A Faster Start: UTRGV Women’s Cross Country Wants More

UTRGV women’s cross country entered 2026 with something to build on.

The Vaqueros finished third at the Southland Conference Championships last fall, their best conference finish in 15 years, and were picked third again in this year’s preseason poll.

Then came the season opener.

Kailey Salazar and Mia Picazo immediately gave us something to talk about.

Salazar produced one of the fastest 5Ks in program history, while Picazo made a significant jump from where she started last fall.

It’s one race. Nobody is handing out conference medals in September.

But for a team trying to move from third place into championship contention, it’s an encouraging start.

Four Vaqueros to Watch

Kailey Salazar, Senior

After the UIW Invitational, we have to start here.

Salazar finished sixth in approximately 17:34, cutting more than a minute off her previous personal best and recording the second-fastest 5K in program history.

She was already an All-Southland runner after finishing 14th at last year’s conference championships. Now she’s opened her senior season with another major step forward.

One race doesn’t tell us what October will look like, but Salazar certainly got our attention.

N Vanee Anchike, Junior

Anchike already has the championship résumé.

She finished ninth at the Southland Championships, earned All-Conference honors and was named SLC Newcomer of the Year. She followed that by leading UTRGV at the NCAA South Central Regional with a 21:20.1 6K.

Then during track season, Anchike set a UTRGV record with a 2:03.00 in the 800 and qualified for the NCAA West First Round in both the 800 and 1,500.

Her cross-country opener wasn’t representative of those performances. We’re not going to make too much out of one September race.

We already know what she’s capable of.

Mia Picazo, Junior

Picazo may have made the most interesting jump on the roster.

She ran 18:28.2 at this same meet last season. This year, she opened in approximately 17:51, improving by more than 30 seconds and finishing behind only Salazar among the Vaqueros.

There were signs of that development during track season, including a 4:36.06 victory in the 1,500 at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Now we’ll see if Picazo can carry that improvement into championship season.

Maddison Surita, Junior

The Edinburg Economedes graduate was UTRGV’s third finisher at the opener, running approximately 18:38.

That matters.

UTRGV lost Faith Cruz, who finished eighth at last year’s Southland Championships.

Somebody has to help replace those points.

With Salazar and Picazo starting fast and Anchike bringing a proven conference résumé, Surita made an early case to be part of that scoring group.

Newcomer to Watch: Elizabeth Hernandez

Hernandez brings an established collegiate distance résumé to the Valley.

The Butler Community College transfer has run 17:34.9 for 5K and 22:11.8 for 6K. Last season, she won the Muthama-Rogers Invitational and finished second at the Region VI Championships.

She didn’t race in UTRGV’s opener, so we’re not going to guess where she’ll fit.

But her previous results make Hernandez one of the most intriguing additions to the roster.

More Depth Behind Them

There are other names to know.

Freshman Jessica DeLeon, a Harlingen South graduate, finished 20th at the 2025 UIL Class 5A State Cross Country Championships and later placed fifth in the 3,200 at the state track meet.

Junior transfer Lilian Mateo ran 18:14.4 for 5K at Odessa College and later finished sixth in the 10,000 at the 2026 Southland Outdoor Championships.

Daphne Kausz, a junior transfer from New Mexico Junior College, was UTRGV’s fourth finisher in her Vaquero cross-country debut.

Junior Morgan Ramos, a Rio Grande City alum, returns with experience at both the Southland Championships and NCAA South Central Regional.

That’s all nine Vaqueros, with plenty still to sort out before championship season.

Diamond DITV Final Word

Third place was a significant step last season.

Now comes the harder part.

Can UTRGV move higher?

Losing Cruz takes an All-Conference runner out of last year’s group. But Salazar just opened with the second-fastest 5K in program history, Picazo appears to have taken another step forward, Anchike is already a proven conference performer, and there are several options competing to complete the scoring five.

UTRGV doesn’t race again until the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 16, followed by the Southland Championships two weeks later.

One race can’t tell us where this team will finish.

But UTRGV may already be faster than the team that finished third a year ago.