Xavier Aguilar 
EDINBURG – As Part of the field house renovations, the UTRGV Athletics Department announced plans to name the Lew Hill Memorial Plaza as a reminder of Coach Hill’s legacy.
The plaza will be used as a gateway to the newly renovated field house.
Coach Lew Hill was the men’s basketball head coach at UTRGV for five seasons, winning 67-games, the fifth best in program history.
Hill passed last February after developing complications from COVID-19.
“It started out as just a little thought a year ago, and I planted a couple of seeds and let them water and planted more seeds, and to have it be announced and get the green light a couple of months ago, it was music to my ears and it was magic,” said Renee Hill, late Coach Lew Hill’s wife. “This means more than just a monument … it means all of the student-athletes and people that will come here, will feel his presence. They will feel his kindness [and] his gentle heart.”
Chasse Conque, Vice President and Director of Athletics said he knew that Coach Hill’s legacy needed to be persevered.
“We knew we wanted to honor coach in a meaningful way, … and what coach meant to the region and to this university,” said Conque.
Matt Figger, head coach of the UTRGV men’s basketball team talks about Coach Hill’s impact on the athletics program.
“Today is a celebration. Celebrating a great individual in Coach Hill. He’s one of the main reasons that I took this job,” said Coach Figger. “Every day that I do this job, I walk in his footsteps and I’m hoping he’s smiling down on me every day and every decision I make cause he knows [the] hard decisions that have to be made to be successful.”
Construction for the Lew Hill Memorial Plaza will begin spring or early summer of 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2025.
