TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 PREVIEW CREDITS The 2017 UTEP Softball Media Guide is a copyrighted publication 4 Conference USA Notes of the UTEP Athletics Media Relations Office. 5 Quick Facts 6 Preseason Notes Managing Editor Denise Mata, Drew Bonney 7 Miners at a Glance Layout and Design Denise Mata 8 2017 Roster Cover Designs Charles Davis, Stephanie Avalos 9 MEET THE MINERS Official UTEP Photographer: Michael Reese 10 Returning Miners 20 Newcomers Additional Photography Provided by: Ivan Pierre Aguirre, Brian Kanof, Christ Chavez, El Paso Herald-Post Archives, El Paso Times (Ruben 21 COACHING STAFF Ramirez & Mark Lambie), Getty Images (Drew Hallowell, Mario Prosperino), NCAA Photos, Ray Navarro, The Sun Bowl Association, 23 Tobin Echo-Hawk - Head Coach University Communications (J.R. Hernandez, Laura Trejo), UTEP Library 25 Cristina Cobb-Adams - Assistant Coach (Special Collections, Claudia Rivers). 26 Becca Bliss - Assistant Coach 27 Lexi Goranson, Kawehiokalani Netane, Aubrey Nitschelm - GA’s Copy current as of Jan. 14, 2017. 28 IN REVIEW 58 UNIVERSITY 29 2016 Results 30 Individual Statistics 59 This is UTEP 31 Miscellaneous Statistics 60 President - Dr. Diana Natalicio 32 Superlatives 61 Athletic Director - Bob Stull 63 Helen of Troy Softball Complex 33 RECORDS 64 Miner Athletic Academic Center 65 Athletic Training Room 34 Annual Leaders 66 Athletic Weight Room 36 Individual Records - Game 37 Individual Records - Season 39 Individual Records - Career MEDIA 40 Team Records - Season 67 42 Team Records - Game 68 Media Policy 44 UTEP Series vs. Opponents 69 Media Outlets 49 Yearly Results 54 Awards & Honors 56 Letterwinners 57 No-Hitters in UTEP History PREVIEW C-USA NOTES Conference USA begins its 22nd year in 2016-17 as it continues to compete In addition to the numerous NCAA Tournament berths, C-USA has sent and promote the success of its student-athletes. The league has adapted to four men’s soccer teams to the NCAA College Cup, three softball teams to the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics over its first two-plus the Women’s College World Series and three volleyball teams to the NCAA decades, but the commitment to excellence, integrity, leadership and its Sweet 16. The league has also had 36 national champions in NCAA track and student athletes in competition, academics and community is unwavering. field competition, one national champion in diving, and numerous NCAA PREVIEW individual and team competitors in cross country, golf, swimming, tennis, Conference USA enjoys a far-reaching fan base with its 14 members: Char- and track and field. Overall, Conference USA teams and individuals have lotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, made nearly 2,000 NCAA appearances. North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, UTSA and WKU. SUCCESS OFF THE FIELD C-USA institutions are among the nation’s best in academic performance Debuting in 1995, Conference USA teams have combined for 93 bowl ap- of student-athletes, bolstered by the fact that student-athletes at league pearances in football, 104 NCAA Tournament appearances in basketball, schools have a higher graduation rate than the general student population. including three Final Fours, 67 NCAA baseball appearances including six Among C-USA’s 5,000 student-athletes, there are champions off the play- College World Series berths, 84 NCAA soccer tournament appearances in- ing field as well. In 21 years, more than 30,000 student-athletes have been cluding four trips to the College Cup, and 36 individual national champions named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll or received the Commissioner’s MINERS in track and field and cross country. Academic Medal, indicative of outstanding achievement in the classroom. Success is not limited to athletic achievement, however, as 207 Conference C-USA ON TV USA student-athletes have garnered Academic All-America honors, 722 C-USA enjoys significant television exposure through partnerships with have achieved academic all-district laurels and thousands of student-ath- ESPN, CBS Sports Network, American Sports Network (ASN) and beIN letes have earned a college degree. SPORTS. The multi-tiered selection process that is rooted in partnering with all four networks provides extensive national exposure for football, Conference USA sponsors competition in 19 sports – nine for men (base- men’s and women’s basketball, and all other conference sports. ball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and indoor and STAFF outdoor track and field) and 10 for women (basketball, cross country, golf, C-USA membership include institutions within eight of the Top 40 media soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and markets and four in the Top 25 according to Nielsen. C-USA home markets field, and volleyball). this year will include more than 13 million TV households, a 30 percent in- crease from three years ago. The league promotes the scholar-athlete ideal, honoring outstanding aca- demic achievement with numerous conference-sponsored awards, includ- CUSA.TV ing the Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Commissioner’s Academic Med- CUSA.TV will officially launch in the Summer of 2016 