By Jackson Posey | Sports Editor
Between gingerbread houses and late-night fireworks, it can be difficult to keep track of anything going on outside the living room.
Don’t worry, though — we’ve got you covered. Here are the seven most important Baylor sports stories you might have missed over the break.
Track star Kelley sets 200M program record
Senior sprinter Tiriah Kelley is no stranger to speed. The senior sprinter advanced at the 2024 US Olympic trials, ran what was then the Big 12’s fastest 200-meter time in early 2025 and entered this season with even higher expectations.
Earlier this month, Kelley reached another milestone at the Corky Classic in Lubbock. She ran a 22.56-second 200-meter dash, breaking her own school record, the meet record and posting the world’s fastest time this year.
“She told me when we had our team meeting … that she just wanted to start her season the way she ended it last year,” head coach Michael Ford said after the meet. “She didn’t really have a lot of people pushing her, so she just kind of pushed herself the whole race. It was just a great race.”
Women’s basketball upsets undefeated No. 10 Iowa State
Led by star center Audi Crooks (26.9 points, 7.5 rebounds), the Cyclones have looked unstoppable for much of this season, winning their first 14 games by an average margin of 90.9-59.4.
Then, they ran into Baylor.
No. 14 Baylor head coach Nicki Collen called for aggressive double teams against Crooks, often leaving Iowa State guard Jada Williams completely unguarded. Williams scored 28 points on 28 shots, but the Bears held Crooks to her lowest point total in over a month and escaped with a 72-70 road win. Other coaches took note of the strategy, and the once-undefeated Cyclones are 0-4 since.
Hurd Tennis Center named College Tennis Facility of the Year
For the second time in the past decade, Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center was named the Racquet Sports Industry magazine’s College Tennis Facility of the Year. The outdoor venue hosted a slew of major events in the past year, including the inaugural NCAA Individual Championships, the NCAA Team Championships and the Big 12 Championships.
Baseball christens “Magnolia Field” after record donation
Baylor officially renamed its baseball venue to “Baylor Ballpark at Magnolia Field” following a record donation by Baylor graduates Chip and Joanna Gaines. It is the first Big 12 field to be named after a company.
You can read th full story on the Bears’ new facility name here.
Acrobatics and Tumbling receives NCAA Championship status
Baylor A&T has won a historic 10 consecutive NCATA national titles. This year, the Bears will have a chance to return to the podium with a new honor in sight.
The NCAA announced last week that acrobatics and tumbling would become a full-fledged NCAA championship sport, meaning its postseason will be NCAA-sponsored for the first time. It had previously been part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program since August 2020.
Men’s basketball signs former NBA Draft pick Nnaji
Baylor men’s basketball shocked the world on Christmas Eve, signing former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji in a decision that spawned endless debate about the future of college athletics.
Nnaji officially became the first former NBA Draft selection to play college basketball on Jan. 3 against TCU. So far, though, the 21-year-old has played a minor role for the Bears, averaging 2.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game.
You can read the full story on Nnaji’s signing here.
Football inks former five-star QB transfer Lagway
Former five-star quarterback DJ Lagway signed with the Bears on Sunday, closing a lengthy process. The Willis native waited 10 days to sign with the program after committing, spending the intervening time considering offers from Ole Miss and Duke.
Lagway started most of the past two seasons at Florida, completing 62.0% of his passes for 4,179 yards, 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He has elite arm strength and above-average athleticism as a runner, but struggled with turnovers as a sophomore. His father, Derek, played running back for the Bears from 1997-2001.
You can read the full story on Lagway’s commitment here.
