Longtime coming — UTRGV Football takes the field for the first time in program history during the inaugural game at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium in Edinburg on Saturday, Aug. 30. An estimated 12,000 fans filled the stands, while another 8,000 gathered outside for tailgates and pep rallies, marking a historic day for the university and the Rio Grande Valley. (UTRGV/David Pike)
By AMANDA A. TAYLOR-UCHOA
UTRGV Newsroom
EDINBURG, TX—The Resaca City was well represented during the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros’ inaugural football game held on Aug. 30.
Former Greyhound standout running back Fabian Garcia (#24) met the end zone during the sold-out contest against Sul Ross State University, and fellow former ’Hound Frank “The Tank” Medina (#70) also saw playing time.
At 5’11”, 318 lbs, Medina, an offensive lineman from San Benito, had a different route to earn a spot on the first-year team, making the squad during open tryouts after spending a year in Kingsville, where he saw no action in a Javelina uniform.
Garcia joined the Vaqueros’ program in 2024 as a freshman. From 2020-23 he was a San Benito High School (SBHS) standout, rushing for 21 touchdowns on 1,761 yards while scoring five touchdowns on 15 catches and receiving for 332 yards as a senior.
As a junior, he rushed for 29 touchdowns on 2,230 yards while earning Offensive Player of the Year honors.
As a sophomore, he rushed for 11 touchdowns on 1,204 yards to earn Newcomer of the Year honors. Before playing for the ’Hounds, Garcia wore the Cougars uniform for Miller Jordan Middle School.
He said he chose to play for UTRGV because of the coaching staff and getting to play close to home.
On Saturday, he carried the ball five times for 32 yards and a touchdown, and averaged 6.40 yards per carry. He also had a reception for six yards on the evening.
San Benito’s presence wasn’t reserved for those wearing helmets as SBHS Class of 2025 Color Guard members Louann Vasquez, Leah De La Garza, and Jose Noriega also donned UTRGV colors during the inaugural game.
More than 12,000 fans filled Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium, with an estimated 8,000 gathered outside for tailgates, pep rallies, and watch parties. The roar of the crowd, the drumbeat of the marching band, and the sea of orange and gray created an atmosphere that felt like both a celebration and a homecoming.
The historic kickoff was more than a game — it was the result of years of planning and student vision. In November 2021, UTRGV students cast a record number of ballots in favor of a referendum that raised the athletics fee to help fund football, along with new spirit programs, marching bands, and women’s swimming and diving. The measure passed with nearly 61% support, marking a turning point in the university’s history.
A year later, the UT System Board of Regents approved the program, officially giving UTRGV the green light to build a Division I football team. From there, the university invested in facilities, recruited its first roster of athletes, and began preparing for the moment fans experienced this weekend.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey, along with other university leaders, has long pointed to football as a way to bring national visibility to UTRGV and unify the Valley under one banner.
“This is more than the launch of a football program — it’s the start of a tradition that will bring the Rio Grande Valley together in ways we’ve never seen before,” Bailey said. “When our students voted for football, they weren’t just voting for games on Saturdays. They were voting for a stronger sense of community, for opportunities that will last generations, and for a chance to show the nation the pride and spirit of the Vaquero Nation.”
For the Rio Grande Valley, the game meant more than a score on the board. Families arrived hours before kickoff to fire up grills, pitch tents, and line the walkways with Vaquero flags. Students, alumni, and community members mingled in parking lots and lawns, turning Edinburg into the heart of a festival of Valley pride.
Dulce Cortina, a UTRGV alumna who graduated with a BA in business in 2014, said she was proud to be part of the historic moment.
“It’s a historic moment, and I’m very blessed to be here,” the Mission native said. “This is history in the making. We’re excited that Division I football is finally in the Valley, and I think it’s going to generate a much-needed economic boom. We couldn’t be more excited to support the team.”
Mike Arellano, of McAllen, said he wouldn’t have missed this milestone for UTRGV.
“We wouldn’t miss this,” he said. “I had to make things happen to be here today. It’s long overdue, and now we get to see the talent the Valley has to offer.”
Andrew Gonzalez, a UTRGV senior majoring in anthropology and a Student Union employee, said he was glad to see the Valley’s growth.
“There’s so much pride and so much emotion. I’m happy to see the Valley growing — and it’s growing through UTRGV.”
Isabella Garcia, a UTRGV senior majoring in psychology from Mission, said spirits were high and she was excited to be part of the day.
“It’s amazing — there are so many people here, the spirits are super high, and I just love being part of it,” she said. “I get to share my message and also highlight what my club, Baptist Student Ministry (BSM), is doing here at the tailgate.”
The debut of Vaquero Football is just the beginning. While the outcome of the game will be written into the record books, the significance of the day rests in the sense of belonging it created.
What started with a student vote has become a rallying point for a region. The first game was proof that Vaquero Nation extends far beyond the walls of a stadium — it’s a movement that has been years in the making and is only just getting started.
UTRGV was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas.
This transformative initiative provided an opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including the establishment of a new School of Medicine and a School of Podiatry.
It made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley, including Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, Weslaco, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island.
UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015; the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016, and the School of Podiatric Medicine in the fall of 2022.
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