The basketball legend often shared stories to fellow women basketball coaches, that would, in turn, get them to think. Haskins would continue to be one of UTEP women’s basketball biggest supporters until his passing in 2008. He walked into the gym, and we could hear is a booming voice we were like, oh, what’s he doing here?” “Wow, we were in awe when he walked in, Estrada said. He would come in echoing his voice through Holiday Hall-which was the former gymnasium of the women’s team-often inserting himself to teach them defensive schemes to make up for their lack of height. Estrada was a member of the 2013 UTEP Hall of Fame and was named to UTEP’s All-Centennial Team in 2014.ĭuring the early years of the program, during some of the team’s practices, they would get an unexpected visit by the legendary Don Haskins. At the time, hardly any fans nor media witnessed what Thornton called “the greatest shooter he’s ever seen.” Estrada was a fundamental part of the inaugural team, as a junior and senior she led the Miners in scoring. In her first season, Ammerman finished the campaign 11-5 (1974-75), becoming one of the first coaches to experience a winning season in their first year at UTEP.Įvery program needs a star, and the Miners had one of their own in the early years of the program by the name of Gloria Estrada. “So, I mean, starting the program were the pioneers, but it meant a lot to me because we were all mostly local players when we started.”Ĭarol Ammerman would end up taking over the program and be the first female coach in UTEP athletics history. “For me, it was important because there were a lot of El Paso players that otherwise wouldn’t have gotten a chance to play,” said former Miner Gloria Estrada. They lost all three games but it was the beginning chapter of UTEP women’s basketball. During that season, the Minerettes, as they were originally called, only played three games that year, against New Mexico State.
They then held tryouts and got coeds they rounded up from around campus and the team was born. The two men would go on and coach the first ever UTEP women’s basketball team. What they did and how they did it with the class that they used to do what they had to do is unmeasurable.” “Nobody can ever take that away, the fact that it was the first women’s team ever. “That 1974 season was so special because it was the first, Thornton said. It was barely enough to purchase uniforms and basketballs but it was a start. The duo impressed Templeton enough that he rewarded them a $1,000 to kick-start the program. Templeton, with hopes of creating a women’s basketball team. In 1973-74, two students by the name of Don Lewis and Wayne Thornton approached then president of the university, Arleigh B. 10, at the Don Haskins Center.īefore we move to the 45th year, let’s revisit how they got here. This upcoming basketball season marks a significant anniversary for the UTEP women’s basketball program as they celebrate 45 years when the Miners start their upcoming season on Saturday, Nov.
0 kommentar(er)
