A look back at 2024 RGV sports

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HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Rio Grande Valley sports saw victory, new beginnings and representation on the global stage.

From state champions to Olympians, the 2024 chapter of sports in the RGV was one that will always be remembered.

Here's a look back at sports in the Rio Grande Valley this year.

Harvest Christian girls basketball wins back-to-back state titles

The Harvest Christian girls basketball team won the Texas Association for Private and Parochial (TAPPS) Division I state championship for a second consecutive year.

The Eagles blew out Sherman Texoma Christian, 78-27, in the title game.

HEB Park announced as UTRGV Football home field

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced it now owns the HEB Park, once known as the RGV Toros Stadium, to be used as the home turf for the university’s first ever football program.

UTRGV joins Southland Conference

Officials from the Southland Conference and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) held a press conference at UTRGV Fieldhouse to discuss the conference adding UTRGV as a member.

UTRGV names new men’s basketball head coach

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced the hiring of its new men’s basketball head coach.

UTRGV announced that Kahlil Fennell will be the newest head coach after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at BYU.

UTRGV baseball beats Texas for the first time since 1971

The UTRGV baseball team beat Texas 17-9 to snap a 48-game losing streak against the Longhorns.

The victory was UTRGV’s first over Texas since 1971 and its second-ever over Texas in Austin.

RGV track & field athletes total 10 medals at state meet

The Rio Grande Valley track and field athletes totaled ten medals at this year’s state meet, including three gold medal finishes from San Juanita Leal (Edinburg North), Xiomara Rodriguez (Lasara) and Jazmine Thompson (Harlingen).

Harlingen South softball finishes runner-up in 5A state title game

The Melissa softball team beat Harlingen South, 8-0, to capture the 5A state championship.

The run to the state championship game was the Lady Hawks' deepest postseason run in program history.

Weslaco stuns Waco Midway to win Valley’s first-ever softball state title

The Weslaco softball team trailed 9-3 entering the bottom half seventh inning of the UIL 6A State Championship game against Waco Midway.

The Lady Panthers cut the deficit to 9-7 when Andrea Ortiz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded.

The sophomore shortstop/right fielder hit a grand slam to win the game 11-9 in walk-off fashion.

RGV native Shaine Casas secures spot at 2024 Olympics

Rio Grande Valley native Shaine Casas secured his spot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

He was the sixth Valley-native to become a U.S. Olympian.

UTRGV to play Sul Ross State in first-ever football game

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) will play its first-ever football game against Sul Ross State University.

The universities are set to play at Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg on Aug. 30, 2025.

Joseph Blair named Vipers next head coach

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers hired Joseph Blair as the organization’s next head coach.

During Blair's previous stint with the Vipers (2015-2019), Blair helped bring home the organization’s third NBA G League title during the 2018-19 season.

UTRGV hosts first public practice: ‘A historic day’