The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
05.11.2021 | Forty Acres Insider
Important news happening in and around Texas Athletics compiled by Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. [<a href="http://texassports.com/archives.aspx?path=forty_acres_insider">Forty Acres Insider archives</a>]
Longhorn Nation,
I write you today with an extremely heavy heart as we're going through an incredibly difficult time after last week's passing of our beloved student-athlete Jake Ehlinger. Our student-athletes, coaches and entire athletics department are grieving this loss of our Longhorn family member. Jake was an amazing young man from an extraordinary family, and while the sense of pain and loss are deep, our thoughts and focus are on Sam, Jena, Morgen and their entire family. The Celebration of Life service for Jake is Wednesday, and we will stand firmly beside the Ehlinger family and support them in any way we can in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. As Coach Sarkisian so eloquently said last week, being a Longhorn meant everything to Jake, and he truly embodied all that it means to be one. Jake will always be in the hearts and spirt of the Longhorn family, and he will be dearly missed, but never forgotten!
With our teams and opponents honoring Jake's memory at events from Austin to Fort Worth, we were able to pull together as a Longhorn family and continue to compete on the playing fields and courts last weekend. Coach Pierce and No. 5 Baseball posted a 9-3 win on Sunday at No. 3 TCU to claim a series victory and edge ever-so-close to the Big 12 lead. Kudos are in order for our slugger Zach Zubia who earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors after hitting three homers and driving in seven runs last week. Coach White and No. 10 Softball also had a tremendous weekend in closing out Big 12 play with a series sweep of Baylor, winning in Austin on Friday and in Waco on Saturday and Sunday. Coach Joffe and No. 2 Women's Tennis won a pair of NCAA Tourney matches at the Texas Tennis Center, extending their dual match victory streak to 20 and advancing to the Round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Coach Berque and the No. 4 Men replicated that effort closing out a pair of NCAA Tourney wins on Sunday to move on to the Round of 16, as well. The men and women won all four of those matches in 4-0 sweeps and now travel to Orlando for the next step as they take dead aim on a National Championship. For the men, it marks the seventh-straight year they've made it to the Round of 16, while our youthful women's team is making its third Round of 16 appearance in five tries under Coach Joffe. Up next, the women will take on Ohio State on Sunday (Noon CT), while the men face South Carolina on Monday (3 p.m. CT).
In addition to both Tennis teams continuing their run in the NCAA tourney as one of seven schools nationally with both the men's and women's teams advancing to the Round of 16, No. 15 Women's Golf is in the midst of NCAA Regional Tourney play in Louisville. On the Big 12 level, Softball begins competing for a conference title in Oklahoma City this week, while Coach Flo and our Track & Field squads will head to Manhattan for the Big 12 Outdoor Championships Friday-Sunday, and Coach O'Neill and Rowing are set to host the league championships right here this Sunday on Decker Lake. After COVID-19 halted those events last spring, we're back in action in 2021 and Rowing is going for its sixth straight Big 12 crown, while Men's and Women's Track & Field will look to repeat the league title efforts of the indoor season. Early next week, No. 6 Men's Golf will take to the links as the No. 1 seed at the NCAA Regional in Indiana beginning on Monday, May 17.
In closing, we also mourn the loss of another great Longhorn last week with the passing of Jim Bertelsen on Thursday at the age of 71. A two-time National Champion, three-time All-SWC pick (1969-71) and member of the Texas Athletics Hall of honor, he was one of our all-time great running backs and such a key cog in Coach Royal's historic wishbone offense that dominated college football. Off the field, Jim's teammates remembered him in stories as a humble, low-key, man of few words who was a rare out-of-state recruit during his era of Longhorn Football, coming to Texas from Wisconsin. But whether it was during his highly-successful time at Texas or an NFL career that included a Pro Bowl appearance with the Rams, his play on the field spoke for itself. We want to send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to his family, friends, teammates and all of Longhorn Nation.
It was a difficult week with the passing of a current and former Longhorn student-athlete, and as we celebrate their lives, it's another reminder of the love, passion and support of Longhorn Nation. Please keep their friends and families and our entire athletics department in your prayers as we head into finals week and many championship competitions while we continue to grieve. We are so grateful to have you by our side during these difficult times and appreciate you so much.
Stay safe, be healthy and Hook 'Em Horns,
Chris Del Conte
P.S. — Congrats to Pierceson and Cole, lucky to have them in the Burnt Orange & White!!
P.S. II – Kudos to Softball's Janae Jefferson on breaking our all-time hits record last weekend! What an awesome accomplishment by a tremendous student-athlete!!
HEADLINES
Baseball's Zubia named Big 12 Player of the Week
The Longhorns first baseman hit three homers and drove in seven runs during the week.
Softball sweeps Baylor behind third straight shutout, 5-0
Junior second baseman Janae Jefferson went 2-for-4 to break the Texas career hits record
Softball run-rules Baylor on "Senior Night," 8-0 (6 inn.)
Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Washington tied the Texas career program record with her 48th double
Softball's Rhodes selected in Athletes Unlimited College Draft
The senior outfielder currently tops the Longhorns in RBIs (54) while tying for the team lead in HR's (15)
VIDEO: Celebrating Longhorns on NFL Draft Day
A look at how the Football standouts reacted to achieving their NFL dreams.
VIDEO: Rodney Terry media availability
Men's Basketball Associate Head Coach met with the media on Wednesday afternoon.
VIDEO: Jerrance Howard media availability
Men's Basketball Assistant Coach met with the media on Wednesday afternoon.
VIDEO: Ulric Maligi media availability
Men's Basketball Assistant Coach met with the media on Wednesday afternoon.
Davis ties Big 12 record with third weekly honor
The Track and Field star earned her third Athlete of the Week honor of the outdoor season on Wednesday.
Davis featured on The Bowerman Watch List
Wednesday's release marks the third-straight time the Track and Field star has appeared on the list this year.
Track and Field remains highest-ranked Big 12 program
The Longhorns are slotted at No. 4 in the women's top-25 and No. 6 in the men's, the highest of any Big 12 program entering the conference meet.
Rowing's I Eight named Big 12 Boat of the Week
The Texas I Eight earned the weekly honor for the second consecutive week.
Men's Golf selected to NCAA Noblesville Regional
The Longhorns regional journey commences May 17-19 in Noblesville, Ind.
Hammer named Big 12 Men's Golfer of the Month
The Longhorn posted three top-10 finishes and was the individual medalist at the Big 12 Championship in April.
Men's Golf places eight on Academic All-Big 12 First Team
The Longhorns had eight student-athletes honored as first-team Academic All-Big 12 selections.
Women's Golf leads Big 12 in Academic All-Big 12 honorees
The Longhorns had a Big 12-best seven student-athletes recognized on Wednesday.
Men's Tennis posts school-record eight Academic All-Big 12 honorees
The Longhorns bettered their previous high of six and led the conference in 2021, including seven first-team selections.
Women's Tennis places three on Academic All-Big 12 Team
Labraña, Perez Mur and Spasojevic named to first team.
