Texas–Pan American Broncs
Athletic teams representing University of Texas–Pan American / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Texas–Pan American Broncs (also UTPA) were the varsity athletic teams representing University of Texas–Pan American in Edinburg, Texas in intercollegiate athletics. The university sponsored 15 teams including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, and track and field (indoor and outdoor); soccer and volleyball for women only; and baseball for men only. The last varsity sport to be established for the Broncs was women's soccer, added for the 2014 season (2014–15 school year), with men's soccer added in 2015, the year that the merger took place.[2] The Broncs compete in the NCAA Division I and are currently members of the Western Athletic Conference.[3]
Texas–Pan American Broncs | |
---|---|
University | University of Texas–Pan American |
Conference | Western Athletic Conference |
NCAA | Division I |
Athletic director | Chris King |
Location | Edinburg, Texas |
Varsity teams | 15 |
Basketball arena | UTPA Fieldhouse |
Baseball stadium | Edinburg Stadium |
Soccer stadium | Future UTRGV Vaqueros Soccer Stadium |
Nickname | Broncs |
Colors | Green and orange[1] |
Website | www |
The 2014–15 school year was the last season for UTPA as an institution. During summer 2015, UTPA merged with the University of Texas at Brownsville to create the new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).[4] The University of Texas System stated in July 2014 that "the UTPA athletics program will be converted into the athletics program at UTRGV".[5]
On November 5, 2014, UTRGV's new nickname of Vaqueros was announced.[6] Almost immediately, students on both campuses began objecting to the new name as a caricature and racial stereotype of Mexican, Latino, Chicano, and Hispanic culture.[7] Two days after the new mascot was approved, the UTPA student government passed a resolution in opposition, and three days later, hundreds of students rallied on the Edinburg campus to protest the new name. However, the name was kept.[8]