Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group continue constructing the west side of the new stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

“Baylor Football finally returns home,” said Judge Ken Starr, president of Baylor University, at a press conference held Tuesday, May 7, to update on the new Baylor Stadium.

Sailgating, 168 concession stands, 45,000 seats and access to campus are just a few of the things to look forward to in the new, $250 million on-campus football stadium that is under construction on the Brazos River off Interstate 35 in Waco.

“We are on schedule and we will be playing football on the banks of the Brazos in August 2014,” said Bryan Nicholson, associate vice president for facility, planning and construction.

Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group continue building Baylor’s upcoming football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

There are currently 250 members of the construction crew working on Baylor Stadium, and at the peak of the building process there will be 600.  Jim Heley, the senior project manager, gave an update as part of a media day tour of the construction site.

Workers have dammed up the lagoon and pumped 33 million gallons of water back into the Brazos River, brought in 22,000 truckloads, or 70,000 yards, of dirt to fill in part of the lagoon and to raise the elevation of the footprint of the stadium.   They have installed five miles of underground piping, poured 8,000 cubic yards of concrete and drilled 1,129 piles, all 45-50 feet deep.

The first milestone celebrated among the crew and everyone involved was with the Corps of Engineers when they received the permit to build on the

President Ken Starr stands at the podium with Bruiser as he speaks on the progress of Baylor’s new football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

lagoon.  Encore Electric was the first contractor on sight. Texas Department of Transportation is helping with the expansion of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and the City of Waco is always willing to help with inspections of the site.

“We are trying to use as many local companies as possible.  Our mechanical contractor is local, the electrical contractor, paving and both of our concrete suppliers are local,” Horn said.

The crew is a little ahead of schedule on the lagoon and will be filling it up again in a month.  Two pedestrian bridges are in the works to be built, one over the Brazos River to reach campus and the other will connect with a walkway along the waterfront.

Jeff Horn, senior superintendent of the job site, gave more specifics on the structure itself.  He said that they have started the foundation, the concourse level and the columns.  “We started on the west side and are working our way clockwise around from west to east.”

One of the main challenges for the construction is the river.  The elevation had to be raised to get out of the floodplain.  The highest raised point is 10 feet.

“The biggest headache of the job,” according to Horn, “is everything has to be brought in.  The coordination of everything to be brought in on a timely manner is difficult.”

Workers of the Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC construction group hammer together boards at the site of Baylor’s upcoming football stadium on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Baylor Stadium, which is set to be completed and ready for use by August 2014, is now approximately 21 percent complete and still on schedule.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor

Horn made it clear that there are not many bad weather days built into the schedule.  It is a six-day workweek for the crew and sometimes they will use Sundays to catch up from bad weather or get ahead on one part of the project.  “It is a fast track job,” stated Horn, “we are about 20% done with the whole thing.”

“The steel and the precast for the stadium seats will take until the end of the year and then from the beginning of the year until opening will be the finishing stuff.”

“The stadium is very high profile because it is right on the freeway.  When the memorial service for West, Texas, was held, we wanted to do something special so we got an American flag and a banner that said ‘God Bless West, Texas’ and hung it on the side facing the freeway.  We did that in about two days.  Now that it is over, we are going to get all of the crew working on the stadium to sign it and then we are going to present it to West.”

Following the media tour, a press conference was held at the football practice field on campus. Athletic Director Ian McCaw spoke along with Baylor President Starr, Nicholson and Head Football Coach Art Briles.

“We have recently reached $100 million in private philanthropy donations for the stadium,” Judge Starr announced.

“In 15 months, the finest football stadium in America will be open,” he said. “Just this morning, the 300^th column of the stadium was poured. Columns are important to Baylor because of the four columns that stand on Academy Hill in Independence, Texas, just an hour and 45 minutes down the road, the first location of Baylor University.”

McCaw shared that 1,500 new season tickets were sold already for the 2013 school year.  All six Founders Suites, 39 Premium Suites and 79 Loge Boxes have been sold and over 1,400 stadium bricks have also been sold.  The club seats go on sale at the end of the month.

Coach Briles ended the press conference saying, “We can build a great facility and everyone is going to see it.  Over 42 million travelers on Interstate 35 are going to see the new stadium every year. It doesn’t need to be another miracle for Baylor to beat someone.  It needs to be just another day for us.  It’s a great day. It’s a good day. It’s a day to be proud.”

No. 7 Kaitlyn Thumann crosses third base in the third inning to score the third run for the Baylor Lady Bears in their 10-5 thumping of the Texas Tech Red Raiders Friday night at Baylor’s Getterman Stadium. – Lariat Photo

A six-run sixth inning spurred No. 15 Baylor (39-13, 10-6)to a series-clinching, 10-5 win over Texas Tech (29-26, 3-14)Friday evening at Getterman Stadium.

