Horns Illustrated

John Burt is a rising star on the Texas offense.

JUNE 2016

CONTENTS FEATURES

SPRING FORWARD FOOTBALL

Each year, the annual Orange-White scrimmage illustrates how the Texas football has improved during the ďŹ rst part of the offseason, while also revealing areas of improvement. This spring game, fans received a ďŹ rst look at the Longhorns’ new up-tempo offense and the defense, which appeared to be piecing itself back together after last season. Senior Editor Steve Habel provides a detailed recap of this year’s game, along with answers to ďŹ ve questions most fans may still have going into the summer.

A STAR IS BORN GOLF

Beau Hossler, at a young age, was destined for greatness. At 17-years-old, Hossler held the lead at the 2012 U.S. Open. He eventually ďŹ nished 29th and tied second for low amateur honors, but also succeeded in catching the eye of Texas’ coaching staff. Fast forward four years, and Hossler is still making history.

THE POWER OF ALL TRACK & FIELD

The 89th Nike Clyde LittleďŹ eld Texas Relays took place over a four-day period this year, showcasing the athleticism and speed of over 7,500 track & ďŹ eld athletes. Among those athletes, the Longhorns forced their way to the top, walking away from the event with multiple top-three ďŹ nishes. Horns Illustrated brings to its readers the annual Relays recap that includes highlights of Texas’ record-breaking ďŹ nishes and interviews with Bryon Robinson and Asa Garcia.

DEPARTMENTS

LEADING OFF

SPIRIT OF THE MONTH - Texas Royals

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

MEDIA VOICES THE HABE ON THE HORNS IN SEASON - Softball, Baseball, Golf FINAL SCORE

COVER PHOTO: BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS, JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

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JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS

ROUNDUP

COVERING UT SPORTS SINCE 1994 AUSTIN CORPORATE OFFICE: 512-626-8513 SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-855-246-7677 E-MAIL: INFO@HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM

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LEADING

OFF

JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

Eleven seniors and one junior gathered at the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletics Center on the Texas campus on March 23 to participate in the annual Pro Day. Junior Hassan Ridgeway joined seniors Shiro Davis, Alex De La Torre, Sedrick Flowers, Johnathan Gray, Marcus Hutchins, Desmond Jackson, Peter Jinkens, Daje Johnson, Marcus Johnson, Nick Rose and Duke Johnson as they took the opportunity to showcase their skills as potential professional football players. The fundamental objective of Pro Day is to give players the opportunity to connect with NFL scouts and show their physical skills in the hopes of improving the odds that they may play at the next level. Although it may be distressing having to leave Texas, most of the players commented that they were looking forward to what the future has in store. “I honestly had to feel comfortable doing it,” Ridgeway said. “I talked to other players, seeing what they felt about me and my potential to be in the NFL, the grade that I got back from the advisory board. I just needed to be comfortable that I could go to the next level and play.”

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PATRICK MEREDITH/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

ROUNDUP THE TRADITION CONTINUES: Texas’ Will Licon and Joseph Schooling unleashed NCAA and U.S. Open record swims, and Jack Conger lowered his own American record as the Longhorns’ punctuated their wire-to-wire run to a 12th NCAA team title. The Longhorns tied Michigan for No. 1 all-time with 12 NCAA titles, and 38-year Texas head coach Eddie Reese passes former Ohio State coach Mike Peppe as the most decorated coach in the sport’s history. Texas won the NCAA Championships with 541.5 points while California took second with 351 points. Schooling tied with California’s Ryan Murphy and Florida’s Caeleb Dressel for the CSCAA Swimmer of the Meet honor. Reese also collected his second straight CSCAA National Coach of the Meet Award. Licon rewrote the NCAA, American, U.S. Open and NCAA Championship records in the 200 breaststroke and claimed his second consecutive national title in the event at 1:48.12. Schooling joined Conger for arguably the most dynamic head-to-head 200 butterfly race ever contested at the NCAA Championships, as both Longhorns became the first swimmers ever to break the 1:39 mark at 200 yards. Schooling out-touched Conger at the wall in 1:37.97, less than a tenth of Conger’s 1:38.06, which lowered his American record by more than a second. Schooling, a 2012 London Olympian from Singapore, left Atlanta with NCAA and U.S. Open records in the 100 and 200 butterfly events.

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ALL-AMERICAN SHOWCASE

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS STATS Texas tied Michigan for No. 1 all-time with 12 NCAA men’s swimming and diving team titles. Texas head coach Eddie Reese passed former Ohio State coach Mike Peppe for No. 1 alltime with 12 NCAA men’s swimming & diving team titles. He’s the only coach in the sport’s history to win NCAA team titles in four separate decades. Texas has posted 23 NCAA top-two finishes and 30 top-three finishes at the NCAA Championships in Reese’s 38 seasons with the Longhorns. Texas opened the NCAA Championships by winning the first four events for the first time in school history. Its victories in the first three events marked the first time Texas had completed that feat as well.

EXAS JUNIOR DIVER Murphy Bromberg closed out the FINA Puerto Rico Grand Prix with a gold medal in the women’s 10-meter contest, and former Longhorn Troy Dumais won silver in the men’s 3-meter final. Bromberg scored 327.75 points for the 10-meter gold to edge China’s Lin Jinming, who took silver with 323.55 points. Bromberg scored 70 or more points on each of her first three dives, which included a third-round arm stand triple back somersault and a fourth-round twister. She finished with an inward 3 ½ tuck. “I was happy with my performance except for my last dive, the inward,” Bromberg said. “I was more focused on my scores, not so much my placement. Things could’ve been cleaner, but I was happy with my finish.” Dumais finished with 441.15 points for silver in the men’s 3-meter contest, which was won by France’s Matthieu Rosset with 457.30 points. Dumais led by six points heading into round five, but missed his front 4 ½ tuck for 45.60 points to allow Rosset to overtake him in the standings.

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Texas opened the meet by winning its NCAAleading 13th national title in the 800-yard freestyle relay, as Jack Conger, Clark Smith, Townley Haas and Joseph Schooling set NCAA, U.S. Open, NCAA Championship meet, school and Big 12 records in 6:08.03. Haas delivered Texas’ second consecutive NCAA title in the 500 freestyle in 4:09.00. Will Licon became Texas’ third NCAA champion in the 200 IM and its first since Austin Surhoff in 2010. Licon is the only Longhorn ever to win NCAA titles in both the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Haas made a clean sweep of the record book in the 200 freestyle, as he set NCAA, American, U.S. Open, NCAA Championship meet, school, Big 12 and pool records at 1:30.46. He became the first swimmer ever to clear the 1:31 mark in the event.

UT ATHL ETICS PHOTOGRAPH Y

GOLDEN GIRL: Murphy Bromberg took first place in the women’s 10-meter contest at the FINA Puerto Rico Grand Prix.

FLYING SKY HIGH NOTHING BUT THE BEST: After a decorated Texas career, Imani Boyette was selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft.

MANI BOYETTE BECAME the fourth player in Texas women’s basketball program history to be selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft. The Chicago Sky chose Boyette with the 10th overall pick. “I’m excited to go to Chicago,” Boyette said. “It’s a great fit for me and the way I play. I’ve come a long way and I’m excited to get home, get back to work and get ready for training camp.” This past season, Boyette became the first player in program history to reach the combined milestone of 1,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds and 200 career blocks. She finished her decorated career 22nd on Texas’ all-time career scoring list with 1,361 career points, fifth on the all-time career rebounding list with 1,036 career rebounds and second on the all-time career blocks list with 303. Boyette’s 104 blocks this past season ranks second on the school’s all-time career single-season blocks list. Boyette made the All-Big 12 First Team as a junior and senior with the Longhorns. The three-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection was the conference’s CoDefensive Player of the Year in 2015-16 after leading the league in blocked shots (3.6 bpg) and ranking second in defensive rebounding (6.8 drpg). Boyette was recognized with the Honda Inspiration Award and named the 2014-15 Big 12 Conference Female Sportsperson of the Year. She was selected as a 2015 recipient of the Texas Exes President’s Leadership Award, which is presented to undergraduate students who have demonstrated leadership within the student community.

