EDINBURG – Two months ago, UTRGV introduced their new women’s basketball coach Lane Lord. This week gives Coach Lord and his staff the first chance to have full team workouts.

“It’s been exciting for all of us learning each other’s personalities,” said Lord. “Now that we can get on the court, we can start to develop that chemistry we need for the fall.”

Coach Lord inherits a team that was two game under .500 last year. The women’s team finished 14-16 overall and 4-10 in conference play.

Among the returners this year are seven seniors.

“They’ve been through the WAC conference several times,” said Lord. “We’re really going to rely heavily on our seniors and of course begin building for the future with the younger players.”

While the women’s team will have a new game plan in place, the UTRGV men’s team has become familiar with Coach Lew Hill’s system.

Now in his 3rd year with the Vaqueros, Coach Hill has seen progress. His first year on campus, the men won 10 games. Last year, they won 15.

“Everybody just has to be on one page,” said Hill. “That one page is work hard and have fun. If everybody is doing that, we’re going to be ok.”

The Vaqueros are coming off their first postseason appearance since 1981.

With new faces in the Fieldhouse, Coach Hill says it’s this time of the year when a program can really make some big gains.

“Working on a lot of shooting, a lot of ball handling, working on our concepts defensively and just getting camaraderie together,” said Hill. “Just building a family.”

When the season begins this fall, the UTRGV men’s and women’s teams will have the same goal.

Each hopes to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.