- UTEP Miners
Infobox college athletics
name = UTEP Miners
university = University of Texas at El Paso
conference =Conference USA
division =Division I
director =Bob Stull
city = El Paso
state = Texas
stateabb = TX
teams = 15
stadium =Sun Bowl Stadium
arena =Don Haskins Center
mascot =Paydirt Pete
nickname = Miners
fightsong =Miners Fight
color1 = Orange
hex1 = FF7F00
color2 = Blue
hex2 = 000080
pageurl = http://utepathletics.com/
pagename = www.utepathletics.comUTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the
University of Texas at El Paso . Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or simply El Paso. After the departure of four members of theWestern Athletic Conference including UTEP in 2005, in which all four became members in the same coference, the Miners joinedConference USA as a part of the West Division.The UTEP Miners are best known as the only team in Texas to win aNCAA Men's Basketball Championship. UTEP's colors are Orange andBlue and the mascot is a miner namedPaydirt Pete . The athletic director for the Miners isBob Stull .Athletics
The University of Texas at El Paso competes with teams in the following sports:
Men's sports:
*Football
*Basketball
*Golf
*Cross-Country
*Track & Field
*Swimming & DivingWomen's sports:
*Basketball
*Softball
*Soccer
*Cross-Country
*Track & Field
*Tennis
*Swimming & Diving
*VolleyballFootball
Playing their first game in 1914, the UTEP Miners football team currently compete in the
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The team plays its games in theSun Bowl Stadium , andMike Price is at the helm for his 5th season at UTEP in 2008.NCAA Division I National Championships
UTEP's sports programs have won a total of 21 NCAA Division I national championships. [ [http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/champs_listing1.html Schools with the Most NCAA Championships ] ] UTEP is currently tied for 10th overall among schools in Men's Sports Division I championships.
*Men's Basketball: 1
*Men's Cross country: 7
*Men's Indoor Track & Field: 7
*Men's Outdoor Track & Field: 61966 Texas Western basketball team
As Texas Western, the Miners won the
1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament . The 72-65 victory over Kentucky inCollege Park, Maryland is considered one of the most important in the history of college basketball, as it marked the first time that a team with fiveAfrican-American starters won a title game. What's more, it came against a Kentucky team (and its coach,Adolph Rupp ) that was symbolic of the racist culture of the state and the region, during the period of the struggle for civil rights for blacks.The title team has been chronicled throughout the American media, including the book "
When the Walls Came Tumbling Down " byFrank Fitzpatrick and the 2006 Disney movie "Glory Road".2008 Olympics
UTEP students and alumni participated in track and field events. [http://wikirun.com/University_of_Texas_at_El_Paso#2008_Olympics Retrieved 2008-08-25.]
Traveling Trophies
The winner of the UTEP vs
New Mexico State University football game receives a pair of traveling trophies; The Silver Spade and The Brass Spittoon. The first spade used for this purpose was an old prospector's shovel dug up from an abandoned mine in theOrgan Mountains nearLas Cruces, New Mexico in1947 . This was the symbol of victory, and the spade was given to the winner of the football game between the Miners and Aggies each year.The idea of the present Silver Spade was from UTEP student Don Henderson, the student association president and now a very successful El Paso businessman and former mayor of the city. In
1955 Henderson secured the present spade and each year the score of the game is engraved on the blade.Perhaps the idea behind the spade is the fact that at the time the prospector's spade was uncovered, both schools' major field of study had use for the tool, mining and metallurgy for the College of Mines and agriculture at then New Mexico A&M. The Brass Spittoon, officially known as the Mayor's Cup, came into existence in
1982 when the mayors of the two cities; Jonathan Rogers of El Paso, and David Steinberg of Las Cruces decided to present another traveling trophy to the winner of the UTEP vsNew Mexico State University game. This game is more commonly known as "The Battle of I-10 ".ports Venues
UTEP owns the two largest stadiums in El Paso:
*Sun Bowl Stadium , seating capacity 52,000, opened its doors in 1963 and is currently the home to the UTEP football team and to the annualBrut Sun Bowl game.Sun Bowl Stadium is also now home to theTexas vs. The Nation Game , acollege football all-star game.
*Don Haskins Center , seating capacity 12,222, was built in 1976 and is primarily used by the men's and women's basketball teams.
*University Field (UTEP) , seating capacity 500, was built in 1991 and hosts the women's soccer team.References
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