When he was about 14 years old, Steven Cordova volunteered to work with a city league team at the concession stands during the 2010 Conference USA Men's Basketball championship game between UTEP and Memphis.
 
Cordova had every intention of helping sell concessions throughout the game to raise money for the city league team, but a funny thing happened along the way. Once he was inside the Don Haskins Center and saw the atmosphere, his priorities changed.
 
"I was blown away," Cordova said. "It was to the point where I ditched the concession stand, and I snuck away and watched the entire game. It was the most incredible thing I ever was a part of. Little by little, I started paying more attention to the team and the individual players. It was to the point where I was telling my parents, 'hey, let's go to the game' because they weren't as big of fanatics as I would like them to be."
 
Cordova's parents, who now are steadfast fans because of him, obliged and his fandom for the Miners grew, especially once he enrolled at UTEP.
 
"I applied to many colleges and got into several, but for some reason I felt like I should stay (home)," Cordova said. "I ended up attending UTEP, and it was the best thing ever. I purposely got the days off (work) to where I could go to all the games. I probably missed like two games in my entire undergrad. I just fell in love with it."
 
Following graduation, Cordova spent some time in San Antonio before eventually moving to Fort Worth. His commitment to supporting UTEP, however, didn't waver.
 
"I felt like there was no way I was going to give it up (being a Miner fan)," Cordova said. "I've been supporting them since graduation, and I think even more now that I left (El Paso)."
 
Despite being 600 miles from the Sun City, Cordova is noticing more and more Miner fans popping up in the area.
 
"You see Miner picks on cars everywhere," Cordova said. "I got one for every single one of my family members. It's funny, we have a group chat and every time we see them, I'll take a picture and share with them what I found."
 
It's also been fun for him to realize that he's not the one who is really intense about cheering for the Miners no matter the outcome.
 
"(UTEP fans) are vocal, passionate and faithful. There are some people I run into that are just as crazy as I am, and I thought I was crazy," Cordova said. "It's one of those fan bases that once you're in, you're in for life. We've had some rough years, and we just cannot stop watching the games. We cannot stop following them. There's a sense of pride you get. We can go up against anybody, and I think we're going to win. That's my mentality every single game."
 
Cordova also has a better appreciation for El Paso after being away from it.
 
"There's probably no place in the world like El Paso," Cordova said. "Especially having moved away, you realize the impact that the Borderland community has on you. There's a special thing going on in the community because of the people."
 
 
He gets back to the Sun City for every football season opener and some rivalry contests, but he's also taken advantage of being in DFW to fly throughout different parts of the country to cheer on his hometown team.
 
"I don't miss postseason tournaments," Cordova said. "I went to Madison, Wis., to see the volleyball team play (2025 NCAA Tournament). We didn't miss the Conference USA basketball tournament for like seven years. I've been to Chicago to see the Miners and went to Miami to see them. (I've gone) all over the place. (My passion) hasn't left, and I've been trying to get more people to understand that it's important to support them. I've gotten a few of my friends back home to buy season tickets and become MAC members. It's not that hard. You already go to four games a year (so just buy season tickets)."
 
One thing that irks Cordova is the trap that some people fall into with thinking that they must be extremely wealthy to support the school or to become a MAC member.
 
"I think people hear donor and they think that you have to be some sort of company or just someone that makes a ton of money," Cordova said. "I'm like, no, if we all do it, it makes an impact. (UTEP) is a part of who we are, the identity of El Paso. That's important."
 
He also is convinced that it's time for the most opinionated fans to get behind the Orange and Blue.
 
"We're a very vocal fanbase. It's pretty obvious how vocal we are on the internet and just everywhere," Cordova said. "It's one of those things that it's time to put your money where your mouth is."
 
Cordova is affable, passionate and easy to connect with. That's been evident with how he's brought Miner fans together in his region.
 
"We were able to throw a watch party here in DFW," Cordova said. "I work in the restaurant space, so I was able to book a place with one of our members. We had upstairs reserved for 25 people and like 40 people showed up. It was amazing, and this was on a two-day notice."
 
For plenty of years, fans had made clear their desires for UTEP to join the Mountain West. Thanks to the efforts of the leadership at the school, that dream is now a reality. To say that Cordova is fired up about it is an understatement.
 
"It's insane. We've talked about it for so many years, and it finally happened," Cordova said. "It's one of those things that when I found out, I sent it to everyone. I posted it everywhere. It's a big move, and it obviously makes sense. It's (been) a long time coming. I'm going to ride that high. What's most important to me personally is that it's kind of like my parents' era. It's a full circle for us."
 
Cordova is still writing his story, but one thing is certain for him. His love for UTEP will forever be embedded within him.
 
"No matter where I go in the world, UTEP will always be a part of me," Cordova said. "So that's kind of just spreading that message that it's molded in you. UTEP is something that I can always rep, and it's something I can be proud of. I love wearing my gear, and I love supporting them."