University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley Women's Volleyball

Todd Lowery, who won two national championships as the head coach of the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) volleyball team, was hired as the head coach of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team on Jan. 9, 2015. UTRGV: All-time leader in wins (132), winning percentage (.559), home wins (61), home winning percentage (.693), road wins (43), road winning percentage (.443), neutral site wins (28), neutral site winning percentage (.549), conference wins (65), conference winning percentage (.570), conference home wins (38), conference home winning percentage (.691), conference road wins (26), and conference road winning percentage (.456). 2025: Earned Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors after leading UTRGV to the regular season SLC Championship ... Reached the SLC Tournament championship match ... UTRGV went 22-8 overall and 15-1 in the conference season, collecting the second-most wins in a season in program history and winning a program-best 16 consecutive matches ... UTRGV set a program record with its .275 hitting percentage ... Coached Isabella Costantini to Setter of the Year and All-Conference First Team honors for the second consecutive season ... Guided Martina Franco to Newcomer of the Year and Dimitra Nanou to Freshman of the Year as both made the All-Conference First Team ... Coached Celianiz Cabranes, Julianna Bryant and Nadine Zech to All-Conference Second Team honors.  2024: Led team to the fourth postseason appearance with a berth in the NIVC ... In Year 1 in the Southland Conference, UTRGV went 12-4 and was 16-12 overall ... Inducted into the Red River Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in December 2024 ... Set a program record with a .248 team hitting percentage ... Coached Isabella Costantini to SLC Setter of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and All-Conference First Team honors as she set a program record averaging 11.34 assists per set ... Guided Celianiz Cabranes to SLC Libero of the Year and All-Conference First Team honors ... Coached Claudia Lupescu and Ilana De Assis to All-Conference First Team honors and Nadine Zech to an All-Conference Second Team nod.  2023: In his ninth year, Lowery led UTRGV to a 19-12 overall record and a 12-4 mark in the WAC... Coached Kiaraliz Perez to WAC Libero of the Year and All-WAC First Team honors ... Guided Luanna Emiliano to All-WAC First Team and Claudia Lupescu to All-WAC Second Team while Nadine Zech made the All-Freshman Team.    2022: Earned WAC Coach of the Year honors … Led team to second WAC Championship … Coached team to second-straight postseason appearance and third in seven years, advancing to the NIVC Quarterfinals after hosting and winning two postseason matches for the first time in program history … Broke numerous program records, including wins (27), RPI (55), winning percentage (.794), conference winning percentage (.929), home wins (13), road wins (10), winning streak (11), total attendance (13,101), and average attendance (873), while tying the program record for conference wins (13), September wins (11) … Finished season tied for 14th in the NCAA in wins and 26th in winning percentage … UTRGV had highest RPI among NIVC participants … Welcomed five crowd of 1,100+ and six of 1,000+ for the first time in program history … Hosted WAC Tournament for second time in five years … Coached Sarah Cruz to WAC Player of the Year and All-WAC First Team, Luanna Emiliano to WAC Setter of the Year and All-WAC First Team, and Luisa Silva Dos Santos to All-WAC Second Team honors.   2021: Led team to second NCAA Division I postseason appearance, visiting Arizona in the opening round of the NIVC … Coached UTRGV to winningest season in three years, going 17-10 (.630) and 8-4 (.667) in WAC play to finish second in WAC Southwest Division and earn No. 4 seed in WAC Tournament … Recorded winning record on the road (6-3) for second time at UTRGV and first time since 2018 … Coached Sarah Cruz to All-WAC First Team and Luanna Emiliano to All-WAC Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors … Developed two of the top freshmen in program history, including Emiliano, who ranked second in program history among freshmen in assists (1,057), third in digs (345) and tied for fifth in aces (37), and Evana Ramos, who ranked second in digs (405). 2020-21: In pandemic-shortened season, led team to No. 4 seed in WAC Tournament … Coached Ada Bulgur to WAC All-Freshman Team honors. 2019: In his fifth season at UTRGV, led team to first-ever victory over a Big 10 opponent, knocking off Maryland 3-2 … Also took sets over SEC (Texas A&M) and Pac-12 (Washington State) opponents for the first time … Hosted Power 5 opponent (Washington State) for second year in a row … Coached Barbara Silva to All-WAC First Team and Victoire Nama to All-Freshman Team honors. 2018: In his fourth season at UTRGV, led the team to its first-ever WAC Championship by finishing first with a 13-3 record. UTRGV broke a number or NCAA DI program records, including RPI (76), wins (22), winning percentage (.710), road wins (9), conference wins (13), conference winning percentage (.813) and conference road wins (6). UTRGV also tied records for home wins (11) and conference home wins (7). The success led UTRGV to draw a program record 9,786 fans, an average of a record 753 fans per match, including a record 2,176 fans for a match against Texas Tech. Lowery coached Ragni Steen Knudsen to WAC Player of the Year and All-WAC First Team honors and Alexandra Ecker and Barbara Silva to All-WAC Second Team honors. Additionally, UTRGV earned a program record and WAC-high six WAC Volleyball Player of the Week awards. 