EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Former UTEP basketball player David Palacio, part of the 1966 NCAA championship team, has died, according to a social media post by the university on Friday, May 8.
In an obituary by the El Paso Times, Palacio died at the age of 80.
Palacio was born and raised in El Paso and graduated from Austin High School in 1964. During his high-school career, he was a member of three consecutive city championship teams.
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According to UTEP, he played for Texas Western for two years, including the 1966 championship team. Palacio was a key player for the Miners the following year, putting up 7.5 points per game on a 22-win squad during the 1966-67 season.
Palacio graduated from Texas Western in 1968 with a business degree and moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in the music industry for over 36 years.
In 2008, he retired as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Univision Music Group. He lived in Northern California before his death.
Palacio is survived by his daughter, Jessica.
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