This week on The Saddle Up Podcast, G Garza and Matt Palmquist welcome Elisa Mares, UTRGV’s Director of External Relations, for a conversation about alumni engagement, university pride, and building lifelong connections between graduates and the institution they helped shape.UTRGV represents a growing global network of more than 100,000 alumni, including graduates of UTRGV and its legacy institutions, UTPA and UT Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. The university’s alumni mission focuses on strengthening relationships with graduates, students, families, and friends while encouraging involvement, loyalty, philanthropy, and continued support for student success.Elisa joins the show to discuss the importance of keeping alumni connected long after graduation, celebrating the history shared by UTPA, UTB, and UTRGV, and creating opportunities for former students to reconnect with the university. She also shares how alumni can become more involved, support future generations of Vaqueros, and help strengthen the university’s impact throughout the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.The conversation gives viewers a closer look at the people and relationships behind UTRGV’s continued growth, along with the responsibility of honoring the university’s legacy while helping build its future.Find The Saddle Up Podcast on:YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts.------Follow G IG / @gghoops Follow Matt IG / @ptwist610 Welcome to **The Saddle Up Podcast**, the unscripted RGV show where real stories, sports, culture, community, and Vaquero pride all meet at the same table.Hosted by **G Garza and Matt Palmquist**, Saddle Up brings you conversations with former athletes, coaches, alumni, community leaders, entertainers, business owners, and difference-makers connected to **UTPA, UTB, UTRGV, and the Rio Grande Valley**. Every episode is built around honest conversation, good laughs, untold stories, and the people who continue to shape the Valley’s past, present, and future.Whether you are a UTPA alum, UTB alum, UTRGV supporter, Vaquero fan, RGV native, sports fan, or someone who loves authentic conversations, this episode is for you.Subscribe to **The Saddle Up Podcast** for more conversations with the people who represent the Rio Grande Valley with pride.**Find Saddle Up Podcast on:**YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts.**Follow us:**Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saddleuppodcast?mibextid=LQQJ4dInstagram: https://instagram.com/saddle_up_pod?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/79B4Gl7miBWwpD4kM1tKIVApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saddle-up-podcast/id1666138276Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/04f3f96f-9dcb-4c42-a91c-a87dfc38655b/saddle-up-podcastiHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-saddle-up-podcast-107415364/**Keywords:**Saddle Up Podcast, G Garza, Matt Palmquist, UTRGV, UTPA, UTB, UTRGV Athletics, Vaquero Athletics, Rio Grande Valley, RGV podcast, best podcast in the RGV, funniest podcast in the RGV, UTRGV alumni, UTPA alumni, UTB alumni, RGV sports, South Texas podcast, college sports podcast, Valley stories, RGV community, UTRGV football, UTRGV basketball, UTRGV baseball, UTRGV athletics podcast#SaddleUpPodcast #UTRGV #UTPA #UTB #RGV #RioGrandeValley #VaqueroPride