making all non-tele- al as well as sport-specific All-Academic teams. vised team sports available as part of a subscription package. The site will offer all events in one location so fans can watch home and away matchups C-USA annually awards postgraduate scholarships, along with the Sport Ac- of their favorite team or season long events from their favorite sport. The ademic Awards, Scholar-Athletes of the Year and the Institutional Academic site will showcase weekly feature stories as well as postgame interviews, Excellence Award. Additionally, Conference USA presents a Spirit of Service players of the week highlights and other exciting content. IN REVIEW Award three times each year, recognizing student-athletes who excel on the field, in the classroom and give back to the community through significant C-USA IN THE COMMUNITY service efforts and participation. The conference’s current footprint is concentrated with 14 members in 10 states and a combined area population of more than 30 million. With a SUCCESS ON THE PLAYING FIELD commitment to community involvement, the conference developed several Conference USA performers have achieved great success in competition, initiatives to maintain strong ties in C-USA cities, as well as with fans and placing the league among the top conferences in the nation. alumni across the country. C-USA schools also place a priority on giving back to their communities through volunteer service with local and nation- Football al organizations. Individually, student-athletes are recognized each season HONORS *93 teams have earned bowl bids through the Spirit of Service award. *Eligible for the College Football Playoff *Conference USA has 10 bowl affiliations through the 2019 season, securing GOVERNANCE a minimum of five berths annually. Conference USA has primary bowl tie- Conference USA has significant representation in the NCAA governance ins with the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Hawai’i Bowl, Marmot Boca Raton structure. The presidents of the member institutions serve as the league’s Bowl. Miami Beach Bowl, Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, R+L Carriers New Orle- Board of Directors. ans Bowl, St. Petersburg Bowl and Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl, along with secondary arrangements with the Camping World Independence Bowl and A PROUD HISTORY the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Conference USA was formed in 1995 and quickly emerged as one of the na- tion’s top conferences. The conference unveiled its name, logo and com- Men’s Basketball missioner April 24, 1995, in Chicago. The league’s charter members were RECORDS *124 postseason teams (53 NCAA, 48 NIT, 11 CBI, 10 CIT, 2 LV16) Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Houston, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, *One National Championship title game appearance Saint Louis, Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB and USF. Eleven of the institutions *Three Final Four teams began athletic participation in 1995, while Houston joined competition in *Seven Elite Eight NCAA Tournament teams the fall of 1996. *One NIT Champion and five NIT semifinalists *Inaugural CBI Champion The league’s headquarters were established in Chicago and, after nine *One CIT Champion years, relocated to the current office in Irving, Texas. Britton Banowsky was *Inaugural Las Vegas 16 Champion named Commissioner in October 2002, succeeding Mike Slive, the league’s first Commissioner. In October 2015, Judy MacLeod became the league’s Women’s Basketball third Commissioner. *51 NCAA Tournament appearances *55 WNIT appearances C-USA added East Carolina (September, 1996) and the United States Military UNIVERSITY *One Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament team Academy (March, 1997) as football members. ECU began league competi- *Four WNIT semifinalists tion in 1997; Army in 1998 and UAB began football play in 1999. The league *One WBI Champion brought in TCU and ECU (1999) for all sports and they began competition in 2001. USF started C-USA football in 2003. Marshall, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF Baseball and UTEP became full-time Conference USA members for all sports in 2005. *67 NCAA appearances *Six College World Series appearances (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and In 2013, charter member Charlotte returned to C-USA and was joined by new 2001) members FIU, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, North MEDIA *14 Super Regional appearances Texas, Old Dominion and UTSA. WKU joined the league on July 1, 2014. *Has produced at least four NCAA teams in 10 of the past 15 seasons 4 @utepathletics 2017 SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS PREVIEW GENERAL INFORMATION FACILITY HISTORY Location El Paso, Texas Home Field Helen of Troy Field Enrollment 23,400 Capacity 607 Founded 1914 Dimensions: Nickname Miners Left Field 200 ft. Colors Dark Blue, Orange, Silver Accent Center Field 220 ft. Affiliation NCAA Division I Right Field 200 ft. Conference Conference USA Field Matrix Field Turf President Dr. Diana Natalicio Helen of Troy Record 140-131 MINERS Director of Athletics Bob Stull All-Time Home Record 144-145 Assoc.