UT ATHL ETICS PHOTOGRAPH Y , B ETHANY W ALTER/UNIV. O F TEXAS

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ALL-TIME LONGHORNS IN THE WNBA DRAFT ROUND TEAM YEAR NAME (OVERALL PICK)

1999 Edna Campbell

1st (10)

2000 Edwina Brown

1st (3)

2004 Stacy Stephens

3rd (37)

Phoenix Mercury Detroit Shock (first collegian taken in 2000 WNBA Draft)

Houston Comets (later traded to Detroit Shock)

2005 Heather Schreiber 3rd (39)

Los Angeles Sparks

2005 Jamie Carey

3rd (31)

Phoenix Mercury (later signed with Connecticut Sun)

2007 Tiffany Jackson

1st (5)

New York Liberty

2010

Brittainey Raven

3rd (33)

Atlanta Dream

2015

Nneka Enemkpali

3rd (26)

Seattle Storm

2016

Imani Boyette

1st (10)

Chicago Sky

HOOP DREAMS

JUNIOR POINT GUARD Isaiah Taylor informed the Texas coaching staff in early April that he planned to enter the 2016 NBA Draft. Taylor stated that he didn’t have any plans to hire an agent at the time he made his decision. Taylor earned All-Big 12 First Team honors along with spots on the NABC All-District 8 Team and the USBWA All-District VII Team as a junior. He led the team in scoring (15.0 ppg), assists (5.0 apg) and minutes (30.9 mpg) and tied for the team lead in steals (29) during the 2015-16 season. Taylor reached double figures in scoring 25 times this year, including seven 20-point games and one 30-point effort. He posted a 2.69 assist-toturnover ratio (164 assists, 61 turnovers), the third-best single-season mark in program history. Taylor ranks seventh on the school's career assists chart (415) and No. 20 on the Texas career scoring list (1,254 points). Isaiah Taylor

10 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT JORDAN SPIETH 1. HE WARMED UP FOR HIS FIRST PGA TOUR TOURNAMENT WITH PING PONG.

Spieth was about to play the first round of the Byron Nelson as an amateur, when a rain delay kept him off the course. He took to the ping pong table to pass the time.

2. GOLF DOESN’T RUN IN HIS FAMILY.

The Spieth family is a sports family, but only Jordan took to the clubs.

THE GOLD STANDARD THE NO. 1 Texas men’s golf team and junior Gavin Hall won The Maxwell on April 17 at Dornick Hills Golf Club after the third round was canceled due to inclement weather. The victory marked Hall’s second medalist honor of the season after winning the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in February. He carded a first-round 66 and followed with a second-round 68 to win by two strokes. Hall hasn’t finished outside the top 20 in the last six tournaments for Texas. The last time two golfers earned at least two medalist honors in a calendar year was in 1983, when Brandel Chamblee had three and Mark Brooks had two. In six of the 10 tournaments played in the 2015-16 season, a Texas golfer has earned medalist honors. As a team, Texas earned its fifth win of the season after shooting 13-under par, five strokes in front of runner-up Baylor. The Longhorns started postseason play at the Big 12 Championships in Trinity, Texas between April 29 and May 1 at Whispering Pines Golf Course.

3. BUT HE DID START GOLF EARLY.

Spieth played with plastic Little Tike clubs as early as 18 months old.

4. HIS HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART IS A BIG 12 RIVAL. 5. MISS TEXAS ASKED HIM OUT THROUGH A FREESTYLE RAP. 6. HE’S HAD BAD LUCK AS A TEXAS RANGERS FAN.

Speith lost his two front teeth when he was 4 years old, thanks to a foul ball at a Texas Rangers game.

7. HE’S A DALLAS SPORTS ICON AMONG DALLAS SPORTS

8. HE BATTLED A TUNA FOR 2 ½ HOURS. 9. HIS HOUSES ARE VERY NICE.

His first home has five bedrooms and a 288-bottle wine closet. His newest house, a $7.1 million megamansion, is 10,000 square feet, has a 12-car garage and an indoor basketball court.

10. HE GAVE PIANO A TRY.

Spieth’s grandfather was an orchestra conductor, and the standout golfer tried to keep music in the family but gave up playing the piano to devote more time to sports. 16 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

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DRIVING FORCE: After winning the Maxwell, Gavin Hall became the second player this season to medal. Texas golf hasn’t accomplished such a feat in 33 years.

BETH ANY W AL TER/UNIV. OF TEXAS , CO URTES Y US NEWS

ICONS.

Spieth teamed up with Tony Romo at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, shared the AAC floor with Mark Cuban and earned accolades from Dirk Nowitzki and Troy Aikman.

THE LONG GAME

JIM S IGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS , UT ATH LETICS PHOTOGRAPHY , BETH ANY WALTER/UN IV. OF TEXAS

FROM ONE ATHLETE TO ANOTHER: Shane Buechele and Mitchell Becker met with a Special Olympics athlete during a recent visit this past April.

A CAMPAIGN WITH NO END

DESPITE RAINY CONDITIONS and a revised schedule, the Texas men dominated a field of nine other top-ranked teams to win the Texas Invitational. “It’s outdoor track & field and you have to battle the elements” head coach Mario Sategna said. “Everybody did a great job on that because you never know what you’re going to come across at a championship meet down the road.” The 1-2-3 finish in long jump showed the Longhorns have potential to grab points in the upcoming Big 12 Championship. Freshman Steffin McCarter led the group with a leap of 7.62 meters, which currently stands at fourth overall in the Big 12. Senior Basil Fares took second while freshman Ika Morton took third. The men’s sprinters showed depth in both relays and individual events. The team of AJ Bailey, Senoj- Jay Givans, Charles Amnunu and Zack Bilderback finished second to LSU in the 4x100 meter relay clocking in a time of 39.22 seconds. Bailey also edged out unattached Demetrius Pinder in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 20.44 seconds. Bailey ’s time currently ranks as No. 3 in the NCAA and makes him No. 4 in school history. Freshman Alex Rogers took the win in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, coming across the line with a time of 9:09.98 in his first attempt to run the race this season. The women, however, couldn’t quite duplicate the men’s success. The Longhorns finished fourth in the invitational behind LSU, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

HILE IT'S EASY for fans to focus strictly on the winloss record of their favorite teams, what we all sometimes forget is that sports serve a larger purpose than just entertainment. In both college and the pros, the local players are often some of the most prominent members of the community. This past April, the Texas football team hosted Special Olympics athletes from central Texas. The group visited the team’s facilities and met with coaches and players. “It’s all about giving back to the community,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “I tell our players all the time that they’re special and everyone in the community knows who they are. So if we want their support for the games and want them to come out and support us, we need to give back.” Senior linebacker Timothy Cole said he loved seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces and knowing they’ll remember the experience for the rest of their lives. Senior Caleb Bluiett echoed Cole’s sentiment, saying it’s important to show who’s under the helmet and that “every football player’s not a big, mean guy.”

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CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Jason Russell

SOCCER

TSA ENDED ITS search for a new head basketball coach on April 8. The university announced former Oklahoma assistant Steve Henson as the new coach, making Henson only the sixth head coach in UTSA men’s program history. “I’m thrilled and honored to be here,” Henson said. “This is a wonderful place.” The position marks Henson’s first time at the helm at a major university. Before coming to San Antonio, Henson spent the past 15 years as an assistant coach at the college and NBA level. Henson was an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks for the 2002-03 season. Henson joined the Oklahoma coaching staff in 2011. In his five years at Oklahoma, Henson was part of four consecutive 20-win seasons. During his tenure, the program increased its win total in each of his five seasons. Henson played in the NBA from 1990-95 and parts of the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. He also played two different stints in the Continental Basketball Association between 1993-94 and 1997-98. His playing career also included three stops in Europe. “We needed a strong person that has a great background as a coach, as a former student athlete and as a professional player,” UTSA Athletic Director Lynn Hickey said. “All those pieces fit in well with Steve.” The Roadrunners spent about a month looking for a new head coach after releasing former head coach Brooks Thompson after a school-worst 5-27 record in the 2015-16 season.

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FOOTBALL

UTSA WILL STILL open its football season at home against Alabama State on Sept. 3; however the team’s second home game will take place a bit sooner than expected. Originally scheduled for Sept. 17, the Roadrunners will now play Colorado State on Sept. 16. The reason for the move? A to-bedetermined network will televise the game, giving fans outside of San Antonio the opportunity to see their team play.

COURTESY JEF F HUEH N, UTS A ATH LETICS

READY OR NOT: New head basketball coach Steve Henson has his work cut out for him after UTSA recorded its worst season in program history.

THE ROADRUNNER WOMEN'S soccer team hired Jason Russell as an additional assistant coach on April 19. Russell joins the program after spending the past five years at the University of Vermont. Russell also spent a year as an assistant coach at Mercer in 2010. He played collegiately at Georgia Southern and professionally in the National Professional Soccer League from 1999-2001 and the United Soccer League in 2002. Russell is now the third member of the UTSA soccer staff, along with head coach Greg Sheen and assistant coach Stephanie Sanchez.

EXTENDING CIRCUMSTANCES

CLOCKWIS E FRO M LEFT: COURTESY ELL MAN PH OTOG RAPHY, K AYLA S TIGAL L, JOEY M EREDITH

BUILDING ON A SOLID FOUNDATION: After three successful years as the women’s head basketball coach, Krista Gerlich extended her contract with UTA.

RISTA GERLICH REACHED an agreement on a two-year contract extension to remain the women’s basketball head coach through the 2019-20 season. “We’re pleased to have Coach Gerlich for an additional two years,” UT Arlington athletic director Jim Baker said. “She and her staff have done a great job in the three years they ’ve been here, and I’m extremely excited about where this team is going. We are in great hands with Coach Gerlich at the helm.” Since Gerlich took over as the team’s head coach in April 2013, the Mavericks have earned two consecutive trips to the Sun Belt Conference Championship tournament, as well as an invitation to the Women’s Preseason National Invitational Tournament. When UTA went 17-14 in the 2014-15 season, it marked the first time since 2008-09 that the Mavericks finished with a record above the .500 mark. “We have made great strides in the three years we’ve been here and this extension shows our team, our community, our university and our prospective student-athletes the university ’s commitment to women’s basketball while giving us stability for our future,” Gerlich said. “UTA is a great university that we will continue to showcase on a national level. I’m thrilled to be at UTA and excited about our future.”

