EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team (0-0) will begin the 2025 season with a pair of home games this week, playing host to ACU (0-0) in its "Sun City" game at 7 p.m. MT Thursday before squaring off with Texas Southern (0-0) on "Camper Reunion Night" at 6 p.m. MT Sunday. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available through Stat Broadcast. 
 
The "Sun City" game is a chance to celebrate El Paso in a way past promotions like the "915 Game" or "El Chuco Night" have done. Fans can also take advantage of a two-for-one hot dog special. 
 
"Camper Reunion Night" is a way to recognize the more than 700 campers who attended a multitude of the Miner soccer camps during the summer.
 
Tickets, both single game ($10) and season ($35), may be purchased by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or going in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus), Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gates at University Field open one hour prior to kickoff, where fans may also purchase tickets on site.
 
Déjà Vu All Over Again
For the second straight season, UTEP is beginning the year by locking up against Abilene Christian. The Miners and Wildcats battled to a scoreless draw in Abilene in the 2024 lid lifter (8/17/24). It was an evenly- contested match, with ACU holding a slight edge (5-4) for shots on goal.
 
Get To Know ACU
ACU went 2-7-8 a year ago, including tying UTEP, 0-0, in Abilene (8/17/24) in the season opener for both programs. The Wildcats finished 0-5-2 in the WAC, but they were competitive each time out. ACU was among the league and national leaders for most corner kicks per contest (5.2-second/97th), fewest fouls per game (8.3-sixth/98th) and saves per game (5.4-third/59th). Starting GK Lili Ross (4.1 saves per game-fourth WAC) is back to set the tone on defense. Peyton Hill and Amelia Miller, who shared the team lead in goals (two), return to key the attack.
 
Series History With ACU
UTEP is 2-5-4 all-time vs. ACU. The two squads have played annually every year since 2013, except for the Covid-19 affected 2020 campaign. The past two meetings have resulted in scoreless draws.
 
Get To Know Texas Southern
Texas Southern was 9-9-2 overall last year, including a stout 6-1-1 in SWAC play to claim the regular-season conference crown for the first time in school history. The Tigers advanced to the SWAC Tournament final, but came up shy, 1-0, against Southern. UTEP and TSU squared off in nonconference play during the year, with an Eve Barry PK goal proving to be the difference in the match. The Tigers placed a pair of players on the 2025 Preseason SWAC first team, including Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Alyssa Taylor and forward Jaycelyn Russ. Taylor won that honor a year ago. Russ shared the team lead with goals (five) and was second in points (11). Another notable returnee for TSU is GK Alessandra Bastidas, who has started 25 of 28 matches played in her two-year career. She was fourth in the SWAC and 97th in the nation last year with 4.53 saves per game.
 
Series History With Texas Southern
UTEP knocked off Texas Southern, 1-0, on the road last year (9/15/24) in the lone meeting between the programs.
 
Building On Strong Finish To Last Season
UTEP look to turn its strong play down the stretch in 2024 into a fast start in 2025. The Miners were a solid 2-1-1 over the final four contests of the year, including toppling LA Tech (2-1, 10/19/24) and Sam Houston (2-1, 10/27/24) and battling for a hard-fought draw at NM State (2-2, 10/31/24).
 
We Must Protect This House
The Orange and Blue compiled their first winning record (4-3-0) at home last year since finishing undefeated (3-0-2) in the Sun City in a shortened 2020 season. That campaign was played in the spring of 2021 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
 
Home Early And Often To Begin The Year
The Miners have two game this week and four of their first six contests of the season inside the friendly confines of University Field. UTEP hasn't opened a campaign with consecutive home matches since 2019 when it forged a tie with Wyoming (2-2, 8/22/19) and was upended by ACU (L, 2-1, 8/25/19).
 
If It Feels Early, That's Because It Is
UTEP's matchup vs. ACU on Aug. 14 (Thursday) is the earliest start date in program history. The prior mark was on Aug. 17 (2018, 2023 and 2024), which incidentally is the date of the Miners' second match this season (vs. Texas Southern, 6 p.m. Sunday).
 
