Mr. ACU, Miss ACU honored at send-off
BY MAKAYLA CLAYTON NEWS REPORTER
Grant Perkins and Athena Triantopoulos were voted Mr. ACU and Miss ACU before the Senior Candlelight Send-off on Sunday. The Student Government Association honors one man and one woman each year with this award, which recognizes seniors who represent ACU’s mission during their time as students.
“The point of it is to recognize exceptional seniors,” said SGA President Tamil Adele, junior criminal justice major from Midland. “People who have exemplified what it means to be an ACU student, through their character, their involvement and their service during their time at ACU, so this is our way to honor them.”
Perkins, senior Bible and ministry major from Ed-
mond, Oklahoma, said he is not exaggerating when he says his time here changed his life. Perkins has been a part of Galaxy and has served as its chaplain, and this year as its president. He emphasized how important the relationships he has built here are, adding that the professors, especially, have impacted him.
After graduation, Perkins will be interning at a church
in Temple and then return to work on his Master of Divinity.
“I just can’t think of a better way to spend four years than the four years I was blessed enough to spend here,” Perkins said.
Triantopoulos, senior advertising and public relations major from Las Vegas, said ACU has helped her grow in every aspect of her life. She served as the
The Office of Advancement raised over $919,000 for various organizations on campus during the annual ACU Day of Giving on Wednesday.
Thirty-eight organizations participated in the fundraiser, with women’s basketball beating its goal by the most, $93,667.11, more than tripling its goal.
Julie Goodenough, head coach of the women’s basketball team, attributed the success of ACU Gives to the quality of her athletes and the success of their season this year.
“The money that we raise for ACU Gives helps us meet budget for the school year,” Goodenough said, “With WAC travel, we spend so much money on travel, and we go over budget, and ACU Gives each year allows us to make this budget.”
The university is demoing the old Sherrod apartments, a process which will take eight to nine months, said Kevin Campbell, senior vice president of operations. The buildings will be pushed over and hauled out, starting with the middle buildings and working to the ones on the outside.
“There’s several ideas that we’ve had in our campus master plan, and we are still in the process of trying to finalize that,” Campbell said. Architects will be on site on Wednesday to continue the discussion over future plans. In
The Exceptional Scholarship Fund raised $244,946, by far the most money any group raised. The other groups who beat their goal including, ACU Missions at the Halbert Center, Carl Spain Center for Race Studies & Student Action, ACUTV Technology Fund, ACU Debate Team, Center for Pre-Health Professions Medical Mission Trip, Women’s Basketball Excellence Fund, Men’s Golf Excellence Fund, Women’s Golf Excellence Fund, and Volleyball Excellence Fund.
The groups that do the best tend to put more work into engaging with and pushing people to donate, said Samantha Adkins, director of donor relations and annual giving. This included volleyball, which raised more than $30,000 and exceeded the goal.
“The volleyball team really got the word out,” Adkins said. “They did a
text-a-thon for their family and friends, and a lot of the teams challenged each player to go and find 10 people that they could ask to give
the meantime, Campbell said he prefers not to speculate too much in case the project goes in a different direction.
$5 and, of course, most of those are family members or friends, neighbors, who have the capacity to give more than $5, so that was
for when the building will be pushed over.
SGA vice president and as the new member orientation director for Tri Kappa Gamma. Triantopoulos has also been involved in her department, from working at Morris+Mitchell to ACUTV and KACU.
“It’s bittersweet, so I feel nervous and anxious and sad,” Triantopoulos said, “but I’m also very excited and eager to get into the next phase of life.”
really cool.”
The main goal of ACU Gives is to provide additional funds for the organizations, so even though 30 of the 38 organizations participating did not meet their overall goal, they still connected with financial supporters, Adkins said.
In the fall, applications are sent out to faculty and staff to nominate departments or organizations to be a part of the fundraiser. Out of these nominations, 20 are chosen that best fit the mission of the university.
“I really just want to be sure that it’s something that’s going to be used in the next 12 to 18 months,” Adkins said. “We want to be able to tell donors pretty quickly how the funds they donated are going to be used in the next school year. We really want something that’s student-focused, and I want something that fits the mission and vision of the university.”
Coming up on a year since the former Mabee Hall was retired, Campbell said no immediate plans are in place
“No matter what we were exploring doing, having these apartments cleared out is going to create the open space that we need to explore any of those future paths,” Campbell said.
