GAME NOTES (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas - The 2026-27 UTEP women's basketball season gets underway Monday, Nov. 2, as the Miners take on Western New Mexico inside GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT.
 
WHERE TO WATCH:  MW+ or Live Stats
 
SCOUTING WNMU
Western New Mexico opens its 2026–27 season with an exhibition matchup against UTEP. The Mustangs finished the 2025–26 campaign 1–25 overall and 1–19 in Lone Star Conference play under third-year head coach Brenda Nichols, who previously led programs at Sam Houston (2006–18) and Mercer (2002–06). Nichols owns a 170–297 record at the Division I level.
 
Last season, WNMU averaged 54.1 points, 33.7 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 6.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game. Defensively, the Mustangs allowed opponents to average 77.1 points, 41.2 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 11.7 steals, and 2.9 blocks per contest.
 
Eight players return for WNMU this season, led by starters Jordan Sapien, Teeya Gordon, Tess Taylor and Brelee Nichols, who were the Mustangs' top four scorers last season. Sapien led the team in assists (3.3) and steals (2.1) per game, while Nichols ranked second in assists (1.2). Gordon was the team's second-leading rebounder, averaging 6.0 boards per game.
 
MINERS ENTER NEW ERA
UTEP enters the 2026-27 season with a new-look roster as head coach Keitha Adams begins her 20th season at the helm and the Miners prepare for their first season in the Mountain West. UTEP welcomes 10 newcomers, including six college transfers and four freshmen, alongside three returners from last season.
 
Reigning CUSA Sixth Player of the Year Mary Moses Amaniyo headlines the returning group after averaging 8.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field last season. Imani Warren, a 2026 All-CUSA Honorable Mention selection at NM State, brings additional Division I experience after  averaging 12.1 points per game in 2025-26.
 
The Miners also feature a strong international presence, with eight players representing five countries outside the United States, including four from Angola and players from Greece, Latvia, Nigeria and Uganda.
 
2025-26 SEASON IN REVIEW
The Miners closed the 2025-26 campaign with a record of 13-17, including 5-13 in CUSA play. UTEP averaged 66.1 points and 38.9 rebounds per contest while adding 11.5 assists, 8.8 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game. The Orange and Blue shot 38.5% from the floor, 29.7% from deep, and 69.4% from the charity stripe.
 
In the 2026 CUSA tournament, the Miners fell in double OT to Jax State in the first round. Several players stood out across the year, with Mary Moses Amaniyo earning CUSA 6th Player of the Year.
 
MOUNTAIN WEST OUTLOOK
UTEP was picked to finish ninth in the 2026-27 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason Poll. UNLV was selected as the preseason favorite, followed by Grand Canyon in second and UC Davis in third.
 
Hawai'i was picked fourth, followed by New Mexico in fifth and Air Force in sixth. Wyoming was selected seventh, while Nevada claimed the eighth spot ahead of UTEP in ninth. San José State rounded out the 10-team poll.
 
SEASON OPENER HISTORY
UTEP owns a 32-20 record all-time in season debuts, highlighted by wins in 11 of the last 12 openers.

MINER MENTOR
The winningest coach in UTEP women's basketball history, Keitha Adams, enters her fourth season back leading the Miners and her 20th overall at the helm of the program. Adams previously guided UTEP from 2001–17, steering the team to four postseason appearances (two NCAA, two WNIT) and four Conference USA championships (three regular season, one tournament).
 
She has collected 320 victories with the Miners and more than 500 wins overall in her career, including 400 at the Division I level.
 
WHO'S BACK
The Miners return 3 letterwinners from last year's roster, including, reigning Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year Mary Moses Amaniyo, Tatiana Collazo, and Aolani Woldai. The trio brings a strong mix of experience and leadership to lead a new-look squad.
 
FRESH FACES
Head Coach Keitha Adams and her staff brought in 10 newcomers for the 2026-27 season, a group that features four freshmen and six transfers. The transfer class includes 2026 All-CUSA Honorable Mention honoree Imani Warren (NM State), 2026 NJCAA All-Americans Isabel Joao (South Plains College), Armanda Sindalawa  and junior college standouts, Wandi Sanches (Odessa College), Zainab Olalekan (Clarendon College) and Dilangue Cruz (South Plains College), who are all expected to provide an immediate boost with their collegiate experience.
 
The freshman class consists of Charlotte Aldridge (Downingtown, Pa. /Downingtown East HS), Kobe Johnson (Houston, TX /North Shore Senior HS), Krista Lukasevica (Riga, Latvia), and Apostolia Zormpala (Kavala, Greece).
 
This blend of experience and youth gives the Miners added depth and versatility heading into the new campaign.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
UTEP  features a strong international presence in 2026-27, with eight international players on the roster. The Miners represent five countries outside the United States, including Angola, Greece, Latvia, Nigeria, and Uganda. The Miners also bring extensive international experience, with a majority of those players having represented countries in national-team competition.
 
THE COACHING STAFF
Adams is once again joined by Associate Head Coach Ewa Laskowska, who has been on Adams' staff for 26 years. Rounding out the staff are assistant coaches Jareica Hughes, a UTEP alumna who starred under Adams, and Denise Rosario, who joined the Miners in June 2026 after spending the 2024-25 season at Idaho.
 
UTEP vs. MOUNTAIN WEST PROGRAMS
Air Force: UTEP leads 3-1
Hawaii: Hawaii leads 14-2
Nevada: Nevada leads 7-5
New Mexico: New Mexico leads 36-17
San Jose State: UTEP leads 10-7
UNLV: Tied 3-3
Wyoming: Wyoming leads 19-11
 
ORANGE AND BLUE NATION
UTEP averaged 1,022 fans per game last season inside GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center. More than 15,000 fans turned out over the course of the year to support the Miners.
 
THE BEAR'S DEN
The Orange and Blue went 10-7 inside GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center in 2025-26, continuing to show the impact of home-court advantage.
 
UP NEXT
The Miners continue their season-opening homestand against UIW (Nov. 7) before hosting NM State (Nov. 10) in the 102nd meeting of the Battle of I-10 rivalry.

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For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Basketball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPWBB (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.