K GOLF

THE UT ARLINGTON men’s golf team’s final performance of the season was its best of the year. Tanner Gore tied for fifth in the individual competition, helping the Mavericks claim fifth place — their best team finish of the season — in the Jim West Intercollegiate at Wolfdancer Golf Club. The Mavericks wrapped up the tournament with their best round, finishing with a team score of 8-over-par 872 (290-294-288). Three UTA players shot under par in the last round to lift their team from seventh place to fifth on the final day. Gore led the Mavericks with a three-round score of 212 (72-6970), finishing the tournament two shots under par. “It felt good since we have conference coming up, so playing well at this tournament gives me more

confidence and momentum moving forward,” Gore said. “I was happy with the way I played and the way the team played.”

Tanner Gore

Jorge Bilbao

BASKETBALL

WHEN THE FINAL NCAA statistics were released, the UT Arlington men’s basketball team was ranked No. 1 in rebounding in Division I play. In a season in which head coach Scott Cross became the program’s all-time leader in victories by a coach, the Mavericks cleaned the glass better than any team in the nation, pulling down 43.71 rebounds per game. They also finished the season ranked third in offensive rebounds per game, with an average of 14.86 per game. Their 1,530 total rebounds were the fourth-highest total in the country. “Tying the school record for most wins is an accomplishment that this team should be proud of considering our difficult nonconference schedule,” Cross said. “I’m also proud of the unselfishness of this basketball team that can be seen by looking at our assist numbers this season. “However, the biggest and best accomplishment might be the fact that this team led the country in rebounds per game, even after losing our leading rebounder, Kevin Hervey, midway through the season,” he added. “The future is for UTA basketball, and I’m extremely blessed to have the opportunity to lead and help mold this great group of guys.” JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 19

HE TEXAS ROYALS are new to campus, but their mission is one that anyone can relate to. “We created our spirit organization to honor Darrell K Royal’s legacy and we try to do that in every sense of what we do,” said Katelyn Lewis, the Philanthropy Chair for the Texas Royals. “Whether it’s spirit, service or sisterhood, we want to encompass DKR and his legacy.” The Texas Royals were created in 2013 in order to continue the legacy of the legendary Texas head football coach, following his death in 2012. Before each home football game, the Royals gather around the statue of DKR near the stadium and put flowers at the base, a tradition that reminds them of their organization’s purpose. In addition to supporting football each fall, the Texas Royals heavily support all of Texas athletics, sending members to as many home sporting events as possible. The Royals also show their support for the club and nonvarsity teams on campus, including lacrosse and hockey. Outside of sporting events, the Texas Royals are also involved with other parts of the Longhorn community. For example, members regularly attend fine arts events. “We like to attend all of the sports and club teams,” said Cambry Prichard, the Recruitment Chair for the Texas Royals. “But we want to

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support everything at the University. We also go to plays and concerts.” The organization’s main philanthropic effort centers on the Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer’s Disease. Throughout the year, the Royals raise funds, promote and participate in various events to benefit the Research Fund and to spread awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. Last year, the Texas Royals organized and hosted a new event called Dodging for DKR, an on-campus dodgeball tournament that raises money for the DKR Research Fund. “Working with Alzheimer’s patients and raising funds for Alzheimer’s research is rewarding because it ties us back to DKR,” Prichard said. In addition to helping the Alzheimer’s community, the Royals’ philanthropy extends to multiple aspects of the Longhorn community. Each year, the Royals participate in campuswide service events such as Texas Thon and the UT Project, as well as with Austin-based organizations such as Austin Pets Alive. “DKR was a legendary football coach and was very much associated with football, but I think he embodied having a Longhorn family, supporting Longhorn athletics as a whole and the entire Longhorn community,” Lewis said. “Our core values are dignity, kindness and respect — after his initials — and I think we embody that through our service and by going to events, showing support and respecting the whole Longhorn community.”

TAYLOR JUNGMANN SPENT his first three years of high school at Rogers High School, where he led the Eagles baseball team to a Texas 2A State Championship his junior year. During the same season, he posted a 13-0 record with a 0.41 ERA, and struck out 142 batters. Jungmann then transferred to Georgetown High School for his senior year where he went 14-0. Jungmann closed out his senior campaign with a 0.77 ERA and struck out 153 batters. He also earned Class 5A AllState honors in both the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) and Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA). He was also named the Class 5A Player of the Year by the TSWA. The Los Angeles Angels drafted Jungmann in the 24th round in 2008, but the pitcher elected to put-off the majors and enroll at Texas to play colligate baseball and work toward a degree. In his freshman year at Texas, he pitched his first career complete-game in Game 2 of the College World Series against LSU. Jungmann allowed just one unearned run on five hits and two walks, and struck out nine. The Longhorns won the game 5-1, but lost in Game 3 to the Tigers, 11-4. His efforts earned him a spot on the College World Series All-Tournament Team. During his sophomore season, Jungmann posted a 2.03 ERA on his way to an 8-3 record. He recorded 129 strikeouts that season, and earned a place on the All-Big 12 Second Team. In his third and final year, Jungmann was unanimously named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and was also named to the NCAA Division I All-American First Team. He finished his collegiate career with a 32-9 win-loss record, a 1.85 ERA, while striking out 356 batters. The Milwaukee Brewers selected Jungmann in the first round (12th overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his Major League debut on June 9, 2015. Entering the 2016 season, Jungmann’s major league career ERA was 3.69. He has struggled in his first four starts with Milwaukee in the 2016 season, posting a 0-3 win-loss record and an 8.47 ERA.

KELL Y RICE, PATRICK M EREDITH/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

TEXAS ROYALS

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

PUSHING THE LIMITS HASSAN RIDGEWAY FINDS A NEW HOME WITH THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Hassan Ridgeway

ASSAN RIDGEWAY MADE a calculated risk by declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft as a fourth-year junior with another season of eligibility remaining at Texas. Ridgeway was able to put a lackluster 2015 season behind him with strong pre-draft workouts. Those workouts, and the upside the 6-foot-3-inch, 307-pound defensive tackle showed in the process, were enough for the Indianapolis Colts to make Ridgeway their fourth-round pick. The Colts took Ridgeway with the 116th overall selection on the third day. Ridgeway becomes the 12th Texas defensive tackle to be selected in the draft since 2000, and he joins Malcom Brown, Lamarr Houston and Roy Miller as former Longhorn defensive tackles on NFL rosters in 2016. Ridgeway had his best season at Texas in 2014 when he played alongside Brown. He set career-high marks in tackles (43), tackles for loss (11) and sacks (6) as a sophomore, production that fell this past season as injuries contributed to him posting fewer tackles (36), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (3.5). The lack of a breakthrough season and a questionable motor, which according to some draft analysts were the biggest knocks against Ridgeway, could be why the second day wound up being much longer day for Ridgeway than he anticipated. He received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, a

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

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measure he used to make his decision to leave school early. But the second and third rounds of the draft came and went as ultimately 15 defensive tackles were selected before Ridgeway. “I don’t even want to talk about that,” Ridgeway said of having to wait until the final day of the draft to get selected. “That was rough. I wouldn’t even put my worst enemy through that. That wasn’t fun.” Ridgeway couldn’t find the words to express how excited he was to get the call from Colts general manager Ryan Grigson. Ridgeway was caught off guard since he had no contact with the Colts leading up to the draft. “Everyone who I thought would draft me passed,” Ridgeway said. Even as he slid further than expected, Ridgeway never secondguessed his decision to leave the 40 Acres a year early. Ridgeway talked to Brown, who started 12 regular season games and two playoff contests for the New England Patriots as a rookie. Brown told him not to focus on where he went in the draft. Ridgeway is doing his best to take Brown’s advice. He’s excited about getting the chance to make the most of his opportunity with the Colts. “It doesn’t matter if you’re second, third, fourth, fifth round pick, you just get to say you made it to the NFL,” Ridgeway said. “What are you going to do with it now?” JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 21

JOHNNY WALKER REVIEW THE FORMER LONGHORN GREAT DISCUSSES TEXAS’ SPRING GAME

JOHNNY WALKER'S RESUME • Played football and baseball at Texas from 1987-90

From left: Shane Buechele, Collin Johnson, Zach Shackelford, Demarco Boyd

• Two-time All-Southwest Conference • Caught the game-winning reception to beat Oklahoma in 1989 • Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1990 (4th round)

WITHOUT QUESTION, D'ONTA FOREMAN AND CHRIS WARREN III ARE THE TOP RUNNING BACKS IN THE COUNTRY. THEY CAN TAKE OVER A FOOTBALL GAME.

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JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

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LHN Anchors and Analysts Remember: JANE SLATER

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ACH MONTH WE'LL hear the Longhorn Network anchors’ favorite memories while on set, in addition to the reasons they love their job, in a piece Horns Illustrated likes to call LHN Anchors and Analysts Remember.

