Strategic communications graduate assistant, Lilliana Valdespino, was a student athlete at UTEP before working with UTEP athletics. Valdespino was on both the cross country and track and field teams at UTEP where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and is set to graduate with her master’s degree in leadership studies in May 2023.
Valdespino was a walk-on for the cross-country team. She said that her mom received an email about there being open tryouts, so she encouraged her to try out. Valdespino mentioned that she was the only person to show up for tryouts, so the coach gave her a two-week trial to practice and train with the team.