Returning Lots Of Offensive Firepower
Four different Miners scored at least two goals last season, and all of them are back in the fold for 2025. Leading the way is 2024 All-CUSA Third Team and CUSA All-Freshman Team honoree Ana Quintero, who paced the Orange and Blue in both goals (five) and points (10). Also back is 2024 All-CUSA Second Team member Mina Rodriguez. She was second on the squad in goals (three) while leading it in assists (three) for a total of nine points (second on team). All three of her tallies came in league play, including a brace to help UTEP secure a point with a 2-2 tie at NM State (10/31/24). Eve Barry and Ashlyn Neireiter both found the back of the net twice. Overall, the quartet combined for 12 of the Miners' 14 goals on the campaign.
 
New Look In The Net
UTEP has three goalkeepers on the roster for 2025 in the form of freshman Savanah Finley, East Texas A&M transfer Sophia Dean and redshirt-senior Alaina Gilbert. Gilbert has not seen action the past two seasons. Dean last competed in 2023-24 when she started eight of her 12 appearances, recording 36 saves on the way to a 4-3-0 record with the Lions. Finley was a standout at Rockwall-Heath HS (Rockwall, Texas). She was a District 10-6A GK of the Year and All-Region and All-District honoree. Both of her parents attended UTEP, and her dad played football for the Miners.
 
Getting Defensive
The Miners produced one of the best defensive seasons ever at the school in 2024, conceding the second-fewest goals (18) in program history. Furthermore, UTEP's goals against average (1.06) checked in fifth on the single-campaign charts.
 
Roster Rundown
UTEP returns 14 individuals from last year's squad, including eight starters (Kaila Hudson, Anai Lopez, Hayden McMillan, Ashlee Mora, Ashlyn Neireiter, Ana Quintero, Mina Rodriguez and Maya Vitoria). The Miners have 16 newcomers on the team, 12 of which are freshmen (Damaris Cisneros, Yesenia Cisneros, Grace Culver, Kaitlyn Duntley, Avery Easley, Savanah Finley, Ava Grosso, Sasha Lucero, Zeta McDannels, Kaia Permanand, Ella Rorabaugh and Lauren Varela). There are also two DI transfers (Sophia Dean, East Texas A&M and Kialie Hudson, Davidson) a DII transfer (Servane Blouin, Limestone University) and a JUCO transfer (Dannique Wilson, Hill College).
 
Honor Thy Captains
The Miners appointed co-captains for the 2025 season, with defenders Kaila Hudson and Ashlyn Neireiter sharing the honors.
 
Taking Notice Of Ashlyn
Ashlyn Neireiter was voted to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team, the league office revealed on Aug. 7. The junior was tabbed as one of four defenders on the 11-player squad, making her the first Miner to be so distinguished since forward Vic Bohdan was selected in 2018. She was the lone UTEP player to start every match last season while also topping the squad in in minutes played (1518). That was nearly 400 more minutes earned than the next individual on the team.
 
Double Trouble
UTEP has two sets of twins on the 2025 roster (freshmen Damaris Cisneros and Yesenia Cisneros and seniors Kaila Hudson and Kialie Hudson), in addition to three other individuals with twin sisters (junior Eve Barry, freshman Ava Grosso and sophomore Sarina Villa Cuellar).
 
30th Season Of UTEP Soccer
The 2025 campaign marks the 30th season in program history, with the Miners entering the year with an all-time record of 282-230-49. That includes a mark of 175-77-22 at University Field.
 
Keeton Era Hits Year Three
The 2025 season will also serve as the third at the helm for El Paso native Gibbs Keeton. Morgan McDougal and Jared Hallman join him as assistant coaches while Gira Alvarez, who previously worked for the Miners several years ago, will mentor the goalkeepers. Shayna Whieldon will be in her second year as a graduate assistant.
 
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