UTRGV athletics announced on Wednesday that fans have placed deposits for the first 2,000 season tickets in UTRGV football history, doing so only six and a half months after UTRGV started accepting deposits.

“The momentum we have built together over the last few months is truly inspiring,” UTRGV vice president and athletic director Chasse Conque said. “The Valley’s excitement for Division I football is palpable. We are deeply appreciative of the incredible support the community is showing toward UTRGV football and can’t wait to #RallyTheValley together in 2025.”

Fans can reserve season tickets with a $25 deposit for the inaugural season of UTRGV football in 2025.

Fans can make their deposits at UTRGVTickets.com. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and will be applied toward season ticket purchases.

“I’ve always known if the Valley got college football it would explode, and I want to thank the Valley for rallying behind us in such big numbers,” UTRGV head football coach Travis Bush said. “We’re going to be playing in front of a lot of sold-out crowds in 2025 and beyond and we can’t wait to see everyone there with their orange on.”

UTRGV Athletics is still finalizing details regarding ticket prices, but the plan is to offer a variety of price points with season tickets as low as $99 to ensure there is something for everyone.

UTRGV is committed to playing games in both the upper and lower Valley. Seat locations will be determined closer to the start of the inaugural season.

UTRGV Athletics is giving priority for choosing seats to current V Club members, season ticket holders of any sport, and corporate partners.

Fans with question can contact the UTRGV Athletics Ticket Office team of Eddie Galvan (956-222-2935) and Ryela Rodriguez (956-329-0884) over the phone or through email at [email protected].

UTRGV also unveiled orange helmets on Tuesday, in addition to the white helmets released two weeks ago. The design features the word Vaqueros in white cursive on each side of the helmet. UTRGV also teased a third helmet set to be unveiled soon.

The No. 7-seeded UTRGV baseball team lost against the No. 5 Abilene Christian Wildcats 8-2 in a Western Athletic Conference Tournament elimination game on Thursday at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona, the spring training home of the Oakland A’s.

McAllen High alumus Abanny Garcia was locked in a pitchers’ dual with Austin Glaze (4-1) for the first three innings, as each kept the other team off the board.

In the top of the fourth, though, the Wildcats (35-23) scored on a Maddox Miesse single and a Crew Parke groundout to take a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, though, sophomore Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez hit a leadoff single and graduate student Brandon Pimentel hit a 395-foot home run to right to tie the game. The home run, which left the bat at 103 miles per hour, extended Pimentel’s career program record home run total to 31. It was also his 19th home run of the season, the third-highest single-season total in program history.

Pimentel finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored. Senior Roberto Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a walk.

Pimentel finishes the season hitting .402, the fifth-highest batting average in program history, while recording 86 hits, tied for the fifth-highest total, 73 RBIs, the third-highest total, and 152 total bases, which ranks second.

For his Vaqueros (30-26) career, Pimentel hit a program record .389 while recording 175 hits, the ninth-highest total in program history, and 120 RBI, which ties for fifth.

Montclair Cain finished his career with 17 home runs, tied for the 10th-highest total in program history, and 32 doubles, which is tied for ninth. He didn’t make an error over his final 57 games, the seventh-longest streak in program history. Pimentel had a 70-game errorless streak, which ranks third, and senior Zerek Saenz had a 55-game streak, which ranks ninth.

As a team, the Vaqueros finished with 365 RBIs, the fifth-highest total in program history.

The Wildcats regained the lead against senior Alex Verdugo (3-3) in the sixth as a pair of errors and a hit put runners at second and third with one out, setting up a sacrifice fly by Jake Skaggs. Then, with two outs, Holden Rook hit a 2-run triple to make the score 5-2.

Grayson Tatrow added a solo home run in the seventh to put the Wildcats up 6-2.

In the ninth, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out. Tanner Tweedt was plunked to force-in a run. Then, with two outs, a wild pitch brought home Miller Ladusau to make the score 8-2.

