Brian Natkin, Orsten Artis headline UTEP Athletics' 2016 Hall of Fame Class

National Champion Orsten Artis, and former football All-American, and current UTEP tight ends coach Brian Natkin headline UTEP Athletics' 2016 Hall of Fame Class.

Also inducted was former UTEP golfer and LPGA Tour Member Gerina Mendoza, former track star Harrington Jackson, and the winningest head football coach in school history Mack Saxon.

They will be honored at the induction banquet on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Larry K. Durham Sports Center, as well as at the UTEP football team's Oct. 8 home game versus FIU.

Artis averaged double figure scoring numbers in his three seasons as a Miner from 1963 through the historic 1966 season.   He averaged 12.6 points per game during the Miners' history-making 1966 campaign and scored in double figures in all five NCAA Tournament games, including 22 points in the semifinals versus Utah and 15 against Kentucky in the title game. Artis was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Jackson, who ran track at UTEP from 1970-72, set the standard as the school's first national champion in the sprints. He took first in the 100-yard dash at the 1971 NCAA Outdoor Meet.. He was ranked #2 in the IAAF world rankings in the 100 in 1970, and #7 in 1971. He held the indoor world record in the 60-yard dash with a time of 5.93 seconds in 1971. He was a six-time WAC champion.

Mendoza, a UTEP women's golf standout from 2003-07, was the Conference USA individual champion and Player of the Year her senior year. She won four tournaments that year and led C-USA with a 73.1 scoring average. Mendoza's hard work on the course resulted in her lowering his scoring average every year (81.0 as a freshman, 78.8 as a sophomore, 76.8 as a junior, 73.1 as a senior). She was a 2007 NCAA Regionals participant. Mendoza is a currently playing on the LPGA Tour and has about $2.6 million in career earnings.

Natikin played at UTEP from 1997-2000, becoming the program's second consensus All-American.  He led all tight ends nationally in receptions (64) and yards (787). He converted 46 receptions (71.4 percent) for first downs as a senior. He closed out his career with 172 receptions for 1,934 yards and 11 touchdowns. Natkin was with two NFL teams (Tennessee and St. Louis) before returning to UTEP as a coach and special teams coordinator.

Saxon is the winningest coach in UTEP football history with 66 victories. He compiled a 66-43-9 mark over 13 seasons (1929-41). Saxon led Texas College of the Mines to its first bowl bid, the 1937 Sun Bowl. He coached the school's first All-Americans in Ken Heineman, Barry Pennington and Owen Price. Heineman and Price were both first team selections. Overall Saxon compiled eight winning seasons and four seasons with only one loss (1929, 1930, 1931, 1937) while facing teams like Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech. Saxon also served as the Miners' athletic director, as well as men's basketball and baseball coach. He passed away in 1949.

UTEP has been inducting classes into its Athletic Hall of Fame annually since 2002, with the exception of 2014 when the football, men's and women's basketball Centennial teams were honored.