By Jackson Posey | Sports Editor
Welcome back to the Monday Morning Sports Buzz, where we refuse to act like we’ve been there before.
To quote a popular philosophical treatise: “Weeeeeee are the chaaaaampions, my friiiieeeeends. (Dun-nuh-nuh, duh-nuh-nuh.)”
So wrote the late philosopher Freddie Mercury, who was (per sources) reveling in the thought that Baylor acrobatics and tumbling would one day win eleven consecutive national titles. That’s as many national titles as Duke and North Carolina men’s basketball have combined.
Clearly, Mercury was focused on the wrong Queen.
Let’s get into it.
Another one
DJ Khaled would be plumb out of breath by the time he finished rattling off Felecia Mulkey’s national title resume. Baylor’s head coach has won every national title in A&T history: four at Oregon and now 11 at Baylor.
“We’re going to celebrate this the next couple hours … then we’re going to wake up and do this again,” said junior top and tumbler Payton Washington, who won NCATA Division I Athlete of the Year for her second consecutive season.
Sunday’s 271.835-266.265 win over Quinnipiac marked acrobatics and tumbling’s final competition as an NCATA sport. Starting next season, it will fully transition to NCAA championship status.
Amicus briefs pending
Men’s and women’s tennis are both awaiting Monday night’s NCAA selection shows, which will determine their postseason fate.
No. 11 men’s tennis (22-9, 6-2 Big 12) is expected to host an opening-round regional in the 64-team tournament. The Bears have defeated five top-12 opponents this season, including an upset win over No. 1 Ohio State in March.
Women’s tennis (13-9, 8-5 Big 12) is hoping to hear its name called for an at-large bid. The Bears rank No. 37 in the nation after losing to No. 23 TCU in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Tap into tomorrow’s Morning Buzz to find out where the teams are headed for the first round.
Diamond stocks falling
Baylor baseball and softball were each swept this weekend, knocking both teams below .500 in Big 12 play.
Baseball (22-21, 9-12 Big 12) has lost six straight following a three-game sweep at No. 25 Arizona State. (The Sun Devils outscored Baylor 26-8.) The Bears previously lost an upset at Sam Houston State on Tuesday, 7-5, and the final two games of a weekend series against TCU. They’ll return to action at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against UT Arlington.
Softball (27-23, 9-12 Big 12) was outscored 21-4 in a weekend sweep at the hands of No. 17 Oklahoma State in Waco, including an 8-1 loss on senior day. The Bears’ final regular season series looms: a weekend tilt at No. 5 Texas Tech, which runs Thursday through Saturday and concludes with an ESPN+ televised finale at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Football season finale (sort of)
Spring ball ended with a bang Saturday, as the Bears hosted an open practice for Fan Fest. Players said they enjoyed the event, which mostly consisted of one-on-one drills and some seven-on-seven competition.
“This one was so different,” redshirt senior defensive end Kyler Jordan said. “It’s crazy that it is my fourth and final one, but this spring has been so awesome … It was great to get to show off everything we’ve done for the fans here, too.”
The Bears will open their fall slate against Auburn on Sept. 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Around the horn
- The NFL Draft featured two Baylor football players, defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (Tennessee Titans) and wide receiver Josh Cameron (Jacksonville Jaguars). Others signed as undrafted free agents, including tight end Michael Trigg and offensive lineman Sidney Fugar (Dallas Cowboys), quarterback Sawyer Robertson (Las Vegas Raiders), wide receivers Kole Wilson (Cleveland Browns) and Kobe Prentice (Carolina Panthers).
- Track and field dominated the Michael Johnson Invitational, with both the men’s and women’s teams taking first in the weekend meet. The Bears set nine PRs on Saturday, including six marks which are nationally ranked. Baylor’s final regular season meet is the Alumni Muster, set for this weekend in College Station.
Today I thought about the morning — that repeating grace which never seems to leave us. Marilynne Robinson once described watching “the dawn come and the light flood over the land and everything turn radiant at once.” I pray we all find radiant joy in our waking mornings this week.
Thanks for reading.
— JPose