“It is a facility that we intend to retire, and so we are being protective of it not becoming something else at this point in time,” Campbell said. “The plan for the foreseeable future would be to allow it to sit until our plans become a little clearer for what we would put in its place.” Campbell said he has no imminent construction updates other than the new Kojie Park, which needs fundraising to finalize and designs to be approved.
“On the construction front, we may see a little bit
a normal operation period for a little while without a major construction project,” Campbell said.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Seniors walk through a crowd of community members holding candles.
School
Karla Salinas De Luna
EDD Organizational Leadership Edinburg, Texas
Karen Ewton
EDD Organizational Leadership Salado, Texas
Amanda Leigh Galliton
EDD Organizational Leadership Iowa Park, Texas
Deborah I. Gonzalez
EDD Organizational Leadership Somerset, Texas
Jewel Hale Jr.
EDD Organizational Leadership Dallas, Texas
Jeffery John Hancock
EDD Organizational Leadership Hillsdale, Michigan
Tamara Patrice Holloway-Fields
EDD Organizational Leadership Harker Heights, Texas
Jordan Westley Jones
EDD Organizational Leadership Willis, Texas
Emily A. Lambert
EDD Organizational Leadership Grapevine, Texas
Sonja Renee Long
EDD Organizational Leadership Killeen, Texas
Kimberly McFarland
EDD Organizational Leadership Cleburne, Texas
Hattie Marie McGriggs Jones EDD Organizational Leadership Forest Hill, Texas
Christie Moreno
EDD Organizational Leadership Lubbock, Texas
Greg Blair Pittman
EDD Organizational Leadership Lubbock, Texas
Tuccoa S. Polk
EDD Organizational Leadership Hemet, California
LaTonya Monique Robinson
EDD Organizational Leadership San Antonio, Texas
Leila Marie Romeo EDD Organizational Leadership Fort Worth, Texas
Toni Venita Smith
EDD Organizational Leadership Richmond, Texas
Marlee Renee Stephenson
EDD Organizational Leadership Alamogordo, New Mexico
Misty Leigh Tom
EDD Organizational Leadership Abilene, Texas
Danielle J. Ward
EDD Organizational Leadership Kingwood, Texas
Torrey K. West
EDD Organizational Leadership Aubrey, Texas
Jacqunettia L. Willis
EDD Organizational Leadership LaBelle, Florida
Deborah Nicole Wills Covault
EDD Organizational Leadership Florence, Texas
Bryan Keith Wong
EDD Organizational Leadership Prattville, Alabama
Douglas Christopher Cobb
MA Conflict Management & Res. Henrico, Virginia
Chloe Kehalani Deffner
MA Conflict Management & Res. Abilene, Texas
Jeffrey S. Morrison
MA Conflict Management & Res. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Kimberly Simmons
EDS Organizational Leadership Smyrna, Georgia
Nathanial Gallaway
MS Organizational Development Fredericksburg, Virginia
Jarrett Andre Jacobs
MS Organizational Development Snellville, Georgia
Jamar Frederick Mack
MS Organizational Development Grapevine, Texas
Ncobile Wendy Simelane
MS Organizational Development Manzini, Eswatini
College of Health and Human Services
Applied Health (Online)
Taylor Symone Daniels
MS Nutrition Lantana, Texas
Ravin Garrett
MS Nutrition Grapevine, Texas
Dinesha L. Jefferson
MS Nutrition Dallas, Texas
Grace Morgan Jones
MS Nutrition Fayetteville, Arkansas
Trinity L. McCarty
MS Nutrition Denton, Texas
Alethea Ryane Perez
MS Nutrition White Settlement, Texas
Allison Rowland
MS Nutrition Keller, Texas
Sydney Woody
MS Nutrition Southlake, Texas
Maggie Sullivan Herrmann
MS Precision Medicine Scottsdale, Arizona
Arwa Mahmood
MS Precision Medicine Gilbert, Arizona
Suneeta Mandava
MS Precision Medicine Dublin, California
