LSU downs Baylor in Kinder's Texas Bowl

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 1, 2025, All Rights Reserved) The LSU Tigers wrapped up their season in style, defeating the Baylor Bears 44-31 on Tuesday afternoon (December 31, 2024) to win the Kinder’s Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier led the charge, throwing for 313 yards and three touchdowns as LSU ended their year with a strong 9-4 record.

The Tigers wasted no time making their presence felt. On their first drive, Nussmeier connected with freshman tight end Trey’Dez Green for a crucial 5-yard first down on 4th-and-5. A few plays later, Nussmeier found Green again for a 10-yard touchdown, giving LSU a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

Baylor tried to respond, but LSU’s defense stepped up. Freshman linebacker Davhon Keys intercepted Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. That play made Keys just the third LSU player ever to score a pick-six in a bowl game. LSU’s lead quickly grew to 14-0.

The Bears fought back with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Robertson to Josh Cameron, cutting the lead to 14-7. But LSU’s offense wasn’t done. Nussmeier delivered a 40-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hilton Jr., and the Tigers were back in control at 21-7.

Hilton continued to shine, hauling in a 43-yard catch that set up another touchdown. Nussmeier found Green for his second touchdown catch of the game, extending the Tigers’ lead to 28-7. The LSU defense held strong, forcing a turnover on downs when Robertson was sacked by Whit Weeks and Sai’vion Jones.

Baylor showed some life before halftime. They blocked a 36-yard field goal attempt and scored on a Dawson Pendergrass touchdown run, trimming LSU’s lead to 28-14. But LSU answered right back. Zavion Thomas returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 34-14. It was LSU’s second kickoff return touchdown of the season, marking a first in the SEC era.

In the second half, Baylor tried to rally. They scored on a 4-yard pass from Robertson to Ashtyn Hawkins, narrowing the score to 34-24. LSU turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions, but Baylor couldn’t capitalize. A bad snap on 4th-and-1 gave the Tigers the ball back.

LSU’s offense found its rhythm again in the fourth quarter. Running back Josh Williams powered in a 4-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 41-24. Kicker Damian Ramos added a 43-yard field goal, making it 44-24.

Baylor scored one last time with a 3-yard rush from Pendergrass, but it wasn’t enough. The Tigers’ defense stood firm, and LSU secured the win.

This victory capped off an exciting season for LSU, who now looks ahead to their 2025 opener against Clemson on August 30. 

Baylor and LSU set for showdown in Texas Bowl

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 30, 2024) The Baylor Bears and LSU Tigers are gearing up for an exciting clash at NRG Stadium in the Kinder's Texas Bowl on Tuesday, bringing together two teams with plenty of history, talent, and momentum. Both schools are familiar with the Texas Bowl, with Baylor making its third appearance and LSU also visiting for the third time. The Bears defeated Vanderbilt 45-38 in 2018 but lost to Illinois in 2010. LSU's last trip to the Texas Bowl in 2022 ended in a 42-20 loss to Kansas State.

Baylor comes into the game riding a six-game winning streak. After starting the season 2-4, the Bears turned things around with victories over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia, Houston, and Kansas. Quarterback Sawyer Robertson has been key during this stretch, throwing seven of his 26 touchdown passes. Robertson has 2,626 passing yards this season, completing 199 of 317 passes with just seven interceptions.

The Bears also boast standout players on both sides of the ball. Inside linebackers Matt Jones and Keaton Thomas earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors. Thomas leads the team with 107 tackles, while Jones has 103. Wide receiver Josh Cameron has been a dual threat with 643 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Cameron’s average of 20.7 yards per punt return is the best in the nation for players with at least 14 returns.

Freshman running back Bryson Washington has been another bright spot for Baylor. He rushed for 1,004 yards this season, setting a school record for a freshman, and scored 12 touchdowns.

LSU’s offense will be led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is having a stellar season. Nussmeier has thrown for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He needs 261 passing yards to become only the second quarterback in LSU history to hit the 4,000-yard mark in a season. Nussmeier has shined against non-conference opponents, throwing for 1,766 yards and 16 touchdowns in five such games since last year.

Freshman running back Caden Durham has contributed 693 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while LSU’s offensive line has been anchored by standout left tackle Will Campbell, a Consensus All-American. However, Campbell and right tackle Emery Jones will both miss the game after opting out.

On defense, LSU has a rich history of success under head coach Brian Kelly and will look to improve their 6-8 record in bowl games against Big 12 opponents.

