Front + Senter (9-3-26)

9/3/2026 10:45:00 AM

Miner Nation,

I'm writing to you on the eve of the UTEP football team's 2026 season opener at Oklahoma!  In fact, when you read this, we may either be on a plane to Norman or on the ground and in final preparations to face the 10^th-ranked Sooners.

I'm excited to start the 'Front + Senter' newsletter, and looking forward to keeping you updated on everything going on with UTEP Athletics over the course of the year.

Fast Start for the Miners!
Our first year in the Mountain West Conference is off to a great start.  The soccer team is 3-0-2 and unbeaten through five matches for the first time in 10 years.  Volleyball opened the doors to the new-look Memorial Gym on Sunday and knocked off I-10 rival NM State, 3-2.  Between soccer and volleyball, we've posted our best combined win percentage (.714) entering the month of September in 15 years.

Football Home Opener is Right Around the Corner!
Next Saturday (September 12^th) is our football home opener versus Texas Southern at 7 pm.  I hope you'll make plans to join us in the Sun Bowl!  The first 10,000 fans will receive a commemorative black t-shirt for "Heritage Night," and our team will be wearing their new Texas Western uniforms.  Make a day of it and watch the volleyball team take on UC San Diego at 3 pm at Memorial Gym.  Then tailgate at Paydirt Pete's Pregame Party Zone Presented by Bud Light, which opens at 4 on Glory Field.  You'll find food, drinks and fun for the whole family.  And be sure to stay for the postgame fireworks show after the game!  Click here for our complete UTEP Football Gameday Guide with everything you need to know before coming to the stadium.

Mark Your Calendars!
Our first official Mountain West home event is on Sunday, September 27^th, when soccer hosts San Jose State at 1 pm.  And if you haven't had the chance to come check out Memorial Gym with new chairback seating, flooring, sound system and lighting, you're missing out.  For all team schedules and ticket information, visit www.UTEPMiners.com.

"Reach the Peak" Update
Momentum is building both on and off the field!  Our "Reach the Peak" fundraising campaign is in full swing and we've already met two of our four goals for year one in the Mountain West.  We have 71 Gold Standard Giving Society members, each giving over $30,000 to the department over a three-year period.  We also have 1,759 Miner Athletic Club members, donating a minimum of $9.15 per month.  We had our first sellout of the year for the volleyball match against NMSU and are two away from achieving our goal.  We also have 7,753 season ticket holders for all sports, 747 shy of our goal of 8,500.

There are so many ways that you can make a difference and help increase our level of competitiveness in the Mountain West, whether it be purchasing a season or single game ticket or making a donation to the MAC.  To reach a MAC staff member, call (915) 747-8759 or email mac@utep.edu.

UTEP Athletics Brick Program
Our Legacy Brick campaign just launched and now, for a limited time, you can purchase a brick with a personalized message that will be permanently displayed by the statue of "The Bear" himself outside the Don Haskins Center.  It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the most passionate Miner fan!  For more details visit www.uteplegacybricks.com.

Staff Spotlight
We'll be spotlighting members of our staff in this newsletter and I'd like to start by recognizing Rita Lerma, my Executive Assistant, who will be retiring at the end of January following 27 years of service to UTEP Athletics.  Rita not only does a fantastic job managing my calendar, but she provides invaluable support to several of our sports programs and units while helping run critical events for our department.  She has been a tremendous asset to UTEP Athletics and we'll miss her greatly when she's gone.  She's also the friendly face that everybody sees when they walk into the Brumbelow Building.  Thank you Rita!

Fun Fact
Did you know that the Don Haskins Center will turn 50 next year?  We played our very first game in "The Don," which was then known as the Special Events Center, against Wyoming on Feb. 3, 1977.  Oddly enough, the Miners went 0-5 in the Special Events Center during the 1976-77 season before establishing one of the nation's best homecourt advantages in the seasons to come.  We're looking forward to throwing a 50^th birthday party for the arena early next year and I'll share details down the road.

Do You Have a Question?
In future newsletters, I'll be answering questions that fans have about UTEP Athletics.  You can submit a question by clicking here.

As always, thanks for your support, and Go Miners!

Jim Senter
Vice President/Director of Athletics

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