Kathy Shelton got the Lady Bears offense going in the third with a leadoff triple en route to a four-run inning. Holly Holl drew a walk and stole second to reach scoring position before Thumann laced a single down the left field field line for a 2-0 lead. Smith then followed with an RBI-single to center that scored Thumann from second, giving BU its three-run advantage. Cara Custer came on in relief of starter Gretchen Aucoin and gave up an RBI-single up the middle from Hosack for the 4-0 lead.

Texas Tech Head Coach Shanon Hays expresses his views of a call at home plate in the Red Raiders 10-5 loss to the Baylor Lady Bears Friday night at Getterman Stadium. –Lariat Photo

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, chips to the ninth green during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For all the talk about the greens, Rory McIlroy’s most important club was his driver Thursday in the Wells Fargo Championship.

McIlroy kept the ball in play at Quail Hollow and gave himself plenty of birdie chances on a cloudy, soft afternoon. He ran off six birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn and finished with an 8-foot birdie putt for a 5-under 67 to share the lead with six other players.

It was the first time this year McIlroy has been atop the leaderboard after any round, and the first time he broke par in the opening round.

“Now that I feel like I’m swinging it well, this is the sort of golf I expect to play,” McIlroy said.

Nick Watney, Ryan Moore, Robert Garrigus and PGA Tour rookie Derek Ernst shot 67 in the morning. Daniel Summerhays and Nate Smith, a Monday qualifier, joined McIlroy by posting their 67s in the afternoon.

Phil Mickelson and Lucas Glover were in a large group at 68, with 19-year-old Jordan Spieth in another big group at 69.

The talk going into the Wells Fargo Championship was the shape of the greens. Two of the putting surfaces had to be entirely replaced by sod just a week ago — the 10th green had to be sodded twice — and the other greens were ragged. Some had ugly patches of brown where there was no grass.

But they weren’t as bad as players feared, and there wasn’t much public grumbling, mainly because Quail Hollow has a history of being in pristine shape and players seemed willing to accept this is an exceptionally bad year.

“It was fine,” Boo Weekley said after his 68. “First off, they were pretty smooth. It ain’t 100 percent, but I mean they’re good enough to play golf on.”

The bigger problem was cool, soft conditions that made Quail Hollow seem longer than usual. That’s why McIlroy was so pleased with missing only three fairways. The greens weren’t smooth, but they were soft enough that getting into position off the tee was pivotal in setting up birdie chances.

“They’re not the best greens that we’ve ever putted on, but they’re certainly not the worst, either,” McIlroy said. “The ball still rolls pretty well on them. As long as you give yourself chances for birdies, that’s all you can ask. … If you drive the ball well, you can really take advantage of that. And for the most part today, I did drive the ball well.”

McIlroy got into the mix quickly with four straight birdies — two of them on the par 5s, a 7-iron to 3 feet on the par-3 sixth hole, and a big drive on the short, par-4 eighth that left him a flip wedge into about 3 feet. A tee shot that found the rough on the ninth led to bogey, but the world’s No. 2 player bounced back with an up-and-down birdie on the par-5 10th and an approach into 8 feet on the 11th for another birdie.

His biggest scare came on the 18th, when McIlroy looked nervously down the left side of the fairway as the ball flirted with the winding creek, barely clearing the water. From there, he hit 8-iron that stopped close to where it landed, and he made an 8-foot putt that bounced more than it rolled.

It’s just one round, though it feels like a long way from a few months ago. The start to the season for McIlroy was marked by a missed cut, a first-round loss in the Match Play Championship, walking out of the Honda Classic from frustration after 27 holes and loads of speculation about his decision to change equipment after last year.

Thursday was another step in the right direction.

“It’s big strides because my game wasn’t where it should have been at all at the start of the year,” McIlroy said. “Got into a couple of bad habits on my swing, and it just took me a little bit of time to get out of them.”

One tweak he made after the Masters with swing coach Michael Bannon was to keep his hips more stable.

Garrigus missed only two greens and figures he should be have been twice as much under par as he was.

“I absolutely striped it all day,” Garrigus said. “I could have shot 10 or 11 under today if I had made some putts. I was hitting it really close all day. I didn’t get frustrated. I just kept hitting it. I’m very confident right now and hitting it really well.”

Summerhays and Smith each reached 6 under until bogeys on the 17th hole. Smith missed a 5-foot par putt, and immediately tapped down a section of the green on the line of his putt. That was a typical reaction on this day, and probably won’t change much during the week.

The hole locations were in different spots than players typically see, as officials looked for sections of the green that had the lushest grass to cut the holes. The idea was to at least keep the bumps to a minimum in a 4-foot radius around the hole.

