Former UTEP women’s basketball standout Jareica Hughes inducted into CUSA Hall of Fame

(Courtesy: UTEP Athletics)

DALLAS, Texas - Former UTEP women’s basketball star player and current assistant for the team Jareica Hughes is part of the four-member Conference USA 2024 Hall of Fame Class, the league office revealed Monday.

Hughes, who was inducted into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018 and was also a member of the UTEP Women’s Basketball Centennial Team, becomes the third Miner to be so distinguished.

She joins Tobi Amusan (Class of 2023) and Anthony Rotich (Class of 2022).

Hughes helped take the Orange and Blue to unprecedented heights during her playing career from 2006-10. During her tenure, UTEP won a conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Miners piled up a combined 84 triumphs during her career, including the first two 20+ victory seasons in program annals.

She was a two-time CUSA Player of the Year (2007-08, 2008-09) and garnered All-CUSA accolades in a trio (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10) of occasions.

Hughes paced the team in scoring and assists for all four years of her career while doing so in steals and free-throw percentage on a trio of occasions. 

In her first campaign at UTEP, she was named 2006-07 C-USA Freshman of the Year after leading the team to its initial 20-win season (22-8).

As a sophomore, Hughes helped the Miners to a then school-record 28 victories (28-4).

The Orange and Blue recorded 23 consecutive wins and became the first CUSA women's team to go undefeated in league play (16-0) on the way to claiming the program's initial conference championship.

That year they routed WKU, 92-60, in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament after receiving an at-large bid.

Despite her playing career finishing nearly 15 years ago, Hughes still holds the school records in career assists (599), steals (277), and minutes played (3,777).

She ranks second in points (1,555), made free throws (359) and attempted (492) and games started (114).

She is third all-time in field goals made (527) and fourth in victories (84) and three-pointers (142).

Prior to her arrival in the Sun City, UTEP had just one season (18, 1992-93) with 18 or more victories.

The Miners put together three such campaigns with the explosive 5-3 guard leading the charge. UTEP finished 22-8 in 2006-07, 28-24 in 2007-08 and 18-12 in 2008-09.

Hughes graduated from UTEP with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.