UTEP Miners

Tobin Echo-Hawk enters her sixth season at UTEP and 11th overall as a head coach. Echo-Hawk has 233 wins during her career. She was announced as the head coach of the program on June 20, 2013.
 
In Echo-Hawk’s fifth season, UTEP hit .286, ranking second in Conference USA. The Miners are hitting a combined .295 during Echo-Hawk’s five seasons at the helm. UTEP won 21 contests, the second most during the Echo-Hawk era, and the Miners went 15-8 at home, the most wins in the Sun City since 2010 and third most home wins in program history. UTEP tied a program best with nine C-USA victories in El Paso, matching the 9-3 mark during the 2015 campaign.
 
Defensively, UTEP turned 22 double plays, ranking tied first in C-USA with Florida Atlantic, while it was the third most double plays turned during a single season in program history. Turning double plays has been a staple since Echo-Hawk’s arrival. The Miners have turned 82 double plays the last three seasons, including a school record 30 in 2016 and matching that number the following year.
 
The Miners ranked third in C-USA in slugging (.425), while ranking fifth in runs scored (229), fourth in hits (406) and tied for fifth with 34 home runs. UTEP also ranked third in doubles (70) and second in triples (12). The triples in 2018 tied for most in school history (12 triples in 2015 and 2005).
 
Other program records included 58 errors committed in 2018, the fewest during a single season while ranking tied for fourth least errors committed in C-USA. UTEP base runners were also caught only four times stealing (28-32) a new program record. UTEP caught 30 base runners stealing, which led C-USA and set a program single-season record. UTEP’s .962 fielding percentage ranked fourth in C-USA and tied the 2016 squad (the 2018 team had 1,032 chances to 1,021 chances in 2016).
 
The Miners registered 20 games of 10-plus hits, including a season-high 15 hits against Portland State (Feb. 24) that resulted in 17 runs, the most during the Echo-Hawk era and tied for sixth on the program’s all-time single-game list. UTEP defeated UAB 16-13 on March 18, the most runs scored in a league game during the Echo-Hawk era.
 
Another accomplishment UTEP achieved was winning in the state of Hawai’i for the first time in program history after blanking East Carolina, 1-0, on March 4. Other big wins included an 8-7 win at UNLV, which won 33 games in 2018. The Miners took two of three games against UTSA that included a walk-off three-run home run by Kacey Duffield during a 5-4 game one victory. Duffield’s walk-off bomb was the first in which the Miners were down runs at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. The last walk-off win came in 2015 when the game was tied versus Southern Miss. The Miners came up with a huge sweep of North Texas, which entered the weekend with an 8-4 league mark, while another sweep was completed in the Sun City, this time against C-USA power LA Tech. With the sweep, the Lady Techsters moved from the no. 1 seed to the fourth seed at the C-USA Tournament.
 
Echo-Hawk mentored Courtney Clayton, a 2018 All-C-USA first team selection and NFCA All-Region South second team honoree. Clayton led the Miners in just about every offensive category, while also finishing as the 2018 C-USA batting champion after hitting .413 – first batting champion for the Miners since 2012. Clayton also led the league with 35 hits in league only contests. Clayton recorded 71 hits in 2018, becoming the only Miner to register multiple 70-plus hit seasons during a career. Clayton concluded her career as the program’s leader in at bats (688), multi-hit games (75), sacrifice flies (eight), assists (386) and most times reached on error (32). Clayton’s 251 hits rank second on the all-time list, while she started in 210 consecutive contests during her four-year career, ranking as the second most consecutive starts in program history.
 
Freshman Ariana Valles was named to the 2018 C-USA All-Freshman team after she played in all 54 games at the shortstop position as a true freshman, while leading the squad in assists.
 
Kaitlin Ryder and Taylor Sargent too concluded their successful careers under Echo-Hawk in 2018. Ryder concluded her career ranked ninth with 101 RBI, while her 183 hits rank sixth. Ryder also finished her career ranked no. 1 with 19 sacrifice hits. Sargent’s .983 career fielding percentage ranks fifth on the program’s all-time list.
 
During Echo-Hawk’s fifth season, the Miners’ pitching staff recorded a no-hitter, the seventh in school history and first combined no-hit effort as Devyn Cretz and Kira McKechnie combined for the outing during the 8-0 [5] victory against New Mexico on Feb. 17 in Las Vegas, Nev. Julia Wright led C-USA and tied the school’s single-season record with four saves.
 
McKechnie (Fresno State) and Wright (Ranger College), who transferred prior to the Fall 2017, made immediate impacts during their first season with the Orange and Blue. Each threw 134.1 innings
 
Also during the 2017-18 athletic season, 15 UTEP softball players were named to the 2018 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, while five earned a C-USA Academic Medal. Seven Miners earned 2016-17 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors.
 
