If you’re looking for a quiet riser in the UTEP athletic department, look no further than the Miners rifle team. The game doesn’t scream for attention the way a buzzer-beaters and one-handed catches might, but make no mistake — UTEP rifle is trending up, and it’s doing so at exactly the right time in the season.
Through the early portion of the 2025–26 campaign, the Miners are hovering right where competitive postseason teams live: around a 4,700-plus aggregate with a national-caliber star at the top and real, measurable depth behind her. That combination has turned UTEP from a solid program into one that’s starting to demand broader attention heading into the stretch run.
The team scoring profile tells the story first. Match to match, UTEP has been remarkably consistent, averaging roughly 2,311–2,325 in smallbore and 2,367–2,379 in air rifle. That places the Miners in the 4,678–4,715 aggregate range, a window that gives them a fighting chance against quality opposition and a foundation for postseason advancement.
The best example came in their recent win over Air Force, where UTEP posted a 2,336 smallbore score and followed it up with a 2,379 in air rifle for a 4,715 aggregate. Winning is one thing. Doing it while outperforming another solid program in both guns on the same day is another. That result wasn’t a fluke — it was confirmation of steady progress.
At the center of it all is Carlee Valenta, who continues to look every bit like one of the most accomplished shooters in program history. Valenta already owns UTEP records with a 599 in air rifle and an 1181 aggregate, and she proved her credentials last season by qualifying for the NCAA Championships. This year, she’s taken another step forward.
Early-season averages have Valenta sitting around 580.5 in smallbore and 598.5 in air rifle — numbers that consistently place her in national-level contention. More importantly for UTEP, she’s delivering those scores week after week, giving the Miners a reliable anchor in both events. In rifle, consistency is currency, and Valenta is cashing in.
What’s different this season, though, is what’s happening behind her.
Against Air Force, Kameron Wells emerged as a true second hammer, firing a 587 in smallbore and a 597 in air rifle while finishing runner-up in both disciplines. That kind of output matters. It takes pressure off Valenta and raises the team’s ceiling when both guns are firing.
Xan Keel added another key layer, posting a 585 smallbore and a 596 air rifle in the same match. When the dust settled, UTEP had three shooters with 585-plus in smallbore and 596-plus in air rifle. That’s not just a good day — that’s the kind of depth profile coaches want to see heading into championship season.
And that’s where the calendar comes into focus.
UTEP’s next major checkpoints are the Patriot Rifle Conference Championship on Feb. 7–8 and the NCAA Qualifier in Fairbanks on Feb. 21. Those events will determine how far this team can go, both collectively and individually. Team aggregate will be crucial, but so will Valenta’s ability to keep herself in the NCAA conversation while being backed by multiple high scorers.
The stat trend to watch is simple but telling: can UTEP consistently keep its smallbore scores in the mid-2330s while pushing air rifle toward 2380 or better against top-15 competition? If the answer is yes, the Miners won’t just be participating — they’ll be competing.
For now, the arrow is pointing up. UTEP rifle has a proven leader, legitimate depth, and a scoring range that puts them on the postseason map. The next few weeks will determine just how loud this story gets, but inside the program and around the range, there’s a growing sense that something special is building.
One Response
Valenta is the definition of elite competency. Her high level of coachability, her relentless drive for self-improvement over talent, & her willingness to choose courage over comfort have earned her a spot with the nation’s best.
Creating a ripple effect of high standards and leaving a program better than you found it establishes a legacy that is built to last.
Iron has sharpened iron.