The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Forty Acres Insider: January 23
01.23.2024 | 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,
We had a little break for the holidays, but now we're here again. Welcome back to the Forty Acres Insider, my friends, and here's hoping all of you are off to a prosperous New Year. Our 2024 sure was booming on Saturday as Tyrese Hunter went coast-to-coast and Moody Center erupted in jubilation to the tune of a 75-73 top-10 win over No. 9 Baylor. A short time later, Women's Basketball kept the good times rollin' while making it a double victory with a 76-66 win at Oklahoma State that was our 1,200th in program history! That's a great way to launch our first edition of this year, as we're off and running in 2024 with a historic fall season in the books, and winter and spring sports in full go.
But with those calendars flipped to January and before we move on to the here and now, we've got to take one more victory lap in honor of a fall season that was absolutely EN FUEGO! Of course, there was the magnificent National Championship — back-to-back Nattys might I add — delivered in utter domination by Coach Elliott and our Volleyball team. They raised the trophy high in Tampa, flashed those Horns with pride, and we've lit the tower with the number one beaming with great delight in tribute to that extraordinary squad's incredible accomplishment. And talk about the pride and winning tradition of our Texas Longhorns, that's our 65th National Championship that will be among quite a collection in the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame! Like any of our great moments, highlights, memories, stories and tales of their triumphs, they're always just a click away on all our social media platforms and TexasSports.com — so if you need some inspiration or motivation, just fire up those Longhorn links!
There are plenty of memorable moments from our best Football season in a decade-and-a-half, too. Coach Sark had us firing on all cylinders in claiming the final Big 12 Championship (yessiree, it will never be forgotten that we closed the book and the final chapter of our time in the Big 12 with the title!) on our way to our first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. What a week it was in New Orleans! You took over the Big Easy and painted the city and Superdome in Burnt Orange & White, and it was a glorious sight to see. Y'all brought that raucous energy to every event, were there to greet our Horns every time they came and went from the team hotel and stood by our side giving your best Texas Fight all the live long day. And we can't thank you enough for that! Our squad fought valiantly and hung in there until the bitter end, but we came up short on that heartbreaking final drive. Yet, there is so much still to celebrate. There's the 12-plus wins for just the fourth time in school history, a final No. 3 ranking in The Associated Press poll (our best finish since 2009), Coach Sark was a National Coach of the Year finalist, T-Sweat brought home the Outland Trophy, and we had seven first-team All-Big 12 selections.
It was a historic year filled with landmark accomplishments, and the best part of it as our coach often says, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED! I'm sure you saw the fantastic news that we reached a four-year contract extension with Coach Sark that ensures that he'll be the leader of our program for a long time. Most importantly, with all the suiters, job openings and the fact that we have one of the hottest, and most highly regarded coaches in the land, Coach Sark loves Texas, we love him, and it's been a match made in heaven. We have a great nucleus coming back, Coach Sark and our awesome staff are hotter than fish grease on the recruiting trail, and the culture and connectivity in this program is at an all-time high. Y'all know the future's so bright we need shades, ha! We'll go into more detail later in this note, but season ticket renewals and details are in your inboxes, so don't miss out. Next season is going to be an exciting one as SEC action commences, we celebrate 100 years of our majestic stadium, and so much more!
And Fall 2023 was filled with celebrations aplenty! Soccer won the Big 12 Tournament Championship, making it three conference titles for our teams to kickoff 2023-24 — folks we're taking dead aim on our record of 13 league crowns in this final lap around the Big 12. Coach Kelly and our Horns also advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 (matching our deepest run in the NCAAs in program history), and with a seventh-place finish from Men's Cross Country at the National Championships (our best since 2006), it made it four top-10 NCAA team finishes already this year. Oh, and back to those conference championships, the fall trio of titles, pushes us to 642 all-time conference crowns — SIX-HUNDRED-FORTY-TWO, how 'bout them Horns?!