This will be the first meeting between Baylor and LSU in 39 years. Baylor holds a 2-1 edge in bowl matchups, including a 21-7 victory in the Liberty Bowl in 1985. The game is also part of the Texas Bowl’s tradition of matching SEC and Big 12 teams, a streak that has continued for the past decade.

A win would be historic for Baylor, as the Bears have never ended a season with seven consecutive victories. For LSU, it’s a chance to secure their 31st bowl win and build momentum heading into next season.

Baylor's Trestan Ebner Named Walter Camp Second Team All-American

Photo by Ted Gangi
CollegePressBox
(collegepressbox.com) 
Used with permission

WACO, TEXAS (January 7, 2021) Trestan Ebner (shown right) earned his fourth All-America honor on Thursday, after being tabbed Walter Camp Second Team All-American as a kick returner. It is the 17^th time a Baylor player has been named to the Walter Camp All-America Team, and the first as a kick returner.

 

This is the most recent accolade for Ebner, who has been named Second Team All-American (AFCA & Sporting News), the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, First Team All-Big 12 (AP), Second Team All-Big 12, Second Team All-Texas (DCTF) and Second Team All-Big 12 (Waco Tribune-Herald) for his play during the season.

 

The Henderson, Texas, native ended the year second in the Big 12 in kick return average (32.2) and first kick return touchdowns with his two in the season opener against Kansas. He was fourth in the Big 12 in all-purpose yards with 116.3 per game, a majority of those coming in the return game.

 

Against KU, Ebner compiled 272 all-purpose yards (third-most in program history) and four total touchdowns, two of his touchdowns were via kickoff return with one going for 100 yards and the other for 83 yards.

Baylor football players return to campus June 15

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

WACO, TEXAS (May 23, 2020) Baylor University announced today that they will welcome football players will return to campus on June 15 to begin workouts for the upcoming fall football season. Director of Athletics Mack Rhodes stated in a press release from the athletic department:

“We are grateful and excited for the return of our football student-athletes on June 15.  Over the past several weeks, our Health and Wellness team led by Kenny Boyd has worked in conjunction with University leadership, conference governance, and local health officials, to develop a comprehensive plan to support the safe return of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. We will remain diligent in monitoring our various safety procedures and protocols to ensure a healthy and safe environment as we continue to navigate through this pandemic. We are very encouraged by this step forward and are grateful for the collective work of the Big 12 presidents, athletic directors, medical directors, and the leadership of Commissioner Bowlsby.”

Baylor head football coach Dave Aranda added:

“Our number one goal will always be the health and safety of our student-athletes and staff. With that said, I would like to thank the Big 12 presidents, athletic directors and conference staff for allowing voluntary in-person athletic activity on our campus to begin June 15. I would like to say a special thank you to our Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades and Senior Associate AD Kenny Boyd, and many others who have worked tirelessly through this process. This is an important step toward competition and I look forward to welcoming our student-athletes back to campus soon.”

Specifics related to the student-athletes returning to campus were not released.

Baylor drops 5-2 decision to Texas A&M

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 1, 2019) Texas A&M erupted for four runs in the fourth inning in route to a 5-2 win over No. 12 Baylor in the night cap game of the Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

Aggie shortstop Braden Shewmake went 1-for-4, with two runs and two RBI, while starting pitcher John Doxakis saw eight innings of work; giving up four hits and a single run to raise his record to 3-0 for the season. Baylor starting pitcher Hayden Kettler received the loss; giving up five runs off four hits while facing 19 batters.

The loss was the first for the Bears in 2019. They will try to get back on the winning track on Saturday, when they will face the Rice Owls in the 3 p.m. game. The Aggies will play in Saturday's nightcap game against TCU. The Horned Frogs downed Houston 10-6 on Friday afternoon.

Houston stays alive in NCAA baseball with 17-3 win over Baylor

Corey Julks got on base in 23 consecutive games
for the Houston Cougars.
Photo by Darla Tamulitiis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 3, 2017) The No. 1 Houston Cougars kept their baseball season alive for at least one more day, as they dropped the No. 2 Baylor Bears by the score of 17-3 in the third game of the NCAA Houston Regional. The loss eliminated Baylor, who fell to Texas A&M on Friday by the score of 8-5. Houston also dropped their first game on the regional with a 6-3 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Houston dominated Baylor, scoring eight runs in the first six innings, before the Bears could get on the scoreboard. They responded in the bottom of the sixth with three runs, cutting the Cougar lead to 8-3. At that point, Houston unleased their bats, tallying eight runs on seven hits, with 14 batters coming to the plate. The Red and White added an insurance run in the eighth innings to close out the scoring. Houston sent three batters to the plate in the top of the ninth inning, and were quickly sent packing by Baylor. With the Bears coming to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning; hoping to salvage anything from the game, the heavens opened up and the rain came down; forcing a one-hour, 27-minute game delay. After the resumption of the game, Houston dispatched Baylor’s final three batters to advance to another elimination game on Sunday, June 3 against the loser of No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Iowa.

