The Baylor experience is unique for each and every student-athlete who steps foot on our campus. Yet one thing remains consistent for more than 500 young people across 19 intercollegiate programs each year: our commitment to their wellbeing and promise to help develop them to be exceptional not only in their chosen sport, but every aspect of their life. As we reflect on our commitment to Prepare Champions for Life, this year holds a special place in our hearts and minds. Together, we overcame a unique set of circumstances to give our student-athletes, coaches and staff a chance to return to competition after the sudden pause in early 2020. The result was teams playing with gratitude and joy, historic victories, excellence in the classroom and continued growth in personal character and faith. What we offer at Baylor is distinctive in every way, and it would not be possible without the support of the Baylor Family. Thank you for all the ways you faithfully champion Baylor Athletics. We share each and every victory with you. With Gratitude,
Mack B. Rhoades, IV 2
• Combined record of 210-86-3 among 11 sports that compete head-to-head (excludes cross country, track and golf ) • 16 of 19 programs advanced to postseason play • Ten programs were ranked in the top-25 nationally with four teams achieving the No. 1 national ranking during the course of the season (Men’s Basketball, Women’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, Acrobatics and Tumbling) • Jared Butler was named Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Men’s Basketball • NaLyssa Smith was named the WBCA’s National Player of the Year when she received the Wade Trophy Award for Women’s Basketball • 35 All-Americans • 97 All-Big 12 selections • 230 Academic All-Big 12 selections • A school-record 10 programs earned Top-10 National Rankings – Men’s Basketball, Women’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, Acrobatics & Tumbling, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Golf, Equestrian, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Track & Field
CONFERENCE TITLES • Six Big 12 Championships match the most since 2015 and tied the third-most in school history • Men’s Basketball won the Big 12 title for the first time and claimed Baylor’s first men’s basketball conference championship in 71 years • Women’s Basketball swept the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships, extending its streak of regular-season titles to 11, and Baylor has taken 20 of 21 Big 12 trophies since 2011 • Men’s and Women’s basketball won outright Big 12 Conference titles, becoming the first team to do so since the Big 12’s inaugural season in 1997 • Men’s Tennis won Big 12 regular season and tournament championships for the first time since 2014 • Men’s Golf won Big 12 Match Play Championship for second time in event’s three-year history
3
NATIONAL TITLES • Men’s Basketball won the National Championship for the first time in school history • Baylor became the second team from Texas to win a Men’s Basketball national title, following the 1966 Glory Road Texas Western team • Three Track & Field Individual National Champions – Aaliyah Miller (800m), Ackera Nugent (60mh) and KC Lightfoot (Pole Vault) • The Men’s Tennis program reached the NCAA title match and finished as the nation’s runner-up • The Acrobatics and Tumbling program won its sixth-straight NCATA National Championship
FOUR NO. 1-RANKED TEAMS • Men’s Basketball was ranked No. 1 for the third time in the last five seasons, joining Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas as the only schools to accomplish the feat • Men’s Tennis reached No. 1 for the first time since 2005 after winning the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships • Women’s Golf reached No. 1 for the first time in program history after winning its first five tournaments of the season • Acrobatics & Tumbling finished No. 1 for the sixth-consecutive season • Eight Baylor teams have earned No. 1 national rankings since 2017 – Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Volleyball, Men’s Golf, Women’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, Equestrian and Acrobatics and Tumbling
4
• Led the Big 12 in Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for the 7th straight year • 276 student-athletes were recognized as Academic Champions for the Fall 2020 semester, tallying 51% of all BU student-athletes (personal best term GPA, 3.5 or higher term GPA, graduate) • 305 student-athletes were recognized as Academic Champions for the Spring 2021 semester, tallying 58% of all BU student-athletes (personal best term GPA, 3.5 or higher term GPA, graduate) • 3.35 All Athletics Cumulative GPA for Fall 2020-highest Fall Cumulative GPA on record
• 295 student-athletes were named to the Dean’s List during the 2020-2021 academic year
