Dec. 11, 2014
A total of 23 UTEP student-athletes will graduate from the university on Saturday.
The list includes 11 representatives from the football program, four from track and field, two each from soccer and volleyball, and one apiece from women's basketball, men's golf, rifle and tennis.
Bios follow on each of UTEP's graduating student-athletes.
Winter 2014 UTEP Graduating Student-Athletes
Jade Babcock (Soccer)
Jade appeared in 80 games, including 40 starts, while scoring 12 goals with 13 assists. She was a 2013 All-Conference USA honoree while also landing on the league's academic honor roll. She was on the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2014. She is a Health Promotion major.
Rahelys Barsey (Track & Field)
Rahelys recorded six top-five performances in 2014, including a runner-up finish in the triple jump at the UTEP Springtime meet. She registered a second-place finish in the high jump at the Don Kirby Tailwind. She is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Josh Bell (Football)
Josh started his UTEP career as a walk-on before earning a scholarship and playing a key role in the Miner rushing attack. He was most productive as a senior, rushing for 243 yards and four touchdowns. He established a career-high with 76 yards versus Old Dominion. He is a Kinesiology major.
Kyle Brown (Football)
Kyle started all 24 games in the offensive line for the Miners during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He missed the 2014 campaign due to injury but continued to assist the coaching staff. He was a member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2011. He is a Finance major.
Jackline Ekai (Track & Field)
Jackline led UTEP's distance runners as she recorded a first-place finish in the 800 meters at the 2013 UTEP Springtime meet. She claimed 18 top-10 finishes in her career with the Miners. Jackline was on the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2012 and 2013. She is a Nursing major.
Andres Estrada (Track & Field)
Andres represented UTEP on the field from 2010-2013. The El Paso native garnered five top-three finishes, including a second-place showing in the triple jump at the 2014 UTEP Invitational. He is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Nick Gathrite (Football)
Nick was a valuable member of the UTEP secondary the last two years after transferring from Riverside Community College. He totaled 47 tackles, 5.5 tackles for losses and 10 pass break-ups. He was a member of the 2014 C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. He is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Xitlali Herrera (Volleyball)
Xitlali is the first Miner in program history to earn three consecutive AVCA Division I All-America honors and the first Miner to receive All-Conference USA first team honors for three consecutive years. She was a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and received a C-USA Academic Medal in 2013. She is an International Business major.
DeAndre Little (Football)
DeAndre played for the Miners from 2011-13 before assisting the coaching staff while sidelined due to injury as a senior. A member of the defensive line, he posted 30 career tackles. He earned a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll four times and is a Biology major.
Jacob Martinez (Football)
An El Paso native who started at running back for Cathedral High School, Jacob saw his first action for the Miners against North Texas this season and rushed seven times for 16 yards. He was on the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2013 and 2014. He is a Management major.
Paulo Melendez (Football)
Paulo has been a mainstay in the Miner offensive line over the last three years, making 13 starts including every game as a junior. Over the last two years UTEP has rushed for close to 5,000 yards. He was a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Roll and is an Education major.
Jenzel Nash (Women's Basketball)
Jenzel is the first Parade All-American to play for the Miners. She has appeared in 66 games, averaging 8.4 points and 2.8 rebounds. She was named the 2014 C-USA Sixth Player of the Year and has been a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. She is a Criminal Justice major.
Azia Nicholson (Soccer)
Azia became the second player in school history to secure All-Region honors on three occasions. She scored 20 goals, had nine assists and set a school record for minutes played while starting every match. She was on the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll four times and was a three-time recipient of a C-USA Academic Medal. She is a Biology major.
Abiola Onakoya (Track & Field)
Abiola led UTEP to the 2013 C-USA outdoor title as he claimed medals in the 200 and 400 meters and the 4x400 relay. The sprinter garnered two more titles at the 2014 indoor conference meet for the champion Miners. He was a member of the 2014 C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll while majoring in Multidisciplinary Studies.
A.C. Patterson (Football)
A.C. came to UTEP for the 2011 season after an All-State campaign at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. He earned a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2012. He is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Ian Patterson (Men's Golf)
Ian appeared in 10 tournaments for the Miners from 2012-14 after transferring from South Mountain College and tied for 11th place at the New Mexico Collegiate Cup as a junior. He was a member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll in 2013. He is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Malia Patterson (Volleyball)
Malia was the starting setter for the Miners from 2011-2012. The Hawaii native was named to the 2012 All-Conference USA second team and earned two spots in the UTEP record book, ranking sixth in season assists and fifth in career assists. She is a Psychology major.
Anthony Puente (Football)
Anthony has appeared in 45 games for UTEP over the last four years and tallied 121 tackles, including a career-high 11 in the 2014 season opener at New Mexico. He has started 22 games at linebacker over the last two seasons. He is a Multidisciplinary Studies major.
Korina Rodriguez (Rifle)
Korina competed in 40 matches for the UTEP rifle team from 2010-14. She shot in both smallbore and air rifle, and was a member of the 2012 team that finished fifth at the NCAA Championships. She earned four appointments to the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll while majoring in Accounting.
Robert Spencer (Football)
Robert saw the most extensive action of his UTEP career as a junior when he played in six games. He bolstered the Miners' depth in the secondary and was also a key member of the scout team. He is a Management major.
Eric Tomlinson (Football)
One of the Miners' captains for 2014, Eric was on the midseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation's top tight end. He has started 30 games for UTEP with 58 catches for 541 yards and four TDs. He was a two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and is a double major in Management and Finance.
Malcolm Trail (Football)
Malcolm has played in 36 games for the Miners at wide receiver, with four starting assignments. He caught a personal-best 16 passes as a sophomore and had 25 receptions for 232 yards in his career. He is a Criminal Justice major.
Gabi Vazquez (Tennis)
Gabi won a combined 101 matches at UTEP. She posted a career-high 20 singles victories her junior campaign, while her 22 doubles wins that year rank tied for second all-time for a single season. She was a four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll while majoring in Biology.