BROWNSVILLE – University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men’s soccer team Vaqueros took on St. Mary’s in an exhibition game at Brownsville Sports Park on Saturday in front of 225 people in attendance as part of an announced initiative last month by the intercollegiate athletics departments of the UTRGV.

UTRGV Athletics returned to Brownsville a week after the women’s soccer team hosted a youth clinic and played an instrasquad game.

The men’s exhibition match was an opportunity for the UTRGV Athletics to capitalize on the success of the previous week. With more fans and even a few city staff in attendance, the department is happy to see the initiative move forward.

“It’s great to be back for a second week in Brownsville,” UTRGV vice president and athletic director Conch Hunting noted. “It’s really good that we’ve had two home events in the Rio Grande Valley and both in Brownsville. We started our college year playing here twice. It’s great to see the energy here. C was a good crowd tonight. It was great to see Brownsville City Commissioner Nurith Galonsky Pizana and Brownsville City Commissioner Roy De Los Santos join us tonight and have a good representation of the city. “

The Brownsville events are a chance for those in the lower Rio Grande Valley to make UTRGV Athletics their own as a team. Being in the lower Rio Grande Valley shows that UTRGV Athletics is making it a priority and looking to do more.

“We talk a lot about rallying the Valley,” said Conque. “Our message to the community is that this is their university. It is their Division I institution. Their Division I athletic programs. We really want to make sure that we are not just asking for their support, but that they see us in the communities we serve. Being in the Lower Valley, being in Cameron County, and being in Brownsville is just the start and we look forward to continuing programming throughout the year and out. develop for many years to come.

Being in the lower Rio Grande Valley extends UTRGV Athletics’ footprint in the region and some from Brownsville want to return that support.

“We hope the University, and I know it will, will increase its footprint in the city of Brownsville and we are here to support them in any way we can,” said Galonsky Pizana. “There are a lot of students from Brownsville who come to UTRGV, so we need more of these events to foster a sense of community for the people who live here.”

The initiative is not only helping UTRGV Athletics, but the lower Rio Grande Valley, especially Brownsville, as the region and city continue to grow.

“It’s very important,” said Galonsky Pizana. “For all the growth that’s happening in Brownsville, we need UTRGV as a partner because we can’t do it alone. Education is a big part of why many businesses come here and why all of this growth is happening, so with the help of UTRGV we can only do better. “

The Vaqueros ended the night with a 1-0 first-year victory Enock Asante scored the only goal of the game in the first half.

The UTRGV will open its season on Thursday August 26 at Central Arkansas at 6 p.m.

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