• 3.30 All Athletics Cumulative GPA for Spring 2021
• 108 student-athletes graduated during the 2020-2021 academic year
• 22% of all student-athletes achieved their personal best term GPA in Fall 2020
• Spring 2021 was the 26th consecutive semester with a 3.00+ departmental GPA
• 30% of all student-athletes achieved their personal best term GPA in Spring 2021
• Seven different teams recorded a perfect single-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000 (men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s tennis, men’s track & volleyball)
• Two teams had 50% or more of their student-athletes achieve their personal best term GPA during the Spring 2021 semester (soccer & women’s cross country) • Six teams earned their highest all-time term GPA during the 2020-2021 academic year (acrobatics and tumbling, baseball, football, soccer, men’s track, & women’s track)
6
• 1,174 Community Engagement hours • 120 Character Formation Programs • 36 Career Development workshops & events • 24 student-athletes completed internships and job shadows • Student-athletes volunteered 1,203 hours throughout the Waco community in 2020-21 • Character Formation coordinated events and opportunities with more than 20 partners focused mainly on Poverty, Healthy Lifestyle, Literacy and Human Rights • 308 student-athletes served the Waco community with 129 completing at least four hours of service, making up 885 hours total • 212 student-athletes went to at-risk elementary schools, in-person or virtually, in Waco to support their efforts to increase reading literacy rates among 3rd grade students • 90 student-athletes participated in the Leadership Retreat, Leadership Institute and SAAC – all sports represented • 33 Leadership Institute Graduates from 18 of 19 sports - Eight-week program centered on authentic leadership - Explored values, strengths as a leader, emotional intelligence, etc. - Elite leaders hand selected by coaches
7
• Baylor’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) collaborated with the local YMCA to do an Easter Egg hunt and the Salvation Army for a clothing drive to serve the Waco community • Increased connection with campus Student Life and Multicultural Affairs, including our Voter Registration drive and voting initiatives • Planned programs for National Student-Athlete Day and National Girls and Women in Sports Day • Created a Huddle Council for our student-athletes to discuss current social justice topics • 185 virtual programs for the 2020-2021 year • In Fall 2020, held a hybrid Strategic Learning 1201 Freshman course with 75 students • In Fall 2020, held a hybrid Leadership Retreat for seven students
SPORTS MINISTRY • 30 student-athletes participated in iDisciple Program – an 8-week peer-to-peer spiritual leadership bootcamp • 19 student-athletes served on mission trip in Guatemala • Average of 47 student-athlete attendance at BUnfiltered Events – a monthly gathering to build community • 70 student-athletes, representing all teams, participated in one of our chapel alternatives for student-athletes, called “Cross Training” • Hosted two BUnfiltered in-person, socially distanced events
BAYLOR BUILT • Scheduled appointments with SAs – 118.3 hours • Career development workshops & events – 22 hours
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT • 11 leadership retreat graduates • 33 leadership institute graduates
PERSONAL SKILLS • Mentor program – 32 mentor pairs • Financial education – 296 participants
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY • Real Relationship Talks participation – 100 percent
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • SA participation – 60 percent • More than 20 collaborations • 129 students completed at least four hours • 1,203 total hours volunteered – 60% of all SAs participated in CE 8
• Defeated No. 3 Oregon and No. 1 Azusa Pacific in the 2021 NCATA National Championships in Waco on April 22-23 • Defeated No. 2 Oregon with a NCATA 2021 season-high score of 287.430 on April 10 in Waco • Won its 38th-straight meet in the season opener against University Mary Hardin-Baylor inside the Ferrell Center on Feb. 27 • Freshman Riley Chimwala was named the NCATA Freshman of the Year, won freshman of the week three times during the season
9
• Sophomore Emily Tobin was named the 202 NCATA Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year • Maddie McNamee was the recipient of the 2021 Louise Goodrum Academic Award • NCATA All-Americans: Emily Tobin, Kam Kitchens and Riley Chimwala • The Bears finished the season a perfect 5-0 inside the Ferrell Center • Head Coach Felecia Mulkey has a 65-2 record while at the helm with Baylor. Mulkey has won the last 10 National Championships (6 with Baylor, 4 with Oregon)
10
