UTRGV moved from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to the Southland Conference at the end of March but will remain an affiliate member for both men’s soccer and women’s swimming and diving.
The program is set to swim its first season this fall led by head coach Betsey Graham. The hiring of Graham was originally announced on March 19th, less than a week before the move to the Southland Conference was announced on March 25th. At the time, it left the addition of women’s swimming and diving in question as the Southland Conference does not sponsor women’s swimming and diving.
Now that question has been answered as the team will stay in the WAC for women’s swimming and diving. The school has co-hosted the Men’s and Women’s WAC Championships the last two seasons with the city of Pharr at the City of Pharr Natatorium. The program is expected to compete out of the City of Pharr Natatorium in its inaugural season.
With UTRGV’s department, the WAC will be home to 10 schools. Women’s swimming and diving will be home to nine teams next fall. A total of 12 schools will compete in swimming and diving in the conference next season, although Air Force, Wyoming, and UNLV only compete on the men’s side, bringing the women’s teams to nine.
The Northern Arizona women swam to a conference win this past season with 841.5 points, over 250 more than second-place Grand Canyon who had 588 points.
UTRGV is home to eight sports for each gender. In November 2022, the addition of women’s swimming and diving was announced alongside the addition of FCS football, spirit programs, and marching band programs.