Patterson's Posts: March 13

We continue to plan for the future of UT Athletics and work to provide a superior gameday experience for all our fans and stakeholders. This week, we sent out a survey to begin the initial stage of study for a potential stadium project to complete the south end of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Further planning will depend on a variety of factors to be studied over the next several months.

On a facilities note, I was happy to see the Erwin Center came out on top for mobile Internet speeds among other college basketball arenas. Connectivity in all our facilities continues to be important for us to deliver the best fan experience possible.

A big congratulations to the women's track and field team for sweeping the Big 12 Conference indoor postseason awards. Mario Sategna claimed Women's Coach of the Year, senior Marielle Hall was named Outstanding Indoor Performer of the Year and Kendall Baisden was voted Indoor Freshman of the Year. Next, the Longhorns travel to Albuquerque for the NCAA Championships March 14-15. The women have nine entries in seven events, while the men have two.

Congratulations to men's basketball coach Rick Barnes who was named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the fourth time (1999, 2003, 2008 and 2014). His team finished 16-2 at home, tied for the second-most home victories in a season in program history. The No. 3 seed Longhorns will play their first game in the Big 12 Championship tonight versus No. 6 West Virginia. Catch the game at approximately 8:30 p.m. Central regionally on the Big 12 TV Network, KBVO in Austin, and online at ESPN3.com. You can also follow the Longhorns at TexasSports.com.

Be sure to tune in for men's basketball Selection Sunday Show on March 16, 5 p.m. Central on CBS and women's basketball NCAA Selection Show on March 17 at 6 p.m. Central on ESPN. We look forward to both teams returning to March Madness.

Michael Center has his men's tennis team ranked No. 7 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, released March 11. The Longhorns are currently the highest ranked team in the ITA Texas Region with four wins over top-25 opponents. The No. 22 women's team, under coach Patty Fendick-McCain, looks to repeat last year's conference success with six student-athletes returning from 2012-13 squad, which won UT's second consecutive Big 12 Championship. Both men's and women's teams are set to begin conference play this week and next. Be sure to check out the men's and women's schedules.

Over the weekend, men's golf senior Toni Hakula recorded his fourth top-10 finish of the season with a team-best tie for second place at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters. I'm looking forward to seeing more this season from Hakula, who is a Ben Hogan Award Watch List candidate and the 2013 British Am runner-up.

We will end March with two major events at UT: 87th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.

The 87th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays will be held March 26-29 in Mike A. Myers Stadium. Entry to the first two days is free. Buy your all-session tickets for the final two days here.

Less than 200 tickets remain for the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. If you're interested in attending March 27-29, you can purchase all-session tickets online or call 512-471-3333.

Our student-athletes continue to reach achievements in the classroom, with 32 named to their respective sport's Academic All-Big 12 team so far this spring: 14 in men's swimming and diving, eight in women's swimming and diving, six in women's basketball, and four in men's basketball. This is in addition to the already impressive 47 who were named during the fall: 14 in football, 13 in cross country, 12 in soccer, and eight in volleyball.

A big thanks to Longhorn Network for an innovative, all-female "Longhorn Extra" show last Thursday. I enjoyed watching four-time Olympic gold-medal track athlete and Texas alum Sanya Richards Ross co-host. It was great to see women who have helped shape our athletics program recognized for their achievements. Former women's basketball head coach and athletics director Jody Conradt (1976-2007) was featured along with current female track and field athletes Kaitlin Petrillose and Marielle Hall. Softball legend Cat Osterman and current volleyball student-athlete and 2013 Big 12 Player of the Year Haley Eckerman also made guest appearances. See a clip of the show here.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to remember Tina Bonci, associate athletics director and co-director of sports medicine, who passed away last Friday. Tina was respected nationally in athletic training and dedicated her life and career to our student-athletes. She will be greatly missed.

Steve Patterson
Men's Athletics Director

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics