Forty Acres Insider: February 22

Forty Acres Insider banner logo

Chris Del Conte head shot

Howdy Longhorn Family,

It sure was a magnificent Monday night visiting with y'all, and I want to personally thank everyone who joined us in our annual Town Hall! It's what we call our "stakeholders meeting" for Longhorn Nation, the best fans in the country, and we were able to share all of the excitement that's happening on the Forty Acres. I had a chance to touch on the great accomplishments of this past year, the ever-so-successful present, and a future that's so bright you'll need shades!

But, before we jump into the recap of the event in this special edition of the Forty Acres Insider — which will be going to more of a monthly or periodic format in the spring — here's to another sensational week that started with a terrific Tuesday night and convincing victories for our Baseball (12-2 over Texas A&M-CC) and Men's Basketball (72-54 over Iowa State) squads.

40 Acres - Feb. 22

Big 12 Championships will take place starting today as Swimming & Diving hosts the Big 12 Championships Wednesday-Saturday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center, and Track & Field heads west to Lubbock to compete for the indoor titles on Friday and Saturday. Streaks will be on the line for our Longhorns as we prepare to Light that Tower Orange some more, my friends. Coach Reese, our wise, knowledgeable and seasoned visionary I affectionately call, "Yoda," has won all 26 Big 12 Championships and an unprecedented string of 43 conference crowns in-a-row on the Men's Swimming & Diving side. Coach Capitani is a perfect 10-for-10 in Women's Swimming & Diving league championships during her tenure on the Forty Acres and going for 11-straight. Coach Flo and Track & Field are seeking a sixth consecutive women's crown and third in a row for the men as our Horns seek to pull off the double-championship for a remarkable third straight year. And, there's more! Baseball, Softball and Men's and Women's Tennis are all in action right here in Austin, while Men's and Women's Basketball and Men's Golf will take their shows on the road this weekend as well. There's a whole lot to cheer for in the Burnt Orange and White, so let's get those Horns Up and Hook 'Em!

Now back to the Town Hall and revisiting that special night; I had a blast answering so many of your questions…
If you didn't have a chance to join us, you can view the entire discussion here.

It has been a truly remarkable year that included winning the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup for the second consecutive year! What a phenomenal 2021-22 season that included a program-tying record four national championships (Men's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Tennis, Rowing, and Men's Golf), six NCAA Runner Ups, 14 Top-10 finishes, and 84 First-Team All Americans. After dethroning Stanford's 25-year reign of the Directors' Cup a year ago, I am so proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff for remaining determined, putting us in a position to win every day, and keeping the trophy on the Forty Acres once again!

As we turn the page to this season, we have already achieved so much including our 2022 national championship in Volleyball, two Big 12 championships, and our football program returning to the postseason during Coach Sark's second season. Currently, we have 11 teams ranked with nine of them amongst the Top 10 in their respective sports. That's excellence, folks!

And the success off the field by our student-athletes is equally as impressive. Our teams registered a cumulative GPA of over 3.0 for all sports combined with over 100 student-athletes graduating last year and 75% of our athletes holding a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. I am also very proud to their commitment in serving our community as they logged over 2,000 hours of community service. Major kudos to Dr. Marnie Binfield and all of our student services team for providing amazing support to empower our student-athletes to be the very best version of themselves.

Being a Longhorn isn't a fleeting decision; it's a lifetime commitment full of pride, passion, and loyalty. Join us again this in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium to uphold the winning tradition that will never be entrusted to the timid or the weak, because Texas lives within each of us forever!

Yesterday's Town Hall also coincided with one of the most exciting times of the year…the launch of 2023 Texas Football season ticket renewals! Longhorn Nation brought it to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in a big way this past season, helping us average over 100,000 fans for the first time in our illustrious history while also selling out five home games. I can't wait to see you back on the Forty Acres, enjoying the sights and sounds of Bevo Blvd, Longhorn City Limits, Smokey's Midway, Hook 'Em Hangout and all of the pageantry that makes football gamedays the best college football experience in the nation!

For those who are renewing their season tickets, here are some key points:

Your season ticket cost has decreased, while your per seat-related gift, if applicable, remains the same.
Longhorn Foundation members should view the new Benefits Chart for new enhancements including increased membership value at all levels, year-round benefits and experiences, and enhanced priority football ticket limits. Benefits vary at designated membership levels.
This season, Longhorn Foundation members must make a minimum gift of $200 for football parking access and a minimum gift of $500 to have guaranteed priority for Oklahoma tickets.
Requests for tickets to the Oklahoma game and away games, if eligible, as well as purchasing seatbacks for your seats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium will take place in April.
Fans who opt in to the four-month payment plan will automatically be enrolled in the auto renewal process, making it quick and easy to renew your season tickets in future years.
Renewing your season tickets for the 2023 season is the only way to guarantee your season tickets for the 2024 season when we begin play in the Southeastern Conference.