For the first time in program history, a trio of Miners were named C-USA Hitter of the Week. Pamala Baber earned the recognition on Feb. 26, Kacey Duffield on April 16 and Kaitlin Ryder on May 7. Multiple Miners earned Hitter of the Week honors for the first time since 2015.
 
After completing her 10th season as a head coach, Echo-Hawk has mentored nine players who garnered Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year accolades. Also under her direction, 48 players have been All-Conference, nine times players have earned NFCA All-Region honors (six in the Pacific Region and three in the South Region), 52 were named Conference Player or Pitcher of the Week and two were named C-USA All-Freshman. In the classroom, three of Echo-Hawks athletes have been appointed to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team with nine All-Academic members, and 111 total selections to the PCSC (41) and C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll (70).
 
In her fourth season, UTEP hit .299 as a team, the third best average in school history. Defensively, the Miners turned 30 double plays to match last season’s school record. UTEP’s .63 double plays turned per game ranked first in Conference USA and t-third nationally.
 
Echo-Hawk mentored three more all-conference performers as Kaitlin Ryder, Taylor Sargent and Cortney Smith were named All-C-USA second team. The trio of sluggers each posted career highs in batting average, and combined for 13 home runs and 69 RBI. Smith’s .636 slugging percentage ranked sixth in C-USA.
 
Lindsey Sokoloski also highlighted the 2017 season as she finished no. 1 in the nation in toughest to strikeout. Sokoloski only fanned once in 136 at bats. In fact, the Miners only struck out 173 times, the least amount in C-USA in 2017. Sargent only struck out five times in 132 at bats to rank no. 34 nationally and Courtney Clayton ranked no. 23 nationally, striking out only five times in 159 at bats.
 
Kiki Pepi also completed her career in a UTEP uniform and became only the seventh Miner to enter the 100-RBI club.
 
UTEP produced one of the biggest wins of the year on the last day of the season. Echo-Hawk started all five seniors as each contributed during the 6-4 victory against Florida Atlantic on May 7 at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. Pepi went 3-for-3 with four RBI to reach the 100-plus RBI plateau, Miranda Gutierrez scored a run after drawing a walk, Erika Harrawood started in the circle, tallying three Ks and zero walks, Kaitlin Fifield earned the save, her third of the season, but it was Taylor Grohmann who made the most noise. Echo-Hawk inserted the pitcher as a pinch hitter in the third inning. Grohmann came up with her first career hit in her first career at bat. The Miners would score three runs in that third following Grohmann’s knock. She was also credited with the victory against the Owls after seeing action in the circle. Grohmann tossed in the fourth frame and recorded a strikeout.
 
UTEP produced a 5-3 victory against rival NM State in Las Cruces on March 1. It was the first win for the Miners in Las Cruces against the Aggies since Feb. 15, 2010. Pepi came up with four RBI on a 2-for-4 effort that included a two-run line drive dinger in the fifth. Redshirt freshman Devyn Cretz earned her first collegiate victory that night, tossing 5.1 frames and striking out five Aggies.
 
Echo-Hawk and the Miners continued their dominance in El Paso against Middle Tennessee. Echo-Hawk, overall, is 10-2 and 8-1 in the Sun City against the Blue Raiders.
 
The Miners also chalked up a win against a solid Utah State program in Riverside, Calif., coming out on top 7-5 on Feb. 24 in which Harrawood earned her first career victory. The Orange and Blue defeated a good Wichita State team 6-1 in Lubbock. Pepi produced five RBI against the Shockers.
 
Other notable triumphs included a 7-6 victory in 10 innings in game two at UTSA, in which Clayton tied the game on a solo home run in the ninth and Pepi followed with the go-ahead long ball in the 10th. The Miners fell 3-0 early, but rallied for the win. UTEP also came up with a lopsided 10-2 (6) win against WKU in El Paso. Freshman Mallorie Cross registered a career-high three RBI on a 3-for-4 performance versus the Hilltoppers.  
 
Fifield was the recipient of the C-USA Spirit of Service Award, the second year in a row in which a UTEP softball player earned the prestigious accolade. During the 2016-17 athletic year, seven Miners were named 2015-16 NFCA Scholar-Athletes, while 13 softball players made the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and five student-athletes earned C-USA Academic Medals.
 
In 2016, Echo-Hawk completed her third and most successful season at the helm for UTEP, as she directed the Miners to their first winning conference record (13-11) in program history and first appearance in the C-USA Tournament since the 2010 campaign. Echo-Hawk won her 200th game as a head coach after UTEP rallied to defeat FIU, 5-4, on May 11 in the first round of the conference tourney. The win was also first postseason victory since the 2009 campaign. The Miners were the no. 6 seed in the eight-team field after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason polls.
 
