[1]Beau Bagley [1] Sports Anchor / Reporter
The UTEP Women's Basketball team will hold their first game, an exhibition, Saturday, November 3 at 4:30pm at St. Mary's, to be followed by an exhibition game between the UTEP men's basketball team and Southeast Oklahoma at 7:00pm at the Haskins Center.
Senior F Anete Steinberga (5.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.8 apg) junior F Kayla Thornton (9.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.1 spg) & junior G Kelli Willingham (7.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg & 2.7 apg) return as starters from last year's C-USA regular season & tournament championship team (29-4, 15-1, C-USA).
Including the three starters, there are seven returning letterwinners. Sophomore guards Syerra Davis (1.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.1 apg) Jenzel Nash (5.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg & 0.9 apg) & Chrishauna Parker (5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.1 apg) & senior F Kristine Vitola (5.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg) return from last year. Also back is sophomore walk-on G Marissa Rodriguez.
Six of the top seven scorers & four of the top-five rebounders from a year ago are back in the fold. Seven newcomers are on board (five true freshmen & two transfers).
The UTEP women's basketball team was picked second in the 2012-13 Conference USA Preseason Poll, as voted upon the league's 12 head coaches. Additionally, junior forward Kayla Thornton was tabbed to the all conference preseason team.