play their way into the tournament.

The top nine (9) vote-getters in each region as of June 1 @ 12p ET get in automatically. Six (6) additional teams in each region will be chosen at-large.

The final team in each region will play-in through the TBT Jamboree in Philadelphia, set for June 17th and 18th.

The winner-take-all $2 million purse is divided among the team, their coach, a booster, a top fan and 99 other fans who voted their team into the 64-team tournament.

The bio for the ‘Glory Road Boys’ reads as follows:

“We are very excited for the opportunity to represent our University and the great city of El Paso. Our identity comes primarily from our school’s great basketball tradition. The fact that UTEP is the only school from Texas to win a National Championship is astonishing considering all the great Universities and tradition of great players from Texas. Also for the fact that the Disney movie Glory Road demonstrated how the 1966 team broke color barriers and changed basketball is very appealing to some who might not know the story behind it. We also have a strong competitive players that are elite on their teams overseas and want to represent a great basketball alumni group of UTEP.”—Omar Duran, GM

Should the team get the required number of fans signed up and voting, the team would be part of the West Region.  To sign up to vote and support the team, click HERE.

UTEP Director of Athletics Bob Stull announced on Monday that Kevin Baker has been appointed as the eighth head coach in UTEP women’s basketball history.

“We are very pleased to introduce Kevin Baker as our head women’s basketball coach,” Stull said.  “We had tremendous interest nationally for this position, and it was really difficult going through the process of narrowing it down to the type of person that we wanted to lead this program.  In the end, no one could match the level of success that he has achieved, winning over 300 games and setting school records for victories at every stage of his coaching career.  He is a personable and energetic young man and a great fit for UTEP and the El Paso community.”

“I’d like to thank Dr. Diana Natalicio and Bob Stull for giving me the opportunity to lead the UTEP women’s basketball program,” Baker said.  “I am truly honored to take the reins of a program that has enjoyed so much success.  Coach Adams had an amazing run here for 16 years.  She really put UTEP women’s basketball on the map, and my goal is to build on what she has already accomplished.”

Baker comes to El Paso from Angelo State University, where he posted a combined record of 50-14 in two seasons (2015-17).  Baker was also the head coach at the University of Texas Tyler from 2012-15, fashioning a 72-16 mark.  His combined college coaching record is 122-30.

Overall Baker is 344-131 in a coaching career that has also taken him to four high schools in the state of Texas — Commerce (1997-98), Palestine (1998-2000), Nacogdoches (2000-03) and Copperas Cove (2004-07).  He has set school records for wins at every stop of his career, and has taken every school to the playoffs with a total of five district championships.  He is an eight-time Coach of the Year.

More recently, Baker’s teams captured back-to-back conference championships at UT-Tyler and Angelo State.  He led Angelo State to a 26-6 mark in 2016-17, including the school’s first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and a runner-up finish in the NCAA South Central Regional.

Baker has led both a Division II (Angelo State) and Division III (UT-Tyler) school to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

His 2016-17 Angelo State squad was ranked as high as second in the nation, earning him Conference Coach of the Year honors for the fourth consecutive season.  The Rambelles were 24-8 in 2015-16, reaching the NCAA Regional semifinals.

He compiled marks of 18-9 (2012-13), 27-4 (2013-14) and 27-3 (2014-15) in three seasons at UT-Tyler.  The Patriots won the American Southwest Conference title in 2014 and 2015, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2014.  He was ASC Coach of the Year all three seasons.

Baker spent the previous five years (2007-12) as an assistant coach at Division II West Texas A&M University, where he was part of a run to 120 victories including a 30-4 campaign in 2009-10.  The Lady Buffs were a top-10 team nationally all five seasons, were ranked fourth in 2007-08, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament on four occasions.

West Texas A&M won back-to-back-to-back Lone Star Conference titles (2008-10) and made an Elite Eight appearance in 2009.  West Texas A&M also posted the no. 5 team GPA in the country in 2007-08.

In 10 seasons as a high school head coach, Baker put together three seasons with 29 or more wins.  He was a combined 222-101 in the prep ranks.  Highlights included a 29-4 mark at Palestine High School (4A) in 1999-2000, a school-record for victories, and District, Bi-District and Area championships.

His 2002-03 Nacogdoches team was 30-4, a school-record for wins, with District and Bi-District titles.  His final high school team, at Copperas Cove (2006-07), was 32-3 with Area and Bi-District championships and a Regional Semifinal berth.

Baker received his Bachelor of Science degree (Kinesiology) and Masters of Education from Stephen F. Austin in 1994 and 1996, respectively.  He began his coaching career as an assistant girls basketball coach at Hudson High School in his hometown of Lufkin, Texas in 1994.

The Kevin Baker Career Head Coaching Record

1997-98            Commerce HS            18-10

1998-99            Palestine HS            18-13

1999-00            Palestine HS            29-4

2000-01            Nacogdoches HS            5-22

2001-02            Nacogdoches HS            19-13

2002-03            Nacogdoches HS            30-4

2003-04            Copperas Cove HS            24-10

2004-05            Copperas Cove HS            24-10

2005-06            Copperas Cove HS            23-12

2006-07            Copperas Cove HS            32-3

2012-13            UT-Tyler            18-9

2013-14            UT-Tyler            27-4

2014-15            UT-Tyler            27-3

2015-16            Angelo State            24-8

2016-17            Angelo State            26-6

Career Totals                        344-131