Author: Baylor Lariat

By Cody Soto Sports Writer ARLINGTON – Tears filled the eyes of No. 5 Baylor football’s senior class as the final seconds winded down Thursday afternoon at AT&T Stadium. The Bears (11-2, 8-1 Big 12) were only 15 minutes away from winning the Cotton Bowl heading into the fourth quarter, but in a turn of events, they walked back to the locker room empty handed. “It’s tough especially since we’ve been there and done it, you know this feeling, so that’s why as a team I thought we fought,” senior quarterback Bryce Petty said. “We fought. We fought. We fought.…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer ARLINGTON – The 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is underway at AT&T Stadium, and the fifth-ranked Baylor Bears lead No. 8 Michigan State 24-14 at halftime. The Bears finished the first half with 292 total offensive yards behind a powerful performance from senior quarterback Bryce Petty. Petty was 18-for-27 from the field for 245 yards and a touchdown. Michigan State opened the game with a powerful opening drive as running back Jeremy Langford broke away and jetted to the one-yard line. After a wide open pass fell incomplete, Langford ran in the end zone for…

Fans get pumped for the Cotton Bowl at the pre-game pep rally and show their best touchdown dances from Baylor Lariat on Vimeo.

By Cody Soto Sports Writer DALLAS — With one day left before the fifth-ranked Baylor Bear football team faces No. 8 Michigan State in the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, students, fans and school personnel rallied together to participate in the team fan fest Wednesday afternoon. The event sponsored by the Baylor Alumni Network featured the Golden Wave Band, song leaders and cheerleaders as the crowd practiced their stadium cheers for tomorrow’s matchup. Not only were fans able to enjoy kind words from emcee John Morris, but several familiar faces on campus stopped by to say hello. Judge and Chancellor…

We have seen many great athletes walk through Baylor University, and several have made their way around campus during the last year. Some perform outstanding individual feats, while others exemplify the meaning of perseverance and teamwork. A select few have set themselves apart with their feats; here are the Baylor Lariat’s 2014 Athletes of the Year. ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Odyssey Sims, Women’s Basketball Former Lady Bear point guard Odyssey Sims is the definition of an athlete. Sims played a huge role in route to the team’s 2012 national title and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2013, but it was…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer DALLAS — As 2014 has rolled away, No. 5 Baylor football looks to open up the New Year with a win in the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against No. 8 Michigan State on Thursday morning in Arlington. The Bears have been at the game site practicing for their fifth consecutive bowl game since last Friday, and they’re ready to play, head coach Art Briles said. “It has been a great week, and it is show time,” Briles said. “The thing about bowl weeks, it’s kind of a challenge to you mentally, our players, our…

Members of The Lariat sports desk join Alexa Brackin to preview the Cotton Bowl from Baylor Lariat on Vimeo.

The past year was filled with surprises with phenomenal performances by Baylor athletes in their respective sports. The contribution by these players helped guide their teams to quality wins in conference play and beyond. These athletes exceeded expectations during their seasons and brought national attention to the athletic program through their playing ability and shined during several occasions this year. From blow-out plays to big saves, here are the Lariat’s top Baylor athlete performances in 2014. PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Whitney Canion, Softball Pitcher Line: 17.1 innings pitched, 305 pitches, 14 hits, 2 earned runs, 19 strikeouts, two walks in…

By Shehan Jeyarajah Sports Editor DALLAS — As if the national stage itself isn’t enough, No. 5 Baylor football has plenty of motivation heading into Thursday’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. While missing the inaugural College Football Playoff is at the forefront of the national conversation, none might be bigger than what happened last New Year’s Day against UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. Coming off of the program’s first Big 12 Championship and heading to a first BCS bowl appearance, Baylor was riding high headed to Glendale, Ariz. However, the Bears’ magical season came to a screeching halt with a 52-42…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer DALLAS — There is one final game in the 2014 season for No. 5 Baylor football, and the all-time winningest senior class is prepared to go out on top in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington. The 16 seniors on the roster have an opportunity to cap off an incredible run playing for the green and gold. In four seasons, the senior class has a record of 40-11, including three seasons with at least 10 wins each. From 2011 to 2014, they have made an appearance in four straight bowl games, winning the Alamo…