• Three First-Team All-Big 12 selections • One of three Power 5 teams (Vanderbilt & Nebraska) to finish top-2 in their conference in both batting average and ERA • Only team in the Big 12 that is top two in both batting average (No. 1) and ERA (No. 2) and the only team in the Big 12 with a batting average above .300 (.302) • Won the series against No. 5 Texas Tech in Lubbock April 23-25, marking the first team since 2018 to do so. The series victory also marked the first time BU has won in Lubbock since 2010 and the first time the Bears have won a road series over a top-10 opponent since 2005. • Set a Big 12 record with runs in an inning in a conference game with a 17-run fifth in a 23-3 win over K-Stae, May 9 • Luke Boyd was one of the top closers in the country with a 1.27 ERA, eight saves in 24 appearances. Boyd struck out 43 while walking 11 and holding opponents to .152 batting average • Andy Thomas led the team with 11 home runs and 60 RBI, and he was second on the squad with a .337 batting average. His 60 RBI were the most for a Baylor player in a season since 2012 • Jared McKenzie was first in the conference in runs scored with 61 and second in the league in average (.383) and hits (82). McKenzie crushed 10 home runs, which was second most on the team
12
• Won first National Championship in program history • Defeated all six NCAA Tournament opponents by at least nine points • Started season 18-0 for best start in program history • Won first Big 12 title in program history and first conference title since 1950 • School-record three players named All-Americans – Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, MaCio Teague • Butler became first AP Big 12 Player of the Year in program history and first consensus first-team All-American in program history • Mitchell swept National Defensive Player of the Year awards, becoming first player in program history to win a national award open to all players
13
• Butler named Big 12 Athlete of the Year (5th in Baylor Athletics history), Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year (7th in Baylor Athletics history) and Big 12 Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2nd in MBB program history) • First win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history came in dominating fashion with 86-70 victory over Gonzaga in NCAA Tournament title game • School-record 11-2 mark against ranked opponents, including 7-0 vs. top-10 teams • Scott Drew named AP and coaches’ Big 12 Coach of the Year for second-consecutive season • Finished 28-2, tying second-most wins in a season in program history and recording fewest losses since going 13-0 in 1911-12. • Mark Vital broke the Baylor career record for Big 12 wins with a 45-22 career mark. • First time going undefeated at home in Ferrell Center history (11-0)
14
• Won its 11th-straight (12th overall) Big 12 regular season championship • Won its 11th Big 12 Championship • NaLyssa Smith was named a First-Team All-American by the AP, the John Wooden Award, the WBCA and ESPN.com while earning second-team honors by the USBWA • Smith won the WBCA’s National Player of the Year by taking home the Wade Trophy Award • The Lady Bears reached the NCAA Elite 8 for the 10th time in program history and reached the Sweet 16 for the 12th-consecutive tournament • Five All-Big 12 selections • Six Academic All-Big 12 selections
15
• DiDi Richards joined Smith as an All-American, receiving honorable mention nods from the AP and the USBWA • Richards and DiJonai Carrington were each selected in the second round of the 2021 WNBA Draft with Richards going to the New York Liberty and Carrington picked by the Connecticut Sun
16
• Seven Academic All-Big 12 selections (5 First Team) • Senior Connor Laktasic took 32nd at the Big 12 Championships • USTFCCCA NCAA Division I All-Academic Team • Won ACU Dual Meet (Connor Laktasic won individual title) • Ryan Day placed 15th individually at Texas A&M’s Arturo Barrios Invitational
18
• 10 Academic All-Big 12 First Team selections • Three finishers in the top-30 at the Big 12 Championships • Freshman Lily Jacobs led the team in 23rd at Big 12s • USTFCCCA NCAA Division I All-Academic Team • Won ACU Dual Meet (Celia Holmes won individual title) • Holmes placed seventh individually at the OSU Cowboy Jamboree • Jacobs finished 10th individually at Texas A&M’s Arturo Barrios Invitational
19
• Reached NCEA Semifinals for the first time since 2015 after upsetting No. 1 Auburn in the quarterfinals, snapping the Tigers’ 42-meet win streak • NCEA Flat Rider of the Year: Rachael Davis, BU’s first national rider of the year in program history across any event • Big 12 Flat Rider of the Year: Rachael Davis • Three NCEA All-Americans: Rachael Davis (First Team, Flat), Madaline Callaway (Second Team, Reining), Daisy Kaufman (Second Team, Reining)
21
• Three All-Big 12 selections • 48 selections to the American Wood Fibers NCEA All-Academic Teams and APHA NCEA Academic Honor Roll • Two NCEA National Rider of the Month honors, two Big 12 Rider of the Month awards
