RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics had a consistent and impactful presence in Cameron County during the 2022-23 athletic year, continuing the initiative to serve as the Valley's team. 
 
"Support for the Vaqueros throughout the Rio Grande Valley is at an all-time high. We take our mantra, #RallyTheValley, very seriously and to successfully accomplish Valley-wide support we must engage and be present in the communities we serve," UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. "I am very proud and appreciative of our coaches, staff and student-athletes for making a commitment to connect throughout the region, and particularly in Cameron County, through NCAA Div. I competitions, youth clinics, and community service." 
 
Six Vaqueros teams offered free youth clinics in Cameron County throughout the school year, engaging with, teaching and inspiring nearly 300 boys and girls of all ages. 
 
The women's soccer team and members of the baseball team held clinics in the fall in Brownsville. The soccer clinic in August was one of the first times new women's soccer head coach Mark Foster was able to interact with the community, and it quickly showed him why UTRGV is so dedicated to service. 
 
"When I interviewed for this job, our administration talked about the whole Valley being our community. This is my first time in Brownsville and I'm really impressed and excited to see so many young ladies come out for this clinic. We feel very supported," Foster said. "It was so good to see our team having so much fun and to see them serving." 
 
In April, the Vaqueros volleyball team held two free clinics in Brownsville and reached nearly 100 young girls involved in the sport. The City Commission of Brownsville honored the volleyball program in May with a proclamation for its achievements during the 2022 season, including winning the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season championship and earning its first postseason victory as the Vaqueros reached the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), and the impact they have in the community. 
 
The track & field/cross country program took time between its indoor and outdoor seasons to offer a clinic at Duck Head Field on the Brownsville campus. The clinic was a well-attended and energetic event that saw over 70 boys and girls from five to 14 years of age learn valuable information from the student-athletes and coaches while having a ton of fun. 
 
"The energy was outstanding. All the young kids got to experience throwing events, distance running, sprints, hurdling and jumping, and we finished the day with a relay, so they got a taste of what track & field is like all the way around," track & field/cross country head coach Shareese Hicks said. "The student-athletes love the kids. They really attacked the clinic with a lot of positivity and did a lot of coaching. It was a great experience." 
 
UTRGV's men's and women's tennis teams combined to hold a free youth clinic in Harlingen. Over 40 young tennis players from across the Valley watched the teams during an open practice before spending a few hours learning from the student-athletes. 
 
After the clinic, UTRGV announced that it will be hosting the 2024 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tennis Tournaments at the HEB Tennis Center at Pendleton Park this coming April. 
 
"Over the years, our program has been building momentum through community outreach projects to promote the game of tennis to the youth in the Valley. The community support has been pivotal in helping us grow our program and the UTRGV brand. The opportunity to host the WAC Tournament is another positive step for our program," women's tennis head coach West Nott said.
 
UTRGV's women's golf team will be holding a youth clinic Sept. 4 at Riverbend Country Club in Brownsville. 
 
Three teams competed in Cameron County throughout the year. The men's soccer team kicked off its competitive season with an exhibition match at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, beating St. Mary's 2-1 in front of over 200 fans. With the UTRGV Drumline in the stands and engaged supporters watching, the match was an enjoyable environment for the Vaqueros and all involved. 
 
"Our players were flying around because of the enthusiasm from the drumline and a good crowd. Brownsville always shows up and they're obviously educated in the game. It was a great night," head men's soccer coach Bryheem Hancock said after the match in August. 
 
The men's and women's basketball teams once again competed in South Padre Island in December, treating nearly 1,500 fans to three days of exciting basketball. Also in December, UTRGV Athletics announced it adopted a stretch of beach at South Padre Island, making a pledge to keep that nearly half-mile stretch clean with help from student-athletes, coaches and staff and to encourage others to keep Texas beaches clean. 
 
Throughout the year, Vaqueros participated in various other community service opportunities across Cameron County. Student-athletes and coaches did clean-ups at the Brownsville campus, members of the department volunteered at the start-of-school Breakfast Wrangler, and head football coach Travis Bush and director of football operations John Simmons represented the department at Charro Days. 
 
UTRGV Athletics has consistently been more involved from year to year across the region. The dedication to service is exemplified by back-to-back top 10 national rankings for community service by the NCAA and the Helper Helper app. The Vaqueros are proud to represent the entire Valley and will continue to reciprocate the growing support with opportunities for engagement in years to come. 
 
"As we grow our base of support and build a strong Div. I athletics program, it is paramount that we share the excitement of college athletics with our entire region. We are grateful for the continued support from Cameron County and we look forward to another great year ahead," Conque said. 

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