The No. 7-seeded UTRGV baseball fell to the No. 1 Grand Canyon Lopes 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday at Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland A’s, in Mesa, Arizona.

The Vaqueros (30-25) face No. 5 Abilene Christian in an elimination game at 2 p.m. today.

Fans can join other Vaqueros fans to watch the game at a watch party at Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar at 415 Trenton Rd. in Edinburg. The game will be broadcast domestically on ESPN+ and internationally via WAC International.

The Vaqueros broke a scoreless tie in the fourth. Sophomore Vela alum Isaac Lopez led off with a single. Graduate student Brandon Pimentel followed with a walk, setting up an RBI-single by senior Roberto Gonzalez to make the score 1-0.

Senior Colten Davis (4-3) was nearly untouchable for the first 5.1 innings, scattering two singles and two walks while striking out six and tossing just 69 pitches. With one out in the sixth, though, Zack Gregory homered to tie the game.

Then, with one out in the seventh, the Lopes (37-19) took the lead on a Cade Verdusco single to knock out Davis, who finished with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Homer Bush Jr. followed with an RBI-double to put the Lopes up 3-1.

That made a winner of Grant Richardson (1-0), who pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Nathan Ward recorded the final four outs for his third save.

Graduate student Montclair Cain went 2-for-3 with a career-high two triples. The Vaqueros hit a season-high three triples, including one by senior Zerek Saenz.

The No. 7-seeded UTRGV baseball team won by double-figures for the fourth-straight game for the first time in program history, 14-4 in seven innings over the No. 6 Texas at Arlington Mavericks in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament opener on Tuesday at Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland A’s.

The Vaqueros (30-24) advance to face No. 1 Grand Canyon at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Fans can join other Vaqueros fans to watch the game at a watch party at Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar at 415 Trenton Rd. in Edinburg. The game will be broadcast domestically on ESPN+ and internationally via WAC International.

The Vaqueros are now amid their fourth-straight 30-win season, not including the abbreviated 2020 season.

The Vaqueros have now scored 58 runs over their last four games.

“Just a bunch of old hitters that have had a lot of college at-bats,” UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said about the Vaqueros’ hot streak at the plate. “They’ve been in this moment before, so it’s pretty easy for them. It was fun to watch.”

Zach Norris (2-2) held the Vaqueros to one hit over the first three innings. In the fourth, however, sophomore Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez led off with a single and Brandon Pimentel was hit by a pitch. Senior Roberto Gonzalez walked to load the bases, setting up a game-tying single by graduate student Montclair Cain. One out later, junior Adrian Torres hit a go-ahead single. Junior Kade York followed with an RBI single that brought home two runs due to an error. One batter later, with York at third, senior Zerek Saenz laid down a suicide squeeze to give the Vaqueros a 6-2 lead.

Cain drew a leadoff walk in the fifth and was immediately put in motion, allowing him to score on a double by sophomore Steven Lancia to put the Vaqueros up 7-2.

Saenz drew a leadoff walk in the sixth. One out later, Saenz moved to second on an errant pickoff throw, allowing him to score on a Pimentel single. Then, with two outs, Pimentel stole second and scored on a Cain single to make the score 9-2.

The Vaqueros put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh to set up an RBI double by Pimentel and a two-run single by Gonzalez. Then, after a Cain single, Lancia hit a two-run double to put the Vaqueros up 14-3.

Cain finished 3-for-3 with a walk, three RBIs and three runs scored. Lancia went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs. Pimentel finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI sand three runs scored. Lopez went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Junior Angelo Cabral (10-2) made the runs stand up, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five in 6.1 innings. Junior Zach Tjelmeland recorded the final two outs.

UTRGV first baseman Brandon Pimentel has been named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Hitter of the Week, Collegiate Baseball and the WAC announced Monday.

This is the second time Pimentel has earned both honors after doing so on April 10. Additionally, this is UTRGV’s fourth national player of the week honor, as senior pitcher Colten Davis earned the honor from Collegiate Baseball on April 24 and junior pitcher Angelo Cabral was the D1Baseball National Pitcher of the Week on February 27.

