UTEP Miners
Encyclopedia
The UTEP 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 Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference
from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice
, Tulsa
, and SMU
in leaving the WAC for Conference USA
. The UTEP Miners are best known as the only team in Texas to win a NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. UTEP's colors are orange and blue
and the mascot is a miner named Paydirt Pete
. The athletic director for the Miners is Bob Stull
.
Men's sports:
Women's sports:
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 the Sun Bowl Stadium
, and Mike Price
is at the helm for his 7th season at UTEP in 2010.
UTEP was a member of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
, from 1941-1961. The football team won a conference championship in 1956.
. The 72-65 victory over Kentucky
in College 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 five African-American starters won a title game. It came against a Kentucky team that had no African-American players, during the period of the Civil Rights Movement
.
The title team has been chronicled throughout the American media, including the book When the Walls Came Tumbling Down by Frank Fitzpatrick
and the 2006
Disney
movie Glory Road
.
The team was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
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 the Organ Mountains
near Las Cruces, New Mexico
in 1947. 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 vs New Mexico State University
game. This game is more commonly known as "The Battle of I-10
.
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
. Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice
Rice Owls
The Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest.Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics and is part of Conference USA. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic...
, Tulsa
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports team of the University of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane...
, and SMU
SMU Mustangs
The SMU Mustangs is the name of the athletic teams representing Southern Methodist University. The Mustangs participate in the NCAA's Division I as a member of Conference USA. In 2005, SMU accepted an invitation to the Western Division of Conference USA, and left the Western Athletic Conference...
in leaving the WAC for Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. The UTEP Miners are best known as the only team in Texas to win a NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. UTEP's colors are orange and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
and the mascot is a miner named Paydirt Pete
Paydirt Pete
Paydirt Pete is the current mascot of the University of Texas at El Paso . He is a student dressed as a prospector, reflecting UTEP's nickname of "Miners". The Miners have had nearly as many mascots for its athletic teams as the school has had names....
. The athletic director for the Miners is Bob Stull
Bob Stull
-External links:*...
.
Athletics
The University of Texas at El Paso has varsity teams in the following sports:Men's sports:
- Football
- Basketball
- Golf
- Cross-Country
- Track & Field
Women's sports:
- Basketball
- Cross-Country
- Golf
- Rifle
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball
Football
Sun Bowl Stadium
The Sun Bowl is an outdoor football stadium, on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. It is home to the UTEP Miners of Conference USA , and the late December college football bowl game, the Hyundai Sun Bowl...
, and Mike Price
Mike Price
Mike Price is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso , a position he has held since 2004...
is at the helm for his 7th season at UTEP in 2010.
UTEP was a member of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Border Conference , was an NCAA-affiliated college athletic conference founded in 1931 that disbanded following the 1961-1962 season...
, from 1941-1961. The football team won a conference championship in 1956.
NCAA Division I National Championships
UTEP's sports programs have won a total of 21 NCAA Division I national 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 & FieldNCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipNCAA team champions for Men's Indoor Track and Field-See also:*NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*Pre-NCAA Indoor Track and Field Champions...
: 7 - Men's Outdoor Track & FieldNCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...
: 6
1966 Texas Western basketball team
As Texas Western, the Miners won the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 22 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 7, 1966, and ended with the championship game on March 19 in College Park, Maryland...
. The 72-65 victory over Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
is considered one of the most important in the history of college basketball, as it marked the first time that a team with five African-American starters won a title game. It came against a Kentucky team that had no African-American players, during the period of the Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
.
The title team has been chronicled throughout the American media, including the book When the Walls Came Tumbling Down by Frank Fitzpatrick
Frank Fitzpatrick
Frank Fitzpatrick is best known as a composer and music producer for film. He has also worked extensively in other areas of music and entertainment as a record producer, songwriter, and filmmaker...
and the 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
movie Glory Road
Glory Road (film)
Glory Road is an American sports film directed by James Gartner, based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, in which the late Don Haskins – played by Josh Lucas – head coach of the Texas Western College led a team...
.