You can view a slideshow from the game, by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, by clicking here.

Cougar center fielder Corey Julks continued his phenomenal post-season performance against the Bears. He was 2-of-5 with two runs, 2 RBI; along with a double and a home run. Against Iowa on Friday evening, he was 2-of-4 and scored a run. With his two hits against Baylor, the 6-1 junior from Friendswood, Texas, has reached based in 23 consecutive games.

Starter John King, tossing 5.2 inning while giving up three runs on eight hits received the win, his eighth of the season. The left-hander faced 24 batters while striking out five. He threw 90 pitches, 61 of them strikes. Freshman Fred Villarreal, throwing 3.1 inning in relief picked up his second save of the season. Baylor starter Alex Phillips receive the loss and finished his season with a 4-3 record.

Houston late comeback falls short in 4-2 loss to Baylor

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 4, 2016) Catcher Conner Wong connected for his second home run of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning, but it was not enough to silence the bats of the Baylor Bears as the No. 21 Houston Cougars dropped a 4-2 decision at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park in Houston, Texas on Friday, March 4, 2016. It was the fifth straight loss of the season for the Cougars.

Baylor scored first when right fielder Richard Cunningham advanced home on a wild pitch by Houston starter Andrew Lantrip. The right hander hurled the ball past Wong allowing Cunningham to score after leading off the fourth inning with a triple to deep right field.

The Bears added their second run when catcher Matt Menard homered to deep left field on a 3-2 pitch by Lantrip to double their score. They added an insurance run in the eighth inning after the Cougars committed back-to-back errors, allowing two runs to get on base after walking leadoff batter Steven McLean. The third baseman scored from third on a sacrifice fly to right field by left fielder Darryn Sheppard.

In the ninth inning, the Bears again took advantage of a Houston wild pitch when shortstop Josh Bissonette score from third when relief pitcher Tanner Lawson lost control of the ball. Wong’s home run also scored Robert Grilli, who was pinch running for shortstop Jose Reyes after he reached first base by being hit by a pitch.

The Cougars will take to field to face the Bears in game two of the three-game of the weekend series at 6:45 p.m. CST on Saturday, March 5, 2016. 

HBU Women’s Soccer Falls at Baylor, 2-0

Photo by Erik Williams
HBU Athletic Media Relations Department

Patty Walrath makes three saves; Ellee Hall records shot on goal

 

WACO, TEXAS (August 24, 2014) Baylor scored goals early in the second half and late in the game, as the Bears defeated visiting HBU, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field.

 

Freshman Ellee Hall recorded HBU’s (0-2-0) lone shot attempt, which was on target. Senior Ally Murphy and junior Blake Martin played all 90 minutes in the field. Senior Patty Walrath made three saves and allowed two goals between the pipes.

 

Justine Hovden led Baylor (2-0-0) with five shots, as she and Alexa Wilde had two shots on goal apiece. Michelle Kloss started in goal.  Sara Martinson earned the win as she played the second half and made one save.

 

There was no scoring as the teams entered halftime. Walrath made two saves in the opening frame.

 

Hovden got the Bears on the board in the 53^rd minute, as she ran down the right side and scored. Natalie Huggins gave Baylor some insurance with an unassisted tally in the 84^th minute, as the ball was deflected in the box and Huggins scooped it up and kicked it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

 

HBU heads west next weekend to play New Mexico State Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 pm central. The Huskies end their road trip at UTEP Sunday, Aug. 31 at 2 pm central.

Baylor’s Briles Named Coach of the Year Finalist

Bears’ head coach among 10 finalists for Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 15, 2011)  Baylor head coach Art Briles has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, as announced by The American Heart Association Wednesday.

Briles, who is in his fourth season as head coach of the Bears, has led Baylor to a 9-3 record and a berth in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Baylor’s No. 12 ranking in the latest BCS Standings is the program’s highest ever, and the 11 weeks the Bears have been ranked in the AP Top 25 poll this season are its most since being ranked for 12 weeks in 1951.

Briles has coached Baylor to its first nine-win season since 1986 and guided the Bears to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1991-92. Baylor’s 16 wins over the last two seasons are its most since winning 18 games between 1985 and 1986. With a win in the Valero Alamo Bowl, Baylor would record the second 10-win season in program history.

