EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) – Incoming freshman Jasmine Allen continues the Allen legacy at UTRGV.

The UTRGV volleyball program resets for the upcoming 2023 season. The Vaqueros with a dominant regular season as they clinched the WAC title. However, they came up short in the conference tournament.

“We’ve just seen a different mentality as far as the intensity,” UTRGV Head Volleyball Coach Todd Lowery said. “The drills haven’t changed or anything like that. It’s just the way they’re approaching what we’re asking them to do. Like I said, last season left a really bad taste in their mouths.”

A new season means new faces on the Vaquero squad. Jasmine Allen is one of those new faces.

While the outside hitter may be new to UTRGV, her family is not. Allen’s father, JeRon Allen, played for the UTPA Broncs from 1996-98. 

“My parents love this [UTRGV],” Allen said. “This is their alma mater, so I really love being here and following in their footsteps. Well, my dad’s footsteps.”

Lowery and his coaching staff were introduced to Allen a few years ago when Jasmine started attending the Vaquero camps.

Lowery said, “She wasn’t on our radar at first. She came down a couple years in a row to camp. We got out and saw her a couple times in club and just thought that she would be a good fit for us.”

Allen was excited at the opportunity to play at UTRGV once she finished high school. Her high school experience, however, was far from ordinary.

Jasmine attended Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet in Dallas. The school was strictly academic, leaving Allen with no choice but to play elsewhere. 

Her day-to-day schedule looked a lot different from other athletes her age.

“I would go to practice in the morning, go home, take a shower really quick, travel 30 minutes to school, leave school, travel 30 minutes back home, repeat,” Allen said. “It was pretty challenging, but I think it set me up to handle being a college athlete.”

One of the perks for Allen playing in Edinburg is the chance for her family in the Rio Grande Valley to cheer her and the rest of the Vaqueros on.

“They’re just full of joy. They’re ready for all the games. They’re going to be here cheering, all of my family,” said Allen.

Jasmine and UTRGV get set for its season opener at the Ellesyn Invitational in Montana on August 25.