With a 964 to 760 vote in November 2008, students at West Texas A&M University said, “Yes” to a new Sports Complex on campus. The WT athletic program is leaving behind their old fields and is currently under construction for new facilities scheduled to open in August.
“We got it to a vote of the students in November 2008,” WT Director of Athletics, Michael McBroom said. “It takes a process to even get it to that stage. Where we are in construction now is ahead of time by about a year. We moved as quickly as we could on it, and to have it done within two years of the vote of the students is actually a pretty remarkable accomplishment.”
These estimated $41-50 million dollar facilities are being built largely from tuition increases. Donations have been sought to help complete the project. The Sports Complex will contain baseball and softball fields, three intramural softball fields, a soccer field, a track, a practice field for football and the Buffalo Marching Band, as well as tennis courts, sand volleyball and outdoor basketball courts.
“This new sports complex will give us about the best facilities in the country,” McBroom said. “It will certainly help with recruiting and help our ability to prepare for the seasons without losing game or practice times due to weather. It will give our fans and students who come to games much nicer venues, especially for the spring sports. We are excited about it because it is certainly beneficial to us, the fans and the student body. It is going to dramatically impact our campus.”
Fans and students can expect to see more home games next season thanks to the new complex. The WT athletic department hopes to schedule games at more convenient times for their fans.
Sports Complex Site Plan
“If we can get lights worked in prior to this season or the next, we will have more games at night,” McBroom said. “Evening games draw more fans from the community and the student body. When you play at one o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, you are limited as to who can attend those games, but if you can move those games back to six or seven o’clock starts, more people are able to take advantage of coming out to a game.”
WT also hopes to avoid game cancellations brought on by inclement weather. The new sports complex will be equipped with artificial surfaces to help combat poor field conditions.
“We are hoping that the sports complex will mean that we don’t have to move our spring sports around so much due to weather,” McBroom said. “We are going to be able to maintain a set schedule without losing games due to weather.”
The Sports Complex will also increase the number of conference tournaments and NCAA championships WT will be hosting in future years. Coaches and athletes seem motivated by the new facilities to improve on current standings.
“We have high expectations of all of our programs whether they have a new complex to compete in or not,” McBroom said. “We expect to win championships. It doesn’t matter where we play. I expect our teams to be the best day in and day out, so that is what we strive to do.”
The fields are scheduled for completion around August 2010, while the surrounding facilities are scheduled for sometime in November.
Freshman middle distance runner, Luke Irwin from Uxbridge, Ontario is a leader in multiple events on the West Texas A&M track and field progression chart. Unlike many athletes at WT who started participating in their sports as children, Irwin didn’t begin competing in track and field until 10th grade at Uxbridge Secondary School.
“I started running track because my friend ran, and he invited me to come out and run on the team,” Irwin said. “I also joined because I ran cross-country in ninth grade, and my coach said that I should run track as well.”
Head track coach, Darren Flowers, recruited Irwin out of Uxbridge and onto the WT track team.
“I talked to the coach, and he sounded like a good guy,” Irwin said. “I liked the way he described the program, and I liked how track was new to the University. I thought the idea of being part of a new program would be fun.”
Irwin now runs the 800m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m for the WT men’s track team. Irwin holds the fastest time for WT in the 5000m with 15:15.07, set at the Tarleton Invite on March 11.
At the Tech Open on March 26, Irwin topped the charts in the 1500m with a time of 4:09.48 and the 2000m steeplechase with 6:33.77. Irwin clocked the fifth fastest time in the 800m with 1:58.76 during the McMurray relays on April 1, 2010. Along with running, Irwin also holds a fifth place position in javelin throw with a mark of 44.63.
“As an athlete, I would like to improve my running over the next four years,” Irwin said. “I hope to win the 3000m steeplechase at the national division level. I also hope that I can continue running when college is over.”
Even though he is over 1600 miles from home, it doesn’t affect Irwin on the track.
“I like the fact that I get to compete in a different part of the world,” Irwin said. “No one really knows who I am down here in Texas, so it’s nice going to meets with less pressure. It makes it easier to perform. I also really like my teammates. There are some really good people on the track team, and that makes going to practice and traveling a lot better.”
Irwin strives to compete at the national level every year in track and cross country.
“I think having a competitive nature is very important at this level,” Irwin said. “You really have to go for it if you want to do well in a race.”
The Buffalo track and field team will travel to Norman, Oklahoma to compete in the Sooner Open on April 24.