JANE SLATER Jane Slater joined the Longhorn Network in Sept. 2014 as a studio host and reporter. She also works on feature stories for various LHN programs. Before joining LHN, Slater covered traffic, weather and investigative reports for local television and radio stations in Dallas. WHY DID YOU JOIN THE LONGHORN NETWORK? JANE SLATER: Well when I got the call from my agent that the Longhorn Network was interested, I was immediately intrigued because it was my alma mater. Taking the position was also an opportunity to come back to Austin. Plus I loved the way the network told stories. I don’t think people realize the quality, work and effort that go into putting these stories together. That’s something you can’t do in local news anymore; you’re lucky to get a three-minute sportscast [at the local level]. That’s not enough time to tell some of these amazing stories.

THE INSIDE SCOOP: Jane Slater accepted the job with LHN based on the network’s quality stories.

WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE SPRING GAME? JS: I made sure we had a camera on Sterling Gilbert during the game. Watching them execute and deliver the plays is something I haven’t quite seen from any offensive coordinator I’ve covered. It’s fast talking and

fast moving. It’s almost like they’re speaking a different language. That sort of up-tempo play is something that brings so much excitement to the program, and helps eliminate the frustration and negative energy on and off the field.

JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

WHAT’S ATTRACTIVE ABOUT LIVING AND WORKING IN AUSTIN? JS: The city has so much to offer. You get the sense you’re in a big city, but it’s still a small community. You meet so many different, interesting people. A lot of people are moving from the East and West coasts so it’s a nice smorgasbord of people. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT’S MEMORY AS A TEXAS STUDENT? JS: Covering the baseball team for the Daily Texan. That job is what got me hooked on covering sports. It was such a dynamic team. Augie Garrido was so passionate about that group and they were so passionate about the game. It was fun seeing their success that year. I remember sitting on the U-Hauls out in the outfield and watching the excitement in DischFalk Field. It was exciting building those stories about the team and their push to Omaha that year.

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Social Buzz I don’t understand how you live in Austin and are afraid of dogs. Your life must be overwhelmingly stressful 24/7. — Lindsey Stephens (@lindseynecole)

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Proud of the guys coming to play today. Four Big 12’s in a row is quite an accomplishment. Looking forward to regionals next @UTexasGolf. — Beau Hossler (@beauhossler)

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MEET THE T-ASSOCIATION

The T-Association is an organization made up of former varsity athletics letter winners. An additional designation for the T-Association members is the T-Ring, which is awarded to an athlete who lettered for 2 or more years, who did not compete the last 2 years of eligibility anywhere other than The University of Texas and who graduated from college. David McWilliams, former Longhorn head football coach, currently serves as the executive director for the T-Association. T-Association Mission - The T-Association’s mission is to create and maintain an enhanced atmosphere and structure whereby UT student-athletes become lifetime members of The University of Texas Athletics family and are welcomed, involved and encouraged to participate during and after their college tenure. TAPN Mission - The Letter Winner’s Professional Network exists to unite the members of the T-Association on a professional level by providing networking opportunities and a database of contacts, thereby furthering the opportunities, community, education and success of Longhorn Letter Winners.

BETHAN Y WALTER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

CONTACT INFORMATION: t-association@ athletics.utexas.edu 512.471.6864

THE HABE ON THE HORNS

FINAL CALL

CAN THE REAL TEXAS BASEBALL TEAM PLEASE STAND UP?

ROUBLE IS BREWING on the eastern edge of the Texas campus, across I-35 and in the confines of UFCU Disch Falk Field. The Longhorn baseball team continues to struggle as it heads into the final stretch of the season, and those difficulties aren’t sitting too well with anyone. Texas will not host any postseason tournaments this season. In fact, folks with parking permits for baseball regional and superregional events in June can go ahead and rip those passes out of the book and throw them away. The Longhorns are stunningly bad this season. The team was carrying a 17-20 overall mark and a 7-5 Big 12 record into a three-game series at Texas Tech as this edition of Horns Illustrated went to press. Coach Augie Garrido’s bunch has been absolutely mediocre, something no one could have predicted during the preseason. Prior to this season’s campaign, Garrido talked about the team’s talent and its potential to do memorable things if it came together. Instead, the Longhorns became forgettable. So far this year, Texas was swept in a fourgame series by California (the first time in program history), lost two of three to Tulane, got beat by Lamar and got shutout by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi — all in home games. Texas took a three-game winning streak into Lubbock and looked ready to turn the corner after winning two straight league series,

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albeit against Big 12 doormats Kansas State and Kansas. “We’ve been trying to get better and it appears that we’re starting to get better,” Garrido said after a come-from-behind win against Texas-Rio Grande Valley on April 19. “The lineup is more consistent. We’re starting to see experience that we didn’t see earlier. That’s what I’m trying to get them to understand. They’re not the same group of guys they were 37 games ago.” As of this printing, the Texas baseball team had series remaining at conferenceleading Texas Tech and West Virginia and at home against Oklahoma State and Baylor. The Longhorns also had two individual home games against Texas State and another against Prairie View. Winning two of three games in each series and the three nonconference contests would give the Longhorns a regular-season record of 28-24. Such a record could force the team to win the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City on May 25-29 to get a berth in the NCAAs. That’s not beyond the capabilities of the team — but the past three months have done little to say Garrido’s bunch can make such a run. Texas will have to turn it up a big notch to keep from staying at home in the postseason. Just sayin’, ya know?

The Habe is Steve Habel, Horns Illustrated’s senior editor. He was the magazine’s first staff member, in 1994 and has covered Texas sports ever since. JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 25

SPRING FORWARD DON BENDER

THE LONGHORNS SHOWCASE MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT AT THE ANNUAL ORANGE-WHITE SCRIMMAGE

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CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN: Chris Warren III accumulated over 100 yards on the ground during the Orange-White scrimmage.

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GUNNING FOR NO. 1: Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele separated himself from the rest of the field.

ARLIER THIS SPRING, head coach Charlie Strong talked about how the annual Orange-White spring game would illustrate the Longhorns’ improvement across the board, thanks to their accumulated depth and better talent. And that happened. When the Texas team — made up of mostly first-teamers, as determined by the initial 14 practices during spring drills — beat the Longhorns team, 21-7, there were few surprises for Strong and his staff. For most of those in attendance at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, it was the first chance to see offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s new “uptempo” attack and how the Longhorns’ quarterbacks ran the set-it-and-snap-itin-seven-seconds blitzkrieg. Initial reports were positive, but with a huge caveat — the new offense was working against a shorthanded defense that last year was, statistically, one of the worst in school history and was without both of its starting safeties and a likely starter at defensive end.

DON BENDER

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True freshman Shane Buechele was the overwhelming standout at quarterback, the position that is, without a doubt, the most important for Texas’ success this season and beyond. Buechele, who still had yet to attend his prom at Arlington Lamar, hit on 22 of his 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns while playing with both the No. 1 and 2 teams. He looked poised in the pocket, solid in his decision-making and not afraid to be the leader despite the fact that he likely has never even seen the business end of a razor. “All the way through the spring, Shane has been diligent about his work, the way he processes and understands it,” Gilbert said. “Shane is savvy about football. He understands what we’re doing and what we’re trying to accomplish.” Tyrone Swoopes, last year’s parttime starter and Buechele’s chief healthy competition for the signal caller position, took the spring game’s first series and played with both teams as well, completing just four of his 16 throws for 71 yards and two interceptions. While Swoopes’ totals paled in comparison to Buechele’s, some of the difference was in the execution of the

other Longhorns on the field. “We have a lot of work to do — and we still have the summer and two-adays,” Gilbert said. “There’s still a lot of process, evaluations to go through and a lot of reps. By no means did anyone play perfect today. There’s still work to be done.” Texas ran 110 plays for 611 yards and four touchdowns in only two quarters (the game was truncated due to weather). Chris Warren III had 101 yards and a touchdown on seven carries and D’Onta Foreman added nine carries for 73 yards and a score. John Burt led the offense with two catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. Armanti Foreman hauled in four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. “To me, this game was just a glorified practice, if you will,” Gilbert said. “It’s no different from what happened Tuesday and last week on Thursday. You just keep going backwards with that. I want to see those guys be better offensively and be better up front.” The defense also made several big plays, registering two interceptions, a forced fumble and seven three-and-outs. After a punt and two stops on fourth JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 29

IS BUECHELE LEADING THE BATTLE FOR STARTING QUARTERBACK? It’s hard to deny how impressive Buechele was in the Spring game for 30 HORNS ILLUSTRATED

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Tyrone Swoopes

Charlie Strong

D’Onta Foreman

John Burt

Chris Warren III

the Longhorns, looking almost ‘Colt McCoy-like’ with his combination of confidence, pin-point passing and moxie around the team. Swoopes started the game and had some good moments — he would’ve had more if Burt had hauled in the perfectly thrown bomb on the first series that hit him on the helmet — but statistics don’t lie. Buechele was playing with the same squads, and attacking the same

defense, and had much better numbers and productivity. “Shane had a really good day,” Strong said in his postgame press conference. “Tyrone has had his days; he just didn’t do that today. At practice, you see it happening. He’ll never make excuses. I just know this — we’ll have a quarterback that will be effective and able to move this ball up and down the field for us.”