College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
School of Nursing
Ernestine Danita Darby-Littlejohn DNP Nursing Practice Mitchellville, Maryland
Valerie Escamilla
DNP Nursing Practice Converse, Texas
Shelby Leigh Hanigan DNP Nursing Practice Baird, Texas
Sheila Ann Harwell DNP Nursing Practice Fate, Texas
Kimeshia Nicole Johnson
DNP Nursing Practice Tyler, Texas
Judith D. Pozzerle DNP Nursing Practice Dallas, Texas
Communication Science and Disorders
Taylor Grace Benton
MS Speech-Language Pathology Tuscola, Texas
Aubree Nicole Best
MS Speech-Language Pathology Round Rock, Texas
Elyse Noelle Blalock
MS Speech-Language Pathology Bulverde, Texas
Elizabeth Brooke Boyd
MS Speech-Language Pathology New Braunfels, Texas
Anna Kate Bradford
MS Speech-Language Pathology College Station,Texas
Claire Lane Choate
MS Speech-Language Pathology Stephenville, Texas
Margaret Elizabeth Coleman
MS Speech-Language Pathology Fort Smith, Arkansas
Megan Linton Cottingham
MS Speech-Language Pathology Anna, Texas
Delaney Kate Dawson
MS Speech-Language Pathology Granbury, Texas
Alexandra Clair Farmer
MS Speech-Language Pathology Tulsa, Oklahoma
Claire Elizabeth Fisher
MS Speech-Language Pathology Bullard, Texas
Morgan Elizabeth Garberg
MS Speech-Language Pathology Stilwell, Kansas
Alyson Lee Gardner
MS Speech-Language Pathology Clifton, Colorado
Carly Brooke Gillit
MS Speech-Language Pathology
Abilene, Texas
Amiya Renee Guynes
MS Speech-Language Pathology
Midlothian, Texas
Olivia Madelyn Hayes
MS Speech-Language Pathology Tyler, Texas
Ryan Kathryn Jones
MS Speech-Language Pathology Dallas, Texas
Bailey Noel Jordan
MS Speech-Language Pathology Fort Worth, Texas
Jocelyn Luella Kurnik
MS Speech-Language Pathology Dallas, Texas
Kaitlyn Marie Lueb
MS Speech-Language Pathology Lubbock, Texas
Mattie J. Martin
MS Speech-Language Pathology Snyder, Texas
Peyten Martinez
MS Speech-Language Pathology Garland, Texas
Ava Ashton McCown
MS Speech-Language Pathology Tyler, Texas
Jaclyn McPeters
MS Speech-Language Pathology Richardson, Texas
Logan Ainsley Meade
MS Speech-Language Pathology Frisco, Texas
Bailey Denise Murray
MS Speech-Language Pathology Grapevine, Texas
Kaci Reese Newman
MS Speech-Language Pathology Burleson, Texas
William Jay-Bennett Pearcy
MS Speech-Language Pathology
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Haylee Ann Rand
MS Speech-Language Pathology Frisco, Texas
Hanna Brianne Higgins Sauceman
MS Speech-Language Pathology Denton, Texas
Kate Mackenzie Shannon
MS Speech-Language Pathology Lipan, Texas
Shelby Rene Sivik
MS Speech-Language Pathology Dallas, Texas
Savanna Kyle Stout
MS Speech-Language Pathology Addison, Texas
Victoria Lea Tyson
MS Speech-Language Pathology Abilene, Texas
Laura Allyn Van Ravenswaay
MS Speech-Language Pathology Bryan, Texas
Lauren Ann Vokes
MS Speech-Language Pathology Colleyville, Texas
Claire Elizabeth White
MS Speech-Language Pathology Abilene, Texas
Melinda Cathleen White
MS Speech-Language Pathology Richardson, Texas
Kinesiolgy and Nutrition
Andrew D. Ashmore
MS Strength, Conditioning, & HP Celina, Texas
Ryan Armando Bornemeier
MS Strength, Conditioning, & HP Dalhart, Texas
Isaiah D. Johnson
MS Strength, Conditioning, & HP Abilene, Texas
Malachi Ian Lecadre-Grey
MS Strength, Conditioning, & HP Grand Prairie, Texas
Elizabeth Moreno
MAT Athletic Training Allen, Texas
Abigail Nicole Nemec
MAT Athletic Training Houston, Texas
Johnie Jean Snyder
MAT Athletic Training Phoenix, Arizona
Adam Scott Woodward MAT Athletic Training Fort Worth, Texas
Occupational Therapy
Elisia Ahedo
MS Occupational Therapy Wylie, Texas
Krystal Akagi
