UTRGV takes a deep dive into athletics, and that includes creating a marching band

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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley first opened a decade ago this August. Ten years in, the school has taken a new step: it established a football team and a marching band.

The UTRGV Vaqueros will host the Sul Ross State University Lobos on Friday at 7 p.m. at Robert & Janet Vackar Stadium. Dustin Ferguson, UTRGV’s new Director of Athletic Bands, said there is a lot of energy around the inaugural game.

“We’ll be playing the first halftime in the new stadium for the first time ever,” Ferguson said. “It’s a lot of firsts for a lot of people, and we’re all really excited, and we’ve been working hard the whole summer.”

The band will get quite a workout this fall — playing pregame and halftime shows along with the spirit and drill team.

“It’s been a lot of making sure we have instruments ready to go, uniforms ready to go. We’re planning out the shows for the season. We’re writing the first ever pregame show, and we’re making sure all the pieces are in place for us to hit the ground running,” he said.

This will be the first autumn at UTRGV for Ferguson, who previously worked at the University of Hawaii. He saw some similarities between the culture at Hawaii and that of the Rio Grande Valley.

“The culture is so family-oriented there, and everybody who grows up there goes to the university,” he said.

The UTRGV Vaqueros are a part of the Southland Conference. They will play seven home games this season.

“We’re excited to be able to have so many home games to #RallyTheValley during this historic season,” said UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. “The Valley deserves this, and we are looking forward to celebrating amid sellout crowds throughout 2025.”