DON BENDER, JIM SIG MON/UN IV. O F TEXAS

down to start the game, cornerback Antwuan Davis made an impressive onehanded interception in the end zone to stop the offense’s fourth drive. The offense would respond on the very next drive, as Buechele found Armanti Foreman in the front corner of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown. The key play of the drive came when Buechele connected with Lorenzo Joe down the seam for an 11-yard completion to convert a critical third down. Playing with the Longhorns team on the next possession, Warren III burst up the middle of the defense for a 51yard touchdown to even the score, 7-7, midway through the first quarter. “We did what we were looking for [with the new offensive system] and were really productive,” Warren III said. “The more time we have with this system, we’re going to get even better at it. You feel like you get more out of what you do when you do that many reps. We executed a lot more like we did in previous years.” Six minutes into the second quarter, Swoopes led the offense on a seven-play, 61-yard drive that was capped by a fouryard rushing touchdown for Texas by D’Onta Foreman. After four straight empty possessions, the offense showed its quick-strike ability as Buechele found Burt down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown pass to push the Texas lead to 21-7. Strong raved about the level of competition at every position on his team. “We didn’t have a lot of competition for positions in previous years but now we have four or five players in every spot,” Strong said. “The guys are competing because they know they have to if they want to get on the field.” The Longhorns still have plenty of work to do during their summer workouts and the fall camp leading up to their season opening game on Sept. 4 in Austin. “There’s going to be a lot of competition because the coaches put the best on the field,” linebacker Malik Jefferson said. “There should be no more excuses about how young we are. When it finally comes down to the last day of practice before we go out there and play Notre Dame, the coaches will have their minds made up. It’s all up to them.”

Strong believes the Longhorns’ signal callers will be better because of the friendly competition between them. “It’s good competition,” Strong explained. “When you have a guy like Swoopes say to you, ‘I’ll be a better player because of Shane Buechele,’ it shows his respect for him. “You still have to look at [injured quarterback] Jerrod [Heard] when he returns,” he added. “At one time, you felt like you didn’t have anybody, and now I feel like we have three [quarterbacks].”

DON BENDER

WHERE WAS THE MOST PROGRESS MADE AND WHERE IS IMPROVEMENT STILL NEEDED? Strong lauded the quarterback position as the most improved on the team. “You look at that position and I feel like it got better,” he said. “You just saw those guys. Spring ball is about individual improvement and those guys are getting better.” However, Texas still needs to be better, and stronger, in the trenches. “We have to improve on the offensive and defensive lines,” Strong said. “We just don’t have enough bodies there right now. The only way we’ll be successful is if we can move people on offense, stop people on defense and have our lines hold up. Inside, we have to have bodies.” Help is on the way for the defensive side of the ball, with highly touted freshman linemen Chris Daniels, D’Andre Christmas-Giles, Jordan Elliott, Marcel Southall, Gerald Wilbon and Andrew Fitzgerald — all of who are expected to quickly jump into the mix. “Those guys will be here this summer so they can get with the team and in the weight room,” Strong said. “Right now, they have to be here. It’s critical that we get them in here and learning the defense.” OUTSIDE OF BUECHELE, WHO IMPRESSED THE MOST AT THE SPRING GAME? That nod will need to go the Longhorns’ beef-brother running backs — junior D’Onta Foreman and sophomore Warren III. Both players possess unbelievable physicality and the size to punish defenders that are foolish enough to try to take them on one-on-one. “We need to turn around and hand that ball off [to Foreman and Warren III],” Strong said. “If we need to throw it, we’ll throw it, but let’s ride those

hulking guys until we can’t ride them anymore.” Strong said there’s no ego in the running backs’ room. Instead, Foreman and Warren III (and to a lesser extent Kirk Johnson, Roderick Benard and Tristan Houston) feed off each other’s successes. “What’s great about both those guys, is at practice and meetings, they’re working together,” Strong said of Forman and Warren III. “Sometimes guys can get their feelings hurt or build up an ego. There’s no ego in either one of those guys. “And it’s been fun,” Strong added. “What you saw today happens at practice. They break through the line of scrimmage and once they clear the second level it’s over with. Not many guys in the secondary are going to come up and tackle them. If you can run downhill with the ball, then you can take a lot of pressure off that quarterback. We always talk about having to be physical and now we have to play physical.” That won’t be an issue with the football in the hands of either Foreman or Warren III. WHO WILL BE TEXAS’ KICKER? When asked who will take over for the shaggy-haired but scatter-legged Nick Rose, Strong was at a loss. “I need one — you have to get me one somehow,” Strong said to a reporter. “We have some guys that are lining up

and they’re kicking the ball, but we have to be more consistent. We’re going to miss Nick Rose because at least he could kick the ball out of the end zone. I told our kickoff team they’ll need to cover. So we just need to find us a kicker there.” None of the kickers who played in the Spring game is on scholarship. Mitchell Becker, who was two for two in PATs but missed a 46-yard field goal attempt wide-left when he wasn’t even being rushed, is a third-year walk-on from League City. Evan Moore and Jon Coppens, from Aubrey and Double Oak, took the other two extra-point kicks. WHO’LL BE TEXAS’ COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR? Look out for a big year from junior wide receiver Armanti Foreman, who struggled last season after having some big plays as a freshman. “Armanti is working hard,” Strong said. “When he came out of high school, he was the one who was highly recruited and D’Onta was the other guy. Now, with D’Onta coming up, I told Armanti, ‘Don’t let his success affect you. You just need to continue to get better.’ “The thing about Armanti is that he’s a good football player, but those guys are twins and play off one another,” Strong added. “Sometimes he gets down on himself and you have to constantly remind him, ‘Get your head up. The ball is not always going to come out to you.’”

A FEW GOOD MEN: The Texas defense, which includes defensive back Holton Hill, still needs both strength and depth as Texas heads into the fall. JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 31

A STAR IS BORN WITH FIVE INDIVIDUAL WINS THIS YEAR, HOSSLER PUSHES HIS WAY TO THE TOP OF THE COLLEGIATE RANKINGS

HERE'S A FAMED adage that, paraphrased, says that if you weren’t born in Texas, you got here as fast as you could. Beau Hossler followed a similar tack. The transplanted Southern Californian found his way onto the 40 Acres as a 17-year old, fresh off a rousing run at the U.S. Open in 2012. Since arriving, Hossler has become the bellcow of the top-ranked Texas men’s golf team and the No. 1 collegiate player in the nation. Hossler, a junior, has won five events this season, the third-highest singleseason total in school history. Ben Crenshaw holds the Longhorns’ record with seven wins in 1972 and six in ’73. Previously, Crenshaw and Justin Leonard were the only two Texas players with four wins in a single season. Hossler is one of 10 finalists for the Ben Hogan Award, issued annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II, or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer. He has carried a 69.58 stroke average through nine events this season into the Big 12 Championships, which were held April 29-May 1 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity. In those first nine tournaments, Hossler forged 20 sub-par rounds and only finished outside the top eight once. His performance helped the Longhorns to five team victories in the 2015-16 season. Texas finished within the top four in the seven events in which it played in the 2016 calendar year. Hossler was 13 when he took his first unofficial visit to Texas. A year later, he caught the eye of former Longhorns assistant Ryan Murphy (who is now the

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THE NO.1 GOAL IS TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AS A TEAM AND TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AS AN INDIVIDUAL. I FEEL LIKE MY TENURE AT TEXAS WOULD BE INCOMPLETE UNLESS WE HAVE A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

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said. “I was trying to understand what my swing does, the things I do well, and how I can try to make those better.” Hossler played in a total of three U.S. Opens as an amateur, the first coming in 2011 at the Congressional Country Club when he became the third-youngest athlete to play in an Open. He missed the cut that week but in July 2011, Hossler won the prestigious Junior World Championship. By the time he committed to Texas, in March 2012, he was the second-ranked player in his class, with other offers from Arizona State,UCLA and Southern Cal, his father’s alma mater. That June, Hossler became the first high schooler since Mason Rudolph in 1951 to earn a spot in consecutive Opens. Hossler enrolled early at Texas in January 2013, less than six months after his star-making turn in San Francisco. One of the main reasons he chose Texas was because he knew that to play on the PGA Tour he would need to control his ball flight in the wind, putt well on all kinds of grass and be steely against the best competition. “I needed to test myself,” Hossler said. “I needed to see my game evolve to a level that I could play anywhere. I hate losing — the feeling of winning, to me, it makes all of those crappy moments,

