UTEP Freshman Jesse Zarzuela Announces Departure from the Team

Freshman point guard Jesse Zarzuela announced that he would be leaving the UTEP men's basketball program prior to the start of the 2019-20 academic school year.

Zarzuela is a 6-foot-2 guard out of Houston Spring Woods High School. During his senior season, he was named player of the year in his district and averaged 22.5 points per game.

As one of the top point guard prospects in Texas for the class of 2020, Zarzuela fielded interest from other Division I schools, such as LA Tech and North Carolina A&T, before committing to UTEP in the fall of 2018.

He would have been UTEP's lone true freshman on the squad. Freshman Deion Stroud, who was a Prop-48 in 2018-19, is still considered a freshman by collegiate eligibility but was still on campus last year.

In reality, considering the loaded backcourt UTEP has, it would have been an uphill battle for Zarzuela to find playing time through the next two seasons. The Miners return experienced sophomore guards Jordan Laton and Nigel Hawkins, while bringing in Division I transfers Kaden Archie, Souley Boum and Keonte Kennedy to the mix.

Since Zarzuela was a scholarship player, the Miners will now be expected to have one extra scholarship following this announcement.