The Bears also knocked off Oklahoma for the first time in program history and defeated Texas in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1991-92. Baylor’s win over Texas Tech was its first against the Red Raiders in the Big 12 era, and it clinched a perfect 4-0 record in the month of November. Those four wins equaled Baylor’s total number of November wins in the first 15 seasons of Big 12 play.

Team success translated into individual awards, as quarterback Robert Griffin III became the first Baylor player to win the Heisman Trophy and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. Additionally, RG3 was joined by Kendall Wright on The Associated Press All-America teams, giving the Bears two AP All-Americans for the first time since 1991.

The Coach of the Year Award will be announced during the 26^th annual Marathon Oil Corporation Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards on January 19 in Houston. The event raises funds for heart disease in the name of Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Joining Briles as finalists for Coach of the Year are: Bret Bielema (Wisconsin), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Brady Hoke (Michigan), Les Miles (LSU), Nick Saban (Alabama), David Shaw (Stanford), Bill Snyder (Kansas State), Kevin Sumlin (Houston) and Dabo Swinney (Clemson).

Baylor’s Ganaway Named Rivals Big 12 Player of Week

Senior RB honored after rushing for 246 yards vs. Texas Tech

WACO, TEXAS (November 28, 2011, via press release from Baylor University) Baylor senior running back Terrance Ganaway was honored as the Rivals.com Big 12 Conference Player of the Week on Sunday, one day after leading the Bears to a 66-42 win over Texas Tech.

Ganaway rushed a school-record 42 times for 246 yards and two touchdowns against the Red Raiders Saturday at Cowboys Stadium. He ran his way to 16 of Baylor’s school record 38 first downs and had 11 rushes of nine or more yards.

Ganaway also became the eighth 1,000-yard single-season rusher in program history. His 1,195 rushing yards for the season are the second-most ever at Baylor, and he needs just 23 more yards to tie Jay Finley’s school record from a season ago. With his two rushing touchdowns against Texas Tech, Ganaway also broke Baylor’s single-season record with 14 on the year.

A native of DeKalb, Texas, Ganaway also became the first player in program history with two career games of 200 or more rushing yards. He previously ran for 200 yards against Iowa State on Oct. 8 and has now accounted for two of the six 200-rushing yard games in 110 years of Baylor football.

Ganaway rushed for at least 49 yards on at least seven carries in all four quarters against Texas Tech. He had 10 carries for 54 yards in the first quarter, seven carries for 49 yards in the second, 11 carries for 75 yards in the third and 68 yards on 14 carries in the fourth. He had a pair of 4-yard TD runs – one to give Baylor a 24-14 lead in the second quarter and another to cap the game’s scoring and give the Bears their highest point total ever in a conference game.

No. 17 Baylor (8-3, 5-3 Big 12) closes out the regular season by hosting No. 22 Texas (7-4, 4-4 Big 12) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears are 6-0 at home this season and are looking for their first 9-win season since 1986.

2011 Houston College Classic: Baylor Downs Houston 5-2

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 4, 2011) The Baylor Bears (5-4, 0-0 Big 12) downed the Houston Cougars (5-4, 0-0 C-USA) by a score of 5-2 to kickoff the 2011 Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The Bears scored their five runs on nine hits, while the Cougars could manage only two runs on eight hits.

The game saw a total of six errors committed—two by Baylor and four by Houston.

Pitcher Logan Verrett allowed only one earned run in 6.2 innings in the Baylor win.

Third baseman Jake Miller went 3-for-4, along with scoring a run.

For the Cougars, left fielder Jake Runte went 3-for-4 and scored both of Houston's runs. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Runte got his first hit of the game, a single down the left field line. He stole second base before scoring on Ryan Still's RBI single down the left side.

Baylor then took advantage of two Cougar errors in the sixth inning, allowing two runners to score to give the Bears a 5-1 lead.

Runte scored his second run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a John Cannon sacrifice fly to center field.

The Bears will next face Utah in a 12 p.m. game on Saturday, while the Cougars will take on Kentucky in the 3:30 p.m. game.

Armed Forces Bowl 2010: Army Tops SMU 16-14 in Dallas

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2010 TexSport Publications

DALLAS, TEXAS (December 30, 2010) With the weather cloudy and the game time temperature in the mid 60s, the Army Black Knights (7-6 Overall, Independent) downed the SMU Mustangs (7-7, 6-2 C-USA) 16-14 in the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas.

The Black Knights wasted no time getting on the scoreboard early in the first quarter when Chad Littlejohn sacked SMU quarterback Kyle Padron, causing a fumble.