The 2014 calendar year was one of the biggest in Baylor history, and featured some of the most prominent performances that we have seen from Bears. From Big 12 Championships to nationally-recognized performances, it was a standout year. There were several games that brought Baylor national attention, and not just in its most notable sports. Here are the Lariat’s top Baylor games of 2014. GAME OF THE YEAR: Football vs. TCU All eyes were on McLane Stadium on Oct. 11 as historical rivals No. 5 Baylor and No. 9 TCU played the first game between top 10 ranked teams in…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer DALLAS — This week is much more than Cotton Bowl preparation, practices and media interviews for No. 5 Baylor football. It’s a time to brighten a child’s day as well. The Bears took time out of their schedule preparing for their fifth consecutive bowl game to visit the Children’s Medical Center at Dallas on Monday afternoon. Both Baylor and Michigan State’s teams were able to visit local hospitals today in conjunction with the Cotton Bowl Classic. “Today is about the kids, and we think it is really awesome to see the teams take time…

By Shehan Jeyarajah Sports Editor DALLAS — Baylor football junior defensive end Shawn Oakman announced that he plans to return for his senior season in Waco. “It’s what you’re supposed to do; it’s not my time,” Oakman said. “My body of work isn’t there yet. And on top of everything, that’s not how you leave a program that brought you back to the light where you’re supposed to be.” Despite his concerns about body of work, the former Penn State transfer posted one of the most dominant seasons in Baylor history. Oakman led the team with 18.5 tackles for loss…

By Shehan Jeyarajah Sports Editor Baylor volleyball announced Ryan McGuyre as the ninth coach in program history on Wednesday morning. “Ryan is a truly exceptional coach, recruiter, leader and mission fit,” athletic director Ian McCaw said. “We look forward to him building a championship program at Baylor.” McGuyre comes to Baylor following a 15-year collegiate coaching career. From 2002 to 2011, he was the head coach at NAIA power California Baptist University. During his time at CBU, McGuyre coached both the men’s and women’s teams to national championships, including winning NAIA titles in both during both the 2004 and 2005…

By Shehan Jeyarajah Sports Editor No. 9 Baylor women’s basketball overcame a slow start to take care of business against a scrappy Idaho team 88-70 in Waco behind freshman guard Kristy Wallace’s 24 points. Baylor (7-1) struggled to get going offensively in the first half, shooting a paltry 15-for-42 from the field. However, a second-half resurgence was able to catapult the Lady Bears to victory. Baylor shot 19-for-33 from the field in the second half, including 3-for-6 from the three-point line. Wallace shot an efficient 9-for-18 from the field, including six-for-nine from the three-point line. Sophomore forward Nina Davis added…

The Baylor Lariat Sports Desk recaps Baylor football’s second-straight Big 12 Championship and looks at its College Football Playoff snub. They also look forward to Baylor’s Cotton Bowl matchup with No. 8 Michigan State. Follow us on Twitter @BULariatSports @ShehanJeyarajah @JeffreySwindoll @BUCodySoto

By Cody Soto Sports Writer Baylor men’s basketball rekindled the Battle of the Brazos rivalry with a 77-63 win over in-state foe Texas A&M Tuesday night at the Ferrell Center. The Bears (8-1) used a 38-17 rebounding advantage to hold the Aggies (6-2) to zero offensive rebounds on the night. That number alone allowed Baylor to pull ahead and never look back. Senior guard Kenny Chery saw game action for the first time in four games after injuring his foot prior to the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. “We’re pleased that we were able to perform as well as we…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer No. 6 Baylor football leads No. 9 Kansas State 24-14 at halftime at McLane Stadium in the Bears’ second-straight de facto Big 12 championship game. Senior quarterback Bryce Petty was 24-for-30 for 257 yards and ran in for a touchdown in the half. Eight Baylor receivers caught a pass in the first 30 minutes of play led by senior receiver Levi Norwood with 57 yards. Baylor opened up the game with a huge opening drive fueled by the wide receiver corps. Petty charged into the end zone to put the Bears up 7-0 early in…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer Baylor men’s basketball used a strong performance from senior forward Royce O’Neale and junior forward Taurean Prince to take a 66-63 win over Vanderbilt Thursday night at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn. This is the first win since 1949 for the Bears against the Commodores, and Baylor snaps an eight-game losing streak to Vanderbilt. The Bears are now 5-1 in conference challenges, marking a perfect 2-0 record in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Bears finished with a 45.3 shooting effort and were 55.6 percent from the three-point line. Baylor used a 33-30 edge in rebounding…

