RIO GRANDE VALLEY – A new fire and intensity has emerged within the men's soccer program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) as they prepare to fight for a conference championship after joining the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) prior to the 2026 season.
 
"I think the level of intensity and training has just increased," head men's soccer coach Bryheem Hancock said. "The guys have an idea on how to navigate not only non-conference play to prepare you for conference, but also what it will take to be successful in the OVC."
 
The Vaqueros, with a roster featuring nine returners and 16 newcomers, are excited to enter the season with postseason aspirations after spending 2025 as an NCAA DI independent.
 
"The returners expressed their struggles and how hard it was for them last year to play without a trophy or the possibility of postseason play," Hancock said. "For them to show that expression to the guys that are new here, winning is an expectation we want to make a trend at UTRGV."
 
Returning for the Vaqueros are captains fifth year Eduardo De Oliveira and senior Mouhamed Pouye, who are expected to lead on and off the pitch. Alongside the captains, eight of UTRGV's nine returners played in at least 80% of contests last season.
 
Hancock praised the returners for helping the team's chemistry and cohesiveness develop quicker than expected, turning it into a strength on the pitch.
 
"Edu and I try to lead by example and there's a couple other guys really stepping up as leaders," Pouye said. "It's natural. I've been a captain for my youth teams, and I kind of know how to lead a group."
 
The two NCAA DI transfers on the team, sophomore Emmanuel Gore Bi and sophomore Sammy Jadid bring valuable experience to a group primarily entering DI play for the first time in their careers. Gore Bi and Jadid will be key rotational players on the back line and attacking half, respectively.
 
For the second-straight season, Hancock signed a pair of former teammates that he hopes to make an immediate impact for the Vaqueros in juniors Tobias Buch and Alexander Mink. The pair, one number apart on the pitch, both excelled at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, each playing in over 15 contests over the last season.
 
Last season, Hancock brought in a pair of former teammates in now-senior Malang Mandiang and Pouye. Mandiang and Pouye recorded four and three points, respectively, across 10 and nine matches last season.
 
UTRGV is bringing in a group of freshmen that will help fill some gaps and have made some noise in training. Midfielders Mauricio Arreguin, Matheo Mondy, and Isaac Thomas have continued to make plays throughout training and the exhibition matches. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Reymundo Quiroga adds some quality depth to the goalkeeper rotation. Finally, Victor van der Aa has shown his versatility in the midfield and back line with his height and athleticism.
 
Now that preseason is over, the Vaqueros turn their focus to the regular season and the quest for the OVC Championship.
 
"You start by setting small goals that you aim for throughout the regular season," Hancock said. "The small goals build up to help you achieve the end goal of winning a conference championship and playing in the NCAA Tournament."
 
The Vaqueros will begin their quest Thursday at West Florida with the season opener scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fans can tune in on ESPN+.
 
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