The ball was picked up by linebacker Josh McNary and returned 55 yards for the touchdown.

With Alex Carlton kicking the extra point, Army took the lead 7-0 at the 13:33 mark.

They came back eight minutes later to score their first offensive touchdown on a 13-yard run by running back Malcolm Brown. Carlton’s kick was blocked to take the score to 13-0 in favor of Army.

Army increased their lead to 16-0 late in the second quarter with Carlton’s attempt of a 44-yard field goal was good.

SMU finally found pay dirt at the 2:56 mark in the third quarter. Pardon found wide receiver Aldrick Robinson open over the middle and connected on an eight yard pass for the score.

Matt Szymanski kicked the extra point to cut Army’s lead to nine.

SMU again found the end zone with 9:20 left in the game. Pardon hit Darius Johnson on a 28-yard pass and combined with another Szymanski PAT, cut the score to 16-14.

Szymanski tried to give SMU the lead at the 4:10 mark in the game with a 47-yard field goal attempt. The kick was wide left, giving Army a 1st in 10 on their 30-yard line.

Army spent the last minutes of the game running out the clock to preserve their first bowl victory since 1985.

In that game, the Black Knights defeated Illinois 31-29 in the Peach Bowl.

The Most Valuable Players of the Game were Army linebacker Stephen Anderson and SMU wide receiver Jeremy Johnson.

Anderson had 14 tackles, with 10 of them being solo, combined with Josh McNary for a sack, and tallied one interception.

Johnson caught nine passes for 152 yards and one touchdown, averaging 16.9 yards a catch.

Army had 229 yards of total offense compared to 413 yards for SMU. The difference was in rushing yards, where Army led (199 to 111) and passing yards, where SMU held the advantage (302-30).

The loss was SMU’s first in a bowl game since 1983 when they went down to Alabama 28-7 in the Sun Bowl.

SMU is now 5-7-1 in bowl games, dating back to January 1, 1925 when they lost the Dixie Classic Bowl, 9-7 to West Virginia Wesleyan at Fair Park in Dallas.

The bowl was phased out after the 1934 game, with only three games played (1922, 1925, and 1934) in favor of the Cotton Bowl

With the win, Army goes to 3-2 in bowl games, going back 26 years to their win, 10-6 over Michigan State in the Cherry Bowl in the Pontiac Silverdome.

The bowl was only played for two years (1984 and 1985) due to a lack of financially viability.

TCU WIN SETS UP SHOWDOWN WITH NO. 6 BAYLOR

WACO, TEXAS (Janaury 31, 2010) The 38th-ranked TCU men’s tennis team opened its competition at ITA Kick-Off Weekend Sunday with an easy 4-0 win over No. 66 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at the Baylor Tennis Center. The Frogs persevered through temperatures dipping into the mid-30’s to run their season record to 3-0.

The victory sets up a Monday afternoon showdown between the Frogs and sixth-rated Baylor for the right to become one of 15 teams to advance to play in the ITA National Indoor Championships Feb. 12-15 in Charlottesville, Va. Monday’s match against the Bears has been scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Baylor Tennis Center, weather permitting.

The Frogs, who had their full roster available for the first time this season, began the afternoon by sweeping the doubles point against the Islanders before taking the first three singles decisions to conclude the match.

TCU jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point. Junior Zach
Nichols and sophomore Paul Chappell, playing at the No. 3 position, earned a
quick 8-3 victory over Andrew Maingot and Nathan Robinson before sophomore Slah
Mbarek and freshman Sören Goritzka clinched the team point with an 8-6 decision
against Duje Janjic and Robert Raguz.

The following singles competition flew by just as quickly, with TCU taking
matches at Nos. 3, 5 and 6 singles in straight sets. Junior Christopher Price
put an end to the afternoon, clinching the Frogs’ team victory with a dominating
6-0, 6-0 decision over Maingot at the No. 6 spot. Mbarek, slotted at No. 3
singles against Alex Pavlov, and Nichols, who faced Robinson at the fifth
position, posted respective victories of 6-1, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-2.

Two players, junior Emanuel Brighiu and Goritzka, made their season debuts for
TCU after having sat out last Sunday’s opening matches. Brighiu, slotted in the
No. 2 singles position, and Gortizka, positioned at No. 4, both had their
singles matches go unfinished after the team victory had already been clinched.
Brighiu’s match with Price at No. 1 doubles also went unfinished, as did that of
the Frogs’ top singles player, freshman Marius Cirstea.

