RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Preseason workouts are looking a little different for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team this year. 
 
The NCAA allowed Div. I teams to start a few days earlier than usual in 2025. With the extra days and nine newcomers on the roster, head coach Todd Lowery is using a slow and steady approach to really emphasize things like passing angles, tempo of setting, seam coverage and other fundamentals to make sure everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goal. 
 
The mission behind the new preseason approach is connected to the main goal UTRGV has every year – win a conference championship and reach the NCAA Tournament. In recent seasons, Lowery felt the team often peaked too early and ran out of gas when the season got long. This year, they're slowing things down to focus on having a higher ceiling and playing their best volleyball late in the year to make a postseason run. 
 
"As we looked through the calendar we had a lot more practice time than we have in the past and it's allowed us, with nine new faces, to want to get things right before we start throwing them together," Lowery explained. "Our focus, by really breaking things down, is can we get to perfection by November instead of good enough by October. 
 
"We have the same goals everybody does – to win a championship. But stepping back from that is how do we continue to get better and learn from the things that we didn't do well last year?" he continued. "That's been a big focus – how do we collectively buy into this being bigger than ourselves? How does volleyball become our why? Our key is not losing control for a set or two and putting ourselves in bad positions. That's what slowing things down is also allowing us to do, learning how to reset to our basics and stay disciplined." 
 
The Vaqueros are doing two practices per day, going two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, and spending an hour in the weight room after morning practice during the three weeks of preseason. Through the first 10 practices, they haven't done any live six-on action. They've emphasized spot serving, hitting angles, blocking, defense, and will put all those lessons together for the first time during the orange & gray scrimmage. 
 
Lowery has been impressed with the work his team is doing so far. He said the "core group" of returners, including juniors setter Isabella Costantini, outside hitter Nadine Zech, and middle blocker Julianna Bryant all came back after spring ball more physical and healthy and ready to take a step up. Junior middle blocker Aaliyah Snead joined the team at midterm and has been a big plus in the gym through spring, summer and preseason workouts. 
 
UTRGV has five freshmen joining the ranks, and Lowery has liked what he's seen in their first two weeks with the squad. Ana Julia Peixoto, Maria Angeliki Tsagkopoulou and Dimitra Nanou have stood out, but the whole group looks poised to contribute in Year 1 with the Vaqueros. 
 
"I don't think we've been this far ahead with a group of freshmen in as long as I can remember. They bring a lot of good things to the table," Lowery said. "They're young and there are some things – serve receive, blocking – that are hard and take time and they might be struggling a bit. But they're learning the technique that we want them to do in those things. As each of them develop in little things, they're going to be really good." 
 
The Vaqueros have developed a quick camaraderie despite over half the team being new. Lowery said they're a fun group to work with because everyone in the gym truly wants to get better and they're all pushing each other toward the same goals. UTRGV will continue to focus on the details as they implement more live play into practice as the countdown to match day draws near.