This week on The Saddle Up Podcast, G Garza and Matt Palmquist welcome Javier Villalobos, Mayor of the City of McAllen, for a conversation about leadership, public service, community growth, and the future of one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most influential cities. Before being elected mayor in 2021, Villalobos served as McAllen’s District 1 city commissioner. An attorney by profession, he brings experience in government, law, and community service to his role leading the city.Mayor Villalobos joins the show to discuss McAllen’s continued growth, the responsibility that comes with leading a rapidly evolving city, and the projects and priorities shaping its next chapter. The conversation also explores economic development, infrastructure, public safety, quality of life, and the importance of maintaining a strong connection between city leadership and the people it serves. We also discuss catching possums and the craziest requests he has received while being in office.As always, the conversation goes beyond titles and politics, giving viewers a closer look at the person behind the position, the experiences that shaped his leadership style, and what he believes makes McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley such a special place to live, work, and raise a family.------Follow G IG / @gghoops Follow Matt IG / @ptwist610 Welcome to **The Saddle Up Podcast**, the unscripted RGV show where real stories, sports, culture, community, and Vaquero pride all meet at the same table.Hosted by **G Garza and Matt Palmquist**, Saddle Up brings you conversations with former athletes, coaches, alumni, community leaders, entertainers, business owners, and difference-makers connected to **UTPA, UTB, UTRGV, and the Rio Grande Valley**. Every episode is built around honest conversation, good laughs, untold stories, and the people who continue to shape the Valley’s past, present, and future.Whether you are a UTPA alum, UTB alum, UTRGV supporter, Vaquero fan, RGV native, sports fan, or someone who loves authentic conversations, this episode is for you.Subscribe to **The Saddle Up Podcast** for more conversations with the people who represent the Rio Grande Valley with pride.**Find Saddle Up Podcast on:**YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Apple Podcasts.**Follow us:**Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saddleuppodcast?mibextid=LQQJ4dInstagram: https://instagram.com/saddle_up_pod?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/79B4Gl7miBWwpD4kM1tKIVApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saddle-up-podcast/id1666138276Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/04f3f96f-9dcb-4c42-a91c-a87dfc38655b/saddle-up-podcastiHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-saddle-up-podcast-107415364/**Keywords:**Saddle Up Podcast, G Garza, Matt Palmquist, UTRGV, UTPA, UTB, UTRGV Athletics, Vaquero Athletics, Rio Grande Valley, RGV podcast, best podcast in the RGV, funniest podcast in the RGV, UTRGV alumni, UTPA alumni, UTB alumni, RGV sports, South Texas podcast, college sports podcast, Valley stories, RGV community, UTRGV football, UTRGV basketball, UTRGV baseball, UTRGV athletics podcast#SaddleUpPodcast #UTRGV #UTPA #UTB #RGV #RioGrandeValley #VaqueroPride #JavierVillalobos #MayorofMcAllen

Staarz, is a name in the music industry circles that is turning ears. Being only 25 years old and achieving the success she has recently achieved is a testament to her hard work and talent. Explore this Los Fresnos icon and up and coming superstar!

Revisiting our conversation with Dr. William Yancey is one of the kindest and most intriguing gentlemen you might ever get to meet. Join us as we talk about his childhood shaping him to the surreal moment of walking onto the Alex Trabec stage to winning Jeopardy.

G and Matt are at it again. Tune if for the finale for Season 6.

Ingridy Foltran is one of the most unique guests we have had on the show. She is not only a 4yr letter winner, but her fascinating story to get to UTRGV will amaze you... and not only that, but how she is helping bring water to those in drought in the Corpus Christi area will astonish you!

UTRGV Football Legend and Valley native, Eddie Lee Marburger, joins the show week. Here about his favorite play and him call it out as if we were in the huddle. Eddie Lee is a wonderful man, grounded in faith and guided by solid people surrounding him. LFG!!!

Roy Rivas is creating something special with DITV Sports. Learn his story and his amazing ability to network with people and why he has dug himself in with the Valley Sports niche coming from Oceanside California.

UTRGV Head Men's Basketball Coach, Brandon Chambers, joins the show this week to introduce himself to Vaquero Nation. Listen to him talk about how he feels like the luckiest man alive and being undefeated in the Field House. We are excited to have him... on the show AND on the sidelines! LFG.

This week on Saddle Up, we’re joined by Dr. Jose A. Ramos, Jr., the newly named Texas Region 7 Athletic Trainer of the Year at McAllen High School. Dr. Ramos has spent years on the front line of high school sports, protecting athletes, managing injuries, and helping students get back on the field the right way. In this conversation, he breaks down what people do not see behind Friday night lights: the preparation, the prevention work, the pressure moments, and the responsibility of caring for hundreds of student-athletes across multiple sports.We also talk about leadership, building trust with coaches and parents, and what it means to raise the standard for sports medicine in the Rio Grande Valley.What you’ll hear in this episodeWhat the Region 7 honor represents, and why it matters The daily reality of being an athletic trainer at a major high schoolInjury prevention, rehab principles, and return-to-play decisionsAdvice for young athletes and parents navigating injuriesHow the RGV can keep developing safer, stronger sports programs