New days ahead for Vaquero Athletics

UTRGV Director of Athletics Chasse Conque stands with his family after his introductory news conference that took place last Tuesday on the Edinburg campus. The former director of athletics for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock began working at UTRGV Aug. 26. Also shown are (front row) his 7-year-old twin daughters Sydney and Juliana Conque. (Second row); 5-year-old daughter Adeline and his wife, Lisa Conque. FERNANDO RAMIREZ/THE RIDER

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has a new vice president and director of Athletics.

Chasse Conque began his first day at UTRGV Aug. 26 and was officially welcomed to UTRGV during a news conference last Tuesday at the Visitors Center on the Edinburg campus.

“But I’ve been asked, ‘Why UTRGV?’ and I often respond, ‘Why not?’” he said. “We want to do better. We want to continue to push the envelope. We want to continue to compete for Western Athletic Conference Championships. We want to play on a national level and we want our programs in the NCAA tournament.”

Conque’s vision for UTRGV is to make athletes great not only in the athletic field, but also in academics.

“Our commitment to our student athletes will be the driving force [in] everything we do,” he said. “They are our most prized possession. We will develop them, challenge them and mentor them along the way.

“We will never lose sight that they are students first and that they will be committed to the classroom and make sure that they are prepared for life after athletics.”

UTRGV President Guy Bailey said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that Chasse is really a special person and the person to lead this university.”

In 2015, Conque was named director of Athletics at the Division I University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During his time at Little Rock, the program won a combined 19 team and individual Sun Belt Conference championships. The program was led by the men’s and women’s basketball teams, who reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Under his term as director with the Trojans, Conque had three head coaches earn Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year.

One of Little Rock’s highest achievements in the athletic program came during the 2015-16 season, when the Trojans men’s basketball team went 30-5, won the Sun Belt regular season and tournament championship. The Trojans advanced to the NCAA tournament and defeated Purdue University 85-83 in a double-overtime game.

During the 2017-18 school year, the Trojans had the highest graduate success rate of any Division I institution in the state of Arkansas for the sixth straight year.

In the same season, the athletics department raised a record $4.3 million.

Conque created the Trojan Athletic Association, a program designed to enhance the student-athlete experience, in the summer of 2015.

Also in 2015-16, he introduced the Trojan Cup, which is a competition that combines athletic and academic success with community service initiatives.

In 2008, Conque earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Central Arkansas.

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