Overview
The UTRGV Vaqueros represent one of Texas's youngest universities, playing home games at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. Formed from the 2015 merger of UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville, the program carries a border-region identity and a fan base passionate about seeing South Texas basketball compete at the Division I level. The Vaqueros now compete in the Southland Conference after a run through several conference realignments.
History & Legacy
The program's basketball roots trace back to Pan American College, which won a 1963 NAIA national championship under coach Sam Williams. After evolving through NAIA, the Trans-America Athletic Conference, the Sun Belt, and the WAC, the university rebranded as UT Rio Grande Valley following the 2015 merger. The Vaqueros are among a handful of Division I programs to have never reached the NCAA Division I men's tournament, giving the program's search for its first bid a central place in its modern story.
Source: RateGame Editorial
ConferenceSouthland
Championships1 (1963, as Pan American, NAIA)
School Founded2015
Home VenueUTRGV Fieldhouse
ColorsGreen, Orange and Navy Blue
MascotVictory the Vaquero