MinerAlert
MinerAlert
July 2025
By Tanya Torres '21
Kenna Carranza ’25 has been the steady voice behind the softball plate - calling games, making split-second decisions, and anticipating plays before they unfold. But behind her catcher’s mask is a determined scholar with an unshakable drive to turn her dreams into reality. The UTEP alumna has played through pain, facing back-to-back surgeries, completing her degree in kinesiology and exercise science and becoming certified as a clinical medical assistant. Even now, Kenna refuses to pause her momentum. Despite being immobilized and relying on a scooter, Kenna is pursuing an M.A. in Leadership Studies (MLS) to prepare for nursing school and healing for one more season of softball at UTEP.
Finding Her Purpose
Choosing a college major can be overwhelming, but for Kenna, the decision was rooted in experience and purpose. As an athlete who has faced more than her share of injuries, she chose kinesiology to better understand her body and help prevent injuries. She knew this knowledge would serve to be useful not only on the softball field, but also in her goal of working in pediatric oncology.
Kenna’s interest in health care deepened during a pivotal moment in her life. She and her parents began noticing her skin was becoming yellow. Due to Covid restrictions, Kenna had to undergo testing alone. She was eventually diagnosed with Gilbert’s syndrome, a liver condition that can cause yellowing of the skin and eyes. Her diagnosis marked a difficult moment, but the compassion she experienced from the nurses struck a chord...
"I really want to go into pediatric oncology. I want to help young kids whose lives are deeply affected by healthcare, help them feel better, have better days, and believe there’s a way out of the situation they’re in. I have liver disease. I was hospitalized when I was a junior in high school. When I was getting testing for that, I was really close to my nurses and I want to be like that for someone else,” Kenna said.
Pushing Through– Athlete, Student, Certified Medical Assistant
Her passion to care for others' health grew stronger as she worked toward her dream, earning a clinical medical assistant certification and a degree in kinesiology. Her pursuit has not come without obstacles, however. Balancing academics with the demands of a Division I athlete and working full-time at Olive Garden was no easy feat. Despite juggling 6 a.m. workouts, classes, practices, and clinicals, she excelled academically, earning the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll and Medal, as well as Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors.
“I really had to focus on the overall goal of what I was doing if I got discouraged because there were some days where I'd cry or want to quit working or quit medical assistance or whatever it was,” Kenna admitted. “I would think just how proud I could make my family, my parents if I could finish what I am doing now. And how proud I could make myself by doing all of these different things so well and how grateful my future self would be for what I’m doing right now.”
Kenna was juggling a lot, but that was nothing new for an athlete. To ensure she could focus on her studies, work and softball, she worked on her time management skills and discipline. She deleted all her social media, and even when she was sidelined by surgery, she would reach for a textbook instead of getting lost doomscrolling online.
“Make your priorities your priorities,” Kenna said. “Really focus on managing your time well.”
Setbacks and Comebacks
Kenna’s path wasn’t without painful setbacks. Last fall, Kenna underwent carpal tunnel surgery on her throwing hand, sidelining her for the entire fall season. Though she couldn’t practice for nearly two months, she stayed close to the game, “I just sat with my coaches during practice to understand what my pitching coach was thinking.”
Just as she was recovering, another curve ball came: ankle surgery.
For Kenna, staying strong in her faith is what steadied her through her surgeries, tough days and overwhelming schedules. Her relationship with God grounded and strengthened her, shaping how she showed up to lead.
The Road Ahead
Kenna’s story isn’t over. With her sights on pediatric oncology and nursing school on the horizon, she’s gearing up for one last season in a UTEP jersey. Despite setbacks, her spark never faded. Grounded in faith and focus, she remains a leader, fighter, and light for others.
Whether behind the plate or at the bedside in a hospital, Kenna’s impact will follow her wherever she goes.