By Jeffrey Swindoll Sports Writer The No. 11 Lady Bears overcame early first-half struggles to beat UT-Pan American Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center, 96-42. Sophomore forward Nina Davis finished the night with a team-leading 31 points, just one point shy of her career record. UTPA (6-4) hung tight with the heavily favored Lady Bears (5-1) in the beginning chunk of the first half. The Lady Bears put themselves in tough situations with errant passes, poor shooting and overall lack of chemistry. For the first ten minutes of the first half, Baylor had trouble with UTPA’s press defense. The Broncs…

The Baylor Lariat Sports Desk takes a look at this week’s rankings, and the committee’s apparent thought process. The guys also touch on College GameDay’s first ever appearance in Waco and where the volleyball team goes after losing Coach Jim Barnes. Follow the guys on Twitter @ShehanJeyarajah @BUCodySoto @JeffreySwindoll and follow the sports desk @BULariatSports

By Cody Soto Sports Writer The roller coaster ride of the 2014 Baylor volleyball season has finally come to a halt. The Bears (14-17, 4-12 Big 12) ended their regular season without a NCAA tournament berth for the third straight year. Baylor took a 3-0 loss to tournament-bound Iowa State on Saturday afternoon in Ames, Iowa, to finish the season on a four-game losing streak. Junior outside hitter Andie Malloy was named an All-Big 12 first team selection after she led the team with 447 kills over 31 games and averaged 3.89 per set. The Allen, Texas, native ranked second…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer No. 1 Baylor equestrian wrapped up its fall season with a 14-6 win over Delaware State in Dover, Del., on Nov. 21 to remain undefeated going into 2015. The top-ranked Bears (8-0) took a 7-3 win in both western and hunt seat categories to win their first road meet of the season. Baylor won 4-1 in equitation over fences, and senior hunter seat rider Sam Schaefer led the way with a score of 81 in the event. Sophomore hunter seat rider Savannah Jenkins garnered Most Outstanding Player honors in the event after beating Delaware State’s…

Baylor rolled to a 75-49 win over Texas Southern on Monday night behind a monstrous performance from junior forward Rico Gathers at the Ferrell Center.

By Cody Soto Sports Writer Baylor volleyball head coach Jim Barnes will not return next season, according to a release by Baylor Athletic Communications Monday night. Barnes had been the head coach for Baylor’s volleyball program for 11 years, starting in 2003. He is the all-time winningest coach in program history after compiling a 181-170 record over the 11-year mark. Barnes led the Bears to two NCAA tournament appearances in 2009 and 2011, and reached the Sweet 16 level in 2009. He has an all-time coaching record of 344-268 with time spent at Lamar and Wyoming before coming to Baylor.…

By Shehan Jeyarajah Sports Editor The Big 12 conference is instituting a series of new conference bylaws to increase future scholarship compensation for student-athletes, the conference announced on Monday. Pending expected changes in NCAA rules this January, the changes that have been approved will allow schools to increase compensation, sign players to multi-year scholarships for duration of eligibility and let former athletes return to school and complete degree requirements. “Enacting these measures is an important step in the process of implementing a twenty-first century model that is responsive to the need of our student-athletes,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said…

By Cody Soto Sports Writer Baylor volleyball dropped its final Big 12 matchup with a 3-0 decision to Iowa State Saturday afternoon to conclude its regular season. The Bears (14-17, 4-12 Big 12) fell to the Cyclones in straight sets 26-24, 25-17, 25-15 in Ames, Iowa, after Baylor defeated Iowa States in five sets earlier this season at the Ferrell Center. Three players finished the game with nine kills each for Baylor: junior outside hitter Andie Malloy, junior middle hitter Adrien Richburg and freshman outside hitter Katie Staiger. In the loss, Baylor hit .229 as a team and got major…