Season Preview: Swimming & Diving

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) swimming & diving program is able to make a giant splash because it enters 12 months two of competitors. 

Head coach Betsy Graham is worked up to construct off the muse of its first NCAA Division I season. The Vaqueros skilled a number of milestones final season, sending freshman diver Manou Meulebeek to the NCAA Zone Diving Championships, drawing 631 followers to their first twin meet, and competing of their first convention championships. 

“We had a lot of firsts,” Graham mentioned. “The first memorable thing was Manou qualifying for the NCAA Zone “D” Diving Championships right off the bat. To do it in the first meet that we had at home, it was great.” 

After laying a fantastic basis in 12 months one, Graham is assured within the workforce’s capacity to develop and start competing within the NCAA Championships and the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Championships (NIC). This 12 months, the Vaqueros return 17 student-athletes from final season, together with Meulebeek and sophomore Annaleagh Stahl. 

Stahl shined for the Vaqueros on the Western Athletic Conference championships, incomes fifth within the 200 backstroke and seventh within the 400 particular person medley. Those races represented UTRGV’s first top-five and top-eight particular person end at a convention championship. 

Graham seemed to plug holes and stack up on expertise on the recruiting path, bringing 9 newcomers into this system. The newcomers have turned heads early within the 2025-26 season. 

In this system’s annual preseason pentathlon, three of the highest 5 finishers have been part of the latest recruiting class, together with the winner, freshman Sarah Bull, who received two of the 5 occasions throughout the meet. Finishing as runner-up was freshman Jaydy Jay who received the 100 breaststroke. Coming in fourth was freshman Dia Henderson who picked up a giant win within the 100 freestyle. 

“I got to see some good things,” Graham mentioned. “I felt we had holes, but we plugged them by bringing in new people. I think we’re going to be more competitive this year, and we have room to grow.” 

The Vaqueros will open the season at UT Permian Basin on Saturday, Oct. 11 at City of Midland Aquatics at 11 a.m. 

UTRGV will host two twin meets this season after they welcome the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals on Oct. 18 and New Mexico State on Jan. 10. 

To finish the season, UTRGV will co-host the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Swimming & Diving Championships from Feb. 25-28 on the City of Pharr-PSJA Natatorium. This meet marks the primary convention championship hosted by UTRGV by which its personal program will compete. 

“We are excited to host the championships in our first season as a member of the MPSF,” Graham mentioned. “It is a great honor to be entrusted with a competition of this magnitude, and we are looking forward to showcasing our Division I swimming and diving program in the Rio Grande Valley.” 

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