Smith was the biggest surprise, mainly because he had to qualify for the tournament on Monday. He also had the most unusual golf bag. Smith played a prank earlier in the week on James Hahn, who returned the favor. Hahn posted a message on the bag in the locker room asking players to sign it for charity. They do that all the time, though it’s not usually the bag a player uses in the tournament.

There were some 60 autographs on the bag.

Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus fields a ground ball hit by Chicago White Sox’s Paul Konerko in the eight inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Andrus threw to first for the out. The White Sox won 5-2. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

ARLINGTON — Hector Santiago allowed two in five-plus innings filling in for Jake Peavy on Thursday night, Tyler Flowers hit a three-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat Texas 3-1, handing the Rangers their first series loss of the season.

Flowers’ drive just inside the foul pole in left field was the third straight hit after Texas right-hander Justin Grimm (2-1) retired 10 in a row on the day he was named AL rookie of the month.

Adrian Beltre’s homer in the second was the only hit through five innings against Santiago (1-1), who had six strikeouts and two walks in 5 1-3 innings. The left-hander made his first start of the season and fifth of his career after Peavy was scratched because of back spasms.

Addison Reed pitched around two of Chicago’s eight walks, striking out the side in the ninth for his 10th save and second in two nights.

The coldest May game at Rangers Ballpark came just three weeks after the coldest day game there — and the Rangers lost both.

The game-time temperature of 44 was 37 degrees cooler than the previous night. It was a 40-degree difference on April 10, when the temperature at first pitch was 39 degrees for 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay in a day game after it had been 79 the night before.

The Rangers were the last team in the majors without a series loss, but now they’ve gone two series without winning after splitting four games with Minnesota last weekend. The White Sox won two straight after Texas took the opener.

Grimm, who had a 1.59 ERA in three April starts to earn rookie of the month honors, was cruising with two outs in the sixth when Conor Gillaspie and Alexei Ramirez singled before Flowers drove a hanging breaking ball for his fourth homer of the season.

After walking three in the first 2 1-3 innings, Grimm didn’t give up another free pass and tied his career high of nine strikeouts set last month against Seattle. He allowed six hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Santiago, whose first seven appearances this season were in relief, gave up his second hit when Ian Kinsler doubled with one out in the sixth, and he was replaced by Matt Lindstrom after walking Elvis Andrus. Lindstrom threw a wild pitch and walked Lance Berkman to load the bases, but got Beltre to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Beltre had another chance to do some damage in the eighth but struck out on a slow breaking ball from Jesse Crain.

The White Sox trailed 1-0 in the third when they loaded the bases with one out on singles by Alejandro De Aza and Adam Dunn and a walk to Alex Rios. But Grimm struck out Paul Konerko and Gillaspie on six strikes in seven pitches.

NEW ORLEANS — Johnny Manziel has decided he’s not going to allow the pitfalls of fame stop him from having a good time, forging friendships with rival quarterbacks or even going back to class — in person.

As for the pressure inherent in living up to the Heisman Trophy standard he set for himself in only his first season as quarterback at Texas A&M, isn’t concerned about that, either.

“I’m not thinking about it. I’m just going out and playing football and doing the things I’ve always done,” Manziel said Thursday, when he visited New Orleans to accept the Manning Award, which recognizes the nation’s top college quarterback. “The success that we had last year — I wasn’t worried about my own individual success. I was just worried about going out and playing football and trying to learn the system and get better.”

Following a memorable, highlight-filled regular season in which he accounted for 4,600 total yards, Manziel became the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy — then racked up an additional 516 total yards in a 41-13 Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

And then the player sometimes called Johnny Football found out how public his private life could really be.

He was famously photographed partying in a Dallas nightclub with a sparkler in his mouth as if it were a cigar while flexing both biceps. Other photos showed him holding what looked like a bottle of Champagne, raising questions about whether Manziel, now 20, was partaking in under-age drinking. Another showed him triumphantly fanning out a wad of cash at a casino; he later noted on his Twitter page is legal for someone 18 or older to gamble at a casino.

Even his decision to take classes online last semester became controversial . Manziel has said his decision to limit himself exclusively to the virtual classroom was a reaction to the attention he was receiving on campus while simply walking to class, and he added Thursday that he expects to return to regular classes this summer and next fall.

“It was just one semester — something that I needed and wanted to do,” he said.

Manziel said he’s adjusting better to life as a celebrity, and is trying not to let it change him much.

“I continue to slip up every now and then with people that you think you can trust and you really can’t, so I’m continuing to learn things every day,” he said.

“I’m still having a good time. I know that. I’m not letting any of that factor into my life and what I want to do,” he continued. “There might be some cameras here and there and some things like that, but I’m going to continue to still go to some basketball games, continue to still do things I want to do, just be smart while I’m doing it.”

