Forty Acres Insider: Oct. 19

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Longhorn Nation,

Last week was a busy one with wall to wall Longhorn events, games, meets and matches. There was our Texas Athletics Hall of Honor event — the honor bestowed upon the greatest of greats in our illustrious history — and this time we celebrated a distinguished group of 24 Longhorn Legends with both the 2020 and 2021 Classes being inducted last Friday. There was our home Football game Saturday and all of our events around that, Volleyball at Gregory Gym, and Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Swimming & Diving and Tennis all in action, as well. Our Longhorns are competing, training, studying and managing all of the challenges of being elite student-athletes at The University of Texas at every turn. We are so proud of each and every one of them, how they represent us, and the work they steadfastly put in. And we're grateful for all of you – our amazing fans, supporters and biggest cheerleaders. You are the wind beneath our wings, and we're so darn fortunate to have you in our corner!

We had another early one at Football, but that didn't deter y'all as you came early, were loud and brought that patented Longhorn pride and energy from the moment you hit campus to The Eyes of Texas after the game. It was a heartbreaking loss to a very good top-10 ranked Oklahoma State team, but we continue to show great Texas Fight and I know the breaks will start going our way very soon. Coach Sark and our Horns have a bye week to regroup, get healthy and prepare for the back half of the season that starts with a trip to Waco and another big-time conference game with No. 20 Baylor on Oct. 30 (11 a.m. CT/ABC). I do want to echo Coach Sark's thoughts from his Monday press conference and send a huge Hook 'Em and thank you to everyone. Your impact is awesome and we thank you so much. "I really appreciate our fans. I thought the atmosphere Saturday was tremendous. Obviously, we had a big recruiting weekend and for those kids that came in from out of town to see DKR that electric was a great deal for us and will continue to be."

Basketball Seasons Right Around the Corner
Basketball is coming very, very soon! Men's and Women's Basketball will participate at the Basketball Tipoff on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kansas City's T-Mobile Center, signifying the unofficial start of both seasons. Coach Schaefer and seniors Joanne Allen-Taylor and Audrey Warren will represent Women's Basketball on Tuesday, while Coach Beard and seniors Timmy Allen and Marcus Carr will take their turn for Men's Basketball on Wednesday. ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+ will provide live coverage on Tuesday from Noon-3 p.m. Central and on Wednesday from 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT.

Men's Basketball received a No. 5 ranking in the preseason Associated Press poll on Monday, marking the first time in program history our Longhorns have been ranked in The AP preseason poll under a first-year head coach. If you are close to campus on Thursday night, stop by Pluckers Wing Bar (2222 Rio Grande) from 7-8 p.m. as Coach Beard makes his season debut on "Longhorn Weekly." Women's Basketball also invites all fans to attend the team's Orange-White Scrimmage on Sunday from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center. Gates open at 2:30 p.m., and fans can enter through A, C and Red River doors. Free parking is available in Lots 108 and 118 on the north and south sides of the arena.

Let's see that creativity — Moody Center court design contest underway!
Yesterday, we launched a court design contest for fans to submit their best designs for the new basketball court that will inspire the final court design at the Moody Center next fall. Can't wait to see what Longhorn Nation comes up with! The deadline to submit is November 1, so let's get to work!!

Mark your calendars for November 9
Join us as we tip off the farewell season at the Erwin Center for Men's and Women's Basketball on Tuesday, Nov. 9. We've got an old school doubleheader planned as Coach Schaefer and the Women get things going against New Orleans followed by Coach Beard and the Men against Houston Baptist. Tickets are $10 to catch both of these games and all seats will be general admission that night. Stay tuned for more information on all the festivities and giveaways planned for what will be an incredible evening of basketball.

Men's and Women's Basketball Season Tickets on sale now
We're a few weeks away from the regular season home openers for our hoops teams on November 9. Men's and Women's season tickets are on sale now and start at $99 apiece. Only 2021-22 Texas Basketball season ticket holders will have priority access to season tickets at the Moody Center next year. Come out all season and help us celebrate the final season at the Frank Erwin Center in what's shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated seasons in Texas Basketball history.