The deadline to renew your season tickets is March 23, and you can do so online at TexasSports.com/Renewals or by calling us at 512-471-3333 (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Central). Keep an eye on your mailboxes this week for more information.

New Football season ticket deposits are going fast!
For those who don't have season tickets currently but want to secure your spot, season ticket deposits are on sale now for $199 per seat, which will be applied toward your season ticket purchase. This guarantees you access to be first in line after season ticket holders in loyalty point order to choose seats later this spring. Don't wait, as over 2,500 Longhorns have already made a commitment to just us this fall!

Orange-White Game set for April 15
Don't forget to mark your calendar and join us on Saturday, April 15, for the annual Texas Football Orange-White Game presented by Texas One Fund. The action will kick off at 9 a.m. with Bevo Blvd presented by H-E-B, Longhorn City Limits presented by Still Austin Whiskey, Smokey's Midway, and Hook 'Em Hangout. It's all part of 'Made in Austin' Weekend on the Forty Acres which coincides with the University's Family Weekend. We're so excited to welcome everyone to the Forty Acres for a jam-packed weekend.

There's a whole lot of burnt orange and white in action on April 15^th including:

Women's Tennis vs. Baylor at 11 a.m. at the Texas Tennis Center

Football Orange-White Game at 1 p.m. at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium

Softball vs. Kansas at 4:30 p.m. at Red & Charline McCombs Field

Men's Tennis vs. TCU at 7 p.m. at the Texas Tennis Center

Soccer vs. Oklahoma (Exhibition) at 7 p.m. at Myers Stadium

Stay tuned for more details on all of the weekend's activities that will be shared as we get closer.

Facility and gameday enhancements on the way!
This upcoming season will be our final athletics season in the Big 12 Conference. We are extremely proud of all the memories and relationships we have made alongside our partners in the league for the past 27 seasons. We look forward to you joining us during the 2023-24 athletics season as we celebrate new memories before we move to the Southeastern Conference effective July 1, 2024. We are excited about our future, and we are grateful for the generosity of our Longhorn Foundation members who have been spectacular. With your continued support, we are able to make this move and continue to invest in our fantastic facilities. I am excited to announce some significant enhancements that are on the way including:

A colored LED lighting system at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium beginning this season
A larger videoboard in right field at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, ready for the 2024 baseball season
New scoreboards on the north and south courts of the Texas Tennis Center that will be installed later this spring
A new football recruiting lounge on the south side of the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Complex
New lettering along the walls inside the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium bowl

Secure your seats for 10K for 10K on Feb. 27
While I've got you, we are less than one week away from the second annual 10K for 10K as Women's Basketball takes on Baylor on Monday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at Moody Center. It's the regular season home finale, and Big 12 Championship implications are on the line! Coach Schaefer has graciously pledged $10,000 to the Neighborhood Longhorns Program if 10,000 fans fill Moody Center and the matching donations continue to come in with over $60K pledged so far. Get those tickets now, cheer on the Horns on Senior Night, and help us fill the Mood!

Remembering Red McCombs On a more somber note, we lost a true pioneer and Longhorn legend in Red McCombs this past Sunday. Born in Spur, Texas, he was larger-than-life with a passion for the University of Texas and Texas Athletics that is unrivaled. One of the most accomplished businessmen and generous benefactors to his community, Red McCombs' name is memorialized on the Forty Acres at Red & Charline McCombs Field, the Red McCombs Red Zone, and the McCombs School of Business.

Hook 'Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte

Chris Del Conte signature

HEADLINES

Men's Tennis finishes as runner-up at ITA National Team Indoor Championships

Men's Basketball takes down Iowa State, remains atop Big 12 standings

Baseball wins home opener over A&M-Corpus Christi, 12-2

Baseball to retire Longhorn Legend Kirk Dressendorfer's jersey number

VIDEO: Edrick Floreal pre-Big 12 Championships media availability

VIDEO: Eddie Reese pre-Big 12 Championship media availability

VIDEO: Carol Capitani pre-Big 12 Championship media availability

VIDEO: Track & Field's record-setting sprinter Julien Alfred on Longhorn Extra

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Related News