Forty Acres Insider: February 14 - University of Texas Athletics

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Chris Del Conte head shot

Longhorn Nation,

Here's hoping everyone enjoyed a festive Super Bowl Sunday, got their week off to a productive start and has a chance to celebrate with their significant other, family and friends for Valentine's Day today. We've hit the midway point of February, the buzz around campus is palpable with so many of our sports programs humming along, and as you all know, we're coming off a week that ended with a momentous announcement.

Late Thursday, we had the exciting news that our transition to the Southeastern Conference was moved up a year, so we'll be heading to our new league following the 2023-24 seasons. As we discussed and worked through the agreement, 2024 just lined up well and made the most sense with the four new teams joining in the Big 12, UCLA and USC heading to the Big Ten in 2024, and the College Football Playoff expansion set for that year, as well. It became more and more logical that Oklahoma and us joining the SEC then was the right time, and I can't thank President Hartzell and Chairman Eltife enough for their leadership in helping make that happen. They have been awesome throughout the entire process, their guidance is invaluable, and we are so lucky to have them. We've worked collectively with a lot of people to get to this point, and Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark along with our partners at ESPN and FOX were tremendous, too. So coming in the summer of 2024, our Longhorns will be heading to the SEC!

But all of that is 16 months away, and as I told our coaches and staff, there's a lot of work to be done before going to the SEC, and it's critically important that we remain laser-focused on where we are as a member of the Big 12. Future schedules and everything else will take care of themselves in 2024, but between now and then, we are committed participants of the conference and will continue to represent our great institution to the best of our abilities. We will train and prepare to contend for championships and remain steadfast in taking care of business and competing at the highest level in the Big 12. I know our student-athletes, coaches and staff are fully behind that and bound and determined to take us to the finish line with many more victories!

Y'all have been such a key to our success and are always truly amazing. I know you'll keep rallying behind our teams and student-athletes and stay in the moment right by our side as we give it our best Texas Fight in the quest of bringing home more of those Big 12 trophies while taking dead aim on National Championships. We're poised for another run at the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, and are so fortunate to have you encouraging and supporting us all the livelong day!

With that said, I've got to say, I'm super proud and thankful for our entire Longhorn Family. Y'all have responded, showed up and showed out and are bringing your patented Texas pride, passion and spirit like no other. Think about this year right now, y'all, we're completely sold out in Baseball and Softball (stayed tuned for standing room only seats as they become available), and you bought every single seat on a season ticket basis for the first time in our history! The Moody Center has been jam-packed for Men's and Women's Basketball, and it's a fantastic homecourt advantage. We averaged over 100,000 fans for our home Football games this past year, and you bought up our allotment of tickets for the Alamo Bowl in no time. The Greg was rockin' every night for our Volleyball National Champs, and Mike A. Myers Stadium was en fuego for our Big 12 Championship Soccer squad, too. If there's a sporting event going on, you're there decked out in Burnt Orange & White with your Horns held high! Texas has the very, very best fans in the country, y'all prove it every time out, and it's just phenomenal. To the faithful, I can't say enough, you're the best I've ever been around, and we are forever grateful for all of you!!

And you definitely play a major role in all of our accomplishments. Both Basketball programs are atop the Big 12 standings and ranked in the top-25, and after dropping a pair of hard-fought road games on Monday night, will be excited to get back in the friendly confines of Moody Center this weekend. Hey, and did you know we're one of only three schools (Gonzaga and UCLA are the others) nationally with both the men's and women's programs ranked in the top-25 and boasting 20+ wins? Impressive stuff for sure! Track & Field has had so many record-setting efforts and is ready to defend their Big 12 Championships in a couple of weeks. Swimming & Diving are doing the same, while Softball opened its season last weekend and is set to host its home openers in the Texas Classic at Red & Charline McCombs Field this week. Baseball is off to Arlington and Globe Life Field for a trio of big-time games this weekend. And our Golf and Tennis seasons are heating up, with Rowing putting in the work to defend its national titles, too.

Oh, and hey, how about our Beach Volleyball program taking to the sand for their historic inaugural practice on Monday?! Spring Football is coming in March and be sure to mark those calendars for the annual Orange-White Game presented by Texas One Fund on April 15th. All of our winter and spring sports teams are ranked in the top-25 with nine in the current top-10 – I must say, it's such a great time to be a Longhorn!

So when better to lock in a time and date for our annual Texas Athletics Town Hall? This year's event will be virtual, is set for next Monday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. CT, and we can't wait to look back at the great accomplishments last season, celebrate the present, and discuss all that is on the docket for the future in what I affectionately call our yearly "stakeholders meeting" for the best fans in the land! Stay tuned across of our platforms for further details, but you can click this link to RSVP to participate.

While I've got ya, I hope you'll join us for our 10K for $10K Women's Basketball game on Feb. 27. After an amazing event last season, Coach Schaefer has graciously pledged $10,000 to the Neighborhood Longhorns Program if 10,000 fans fill Moody Center when our Women's Basketball program takes on Baylor on Monday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. CT. It's the regular season home finale and senior night for our student-athletes! As of today, over $50,000 has been pledged to match Coach Schaefer's gift. Get those tickets now and help out the Neighborhood Longhorns while providing an unbelievable atmosphere for our Horns when they take on the Bears. Here's a reminder and thank you from Coach Schaefer, as well.

And as you're following all of our teams and events, it's important to note that February is Black History Month. Please join us and our entire campus community as we share content across all of our platforms to honor, pay tribute and celebrate this truly special month of recognition. Click here for our Black History Month calendar of events.

This Week's Longhorns action on The 40 and beyond

Tuesday

• Women's Golf at Northrup Grumann Regional (Palos Verdes, Calif.)

Wednesday

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Lamar (McCombs Field/6 p.m. CT/LHN)

Friday

• Baseball (College Baseball Showdown) vs. Arkansas (Globe Life Field, Arlington/7 p.m. CT/FloBaseball.TV)

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Loyola Chicago (McCombs Field/3 p.m. CT/LHN)

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Omaha (McCombs Field/5:30 p.m. CT/LHN)

• Men's Tennis at ITA National Indoor Championship (Chicago, Ill.)

• Track & Field at Arkansas Qualifier (Fayetteville, Ark.)

Saturday

• Baseball (College Baseball Showdown) vs. Missouri (Globe Life Field, Arlington/3 p.m. CT/FloBaseball.TV)

• Men's Basketball vs. Oklahoma (Moody Center/1 p.m. CT/ESPN+)

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Omaha (McCombs Field/3 p.m. CT/LHN)

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Loyola Chicago (McCombs Field/5:30 p.m. CT/LHN)

• Men's Tennis at ITA National Indoor Championship (Chicago, Ill.)

• Track & Field at Alex Wilson Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)

Sunday

• Baseball (College Baseball Showdown) vs. Vanderbilt (Globe Life Field, Arlington/10:30 a.m. CT/FloBaseball.TV)

• Women's Basketball vs. West Virginia (Moody Center/3 p.m. CT/ESPNU)

• Softball (Texas Classic) vs. Incarnate Word (McCombs Field/12:30 p.m. CT/LHN)

• Men's Tennis at ITA National Indoor Championship (Chicago, Ill.)

There's so much going on, and we look forward to seeing all of you. Let's have a great week, come on out to cheer on your Horns and be sure to mark those calendars & RSVP to join us for our Texas Athletics Town Hall on Monday. We'll see you soon!

Hook 'Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte
P.S. — Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

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Chris Del Conte