Pimentel hit .857/.889/2.000 while leading the Vaqueros to a 3-1 week, going 12-for-14 with five home runs, one double, four walks, 15 RBIs and 10 runs scored. He had three hits in each game.

Pimentel opened the week by going 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored at Lamar on Tuesday. He then posted his first-career three-homer game while driving in a season-high five runs and scoring a career-high tying four times on Thursday in the series opener at Stephen F. Austin. Pimentel followed that up by reaching five times with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored on Friday before reaching four more times with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored on Saturday.

For the season, Pimentel is hitting .401/.488/.708 with 18 home runs, eight doubles, 69 RBIs, 48 runs scored and nine stolen bases. He leads the WAC and ranks 20th in the NCAA in RBIs while ranking second in the WAC and 26th in the NCAA in RBIs per game (1.30). Pimentel ranks third in the WAC in four categories, ranking 48th in the NCAA in home runs, 55th in in on-base percentage, 58th in total bases (143), and 63rd in slugging percentage (.708). He ranks fourth in the WAC in two categories, ranking 27th in the NCAA in hitting and 72nd in home runs per game (0.34). Pimentel is fifth in the WAC in two categories, ranking 39th in the NCAA in hits (81) and 48th in hits per game (1.53).

Pimentel is having one of the best individual seasons in program history, ranking third in home runs, tied for third in RBIs, fourth in total bases, fifth in hitting, and seventh in hits.

For his career, Pimentel is UTRGV’s all-time leader in home runs (30) and hitting (.388) while ranking sixth in RBI (116). He is one total base from entering the top 10, currently at 170. He also put together the third-longest error-free streak in program history, playing 70 games of flawless defense between first base and left field.

No. 7 UTRGV opens the WAC Tournament 6 p.m. Tuesday against No. 6 UT Arlington at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona, the spring training home of the Oakland A’s. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ and internationally via WAC International.

The UTRGV baseball team closed out the regular season with a three-game sweep of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, winning the finale 16-5 in eight innings Saturday at Jaycees Field in Nacogdoches.

The Vaqueros (29-24, 15-14 WAC) open the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at 6 p.m. Tuesday against UT-Arlington at Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics. All games will be broadcast domestically on ESPN+ and internationally via WAC International.

UTRGV is now 11-10 on the road, making this the first time UTRGV has posted a winning record on the road since 2000 (8-7-1). UTRGV finishes WAC play with a 9-6 road record, marking the second straight season in which UTRGV has had a winning road record in WAC play after going 8-7 last season.

Brandon Pimentel extended his program-record career home run total to 30 with a solo shot during the second inning.

Pimentel now has 18 home runs this season, the third-highest single-season total in program history behind only Hall of Famer Mitchell Moran (20, 1983) and Jesse Gutierrez (21, 2000).

Pimentel finished 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, four RBIs and two runs scored. Junior Adrian Torres went 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored. Junior Kade York finished 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Sophomore Erick Martinez went 2-for-4 with his first home run, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Junior and PSJA High alumnus Jacob Sanchez finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The Vaqueros knocked out Lumberjacks starter Cade Stapleton (1-8) three batters into the game, as senior Zerek Saenz doubled, sophomore and Vela alum Isaac Lopez was hit by a pitch, and Pimentel hit an RBI single. One out later, graduate student Montclair Cain hit an RBI single. Then, with two outs, Torres launched a three-run home run, his fourth of the season, and York belted a solo shot, his third of the season, to make the score 6-0 against SFA (22-28, 12-18 WAC).

Pimentel homered with one out in the second. One out after that, Cain walked and Sanchez singled. Torres followed with an RBI single and then York added a two-run single. After Martinez walked and Saenz was plunked to load the bases, Lopez walked to force in a run, and Pimentel capped the seven-run inning with a two-run single to make the score 13-0.

