RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The buzz around basketball is at an all-time high as The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's (UTRGV) men's basketball team gets ready to tip-off the 2026-27 season next week. 
 
Three consecutive home games will ring in a new era for the Vaqueros under first-year head coach Brandon Chambers – an era built on energy, effort, and enthusiasm. Those three words, declared during Chambers's introductory press conference in April, have shown in everything the new staff and squad have done over the last few months. 
 
Two other E words come to mind when evaluating the actions, confidence and drive of this team: elevate and engage.
 
The Vaqueros are practicing hard and intentionally, harping on details and play retention and toughness to put the best product possible on the floor. They're exceptionally athletic, showcasing speed and hops throughout every practice as they race through drills and throw down emphatic dunks with ease. UTRGV won 16 and 19 games in the last two seasons, recording the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1988-90. This year's team is committed to elongating that streak and doing something no team in program history has done – reach the NCAA Tournament. 
 
But they're also placing an emphasis on engaging the community. Through tailgates at football games, surprising students with free coffee, open practices, fist bump Fridays, speaking appearances and more, the Vaqueros have poured into the community from Day 1. The Valley has been energized by the team's excitement, setting a program record with over 700 basketball season tickets sold, including a record number of new season ticket holders embracing the movement and investing in this squad. 
 
Chambers and his group recognize and appreciate the growing buzz around the program and are aiming to elevate the standard and awareness of the UTRGV Vaqueros, understanding that they're not just chasing success for themselves. 
 
"This is the first time in my career that I want to win for the people around me… for the Valley more than myself," Chambers said while choking back tears. "This is the honest truth – there are days I leave the office and I'm in tears because I'm just so blessed to be here. We're rallying the Valley. We're all in this together. I want them to feel like this is their team." 
 
The openness Chambers displays with media and the community is echoed in his coaching style. The Vaqueros coaches are demanding, but they're also receptive and encouraging and strategic. They'll restart or repeat a drill or send a player to do a wall sit with a plate raised above their heads for infractions big and small, like not calling a teammate's name during a drill, sloppy passes, not playing with enough juice, failing to point to a teammate after making a three-point shot. 
 
"They preach that they're calling us up and not calling us out, so I have to know that it's coming from a place of love and trust the people giving me advice," redshirt junior Jace Posey said of the Vaqueros coaching staff. They're not looking for perfection. They're emphasizing habits. 
 
The Vaqueros chose four words to epitomize what they want the team's identity to be this season: connected, resilient, fearless, and relentless. Those qualities shine when a teammate hits the floor during practice and everyone runs over to help him up; when someone not in a drill is still racing up the sideline, shouting instructions and advice; when someone flies in for a rebound or dives for possession and gets rewarded with a toughness play. 
 
The roster has all the characteristics of an elite team and the talent to have a lot of success. They also have a desire to prove themselves that will resonate with fans across the Valley. 
 
"The DNA of our team is the same as the Valley – overlooked and hard working with a chip on their shoulder," Chambers said. "We have to remind people who we are and recreate the names of the Devon Pryors and the Jace Poseys, but more importantly the name on the front of our jersey, too. That's our guiding light." 
 
Posey and senior Devon Pryor two Power 4 transfers expected to lead the Vaqueros this season. Pryor played previously at Texas and Oregon, while Posey spent three seasons at TCU, where he not only played in 58 games but also earned bronze in high jump at the 2024 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Chambers called Pryor the most fluid athlete on the team, saying he can be put in any role and produce at a high level. He called Posey a cornerstone player who analytically fits the system. Senior B.B. Knight brings Southland Conference experience to the squad after three seasons at Lamar. Chambers knew Knight was a reliable "3 and D" guy when he brought him to UTRGV but has been surprised by the explosiveness the 6-6 guard brings to the table.  
 
UTRGV brought in transfers from non-Div. I programs who are looking to prove that they can contribute at the highest level. Headlining a trio of Tyler Junior College transfers is junior guard Caden Bell, a Second Team All-American and All-Region XIV honoree who surpassed 900 career points in two seasons of NJCAA ball. Sophomore forward Bobby Crawford Jr. and senior forward Terrell Wright are two of the "best kept secrets" on the roster who Chambers thinks fans will love to watch. Crawford has been a standout throughout preseason practices and scrimmages and is someone who impacts every aspect of the game with the force and passion he plays with.  
 
Even though UTRGV has a talented roster being molded by a coaching staff loaded with experience and winning pedigrees, the Vaqueros are predicted as a middle-of-the-pack team in preseason SLC polls, ranking fifth or sixth in most polls circulating social media with the season opener just days away. They aren't taking those predictions to heart, but they are using them as fuel to chase their goals. 
 
"There's a lot more of a chip on my shoulder this season. I got a lot to prove as a player, and as a team we want to accomplish a lot of things," Posey said. "We're trying to get to March Madness. I want to win the conference. I want to be Player of the Year. I want to be on the defensive team. It's a long season, and it's hard to win every game. Eventually a loss will come across the board, but we have to respond the next game. You can't play bad after you play bad. We have to be the consistent team we know we can be." 
 
UTRGV has a challenging non-conference schedule awaiting. The Vaqueros will host an NCAA Tournament Team in Prairie View A&M during the opening week of the season, then the Pac 12's Texas State visits the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Nov. 10. UTRGV plays eight of its next 11 on the road after the three-game home stretch to start the season, visiting UNLV, Texas State, Dayton, and #12 Arkansas. The SLC slate will be a grind week to week. 
 
The first season of this new era for UTRGV men's basketball will have its highs and lows. Challenges will be met and lessons will be learned. The Vaqueros will have a secure support system empowering them through it all. They'll play for each other, for themselves, and for the Valley, and earnestly represent the best of UTRGV Athletics. 
 
"I don't think there's such a thing as hard when you're just allowed to get better," Pryor said. "The team knows what we need to do. There's a lot we can work on. The coaches are going to have a plan that we just need to execute." 

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