UTEP finished the 2016 season with a 23-32 record, the most wins since 2010. The Miners set school records in multiple statistical categories, as they finished with the best batting average (.307) in school history, most hits (451), most assists (533), most double plays turned (30) and highest fielding percentage (.962). UTEP’s slugging percentage (.476) is second best, while its 85 doubles and 699 total bases are also second most. The Miners hit 51 home runs, the fourth most in school annals, and most since the 2012 campaign. The defense also committed 61 errors, the third fewest in program history. UTEP’s .55 double plays per game ranked no. 1 in C-USA and seventh nationally, while its doubles per game (1.55) ranked first in conference and 29th nationally. The Miners’ team batting average ranked third in conference and no. 48 nationally, while their home runs per game (.93) ranked second in C-USA and 58th nationally.
 
Echo-Hawk mentored the 2016 C-USA Player of the Year in sophomore Courtney Clayton. Clayton ranked in the top 10 in multiple categories, as her batting average (.416) ranked no. 2 in C-USA (46th nationally) and her 21 doubles led the league. Clayton broke the program single-season record in hits (79) and doubles. Clayton is the first Miner to win the prestigious award since 2012 (Camilla Carrera) and the fifth sophomore to be named player of the year in conference history. Clayton was named to the C-USA All-Academic team and CoSIDA Academic All-District team. Clayton was also named All-C-USA first team and NFCA All-Region South third team.
 
Junior Kiki Pepi was named All-C-USA second team in 2016. Pepi broke the single-season school record with 134 assists, while her nine assists during a 2-1 win at FIU broke a single-game program record.
 
After a 0-3 start in conference play, Echo-Hawk’s Miners won their next eight league games (the most in school history) after sweeping LA Tech, winning all three at FIU and defeating UTSA in the first two games of a three-game set.  
 
In 2016, UTEP tossed three shutouts. The highlight was when junior Kaitlin Fifield tossed a no-hitter against Texas A&M-C.C. during a 2-0 win in College Station on Feb. 27. It was the first no-no since 2010, and sixth overall. Fifield was also named C-USA co-Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 28, which was also the first pitcher of the week accolade since the 2010 season. Senior Danielle Pearson kept zeros across the board in a pair of outings – the first at UNLV (6-0) and the second against LA Tech in El Paso (8-0 run-rule win). The staff’s three goose eggs were the most since the 2010 season. Miner hurlers also threw 27 complete games in 2016, the third most in school history and most since 2010 (29 CGs).
 
Other highlights during Echo-Hawk’s third year included 16 runs against Mount St. Mary’s, the most under Echo-Hawk. UTEP registered the most hits (17) and home runs (five) under Echo-Hawk against Incarnate Word. The Miners turned three double plays at Marshall, tied most in school history, while tallying 17 assists twice – at FIU and at Middle Tennessee, which is tied third in school annals.
 
Senior Kawehiokalani Netane recorded six RBI versus Mount St. Mary’s, two off the single-game record. Hope Moreno tallied five RBI against UTSA. Freshman Cortney Smith tallied seven assists from the shortstop position at FIU, tied second on school history.
 
During the 2015-16 school year, six Miners were named 2014-15 NFCA Scholar-Athletes, while 15 softball players made the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll; four student-athletes earned C-USA Academic Medals. Netane was also named as a 2015-16 C-USA Spirit of Service Award winner.
 
In Echo-Hawk’s second year, the Miners won nine C-USA games for a second consecutive season. UTEP’s 18 league wins the last two seasons is the most since winning 19 during the 2009 and 2010 campaigns.
 
UTEP won 14 overall games in 2015. The offense hit .293, ranking second best average in school history. It was also the first time in school history that the Miners hit .290 or better for a second consecutive season. The team tallied 416 hits – the third most in program history and 14 more knocks than the season before.
 
Also on the offensive, the Miners grinded out 12 triples, tying the single-season record, while hitters set a school record by only striking out 189 times. Defensively, a school record was set as the Miners tallied 489 assists, while their 21 double plays turned tied a program record.
 
The 2015 season also saw a UTEP pitcher record more strikeouts than walks for the first time since 2011. Fifield registered 90 Ks and 73 walks. Fifield produced solid home numbers, assembling an 8-3 record with a 2.10 ERA, 43 Ks and 23 walks in 60.0 innings.
 
UTEP began C-USA play with a 3-0 record after sweeping Middle Tennessee on March 8 and 9 in El Paso. It was the third time in school history the Miners started league play undefeated. Following the sweep of the Blue Raiders, the Orange and Blue swept a two-game series against Texas Tech at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. The Miners began the home season undefeated (5-0). UTEP finished its home schedule with an 11-7 record, matching its 2014 home mark.
 
