Fifty years ago, a small school in West Texas quietly climbed the national collegiate basketball rankings. Against all odds, the team achieved the impossible: an NCAA title after starting five African-American players in the championship game. The win on March 19, 1966 has been a point of pride for The University of Texas at El Paso ever since.
Members of the 1966 championship team came to the UTEP campus to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration. Events included the filming of a CBS Sports Network documentary: “1966 Texas Western: Championship of Change,” the recreation of the iconic team photo on the steps of Memorial Gym, and the presentation of lifetime memberships to the UTEP Alumni Association for the team members.
Tributes to the team continued on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 during a UTEP men’s basketball game at the Don Haskins Center. In addition to special video messages from President Barack Obama, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, film producer Jerry Bruckheimer and ESPN commentator Dick Vitale, the team was presented with keys to the city by El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser. NCAA President Mark Emmert also came to the Haskins Center to fête the championship team’s accomplishment.
Watch a brief video below detailing the historic season of the Texas Western College (now UTEP) championship team.