UTEP Athletics

UTEP Softball Opens CUSA Play with Alumni Weekend Series vs. Sam Houston

3/5/2026 7:00:00 PM

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP softball will open Conference USA play when it hosts Sam Houston for a three-game series during Alumni Weekend, March 6–8, at Helen of Troy Field.

The Miners and Bearkats begin the series on Friday at 6 p.m. MST. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST, while the series finale on Sunday will start at 11 a.m. MDT following the start of Daylight Saving Time.

The weekend will also feature a special celebration of UTEP softball history, highlighted by the retirement of former standout Chelsea Troupe's No. 00 jersey.

Ticket Information

Single-game tickets are available for $8.35. 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.

Schedule

Alumni Weekend Highlights Chelsea Troupe Jersey Retirement

UTEP softball will retire the No. 00 jersey of former standout Chelsea Troupe during Alumni Weekend, with the ceremony set for Saturday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m. at Helen of Troy Field. Her jersey will be permanently displayed on the outfield wall alongside former teammates Cami Carrera and Stacie Townsend.

Troupe, who played for the Miners from 2009–12, ranks among the most accomplished players in program history. She holds the school record for stolen bases (37) and ranks second all-time in batting average (.384), slugging percentage (.746), on-base percentage (.481), runs scored (162), home runs (50) and RBI (138). A two-time First Team All-Conference USA selection, Troupe earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2009 and helped lead the Miners to the conference tournament championship game that same season.

Last Time Out

UTEP enters the weekend with an 8-10 record after dropping a narrow 3-2 decision to New Mexico.

After falling behind 3-0 through four innings, the Miners rallied in the sixth inning with two unearned runs to cut the deficit to one and apply late pressure. Four UTEP players recorded hits in the contest — Marissa Burchard, Kenna Carranza, Halle Hogan and Bri Garcia — with Burchard, Carranza and Hogan each delivering doubles. Carranza drove in one run during the sixth-inning rally while Cece Marquez added a stolen base. Brantley Lavas drew the Miners' lone walk in the game.

Leadoff Report

UTEP has been one of the most productive offensive teams early in the season, batting .341 with a .540 slugging percentage and a .402 on-base percentage. The Miners have totaled 173 hits, including 47 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs while driving in 110 runs.

UTEP has also drawn 47 walks, recorded six sacrifice flies and eight sacrifice hits while going 16-for-21 in stolen bases.

Defensively, the Miners own a .978 fielding percentage with eight double plays turned and eight runners caught stealing.

Marissa Burchard leads the team with a .460/.507/.794 slashline while pacing the Miners with 29 hits, 10 doubles, 15 RBI and 50 total bases. She has also swiped nine bases in 10 attempts. Burchard and Brantley Lavas are the only two Miners to start all 18 games this season.

Camrynn Guthrie ranks second on the team with 21 hits and leads the Miners with three sacrifice flies. Guthrie, Burchard and Kenna Carranza share the team lead with three home runs each, including a grand slam from Carranza. Burchard and Carranza also share the team lead with 15 RBI.

Lavas leads the team with 11 walks, while Cece Marquez has been hit by a pitch three times and Bri Garcia leads the team with three sacrifice hits.

In the circle, Tatyana Vega anchors the pitching staff with a 4.88 ERA and a 7-3 record. Vega leads the Miners with 15 appearances, seven starts, three complete games, 66.0 innings pitched and 30 strikeouts.

Defensively, Iliana Munoz leads the team with 71 putouts while Aaliyah Betancourt tops the Miners with 39 assists. Burchard has been involved in five double plays turned.

UTEP has also found success in tight contests, posting a 6-2 record in one-run games this season.

Nationally, the Miners rank among the top 100 teams in 18 statistical categories and sit inside the top 50 in five categories. UTEP ranks second in the nation in doubles per game (2.61) and fifth in total doubles (47), both leading Conference USA. The Miners also rank 27th in fielding percentage (.978), 36th in batting average (.341) and 49th in slugging percentage (.540).

Individually, Vega ranks eighth nationally in innings pitched (66.0), 18th in appearances (15) and 24th in victories (7). Burchard ranks ninth in doubles (10), 10th in doubles per game (0.56) and 53rd in hits (29). Guthrie ranks 14th nationally in sacrifice flies (3) while also ranking inside the top 40 in doubles and doubles per game.

Scouting Sam Houston

Sam Houston enters the weekend with a 14-9 record.
The Bearkats are batting .296 as a team with 170 hits and 62 extra-base hits, including 24 home runs. Sam Houston has drawn 64 walks and is 42-for-44 on stolen base attempts.
In the circle, the Bearkats carry a 3.79 team ERA while striking out 37 batters. Defensively, Sam Houston owns a .974 fielding percentage with seven double plays turned.
Sophia Lundstrom leads the team with a .382/.460/.474 slashline and 29 hits while also drawing nine walks and going 9-for-9 on stolen bases.
Jordan Peno leads Sam Houston with seven doubles, two triples and seven sacrifice hits, while Veronica Harrison leads the team with eight home runs and 150 putouts while also turning a team-best seven double plays.
Bella Perez paces the Bearkats with 22 RBI and three sacrifice flies.
In the circle, Tiffany Sanchez leads the staff with a 3.08 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 37 strikeouts and three complete games, including two shutouts. Amy Abke holds a team-best 5-2 record with 10 appearances and 42.1 innings pitched.
Morgan Holliday anchors the defense with a team-high 41 assists.

Series History

Sam Houston leads the all-time series 4-3.
UTEP won the first meeting between the programs in 2007 with a 4-0 victory in El Paso. The teams met again in 2024 for a three-game Conference USA series in El Paso where the Miners won the first two games before the Bearkats captured the finale.
Last season, UTEP traveled to Huntsville for a three-game conference series where Sam Houston swept the Miners.

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For complete coverage of UTEP Softball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepsoftball (Instagram/X) and UTEP Softball on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

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