MS Occupational Therapy Mililani, Hawaii
Elias T. Cherian
MS Occupational Therapy Rowlett, Texas
Peyton Cogdill
MS Occupational Therapy Weatherford, Texas
Hallie Rose Edmondson
MS Occupational Therapy McCaulley, Texas
Jaime Adrian Flores
MS Occupational Therapy Hidalgo, Texas
Javier Alejandro Flores
MS Occupational Therapy Hidalgo, Texas
Brandon K. Hagood
MS Occupational Therapy Alvin, Texas
Anna Rose Hamacher
MS Occupational Therapy Kernersville, North Carolina
Jenna Ikumi Hazama
MS Occupational Therapy Brea, California
Kaley Brooks Hill
MS Occupational Therapy Hudson Oaks, Texas
Derek Avery Jenkins
MS Occupational Therapy Grapevine, Texas
Lindsey Ann Lucas
MS Occupational Therapy Albany, Texas
Miranda Danielle Lucero
MS Occupational Therapy El Paso, Texas
Eloy Ray Martinez
MS Occupational Therapy Abilene, Texas
Vanessa Martinez
MS Occupational Therapy Fort Worth, Texas
Macey Ann Mayer
MS Occupational Therapy San Antonio, Texas
Brittney Loraine McGuire
MS Occupational Therapy Leesville, Louisiana
Emma Lou Moore
MS Occupational Therapy Pasco, Washington
Danica Ashley Cariaga Palma
MS Occupational Therapy Balch Springs, Texas
Nicolas Ramos III
MS Occupational Therapy San Antonio, Texas
Haley B. Struck
MS Occupational Therapy Gypsum, Colorado
Tiffani Pomaikai Tanaka
MS Occupational Therapy Bedford, Texas
Brianna Louise Whitfield
MS Occupational Therapy Abilene, Texas
Psychology
Breanna Lee Box
MS Psychology (Counseling) Wichita Falls, Texas
Madison Michelle Brothers
MS Psychology (Counseling) Little Elm, Texas
Dehlila Cantu
SSP School Psychology McAllen, Texas
Cierrah J. Fulenwider
MS Clinical Psychology Weatherford, Texas
Sofia Ione LaFranco
SSP School Psychology Arlington, Texas
Kacie Nicole Lancaster
MS Clinical Psychology Little Elm, Texas
Abigael Mavambu Maseva
MS Psychology (Counseling) Fort Worth, Texas
Maximo Fuentes Rojo Jr.
MS Clinical Psychology Haskell, Texas
Jaden Elihu Tipton
SSP School Psychology Victoria, Texas
Eric Anthony Torres
MS Psychology (Counseling) Abilene, Texas
Moriah Louise Van Kampen
MS Psychology (Counseling) Pulaski, Wisconsin
School of Social Work
Jacob Obadiah Bellepu
MSSW Social Work Abilene, Texas
Vivian Ama Boafo
MSSW Social Work Ateiku, Ghana
Tayghan F. Boyd MSSW Social Work Benbrook, Texas
Cassidy Elizabeth Duke MSSW Social Work Bowie, Texas
Hunter Scott Malone MSSW Social Work Atascocita, Texas
Nancy Sibo MSSW Social Work Kigali, Rwanda
Mallory Elaine Sinquefield
MSSW Social Work Conroe, Texas
College of Leadership and Professional Studies
Business (Online)
Timothy Michael Bell
MBA Business Administration Phoenix, Arizona
Lacey M. Krysak
MBA Business Administration Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Katherine Hazel Lucas
MBA Business Administration Austin, Texas
Wendy Alison Norrell
MBA Business Administration McKinney, Texas
Josef Conner Novotny
MBA Business Administration Celina, Texas
Kathleen Pantoja
MBA Business Administration Roscoe, Texas
Amanda L. Partin
MBA Business Administration Rhome, Texas
Yulissa Rios
MBA Business Administration Snyder, Texas
Savannah Marie Schmidt
MBA Business Administration Livermore, California
Dean Michael Simmons
MBA Business Administration Keller, Texas
Jared Tyler Williams
MBA Business Administration Channelview, Texas
Paige Marie Johnson
MS Management Florence, Texas
Amie Renee Porter
MS Management Tomball, Texas
College of Learning and Development
Education (Online)
Valeria De la Hoya
MED Higher Education El Paso, Texas
THE WILDCAT
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ed Isola, lead vocalist of The 502s, sings into a microphone in the middle of the crowd.
