Who Steps Up? UTRGV Men’s Cross Country Has a New Look

UTRGV men’s cross country made progress last season.

The Vaqueros finished fifth at the Southland Conference Championships, their best conference finish in five years, with five runners setting personal bests.

Now two of their top three finishers from that race are gone.

Who replaces those points?

Saturday’s UIW Invitational gave us our first look — and the first Vaquero across the line was a freshman.

Brock Morales led UTRGV in his collegiate debut, finishing 26th in approximately 26:52. The Vaqueros finished seventh with 219 points.

It’s one September race, and several returners didn’t compete.

But for an eight-man roster featuring six RGV products, there are plenty of storylines to follow.

Four Vaqueros to Watch

Nirmit Dahiya, Junior

Dahiya is the returning standard.

He led UTRGV at last year’s Southland Championships, finishing 24th in 24:08.00, which tied what was then the fourth-fastest 8K in program history.

His speed carried into track season, where he ran 3:44.93 in the 1,500, one of the fastest marks in program history.

Dahiya didn’t compete Saturday. We’re not going to speculate about why.

When he enters the lineup, UTRGV already knows what he can do.

Roehl Rodriguez, Sophomore

The McAllen Memorial graduate showed plenty as a freshman.

Rodriguez ran 24:55.00 at the Southland Championships and competed at the NCAA South Central Regional.

He was UTRGV’s third finisher Saturday at approximately 28:13.

The opener wasn’t close to his championship time from last season, but that’s why we’re not judging this team in September.

Rodriguez has already shown he can be part of UTRGV’s scoring group when it matters.

Adrianno Gonzalez, Sophomore

Another Valley runner who could take a step forward.

The Weslaco East graduate ran 25:09.80 at last year’s Southland Championships as a freshman before competing at the NCAA regional.

During track season, he added personal bests of 4:04.00 in the 1,500 and 1:54.13 in the 800.

Gonzalez didn’t compete Saturday, but with UTRGV replacing two important scorers, his sophomore season could matter.

Kevin Cardenas, Senior

Cardenas brings experience to a young roster.

The McAllen Rowe graduate has competed at multiple NCAA South Central Regionals and ran a career-best 25:45.8 at last year’s Southland Championships.

He was UTRGV’s second finisher Saturday at approximately 28:05.

UTRGV needs a dependable scoring five. Cardenas has already shown he can be part of it.

Newcomer to Watch: Brock Morales

This one became pretty easy Saturday.

Morales led UTRGV in his first collegiate cross-country race, finishing 26th at approximately 26:52.

The Waxahachie freshman arrived with state-meet experience after competing at the 2025 UIL Class 6A State Cross Country Championships.

One race doesn’t tell us what he’ll become.

But when a freshman immediately leads the team, we’re watching.

The Valley Runs Deep

Six of UTRGV’s eight runners came through RGV high schools.

Junior Diego Piña of PSJA Memorial made his collegiate cross-country debut Saturday and finished fourth for UTRGV at approximately 29:01.

Freshman Gael Gonzalez of Vanguard Rembrandt followed at approximately 29:12, completing the scoring five. He also brings UIL state cross-country experience.

Sophomore Victor Reyna, a Weslaco Pike graduate and former state qualifier, rounds out the roster. He did not compete Saturday.

Add Cardenas, Rodriguez and Adrianno Gonzalez, and this is a roster with a distinctly Valley feel.

Diamond DITV Final Word

Last season was progress.

Now UTRGV has to prove it can build on it.

The Vaqueros lost Abraham Morales and Manuel Flores, who finished second and third for UTRGV at last year’s Southland Championships. Saturday showed those points won’t simply replace themselves.

UTRGV finished seventh with 219 points.

But a freshman leading the team in his collegiate debut is worth watching. So is what happens when Dahiya and Adrianno Gonzalez enter the equation.

UTRGV was picked tied for fifth in the Southland preseason poll after finishing fifth last season.

The question now isn’t whether last year was better.

It’s whether fifth place was a finish — or the start of something.