The team was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
2008 Olympics
UTEP students and alumni participated in track and field events.| Athlete | Event | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Mickael Hanany | high jump |  France |
| Blessing Okagbare | long jump |  Nigeria |
| Blessing Okagbare Blessing Okagbare Blessing Okagbare is a Nigerian long and triple jumper and short sprinter.In May 2007, at the All-Africa Games trials in Lagos, she established a Nigerian record of 14.13 metres in the triple jump. At the 2007 All-Africa Games she won the silver medal in the long jump and finished fourth in the... Oludamola Osayomi Oludamola Osayomi Oludamola Bolanle Osayomi is a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is a four-time gold medallist at the African Championships in Athletics and won an Olympic bronze medal with Nigeria in the 4×100 metres relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics... Halimat Ismaila Halimat Ismaila Halimat Ismaila is a Nigerian athlete who won a bronze medal in 4x100 metre relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics.... |
women's 4×100 meter relay | Nigeria |
| Oludamola Osayom | 100M women | Nigeria |
| Oludamola Osayom | 200M women | Nigeria |
| Halimat Ismaila | 100M women | Nigeria |
| Churandy Martina Churandy Martina Churandy Martina is a sprinter from Curaçao, currently representing the Netherlands. His personal best time over 100 metres is 9.93 seconds, a national record, achieved in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games final... |
100M men |  Netherlands Antilles |
| Churandy Martina | 200M men | Netherlands Antilles |
| Ronalds Arājs Ronalds Arajs Ronalds Arājs is a Latvian athlete. Arājs is the current Latvian record holder in 100 metres, having a personal best of 10.18 seconds. His personal record in the 200 metres is 20.75 seconds.... |
200M men |  Latvia |
| Caiman Douglas | men 4×100 meter relay |  Netherlands |
| Erma-Gene Evans | javelin |  Saint Lucia |
| Alexandros Papadimitriou Alexandros Papadimitriou Alexandros Papadimitriou is a Greek hammer thrower. His personal best throw is 80.45 metres, achieved in July 2000 in Athens. This is the current Greek record. He was born in Larissa.-Achievements:-References:**... |
hammer throw men |  Greece |
| Henderson Dottin |  Barbados |
|
| Fatimoh Muhammed |  Liberia |
Traveling trophies
The winner of the UTEP vs New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
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 the Organ Mountains
Organ Mountains
The Organ Mountains are a rugged mountain range in southern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. They lie east of the city of Las Cruces, in Doña Ana County.-Geography:...
near Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
in 1947. 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
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
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
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, and David Steinberg of Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
decided to present another traveling trophy to the winner of the UTEP vs New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
game. This game is more commonly known as "The Battle of I-10
The Battle of I-10
The Battle of I-10 is a college rivalry between The University of Texas at El Paso and New Mexico State University . It is called the Battle of I-10 because the two universities are located along Interstate 10 connecting El Paso and Las Cruces....
.
Sports venues
UTEP owns the two largest stadiums in El Paso:- Sun Bowl StadiumSun Bowl StadiumThe Sun Bowl is an outdoor football stadium, on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. It is home to the UTEP Miners of Conference USA , and the late December college football bowl game, the Hyundai Sun Bowl...
, seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
52,000, opened its doors in 1963 and is currently the home to the UTEP football team and to the annual Hyundai Sun Bowl game. Sun Bowl StadiumSun Bowl StadiumThe Sun Bowl is an outdoor football stadium, on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. It is home to the UTEP Miners of Conference USA , and the late December college football bowl game, the Hyundai Sun Bowl...
is also now home to the Texas vs. The Nation GameTexas vs. The Nation GameThe NFLPA Game is a post-season college football all-star game that was established in 2006 as the concluding game of the college football post-season. The game is currently played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The game was previously known as the Texas vs...
, a college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
all-star game. - Don Haskins CenterDon Haskins CenterThe Don Haskins Center is the home of UTEP Miners men's and women's basketball. The 'Don', as it is known by local residents, is located in the heart of El Paso, Texas. In addition to hosting sporting events, the Don is also used by many area schools, such as El Paso Community College, for...
, seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
12,222, was built in 1976 and is primarily used by the men's and women's basketball teams. - University Field (UTEP)University Field (UTEP)University Field is the on-campus soccer stadium at the University of Texas at El Paso.The small stadium only seats 500 spectators, but room can be made for more if needed. It was built in 1996.-External links:*...
, seating capacitySeating capacitySeating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
500, was built in 1991 and hosts the women's soccer team.