By University Communications
Friday, 11 03 2023

The program helps bolster the University’s growing lineup of intercollegiate sports

SAN ANTONIO — Texas A&M University-San Antonio is expanding its sports program with the addition of men’s and women’s basketball as intercollegiate athletic team offerings for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The addition of the basketball program is a big step forward for the growing University, which also carries men’s and women’s soccer, men’s golf and softball. A&M-San Antonio competes within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a member of the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Members of the NAIA are expected to maintain no fewer than six intercollegiate athletic teams (three women and three men), and the RRAC stipulates that each of its members have a men’s and a women’s team in a winter sport.

“We are excited to be adding men’s and women’s basketball to our Athletics Department and Jaguar family,” said Athletic Director Darnell Smith. “As one of the fastest-growing universities in the state of Texas, the addition of these intercollegiate sports will increase enrollment, enhance campus traditions and provide a source of entertainment and social opportunities for the campus and local community.”

A&M-San Antonio will begin a national search for the respective head coaches immediately. “This is an exciting time at A&M-San Antonio,” said President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “Since we launched intercollegiate athletics in the fall of 2020, the program has been a big success, garnering much excitement and support. The new men’s and women’s basketball teams will build on this momentum, expanding the University’s footprint in the community, as well as enriching the student experience and campus life.”  

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About Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Established as a stand-alone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in South San Antonio, the University offers 39 undergraduate degrees and 23 graduate degrees to about 7,620 students. A&M-San Antonio is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders and the Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center. The University holds the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is one of 39 higher education institutions in the U.S. to have received the Seal of Excelencia certification from Excelencia in Education for its support of Latino student success. More than 77 percent of A&M-SA students identify as Hispanic, and approximately 72 percent are the first in their families to attend college. A&M-San Antonio is a military-embracing institution; the University was recently awarded the 2023 Gold Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA) from the Texas Veterans Commission. Visit tamusa.edu for more information. #onamission