RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Thursday that it has accepted an invitation from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Board of Directors to join the MPSF in women's swimming & diving starting with the 2025-26 academic year.
 
"The move to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation marks a significant day for our swimming & diving program," UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. "Joining a conference with a profound history in Olympic sports will provide a top-notch competitive environment for our student-athletes."
 
UTRGV swimming & diving joins the MPSF after spending its first NCAA DI season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Along with UTRGV, former WAC swimming & diving programs California Baptist, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado and Utah Tech are joining the MPSF.
 
The 10-team conference is also home to Incarnate Word, Pacific, Pepperdine, and San Diego. By the end of this season, the Vaqueros will have competed against six of the nine other programs in the MPSF.
 
"I am excited to join a conference that will house some familiar faces from our first DI season," UTRGV Swimming & Diving Head Coach Betsy Graham said. "I am looking forward to forming relationships with the new coaches and programs as we embark on this journey."
 
The Vaqueros usher in this new era with a state-of-the-art home at the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium, the home of the 2023 and 2024 WAC Championships, and one year of competition nearly complete as they continue to build the program.
 
About the MPSF
 
In its 33^rd year of competition, the MPSF currently sponsors competition in 15 intercollegiate Olympic sports and serves over 90 teams nationwide. The MPSF was established in 1992-93 to provide championship competition and opportunities for sports without conference affiliation.
 
The MPSF has twice won five national championships, most recently during the 2023-24 athletic year. In the spring of 2021, the MPSF became the first non-power conference to win 100 national championships. In addition, the MPSF saw 138 current or former student-athletes compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics and bring home 59 total medals.

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