A crowd of 6,751 filled Southwest University Park on Aug. 29 for UTEP Night at the Chihuahuas. While the Chihuahuas (70-59) fell 11-9 to the Tacoma Rainiers (73-57) in a high-scoring game, the UTEP community still celebrated a night defined by Miner pride and community spirit.
The annual event turned the ballpark into a sea of orange, with UTEP’s drumline, choir, cheer and dance teams showcasing university spirit throughout the night.
For many, the game was secondary to the sense of unity the event created between the university and El Paso.
“This is my first year as faculty,” Assistant Director of the Marching Miners, Arturo Vaughn said. “Seeing these students and the hard work they put in over the past few weeks, and finally seeing that come together to give back to the community, is always nice to see.”
Students said the event strengthened the bond between generations of Miners.
“I think it brings all the generations together,” kinesiology major Alexis Bethajosa said. “It helps the community get involved with UTEP and it brings us together as a UTEP family.”
Alumni shared similar views, with some recalling cherished memories from their time at UTEP.
“I was in the band and we beat BYU,” 1976 graduate Danny Tovar said. “They had won the championship the year before. We took the goalposts down, dragged them to the levee and burned them. That’s what comes to mind when all this happens.”
For recent graduates, the night also showed the university’s commitment to connecting with the city.
“It says that they’re interested in building the community,” Class of 2023 graduate, Maria Avila said. “They support scholarships, they support the Chihuahuas. It’s about building a local community.”
This year’s spotlight was on the Marching Miners drumline, which performed at the Santa Fe Street entrance and inside the ballpark.
“Rhythm is universal,” Director of Athletic Bands, Brandon Houghtalen said. “We’re the heartbeat of campus and the heartbeat of UTEP. This is a great way to kickstart the year and connect with the city.”
Students said seeing the crowd draped in orange is what made the event memorable.
“Just seeing the sea of orange… any time UTEP gets to interact with the Chihuahuas, it’s just a good time,” music major Texas Hart said.
While the Chihuahuas couldn’t pull off a win on the field, UTEP spirit was the theme of the night. For a few hours, downtown El Paso was a sea of orange, alive with Miner pride.
Adrian Gonzalez is a sophomore multimedia journalism major at the University of Texas at El Paso and may be reached at [email protected]
