RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team took the first steps to getting the 2023-24 season off and rolling Monday with the first day of summer workouts.
 
"I'm excited because this is the first time since I've gotten the job that I've had several returners. That's a big plus, having stability," head men's basketball coach Matt Figger said. "We're just getting them out here on the court, getting acclimated. It's a fresh start, new faces, and we're just trying to build on some momentum we had from last year."  
 
The Vaqueros return eight from last season's roster, including UTRGV Male Newcomer of the Year Daylen Williams and senior Ahren Freeman, the leading scorer among the returning group. Figger expects those eight to be rejuvenated and provide the energy as the squad kicks off a new campaign with eight new faces on the redesigned court. 
 
"I always find that guys, especially when they've been through your program, they need a mental and physical break, so hopefully they got that and now we are ready to go for 23-24," Figger said. "I'm excited about the guys we have coming in and the character of the guys we have coming back. First day with the guys, there should be a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of energy." 
 
UTRGV kept things simple on the first day of summer workouts and plans to take things slow through the first week, giving everyone a chance to get to know one another and learn to play together. The Vaqueros will focus on technique and do fundamental drills, but overall Figger said the first workouts will feel more like open gym as he aims to just let the student-athletes play basketball. 
 
The Vaqueros showed great fight and team chemistry last season, and that led to improvement in many areas of their game. Summer workouts will give them a chance to continue that growth and reignite the momentum they created last season, laying the proper foundation as a unit to push toward new heights in the upcoming season.  
 
"Today is the first day, the first steps to building a team," Figger said. "We're just looking to build and looking to get better one day at a time. We have to work on becoming a team." 

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