The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) accepted an invitation on Monday to join the Southland Conference, leaving behind the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) after 11 years.
Just last week, the Vaqueros hired head coach Betsy Graham to start their new Division I women’s swimming and diving program, which is slated to debut this fall. However, the Southland Conference doesn’t sponsor swimming and diving — the only other one of its 11 members with a women’s team, Incarnate Word, competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation — leaving UTRGV’s future home up in the air after the latest round of conference realignment.
“More information will become available in the coming months regarding future conference membership plans for the men’s soccer and women’s swimming and diving programs,” the university wrote in a press release Monday.
UTRGV will compete in the Southland Conference for baseball, football, volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, cross country, golf, and tennis. Athletic director Chasse Conque cited reduced travel as a reason for the Vaqueros’ move, with six Southland Conference members based in Texas and the other five in nearby Louisiana. The total roundtrip mileage from UTRGV to Southland Conference competitors is 9,448 miles, compared to 22,970 in the WAC.
“Our move to the Southland Conference marks a meaningful day as we look to bolster the student-athlete experience,” Conque said. “Electing to move conferences is a significant decision that requires a great deal of consideration. The Southland Conference is steeped in tradition, and we couldn’t be more excited about joining the league and doing our part to add to its over 60 years of tradition.
“There are many benefits that this move will bring to our student-athletes, fans, and alumni. The Southland Conference is positioned in a tight footprint between Texas and Louisiana. This will allow our student-athletes to spend less time traveling cross-country and more time at home training, recovering, and preparing for competition and will significantly reduce missed class time. With significantly reduced travel, there will be cost savings that allow our department to reinvest in the student-athlete experience in ways we haven’t been able to before.”
The WAC is now reduced to 10 full-time members: Abilene Christian, Cal Baptist, Grand Canyon, Seattle, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State, UT Arlington, Utah Tech, and Utah Valley.
UTRGV hosted its second consecutive WAC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships last month at the City of Pharr Natatorium, calling the meet a “springboard” into the school’s inaugural season in 2024-25.
“Our acceptance into the Southland Conference is a testament to the growth and success UTRGV has experienced since we opened in 2015,” university president Guy Bailey said. “On behalf of UTRGV, I would like to thank the Southland Conference and fellow university presidents for their unwavering support. As we embark on this new journey, we look forward to forging new rivalries and celebrating remarkable academic achievements, a reflection of our shared commitment to excellence both on and off the field. Together, we stand poised to elevate the standards of collegiate athletics while nurturing the academic aspirations of our student-athletes.”
I guess it’s one more case of swimming be damned!
In terms of the entire athletic department, this was absolutely the correct move and will save a lot of money in travel costs. Rare conference realignment W.