The UTEP Miners were selected to finish fourth in the West Division in the 2016 Conference USA Preseason Media Football Poll the league announced on Thursday.
The Miners finished 5-7 overall in 2015 all while battling multiple injuries last season with 15 players having to sit out with season-ending injuries.
This season UTEP returns 47 letterwinners and 17 starters (8 offense/6 defense/3 special teams).
After his third season as the head football coach, Sean Kugler made some changes to the coaching staff with the addition of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brent Pease, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tom Mason, wide receivers coach Theron Aych, cornerbacks coach Derrius Bell and assistant special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and safeties coach Don Yanowsky.