RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Year two for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) swimming & diving program saw improvement, record-setting performances, depth, and a strong finish at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) championships, hosted by UTRGV at the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium.
 
The Vaqueros opened their season with a reunion, visiting UT Permian Basin in early October. Head coach Betsy Graham and diving coach Jenn Mangum enjoyed their homecoming. Alongside the coaches, senior diver and team captain Delaney Murphy and junior Chloe Siegrist returned to where their collegiate careers started.
 
In that meet, the Vaqueros dominated, winning every event en route to a 215-75 victory. Sophomore Manou Meulebeek started the season strong, reaching the qualifying standard for the NCAA Zone "D" Diving Championships in the 3-meter springboard with a then program record score of 293.25. Meanwhile, standout newcomers Sarah Bull, Dia Henderson, and Jaydy Jay set the tone for their season, earning two event wins apiece.
 
The Vaqueros returned for their home opener, taking on fellow MPSF member, Incarnate Word, where the improvement in depth across the pool was undeniable. Just one year prior, UTRGV fell to the Cardinals 193-94 in their home opener; now, a near 100-point margin was cut to 63. In that meet, Meulebeek qualified for the NCAA Zone "D" Diving Championships in the 1-meter springboard, marking her second-consecutive postseason appearance in both events.
 
UTRGV continued to test themselves throughout the fall, facing new squads at invites like the Rice Fall Splash, where they faced off against the hosts-Rice, Little Rock, Loyola-New Orleans, and St. Thomas. The Vaqueros trailed Little Rock by only one point after the first day, but couldn't overtake the Trojans, finishing the invite in third.
 
Trips to West Florida and Bowling Green proved to be learning experiences for the young UTRGV squad. The Vaqueros scheduled hard in the fall, determined the waters and their mettle against some of the best competition at these programs respective levels to help the Vaqueros prepare for the spring and eventually the conference championships.
 
"I believe fast swimming breeds fast swimming," UTRGV Head Swimming & Diving Coach Betsy Graham said. "So, we definitely raced against tough teams, but we really needed to see fast swimming."
 
The fall ended on a high-note, as record-setting performances by the Vaqueros could be found across the country. The swimmers competed at the Northwest Collegiate Invite, hosted by Idaho, and the divers traveled to Northern Arizona (NAU) for the annual NAU Diving Invite. At their respective meets, UTRGV set 11 program records alongside a handful of top-eight finishes against good competition.
 
Sophomore Annaleagh Stahl set the tone for her spring, earning a hat trick against fellow MPSF member New Mexico State, in the regular season home finale and spring opener. This meet was important and emotional as the Vaqueros celebrated in their first-ever senior day. Three members of the team were honored during the celebration, and four crossed the stage at the spring commencement.
 
UTRGV visited Little Rock for a tune-up meet prior to the MPSF Swimming & Diving Championships. Meulebeek once again shined, setting a facility record and program record 316.95 in the 1-meter springboard. Meulebeek broke the facility record previously held by Arkansas' Maria Sanchez Moreno.
 
The Vaqueros returned to the Valley with their sights set on the MPSF championships, a monumental occasion for the program and the university. In its first year in the MPSF, UTRGV was entrusted to host the championships. This was the third conference championships hosted by UTRGV in four years, but it was the first in which UTRGV Swimming & Diving would be competing.
 
The Valley showed out. A total of 5,635 fans entered the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium across the four-day championship, averaging over 1,400 per day. The Vaqueros responded, scoring over 271.5 points as compared to the 132 points scored at the 2025 Western Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships. Once again, the depth was on display as 13 entries scored points for UTRGV as compared to the seven entries that scored last year.
 
"It's very different down here than it is in other places," Graham said. "I've been to places where hardly anybody comes to meets, and I think this championship was a tribute to the Valley, the curiosity of the swimmers in the area, and our fans."
 
Meulebeek earned two top-eight finishes, including a fifth-place performance in the 1-meter springboard to open the championships. This result was tied for the highest individual finish at a conference championship in program history. Meulebeek followed that up with a seventh-place finish in the 3-meter springboard on day two. For her efforts, Meulebeek was honored with second team all-conference honors in both the 1- and 3-meter springboard.
 
In the pool, the Vaqueros set five program records which included a consolation final win for Stahl in the 200 backstroke. The record-setting time of 1:59.80 represented the highest individual for UTRGV swimmers at the championships. Alongside this race, freshman Ellinor Plant set program records in the 1000 freestyle (10:42.62) and 1650 freestyle (17:48.34), junior Olivia Votava set a program record in the 100 butterfly (58.09), and the team of Stahl, freshman Ava Light, Bull, and Henderson set a new record in the 400 medley relay (3:55.92).
 
UTRGV's season ended in March as Meulebeek traveled to her second NCAA Zone "D" Diving Championships. Meulebeek returned composed, experienced, and ready to compete. That drive was evident in the first day as she earned 22^nd in the 1-meter springboard, just four spots away from qualifying for the finals in the event. Meulebeek wrapped up her season in the 3-meter springboard, earning 39^th in the event.
 
The Vaqueros closed the 2025-26 season having set 15 program records while laying the foundation for continued growth as they enter year three.
 
"One of our team goals is to keep building this program to the point that we are in contention for bigger and better things, including conference championships," Graham said.

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