Author: Marissa Essenburg

By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer

As finals arrive and campus begins to slow, Baylor athletics is only picking up speed. With postseason play across the board, May will define which teams keep their seasons alive and which ones make a championship push.

Behind another commanding doubles point and singles wins from Luc Koenig, Devin Badenhorst and Alexandru Chirita, Baylor protected home court Saturday to keep its postseason run alive. With the win, the Bears move one step closer to the NCAA quarterfinals and return to Waco next weekend with even bigger stakes.

After a rain delay and chilly May conditions, the Bears leaned on a commanding doubles point and straight-set singles wins from Zsombor Velcz, Luc Koenig and Devin Badenhorst to make quick work of Tulsa. Baylor now turns its attention to Auburn with a Round of 16 berth on the line Saturday night.

Nicki Collen has retooled Baylor’s roster around star guard Taliah Scott after another 25-win season ended before the Bears could break through their March ceiling. Now the question is whether the new-look pieces can turn regular-season consistency into the deeper postseason run the team has been chasing.

Felecia Mulkey built acrobatics and tumbling from the ground up, then led Baylor to 11 straight national titles. But beyond the banners, “Coach Fee’s” legacy lives in the athletes she shapes, the culture she protects and the heart behind college athletics’ most dominant dynasty.

No. 1 Baylor acrobatics and tumbling capped its final NCATA championship run with a 271.835-266.265 win over Quinnipiac and extending its winning streak to 62 meets.

They met with nothing guaranteed — not playing time, not recognition, not what came next. Now as the NFL Draft and graduation arrive, Josh Cameron and Joy Wells step into a future they built together through faith and belief.

No. 1 Baylor acrobatics and tumbling enters championship weekend with a chance to add an 11th straight NCATA crown to its unmatched dynasty. But before the sport shifts into a new era, the Bears still have one final title chase to finish.

What looked like a surprise appearance at Coachella was really something much deeper. For those of us who grew up alongside Justin Bieber, Bieberchella felt like watching someone find his way back to himself — and reminding us we can too.

From foundational stars to generational icons, Baylor women’s basketball has produced no shortage of greatness over the past 25 years. These five players did more than fill up stat sheets; they helped shape the standard of excellence that defines the program.

Tiriah Kelley delivered a top-10 national time in her outdoor 200 debut, while Molly Haywood reclaimed the pole vault podium. Baylor backed it up with relay improvements and personal bests across a loaded field at the Tom Jones Memorial meet.

Fontleroy, who scored over 1,000 points during her four years with the green and gold, will have an opportunity to prove herself with a training camp deal.

With a veteran core and an All-American punter setting the tone, Baylor’s special teams enters 2026 leaning on rare continuity — rallying around a senior captain whose leadership has become the heartbeat of the team and the unit.

Baylor women’s basketball continued its portal push Tuesday, bringing in junior guards Trinity Turner and Tianna Thompson from Georgia and Ole Miss. The additions give Nicki Collen a true floor general, a proven perimeter shooter and more momentum as the Bears reshape their roster for the season ahead.

Two-time national champion Leavy McDonald has become a cornerstone of Baylor acrobatics and tumbling’s dynasty. The NCATA star’s success is built on faith, family, gratitude and the people who helped carry her there.

Baylor enters the Big 12 Tournament with momentum, depth and a lineup built for postseason tennis, opening against Utah in Thursday’s quarterfinals with a potential rematch against TCU looming.

The Bears grabbed the doubles point and early energy, but TCU’s depth showed as the Horned Frogs swept the opening sets and closed out a 4–1 win. The loss ends Baylor’s five‑match home streak and tightens the race heading into the Big 12 Championships.

Baylor opened its offseason with a frontcourt boost, landing Utah forward Reese Ross as its first transfer addition Friday. The 6-foot-1 former No. 1 player in South Dakota brings Big 12 experience, rebounding production and needed versatility as Baylor rebuilds its rotation.

Under the Texas sun and in front of a home crowd, Baylor turned its home meet into a showcase of PRs, podium sweeps and national rankings. With the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational on deck, the Bears looked every bit ready on the road to nationals.

What began as unintentional speed at a middle‑school track meet has become a decorated collegiate career. With her final months ahead, Kelley is sprinting toward an ending she’d never imagined.

With a new cornerbacks coach and a new mindset, Baylor’s defensive backs are embracing higher standards. Players say coach Modkins’ mix of intensity and care is already pushing the room forward.

Dawson Pendergrass is back on the field for Baylor after missing all of 2025 with a season-ending foot injury. Five practices into spring ball, the redshirt junior is returning to a new-look backfield and a role he said still must be earned.

With experience departing and gaps to fill, Baylor turns its focus to a loaded transfer portal. Guards, shooting and frontcourt presence top the offseason priority list.

Baylor tight end Michael Trigg put his versatility on display at Pro Day in front of NFL scouts. As the draft approaches, Trigg believes his ability to impact both the passing and run game is one of the biggest strengths of his game, leaning on steady confidence and his deep love for the game.

After four years of leading Baylor women’s basketball through a new era, Bella Fontleroy and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs leave behind a lasting imprint on the program. Now with the WNBA Draft approaching, the veteran duo turns its focus to proving their games translate to the next level.

Fresh off multiple All-American finishes at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, Baylor begins the outdoor season with momentum and high expectations. With speed across the sprints and proven veterans leading the way, the Bears look poised to make another run this spring.

In a world where so much of our happiness has become tied to circumstances, success and other people, the way we choose to see our lives may be more powerful than anything happening around us.

Baylor’s season came to a close Sunday as the Bears struggled to find their rhythm from the opening tip, falling to ACC champion Duke in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32. The loss marked the end of a veteran era in Waco.

Months after their season opener in Paris, Baylor and Duke will square off again in the NCAA Tournament. While the Bears knocked off the Blue Devils in November, Sunday’s meeting carries far greater stakes, as they’ll look to do it again with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.