No. 1 Volleyball Improves to 15-0, 6-0 in Big 12
Another weekend of Big 12 matches for our top-ranked Volleyball team meant two more sweeps by the ladies. The Longhorns took down TCU 3-0 on Thursday and Friday to remain unbeaten and improve to 15-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play. In six Big 12 matches, our ladies have won five via sweep and only dropped two out of 20 sets played. Overall, Texas has swept 10 times this season and only dropped six total sets. The team will head back on the road this week to take on Iowa State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT and Friday at 7 p.m. CT, with both matches being broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Soccer Extends Unbeaten in Nine-Straight Matches
The unbeaten run continues for Coach Kelly and our Soccer squad as they're riding a season-long nine-match unbeaten streak following last Friday's 0-0 (2OT) tie against Baylor in Waco. UT continues to sit on top of the Big 12 Conference regular season standings with a 4-0-2 league record and a points-per-match total of 2.29. This marks just the third time in program history the Burnt Orange & White have been unbeaten through their first six Big 12 matches, joining the 2001 and 2002 Texas teams. This week, our Horns will wrap up their regular-season home schedule with two huge matches at Mike A. Myers Stadium. We'll host West Virginia on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT before celebrating "Senior Day" on Sunday against Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. CT.

Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Sweeps Texas A&M
It was a double Swimming & Diving victory over our longtime rivals to the east last week as our No. 1 Men knocked off No. 16 Texas A&M, 185-107, while our No. 5 Women defeated the No. 21 Aggies, 180-112, in College Station. Both teams opened the 2021-22 season two weeks ago with a win over Incarnate Word at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center that earned them both Big 12 Conference honors after the first week of competition. Jordan Windle earned his eye-popping 18th Big 12 Diver of the Week accolade, while Carson Foster garnered his second Big 12 Swimmer of the Week award. The women swept the conference awards, claiming Diver, Newcomer and Swimmer of the Week after the Dust Your Boots Off Invitational. Emma Sticklen won two events to earn her first conference award for swimmer of the week. Hailey Hernandez set a program record in her collegiate debut in the 3m with a score of 426.53 points, while Ellie Andrews was tabbed with Newcomer of the Week honors after sweeping both breaststroke events.

Men's Golf Brings Home a Title to Top Off a Successful Week for both Golf and Tennis Programs
For Coach Fields and Men's Golf our Horns defeated Texas Tech 3-2-1 in the title match of the Big 12 Match Play Championship to bring home the first Big 12 Match Play title since the event began in 2018. The Longhorns posted a 4-0-1 mark during the three-day tournament, including wins over TCU, Baylor and Iowa State, and a tie with No. 2 Oklahoma State in pool play. Pierceson Coody and Mason Nome each registered perfect 5-0-0 individual match play records at the tournament. Coach Joffe and our Women's Tennis squad had a championship performance, as well, as Kylie Collins won the singles title at the ITA Texas Regionals in Fort Worth. Kylie also paired with Charlotte Chavatipon and reached the doubles semifinals, while freshman Bella Zamarripa advanced to the consolation singles final. Coach Berque and the Men were also right there for a couple of titles during their Texas Regionals in College Station, coming up just short in a tiebreaker in the doubles championship with Richard Ciamarra and Cleeve Harper, while Micah Braswell's singles semifinals match was close, too, going three sets. And for Coach Murphy and Women's Golf, after a tough opening round, the team surged into a tie for sixth place in the final standings at the Stanford Intercollegiate. Sara Kouskova finished runner-up in the individual standings with a 12-under-par 201 (68-67-66), marking the second-lowest 54-hole total in program history. Freshman Bohyun Park recorded her first collegiate hole-in-one during Sunday's final round.

There's so much going on and a whole lot to cheer for on the Forty these days. Look forward to seeing everyone at our events, with your Horns held high and belting out Texas-Fight to energize our Longhorns. Let's have a great week, get your best Burnt Orange and White ready, have a lot of fun, and keep those Horns Up!

Hook 'Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte

Chris Del Conte signature
Chris Del Conte

P.S. — Fun time with Coach Vic making a visit on the LHN broadcast of Texas Volleyball. One big, happy family we are here!

P.S. — Men's and Women's Basketball was doin' work on Bevo Blvd. Presented by HEB on Saturday!

P.S. II – Kudos to resident coaching legend Eddie "Yoda" Reese and swimming great Brendan Hansen on the honors from the International Swimming Hall of Fame!