Sanchez added an RBI single during the fifth inning to put the Vaqueros up 14-1. Martinez blasted a two-run home run in the eighth to make the score 16-5.

Sophomore Randy Garza (3-3) started and pitched two hitless innings, striking out three. The only baserunner reached on an error.

Junior and Edinburg Vela alum Nico Rodriguez struck out two during a scoreless fourth. Sophomore Bobby Loya struck out the side in a hitless sixth.

The UTRGV baseball team clinched its fourth straight Western Athletic Conference Tournament berth by beating the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 15-1 in seven innings Friday at Jaycees Field in Nacogdoches.

The Vaqueros (28-24, 14-14 WAC) will head to Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland A’s, for the tournament starting Tuesday. The bracket is expected to be available at the conclusion of play today.

Brandon Pimentel extended his program-record career home run total to 29 with a three-run shot during the fourth inning against Garrett Gearner (7-2) to make the score 7-1.

Pimentel has 17 home runs this season, the third-highest single-season total in program history behind only Hall of Famer Mitchell Moran (20, 1983) and Jesse Gutierrez (21, 2000).

Junior Adrian Torres also homered, blasting a grand slam to cap a seven-run seventh inning.

Pimentel finished 3-for-3 with two walks, four RBIs and three runs scored. Torres went 2-for-3 with a walk, a career-high five RBIs and two runs scored. Senior Roberto Gonzalez finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Steven Lancia went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Sophomore and Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a career-high three runs scored. Montclair Cain went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Senior Zerek Saenz finished 2-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored.

McAllen High alumus Abanny Garcia (1-0) made the runs stand up. In his first Division I start, he pitched a complete game, going a career-high seven innings, striking out a career-high five and allowing just three hits and two walks en route to his first DI win.

The Lumberjacks (22-27, 12-17 WAC) scored their lone run in the first on an RBI double by Cal Martin, making the score 1-0.

The Vaqueros responded in the second. Lancia led off with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. That set up a game-tying single by senior and Edinburg Vela alumnus RJ Ochoa.

Lopez, Pimentel and Gonzalez opened the third inning with singles, setting up Cain’s two-run double. One out later, Torres brought home a run on a groundout to make the score 4-1.

In the fifth, the Vaqueros put two on with one out ahead of an RBI single by junior Kade York to go up 8-1.

The Vaqueros opened the seventh by loading the bases on walks before Pimentel and Gonzalez hit RBI singles. Cain followed with a sacrifice fly. Lancia then singled to reload the bases and set up Torres’ grand slam.

UTRGV and Stephen F. Austin close out the regular season at noon today. Fans can watch for free via WAC International.

NACOGDOCHES – UTRGV first baseman Brandon Pimentel hit three of the Vaqueros’ program record-tying six home runs to break the career program record during a 13-3, eight-inning victory over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks on Thursday at Jaycees Field.

The Vaqueros (27-24, 13-14 WAC) can clinch their fourth-straight Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament berth by winning the middle game of the series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Fans can watch for free via WAC International.

Pimentel now has 28 home runs, breaking the previous record of 27 held by Hall of Famer Mitchell Moran (1981-83). Pimentel has 16 home runs this season, the third-highest single-season total in program history behind only Moran (20, 1983) and Jesse Gutierrez (21, 2000).

Graduate student Montclair Cain hit two home runs to increase his career total to 17, tied for the 10th-highest total in program history with Andy Ness (1999-00). Cain now has eight home runs this season.

This is the fifth time UTRGV has ever had six home runs in a game and the third time on the road, along with May 3, 2022 at UTSA, May 2, 2021 at New Mexico State, March 2000 at home vs. Western Illinois and March 1991 at home vs. William Penn.

Senior Zerek Saenz and Pimentel each homered against Skyler Jaco(2-4) to give the Vaqueros a 2-0 lead in the first.

Saenz now has four home runs this season.

Pimentel belted a 2-run home run in the third to make the score 4-0 and mark his second multi-home run game of the season and the fourth of his career.