That brings us to the present, and there is so much Longhorn action to cheer and be fired up for. Speaking of that, I've got to give y'all a huge shoutout for that awesome crowd and energy you brought to our No. 3 Men's Tennis match against No. 1 Virginia last Thursday at the TTC. It was Texas Fight in the stands and on the court, and boy, was it a tight one. We came oh so close in falling 4-3, but the season is young, and your presence and enthusiasm was greatly appreciated. You don't have to wait long to return to the TTC, as both our Women and Men are serving as host schools for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Coach Joffe's women's squad hosts Baylor on Friday (Noon CT) and either Florida State or SMU on Saturday (3 p.m. CT), while Coach Berque's men's team hosts UTSA on Saturday (12 p.m. CT) and either Oklahoma State or Utah on Sunday (1 p.m. CT).
We're grateful for your continued support in keeping Moody Center's homecourt advantage on point, as well. Despite the many challenges and adversity, Coach Schaefer and Women's Basketball is off to another stellar season — sitting at 18-2 and moving back into the top-10 at No. 10 this week — with our Red River Rivals coming to town on Wednesday (6 p.m. CT/ESPNU) and Cincinnati on Saturday (2 p.m. CT/LHN). We need you Longhorn Nation, so come help us take down the Sooners! You sure played a critical role for the men on Saturday, and that was so much fun! Coming off that huge bounce-back win, the gauntlet that is the Big 12 continues for Coach Terry and our squad this week on the road. We're right back at it with our road warrior gear on for a pair of top-20 foes – at No. 11 OU tonight (6 p.m. CT/ESPN), followed by a trip to Provo to face No. 21 BYU on Saturday (1 p.m. CT/ESPN2).
IT'S ALL LONGHORNS ALL THE TIME! Swimming and Diving is closing in on a championship season, Track and Field is off and running, Golf, Rowing and Tennis are underway, while Baseball and Softball are on the horizon. There's a whole lot of Texas Fight, and we know you'll be there bringing that passion, spirit and pride. Can't wait to see you on the Forty!
fun week ahead🤘#HookEm | @seatgeek pic.twitter.com/qo0WF4l19C
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) January 22, 2024
I want to give an enthusiastic and emphatic Hook 'Em and high five to our Longhorn Legend Logan Eggleston who was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for 2022-23 earlier this month. What an awesome honor and what a joy it was to cap her amazing career of accomplishments at Texas as our first-ever winner of that prestigious honor. Congrats Logan, you make us so, so proud, and you truly embody our school mantra of WHAT STARTS HERE CHANGES THE WORLD!
Oh, and mark your calendars! Our annual Town Hall is set for February 13. Save the date and stay tuned for more details.
Interested in 2024 Football Season Tickets? Join the waitlist TODAY!
The atmosphere at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on gamedays this past season was absolutely electric! Before we know it, the 2024 season will be here, and I can't wait to see the Burnt Orange and White embark on a new journey together as we begin play in the Southeastern Conference. All fans who are interested in joining us as season ticket holders this fall can join the Texas Football Waitlist TODAY! It doesn't cost anything to join, but in order to come off the waitlist and have the opportunity to purchase season tickets later this spring, you must be a 2024 Longhorn Foundation donor by the football season ticket deadline (minimum of $50 annual gift). Current season ticket holders will receive information regarding renewals at a later date.
Football's 2023 fantastic voyage
What an incredible journey Coach Sark and our Football squad took us on this year. Early on, you could see the culture that was in place, feel the hunger of these players and you knew special things were on the way, and wow, did they not disappoint. To go out of the Big 12 the same way we came in, as CHAMPIONS, is something that will always be cherished, and it will be so exciting to add that "23" inside of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. It's just awesome thinking how this group put their names into the history books for all time, and it's something that will be there for them, their kids, their grandkids and beyond to look up at and be proud of. And that's not all! They also became the first College Football Playoff team in our history, and it means that much more that it happened in the final year of the four-team format. We talk about the Final Four in basketball, and this is the same significance. This team got us all to believe, and I don't think there was a Horn in the house at the Superdome, or anywhere else for that matter, that didn't have faith there would be one more Texas touchdown to keep the dream of a National Championship alive. I tell you this – this team was as deserving as any, and sometimes in sports not every play goes your way, but what I know is that this team gave it every ounce they had, and they all made us proud to be Longhorns! No matter what, the 2023 version of Texas Football is a championship one, and they've set the stage for a future that's oh so bright, and we can't thank them enough. Even though there are some incredible people heading to the next chapters of their lives (take a look down the Texas Football social accounts for all the incredible messages about what it means to them to be Longhorns and have the tissues handy), a foundation has been built, and this is a program that people want to be part of. I, for one, can't wait to see what's next to come, and that all started on January 2. We've got fresh faces on campus, spring practices will be here before you know it, and we can't wait to see you all come together again in all your Burnt Orange glory on April 20 at the Orange-White Game! So save that date, and we'll see you there!
