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UT Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a public university serving the Rio Grande Valley with multiple campuses stretching from Brownsville to McAllen, Texas. Students often praise how close to home it keeps them, the many scholarship opportunities, the growing Vaquero athletics scene, and the hands‑on culture that blends community focus with strong teaching and research programs.

State

Texas

Student Population

33,800

Acceptance Rate

85–88%

GPA Range

3.0–3.4

SAT Range

910–1110

Common Majors

business, biology and health sciences, psychology, nursing, engineering‑related fields

“UTRGV feels like a place where you can stay close to family, join a supportive Vaquero community, find lots of ways to get involved, and still chase big‑time opportunities in research, internships, and careers.”

Team & Tuition

Divison

Division 1

Tuition (no scholarship)

In-state: $9,987; Out-of-state: $19,827

Conference

Southland Conference

Scholarships Available

Yes. Both athletic and academic.

Avg Men's Scores

72.05

Avg Women's Scores

76.42

Men's Team Notes

Vaqueros men averaged 288.5 over 12 rounds at Compadres Collegiate (El Tigre Golf Course, Mexico) and WAC Championship (Red Hawk Golf Club), posting one top-3 with balanced scoring from freshmen. Strong par-5 play and iron accuracy drove Texas-Mexico contention amid windy conditions.

Women's Team Notes

Vaqueras women fired program-record 285 final round at Lady Palmetto Invitational (Patriot's Point Links), finishing fifth overall with 305.4 season average across nine events including Texas State Invitational (Quarry Golf Club). Freshmen precision advanced top-10 pushes on Southeastern layouts.

Coaches

Men's Coach

Houston Moore

Women's Coach

Houston Moore

Men's Email

houston.moore@utrgv.edu

Women's Email

houston.moore@utrgv.edu

Men's Coach Bio

Houston Moore is UT Rio Grande Valley men’s head golf coach and Director of Golf, leading the Vaqueros in the Southland Conference. As the architect of the UTRGV golf program, he has built a competitive culture around a strong, regionally‑based schedule and player development. Moore emphasizes fundamentals, scoring‑oriented play, and engagement with the Rio Grande Valley community, helping position UTRGV men’s golf as a rising Southland‑level program with aspirations for consistent conference‑and‑NCAA‑level results.

Women's Coach Bio

Houston Moore also serves as UTRGV’s Director of Golf for the women’s program, overseeing the Vaqueros in the Southland Conference while an associate‑level staff leads day‑to‑day operations. He has guided the women’s team through a demanding schedule and a transition period that includes a recent leadership change after longtime coach Bryan Novoa was not retained in 2025–26. Moore focuses on fundamentals, short‑game development, and a disciplined, team‑driven environment aimed at steady improvement in the Southland.

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