Then, with the score 5-3 in the fifth, Pimentel launched another 2-run home run to break the record as part of his first-career 3-home run game. One batter later, Cain launched a solo shot to put the Vaqueros up 8-3.

Cain added a 2-run shot in the eighth to make the score 13-3. This was Cain’s second-career multi-home run game. The other was also against the Lumberjacks, on April 9, 2022.

Pimentel finished 3-for-4 with a career-high three home runs, a walk, a season-high five RBI and a career-high tying four runs scored. Cain went a season-best 4-for-5 with two home runs, a season-high tying three RBI and a career-high tying three runs scored. Saenz finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, a steal, two RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Steven Lancia went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

Lancia scored his run in the fourth when, with runners at first and second and one out, postbaccalaureate student Angel De La Cruz hit a grounder to short. The throw to second led to an out, but the relay throw sailed wide, allowing Lancia to score to make the score 5-3.

Lancia drove-in his run in the seventh with a bases loaded walk in the seventh. Junior PSJA North alum Damian Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, Saenz drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 11-3.

Senior Alex Verdugo (3-2) earned the win by pitching 5.0 scoreless innings of relief. He struck out four while allowing one hit and one walk.

Clayton Loranger got the Lumberjacks (22-26, 12-16 WAC) on the board with a 2-run home run in the third. The next batter, Cal Martin, hit a solo shot to make the score 4-3.

The UTRGV baseball team lost against the Grand Canyon Lopes 6-3 on Sunday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.

The Lopes (33-19, 19-7 WAC) opened the scoring with three runs (one earned) against junior Angelo Cabral (9-2) in the first, loading the bases with one out to set up a 2-run double by Maxwell Andeel and a sacrifice fly by Cade Verdusco.

The Vaqueros (26-23, 12-14 WAC) got one back in the second, loading the bases with nobody against Zach Thornton (8-1). Junior Adrian Torres hit into a fielder’s choice to bring home senior Roberto Gonzalez, making the score 3-1.

The Vaqueros put runners at second and third with one out in the third, allowing graduate student Brandon Pimentel to tie the game at 3 with a single.

Pimentel finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Lopes regained the lead in the fourth on an error that scored Andeel, and then extended their lead on a Zack Gregory two-run home run in the ninth.

Brody Cooper-Vassalakis pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

Cabral struck out five in 5.0 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.

Senior Colten Davis followed with 2.0 scoreless innings.

UTRGV plays its final four regular season games on the road, starting with the non-conference finale Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Lamar on ESPN+.

The UTRGV baseball team fell to the Grand Canyon Lopes 8-2 on Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg in front of a season-best crowd of 4,261.

The Lopes (32-19, 18-7 WAC) scored in each of the first three innings against sophomore Randy Garza (2-2), on a Cade Verdusco double play in the first, a Zack Gregory sacrifice fly in the second, and an Elijah Buries sacrifice fly in the third.

The Vaqueros (26-22, 12-13 WAC) got one back against Daniel Avitia (7-1) in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by junior PSJA North alumnus Damian Rodriguez to make the score 3-1.

The Lopes scored an unearned run in the fifth on a 2-out error that brought home Zach Yorke to make the score 4-1.

A Gregory home run put the Lopes up 5-1 in the top of the sixth, but sophomore Steven Lancia answered with his seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the inning to make the score 5-2.

Lancia and junior Adrian Torres each finished 2-for-4.

The Lopes added another run in the seventh on an infield RBI single by Elijah Burries.

The Lopes plated a pair of unearned runs in the ninth on a pair of errors.

UTRGV and Grand Canyon are scheduled to play the middle game of this three-game series on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. It’s superhero night. All fans wearing superhero or comic book character costumes get free admission.

Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com. Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with their student ID. All fans need to follow the clear bag policy, details of which can be found at GoUTRGV.com/ClearBag. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International. The game will also be televised in Spanish on Vallevisión Channel 8 (XHAB).