UTEP track & field hosts Sun City Classic; interview with head coach Francesca Green

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP track and field staff will host the Sun City Classic at Larry Okay. Durham Track at Kidd Field on Saturday.

Individual day passes are $15.

For tickets, go to www.utepminers.com/ticketsname (915) 747-UTEP, or e-mail tickets@utep.edu.

On Saturday, the occasions will start at 11 am with the boys’s and girls’s hammer, adopted by the working occasions beginning at 4 pm with the boys’s 4×100.

The meet will conclude at 8 pm with the ladies’s 4×400-meter relay.

Eight seniors – Evan Avitia, Alex Brown, Oghenekaro Brume, Lizbeth Fierro, Andres Gurrola, Mathew Polk, Nethaneel Taylor and Zacarias Velasquez – can even be acknowledged at 3:45 pm, on the field earlier than the track occasions start

Competing for the ladies’s aspect are Samirah Avila (200m, 100H, javelin, excessive leap, lengthy leap), Brume (200m, 400m, 4×4), Isabella Campa (800m), Andera Castillo (800m), Londyn Colon (100m, 200m, 4×1), Grace Culver (100H, lengthy leap), Sarah Dovenbarger (pole vault), Elijah Ebow-Renich (200m, 100H, javelin, excessive leap, lengthy leap), Madison Evans (400m, 4×4), Peace Ewa (excessive leap), Fierro (hammer throw), Samahri Foster (400H, 4x4B), Bobbi Guillen (1500m), Jaylah Harris (100m, 200m), Brenda Jerop (1500m), Vallary Kiplagat (5000m), Salma Licon (5000m), Cydni Martin (100m, 100H, 4×1, 4×4), Amai Newman (400m, 4×4), Cailee Phillips (400H, 4x4B), Malorie Richardson-Clay (shot put), Braela Sargent (200m, 100H, javelin, excessive leap, lengthy leap), Addison Stricklin (100m, 200m, 4×1, 4x4B) and Juantai-Shay Williams (100m, 200m, 4×1, 4x4B).

Going for the boys are Sebastian Avena (400m, 4×4), Avitia (800m), Oleksandr Blonskyi (100m, 110H, javelin, pole vault, discus), Brown (lengthy leap, triple leap), Luke Cerda (200m, pole vault, javelin throw), Carmelo Corral (1500m), Damon Flemmings (100m, javelin, excessive leap), Joshua Ford (100m, 200m, 4x1B, 4x4B), Kayden Gibson (100m, 200m, 110H), Joseph Gomez Whitten (100m, 200m, 4x1B, 4x4B), Timothy Grice (200m, 4x1B), Matthew Guerra (5000m), Gurrola (1500m), Arion Hill (200m, 110H), Juan Leal (800m), Zion Meaders (400m, 4x4B), Elias Munoz (100m, 200m, 4×1, 4×4), Elijah Munoz (javelin), Polk (200m, 400m, 4×1, 4×4), Israel Quintana (5000m), Kalix Robinson (400H, 4x4B), Paul Rotich (800m), Amari Taylor (400m, 4×4), Velasquez (100m, 4x1B, lengthy leap), Amir Williams (100m, 110H, 4×1), and Jacob Yeager (800m).

“We’re excited to host the Sun City Classic as our final home meet of the season. It’s always special to compete in front of our home crowd, and this meet gives us another opportunity to showcase the progress we’ve made and continue building momentum as we move closer to championship season,” first-year UTEP head coach Francesca Green mentioned. “This weekend can also be about recognizing our senior class and all the things they’ve poured into this program. They’ve helped lay the inspiration for what we’re constructing, and we’re pleased with the influence they’ve made each on and off the track. I additionally need to spotlight Zac for incomes the Spirit of Service Award (on Thursday, April 9). That speaks to the kind of particular person and chief he’s, and it represents what we wish this program to face for. We’re wanting ahead to a terrific weekend of competitors and celebrating our seniors the proper approach. We hope our neighborhood comes out to help and be a part of it.”

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS

Evan Avitiaan El Paso native and Americas High School graduate, made his approach again to the 915 after competing at Hutchinson Community College earlier than transferring to UTEP. The distance runner has competed in over 20 cross nation and track & field meets as a miner and over 46 in his collegiate profession. He just lately set a private greatest time within the 800 on the Miners Invitational just a few weeks in the past.

Alex Brown transferred to UTEP earlier than the 2025 season and has seen motion in over 9 meets as a jumper. In his collegiate profession, Brown has competed in over 30 meets. Brown set a private greatest within the triple leap on the 2025 Willie Williams Classic and had a podium end within the triple leap on the Miners Invitational.

Oghenekaro Brume He started his UTEP profession through the 2021 outside season. The sprinter has competed in over 35 meets in his profession. Brume, a two-time gold medalist, was an all-Conference USA first staff member in each the indoor and outside 4×400 relay in 2023. The outside relay’s time of three:37.37 on the 2023 NCAA West First Round ranks ninth in program historical past.

Lizbeth Fierroa graduate of Tornillo High School, began his collegiate profession at UTEP through the 2022 indoor season. Fierro has thrown in over 35 meets. She set a private greatest mark within the hammer throw on the 2025 Don Kirby Tailwind Twilight, ending second within the occasion. Fierro long-established a second-place end within the weight throw on the 2026 Stan Scott Invitational.

Andres Gurrolaan El Paso native and graduate of Eastwood High School, got here again to the 915 for his closing yr of competitors. The distance runner opened his UTEP profession through the 2025 cross nation season and earned All-Conference USA second staff honors. Gurrola just lately clocked in a private greatest time within the 10,000-meter run and positioned third total on the Texas Relays. Gurrola cast a first-place end within the 5000 on the Miners Invitational.

Matthew Polka graduate of Chapin High School, began his UTEP profession through the 2023 indoor season. The sprinter has competed in over 30 meets. Polk was named a 2024 All-Conference USA third staff member and took bronze within the outside 4×400-meter relay. Polk gained the 400-meter sprint with a personal-best time of 47.73 on the Miners Invitational.

Nethaneel Taylorwho transferred to UTEP earlier than the season, started his distance profession as a miner through the 2025 cross nation season. Taylor set a pr within the 5k on the New Mexico Lobo Cross Country Invitational and within the 8k on the Arturo Barrios Invitational. He noticed motion in 5 indoor meets, setting private bests within the mile on the Jarvis Scott and within the 3000 on the CUSA Indoor Championships.

Zacarias Velasquezan El Paso native and graduate of Franklin High School, began his UTEP profession through the 2023 indoor season. Velasquez has competed in sprinting and leaping in over 32 meets. He set a private file within the lengthy leap on the 2025 CUSA Outdoor Championships, and just lately set PRs within the 100 and 200. he gained the lengthy leap on the Miners Invitational and has recorded a number of podium finishes throughout his profession. Velasquez was named a 2026 CUSA Winter Spirit of Service Award winner, as introduced by the league workplace on April 9.