Under Echo-Hawk’s guidance, Miner sluggers earned multiple accolades. The first came on March 9 when Ashley Eldridge was named C-USA Co-Player of the Week after hitting .533 with three home runs and 10 RBI during a five-game stretch (March 3-8). Eldridge was the first Miner since the 2012 season to earn the honor. Eldridge earned her second player of the week honor on March 30 after producing a .667 average with a pair of long balls, six runs scored and seven RBI during a 2-1 series win over Southern Miss. Eldridge was the first UTEP softball player to earn multiple POW honors in a single season since the 2010 season. Netane was named C-USA Player of the Week on April 13 after hitting .385 with two home runs, five runs scored and eight RBI during a five-game stretch (April 7-12). It marked the first time since the 2010 season that multiple Miners earned such honors.
 
Multiple postseason awards were earned as well. Netane was named first team All-C-USA, while Eldridge was named second team all-conference. Clayton was tabbed to the C-USA All-Freshman team. The 2012 season was the last time two Miners were named all-conference, while one made the all-freshman team.
 
Tahla Wade, who entered the 2015 season with 12 stolen bases, set a single-season record by swiping 17 bags. Wade also holds the school record with nine career triples.
 
In 2014, Echo-Hawk’s first season at the helm, the Miners ended the campaign with nine league wins after winning just six the past three seasons, while their 17 overall wins were the most in four seasons. The season-ending 4-1 victory over East Carolina on May 4 was only the second time UTEP ended a season with a win - the last coming to end the 2006 season, a 5-1 win over UAB on May 7.
 
UTEP recorded its’ first-ever road sweep of a conference opponent - a three-game cleanup over LA Tech on March 15-16. The Miners also completed a conference home sweep over Middle Tennessee (April 12-13). It was the first home sweep of a league foe since the 2010 season.
 
During a game two 13-2 win over Middle Tennessee on April 12, as UTEP set a school-record for hits (15) in and home runs (four) in one inning and the Miners scored 13 runs during the record-setting second inning. The runs were the third most in program history for one inning.
 
Offensively, UTEP finished with a team batting average of .290 - third best in program history at the time. The team’s 402 hits were the fifth time the Miners have reached 400+ hits in a season.
 
Defensively, after compiling 89 errors in 2012 and 81 in 2011, the Miners committed 69 errors - the fourth least in program history. Their .952 fielding percentage was the best since the 2011 season (.953).
 
Under Echo-Hawk’s tutelage, senior centerfielder Erika Arcuri was named to the 2014 All-Conference USA first team, while senior pitcher/utility player Colleen Hohman was announced to the NFCA All-South Region third team. Echo-Hawk also mentored Ashley Eldridge during a career season, in which the junior tallied 17 doubles (tied second most in program history and tied first in C-USA rankings).
 
Echo-Hawk has a wealth of success as a head coach. In just five seasons at Portland State, she led the Vikings to four conference titles and four NCAA Regional appearances and was named league coach of the year five times (Pacific Coast Softball Conference 2009-12, Big Sky 2013). She compiled an overall record of 146-127 including 78-20 in conference play.
 
While at Portland State, Echo-Hawk mentored eight players who garnered Conference Player or Pitcher of the Year accolades. She mentored 39 All-Conference Players and had six players earn placement on the NFCA All-Pacific Region team and 46 merited Conference Player or Pitcher of the Week recognition. Echo-Hawk’s student-athletes excelled in the classroom as well, with two appointed to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team and 41 selections to the PCSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
 
In 2009, she led Portland State to a 29-26 mark, including 15-5 in the PCSC. Her 2010 squad was 30-27 overall and 18-2 in league play. The 2011 squad fashioned a 34-18 mark (16-4 conference). The Vikings were 28-25 in 2012 with a 15-5 league ledger. Portland State capped the 2013 campaign with a 25-31 record as the Vikings rolled through the Big Sky Conference, winning 14 of 18 conference games.
 
She recorded her first NCAA Tournament win as a coach on May 18, 2012, as Portland State topped Mississippi State, 2-0, in Eugene, Ore.
 
The University of Nebraska graduate enjoyed a stellar four-year career from 1993-1996 as a third baseman. She was a four-time All-Big XII Conference selection, a three-time All-Midwest Region performer (94-96) and was a second team All-American as a junior and senior. She set single-season marks for batting average (.439), doubles (22), runs scored (66) and assists (170). Echo-Hawk also graduated as Nebraska’s all-time leader in hits (226) and doubles (48).
 
The Louisville, Colo. native served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Portland State from 2006-08 prior to being elevated to head coach. She previously was a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater from 1996-97 before taking reins of the softball programs at Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colo. (1999-2002) and Broomfield High School in Broomfield, Colo. (2003-06).