EL PASO, Texas – UTEP Softball (3-3) returns to Helen of Troy Softball Field this weekend to host the 4th Annual Dr. Diana Natalicio Memorial Tournament, set for February 13-15. The tournament will be played in honor of UTEP's esteemed former President, Dr. Diana Natalicio, who passed away in 2021. Joining UTEP in the tournament field will be Minnesota, Idaho State, Montana and nationally ranked No. 4/4 Oklahoma.
UTEP opens tournament play Friday against the Gophers and Bengals, followed by a Saturday doubleheader versus the Griz. The Miners will wrap up the weekend Sunday with a rematch against Idaho State and a matinee matchup against fourth-ranked Sooners.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the opening weekend tournament are sold as day passes, with each day of the tournament requiring its own pass.
- Price: $12.55 per day (Friday & Saturday)
- Access: Admission to all games played that day
- Day 3 of the tournament is sold out. UTEP student tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the gate for up to 50 students.
Fans can secure their seats through the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets, or in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus) during business hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Weekend Schedule
Fans can follow live stats for all games throughout the weekend. All UTEP games will be streamed on ESPN+.
| DATE |
TIME (MST) |
MATCHUP |
WATCH |
PROMOS |
| Fri. Feb. 13 |
11 AM
2 PM
5 PM |
Idaho State vs. Minnesota
UTEP vs. Minnesota
UTEP vs. Idaho State |
---
ESPN+
ESPN+ |
2 Fountain Drinks for $8.50 at concessions |
| Sat. Feb. 14 |
11 AM
2 PM |
UTEP vs. Montana
UTEP vs. Montana |
ESPN+
ESPN+ |
SB Sweethearts
$6 Margaritas at concessions |
| Sun. Feb. 15 |
9 AM
12 PM |
UTEP vs. Idaho State
UTEP vs. #4 Oklahoma |
ESPN+
ESPN+ |
White Out
$10 Combo (med. drink + nachos) at concession |
| SIDEARM LiveStats |
Opening Weekend Recap
UTEP opened the 2026 season at the UTEP Invitational, finishing 3-3 overall at Helen of Troy Softball Field.
The Miners dropped their first two contests Friday, falling to Utah Valley in extra innings (9-4) and to St. Thomas (8-0). UTEP showed resilience against Utah Valley, rallying from a four-run deficit in the seventh inning behind home runs from Camrynn Guthrie and Paige Lassiter to force extras.
Saturday featured a pair of dramatic one-run victories over UT Arlington. In game one, UTEP completed a remarkable comeback from a 15-5 deficit to secure a 16-15 walk-off win. The Miners followed with a 9-8 victory in game two, scoring three runs in the sixth inning before the defense sealed the sweep with three consecutive fly outs in the seventh.
UTEP split Sunday's action, earning a 10-5 redemption win over Utah Valley before falling to UMass Lowell. Aaliyah Betancourt and Bri Garcia powered the offense against the Wolverines, while Tatyana Vega tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in relief to secure her third win of the season. Four Miners earned All-Tournament honors, with Guthrie named MVP.
Leadoff Report
Through six games, UTEP is batting .327 as a team and has produced 41 runs on 52 hits. The Miners' power surge has placed them among the nation's statistical leaders, ranking 19th in the NCAA in home runs (9), 22nd in doubles (12), 29th in RBIs (39), and 42nd in slugging percentage (.585). UTEP also ranks second in Conference USA in multiple offensive categories, including home runs, doubles, RBIs and walks.
Iliana Munoz leads the charge offensively, hitting .500 (10-for-20) with two home runs, six runs scored and a team-best 18 total bases. Burchard and Munoz share the team lead with six runs scored, while Burchard, Guthrie and Cece Marquez pace the Miners with six RBIs apiece.
Six different Miners have homered, with Munoz, Burchard and Guthrie each recording two. Five players have tallied two doubles, and Marquez owns the team's first triple of the season. Burchard has also been aggressive on the basepaths, going 4-for-5 in stolen base attempts.
In the circle, Vega leads the staff with a 3-0 record, a 4.55 ERA and 20.0 innings pitched. She ranks third nationally in victories and sixth in innings pitched while pacing Conference USA in both categories. Vega has struck out 13 and tossed one complete game. Ariana Flores has made a team-high three starts, with both Flores and Vega appearing in five contests.
Defensively, UTEP has committed just four errors in six games for a .976 fielding percentage. Munoz leads the team with 22 putouts, while Betancourt anchors the infield with 11 assists at third base.
Scouting the Field
Minnesota (1-4) opened its season at a neutral-site tournament in San Diego. The Golden Gophers are hitting .222 as a team and are led offensively by Jessa Snippes (.400, 4 RBI). In the circle, Sydney Schwartz owns a 2.92 ERA. Minnesota's lone previous meeting with UTEP came in 2022, a 10-1 Gopher win in Tempe, Arizona.
Idaho State (3-2) enters the weekend after a 37-17 campaign in 2025, capturing the Big Sky regular-season title. The Bengals return nearly their entire core from a lineup that hit .311 with 72 home runs last season. Senior Ava Brown, the Big Sky Preseason MVP, headlines an experienced group, while the pitching staff returns intact after posting a 3.64 ERA in 2025.
Montana (3-2) features several sophomores making early impacts, including Grace Lopez, who went 10-for-17 with six runs scored on opening weekend. The Grizzlies limited opponents to a .246 average last week and improved their pitching staff's WHIP significantly from a year ago. UTEP leads the all-time series 3-1, with all meetings played in El Paso.
No. 4/4 Oklahoma (3-1) arrives in El Paso after a strong opening weekend in Arizona that included two wins over No. 17/18 Arizona. The Sooners are batting .376 with 15 home runs through four games and are led by NFCA Hall of Fame head coach Patty Gasso. Oklahoma owns a 4-0 all-time record against UTEP.
Series History
- vs. Minnesota: Minnesota leads 1-0
- vs. Idaho State: UTEP leads 5-2
- vs. Montana: UTEP leads 3-1
- vs. Oklahoma: OU leads 4-0
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