Gweneth Barbre, sophomore computer science major from Garland, makes a balloon animal for the Honors College booth.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Jewel Cobb, hostess of ACU’s Got Talent, hugs Cannelle Choquart, freshman from Mouscron, Belgium, after she wins first place.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students take a selfie in front of the Christmas tree at GATA Fountain during Litmas.
SARAH EUNYOUNG THOMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHER Hostesses Ansley Brown, Megan Sloane and Mary Clair Gunn sing “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson.
BY SARAH EUNYOUNG THOMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHER
Kacyn Hiley, sophomore nursing major from Salem, Oregon, dances with Delta Theta in the Homecoming Parade.
O’Neal Benson
BS Sociology Frisco, Texas
Ty S. Bragg
BS Communication Brentwood, Tennessee
Aidan Z. Cantwell
BS Sociology San Antonio, Texas
Richard Kyle Conway II
BS Communication North Richland Hills, Texas
Samuel Preston Cortez-Nagle
BS Communication San Antonio, Texas
Alayne Victoria Denton
BS Communication Temple, Texas
Justin Tyler Duff
BS Sociology Fairfield, California
Noah Renzo Galvan
BS Sociology Clovis, California
Kasey Marie Goode
BS Communication Willow Park, Texas
Kinsey McKissick Herbel
BS Communication Richardson, Texas
Lanie Jean Mowry
BA Communication Wylie, Texas
Reese Liza Roberts
BS Communication Sachse, Texas
Political Science and Criminal Justice
Ethan Colt Atkinson
BS Criminal Justice Amarillo, Texas
Angela Rene Ritter Brand
BA Political Science Terrell, Texas
Aidan Z. Cantwell
BS Criminal Justice San Antonio, Texas
Michael Jed Castles
BS Criminal Justice
Wichita Falls, Texas
Amy L. Durham
BS Criminal Justice Amarillo, Texas
Bryson Christopher Frank BA Political Science Plano, Texas
Adrienne Dawn Hasler
BS Criminal Justice Tulsa, Oklahoma
Vanessa Ruby Marquez
BS Criminal Justice Austin, Texas
Fletcher Jack McCown
BS Criminal Justice Tyler, Texas
Jayden Ashley Scarborough BA Political Science Austin, Texas
Colby Payton Tanner
BS Criminal Justice Abilene, Texas
History and Global Studies
Jane Anne Carroll
BA History Abilene, Texas
Keegan Graham Copher
BS Social Studies-Teaching Abilene, Texas
William James Culp
BA History Temple, Texas
Gavin Thatcher Graybeal
BA History Coppell, Texas
Jeffery Yunn Shun Leung
BS Social Studies-Teaching Abilene, Texas
Riggs Robert McDonald
BS History Midland, Texas
Alessandra Elizabeth Rosales
BA History; Global Studies
Tallahassee, Florida
Thaddeus Issac Stringer
BA Global Studies Houston, Texas
Madeline Rose Thompson
BA History Keller, Texas Journalism and Mass Communation
Dorion Giovanni Alcantar
BS Multimedia Houston, Texas
Elizabeth Victoria Aquino
BS Advertising/Public Relations Richardson, Texas
Cassidie Leigh Carruthers
BS Advertising/Public Relations Kennedale, Texas
Selah Jade Damer
BS Advertising/Public Relations Allen, Texas
Parker James Dauterive
BS Advertising/Public Relations
Sugar Land, Texas
Becca Grace Dowell
BS Multimedia Amarillo, Texas
Jackson Chase Eller
BS Multimedia Abilene, Texas
Jordan Elizabeth Herrick
BS Advertising/Public Relations Abilene, Texas
Anne Elizabeth Jennings
BS Advertising/Public Relations
San Antonio, Texas
Case Wyatt Kirby
BS Multimedia Buffalo Gap, Texas
Ben Nichols Lancaster
BS Multimedia Coppell, Texas
Adrian Martinez
BS Multimedia League City, Texas
Renae Jeanette Miller
BS Multimedia Murchison, Texas
Alyssa Caroline Polnac
BS Advertising/Public Relations Rogers, Texas
Ashlyn Kennedy Storm
BS Advertising/Public Relations Brownwood, Texas
Athena Grace Triantopoulos
BS Advertising/Public Relations Las Vegas, Nevada
Raegan Elyse Weaver
BS Advertising/Public Relations San Antonio, Texas Language and Literature
Elise Nicole Countess
BA English San Angelo, Texas
Melina Joanne Cripe
English Dallas, Texas
Krista Arizona Dillard
Spanish Southlake, Texas
Amaya Nichole Gauche
BA English San Antonio, Texas Bonnie Janelle Gibson
English Waco, Texas Emma Marie Groves
English Tuscola, Texas Emma Xitlali Palafox
Koons completes first season as head coach
BY HAYDEN DELAND SPORTS WRITER
After two seasons spent at the University of Texas-Arlington as a recruiting coordinator, Jo Koons decided to take on a new challenge by accepting the role as head coach of the softball team at ACU.
