EL PASO, Texas – UTEP rifle head coach Andrea Palafox announced the signing of Alessandra Cleveland of Fairbanks, Alaska, to the Miner rifle program. Cleveland will join the team for the 2026–27 season.
Cleveland is a decorated shooter from Austin E. Lathrop High School, where she has helped lead the program to continued success as one of Alaska's premier rifle teams. During her prep career, Lathrop claimed four regional championships since 2021 and set multiple school records, including a team-best aggregate score of 4,554 in smallbore and air rifle combined.
Individually, Cleveland has consistently improved throughout her high school career, posting personal bests of 588 in air rifle, 576 in smallbore, and 591 in 3-position air rifle (3PAR). She averaged 585 in air rifle and 569 in smallbore during the ongoing 2025–26 season, showing steady growth and competitive consistency.
Cleveland is a member of Arctic Precision and Midnight Sharpshooters, where she has been coached by Connor Bracken and Amelia Dell. Her club experience includes team scores of 2316-125x and 4673-299x at the CMP State 3PAR Championships.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Cleveland is also an accomplished student. She has earned multiple Academic Letters and Honor Roll distinctions, as well as Scholar-Athlete recognition and Certificates of Achievement for academic excellence.
Cleveland also has family ties to the Miner rifle program—she is the younger cousin of current UTEP student-athletes Kameron and Kennedy Wells.
"Alessandra has shown tremendous growth, discipline, and dedication both on and off the range," Palafox said. "She comes from a strong shooting background and will bring great energy and experience to our team. We're excited to continue the family tradition and welcome her to the Miner rifle family."
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