The regular indoor season is officially in the books for the UTEP Miners track and field program — and momentum is building at exactly the right time.
Competing Feb. 13–14 at the Jarvis Scott Invitational in Lubbock, Texas, UTEP closed out its final tune-up before the conference championships with personal bests, near-wins, and several projected Conference USA scorers rounding into form.
Juan Leal headlines final day
The biggest performance of the weekend came from miler Juan Leal, who delivered a statement run on Saturday.
Leal clocked a personal-best 4:09.50 in the mile, finishing second overall in a competitive field. It was not only the top UTEP individual finish highlighted in the recap, but it also solidified him as one of the top milers heading into the conference meet.
Dropping to 4:09.50 at this stage of the season is significant. For Leal, it signals peak timing — sharpening speed just before championship racing begins. With Conference USA points on the line next week, he enters as a legitimate podium threat and potential title contender.
Women’s 600-yard group surges
While Leal grabbed headlines, the women’s middle-distance group quietly had one of the strongest collective days of the meet.
UTEP recorded multiple personal records in the women’s 600-yard race, showing depth and development across the board:
- Cailee Phillips – 1:32.23 (PR)
- Samirah Avila – 1:33.94 (PR)
- Braela Sargent – 1:36.75 (PR)
Phillips led the trio with the fastest time among the Miners, and the cluster of PRs demonstrates clear progression in the event group. Championship meets often swing on depth scoring, and having multiple athletes trending upward could prove critical in Lynchburg.
More distance improvements
The men’s distance unit also saw encouraging marks beyond Leal’s breakout.
Paul Rotich ran a personal-best 4:23.46 in the mile, while Nethaneel Taylor added a season-best 4:24.11. Those performances may not grab the same spotlight as Leal’s 4:09.50, but in a championship setting, every finalist and every point matters.
Across the final day alone, UTEP logged at least 11 personal bests. That’s the type of upward trajectory coaches hope to see entering the postseason.
The regular season officially closed
The Jarvis Scott Invitational marked the end of UTEP’s indoor regular season schedule. There are no additional meets before the conference, meaning the focus now shifts entirely toward championship preparation — recovery, fine-tuning race plans, and sharpening event-specific details.
Importantly, this is team championship season. Unlike the NCAA prelim formats later in the year, the Conference USA indoor meet is a full-team scoring event, meaning both the men’s and women’s squads will compete across the entire event slate.
What’s next: Conference USA Indoor Championships
UTEP now turns its attention to the Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, scheduled for:
- Feb. 27–28, 2026; ESPN+
- Hosted in Lynchburg, Virginia
- Held at Liberty’s indoor facility on the campus of Liberty University
This is the postseason.
Expected UTEP contenders
While final entry lists are released closer to race day, several Miners are positioned as projected scorers based on season rankings:
- Juan Leal – Men’s mile contender
- Amir Williams – Men’s 60-meter hurdles (ranked inside the CUSA top 10)
- Cydni Martin – Women’s 200 meters
- Addison Stricklin – Women’s 200 meters
- Praise Djoma – Horizontal jumps
Leal enters as one of UTEP’s strongest podium threats following his 4:09.50 performance. Williams in the hurdles brings scoring upside in a short sprint event that can swing team totals quickly. On the women’s side, Martin and Stricklin give the Miners speed in the 200m, while Djoma provides field-event scoring potential — critical in championship formats where jumps and throws often determine final standings.
Why this meeting matters
Conference championships serve as both a team goal and a stepping stone toward NCAA qualification marks. Strong performances in Lynchburg could:
- Deliver podium finishes and potential event titles.
- Improve national ranking positions.
- Build momentum toward the outdoor season.
For a program with UTEP’s history in distance and middle-distance excellence, having multiple athletes peaking at the right time is encouraging.
The big picture
From Leal’s near-win to a wave of personal bests across sprint and distance groups, the Jarvis Scott Invitational showed a team trending upward.
Now comes the real test.
On Feb. 27–28 in Lynchburg, the Miners will line up not just chasing times, but chasing points — and possibly championships.
If the final regular-season meet was any indication, UTEP is arriving at conference season in form, confident, and ready to compete.
