UTEP to fund use of Haskins Center or Memorial Gym for Willie Cager memorial service

EL PASO, Texas - UTEP is stepping up in a big way to honor a legendary Miner.

Wednesday, UTEP officials announced the university will fund the use of the Don Haskins Center or Memorial Gym for the memorial service for the late Willie Cager.

Cager was a basketball player and a member of the 1966 Texas Western (UTEP) team that would go on to win a NCAA National Championship.

Head coach Don Haskins would start five black players in the national title game, which was a first in NCAA history.

Originally from the Bronx in New York, Cager would make El Paso his home for the rest of his life following his playing days at Texas Western.

He was a fixture at UTEP basketball games, and was always willing to share his stories about his time as a Miner.

Cager died Sunday at the age of 81.

His family is planning a private memorial service, but they wanted to allow the public to pay their respects to Cager as well.

Cager's family was looking into raising money to pay the $10,000 needed to rent the Haskins Center for Cager's memorial service.

As part of the University of Texas system, UTEP must charge a rental fee to anyone who uses facilities owned by the university.

However, UTEP will cover the cost of that fee.

In a statement to ABC-7, a UTEP spokesman said, "UTEP has informed the Cager family that we will fund the use of Memorial Gym or Don Haskins Center for Willie Cager’s public memorial service. We are honored to host the service, and we are working with the family on the arrangements.”

Details of Cager's memorial service have not been released.