TCU improved to 6-1 all-time against the Islanders with Sunday’s win.

“I was really happy with the way our guys competed, because it was so cold out
and the ball was so heavy today,” head coach Dave Borelli said. “It was good to
get (Emanuel) Brighiu and Soren (Goritzka) out there for us, with both battling
through recent injuries.

“I think we are pretty solid right now, but we will be better. It’s tough to
tell on a day like this because conditions were so bad. Our guys are very good
competitors. We are solid 1-through-6 and mentally strong. That’s something
that’s important for a team to have. I think the guys did a great job today.”

Monday’s match with Baylor can be tracked live on the Internet, as real-time
results will be available on-line through BU’s official athletics web site,
BaylorBears.com.


Results
No. 38 TCU 4, No. 66 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jan. 31, 2010
Baylor, Texas (Baylor Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. E. Brighiu/C. Price (TCU) vs. D. Novikov/J. Langford (TAMU-CC) unfinished
2. S. Goritzka/S. Mbarek (TCU) def. D. Janjic/R. Raguz (TAMU-CC) 8-6
3. Z. Nichols/P. Chappell (TCU) def. A. Maingot/N. Robinson (TAMU-CC) 8-3

Singles
1. Marius Cirstea (TCU) vs. Dmitry Novikov (TAMU-CC) unfinished
2. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) vs. James Langford (TAMU-CC) unfinished
3. Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Alex Pavlov (TAMU-CC) 6-1, 6-3
4. Sören Goritzka (TCU) vs. Robert Raguz (TAMU-CC) unfinished
5. Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Nathan Robinson (TAMU-CC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Christopher Price (TCU) def. Andrew Maingot (TAMU-CC) 6-0, 6-0*-clinched team
win

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,3)

BAYLOR ATHLETICS LAUNCHES GROUND-BREAKING, INTERACTIVE WEBSITE

WACO, TEXAS (September 5, 2009) The Baylor University athletics department launched a new arm of its official website Saturday, when the Baylor Athletic Experience debuted as a branch of BaylorBears.com. The site (www.BaylorAthleticsExperience.com) is a comprehensive vista of Baylor athletics that showcases the department’s success and excellence through various sights, sounds, videos and links.

"The Baylor Athletic Experience is an innovative and exciting communication vehicle to share our program with the Baylor Family in a cost effective manner," Baylor Director of Athletics Ian McCaw said.

Baylor has decreased the scope of its publications during the 2009-10 academic year, and continues to shift much of its communication initiatives online.

Baylor Coordinator of New Media Brad Sheffield said the move away from printed to digital communication is a natural progression in order to satisfy the growing need to increase the department’s online presence and to tell the story of Baylor athletics using new technologies.

“We will continue to provide our fans and alumni with the most accessible and progressive means possible to follow Baylor sports through all available technologies,” Sheffield said. “Whether that is our traditional website, the new Baylor Athletics Experience, or our various social networking mediums.”

The Baylor Athletics Experience is a vast project highlighting the achievements -- on and off the field and court -- and successes of Baylor’s overall athletics department, as well as comprehensive links and information on each of the school’s 18 programs. The site includes more than 20 videos showcasing Baylor’s individual sports programs, facilities, campus as well as the Waco community.

BAYLOR’S GAY AND SMITH PARTICIPATE IN 2009 NFL COMBINE

WACO, TEXAS (February 19, 2009) A pair of Baylor linemen will work out for NFL coaches and front office personnel at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine Feb. 18-24 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Offensive tackles and BU graduates Dan Gay and Jason Smith were invited by the National Football League to participate in the annual event preceding the NFL Draft in April.

The combine allows executives, coaches, player personnel staff and medical personnel from all 32 teams to evaluate the nation’s top collegiate football players eligible for the upcoming draft. The six-day job interview involves a series of tests, drills and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel.

Smith, Baylor’s first non-special teams All-American since 1995, is widely projected as an early first-round draft pick. The 6-6 tackle from W.T. White High School in Dallas earned first-team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America and third-team honors from the Associated Press and Rivals.com.

A former tight end, Smith started four seasons on the offensive line and totaled 38 career starts. As a senior in 2008, he anchored a Baylor offensive line that paved the way for 2,349 rushing yards, a 251 percent increase from 2007’s rushing total of 934 yards and the most rushing yards at BU since 1981. Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in recreation from Baylor following his junior season.

Gay, who earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in his final season in 2008, was a four-year letterman who played his final three seasons on the offensive line after converting from defensive tackle. As a senior, Gay was part of an offensive line that led the Bears to a 25th ranking nationally and third in the Big 12 with 195.8 rushing yards per game. Baylor produced 2,349 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns – the school’s most since 1994.

