During the 2005 season, year two for the program, UTPB’S Cross Country team competed primarily at NCAA DI, DII meets.  The level of competition prestige and commitment heightened the overall program to regional and national contenders. Gray stated, “on an overall percentage, our men improved by 2-3 minutes per athlete over the 8K trek.  We had 3 teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation at within our conference.  The more competitive schedule helped our runners get faster, at the same time creating a confidence to compete within the NCAA.  We will be ready for the NCAA DII move in the Fall of 2006.”          

In 2004, the inaugural season, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin’s Cross Country team literally hit the ground running. Under first year head coach Pam Gray, the Falcons went from first week workouts where the team had trouble completing runs under the hot West Texas sun, to competing in the Regional Meet and coming only seconds away from sending two runners to the national meet. UTPB also had its first All-Conference and All-Regional runner thanks to the hard work of Freshman Philip Ormsby.          

In the programs first season the UTPB Men finished 3^rd in the Red River Athletic Conference Meet and 7^th at the NAIA Region VI Meet as a team. Individually, Ormsby, Troy Hernandez and Ryan Cavender finished in the top ten at the RRAC Meet and Ormsby finished in the top 15 at the Regional Meet.