22
• First-year head coach Dave Aranda led his team to a 47-14 win over Kansas in the season opener. Baylor added a win over Kansas State later in the season and finished 2-7 in the COVID-shortened campaign • Finished in the top 50 nationally in total defense (383.4 ypg) and were No. 30 in FBS in passing defense (203.0). BU was second in the Big 12 with 12 interceptions in nine games • Finished second in the Big 12 and 16th nationally in turnover margin (+8) • Henderson native Trestan Ebner was named an All-American and Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He set a Big 12 record with two kick returns for touchdown in a single game in the win over Kansas • 11 All-Big 12 selections • 29 Academic All-Big 12 selections
23
25
• Won 2020 Big 12 Match Play Championship, claiming second title in event’s three-year history • Big 12 Match Play Title was the third Big 12 Championship in program history (2001, 2018, 2020) • Extended one of nation’s longest active streaks with 23rd-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance • Won 2021 Rice Intercollegiate and had two players share individual title with Colin Kober and Johnny Keefer finishing tied atop the leaderboard • Big 12-best and school-record nine Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selections • Eight student-athletes named to Dean’s List • Nineteen Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll awards (fall and spring) • Assistant coach Mikkel Bjerch-Andresen served as assistant coach for International team at 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup • Finished one shot back of advancing to school-record fifth-consecutive NCAA Championship
26
27
• Earned first No. 1 national ranking in program history • Broke Big 12 record with five-consecutive tournament titles • Claimed school-record six tournament titles during season • Three student-athletes combined to win four individual tournament titles, with Gurleen Kaur winning twice and Elodie Chapelet and Hannah Karg both winning a medalist honor • Finished in 14th place at NCAA Championship, becoming one of nine programs to record four top-15 national finishes since 2015 • Opened season by winning Schooner Fall Classic with then school-record score of 833 • Shattered school record by shooting 38-under-par 826 to win Lone Star Invitational • Won Cowgirl Classic on Oklahoma State’s home course, Betsy Rawls Invitational on Texas’ home course, Schooner Fall Classic on Oklahoma’s home course and Trinity Forest Invitational on SMU’s home course • Elodie Chapelet named Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming second player in program history to win the award • Gurleen Kaur joined Hayley Davis as only three-time All-Americans in program history • Two All-Big 12 Team winners • Two Big 12 All-Tournament Team honorees • School-record six players named to Academic All-Big 12 First Team
28
• Jennifer Wandt became Baylor’s all-time career leader in shutouts with 32 • In Baylor’s 5-0 win over Louisiana on March 27, BU racked up the most goals since netting six against Nebraska on Sept. 2, 2018. Taylor Moon also recorded the 19th hat trick in program history and first since Elizabeth Kooiman’s against West Virginia (Oct. 3, 2019) • Finished the season among the nation’s leaders with seven shutouts. Since 2013, Baylor has totaled 73 shutouts, 42 of which have come at home. Seven of them were against ranked opponents. BU pitched back-to-back shutouts in the fall against No. 4 Oklahoma State (10/2) and No. 5 Kansas (10/9) • Was the only Big 12 team to not get defeated by eventual league champ TCU as the two teams opened the season with a double overtime scoreless draw • Six All-Big 12 selections
30
• Earned a postseason bid for the 14th time in program history
• Nicky Dawson became Baylor’s all-time leader with 12 career triples
• Glenn Moore picked up win No. 800 at Baylor in the 7-1 win over Kansas on April 30. He is the all-time wins leader across all sports for Baylor Athletics
• Hott and Alyssa Avalos each made #SCTop10 this year. Hott was No. 3 after her catch behind second against OU, and Avalos was No. 6 with her diving catch at OSU
• Two All-Big 12 selections
• Aliyah Binford tied a Getterman Stadium record with six RBI vs. Kansas on April 30. She hit back-to-back three-run home runs, marking the first multi-home run game by a Lady Bear since Hannah Thompson at Houston (3/10/20)
• Lou Gilbert was named to the NFCA All-Central Region Third Team • A program-record 13 Lady Bears were named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams
31
• Gia Rodoni finished her BU career with five no-hitters, a total that tied her for the tops in program history
