Chasse gets his football program
Division I football is coming to the Rio Grande Valley. A borderland region in South Texas with a population nearing 1.5 million, the Rio Grande Valley is one of the largest and most-populated regions of the United States without Division I football.
That will change come 2025 when the UTRGV Vaqueros take the field for the first time in what will be a special moment for the university and its larger community. The university’s students voted to raise their tuition fees by a 60.5 to 39.5 margin to fund the creation of the football program, women’s swimming and diving programs, as well as marching bands (yes plural bands), and spirit squads.
At this time, the university is planning to split their games between stadiums in Edinburg and Brownsville, the two largest cities in the Rio Grande Valley. UTRGV has campuses in both locations, and is planning to have separate marching bands on both campuses.
The Vaqueros will compete in the Western Athletic Conference, where they will compete with Abilene Christian University, Dixie State University, Lamar University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Tarleton State University, University of the Incarnate Word, Utah Valley University, and Southern Utah University. With current members New Mexico State and Sam Houston State heading to Conference USA, the WAC may seek a 10th football member to create two five-team divisions.
While UTRGV VP and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque will have his hands full with planning and logistical decision making over the next three years, one of the most critical decisions Conque will need to make is to determine the university’s first head coach. With an anticipated four year gap between official approval and the program’s inaugural game, UTRGV is operating on a slower timeline than previous startups such as UTSA, South Alabama, and Georgia State, all of which started play within two years of receiving approval to launch their programs.
It sucks that Little Rock is such a lousy sports town. I wasn't a big supporter of football, probably because I never believed it would work here. If it was possible in LR, I think Chasse could have gotten it done. Still don't quite understand why LR is so much different than other southern cities that have started football in the past 20 years or so.
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