Texas Fight!!! 🤘🏽
— Steve Sarkisian (@CoachSark) January 2, 2024
Thank You Longhorn Nation!! https://t.co/6VYDj5yCGO
Men's Basketball earns Top-10 win at home at the buzzer
RT and our guys got a much-needed 75-73 victory over No. 9 Baylor on Saturday in the Mood, courtesy of Tyrese Hunter's coast-to-coast driving layup as time expired. Longhorn Nation, I'm so thankful and appreciative of your continued support and you definitely brought it big-time on Saturday. The Mood was rockin' long before the early tip-off at 11 a.m. and stayed at a fever pitch until Tyrese's buzzer beater dropped through the net. Saturday's contest was just the start of a four-game stretch for our guys against AP Top 25 opponents, including a pair of tough road games at No. 11 Oklahoma tonight (6 p.m. CT, ESPN) and at No. 21 BYU on Saturday (1 p.m. CT/12 p.m. MT, ESPN2). And we'll need you back at Moody Center on Monday for a big-time matchup against No. 4 Houston as part of ESPN's "Big Monday" national broadcast (8 p.m. CT, ESPN).
run it back 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/mnCiovz8bY
— Texas Men's Basketball (@TexasMBB) January 21, 2024
Women's Basketball hosts two Big 12 games in The Mood this week!
Despite facing adversity and injuries throughout the season, our No. 10 Women's Basketball team continues to impress and they are the epitome of Texas Fight! The Longhorns beat Kansas by 35 at home and then went on the road to earn a 76-66 win over a quality Oklahoma State team. And how about Madison Booker? What can you say about the freshman? She is averaging 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals in Big 12 play, just unreal! Come out and support our ladies for a pair of Big 12 matchups this week at Moody Center against Oklahoma on Wednesday (6 p.m. CT, ESPNU) and Cincinnati on Saturday (2 p.m. CT, LHN).
back in the top 10 😍#HookEm pic.twitter.com/D7l9wVUzEn
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) January 22, 2024
Indoor Track and Field off to FAST start!
After a solid start to the indoor season in Louisville and Albuquerque, Coach Flo and our track teams have picked up right where they left off last season with fast times and big marks. Yusuf Bizimana has dominated in back-to-back weekends, earning National Athlete of the Week honors and Big 12 accolades before setting another NCAA-leading time in the 800-meter this past Saturday. Ackelia Smith also leads the country with a monster jump of 6.73m – the third-best in UT history. Keep your eye out for them this weekend when they travel to Boston for another competition.
1:46.47 🤘@TexasTFXC's Yusuf Bizimana (@flybizzy) clocks a new NCAA No. 1 time in the men's 800m at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational. pic.twitter.com/hFrrij5ZSw
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) January 20, 2024
Men's and Women's Swim and Dive squads back in action this weekend
Our Swimming teams kicked off the New Year with some electric performances at the TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Knoxville! Kelly Pash had a trio of top-five swims, and Erin Gemmell placed second in the 200-meter freestyle, while Lydia Jacoby took third in the 100-meter breaststroke. On the men's side, Jake Foster put together a pair of top-seven performances and Luke Hobson took seventh in the 200-meter freestyle. Former Longhorn Carson Foster was among the stars of the week, sweeping the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys. The Horns hit the road for a pair of dual meets this weekend in North Carolina against NC State and Duke that will feature five top-20 teams. Our second-ranked women's team will take on a pair of top-20 opponents in No. 8 NC State and No. 17 Duke, while our No. 8 men's squad will square off with the fourth-ranked Wolfpack before heading to Durham to compete against the Blue Devils.
