Samantha Cantu/THE RIDER
Football and Women’s Swimming & Diving are the latest sports to be added to UTRGV Athletics, with the programs taking six years to start. The long process is one reason why the university might not see another new sport soon, according to an Athletics official.
Chasse Conque, senior vice president and director of Athletics, said adding a sport to a University of Texas System institution involves a lot of important figures, from the university’s president to the UT System Board of Regents. One of the things to look at is student support, Conque added.
“So as we were working through sport expansion, the thing that was really important for [the UT System Board of Regents] was that they wanted to hear what the students say, right?” he said. “And so, that’s why [the football] student referendum was so critical. And to have such a great showing–a number of students that voted–that’s what they’re very interested in when it comes to sport expansion. … What do the students say on campus?”
Conque said another requirement is the program needs to meet NCAA compliance, so it can align with Division I.
“So, you’re doing a lot of pro formas, a lot of budget analysis … looking at other programs that we aspire to be to make sure we have the resources,” he said. “… Obviously, the regulations … [it is] making sure you’re complying with all the NCAA regulations that are prescribed to us.”
Sponsorships and partnerships for new programs can help get funds and make deals by improving budgeting because a portion is obtained from an Intercollegiate Athletic Fee of $26.50 per credit hour, capped at $315 per semester, charged to every UTRGV student in their bill.
Conque added a partnership was needed for the Swimming & Diving program “because natatoriums aren’t easy to come by, right?”
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He also mentioned football went through a little different process.
“Football, very similar, but on a little-bit different scale, right?” Conque said. “And so, we had to make sure that we had not just our student support on campus. … We had to make sure that we had the community support because it takes, you know, for a football program to be successful, you need thousands of people to come to your games … interested in what you’re doing.”
Athletics invested $30 million to upgrade existing departmental facilities and build its new Vaqueros Performance Center, according to an April 7, 2022, report from The Rider.
The department bought the former H-E-B Park for $39 million, according to a March 4, 2024, report by The Rider, and turned it into Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium after another $35 million in renovations, according to an Oct. 7, 2024, report.
For Women’s Swimming & Diving, Athletics, in partnership with the City of Pharr and the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, built the Pharr-PSJA-UTRGV Natatorium for $26 million, according to a Feb. 7, 2022, report by The Rider.
“Yeah, that’s one of the biggest pieces to this,” Conque said. “Those facilities are critical. And it’s not just where we’re going to play, but it’s where we’re going to practice and train and really live everyday life.”
He said the department will focus on the newest, existing programs before planning a new one.
“We’ve got to continue to do what we’re doing with our two programs now,” Conque said. “But as we look ahead, I do think there [are] opportunities for sport expansion. But we have to make sure we follow the blueprint that we put in place with these two programs and, then, make sure that our two current programs that are really brand new are in a good position here where they can fly.”