hard work, and times when you’re getting up early when you don’t want to worth it.” He didn’t compete with the team during his first semester on campus and he had a rough semester the following fall, when he carded only two rounds in the 60s and failed to record a top-10 finish. Hossler found his groove late in the spring and eventually earned the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award, even if his freshman season failed to live up to his own lofty standards. His first college title came in February 2015, at the John Hayt Collegiate in Florida, when it was 40 degrees, raining sideways and the wind was blowing 25-miles per hour. That victory began a run in which he won the Western Amateur, represented the U.S. at the Pan-Am Games, World Amateur Team Championship and Walker Cup (where he posted a teambest 3-1 record), became the fourth player in history to qualify for three U.S. Opens as an amateur and, most recently, routed the field at the Jones Cup. “I didn’t come close to achieving most of my goals, unfortunately,” Hossler said. “I played OK at the NCAAs, but I definitely underperformed at the Western and U.S. Amateurs, and that was disappointing.” This season, he’s rocketed to the top of Golfstat’s individual player rankings. “My expectations have gone from looking to contend to expecting myself to win,” he said. “That’s a big change mentally. To be completely honest, I haven’t really played my best — which is a great thing.” Hossler’s swing coach Adam Porzak — who began working with him in late 2012 after Flick passed away — said Hossler puts pressure on himself to play well every time out. “Beau doesn’t have an opportunity to hang up his sticks and mosey into a top10,” Porzak explained. “That’s where Beau separates himself from everybody else — his poor golf still gets top-10s.” Rumors have started circulating about this being Hossler’s final year on the Texas campus, but he claims he still has plenty to prove, and accomplish, before he moves up to the professional ranks. “The No.1 goal is to win the national championship as a team and to win the national championship as an individual,” Hossler said. “I feel like my tenure at Texas would be incomplete unless we have a national championship.”

FROM PREVIOUS PAG E: TEXAS S PORTS .CO M

Texas women’s coach) at the 2009 U.S. Amateur when the teen was playing at Southern Hills in Tulsa. Murphy told Longhorns coach John Fields that they should take Hossler, who was then a little above 5-feet-tall but full of grit and game, a lot more seriously. Hossler first pulled at the consciousness of most golf fans when he led at one point on the weekend of the 2012 U.S. Open before tying for 29th and second (to Jordan Spieth) for low amateur honors. The Olympic Club in San Francisco, site of that U.S. Open in 2012, is a relentless test of golf and for the first two days Hossler, baby-faced with a mouthful of braces, chubby and resplendent in his Texas golf shirt and cap, was one of the featured attractions. After opening with an even-par 70, Hossler went out in 1-under on Friday before rolling in a 12-footer for a birdie on the first hole, his 10th of the day. That play gave him a share of the lead. “I got chills and goosebumps on my arms and body when I saw Beau Hossler’s name pop up on the leaderboard in first place,” Fields said. “That was a surreal moment in golf, a 17-year-old leading the U.S. Open. It was an amazing moment in time.” Hossler was only four shots back heading into the weekend. He maintained that position through the third round, after which the media asked him if he thought he could win. “Absolutely,” he said. He struggled in the final round, as did the entire field on a bitter cold and demanding day. The experience gained in the spotlight and under the gun in one of the world’s toughest tournaments proved irreplaceable. “You can’t emulate that kind of pressure and moment anywhere else,” Hossler said. “The fact that I could handle it at 17 [years old], I knew I could do this for a living.” Hossler’s trip to the top of the college ranks didn’t begin in San Francisco. As a kid in Mission Viejo, Calif., he was a standout baseball player. But at age 10, Hossler began to focus on golf and began working with legendary teacher Jim Flick, who improved Hossler’s fundamentals. Flick had plenty of professional clients and Hossler hung around the pros and learned the intangibles of golf, like how to score, how to play under pressure and how to act like he owned the course. “I was never a guy who was trying to have the picture-perfect swing,” Hossler

SMOOTH OPERATORS: Courtney Okolo and Chrisann Gordon’s smooth hand-off helped push the Longhorns into first place in the 4x400-meter relay.

THE POWER OF ALL

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

BALANCED AND FOCUSED, THE TEXAS TRACK & FIELD TEAM TOOK THE TEXAS RELAYS BY STORM

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EVERAL YEARS AGO, head coach Mario Sategna and his staff committed to transforming the Texas track & field team into a well-rounded squad. From sprints to field events, to relays and longer distances, the Longhorns didn’t want to be known for a single strength or a series

of weaknesses. At this year’s Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, the men and women showed they accomplished just that by bringing forward their talents in every facet of the annual competition.

“This is my 13th year at Texas and one of the most successful on all fronts,” Sategna said. “When we combined the program, we wanted to take the strengths of both teams and fill in the gaps. You’re now starting to see that we have a complete team.” The 89th Texas Relays took place between March 30 and April 2 at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Each year the event brings in the nation’s top talent from the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. And with 2016 being an Olympic year, the level of competition reached new heights as many athletes broke both meet and stadium records, and hit Olympic Trial qualifying marks. During the final day of the meet, over

7,500 athletes competed, setting a new event record. “Being an Olympic year, even for a nontrack fan, this was big,” Sategna added. The Longhorns walked away from the Texas Relays with numerous top-three finishes. OVERCOMING THE FINAL HURDLE “I hit a hurdle, and that happens.” Byron Robinson was steadily increasing his lead, eyeing a record finish in the preliminary heat of the 400-meter hurdles at the Texas Relays. Uncharacteristically, Robinson, an Olympic hopeful, nipped a JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 35

LUCKY NO. 13: In his 13th year at Texas, head coach Mario Sategna said this year’s squad is the most promising.

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That line of thinking comes from Robinson’s father, Samuel, who played football collegiately at Virginia Tech. Samuel taught his son to keep his eyes forward and continue progressing forward no matter what. “Early on he taught me the laws of attraction,” Robinson said about his father. “Thinking negative only brings about negative, so I always think positive. If you worry about the negative, you only attract negative things.” With the last race behind him and a new set of hurdles in front of him, Robinson gazelled to the front of the pack. He captured first place in the invitational 400-meter hurdles, shattering the Texas record and qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the process. “I had to take the emotion [from the first race] and channel it the next day,” Robinson stated. “I knew for a fact I was going to run a good race. God works in mysterious ways sometimes.” “It was obviously unfortunate when he stumbled because he had such a huge lead

in the prelims, but he learned from that,” Sategna added. “If you let your guard down, even for a split second, anything can happen. We were able to get him in the invitational and that was great for a guy who wants to win an individual national title in the 400 hurdles — but he wants to be able to make the Olympic team as well.” Robinson, a Virginia native, also helped the Longhorns take fourth place in the 4x400-meter hurdles, breaking a Texas school record in the process. “I always try and envision what I want,” Robinson said. “I had to work really hard to get where I am at and I don't think it was by mistake.” STAKING HER CLAIM Frankly speaking, freshman Asa Garcia knows she’s at Texas to make an impression. The first-year Longhorn has already stormed the circuit, earning a No. 2 ranking in the nation in the triple jump. Garcia supported that standing with a first-place showing at this year’s Texas Relays. At first, Garcia was under pressure,

BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

hurdle down the stretch of the race and fell to the track. “I was expecting the race to go perfectly, so when I hit the hurdle, I sat on the track for a minute,” Robinson said. “I was stunned. If it happens again — and hopefully it doesn't — I’m going to get right back up and keep running.” Needless to say, he didn’t qualify for the 400-meter hurdle finals. He did pick himself up off the track — and went right into an even tougher race with even fiercer competition. Robinson competed as an individual runner (as opposed to representing Texas in the collegiate competition) against the top hurdlers in the nation, most of who planned to use the race to qualify for the Olympic Trials this summer. The competition, however, didn’t faze Robinson. “I try to go blank and be in the zone before a race,” he said. Meditation plays a big role in Robinson’s ability to focus, something he harkens back to before any competition.

BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

SECOND TO NONE: Byron Robinson took first in the 400-meter hurdles and later helped the 4x400meter hurdle team shatter the old school record. JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 37

aware of her onlookers and the competition. Taking a deep breath, she pushed past the anxiety. With her biggest fan watching on — her father, Terrance Dabbs — along with her friends, all of were seeing her compete for the first time, Garcia got into her routine and knew she was going to give them something to cheer about. “That was a big factor — being at the stadium where we practice every day,” Garcia explained. “People expect you to do well there. I was a bit nervous … well not a bit, I was a lot nervous. You feel like you almost have to win. It’s where you are from, where you live, where you breathe; you’re here for two hours a day every day. There’s definitely some more pressure.” A goal-setter since her youth thanks to her mother, Lashanda Dabbs, performing under pressure is nothing new for Garcia. The Texas City native believes in setting high goals with the intent to fulfill them confidently. As expected, she’s keeping an eye on a top-three finish in the nation this season. “First of all I plan to win the Big 12 Championships and for my team to win it overall,” she said. “I have high hopes for nationals. I’m aiming for the top three. I know I have it in me. Then I want go on onto the World Junior Championships in Poland. I have always been very goal oriented.”

Ariel Jones

Moralake Akinosun

Spencer Mccloud

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Alex Rogers

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS, BETHANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

Ashtin Zamzow

TEXAS’ MOVE TO THE TOP Texas had numerous notable finishes at this year’s Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

MARCH 30 • Reese Thompson came in third place in the Men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.66, just on the heels of runner-up Ingmar Vos who came in at 14.62 • Ashtin Zamzowhad a first-place throw in the women’s javelin with a heave of 166-02 meters, easily topping second-place finisher Paige Knodle who had a 150-09. • Blake Scott’s thrust in the pole vault landed him a second-place finish.