TYR Pro Swim Series | 200m IM 🤘
— Texas Women's Swimming & Diving (@TexasWSD) January 14, 2024
Kelly Pash takes third in the championship final with a swim of 2:13.33!#HookEm pic.twitter.com/ORzeZcq5lu
TYR Pro Swim Series | 100m breaststroke results 🤘
— Texas Men's Swimming & Diving (@TexasMSD) January 12, 2024
Jake Foster grabs seventh with a time of 1:01.41.#HookEm pic.twitter.com/YXAzIAC2wJ
John Bianco heads into the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame
Well folks, in our illustrious history there have been so many student-athletes and coaches you've seen enter halls of fame or halls of honor for the amazing achievements they've performed in front of your eyes. But what many of you may not see as much is when we have that caliber of achievement in other areas inside the athletics department. For over 30 years, we've had one of the best to ever do it leading our communications area in John Bianco, and now, he's deservedly taking his place among the greats of that field as a member of the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame Class of 2024! For those of you who don't know, yes, our communications group writes press releases, posts on social media, keeps stats and arranges press conferences, but it's so much more. They tell the stories of our programs, they're the conduit to all of the TV broadcast crews and media who convey many of those stories, they're at the heart of promoting our coaches and student-athletes for awards, and I think they would tell you, most importantly, they're the guides and sounding boards for those coaches and student-athletes as they navigate the media, represent our programs and build their brands. It's a group that doesn't seek the spotlight and is always on the other side of the cameras, but the job they do is critical, and John's been there leading the way for so much of our history from Ricky Williams' Heisman campaign to our 2005 National Championship under Coach Brown all the way to our first College Football Playoff appearance under Coach Sark. And although he works closest with Football, he's always there for the needs of all our programs and champions their stories, as well. It's a great honor, well-deserved, and I'm so happy for you, my friend! Here's a big Hook 'Em, and we're all looking forward to your induction this summer!
Congrats @UT_Bianco Best in the business!! Well deserved! 🤘🏽 https://t.co/L2rbWDds1Z
— Steve Sarkisian (@CoachSark) January 16, 2024
Hook 'Em Horns,
Chris Del Conte
P.S. – If there were anything else you needed to know about the quality of man leading our Football program, this is a must watch!
In 2020, Steve Sarkisian was diagnosed with a heart condition that was a "ticking time bomb." He had open-heart surgery and, after the procedure, he needed to relearn how to walk and talk.
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 1, 2024
"I'm a better coach today, I'm a better man today because of that." #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/Wowv28gl2L
P.S. – Rori, you're truly an inspiration:
"can't wait to be playing for you guys again" 🫶🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/aCCt59tX6s
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) January 22, 2024
P.S. – Welcome Coach Nansen!
Welcome to Texas, Johnny Nansen!
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) January 6, 2024
Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach 🤘 pic.twitter.com/IJZcNGAaik
P.S. – Baseball season is coming!
One month 'til the party. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/kffKiOCR5y
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) January 16, 2024
P.S. – Sneak peek at Softball!
sneak peek 👀🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/xYuYZUNbnC
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) January 14, 2024
P.S. – Texas Rowing is a unique family!
Great weekend as Texas Rowing alums from over 25 years gathered with so much to celebrate, commemorate, and see. Seeing teammates reconnect and form new relationships makes us all realize this experience is bigger than any individual. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/wvmWusozZK
— Texas Rowing (@TexasRowing) January 21, 2024
HEADLINES
Football's Auburn, Majors named to Academic All-America Second Team
Women's Basketball's Booker earns Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors
Sarkisian selected for induction into East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame
Longhorns in the NFL: Playoff Divisional Round
Rowing honored former head coach Carie Graves during alumni weekend
Video: Aaliyah Moore on Game Plan with Vic Schaefer
Quintet from Softball earn spots on Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Softball picked second in Big 12 preseason poll
Bizimana named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week
Football's Hill named FWAA Freshman All-American