In her first season at the helm for the Wildcats, Koons has led the team to a 15-34 overall record and an 11-10 conference record with three conference games left. She led the team to a spot in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2022 season.
“I mean that’s what you work so hard for all year long,” Koons said. “So, to have them have the opportunity to get to go, and it being the first year I’m here, is just laying the foundation for the future of this program and what we plan to do.”
Koons has been able to improve the play of star pitcher Lina Russo, right-handed pitcher from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California. Russo has been able to improve her ERA from 4.29 to 3.25 this season, along with throwing four shutouts, including a no-hitter.
Taylor Bachmeyer, graduate outfielder from Pflugerville, was a key
transfer brought in by Koons for the Wildcats this season. Bachmeyer previously played at the University of Mississippi and Sam Houston State University. She batted .291 this season, along with three home runs and 20 RBIs.
Her experience at UTA, along with her time spent at Longwood University as an assistant coach, helped shape her into the coach that she is today.
During her time at UTA, Koons was able to help the team to a fourthplace finish in the 2024 WAC tournament. At Longwood, she helped the team reach the Big South Conference Championship game.
Koons said her time at UTA, a WAC school, helped her transition into her role at ACU since she knew the opponents well already.
“Knowing this conference well, knowing our opponents has been able
to help me execute what we need to do as a team to be where we want to,” Koons said.
At the end of ACU’s season, Koons will take on an assistant coaching position for the summer with the Talons of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. The league is beginning its inaugural
season in June. It will be a four-week season where 60 athletes will play with the four teams.
The senior advisor for the new league will be Kim Ng, former general manager of the Miami Marlins. She will work alongside four well-accomplished women in softball - Jennie Finch,
Cat Osterman, Natasha Watley and Jessica Mendoza.
Koons said the opportunity to coach in the AUSL will help her to make connections with pro players and allow for future ACU athletes to hopefully play in the league.
“Softball’s a great sport and it deserves its own league and a way for athletes to move on beyond college,” Koons said. In her future at ACU, Koons wants her team to reach regionals every season and win the conference tournament every year and be one of the top 64 teams and have a chance to win the College World Series.
BY LESLIE CARRIGAN | MANAGING EDITOR Koons joined the Wildcats in summer of 2024 after two years at UTA.
Men’s tennis wins WAC, loses to TCU in regional
BY TYSON WILLIAMS SPORTS WRITER
The men's tennis team won the Western Athletic Conference championship over Grand Canyon University on April 19.
“This team has been incredible,” Head Coach Juan Nuñez said. “We’re young, with only two guys returning from the 2022 championship team, but everyone stepped up. Whether they were on the court or cheering from the bench, every guy had a purpose.”
Being the third seed in the tournament, ACU had a challenging road, needing to overcome the University of Texas-Arlington and GCU.
Each of the Wildcats' wins came in 4-2 victories.
UTA defeated them twice earlier in the season, but when it mattered most, the Wildcats delivered. The team rallied back to claim the WAC title after going down 2-0 to UTA in the semifinals and losing five of six opening sets in the finals.
“It was a complete team effort,” Nuñez said. “From the doubles team of Alex and Ethan saving five match points to Tommy, a freshman, clinching both the semifinal and final matches, everybody had a role, and they owned it.”
Key senior leadership from Daniel Morozov, senior from Joliet, Illinois, and Benjamin McDonald, senior from Plano, played a pivotal role. Morozov, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, turned the tide by winning his singles matches against opponents he had previously lost to, while McDonald’s late-season surge solidified the lineup.
"There's a lot of people that didn't think we could win the conference tournament and having to beat two great teams," he said. "We just went and did it, and against a lot of odds."
