RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's golf team made history last month when they won their first-ever Southland Conference Championship to give them their first-ever spot in an NCAA Regional. 
 
The Vaqueros will be heading to the Bryan Regional, hosted by Texas A&M, from May 18-20 at the Traditions Club. 
 
From the very beginning of fall semester something special started to come together for the Vaqueros. UTRGV brought in four new faces before the start of the 2025-26 season in freshman Brock Porter and Jorge Martin Sampedro and transfers Rodolphe Cicala and Gabriel Dulon Villoslada.
 
With such a new group, and five returners from last year, the Vaqueros new that they had to gel quickly. 
 
"Bringing in some guys from different parts of the world and some transfers, like we did this year, along with some freshman," UTRGV Associate Head Coach Joseph Kirk said. "It felt like we brought in a little bit of everything. Sometimes it won't go well but it has so far for us. We bonded pretty quickly and everyone has a similar sense of humor and similar goals. Chemistry makes a humongous difference."
 
That kind of chemistry is constructed not just on the course but off the course as well. For the Vaqueros, the chemistry has carried on where ever they go and it's been part of the success this season. 
 
"I think this is a special team because first of all, we all like each other," sophomore Gabriel Dulon Villosalda said. "We spend quality time together outside of the golf course and in trainings and that is translating on the golf course. I think that's why it's been so special this year."
 
That goal was has been about winning and get better. Win as many tournaments as possible. Win conference. Just win.
 
That same goal and the work towards that goal became infectious with everyone on the roster. 
 
"The chemistry between everyone is pretty good," junior Esteban Gonzalez said. "Everyone has a common goal in mind. We all like to work hard and are very competitive. We feed off each other. We feed off each other's good vibes and work ethic and it kind of brings everyone together at a higher level."
 
That chemistry is also carried over with the coaches. 
 
"We are all really good friends," freshman Jorge Martin Sampedro said. "We have good chemistry and with the coaches also. We like to practice together and put in the work every day."
 
Things started to click toward the end of the fall semester when the Vaqueros placed second at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic and then they kicked off the spring with a win at the Compadres Collegiate. 
 
That win really kick started the Vaqueros in the spring giving them confidence with their goal to win conference firmly ahead. 
 
"In the fall, we had two tournaments where we had four newcomers and me in the lineup," Gonzalez said. "We saw a lot of good things out of the guys in those tournaments and that is how I knew that this team was going to be special and that we were going to be competitive. We finished the spring by finishing second in Monterrey and we left a lot out there, so in the spring we came out and won our first event and after that we dominated the conference. You could see it. Everything looked clean and looked good. We were pretty confident."
 
The cool thing about the Vaqueros is that everyone has the capabilities to be the lowest score in any given round. Most teams have a true No. 1 golfer on their roster. The Vaqueros can have someone different lead in each round. 
 
That was a trend throughout the year. UTRGV has four golfers with a 73.1 scoring average or lower with the leader in the clubhouse being Sampedro with a 71.6. 
 
At times, it has been Sampedro leading others it has been Villoslada, Cicala, Gonzalez or even Porter. The roster is deep, but they all want to be the best. 
 
"It says that we all like to beat each other," Gonzalez laughed. "It's always good to see each other play well. You want your teammates to play well but you want to be competitive on the team and get the spotlight. It shows the skill level and how deep we are as a team and how much talent we have here at UTRGV."
 
Porter boasts a scoring average of 74.1 through 10 events. Even junior Eddie Lai has averaged 74.0 this season with senior Arthit Kruaprayong averaging 74.1 as well. Having those guys put pressure on the starting lineup helps keep the Vaqueros sharp. 
 
"I think that says there is not only one guy that can do really good," Villoslada said. "Even the guys that were not in the lineup when you come back and have to qualify again. If you don't play good someone else can play well and you won't go to the next tournament. It keeps us at a certain level every day."
 
Being on the same page up and down the roster can be tough, but it helps when everyone is working toward the same goal. Having just one thinking outside of the box can have a ripple effect on the rest of the squad. 
 
This year, it has felt different. Everyone with the same goal. Everyone going in the same direction. 
 
"This year, we have had the entire roster rowing the boat in the same direction," Kirk said. "I think that's something hard to find. If someone has a roster of 12, I think you would be pretty happy if you had six rowing in the same direction. We have nine guys and we have all nine rowing in the same direction."
 
All the pieces have connected for the Vaqueros in the 2025-26 season. All of it was leading up to the Southland Conference Championship. 
 
With that win, which is arguably the biggest in program history, the standard has been raised. The Vaqueros now have new expectations for themselves. 
 
"It's been just the understanding that we are competitive and it's not a dream," Gonzalez said. "It's our responsibility to be the best in the conference. We have to be competitive. We have to be the best we can be. We have to just treat it more as a something we have to do."
 
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