The 6-5 tackle from Lafayette, La., started each of the last 34 games of his career. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in speech communications in December 2008 and plans to open a Cajun restaurant following his playing career.

BAYLOR FOOTBALL: GRIFFIN, SMITH ADD POSTSEASON HONORS

WACO, TEXAS (December 17, 2008) Postseason honors continued to roll in for two Baylor football players Wednesday as quarterback Robert Griffin and offensive tackle Jason Smith added to their already lengthy lists of accolades. Griffin was named first-team All-Freshman by Rivals.com and second-team All-Freshman by Phil Steele Magazine. Smith was named third-team All-America by the Associated Press.

Griffin is the third consecutive Big 12 quarterback to earn first-team All-Freshman honors from Rivals.com, following Texas’ Colt McCoy (2006) and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford (2007). Boise State’s Kellen Moore was the first-team quarterback on Phil Steele’s All-Freshman squads.

Smith, a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection, has earned All-America honors from four outlets. He was a first-team selection by the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele Magazine, and a third-team selection by Rivals.com.

BAYLOR’S GRIFFIN NAMED FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA (December 16, 2008) Baylor’s Robert Griffin was named to the 2008 Sporting News All-Freshman Team, the publication announced Tuesday. Griffin is Baylor’s first Freshman All-America honoree since Joe Pawelek was so tabbed by the Football Writers Association of America in 2006; Griffin is the first Baylor player so honored by Sporting News.

A product of Copperas Cove [Texas] High School, Griffin tallied 2,934 yards of total offense, eight yards shy of the school record. He posted a 142.00 passing efficiency rating, the third-best season in school history, connecting on 160-of-267 passes for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns with only three interceptions.

Griffin, the nation’s youngest starting quarterback during the 2008 season, enjoyed one of the best passing seasons in Baylor history as he ranked in the program’s all-time top 10 in yards (sixth), completions (sixth), completion percentage (second), yards per attempt (ninth), touchdowns (tied-fourth) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (second). He also established a Baylor single-season record with 28 touchdowns produced.

However, Griffin was more than just a passer, finishing the season with 843 yards rushing on 173 carries. He tied Baylor’s single-season record with 13 rushing touchdowns and produced four 100-yard games, twice as many as any other Baylor quarterback has ever produced in a career. His yardage total was the 13th-best season in Baylor history as he established Baylor season quarterback and freshman records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Griffin ranks sixth in the Big 12 in rushing and fifth in rushing touchdowns.

Griffin was one of four Big 12 Conference student-athletes on the Sporting News All-Freshman Team, joining Missouri offensive tackle Elvis Fisher, Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis and Texas safety Earl Thomas.

Sporting News also named Griffin the 2008 Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He joins Pawelek as the only Bears to have been so honored.

BAYLOR’S JASON SMITH NAMED FWAA ALL-AMERICA

WACO, TEXAS (December 13, 2008) Baylor’s Jason Smith was among 25 student-athletes named to the 2008 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, announced Saturday on ABC. Smith is the 45th Baylor student-athlete to earn All-America honors and Baylor’s first since punter Daniel Sepulveda in 2006.

A product of W.T. White High School in Dallas, Texas, Smith anchored a Baylor offensive line this year that produced 2,349 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing. The Bears ranked 25th nationally and third in the Big 12 with 195.8 rushing yards per game. Baylor’s rushing touchdown total was its best since 1994, the third-best season total in school history and one shy of the school record.

Smith, a projected first-round pick in April’s National Football League Draft, is Baylor’s first non-special teams All-American since safety Adrian Robinson in 1995. He is Baylor’s first All-America offensive lineman since guard Frank Ditta in 1980 and Baylor’s first All-America offensive tackle since Mike Hughes in 1975. Smith also was named third-team All-America by Rivals.com.

A 2008 unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection, Smith was one of seven Big 12 athletes on the FWAA team; he joined defensive lineman Brian Orakpo (Texas), quarterback Colt McCoy (Texas), running back Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State), offensive guard Duke Robinson (Oklahoma), tight end Chase Coffman (Missouri) and wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech).

BAYLOR FOOTBALL: ASSOCIATED PRESS HONORS SEVEN BEARS

DALLAS, TEXAS (December 5, 2008) Seven Baylor student-athletes were honored by The Associated Press, the news organization’s 20-member media panel announced Thursday. Junior safety Jordan Lake, junior linebacker Joe Pawelek and senior offensive tackle Jason Smith earned first-team honors, while junior offensive guard James Barnard, sophomore punter Derek Epperson and junior center J.D. Walton were named honorable mention. The AP also named quarterback Robert Griffin the league’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year.