Juan Nuñez ACU HEAD MEN'S TENNIS COACH
“We get two more weeks together,” Nuñez said. “These guys love being around each other. We’re representing ACU, Abilene and West Texas… and that means something to us.”
The Wildcats had five athletes named to the All-Tournament Team in addition to Morozov. McDonald was joined by Ethan Scribner, junior from Plano, Tomas
Tischner, freshman from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Alejandro Verdasco, sophomore from Madrid, Spain.
Nuñez said belief is their secret weapon.
“I’ve always been dumb enough to think we can beat anybody on any given day," he said. "We’ll just keep being who we are, fight for every point, and let the rest take care of itself.”
Nuñez addressed potential doubts about the team's success.
“There's a lot of people that didn't think we could win the conference tournament and having to beat two great teams," he said. "We just went and did it, and against a lot of odds.”
The team then turned to play at TCU on Friday, but lost 4-0, ending the season with a 13-11 record. The conference win marks the second in four seasons for the Wildcats, and as many regional appearances.
The team will look to retain this dominance in conference after only two athletes will graduate from this young team. In the offseason, the Wildcats will look to improve their away record, as they went 1-8 on the road but were 9-1 at home.
Women's golf drives for success despite young mid-major status
BY ROMAN RAFFAELI SPORTS WRITER
Rob Bennett had been coaching golf at ACU for three seasons before getting the opportunity of a lifetime: coaching at a Power Four program.
Bennett became an assistant coach for the University of Louisville for the 2021-22 season. With highend facilities, big-name sponsors and increasingly competitive golf, the big school appeal was there.
“Going to Louisville was a dream come true,” Bennett said. “I got to see what that level of golf looks like. I was actually pretty surprised at how normal it looked.”
Bennett had not realized how present those big-ticket items already were in Abilene.
“We were really good, but it was just like ‘Man, this is not really what I thought it was going to be,’” Bennett said. “I think it’s a lot easier to be this good than people think if you have the right things go for you, right?”
Bennett, who previously had served as assistant coach under men’s head golf coach Tom Shaw, was named the ACU women’s golf head coach in July of 2022. This was just the beginning of a process that has led to immediate success.
While being at a Power Four school was Bennett’s end goal, he soon realized the opportunity to come back to ACU was one he should take.
“You’ve got to build a good team, you have to have the right girls and the right culture,” Bennett said. “It really allowed me to see that. When the opportunity came to come back to ACU,
I knew I had to take it.”
In just two short years, the Wildcats’ women’s golf program has already built an impressive legacy, earning back-to-back conference runner-up finishes and securing consecutive individual NCAA regional appearances.
The Wildcats' first season came in the fall of 2023, during which they were victorious in their first-ever tournament at the A-GaMing Invitational in Kewadin, Michigan. The Wildcats would go on to win three tournaments in their inaugural season, along with five top-two finishes, while landing outside the top five in only one tournament.
The program’s first appearance at the Western Athletic Conference championship ended two strokes short of victory as Seattle University won as a team while Ryann Honea won the WAC individually. Honea’s victory qualified her for the NCAA region-
al tournament, where she competed as the first Wildcat to do so.
Honea, junior from San Angelo, has led the way for the young program on the course, while Bennett has instilled a winning and Christ-centered atmosphere throughout.
Honea took a risk to transfer from Louisville to a brand-new program. The risk paid off as she won three tournaments individually on her way to receiving First Team All-WAC honors in her first season as a Wildcat. While Honea was recruited to Louisville by Bennett, the move to Abilene meant more than that. Honea, a San Angelo native, felt like she was “coming home.”
“I thought it was really cool to kind of come back to my home roots and be around people I grew up with,” Honea said.
A key piece in starting the women’s golf program
was the already established facilities on campus. The Byron Nelson Clubhouse and surrounding facilities, including a driving range and an outdoor par-three course with two different types of greens, provided a foundation for the program to grow and develop at a rapid pace.
“Adding a women's golf program expanded our sport offerings, leveraged incredible facilities already in place, and created opportunities for more women to participate in athletics here at ACU,” said Paul Weir, deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.
While the facilities provide a foundation for existing Wildcats, they also serve as a key resource in recruiting.