2017: In his third season at UTRGV, Lowery led the team to its second-straight WAC Tournament Championship berth. UTRGV finished a program-best second in the WAC with a program record 10 WAC wins as part of a 17-win season that included eight sweeps. UTRGV also won a program record 11 home matches, including a 10-0 mark during the regular season. The success of the team led UTRGV to draw a program record 8,861 fans, including a record 1,634 fans for the WAC Tournament Championship Match. Lowery coached three All-WAC honorees, including first teamers Ragni Steen Knudsen and Bojana Mitrovic and second teamer Barbara Silva. 2016: In his second season at UTRGV, Lowery led the team to its first NCAA Tournament berth by becoming the first No. 5 seed to win the WAC Tournament Championship. Lowery coached the team to its first winning season in 13 years, posting the best winning percentage (.600) and most wins (21) in NCAA DI program history. UTRGV opened the season with a signature win at Baylor, a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, en route to the Baylor Invitational Tournament Championship. UTRGV went 2-1 during all four of its non-conference tournaments, finishing in second in the other three tournaments. The non-conference success was a big reason reason for UTRGV’s 10-win Septemeber, marking the second winningest month in NCAA DI program history. UTRGV punctuated non-conference play by knocking off NCAA Tournament participant Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the first time since 2007. UTRGV went on to win a program record seven WAC matches. UTRGV was one of just four teams in the NCAA Tournament with three players averaging at least three kills per set, including All-WAC honorees Bojana Mitrovic and Alisha Watson, the later of which was the WAC Tournament MVP, and Ragni Steen Knudsen, who broke the NCAA DI program record for kills in a season. UTRGV put together the best blocking season in program history, as Barbara Silva, Alexandra Ecker and Mitrovic all surpassed the previous NCAA DI program record for block assists in a season. Silva also shattered the program records for blocks per set and total blocks. UTRGV showed strong passing ability throughout the season, as Fatoumata Dacosta ranked first in the WAC and the state of Texas as well as 19th in the nation in digs. As a team, UTRGV led the WAC and ranked in the top 20 in the nation in kills, assists, digs and blocks.   2015: In his first seasn at the helm of UTRGV, Lowey led the team to a 7-8 record in non-conference play before showing signs of serious improvement against WAC teams down the stretch. UTRGV won four of its final eight matches, including a sweep of defending WAC Tournament Champion CSU Bakersfield in the regular seasn and a sweep of third-seeded Utah Valley in the WAC Tournament Quarterfinals. Lowery coached Bojana Mitrovic to All-WAC First Team honors, as she led the WAC in kills per set (program record 4.30), total kills (program record 460), points per set (4.82) and total points (515.5) while ranking 10th in total digs (253). He also developed Alexandra Ecker into the best freshman hitter in program history (.285) and Dubravka Vukoja into one of the best setters, as she averaged 9.16 assists per set, the sixth-highest single-season total in program history. Both Ecker and Vukoja earned All-WAC Freshman Team honors.   Career: Lowery was the head coach at National American University (NAU) from 2002-08 and UTB from 2009-14. During that time, he went 416-36 (.920) to go with four NAIA national championships (2002, 2006, 2011, and 2013). His team went 211-22 (.906) at NAU, including 41-0 records in 2002 and 2006, and 205-14 (.936) at UTB, including a 37-0 record in 2013.   In 2014, Lowery led UTB to a 34-5 record and the No. 2 ranking in the nation after reaching the national championship match. His student-athletes have included 31 NAIA All-Americans, three NAIA National Players of the Year, six Region III MVPs, and six Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) MVPs. His teams have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher nine times. Lowery has racked up the personal accolades as well, earning the 2006 NAIA National Coach of the Year award, two NAIA National Tournament Coach of the Year awards (2006 and 2011), 12 regional coach of the year awards (2002-07 and 2009-14), six RRAC Coach of the Year awards (2009-14), and one South Dakota Associate Press Coach of the Year award (2002). Lowery earned his Master of Education degree in Education Administration in 2002 from Chadron State. He completed his Bachelor of Education in Physical Education with a Minor in Athletic Coaching, Chemistry, and Health and Wellness at Black Hills State in 2000. Lowery resides in the Rio Grande Valley with his wife, Missy, and their sons, Braxton and Jordan.   