That includes making friends with Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, who during the season will be among the players standing between Texas A&M and a chance at a Southeastern Conference championship or more.

“Once football season comes around, that’s when it becomes rivals,” Manziel said. “Off the field, we’re all 20, 21-year-old kids just enjoying going to school, playing football and like doing the same things. Me and him have talked on Twitter, exchanged numbers and still continue to talk every couple weeks. So I’m maybe building a little bit of a friendship there, maybe going on a trip together this summer some time or just trying to be friends and hang out and have fun.”

This July, Manziel plans to serve as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., where he was a camper while in high school.

Manning said he looks forward to having Manziel back in a new role.

In introducing Manziel to a luncheon crowd gathered for the Manning Award trophy presentation at the Manning family’s downtown restaurant, Archie Manning talked of how extraordinary he thought it was for Manziel to do what he did in his first season in the SEC, a conference renowned not only for its string of national champions, but also for defenses loaded with NFL prospects.

Manning highlighted Manziel’s performance against Arkansas, in which the Aggie QB compiled 557 total yards.

“That day he broke a 43-year-old Southeastern Conference record set by an Ole Miss quarterback in 1969 vs. Alabama,” Manning said, referring to his own 540-yard performance against the Crimson Tide. “Thanks a hell of a lot, Johnny.”

Manning and Manziel both said they were aware of comparisons made of their free-wheeling, scrambling style of play.

Manning said Manziel’s 2012 season was among the best he’d ever seen for a college quarterback and was flattered to hear people say Manziel reminded them of his days at Ole Miss. Manziel, meanwhile, said being compared to Archie Manning is “awesome,” and an honor.

Manziel will be eligible to enter the NFL draft after his next season. He said he’ll make that decision with family and his Texas A&M coaches when the time is right.

Manning, who is routinely asked for advice by top college players’ said his only advice would be that if a quarterback in the SEC is not a lock as a top-10 pick, he should consider how an extra year in the conference might help.

Junior second baseman Lawton Langford rounds second base and runs hard toward third Sunday against Texas. Baylor swept the three-game series. (Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor)

The Baylor Bears have been on a hot streak recently, riding a five-game winning streak and coming out as the victors in 14 of their last 19 contests.

The Bears look to continue the winning trend this weekend when they travel to Lawrence for a three-game series against the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Jayhawks are sitting in fifth place in the Big 12 with a 9-9 conference record and are 27-18 overall.

“Well, I’ve been following Kansas from afar all season and my thinking, long before today, has been that they looked like they were sizing up to be one of the better teams in our league because of the whole balance of their team,” head coach Steve Smith said. “They’ve got all three starters coming back on the mound, which is always a good thing. They have got some experience in the lineup and they are always good defensively.”

Not only will the Bears be facing a challenging team in the Jayhawks, but they will also have to handle adverse conditions in Lawrence with cold weather. The forecast for Friday through Sunday in Lawrence calls for some chilly baseball weather with highs in the 40s and lows in the 30s with a chance of rain and snow.

“We’ve had a few too many games so far this year in the cold,” senior first baseman Steve DalPorto said. “I’m looking forward to some warm weather but you know, we’re just going to take it one pitch at a time and the cold won’t affect us because they are going to be playing in it too.”

The Bears have played in cold weather before this season in Stillwater against Oklahoma State, so they know how to handle the cold. Despite the experience, playing baseball in the cold is anything but ideal.

“Some people like it and some people don’t,” senior right-handed pitcher Max Garner said. “I usually don’t have a problem staying loose or anything like that, and hitters hate it so that’s good enough for me. It’s kind of just personal opinion or whatever. I don’t mind it and I know [sophomore right-handed pitcher Austin] Stone doesn’t care so we’re just going to go up there and try to throw the ball as well as we have thrown it these last couple of weeks.”

One of the reasons Baylor has been enjoying success on the diamond recently is because of the added production from the entire lineup.

Throughout Tuesday’s 6-4 win against UT Arlington, the back end of the lineup played a major role. The six through nine hitters accounted for four RBIs.

Sophomore designated hitter Duncan Wendel drove in two runs. Sophomore center fielder Adam Toth was 3-4 with a run and an RBI. Toth is now hitting .252 on the season.

“It’s really good to see Toth start to get his game going,” Smith said. “He’s playing with more confidence. I think you know, it’s amazing to me how much more confident he plays when he plays center field.”

Senior first baseman Steve DalPorto was 3-4 with an RBI and a run. DalPorto has a .250 batting average for the year.