• Made program’s third appearance in the NCAA National Championship, first since 2005 • Won share of Big 12 regular-season title and claimed conference tournament championship for 23rd and 24th Big 12 championships in program history • ITA National Team Indoor Championship finalists • Program-record 34 wins in 2020-21 season • Earned No. 1 national ranking on April 28, first time since 2005 • Had representatives in both the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championship semifinals for the first time in program history: Adrian Boitan (singles), Constantin Frantzen/Sven Lah (doubles) • Michael Woodson promoted to head coach on May 6 • Four ITA All-Americans: Adrian Boitan (singles), Matias Soto (singles), Constantin Frantzen (doubles), Sven Lah (doubles) • Big 12 Newcomer of the Year: Charlie Broom
33
• Six All-Big 12 selections • Six Academic All-Big 12 selections • Three Big 12 Player of the Week Awards, five Big 12 All-Tournament selections, one ITA National Indoors All-Tournament Team member • Constantin Frantzen broke school record for career doubles victories with 112
34
35
• Posted its highest win total since 2015 with a 24-5 record • Finished second in the Big 12 with a 10-1 record • Advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 21st time in program history • Posted a final ITA National Ranking of No. 14 • Mel Krywoj became the first Bear since 2016 to earn First-Team All-Big 12 honors in singles • Three doubles pairs finished ranked in the ITA Top 60 • Two singles players finished ranked in the ITA Top 125 • Four All-Big 12 selections • Seven Academic All-Big 12 honorees
36
37
• One Indoor National Champion (KC Lightfoot, pole vault) • Big 12 Indoor Performer of the Year (KC Lightfoot) • No. 18 national finish indoors • One All-American (indoor- KC Lightfoot) • Six National Qualifiers Outdoors • 14 Academic All-Big 12 Selections • Two Big 12 Outdoor Titles (Deshaun Jones, Howard Fields III) • Seven Big 12 Outdoor Medalists • One Big 12 Outdoor Athlete of the Week (KC Lightfoot) • 3 Big 12 Indoor Athletes of the Week (KC Lightfoot) • Indoor Regional Men’s Field Athlete of the Year (KC Lightfoot) • One Athlete on The Bowerman Watch List (KC Lightfoot) • Two Big 12 Indoor Champions (KC Lightfoot, Deshaun Jones) • Six Big 12 Indoor Medalists
38
• Two Indoor National Champions (Aaliyah Miller, Ackera Nugent) • Big 12 Indoor & Outdoor Outstanding Freshman of the Year (Ackera Nugent) • No. 9 national finish indoors • No. 24 national finish outdoors • 13 All-Americans (7 indoor, 6 outdoor) • 14 National Qualifiers Outdoors • 40 Academic All-Big 12 Selections • One Big 12 Outdoor Title (Aaliyah Miller) • 10 Big 12 Outdoor Medalists • Two Big 12 Outdoor Athletes of the Week (Nugent, Miller) • Two Big 12 Indoor Athletes of the Week (Aaliyah Miller) • One Athlete on The Bowerman Watch List (Aaliyah Miller) • Three Big 12 Indoor Champions (Tuesdi Tidwell, Women’s 4x400-Meter Relay, Aaliyah Miller) • 16 Big 12 Indoor Medalists
39
• Second-straight Sweet 16 appearance, third in program history • 20-win season for the fifth-consecutive year • Ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation (during Fall 2020 when only five conferences were competing) • Earned No. 12 national seed to NCAA Championship, the program’s third top-16 national seed all-time • Two AVCA All-Americans: Yossiana Pressley (First Team), Lauren Harrison (Honorable Mention) • Big 12 Libero of the Year (first in program history): Shanel Bramschreiber
41
• Four All-Big 12 selections • Nine Academic All-Big 12 selections • Senior CLASS Award Finalist: Yossiana Pressley • 10 Big 12 Player of the Week awards and one Sports Impact/ AVCA National Player of the Week honor • Yossiana Pressley became the program’s rally-scoring era leader with 1,942 career kills
42
• Achieved a 96% renewal rate for football season tickets for the upcoming 2021 season
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baylor Bear Foundation again exceeded budgeted goals and the previous year’s fundraising number ($19.2M), reporting $19.5M in total giving at the close of the 2020-21 fiscal year. This figure marks the foundation’s second-highest annual giving total in its 70+-year history and exceeded giving totals from the previous four years. The year-end total reflects giving across the department, including Baylor Bear Foundation contributions ($12.1M), credits ($2.2M) and gift— in-kind totals ($450K), along with gifts to the athletic excellence funds ($1.8M) and athletic endowment interest distributions ($3.0M). 43
• On pace to surpass new season ticket sales from the 2019 season • BBF Contributions number: $12,116,487.35 • Credits: $2,226,735.00 • Gift-in-kind: $453,377.41 • Athletics Excellence funds: $1,780,005.99 • Athletics Endowment interest distributions: $3,000,000.00 • Current cost of full athletics scholarship $83,206.00 • Baylor Athletics raised an additional $35M beyond annual fund during 2020-21 fiscal year
44