Year School                                  Record Conference Postseason 2025 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 22-8 (.733) 15-1 (.938) 2024 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 16-12 (.571) 12-4 (.750) NIVC First Round 2023 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 19-12 (.613) 12-4 (.750) 2022 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 27-7 (.794) 13-1 (.929) NIVC Quarterfinals 2021 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 17-11 (.607) 8-4 (.667) NIVC First Round 2020-21 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 2-15 (.118) 2-12 (.143) 2019 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 14-17 (.452) 8-8 (.500) 2018 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 22-9 (.710) 13-3 (.813) 2017 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 17-12 (.586) 13-3 (.813) 2016 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 21-14 (.600) 7-7 (.500) NCAA Tournament First Round 2015 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 12-19 (.387) 4-10 (.286) 2014 The University of Texas at Brownsville 34-5 (.872) 13-0 (1.000) NAIA Runners Up 2013 The University of Texas at Brownsville 37-0 (1.000) 12-0 (1.000) NAIA National Champions 2012 The University of Texas at Brownsville 30-2 (.938) 10-0 (1.000) NAIA Semifinals 2011  The University of Texas at Brownsville 32-2 (.941) 9-0 (1.000) NAIA National Champions 2010  The University of Texas at Brownsville 38-2 (.950) 14-0 (1.000) NAIA Semifinals 2009  The University of Texas at Brownsville 34-3 (.919) 17-0 (1.000) NAIA Quarterfinals 2007  National American University 26-11 (.703) 2006  National American University 41-0 (1.000) NAIA National Champions 2005  National American University 33-3 (.919) 2004  National American University 31-5 (.861) 2003  National American University 39-3 (.929) 2002  National American University 41-0 (1.000) NAIA National Champions TOTALS (777 Matches) 605-172 (.779) 189-58 (.765) Four NAIA National Championships

Mayda Garcia was promoted to associate head coach on March 11, 2026.  Garcia was hired as an assistant coach in February 2023 and has helped the Vaqueros volleyball team to abundant success in the last three seasons. She was instrumental in UTRGV winning the Southland Conference (SLC) regular season championship in 2025 and earning a postseason berth in the Women’s National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in 2024.  Garcia oversees a multitude of tasks for the volleyball program, including operations, recruiting, and planning practices. She uses her deep knowledge of the game to scout opponents effectively, aiding the setters, hitters and servers with ball location. With Garcia calling spots when UTRGV is at the service line, the Vaqueros were the No. 2 serving team in the SLC last season and ranked 43rd in the nation averaging 1.74 aces per set. She helped the Vaqueros to a SLC-leading .275 hitting percentage in 2025, which is a new program record for single-season efficiency.    UTRGV has enjoyed two of the five winningest seasons in program history during Garcia’s tenure, winning 22 matches in 2025, which is tied for second-most in a season, and 19 in 2023, which is tied for fifth-most in program history. Under her guidance, the Vaqueros led the SLC in All-Conference honorees in 2024 and 2025. Isabella Costantini was a two-time SLC Setter of the Year and First Team All-Conference honoree. Last season, Martina Franco and Dimitra Nanou were named Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively, while in 2024, Celianiz Cabranes was the Libero of the Year. In 2023, Garcia helped guide Kiaraliz Perez to Western Athletic Conference Libero of the Year honors.  Garcia is a 2016 graduate of McAllen Rowe High School. She was the 2014 and 2016 All-Valley Volleyball Player of the Year, the 2016 All-Valley 6A Female Athlete of the Year and a two-time academic all-state honoree. She went on to play NCAA Division I volleyball at Fairfield University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2020.    Garcia filled many roles in her time with the Fairfield Stags, including middle blocker, defensive specialist and right side along with playing outside hitter, the position she was recruited for. She totaled 801 kills, 623 digs, 106 blocks and 32 service aces in four seasons with the Stags and was a two-time selection to the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Second Team (2018 and 2019). She helped Fairfield win three MAAC Championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament three times, playing at No. 15 Michigan State in 2016, at No. 2 Texas in 2017 and at No. 7 Minnesota in 2019.    As a junior in 2018, Garcia stepped up to lead Fairfield through an adversity-filled season with 325 kills, ranking third in the MAAC with 3.46 kills per set and fourth in the conference with 3.79 points per set. She posted 20+ kills in four matches that season, including a career-high 29 kills on .349 hitting with 26 digs against Niagara.    In nine postseason sets, Garcia tallied 10 kills, 10 digs and two aces, including a solid performance in the final match of her career against Minnesota in which she led the Stags with seven kills and recorded seven digs.    Garcia was a graduate assistant coach for McDaniel College volleyball from 2021-2022. She is currently working on finishing her Master’s in Kinesiology from McDaniel.  

Daniel Garcia, formerly a volunteer assistant, was promoted to full-time assistant volleyball coach on May 15, 2022.     A Rio Grande Valley native, Garcia graduated from San Benito High School and earned a bachelor’s in kinesiology with a minor in special education from UTRGV in 2021. He first started coaching while in high school, working as an assistant coach within the South Texas Juniors organization. He coached the eighth-grade volleyball team at Riverside Middle School in San Benito before being promoted to varsity assistant, where he worked under the Greyhounds’ head coach, Ruby Medina.     Garcia joined the Vaqueros volleyball program as a volunteer assistant in July 2022. He helped UTRGV to a record-breaking season in 2022 as the team went 27-7 overall and 13-1 in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play to win the regular season conference championship. The Vaqueros reached the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in 2022, winning their first two postseason matches in program history.