“What DalPorto has done, really doesn’t surprise me just because I’ve seen it so many times from guys who were seniors,” Smith said. “The game slows down for them and that’s what he’s doing. He’s having the best part of his game right now and he’s really been good at first base, which at the beginning of the year, was as big of a question mark as we had.”

Baylor is currently second to Oklahoma in the Big 12 standings. The Sooners are 10-5 (.667) in Big 12 play and the Bears are 11-6 with a .647 winning percentage.

With only six Big 12 games left, Baylor wants a back-to-back Big 12 title, but first they must take care of Kansas.

“We are going up there and expecting a lot of close games,” Garner said. “You can say whatever you want about the cold, but they don’t like it either, even though they are from there. We are probably going to expect some low scoring games and just try to pullout a couple of wins. It’s not going to be pretty up there when it’s thirty-something degrees so we just have to find a way.”

Coming off of a third-straight bowl game appearance and second straight bowl win, Baylor football is still hungry for something more: a Big 12 Championship.

Baylor has never won a Big 12 Championship, but this season I think that will change. From top to bottom, this could be the best roster the Bears have ever fielded with head coach Art Briles at the helm.

Everyone knows Robert Griffin III, the program’s first Heisman Memorial Trophy winner.

Last year Balyor fans were skeptical about how Nick Florence could replace RG3, then Florence set a school-record for passing yards in a season with 4,309 yards through the air.

This season, junior quarterback Bryce Petty will be the next talented athlete to takeover behind center for the Bears.

Petty is wildly athletic and has a huge frame at 6 feet 3 inches tall and 230 pounds. He has a powerful arm and is mature after learning behind RG3 and Florence.

Petty has been patiently awaiting his turn to be the starting quarterback, and now that he is the big man on campus, I think he’ll blossom on the gridiron this fall. Nick Florence’s school record might not be safe for too long with Petty.

To help Petty out, the Bears have a strong and cohesive line of scrimmage.

Redshirt sophomore Spencer Drango returns to start at left tackle. Second-team All-American left guard Cyril Richardson is the anchor of the offensive line. Senior Kelvin Palmer is slated to start at center and senior Stefan Huber should step in at right guard. Junior Troy Baker injured his knee in spring practices, but once he is healthy he will return to solidify the right tackle position.

The left side of the offensive line will be the stronghold of the unit. Behind Drango and Richardson, junior running back Lache Seastrunk and senior running back Glasco Martin will shoulder the load of Baylor’s ground game.

Last season, Seastrunk broke the 1,000-yard rushing barrier, and Martin ran for 889 yards. The two backs were not featured in the Baylor offense until late in the season though.

Once Seastrunk and Martin started to become the unquestioned go-to backs for Baylor, the offense ignited. That’s why it’s no coincidence that the Bears won six of their last seven games.

Don’t forget the explosive group of Baylor receivers. Speedy senior receiver Tevin Reese returns after posting 957 yards receiving last season.

Talented junior receivers Levi Norwood and Antwan Goodley will both step up in the offense and make an impact in the passing game. Senior tight ends Jordan Najvar and Jerod Monk bring leadership, experience and toughness to the table.

Defensively, the Bears struggled mightily last season, but the Bears turned it around late in the season by dominating No. 1 Kansas State and by absolutely wrecking shop against UCLA in the Holiday Bowl with six sacks.

The Bears’ defense should continue to build upon its late-season 2012 successes to lead into 2013. Key returning defensive members are senior safety Ahmad Dixon, senior safety Sam Holl, senior defensive end Chris McAllister, senior defensive end Terrence Lloyd, junior linebacker Bryce Hager and senior linebacker Eddie Lackey. The Bears return seven starters to a defense that should be one of the better units in the Big 12.

Baylor football has been on an upward trajectory for the last three years. This is the season where it all comes together and Baylor wins the Big 12. Not only is Baylor rising, but the Big 12 has no clear-cut favorite this season. The title is open for a team like Baylor.

Texas is not what it once was. The Longhorns haven’t been a relevant Big 12 contender in years. Oklahoma is losing starting quarterback Landry Jones and the Sooners got crushed by Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, 41-13. Kansas State loses the face of its team in quarterback Collin Klein. West Virginia no longer has Geno Smith at quarterback or electrifying receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin.

With talent at quarterback, studs at runningback, electric receivers, a rock solid offensive line and an improved defense, 2013 will be Baylor’s year on the gridiron in the Big 12.

With head coach Art Briles, Baylor won four games in 2009, seven in 2010, ten in 2011 and eight in 2012.

This coming season is where Baylor will make it to the mountaintop and take the Big 12 throne.

With the rest of the Big 12 taking a step down, it’s time for the Bears to step up, seize the moment and win the first ever Big 12 championship in Baylor football history.