Oklahoma led all teams with six first-team selections, followed by Missouri and Texas Tech with five each. Baylor, Nebraska and Oklahoma State each had three first-team picks; Nebraska had two, while Texas and Texas A&M had one each.

Lake and Pawelek were second-team AP All-Big 12 selections last year, while Smith was an honorable mention pick. Epperson and Walton were honored for the first time. Pawelek also was an AP honorable mention selection in 2006 when he was named AP Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year. With Barnard and Walton earning AP honorable mention nods, four of Baylor’s five starting offensive linemen have earned all-conference honors from at least one outlet this season.

2008 BAYLOR FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS

James Barnard, OG
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (The Associated Press)

Dan Gay, OT
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches)

Robert Griffin, QB
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year (coaches)
• Big 12 Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press, Kansas City Star)
• Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year (Pat Forde: SI.com)

Derek Epperson, P
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Kansas City Star)
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, Associated Press)
• Ray Guy Award semifinialist

Jordan Lake, FS
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, Associated Press)
• Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference (Kansas City Star)

Joe Pawelek, LB
• Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America (CoSIDA)
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star)

Jason Smith, OT
• First-Team All-Big 12 Conference (coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star)

J.D. Walton, C
• Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference (Associated Press)

BAYLOR PLACES 16 ON ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12 TEAMS

IRVING, TEXAS (November 25, 2008) All-America candidate Joe Pawelek headlined a group of 16 Baylor student-athletes named to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Conference teams, announced Tuesday by the league office. The Bears placed 11 student-athletes on the first team, while five Baylor student-athletes earned second-team honors.

The Bears matched the 2006 squad for the program’s most first-team academic all-conference honorees in school history; the 16 total selections are second in program history behind the 2006 squad’s 18. Baylor has produced 36 first-team honorees over the past four seasons after producing only 38 first-team selections in the league’s first nine years. In all, Baylor has produced 139 Academic All-Big 12 selections since the league’s inception in 1996; 56 of those selections have come in the last four years.

Baylor’s first-team selections were punter Derek Epperson (sophomore; business), linebacker Ty Findley (senior; engineering), linebacker Ben Hixson (senior; sport management), running back Jacoby Jones (senior; general studies), linebacker Tyler King (junior; finance), defensive end Jason Lamb (junior; management), safety Zak Mitchell (senior; health science studies), linebacker Pawelek (junior; finance), quarterback Ryan Roberts (senior; sport management), defensive end Zac Scotton (redshirt-freshman; political science) and tight end John David Weed (senior; general studies).

Hixson earned first-team honors for the fourth consecutive season, joining Kyle Atteberry (1996-1999) and Daniel Sepulveda (2003-2006) as the only four-time honorees in Baylor history. Pawelek earned first-team honors for the third consecutive season, joining the four-time honorees, Jason Lary (1998-2000), John Martin (2001-2002, 2004), Andrew Obriotti (1998-2000) and Stephen Sepulveda (2002-2004) as the only Baylor student-athletes to earn first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors more than twice.

Baylor’s second-team honorees were cornerback Krys Buerck (sophomore; general studies), free safety Jordan Lake (junior; management), safety Jake La Mar (senior; distribution management), linebacker Sam Shalala (senior; health science studies) and defensive tackle Sam Sledge (junior; entrepreneurship).

Texas led all programs in first-team (17) and overall selections (22). Baylor was fourth in the league behind Nebraska (13, 19) and Texas Tech (12, 18) in both categories. Oklahoma (13) and Kansas (12) were the only other schools with at least 10 total selections. Oklahoma State had nine, followed by Missouri (8), Colorado (6), Iowa State and Kansas State (5 each), and Texas A&M (4).

Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services and its media relations offices, the 2008 football academic all-league squad consisted of 91 first-team members and 46 second-team members. First-team members have recorded a 3.20 or better GPA, while second-team members have recorded a GPA between 3.00 and 3.19.

To qualify, a student-athlete must maintain a GPA of at least 3.00 either cumulatively or in the two previous semesters and participate in at least 60 percent of his team’s scheduled games. True freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all criteria except participation percentage also are eligible.

Baylor returns to action Saturday, Nov. 29, concluding its 2008 season at seventh-ranked Texas Tech. Kickoff between the Bears and Red Raiders is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST at Jones AT&T Stadium on the Texas Tech campus. The game will be televised nationally on Versus.