Throughout his first year at West Texas A&M, senior infielder, Adam DeLaGarza, has been a smash at the plate for the Buffaloes. With 46 hits, 37 runs scored, 9 doubles, 4 triples and 69 total bases, DeLaGarza tops the leader boards for WT, but DeLaGarza offers more to the team than high statistics.
“I definitely think I bring something to the team as far as a work ethic and being able to be the guy that gets the team going day in and day out,” DeLaGarza said. “I feel as though the guys feed off of my energy.”
DeLaGarza started playing baseball at a very young age and carried his love of the game throughout his life.
“I started playing when I was four years old,” DeLaGarza said. “I played because I loved it; I knew from the first time I picked up a baseball.”
During his high school career, DeLaGarza was a three time first team All-District selection as a shortstop for the Red Oak High School Hawks. DeLaGarza graduated from high school in 2006 and then pursued an associate’s degree in The Arts at New Mexico Junior College where he played as an outfielder. DeLaGarza attended Sam Houston State in 2009, playing in the outfield.
There, he helped the Bearkats to a Southland Conference Championship title and was named to the All-Conference Tournament team.
“I came to WT because of a lot of reasons,” DeLaGarza said. “For one, I was unhappy where I was. The main reason, though, was Coach Hall, the assistant coach here, was my head coach at New Mexico junior college. Definitely the thing I like best about playing for WT would be the coaches, but I also like the relaxed atmosphere.”
DeLaGarza has helped the Buffaloes attain 15 wins on the season with a .438 batting average, a .657 slugging percentage and an on base percentage of .500.
“I expect for the team to make it to the conference tournament,” DeLaGarza said. “I believe we have a great shot, and if we do make it to the tournament, I feel that the sky is the limit for this team.”
DeLaGarza aspires to play baseball at the professional level after graduation. He is a sports and exercise science major at WT with a minor in mass communications.
Throughout the West Texas A&M campus, there are athletes committed to making a difference in the name of Jesus Christ. Most of these athletes are members of the WT chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, better known as FCA. This campus organization has changed the lives of many students at WT and continues to welcome new members.
“FCA is a lot of things,” volleyball player and FCA facilitator Natalie Johnson said. “To me personally, it is an amazing community of people. You can come in, and there are no expectations.
“It is so relaxed because everyone loves you for you. It’s good to be able to share God with everybody. It’s just a refreshing time of the week, and we have an amazing community that God can work through.”
It is the vision of FCA to see the world impacted for Jesus through the influence of athletes and coaches. Their mission is to present athletes and coaches and all whom they influence with the challenge and adventure of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The WT chapter also offers a community outside of games and practices for its athletes.
“The best thing for me is to see all of the people trying to get to the same place as I am,” distance runner Thomas Harris said. “It’s good to see other athletes getting into the word and going through the same stuff I am going through while looking towards the same goal.”
FCA meetings and events give students at WT a place to unwind. Athletes are able to be comfortable in their convictions without the pressures of school and athletics.
“FCA offers a lot of support to its members, especially athletes,” Johnson said. “As an athlete, it is really hard to be on a platform all of the time, but God gives us so much encouragement. It is a place where people can come and just relax in their faith and grow with their brothers and sisters.”
Meetings at FCA furnish games, worship, prayer and a positive message to all who attend. This organization equips its members with the proficiency to minister their beliefs to their peers and teammates. Athletes in FCA encourage their teammates to join them at meetings and connect through faith.
“My favorite part is listening to the other people,” softball player Dani Couger said. “We have individuals give testimonies or speak about their faith or their journey to God. When we get into discussions, it’s just great to hear what all you have in common. We have sports, but we also have so much in common when it comes to faith.”
FCA meets every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. in room 211 at the Activities Center. The only thing a student at WT has to do to be a member of FCA is just show up.
James Chandler, PRAIRIE | ALLIE RENYA
James Chandler Testimony
“I first started coming to FCA for the complete wrong reasons. I had a couple of buddies on the football team who asked me every week to come, and I would blow it off or make up a good excuse not to come. My friend enticed me with something of my interest, and that was the reason why I started coming to FCA. When I got here, I quickly realized that my motives had to change. Once I started building relationships with the people that I met at FCA, I realized that I had to get things right with the Father to have a deeper understanding of him and a more intimate relationship with him. Now, I come to FCA because of my fellow brothers and sisters and because I want to learn more about him.”
As a sophomore at West Texas A&M, Erik White has enjoyed the opportunity to attend many football games, but not just as a fan. He is one of fewstudents to walk on the field as an assistant coach for the Buffaloes.
“Erik White has really helped us out this season,” said head football coach Don Carthel. “We found him in a class that Coach Nesbitt was teaching. Erik was a young guy who wanted to be around coaching and maybe do coaching as a career, so we made him a student coach. He is doing a great job for us.”
