The UTEP women's basketball team has been practicing in some form since shortly after last season ended, but Miner center Elina Arike didn't need a calendar to know Saturday was their "official" first day.
"We had to do a lot more running," she said after a two-hour workout at the Foster-Stevens Center. "It was harder."
Saturday was also more fun for the seven returners and seven newcomers, who ticked another preseason milestone off the list as the traditional Nov. 7 exhibition opener against St. Mary's draws closer.
"It's great," coach Kevin Baker said of the first practice.