RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The 2026 season tested the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's tennis team at every turn. Despite early adversity, the Vaqueros never wavered, leaning on their depth and determination throughout the season.
 
The Vaqueros returned all but one from the year prior but entered the spring with injuries to two student-athletes that played 13 or more matches in 2025. However, UTRGV responded well, with a steadfast next person up mentality, finding success on the bottom three courts throughout the season, which led to the claiming the seventh seed at the SLC Tournament.
 
Sophomore Luna Buijtenhuijs enjoyed a breakout campaign. In her freshman season, Buijtenhuijs played in only two matches, a win against UT-Permian Basin and a loss at Stephen F. Austin. This season, Buijtenhuijs picked up a team-high 10 wins with a stellar 8-1 record in conference play. She eventually claimed the top spot playing the final three matches at court one.
 
Meanwhile, junior Rhea Makesar built off her 8-9 campaign in 2025 with a 10-11 overall record in 2026 with a 6-3 record in conference play. Makesar went 4-1 on court five to help solidify the Vaqueros success on the bottom courts.
 
"I was really proud of the bottom of the lineup this year," Nott said. "Luna and Rhea in particular showed a lot of grit and growth throughout the season. They were tough competitors and I think they will continue to have success moving forward."
 
UTRGV entered the year with a slightly different scheduling philosophy as they faced four power conference opponents prior to conference play, the most in head coach, West Nott's tenure.
 
The Vaqueros faced competition from some of the best teams in the country, preparing them for the Southland Conference (SLC) gauntlet. The Vaqueros opened conference play and experienced a theme that would remain constant throughout the season, battling and pushing the best teams in the SLC to the brink.
 
The conference slate started at Orville Cox Tennis Center with matches against Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin.  Both teams were excellent this season as the Demons ended with a second-place finish while the Lumberjacks took the tournament championship. However, the Vaqueros played them tough, battling hard with both teams, but ultimately falling 4-3.
 
UTRGV would continue to play tight matches as its first five matches in conference play ended 4-3 with the Vaqueros winning one of the five. However, that match was against rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC).
 
The match against TAMUCC was the Vaqueros first win over the Islanders since 2018 and allowed the men's team to clinch the department's South Texas Showdown in their match later that afternoon. This was the first time that both the men's and women's team defeated the Islanders on the same day.
 
"We haven't beaten Corpus since I've been here so for them to come out and play the way they did, I was just so proud of them," Nott said. "To clinch the showdown today, with the men's team getting a win too, it was just a fantastic day."
 
The Vaqueros would go on to clinch their bid into the SLC Tournament with 5-2 wins over New Orleans and Nicholls at home.
 
"It's always an accomplishment just to make the tournament, and we will never take that for granted," Nott said.
 
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