UTRGV coach Hill dead at 55

Texas Rio Grande Valley coach Lew Hill died Sunday, a day after coaching what was his final game, the university said.

Hill, who was 55, was in his fifth season as coach of the Vaqueros, who lost 77-75 against Texas Southern on Saturday night.

The school said the cause of death was not known, and didn’t provide any other details.

Hill, 55, was in his fifth season with the Vaqueros, after serving as an assistant at Oklahoma for five seasons and UNLV for seven before that. Hill worked as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State (1992-94), East Carolina (1994-98) and Texas A&M (1998-2003) before getting promoted to associate head coach at Texas A&M for the 200304 season.

Hill played on the 1984 San Jacinto College team that won the NJCAA Division I championship.

“Words cannot describe how any of us feel right now. Everyone in our department is devastated by this news,” UTRGV vice president and director of athletics Chasse Conque said. “Coach Hill was an incredible human being. He was my close friend and a trusted colleague. He cared deeply about those around him, from his family, to his players, to his staff and really, everyone in the department and at UTRGV.”