Forward Taya Lopez joins UTEP on transfer from Texas Tech

EL PASO, Texas – Former Texas Tech forward Taya Lopez will join the UTEP soccer team for the 2021 season, head coach Kathryn Balogun announced Monday.

Lopez, a Las Cruces, N.M., native, will have four years of eligibility with the Miners.

“We are excited to welcome Taya to UTEP,” said Balogun. “As a program committed to the Borderland it is important that we invest in the young women who are from our own communities. Taya is originally from Las Cruises and in high school was named Sun-News Female Athlete of the Year in 2019 before attending Texas Tech last year. Taya has high aspirations as a soccer player and is committed to the hard work ethic and united culture our program is built on.”

Taya Lopez
Forward
RS Freshman
Texas Tech
Las Cruces, N.M.

PRIOR TO UTEP: Spent the past two years at Texas Tech, taking a redshirt season in 2019 and appearing in one match during 2020 … forward from Las Cruces, N.M. … four-time All-State and All-District selection for Las Cruces High School … voted Player of the Year three times and was named the Female Athlete of the Year as a senior … second in the state in goals her senior year with a staggering 47 … overall tallied 102 career goals in 63 games played … added 17 assists for 221 points … played club soccer with the New Mexico Rush, which had 14 players go on to compete in college.