Baylor women’s basketball beat Kansas State 90-68 on Senior Night at the Ferrell Center on Monday, March 4, 2013.
Travis Taylor | Lariat Photographer

“Over the course of four years, you break down together and you pick each other back up. That is what makes us such a great unit.”

On Thursday, March 28, a few days before the Lady Bears’ upset by Louisville, senior center Brittney Griner did not realize the impact of her words.

As defending National Champions, the Lady Bears’ loss came as a surprise, but according to head coach Kim Mulkey, the loss should not define the six seniors’ collegiate careers.

“We were the most talented team this year,” Mulkey said. “The most talented teams don’t always win the championships.”

With 135 career wins, one National Championship, two Final Four visits, six Big 12 Championships, and a 40-0 record, among other achievements, no one can doubt the talent of the Lady Bears. The six seniors – center Brittney Griner, guard Kimetria Hayden, guard Jordan Madden, forward Brooklyn Pope, student assistant Shanay Washington and forward Destiny Williams – have “led us in a golden age for Lady Bear basketball,” said athletic director Ian McCaw at the Lady Bear Appreciation Banquet on April 23.

However, Mulkey can recall the tough beginning of a young team full of All-Americans.

“When they were younger, it was a roller coaster,” Mulkey said. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘This has to be what it is like to be married to this many women.’ I kept telling myself, ‘It is not going to be this bad when they grow up,’ and it evolved into a cohesive unit.”

This evolution required improvements from each teammate, such as Hayden’s guarding skills, Madden’s defense, and Griner’s control.

When Griner was a freshman, Mulkey warned her against missing a dunk that could have won a game, but by Griner’s senior year, Mulkey encouraged her to “go up and send a statement.”

“They have become so good together than sometimes it is OK to go up and intimidate,” Mulkey said. “It is good to coach them now as opposed to when they got here because Lord, that was stressful.”

Transformation is evident in the “quick-witted” Pope. Mulkey urged Pope to work on three things for her senior year – offensive rebounding, immediately “putting it back in,” and her defense – and Pope’s game statistics illustrate her effort towards improvement. Shooting 55 percent from the field accompanied by 42 steals, the Most Improved Award winner earned a starting position on the lineup this year.

“Brooklyn improved so much in one year that it put her in a position to be drafted,” Mulkey said. “It was her buying into the system and doing what she does best.”

Pope, who graduated in December, was a third-round WNBA draft pick by the Chicago Sky. She describes her time at Baylor as “surprising.”

“No one really expected much,” Pope said. “But we all got a lot.”

Not every player’s story has such a happy ending. Along with Griner, Washington started for the Bears as a freshman, but had to retire due to many knee injuries.

“I told her then, ‘We’ll take care of you,’” Mulkey said. “’You’ll travel with us. You’ll sit on the bench. … You are a part of this team.’”

Senior night was especially emotional for the tearful Washington as she hugged Mulkey’s neck.

“She kept saying, ‘Coach, it wasn’t supposed to end this way,’” Mulkey said. “Life dealt her a tough blow.”

Washington graduates in May and will go to Kenya for the student athlete mission trip. She received the Coaches Award at the senior banquet.

In a teasing, light-hearted poem to introduce Mulkey during the banquet, Madden claimed to be Mulkey’s favorite.

“Jordan was one of the best I have ever coached in assigning her to a player and telling her, ‘Go stop her,’” Mulkey said. “She shuts down the best players in the conferences.”

Madden, who received the Defensive Award, was second in steals this year. However, Madden did not stop as just a great defense player, but worked on her offense.

She shot 40 percent for 3-pointers and 54 percent for field goals. She was also third for assists. Madden will graduate this summer with an opportunity to play professional basketball overseas.

As for Hayden, or “Nae Nae,” Mulkey describes her as stubborn. While she “didn’t guard squat as a freshman,” she improved and became a great offensive rebounder. She was No. 6 in games started at Baylor, No. 8 in assists, No. 10 in 3-pointers and free throw percentage, and No. 25 in scores overall, with more than 1,100 points in her career.

The Melissa Jones Hustle and Courage Award recipient graduates in May and also has the opportunity to play overseas.

As for the legacy the seniors will leave behind, Hayden hopes they are remembered for every moment.

“We did it all,” Hayden said. “I want them to remember not just the great thing, not just the bad thing, but everything – not just the 40-0 or the loss.”

Williams, a transfer from Illinois, had to sit out a year, but being in the starting lineup for the Lady Bears’ 40-0 season was worth it. The Big 12 Conference Sixth Man Award recipient appreciates the wins and the losses the team has experienced.

“No matter how many battles we had or how many people wanted us to lose … they can’t take away the joy and happiness that we did have on this team,” Williams said. “We were a hardworking bunch and did not take anything for granted, no matter what happened.”

