Past UTPB Coaches Championships

UTPB Athletics History

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin was an upper-level institution when it opened its doors in 1973. Students could take courses at the junior, senior and graduate level only. There were no courses for freshmen or sophomores.

An intercollegiate tennis team was sponsored by the University from 1979-1988. The team was coached by Virginia Brown and it was highly successful within the NAIA. The team typically finished among the top regionally and nationally. The team was dropped in 1988 due to its high cost to the university. Team participants received full athletic scholarships and had an extensive travel schedule.

For a brief period a club rugby team represented UTPB. They called themselves the Chargers, though the official nickname for the UTPB athletic teams was the Falcons.

In the spring of 1991, the State Legislature authorized UTPB to begin to offer courses at the freshman and sophomore level. In the fall of 1992, President Charles Sorber asked a group of faculty, staff, and community members to look at the impact of a limited program of intercollegiate athletics upon the UTPB campus. The committee recommended the creation of a limited program of athletics and believed that its addition would add a dimension to the university that would make it more appealing to prospective freshmen.

In the fall of 1993, the legislature and the Board of Regents authorized the creation of the current UTPB Athletic Program with approval of a student fee to be used in the support of athletics. Students voted overwhelmingly in support of the fee.

Dr. Steve Aicinena was the first Athletic Director. He served as the club volleyball coach in the fall of 1994 in addition to his full-time academic teaching assignment. Tom Eskhati served as the men's club soccer coach that fall.

UTPB joined the NAIA in the fall of 1995. The volleyball team was UTPB's first intercollegiate team. An inadequate number of eligible male soccer players were recruited to have an intercollegiate soccer team in fall of 1995. Men's soccer achieved intercollegiate status in the fall of 1996. Alvin Alexander was the coach of the team at that time. Club softball began in the spring of 1996. It was coached by Kelly McMahan. The softball team, coached by Mrs. McMahan, achieved intercollegiate status in 1997.

UTPB joined the Red River Athletic Conference of the NAIA as a charter member in the fall of 1996.

In the spring of 2000, the UTPB students voted to increase the amount of fees that they paid in support of athletics. The Legislature and Board of Regents approved the fee increase in the spring and summer of 2001. The additional funds allowed the addition of three new sports. Women's soccer was added in the fall of 2001. The team was coached by Jaime Aguila. Men's and women's basketball was added to the athletic program in the fall of 2002. The coaches were Keith Thompson and John Hufford, respectively.

A limited number of Athletic scholarships became available in the fall of 2003.

A second fee increase in the fall of 2003 allowed for the addition of five additional sports. In the fall of 2004 men's and women's cross country began competing. Pam Gray was the first coach. The fall of 2004 also saw the men’s and women’s swim teams coached by Rob Rankin dive into the water for the first time. In the spring of 2005, UTPB's first baseball team took the field. It was coached by Eddie Tillinger.

The Falcons joined the NCAA as a provisional member in the fall of 2006. That same year UTPB became a member of the Heartland Conference.

UTPB became a full member of the NCAA at the Division II level in the fall of 2008.

Past Coaches of the UTPB Athletic Teams Include:

Volleyball Steve Aicinena 1994- Present

Men’s Soccer Tom Eskhati 1994-1995

Alvin Alexander 1996-1997

Chad Peterson 1997-1999

Dennis Peterson 2000-Present

Softball Kelly McMahan 1996-1997

Danny Dunaway 1998-2008

Angie Kenney 2009- Present

Women’s Soccer Jaime Aguila 2001-2003