MARCH 31 • Ariel Jones outpaced her competitors to take first place in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, while teammate Melissa Gonzalez took third with a run of 59.38. • Byron Robinson took first overall in the men’s 400-meter hurdles invitational with a time of 50.48, topping runner-up Scottie Hearn who had a time of 51.61. • In the men’s high jump Spencer McCloud narrowly missed first place, coming in second with a 7-00.25 jump by a virtue of a tie with Eddie Wilcox of North Texas, who also had a 7-00.25 jump. • Asa Garcia’s 43.07.25 showing in the women’s triple jump earned her first place.

APRIL 1 • Junior Senoj-Jay Givans finished second in the men’s 100-meter dash, just .09 seconds behind front-runner Tevin Hester of Clemson. • Senior Morolake Akinosun captured first place in the women’s 100-meter dash with a 11.07 finish,a full .43 ahead of her closest competitor. Her time was good enough to capture a berth to the Olympic Trials this summer. • Alex Rogers paced himself to second place in the men’s 1-mile Invitational with a time of 4:01.11. • The men’s team finished in second in the 4x100 meter relay as the quartet of Charles Amumnu, Aldrich Bailey, Zack Bilderback and Givans came together for a time of 39.18. • The Longhorns grabbed the gold in the women’s 4x400 relay with a time of 3:26.54 by the team of Chrisann Gordon, Jones, Morolake Akinosun and Courtney Okolo. • Christopher Irvin, Bryon Robinson, Bailey and Zack Bilderback came in second place in the Men’s 4x400 relay with a time of 3:02.18. • The women’s foursome of Teahna Daniels, Courtney Okolo, Chrisann Gordon and Morolake Akinosun took home second place in the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:32.60.

JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 39

IN SEASON

A LASTING IMPRESSION: In just her first season with the Longhorns, Celina Felix has already made program history.

NATURAL BORN TALENT

HIS MAY BE her first year in a burnt orange uniform, but junior Celina Felix already plays like a Longhorn veteran. Since the beginning of the 2016 season until now, Felix continues to impress all those around her with her natural talent. Even Texas head coach Connie Clark is impressed by Felix’s instinctiveness on the field. “Celina is about as raw of an athlete as we’ve ever had here,” Clark said. “She hasn’t been coached up a whole lot. We found early on that we’re going to get in trouble if we over-coach her. She’s instinctively active at third base, and when she starts thinking too

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much, she gets into trouble.” Felix joined the Longhorns for the 2016 season after spending two years at Mt. San Antonio College, located near Los Angeles, Calif. Both in the field, at third base and at the plate, Felix’s innate abilities have caused others to take notice. Just two weeks into her time at Texas, Felix was named the Big 12 Conference’s Co-Player of the Week and CollegeSportsMaddness.com’s Big 12 Player of the Week thanks to her incredible performance at the Houston Hilton Invitational in February. Felix finished the invitational with a .467 batting average going 7-for-15 on the weekend. She hit four home runs, scored seven runs, and was responsible for nine

RBIs and 19 total bases. Her four home runs, which were hit over four consecutive games, tied former Longhorn Lexy Bennett for the second longest-consecutive game home run streak. “At the plate, she does things you can’t teach her,” Clark said. “Her hand-eye coordination and ability to really zero in and square up pitches is tremendous.” Prior to coming to Texas, Felix had a successful two years at Mt. San Antonio College. She was a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association Cal JC AllAmerican selection in 2014 and 2015. She was ranked third overall in the California Community College Athletic Association in home runs (18), fifth in batting average (.546) and eighth in RBIs (60). She was also

JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

JUNIOR CELINA FELIX IS THRIVING IN HER FIRST SEASON WITH THE LONGHORNS

at Mt. San Antonio College. This connection led to Felix’s recruitment to play for Texas. Today, her ability to play both shortstop and third base gives the Longhorns valuable and versatile depth in the infield. “Celina provides added depth to the left side of our infield,” Clark said late last season following Felix’s recruitment. “She’s one of the nation’s top hitters and will provide a powerful right-handed option at the plate for us.” Felix hasn’t let up since her impressive start to the season. Throughout the spring, Felix has been a tremendous presence at the plate, keeping her name at the top of all the stat books in batting average, RBIs, home runs and slugging percentage. On defense, Felix has been near perfect on the left side of the infield. As of mid-April, Felix had a batting average of .341, good for second on the team behind senior Lindsey Stephens. Felix is one of only two Longhorns to start in all 40 games this season (as of April 21) and has scored 24 runs off of 43 hits with six home runs on the season.

Her 43 hits and six home runs rank her second on the team in both categories. The Longhorns have definitely taken notice of the high-energy addition to the roster. “She brings something special to the team,” said senior Stephanie Ceo said about Felix. “She came out with a positive energy. She’s got an amazing swing and all that confidence. No one or two players can carry this team to the College World Series. Being able to see multiple players up in the stats, especially newcomers, that’s great.” As Texas looks to close out its 2016 season strong and make another run at the College World Series, the Longhorns will rely on the energy and skill of the newcomers to help carry the team. Don’t expect Felix’s impressive play to slow down any time soon — she’s just getting started. “I had a goal when I started school,” Felix said.“I wanted to play ball and go to a good school, and fighting for that is exactly how I got here. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but I feel like I’m in it now. It feels good.”

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

named the South Coast Conference Player of the year twice. In addition to all of the official recognition, through 119 official at-bats and 138 total plate appearances in the 2015 season, Felix finished the year without suffering a single strikeout. Despite her impressive play, Felix was surprised when she received the transfer offer from Texas toward the end of the 2015 season. While studying for a test at the end of the spring semester, her coaches called her to tell her that Texas wanted her to finish her college softball career in Austin. Prior to that call, Felix was close to transferring to CalState Fullerton to complete her eligibility. “I couldn’t believe it,” Felix said. “I honestly kept it a secret for so long until it was official. I wanted to stay local until this opportunity presented itself. I just had to take it.” Last season, the Texas coaching staff started looking for some much-needed depth to the left side of the infield staff. Texas assistant coach Jennifer McFalls played on the Olympic Team with Crystal Bustos, a coach

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IN SEASON

POWER DISPLAY: Sophomore Patrick Mathis’ number of home runs this season proves the Longhorns can hit with power.

A FIGHT TO THE END LOSING RECORD IN midApril isn’t what the Texas baseball team had in mind at the beginning of the season. Even with the thick of conference play still ahead, the Longhorns are running out of runway to get back on track. The team has dropped 15 of 24 games since March 1, including losses to Lamar and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. “We’re just in a hole and we have to get out,” junior infielder Kacy Clemens said after a 5-0 loss to Texas A&MCorpus Christi on April 5. “We have to focus on the next one and get out of that

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hole. We have to have guys coming up and getting people on base and scoring those runs — that’s all we can do.” The Texas offense sits seventh in the Big 12 with a mere .262 team batting average. The Longhorns show flashes of production but have struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm. In keeping with head coach Augie Garrido’s “small ball” approach focused on advancing the runner, Texas leads the nation with 45 sacrifice bunts. The Longhorns have also displayed their ability to hit for power. Sophomore outfielder Patrick Mathis leads the home-run category with five, followed by junior catcher/infielder Tres Barrera, Kacy Clemens and freshman infielder Kody Clemens, have three each.

Mathis, Barrera and the Clemens brothers provide a much-needed spark for the Texas offense as the team’s leading RBI producers. Junior infielder Zane Gurwitz is also a consistent piece in the lineup, leading the team with 37 hits, followed by Barrera’s 35 hits. Barrera is hitting .297 and has had a hit in all but four games, but his contributions to the team extend beyond the diamond. His leadership has been central to helping the Longhorns keep a positive mindset through the slumps. “I’m always talking when I’m behind the plate or in the infield — I try to keep everyone awake,” Barrera said. “We go in with the same mindset every game. I go into the locker room and talk to the

JIM S IGMO N/UNIV. OF TEXAS

TEXAS BASEBALL LOOKS TO ADDRESS ITS WEAKNESSES AND BATTLE ITS WAY INTO THE 2016 POSTSEASON

Tres Barera

UT ATHL ETICS PHOTOGRAPH Y, JIM SIGM ON/UNIV. OF TEXAS, B ETHANY W ALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS

Ty Culbreth

guys the same way I did since Game 1. A lot of the younger guys are starting to believe, and it’s great.” As with any young team, development doesn’t happen without growing pains. Texas has more errors than any Big 12 team, and young Kody Clemens leads that category for Texas with eight. But youth isn’t all to blame for Texas’ defensive woes: elder brother Kacy Clemens and redshirt sophomore infielder Bret Boswell fill out the top three in the error column. Garrido strongly believes in his team’s talent and said the excitement of the game sometimes affects the players’ decision-making process on the field. “Those are things that happen when you’re trying to do too much and trying to make something happen that can’t happen,” Garrido said. “You want it to happen, so you act on it. But your emotions win out and you make incorrect decisions when you’re trying too hard.” Garrido made some changes to the defense before Texas began conference play against TCU in late March, including moving Barrera from catcher to third base. The defensive switches have paid off, and the players are beginning to settle in to their new roles. “We have to [keep Barrera at third]

