UTRGV joining the Southland Conference

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley athletics is joining the Southland Conference.

UTRGV will be a full-time member of SLC starting July 1 and will compete in baseball, football, volleyball, women’s soccer, men’s/women’s basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, and indoor/outdoor track and field, according to a news release.

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be one of the six Texas-based institutions competing in SLC, along with other five institutions nearby Louisiana.

"As we embark on this new journey, we look forward to forging new rivalries and celebrating remarkable academic achievements, a reflection of our shared commitment to excellence both on and off the field," UTRGV President Guy Bailey said. "We stand poised to elevate the standards of collegiate athletics while nurturing the academic aspirations of our student-athletes."

The teams that are currently competing in the Western Athletic Conference will still be eligible to compete for conference championships and NCAA postseason play.