“I talk to the recruits and say, ‘If you want a top-level golf experience at a school that actually cares about you, we’re a legitimate alternative to a power four school,’” Bennett said. “So now I’m battling those schools… The
Baylors, TCUs and Oklahoma States… I have a legitimate shot at getting girls that might otherwise go to those schools.”
While also competing with larger schools during recruiting, Bennett and the Wildcats have taken down seven Power Four programs throughout the two seasons.
This aggressive recruiting has also contributed to the Wildcats' immediate success. In the first year of recruiting before the inaugural season, Bennett signed three freshmen and three transfers to the program.
“I’m a builder by nature… I knew facilities-wise, we’ve got some of the best in the entire country,” Bennett said. “The weather is really good, and junior golf in Texas is the best in the country, too. So if we have all those ingredients, … then I felt like we could be successful.”
During the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats received significant contributions from several key underclassmen, including a sixth-place finish at the WAC Championship by Marissa Loya, freshman from San Antonio.
“I knew that Coach Bennett wanted to build a team that not only wanted to win and was really competitive on the course, but he really cared about having good team chemistry,” Loya said. “I really believe that building the foundational belief that our faith and our identity isn’t on the golf course. It’s in Christ.”
The team chemistry and culture were a key focus as Bennett built the program from the fairway up. The
opportunity to create a new program with a group of good golfers, using good facilities, at a university that is committed to its faith commitment was unique and something that the players have taken full advantage of.
“I think all of our girls are all super super close,” Honea said. “Coach Bennett did a really great job of recruiting girls who not only are good golfers but are great people outside of the golf course… Just people who will fight for you at your lowest, and I think that’s all of us.”
The chemistry and care that the team displayed translated to the scorecard throughout the 2024-25 season, including the team’s win at the inaugural West Texas Classic, the first tournament that took place in Abilene. As the program continues to grow and compete, the ultimate goal for Bennett is to be a premier program in the state of Texas – and in the country.
“There are steps and goals,” Bennett said. “One is we’re going to be the best mid-major in the state. One is we’re going to be a Top 50 program. And another is we’re going to be the best mid-major in the country.” Additionally, Bennett wants to win a WAC Championship and qualify for the NCAA regional tournament as a team and look to compete in the national championship.
“We will have a team that is going to make the national championship,” Bennett said. “We just need our girls to keep improving, and it is my job to help with that.”
Wildcats look to bounce back against Texans
BY ROMAN RAFFAELI SPORTS WRITER
The Wildcats will host the Tarleton State University Texans this weekend as they play their final home series of the 2025 season.
The Wildcats have won nine consequtive games against Western Athletic Conference teams, with the last loss coming on April 6 against Sacramento State University. Despite recent success against WAC opponents, the Wildcats will enter game one against the Texans on a three-game losing streak. During a weekend se-
ries against the Hoosiers of Indiana University, the Wildcats were swept and scored just 15 runs compared to the 29 allowed through the three game series.
The Texans were also swept last weekend as they traveled to Riverside, California, to take on the California Baptist University Lancers. The Texans had won five of their last six games of WAC play but with the sweep have fallen into seventh place.
The late-season matchup will be crucial for both teams as the Wildcats en-
ter Friday's game just one game back of first-place Sac State, while the Texans hope to reach the .500 mark in conference play before the WAC tournament begins on May 20.
In 2024 the Texans won the WAC tournament but were unable to advanced to the NCAA Tournament due to postseason ineligibilty. If the Texans win the WAC again this year, they will advance to the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats will likely start Dominick Reid, junior right-handed pitcher from Little Elm, on Friday,
A series win for the Wildcats would increase their chances at a top-two seed in the WAC tournament, which is seen as a crucial advantage due to the tournament's format. The games will start at 6:05 p.m. on Friday, 3:05 p.m. on Saturday and 1:05 p.m. on Sunday, all at the newly renovated Bullock Brothers Ballpark.
BY STEVEN INFANTE | PHOTOGRAPHER
Thomas Tischner, freshman from Buenos Aires, Argentina, shouts in celebration.
followed by Brett Lanman, sophomore left-handed pitcher from Fairview, and Cade McGarrh, junior right-handed pitcher from Frisco, on Saturday and Sunday.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ACU ATHLETICS
The women's golf team after the inaugural West Texas Classic.
BY STEVEN INFANTE | PHOTOGRAPHER
Brett Lanman, sophomore left-handed pitcher from Fairview, reads the catcher's sign to pitch the ball.