Season Preview: Swimming & Diving

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) swimming & diving program is ready to begin their season this Saturday when they host the program’s first NCAA Division I meet when Incarnate Word visits the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

“We’re excited,” swimming & diving head coach Betsy Graham said. “We are excited to host our first official meet inside this beautiful facility and race for the first time in a competitive setting.

To understand the magnitude of this season, we must go back in time…specifically, Nov. 18, 2022. On this day, UTRGV announced in a press release that, “The University of Texas Board of Regents has approved the expansion of spirit programs and authorized the creation of marching bands and football and women’s swimming and diving programs for UTRGV.”

Since then, UTRGV co-hosted the 2022 and 2023 Western Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships with the City of Pharr at the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium, hired their first head coach, and assembled a roster of 18 student-athletes that are pumped to compete for the first time as Vaqueros on Saturday.

“What’s impressed me is watching the girls really get after it and race in practice,” Graham said. “Having competitive practices where they are racing now will lead to better races down the road.”

The Vaqueros have been hitting the pool twice a day for the last month in preparation for their first meet on October 12. The work has been done inside and outside the pool to prepare for their first season of competition.

“In terms of traditions, these ladies have come up with three original cheers that fit us and that I haven’t heard anywhere,” Graham said. “They are building the foundation for this program.”

The Vaqueros have a long season ahead that will see them compete in nine meets over the course of five months, and Graham is excited to watch the team compete and continue to improve over those five months.

“I am excited to watch them improve their times over each meet,” Graham said. “Teaching them that they can be fast even though they’re tired. That’s the goal.”

The Vaqueros will have two home meets this season including the season opener on Oct. 12 against Incarnate Word and a dual meet with North Texas from Jan. 24-25. Both meets will be held at the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium. Attendance is free but fans will need a digital pass to gain entrance. Fans can sign up for the UTRGV Swimming & Diving Pass at GoUTRGV.com/SDPass.

The Vaqueros will earn a taste of WAC competition when they travel to New Mexico State, Idaho, and Air Force.

“We’re excited to go to New Mexico State and see them and Northern Arizona, both are WAC opponents,” Graham said. “We will go to a meet in Boise that will feature some of the WAC schools as well. That will be great for us to get a little rest and see how fast we can go.”

These experiences will be important as they conclude the regular season and travel to Houston for their first WAC Swimming & Diving Championships from Feb. 26-Mar. 1.

The excitement and anticipation for this season has reached a boiling point and now it’s time to go compete.