Mulkey describes Williams as a “quiet producer” and “deceptively good at rebounding on the offensive end.” She was awarded the Lady Bear Award and is on track to graduate in May. Though Mulkey claims Williams should have been drafted, Williams’ future for basketball will be a WNBA camp or playing overseas.

As for the Co-MVP and Rebound Award winner, Griner, Mulkey was speechless.

“I don’t know what I could tell you tonight that has not been written, has not come out of my mouth, hasn’t been said by most of you about Brittney Griner,” Mulkey said at the banquet. “Brittney Griner changed the way I coached the game.”

The No. 1 WNBA draft pick, the holder of numerous records, and the standout-dunking center, Griner has been a game changer for women’s basketball.

Despite all of her impressive statistics and records, Mulkey highlighted Griner’s commitment to Baylor by playing all four years, despite opportunities to play overseas, while associate head coach Bill Brock spoke of her character.

“Two of the things I will always remember about B.G. is this – one, she never back-talked me in any situation in coaching,” Brock said. “Second thing, every day she gave effort in practice.”

Griner is on track to graduate in May. She has said that she will miss the Baylor fans, being on campus, and being friends with fellow classmates.

As for what Baylor will miss about Brittney?

“My smile and personality,” Griner said with a goofy grin.

“Her free spirit!” Mulkey interjected.

Griner was the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick for the Phoenix Mercury, the first time in Baylor history.

As for the future relationship of these six seniors, they plan on staying connected.

“I came in not knowing anyone,” Williams said. “I had the chance to get to know a group of young ladies and got to become lifelong friends.”

Pope, Hayden and Williams all agreed on the value of social media to stay in touch, as well as texting, phone calls, the occasional get-together, or even a basketball matchup.

“We [Chicago Sky] will play Brittney the first game of the season,” Pope said.

With such a well-rounded group of athletes led by a passionate coach, one cannot doubt they will all be successful, in whatever path they choose.

“Coach mentored us in the right way,” Williams said. “She got us to be successful on and off the court, by getting a degree and also winning a national championship. You’ll always be thankful for having a woman so selfless.”

The 2012-2013 Lady Bears basketball team, led by six seniors, will leave behind a legacy far greater than the final buzzer.

“I think throughout the four years of their career here, they will be talked about long, long from now,” Mulkey said.

Junior catcher Clare Hosack prepares to round third base Thursday night against Texas Tech. (Travis Taylor | Lariat Photographer)

In an unusually cold evening, the No. 15 Baylor Lady Bears took care of business with an 8-2 win over Texas Tech on Thursday at Getterman Stadium. The chilly weather didn’t seem to faze the Lady Bears who came out of the dugout with energy.

The Lady Bears scored in four of the six innings of play with everyone in the starting lineup having at least one hit, with the exception of junior left-handed pitcher Whitney Canion. However, Canion made up for it through her solid pitching.

Despite allowing seven walks, Canion allowed four hits and two runs while striking out 12 batters. With runners on bases on multiple occasions, Canion got critical strikeouts to prevent significant damage.

“We were mixing them up quite a bit,” Canion said. “Once I got that change up going, that was pretty nice, but it was nice like that last inning I threw, you work ahead and get out of it quick. I thought my change up was key tonight.”

Junior catcher Clare Hosack made head coach Glenn Moore proud going 3-for-2 and scored two runs.

“I was really happy with Clare Hosack,” Moore said. “That was one of her better outings. Top of the order, bottom of the order, when you can score in any part of your order you feel pretty good about it.”

Baylor jumped out on top in the first inning capitalizing on the early mistakes made by Texas Tech.

Senior center fielder Kathy Shelton began the game by reaching on an error by the second baseman and stole second shortly after to become just one steal shy of Baylor’s single-season record for stolen bases.

After a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, freshman third baseman Sarah Smith reached on an error by the shortstop, and Shelton advanced to third.

With two outs, freshman outfielder Linsey Hays hit a two-run double down the left field line giving Baylor an early lead.

“Coach came in the locker room and told us whoever wants to be out there least is going to lose,” Hays said. “So we made sure we were energized and ready and wanted to jump on them early and get them down.”

The Texas Tech pitching staff struggled and only managed one strikeout between the three pitchers that took the circle during the game.

The Lady Bears’ offense was consistent and continually scored runs. However, Baylor did strand runners on every base during the second inning after back-to-back advances on fielder’s choice.

Texas Tech continued fighting. The Lady Raiders ability to draw walks and get on bases haunted the Lady Bears in the fifth inning. With a seven run lead, Texas Tech scored two runs, which resulted from two leadoff walks. With runners at first and second, Canion threw a critical strikeout to end the inning.

The Lady Raiders cut the lead down to five, but the Lady Bears responded.

