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The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros, or UTRGV Vaqueros, represent the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The Vaqueros are part of the Southland Conference and are a Division I program. They inherited the NCAA Division I status of the Texas–Pan American Broncs, who first began play in 1952. The Vaqueros have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational and one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. The team's current identity was established after the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) were merged in 2015.
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What You'll Learn
The UTRGV Vaqueros basketball team is Division I
The Vaqueros compete in the Southland Conference, having moved there from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2024. They have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The team plays its home games at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The Vaqueros are one of 45 Division I programs to have never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. However, during their time as the Pan American Broncs, they appeared in the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament (then known as the NCAA College Division basketball tournament). The Broncs also had a successful run in the NAIA Men's Basketball Championships, appearing three times and winning the NAIA title.
The UTRGV athletic program has explored creating a football team for NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level competition, with plans to begin playing in the 2025 season.
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The team has never appeared in the Division I men's basketball tournament
The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team, or UTRGV Vaqueros, represents the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas, United States. The team has never appeared in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, making them one of 45 Division I programs that have not participated in this tournament.
The history of the team includes several name changes and mergers. The team's current identity was established after the University of Texas at Brownsville merged with the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) in 2015. The merged university inherited the athletic legacy of UTPA, including its membership in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Before the merger, UTPA's teams were known as the "Broncs."
The Broncs first began play in 1952 under their then-current institutional identity of Pan American College, as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). During their time as Pan American, they appeared in the NAIA Men's Basketball Championships three times, achieving a combined record of 10-2, including an NAIA title. In 1961, the Broncs made their first postseason appearance in the NAIA District Playoffs, and in 1962, they made it to the NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament. The following year, in 1963, the Broncs won the NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament.
Despite their success in the NAIA, the UTRGV Vaqueros have not had the same level of achievement in the NCAA Division I tournament. The team has appeared in other tournaments, such as the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), but they have not yet qualified for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
The Vaqueros have had a mix of winning and losing seasons in recent years, and they have made postseason appearances in other tournaments. However, they have not been able to secure a place in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, which is the pinnacle of college basketball.
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The team has appeared in one College Basketball Invitational
The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team, also known as the UTRGV Vaqueros, is the basketball team representing the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. They are a Division I program and have been competing in the Southland Conference since the 2024-25 season.
The Vaqueros were invited to the 2018 College Basketball Invitational, marking their first postseason berth since 1980. Unfortunately, they lost to New Orleans in the first round of the tournament. Despite this setback, the team showed significant improvement in the following season, achieving a winning record of 19-16 in the regular season and 9-7 in WAC play. This winning season was a notable accomplishment for the team, as it was their first since the 2007-08 season.
The 2018 College Basketball Invitational holds significance for the UTRGV Vaqueros as it represented a milestone in their journey towards rebuilding and improving their basketball program. With a new head coach, Lew Hill, taking over in 2016, the team had worked hard to enhance their performance and return to a competitive stance. Their invitation to the tournament served as a testament to their dedication and progress.
Prior to the 2018 College Basketball Invitational, the Vaqueros had experienced a challenging period. During the 2015-16 season, their first as the UTRGV Vaqueros following the merger of the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas-Pan American, the team struggled, finishing with a record of 8-22 and a 4-10 conference record. The appointment of Coach Lew Hill in 2016 marked a turning point, and his expertise helped lay the foundation for the team's resurgence.
The 2018 College Basketball Invitational was a pivotal moment for the UTRGV Vaqueros, as it signaled their return to competitiveness within the sport. While their journey included setbacks and challenges, the team's improvement from one season to the next demonstrated their resilience and commitment to success. This milestone also highlighted the impact of effective coaching and the potential for future triumphs.
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The team has appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's basketball team is based in Edinburg, Texas. The team has been coached by Matt Figger since 2021.
UTRGV has appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). In 2019, the Vaqueros were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, marking their first CIT appearance and their second consecutive season with a postseason bid since the 1963-64 seasons. This was also the first time UTRGV had hosted a postseason tournament game since 1965. On March 20, 2019, the Vaqueros narrowly won their first-round game against Grambling, 74-73, with a pair of free throws in the final nine seconds. They then progressed to play Texas Southern on March 25.
UTRGV is one of 45 Division I programs to have never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The team has, however, appeared in other tournaments. During their time as Pan American, they appeared in the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament and the NAIA Men's Basketball Championships, winning the latter. They have also appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
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The team's previous identity was the Broncs
The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team, or UTRGV Vaqueros, represents the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The team's current identity was established after the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) were merged in 2015. The UTRGV athletic program inherited UTPA's athletic legacy, including its WAC membership, and its teams' former nickname, the "Broncs".
The Broncs first began play in 1952 under their then-current institutional identity of Pan American College, as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. During their time as Pan American, they appeared in the NAIA Men's Basketball Championships three times, going a combined record of 10–2, including an NAIA title. In their final season under the Bronc identity, the team finished 10–21 overall, with a 4–10 conference record, though they did win their final home game as the Broncs against UMKC, with a buzzer-beater 2-point shot as time expired.
The Broncs joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) prior to the 2013 season. In 1961, despite finishing with a 15–16 record, the Broncs made their first-ever postseason appearance, playing in the NAIA District Playoffs. They were beaten in two games by Texas State. The following year, the Broncs finished with a 26–4 record and made their first NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament appearance after beating Texas State twice in a row. The Broncs got to the second round before losing to the Ferris Institute. This was their final season in the Big State Conference, with the Broncs becoming an Independent after the season ended.
The Broncs finished the 1962–63 season with a 25–6 record. They beat McMurry 77–51 in the NAIA District Playoffs to make their second straight NAIA National Tournament appearance. The Broncs subsequently won the 1963 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament, winning five games by an average margin of 20.4 points. The following year, the Broncs finished with a 28–6 record, the most victories the team ever had in a single season. They prevailed in the NAIA District Playoffs once again, beating McMurray 86–81 to advance to the Tournament, but lost to Rockhurst in the NAIA National Championship.
The 2015–16 season was the first season as the UTRGV Vaqueros, and they finished the season 8–22, with a 4–10 conference record.
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Frequently asked questions
The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros basketball team is in Division I.
The UTRGV basketball team is part of the Southland Conference.
The UTRGV basketball team joined the Southland Conference in the 2024-25 academic year.
Before 2015, the team was known as the "Broncs".
The UTRGV Fieldhouse is the home of the Vaqueros.
