UTEP Soccer To Kick Off 2026 Season With Two Home Matches

8/11/2026 8:10:00 AM

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team will begin the 2026 season with a pair of matches at University Field, hosting Lamar (7 p.m. on Wednesday) and DII program Sul Ross State (5 p.m. on Sunday). It will be the "Camper Reunion" contest for the matchup with the Cardinals. Fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit UTEPMiners.com/Tickets for tickets to the tilts.

"It's exciting that the 2026 season opener will be at home against Lamar. There's a real sense of belief within our group," UTEP head coach Gibbs Keeton said. "We've had two strong exhibitions that showed a lot of progress and answered a ton of questions. More importantly, preseason has reflected a shift in our culture and shown great connectivity on and off the field. With a strong core of returning starters and impactful transfers, we are enhancing and positively reshaping our soccer identity."

GET TO KNOW LAMAR
Southland Conference member Lamar forged a mark of 7-8-5 in 2025, including 3-3-4 in league action. The Cardinals struggled away from home, though, going just 1-6-2. LU returned 18 players from last year's team, including All-SLC second-team honorees Kamdyn Jalayer and Sydney Williams. Jalayer posted seven assists last year (third in SLC), including a league-most six in 10 conference tilts. The Cardinals also added 11 newcomers to the mix.

SERIES HISTORY WITH LAMAR
UTEP is 1-1 against Lamar, but the two sides haven't squared off since 2015. The Miners bested the Cardinals, 6-1, at home in 2010 while falling, 3-2, at University Field five years later in a wild match.

GET TO KNOW SUL ROSS STATE
DII program Sul Ross State finished at 2-16 last year, including going winless (0-7) away from home. Part of that reason was that the Lobos had 17 newcomers on the squad while also completing their final year of transition to the DII level. As of this year, Sul Ross State has been granted full DII status. Cali Triggs, who scored a pair of goals in 2025, is the top returning threat on offense.

SERIES HISTORY WITH SUL ROSS STATE
Sunday's match marks the first meeting between the programs.

MW+ STREAMING
For fans out of town or who can't make the matches, both will be streamed on MW+, where live streaming of UTEP events is not available through traditional partners. MW+ offers an annual subscription for $79.99 and a monthly subscription for $10.99. Become a subscriber of MW+ at: https://watch.themw.com/utep/

A FAMILIAR FEELING
For the second straight year and the fourth occasion in the past five years, the Miners will start the season inside the friendly confines of University Field. With an elevation of 4,200 feet and a passionate fan base, the venue has been very good to the Miners over the years. UTEP boasts a record of 177-80-25 at home since the program's inception in 1996. Both multi-goal contests for the Orange and Blue came in the Sun City, with a 4-0 dismantling of Texas Southern (8/17/25) and a hard-fought 2-2 tie vs. Kennesaw State (10/4/25).

STARTING THE SEASON EARLIER AND EARLIER
UTEP's season-opening matchup with Lamar on Aug. 12 (Wednesday) is the earliest start date in program history, coming in ahead of last year's lid lifter against ACU (8/14/25). For some context of just how much things have changed, 20 years ago the Orange and Blue kicked off the 2006 campaign on Aug. 25, 2006.

ROSTER RUNDOWN
UTEP has a solid nucleus of returnees in place for 2026. The Miners return seven starters (GK Savanah Finley, MF Anai Lopez, MF Zeta McDannels, D Ashlee Mora, D Ashlyn Neireiter, D Olivia Roskos and MF Maya Vitoria) and seven others (MF Yesenia Cisneros, F Kaitlyn Duntley, D Avery Easley, MF Cassie Garza, F Ava Grosso, MF Ella Rorabaugh and MF Dannique Wilson) to give it 14 letter winners total in the fold from last year. There are also three players (MF Damaris Cisneros, MF Kialie Hudson and D Sasha Lucero) ready to rock from 2025 who sat out last season. UTEP added 12 newcomers, with five DI transfers (GK Jaylyn Hammond, Grambling State, F Shawna Larson, Sacramento State, MF Alana Lawless-Felarca, East Texas A&M, D Gianna Wilbur, Miami (Ohio) and D Macey Williams, Saint Peter's University), five freshmen (MF Kylie Alvarez, MF Bethlehem Daniel, F Haylee Lancaster, D Nyalah Reeves, D Sophia Tovar) and one each from the JUCO (F Valeria Agudelo) and NAIA (GK Ava Brandt) level.

SHARING IS CARING
Dannique Wilson did plenty of damage as a distributor in 2025, her first year in the Orange and Blue after transferring from Hill College. Her four assists topped the team and were the most by a Miner since the 2019 campaign (Tessa Carlin, seven and Jojo Ngongo, five). Furthermore, three of her four helpers came in league action.

REINFORCEMENTS ON THE WAY FOR OFFENSE
UTEP lost its leading goal scorer (Ana Quintero) from the past two years to the transfer portal, but the Miners have quickly reloaded. UTEP added F Valeria Agudelo, who was named the 2025 NJCAA DII Player of the Year after pacing the country in goals (33) to help Heartland Community College advance to the championship contest at the national tournament. Shawna Larson, who is coming in from Sacramento State, has a history of finding the back of the net as well. She compiled 31 goals and 17 assists in her career and was the 2024 NWAC Player of the Year while starring for Peninsula College.

SHUTOUT CITY
UTEP recorded five shutouts last year, the most by the Miners since also recording five in 2022. The Orange and Blue have produced at least four clean sheets in consecutive campaigns, something that hasn't happened since UTEP achieved the feat from 2002 through 2019.

NEIREITER NEVER COMES OFF THE PITCH
UTEP senior D Ashlyn Neireiter takes fitness to a whole new level, playing a possible 3,040 out of 3,060 minutes the past two seasons. She has gone the full 90 in 31 of the 34 matches in that timeframe. Additionally, she has started every game (51) of her career.

A TRIO OF CAPTAINS
Seniors Kialie Hudson and Ashlyn Neireiter and junior Ashlee Mora will have leadership roles in 2026, with each being named a captain for the team.

FIFA 2026 U-20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP BECKONS FOR MORA
UTEP standout Ashlee Mora is slated to represent Mexico at the upcoming 2026 U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland. The event is slated to run from Sept. 5-27.

31ST SEASON OF UTEP SOCCER
The 2026 campaign marks the 31st season in program history, with the Miners entering the year with an all-time record of 285-239-55.

KEETON ERA HITS YEAR FOUR
The 2026 season will also serve as the fourth at the helm for El Paso native Gibbs Keeton. Buoying the gaffer are assistant coaches Morgan McDougal and Jared Hallman, who are also in their fourth years. Tino Gamueda will be in his first campaign as a graduate assistant. He will also coach UTEP's goalkeepers.

Donation · The University of Texas at El Paso · GiveCampus

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