Hosack singled to left field after a popped ball to shortstop. With Shelton on base after being hit by the pitch, junior first baseman Holly Holl singled to right field allowing Hosack to score.

After a ground ball, Baylor did it’s job on defense to silence the Lady Raiders.

Baylor will look to clinch the series win against Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Getterman Stadium.

Malcolmsports.com published the Ten Commandments for Parents of Athletes. Number 3 on the list: Don’t coach your child. Three coaches in the Baylor Athletic program have had to ignore this rule as they took on the role of being coach and parent to one or more of their children.

Head coach Kim Mulkey of the two-time National Champion Lady Bears Basketball team has made a name for herself in the world of collegiate women’s basketball. She is known for her intensity and competitiveness on the sidelines of the basketball court to anyone who knows her as Coach Mulkey. But to those who call her mom, she is a laid back, easygoing comedian who loves to spend time with her family.

Junior guard Makenzie Robertson has played basketball under her mother, Mulkey, for the past three years and knows both sides of Mulkey well.

“In every aspect of her life, as both a mom and a coach she is a driven woman with high standards and a loving heart,” Robertson said.

Growing up, Robertson was always encouraged by her mom to pursue anything she wanted. When she took a liking to sports, Mulkey would give her advice but stay away from the coaching role for most of her childhood. It wasn’t until Robertson reached Baylor that her mom stepped in as her coach and a new relationship between the two was born.

“There were other schools that recruited me, but I think all along I knew I would end up at Baylor with my mom,” said Robertson. “Even as a child I planned to play for her no matter where she was coaching.”

Robertson admits there are some awkward times when she has had to keep quiet when receiving criticism during practice since she is so used to talking back if she were talking to her mom and not her coach. But after three years of practice, the relationship between them on and off the court has improved and it is getting easier to hold her tongue.
“We have an understanding that no matter what is said she, will always love me and I should never take it to heart,” Robertson said.

Associate head football coach Brian Norwood has coached his son Levi since 2010, and prior to his time at Baylor, he coached at Penn State where his older son, Jordan, also played for him. Brian Norwood has had years of practice at switching between the roles of coach and parent with his two sons, but Levi Norwood said it took some time to adjust to his dad being his coach.

“I guess the most frustrating thing about playing for your dad is people think that’s the only reason you’re on the team,” Levi Norwood said. “There are a lot of people who are surprised that I actually play.”

Levi Norwood said that since his dad coaches defense, and since he plays offense, it makes the situation easier since they don’t interact with each other directly. Coach Norwood is the safeties coach for Baylor, and Levi Norwood plays inside receiver. The most interaction they get on the practice field is when Levi Norwood makes a good play and beats his dad’s players. When it happens, he will run over to make sure his dad didn’t miss the play.

“Ill always run over and flip the ball at him or say something when I beat his players,” Levi Norwood said. “But he does the same to me when I get tackled or his guys make a good play. It’s all in good fun.”

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Ryan Smith has been on the Bears’ baseball team for two seasons. However, he isn’t the only person in his family who is a part of the team. His father, Steve Smith, is the head coach of the team.

Steve Smith has been the Bears’ head coach since 1994 after an assistant coaching stint at Mississippi State. Ryan Smith said he has always had a liking for Baylor ever since his father’s first season in 1995.

“I’ve grown up a Baylor Bear fan ever since,” Ryan Smith said. “I have always wanted to play here for him.”

Ryan Smith said he doesn’t view his father being the coach any differently than if anybody else were the coach.

“I don’t feel pressure to succeed because of him,” he said. “It’s more motivation to prove that I belong. Baylor baseball is my family, and I’m just trying to do everything in my power to help my family win.”

Many people would think that having a parent as the head coach would benefit the child. Ryan Smith said his father treats him just like every other player and does not feel any pressure when making decisions regarding his playing time.

“I am on the field when the game calls for it. He plays the best nine guys,” Ryan Smith said.

While Steve Smith is the head coach of the team, he is still Ryan Smith’s father. Ryan Smith said he benefits from that, and he wants to make his father proud.

“One benefit would be he already trusted me as a player and human being,” Ryan Smith said. “Another is just knowing my coaches as well as I did. How much of a better way to make your father proud then by helping him be successful in his career as well?”

On the other hand, when there is a game to be played, Ryan Smith said his father still performs his job the way a good coach should.

“When it comes game time, he is a coach first,” Ryan Smith said. “He obviously knows me better than the other pitchers, so we verbally communicate a little more than normal, but it’s strictly about the game and what we are trying to execute.”
There are several athletes that will reveal that they played for one of their parents at some point in their athletic career, even if it just was little league or peewee football. However, these three have developed a relationship that allows them to conquer the challenges of being a player to their parent at the college level.