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

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

Individual day passes are $15.

For tickets, visit www.utepminers.com/tickets, call (915) 747-UTEP, or email tickets@utep.edu.

On Saturday, the events will begin at 11 a.m. with the men’s and women’s hammer, followed by the running events starting at 4 p.m. with the men’s 4x100.

The meet will conclude at 8 p.m. with the women’s 4x400-meter relay. 

Eight seniors – Evan Avitia, Alex Brown, Oghenekaro Brume, Lizbeth Fierro, Andres Gurrola, Mathew Polk, Nethaneel Taylor and Zacarias Velasquez – will also be recognized at 3:45 p.m., on the field before the track events begin

Competing for the women’s side are Samirah Avila (200m, 100H, javelin, high jump, long jump), Brume (200m, 400m, 4x4), Isabella Campa (800m), Andera Castillo (800m), Londyn Colon (100m, 200m, 4x1), Grace Culver (100H, long jump), Sarah Dovenbarger (pole vault), Elijah Ebow-Renich (200m, 100H, javelin, high jump, long jump), Madison Evans (400m, 4x4), Peace Ewa (high jump), 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, 4x1, 4x4), Amai Newman (400m, 4x4), Cailee Phillips (400H, 4x4B), Malorie Richardson-Clay (shot put), Braela Sargent (200m, 100H, javelin, high jump, long jump), Addison Stricklin (100m, 200m, 4x1, 4x4B) and Juantai-Shay Williams (100m, 200m, 4x1, 4x4B). 

Going for the men are Sebastian Avena (400m, 4x4), Avitia (800m), Oleksandr Blonskyi (100m, 110H, javelin, pole vault, discus), Brown (long jump, triple jump), Luke Cerda (200m, pole vault, javelin throw), Carmelo Corral (1500m), Damon Flemmings (100m, javelin, high jump), 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, 4x1, 4x4), Elijah Munoz (javelin), Polk (200m, 400m, 4x1, 4x4), Israel Quintana (5000m), Kalix Robinson (400H, 4x4B), Paul Rotich (800m), Amari Taylor (400m, 4x4), Velasquez (100m, 4x1B, long jump), Amir Williams (100m, 110H, 4x1), 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 said. “This weekend is also about recognizing our senior class and everything they’ve poured into this program. They’ve helped lay the foundation for what we’re building, and we’re proud of the impact they’ve made both on and off the track. I also want to highlight Zac for earning the Spirit of Service Award (on Thursday, April 9). That speaks to the type of person and leader he is, and it represents what we want this program to stand for. We’re looking forward to a great weekend of competition and celebrating our seniors the right way. We hope our community comes out to support and be part of it.”

SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS

Evan Avitia, an El Paso native and Americas High School grad, made his way back to the 915 after competing at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to UTEP. The distance runner has competed in over 20 cross country and track & field meets as a miner and over 46 in his collegiate career. He recently set a personal best time in the 800 at the Miners Invitational a few weeks ago.

Alex Brown transferred to UTEP before the 2025 season and has seen action in over nine meets as a jumper. In his collegiate career, Brown has competed in over 30 meets. Brown set a personal best in the triple jump at the 2025 Willie Williams Classic and had a podium finish in the triple jump at the Miners Invitational.

Oghenekaro Brume began her UTEP career during the 2021 outdoor season. The sprinter has competed in over 35 meets in her career. Brume, a two-time gold medalist, was an all-Conference USA first team member in both the indoor and outdoor 4x400 relay in 2023. The outdoor relay’s time of 3:37.37 at the 2023 NCAA West First Round ranks ninth in program history.

Lizbeth Fierro, a graduate of Tornillo High School, started her collegiate career at UTEP during the 2022 indoor season. Fierro has thrown in over 35 meets. She set a personal best mark in the hammer throw at the 2025 Don Kirby Tailwind Twilight, finishing second in the event. Fierro fashioned a second-place finish in the weight throw at the 2026 Stan Scott Invitational.

Andres Gurrola, an El Paso native and graduate of Eastwood High School, came back to the 915 for his final year of competition. The distance runner opened his UTEP career during the 2025 cross country season and earned All-Conference USA second team honors. Gurrola recently clocked in a personal best time in the 10,000-meter run and placed third overall at the Texas Relays. Gurrola forged a first-place finish in the 5000 at the Miners Invitational.

Mathew Polk, a graduate of Chapin High School, started his UTEP career during the 2023 indoor season. The sprinter has competed in over 30 meets. Polk was named a 2024 All-Conference USA third team member and took bronze in the outdoor 4x400-meter relay. Polk won the 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 47.73 at the Miners Invitational.

Nethaneel Taylor, who transferred to UTEP before the season, began his distance career as a miner during the 2025 cross country season. Taylor set a pr in the 5k at the New Mexico Lobo Cross Country Invitational and in the 8k at the Arturo Barrios Invitational. He saw action in five indoor meets, setting personal bests in the mile at the Jarvis Scott and in the 3000 at the CUSA Indoor Championships.

Zacarias Velasquez, an El Paso native and graduate of Franklin High School, started his UTEP career during the 2023 indoor season. Velasquez has competed in sprinting and jumping in over 32 meets. He set a personal record in the long jump at the 2025 CUSA Outdoor Championships, and recently set PRs in the 100 and 200. he won the long jump at the Miners Invitational and has registered multiple podium finishes during his career. Velasquez was named a 2026 CUSA Winter Spirit of Service Award winner, as announced by the league office on April 9.