ODESSA, Texas (October 30, 2024) – UTPB Athletics is proud of its new Head Men's and Women's Golf Coach Paul Chavez as it was recently announced that the Odessa College Invitational has been renamed in honor of the Hall of Fame Coach.

Before joining the Falcons this season, Coach Chavez recently as the Head Golf Coach at Odessa College, where he coached three NJCAA National Championship men's golf teams in 2004, 2005 and most recently in 2017. In addition to the three national titles, Odessa finished in the top-five 16 times. Chavez has been honored five times as the NJCAA National Coach of the Year and has been inducted into the NJCAA Golf Coaches Hall of Fame (2007), the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Hall of Fame (2014), the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame (2017), and the Odessa Athletic Hall of Fame (2021).

In his first Fall season with the Falcons, Chavez led the team to a win at the RJGA South Central Shootout in his second tournament with the men's golf team. It was the third tournament title for the Falcons in program history. Senior Will Tate finished in a tie for second place at the tournament, was named the Lone Star Conference Men's Golfer of the Week for his efforts, and was among the top-20 in each of the first three tournaments of the season.

On the women's side, freshman Lorena Etxeberria finished in the top-four in her first collegiate tournament at the Oklahoma Women's Intercollegiate while senior Ainhoa Gurruchaga, the reigning LSC Newcomer of the Year, opened her season with a pair of top-10 finishes.

One of the more special moments of the season came in the final men's tournament of the Fall, the 2024 Herb Wimberly Memorial, in which we saw the first-ever Coach Chavez vs. Coach Chavez match. Paul Chavez's son, Jaiden Chavez, is the new head coach at Garden City Community College.

Chavez said, "This is going to be an incredible week for me. The Odessa College Invitational will now be named the Paul Chavez Invitational. Such an unbelievable honor. I am looking forward to seeing all of my coaching friends and I'm especially looking forward to seeing my son Coach Chavez of Garden City CC (Kansas). This event will take place at Odessa Country Club on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Come out and see some great NJCAA golf."

The first Paul Chavez Invitational will be held on Thursday, October 31, and Friday, November 1, at the Odessa Country Club.