RIO GRANDE VALLEY – As the region's Div. I team, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics prioritizes engaging with the community. 
 
The Vaqueros student-athletes often talk about how supported they feel by the Rio Grande Valley and express that the love they feel from fans makes this place different. They value the way the community embraces UTRGV and strive to make the community feel appreciated in return. That goal has been highlighted through UTRGV's dedication to community service, leading to the Vaqueros being consistently recognized as a top department in the nation for community involvement. 
 
UTRGV Athletics ranked 10^th in the nation among Div. I institutions in the 2025-26 HelperHelper Community Service Report released in May. The Vaqueros racked up 6,604 hours of service equating to $238,676 in economic impact. 
 
"It makes me extremely proud to see UTRGV as a top 10 department in the nation," said Abraham Morales, who spent four years as a member of the track & field/cross country program and served as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President. "As a former SAAC President, I was able to see how much time and effort our student-athletes put into serving the community while also balancing school, practices, competitions and travel. Knowing that those efforts are recognized shows that our work is making a real difference. It also says a lot about the character of our student-athletes and the culture we have built at UTRGV." 
 
HelperHelper collected 348,548 hours of community service from Div. I athletic departments during the 2025-26 athletic year. UTRGV is the only Southland Conference (SLC) school in the top 45 and one of only two Texas institutions, along with SMU at 45^th. 
 
"Community service is a core value within UTRGV Athletics. Ranking among the top 10 speaks to the culture of our department. We truly value the opportunities we have to serve and engage with the Rio Grande Valley community that provides so much support to our university," Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athletes Success Julia Perez said. "Community service allows us to #RallyTheValley, strengthen the Vaqueros family, and reinforce the pride we have in representing UTRGV and the Rio Grande Valley." 
 
Perez, a former UTRGV women's tennis student-athlete, leads organization efforts to provide community service opportunities to student-athletes. The Vaqueros volunteered with 44 organizations. Among the most served organizations were McAllen ISD, Driscoll Children's Hospital, Moody Clinic, RGV Food Bank, City of Edinburg, BT Church, and Capable Kids. Most of the hours were dedicated to organizations, events and efforts helping children and youth and civic and community initiatives.
 
"Our student-athletes genuinely enjoy being involved in the community. They value the relationships they build through these experiences and appreciate the chance to engage with people who support them both on and off the field of play," Perez said.  
 
Morales and his teammates participated in a variety of service events, including hosting a free youth clinic in Brownsville and producing a total of 15,908 meals while volunteering at the RGV Food Bank. They were part of campus and community cleanup efforts and assisted at significant UTRGV athletic contests. 
 
For Morales, the campus cleanup event was particularly special, and his reason echoes the importance of community so deeply entrenched in the culture of UTRGV: "I really enjoyed seeing student-athletes from every sport come together and work toward the same goal. Each team usually has its own schedule and separate events, so this gave us an opportunity not only to serve our campus, but also to connect and build relationships with athletes from other teams," Morales said. 
 
The buy-in across all sports was highlighted by UTRGV having six programs rank in the top 10 among their sport and gender in HelperHelper's breakdown. Both the men's and women's track & field/cross country programs ranked second nationally among other teams with in the sport. The women's program totaled 1,178 hours, with 952.8 of those coming from the SLC indoor champion and outdoor runner-up track & field squad. The men's track & field/cross country program totaled 916 hours of community service. 
 
UTRGV's baseball team ranked fourth in the nation with 757 total hours and the women's swimming & diving team was fifth among similar programs with 513.5 hours. The SLC champion volleyball team totaled 462.8 hours of service to finish sixth nationally among women's volleyball teams. The men's tennis team was ninth and the men's soccer team ranked 10^th among similar programs with 543.4 hours clocked. Football totaled the most service hours of all UTRGV teams with 1,251.8. 
 
Morales graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and earned All-Conference honors while making entries into the track & field record books throughout his career. He served as a team captain, worked with the athletic department and was very active in SAAC. In April, he was recognized with the Legacy Award at the 2025-26 V Awards for his impact on UTRGV Athletics in and out of competition. 
 
He certainly made a difference during his four years in the Rio Grande Valley, and what he hopes his fellow Vaqueros will remember most and carry on as his chapter ends is that being a student-athlete means a lot more than what you do in competition. 
 
"I hope [my teammates and all Vaqueros] continue to understand that representing UTRGV goes beyond wearing the uniform and competing. The way we treat people, serve the community, and carry ourselves reflects the entire university," Morales said. "I hope my they continue to lead by example, support one another, and take pride in giving back. Looking back now, I realize that records and accomplishments are important, but the impact we leave on others is far more valuable." 

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