Kacy Clemens

Zane Gurwitz

Kody Clemens

Chase Shugart

… that’s our best team right now,” Garrido said. “You see the difference in the maturity of the infielders and the plays they’re making.” According to Garrido, the Longhorns’ strength lies in their pitching staff. Texas sits third in the conference in team pitching with a collective ERA of 3.43. Senior left-hander Ty Culbreth leads the Texas starting rotation with a 6-2 record — the best in the Big 12. He also boasts a 2.68 ERA, the lowest of any Texas starting pitcher. Redshirt sophomore righty Morgan Cooper is back on the mound as a starter after missing all of last season because of Tommy John surgery in 2014. After a couple rough outings, he threw one of his best games on April 8 against Kansas State, scattering four hits over six innings with seven strikeouts. Sophomore right-hander Kyle Johnston is struggling to find consistency as a starter after a standout freshman campaign as a relief pitcher. Perhaps one of the biggest inconsistencies for Texas is the bullpen. The Longhorns suffered two extrainning losses in the first week of the season, in addition to three walk-off losses at the hands of UCLA and rivals Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The Texas

Patrick Mathis

bullpen has let early leads slip away on multiple occasions this season, but also shows flashes of brilliance and the ability to pitch out of a jam. Freshman right-handed reliever Chase Shugart says it’s all about confidence and maintaining focus. “Any competitor gets out there in that situation and wants to be the guy, wants to compete, wants to over-do it even when you don’t have to,” Shugart said after pitching Texas out of a jam against TCU on March 24. “You have to relax and let the game control itself … I’m just learning to be myself … just be more relaxed and executing when I need to execute.” Shugart’s words ring true for the entire team and echo the philosophies Garrido preaches to the players. Garrido says losing is a lot like winning, except when a team is losing, the wrong things are happening at the wrong times. Texas has the talent and potential to win consistently. Now it’s a matter of the right things happening at the right time. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we can be the team we want to be,” Shugart said. “It’s either fight or flight now, and we don’t have wings.”

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IN SEASON

A NEW OUTLOOK: Ryan Murphy brought with him a winning mentality when he transitioned from coaching the men to leading the women’s team.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME VER THE PAST two seasons, Ryan Murphy learned the difference between coaching men’s and women’s collegiate golf. Unfortunately, there’s not enough space on this page to list everything he’s learned. But it’s the things that are similar — the drive for success, the talent and the team concept — that continue to drive the Texas women’s golf team’s success in the 2015-16 campaign, one that’s expected to conclude after the national championship tournament. Murphy moved from serving as the Longhorns’ men’s assistant coach to the head coaching position for the women before the 2014-15 season. He was an integral part

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of the staff that steered the men’s squad to its first national championship in 40 years in 2012 and brought with him a winning mentality that’s caught on with the women’s squad. The Longhorns, with four of their golfers in the top 20, finished second in the Big 12 Women’s Championship, which concluded their 54-holes of play at the Dominion Country Club in San Antonio on April 24. Texas entered the conference tournament at No. 32 in the nation, behind No. 9 Oklahoma State, No. 17 Iowa State, No. 25 Texas Tech and No. 27 TCU. Oklahoma State won the title after carding a third-round 282, while OSU's Kenzie Neisen earned medalist honors at 9-under par. “I'm proud of my team's effort — it was a tall task to keep pace with the Cowboys

… it just seemed to be their week,” Murphy said. “Individually, everyone contributed and that's important for us. We were close to putting it all together this week. We’re gaining confidence and momentum. That's what you want this time of year.” Sophomore Sophia Schubert tied for second, shooting 72-70-71—213 to finish at 3-under-par. It marked her lowest finish of the season, her third top-10 finish in the last four tournaments and fifth overall this season. “We have worked so hard, so I was confident in my play,” said Schubert, who’s from Oak Ridge, Tenn. “I knew that as a team and individually, that we could win and had a good shot. I also knew that we were the underdogs, so we needed to fight and that gave us motivation.”

PATRICK MEREDITH/UN IV. O F TEXAS

THE TEXAS WOMEN’S GOLF TEAM HEADS TO THE NCAAS WITH CONFIDENCE AND MOMENTUM

ON THE UPSWING: Junior Julia Beck looked ahead to regionals with a positive outlook after her fifth place finish at the Big 12 Championship.

BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

Meanwhile junior Julia Beck posted the Longhorns' lowest score of the final day with a 2-under-par 70 for share of fifth place at 73-72-70—215 (1-under). Beck has finished in the top-10 three times this season. “This feels nice going into regionals,� Beck, a Lake Travis product, said of her fifthplace finish. “I came in focused but relaxed, and I tried to have no expectations and play my game. I know my game well, so I wanted to stick to the game plan and play with confidence.� The last time two Longhorns finished in the top-five at the Big 12 Championship

was in 2005, when Lisa Ferrero and Perry Swenson tied for second. Senior Natalie Karcher and junior Haley Mills rounded out the top-20 for Texas, with Mills shooting a 73 and Karcher a 77 to tie for 19th. Texas’ lone senior Tezira Abe tied for 35th. “We improve with every tournament and we want to be at our best for the NCAAs,� Murphy said. “Every player on this team has contributed to our success. We were ranked in the 60s when I became the women’s coach and this season we’ve been in and out of the Top 25, and the players deserve all the credit

for the upswing. We feel that the best is yet to come.� Shortly after the conference championship, the Longhorns received notice that they earned the eighth-seed position in the NCAA Bryan Regional, which will be played at The Traditions Golf Club on May 5, 6 and 7. Seventeen teams and six individuals will join Texas in the 54hole regional, including three top-10 teams in No. 1 UCLA, No. 4 Georgia and No. 10 Arizona. The top six teams to finish in each region (the others are in Stanford, Calif., Baton Rouge, La. and Shoal Creek, Ala.) will advance to the NCAA Championships, to be held in Eugene, Ore. May 20-25. The Longhorns haven’t won a tournament this season, but have finished as runner-up twice and in the top-5 in seven of the 10 events in which they’ve played in 2015-16. Schubert leads the team with a 72.53 per round stroke average and has 12 sub-par rounds. Beck is second at 73.80 (nine underpar rounds), while Mills is third at 74.13 (eight under-par efforts). “My players have all played (at The Traditions) and they know the golf course very well,� Murphy said. “All season long we have been measuring ourselves against the best teams in the nation and the NCAAs are a continuation for that effort. We’re ready to make things happen.�

Horns Illustrated (ISSN 1096-2573), Volume 23, Number 3. Copyright Š 2016 by Texan Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published seven times a year (monthly in January/February, March/April, May/June, July-September, October, November and December) in the United States by Horns Illustrated, 9417 B Solana Vista Loop, Austin, TX 78750. Subscription Inquiries: Send new or renewal notices or change of address (send both old and new addresses) to Horns Illustrated, P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Allow 6-8 weeks for change of address. Subscription Problems: Call 855-246-7677. Subscription Costs: U.S. and its possessions, one year basic rate, $39.00. Periodicals Postage Paid =P QOPEJ 1AT=O =J@ =@@EPEKJ=H I=EHEJC KBł ?AO POSTMASTER – send address changes to Horns Illustrated - P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Tel. (855) 246-7677. Publisher disclaims all responsibility to return unsolicited editorial matter, and all rights in portions published vest in publisher. Letters to Horns Illustrated magazine or its editors are assumed intended for publication in whole or in part without permission from the writer. Any similarity between persons or places mentioned EJ PDA ł ?PEKJ KN OAIE ł ?PEKJ =J@ NA=H LH=?AO KN persons living or dead is coincidental. Single copies: $4.95 in U.S. JUNE 2016 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 47

FINAL SCORE

To end one of the finest seasons in program history, freshman guard Lashann Higgs and sophomore guard Ariel Atkins each totaled 19 points to lead No. 7/7 Texas in the 86-65 loss to No. 1/1 Connecticut in the NCAA Regional Final. Texas ended the season with a 31-5 record, marking the first time Texas has hit the 31-win plateau since the 1987-88 campaign. In addition, the Longhorns played in their first Elite Eight game since 2003. Texas holds an all-time record in the NCAA Tournament of 38-28 and is now 3-7 in Regional Final play. Higgs’ 19 points marks her new career-high, complemented by four rebounds and two steals. Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty joined Atkins and Higgs in double figures with 15 points, including four triples on the night. Senior center Imani Boyette and senior forward Empress Davenport led the team with six rebounds apiece, and senior guard Celina Rodrigo totaled seven assists. As a team, Texas shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the field and 32.0 percent (8-of-25) from behind the arc. UConn shot 56.4 percent (31-of-55) from the floor and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from downtown. The Longhorns out-rebounded the Huskies, 34-29.

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BETH ANY WAL TER/ UNIV. OF TEXAS

WHAT A RUN