Sports Director Paul Cicala to leave KVIA

KVIA Sports Director Paul Cicala has announced he will be leaving ABC-7 in one month. Paul will be going back to his native Tucson to tend to family matters, the station said.

“Over the last four years, I’ve taken tremendous pride in being a resident of the El Paso/Juarez/Las Cruces area,” said Paul. “I had every intention of continuing my career in the borderland and potentially calling El Paso home the rest of my life. However, with my mother being stricken with cancer, I felt a need to go back to my hometown of Tucson to be with her and other family members.”

Paul will join station KVOA-TV as sports director upon his arrival in Tucson.

“We are sad to lose such a talented, genuine person like Paul,” said ABC-7 News Director Brenda De Anda-Swann. “He is a truly unique, authentic talent and his enthusiasm is always contagious. He has a special bond with the audience andI know he’ll be missed.”

Cicala, who just received the “Best newscaster under 40” award from the weekly publication “What’s Up!” said he will, too, miss the border.

“I have made numerous friends in the El Paso area,” said Paul. “I feel completely honored that El Pasoans have embraced the stories I’ve done not only in sports, but on border culture, Ciudad Juarez and some of the historical sites you’ll find in this region of the border. I will certainly miss the friendly, outgoing people of this vibrant city. However, with Tucson only about a 4-hour drive away, I’ll definitely be back to visit El Paso often. El Paso and the relationships I’ve developed here in the borderland will always have a special place in my heart. 🙂 .”

De Anda said that, while it’s unfortunate to see Paul leave, she is confident the sports department will be in great hands under the leadership of new sports director Asher Wildman.

During his 16 months as a sports reporter at KVIA, Asher has worked to secure several sports scoops such as the story of coach Sean Kugler joining the University of Texas at El Paso Miners as head football coach and the story of DeWayne Walker leaving New Mexico State University for the NFL.

Click here to read “the Wildman’s” bio.