UHV, Victoria College battle for intramural bragging rights
While the University of Houston-Victoria and Victoria College share a campus, it’s not often the two institutions go head to head in friendly athletic competition.
In an effort to boost intramural participation and school pride, UHV and Victoria College are competing this academic year in the Cross Campus Challenge: Battle for the Cup.
The idea for the Cross Campus Challenge originated in 2015 from discussions by Michael Wilkinson, UHV Student Life & Services director, and Josh Moore, Victoria College intramural specialist and volleyball coach.
“The students participating in intramurals enjoy competing against people they don’t know,” said Anthony Bryson, a UHV Student Life & Services coordinator. “It gives them a sense of pride in representing our university. Our philosophy is if the students are engaged outside of class, they will do better in class.”
The first event of the challenge was flag football. The seven-team league was held throughout September, and The Whitewalkers of Victoria College won. UHV’s The Freshman took second while another UHV team, We Dem Boyz, placed third.
On Nov. 16, Victoria College hosted the championship tournament for the intramural volleyball league. Eleven teams competed. Teams from Victoria College captured first, second and third place. The winning team in each sport earns three points for its school. The second-place team gives the school two points, and third place nets one point.
There are two events left in the Battle for the Cup. The co-ed intramural basketball league begins Feb. 1 and will run through Feb. 29. Games will be played every Monday from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Victoria College Sports Center gymnasium.
UHV will host the intramural 4-on-4 co-ed soccer league on the recreational field behind Jaguar Court every Monday from March 28 through April 25.
Bryson thinks UHV has a chance to win the title.
“We have some really competitive and talented basketball-playing students,” Bryson said. “I think we’ll have at least five UHV teams that will be competitive. Basketball is a big deal to a lot of people here.”
Bryson also sees UHV having an advantage on the soccer field since many students have played before either competitively or for recreation.
“It’s going to be a close race,” Bryson said. “I’m sure Victoria College will have some good teams, but I like our chances to pull this thing off.”
UHV students, faculty and staff are eligible to participate in intramurals. Student-athletes who play NAIA or TCCSL sports can play with their coach’s permission, but intramural teams are limited to no more than two student-athletes.
To register, visit www.imleagues.com/UHV or on the REC IT app. Participants can form their own teams or join a team that already has been created. Registration for basketball closes Jan. 26. There is no cost to participate. For more information about intramurals, contact Bryson at brysona1@uhv.edu or 361-485-4474.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
