SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros cross country teams opened the 2026 season with strong results Saturday at the UIW Invitational. The women had two finishers in the top 15 while a young men's team showed promise for the future.

Senior Kailey Salazar led the women's team, running a 5K race, with a sixth-place finish in 17:33. She cut over a minute off her personal-best time and tabbed the second-fastest 5K in program history. Junior Santa Maria alum Mia Picazo finished 11^th with a personal record time of 17:50. Junior Economedes alum Maddison Surita (18:37) took 32^nd and Daphne Kausz (20:12) finished 51^st. Senior N Vanee Anchike rounded out the scoring with a 65^th place finish at 21:48.

The women placed sixth with 163 total points. Texas State won the women's meet with 45 points followed by Incarnate Word (76), Trinity (TX.) (89), UTSA (91), and Weatherford College (120).

The Vaqueros men's team ran the 8K race. In his first collegiate race, Brock Morales found himself in the lead pack early and led UTRGV with a 26^th place finish at 26:51. Senior McAllen Rowe alum Kevin Cardenas took 60^th (28:04) just in front of sophomore McAllen Memorial alum Roehl Rodriguez in 61^st (28:12). PSJA Memorial alum Diego Piña wrapped up his first race with cross country in 75^th with a time of 29:00 and Vanguard Rembrandt alum Gael Gonzalez closed out the scorers for UTRGV with a 78^th place finish at 29:11.

As a team, the Vaqueros took seventh. Texas A&M-International took first in the men's team standings with 42 points followed by Texas State (57), Incarnate Word (61), UTSA (95), and Trinity (TX) (100).

Up next for UTRGV is the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 16 in Bryan-College Station, Texas. 
 
UTRGV Individual Results 
Women's 5K 
6. Kailey Salazar, 17:34
10. Mia Picazo, 17:51
31. Maddison Suria, 18:38
51. Daphne Kausz, 20:12
65. N Vanee Anchike, 21:48

Men's 8K
26. Brock Morales, 26:52
60. Kevin Cardenas, 28:05
61. Roehl Rodriguez, 28:13
75. Diego Pina, 29:01
78. Gael Gonzalez, 29.12
 
Women's Team Standings
1. Texas State, 45 points 
2. Incarnate Word, 76 
3. Trinity (TX.), 89
4. UTSA, 91
5. Weatherford College, 120
6. UTRGV, 163
7. Texas A&M-International, 192
8. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 236
9. Texas Southmost College, 242
10. Texas Lutheran, 253
11. Texas A&M-San Antonio, 297

Men's Team Standings
1. Texas A&M-International, 42 points 
2. Texas State, 57
3. UIW, 61
4. UTSA, 95
5. Trinity (TX), 100
6. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 160
7. UTRGV, 219
8. Texas A&M-San Antonio, 242
9. Texas Southmost College, 251
10. Texas Lutheran, 293