As a coach for WT, White has been able to experience what it takes to be a coach at the collegiate level.
“Erik gets up here at 6 a.m. some mornings,” Carthel said. “Sometimes he will work until after midnight. He doesn’t get paid a dime. He just wants to be a part of something special and get it on his resume. Erik is a good example of a student that can really help and get involved in WT football.”
White assists Coach Mike Nesbitt with special teams during practice and games, but his efforts are not limited to the field.
“At practice, it’s my job to chart the kicker’s performance: how far they kick the ball and whether they make the field goal,” White said. “I work with them on any special fakes we might use during the game. I also work with the kickers before the game and during half-time, making sure they are ready to go.”
White also gains work experience by assisting Nesbitt in the office, setting up film for the team, and helping with new recruits for the Buffaloes.
“One of my goals for the future is to be a coach,” White said. “I’d like to coach at the college level or high school. This job is helping me because I get to know all of the coaches that work at WT, and I also get to know all of the high school coaches in the area because I go see them when we do recruiting.”
The position is open to any student who has a desire to get engaged with WT football.
“I would recommend this job to any other student that had a sincere interest in football,” White said. “It’s really difficult work for someone who doesn’t really have that interest. But, if you want to be a football coach, I would recommend it. It definitely gives you the experience you need.”
The Buffaloes are always looking for hard working student assistants willing to commit to the team.
“If there are some more students out there like Erik, we’d love to have them,” Carthel said. “Erik is a great worker and fun to be around. He is very positive and brings a lot of energy to practice every day.”
White is a sports and exercise science major at WT with a minor in history education. This semester, he is helping with spring football practices. White plans to charge the field with the Buffaloes in the fall.
Rachel Zurbriggen – Media Relations Student Assistant
The athletic department and WT has many job opportunities for students. Maybe one of the most unheard of positions is that of media relations assistant in the sports information department. For over a year, senior Rachel Zurbriggen has been working behind the scenes at WT’s athletic events for the media relations department.
“I don’t think people realize that our department exists,” Zurbriggen said. “They don’t know that the things they see on the news comes directly from us.”
The sports information department is responsible for keeping the official statistics during games, turning out press releases and recaps and keeping local media informed on WT Athletics news.
“This job is great for someone who doesn’t like a structured routine,” Zurbriggen said. “We have office hours during the week, but you may work a 12 hour day during a tournament. Sports is definitely something fun that a lot of people get into. It’s a really exciting atmosphere, and no day is the same.”
Each student assistant is placed in charge of a sport for WT. This year, Zurbriggen headed as the men’s soccer contact and no co-heads as softball contact.
“If I am in charge of the sport, I keep the stats,” Zurbriggen said. “If our team is away, I make sure the host team has all of our rosters and information. We write the stories and press releases after the games that you see on gobuffsgo.com.”
Because of its demands, this is one of the few positions for students in the athletic department that is paid.
“Our student workers are vital to the success of athletics,” said assistant media relations director Andi Leavitt. “Especially in sports information, we couldn’t do the things that we do on a full time basis if we didn’t have the assistance of our students. I think it’s the little jobs that they do that really make the difference and make our jobs so much easier.”
Zurbriggen plans to use the experience gained in the sports information office to help her in her future career.
“If I could do something similar to this job in the future, that is what I would prefer to do,” said Zurbriggen. “If I could be a sports information director at a university or work in the marketing department or media relations department for a professional sports team, that would be what I would enjoy doing. This job directly relates to what I would be doing for a professional team.”
Zurbriggen is working on a bachelor’s of business administration in international business.
Mari Stoeber – Athletic Training Student Assistant
Sophomore Mari Stoeber helps with the athletic department by volunteering as a student trainer for WT. With the aspiration of becoming an NFL trainer, Stoeber is gaining experience through WT’s athletic training program.
“My biggest goal is to be a NFL trainer, and this job is really going to help me because we are an accredited program,” said Stoeber. “It’s a really good program, and it’s going to gear me up to do my graduate assisting somewhere that has a big football program.”
Unlike some other jobs on campus, student athletic trainers are unpaid. Trainers must be committed to the experience and learning from their daily responsibilities.
“If we are in the training room, we are doing a lot of rehab,” said Stoeber. “If any athlete comes in, we have to help them with their injury. We get water bottles ready, get coolers ready and set up the field for practices. During practice we observe, and if something happens we go out. After practice, we clean up and make sure everything is ready to go for the next practice.”
There are student trainers assigned to every sport at WT. Currently, Stoeber puts in about 30 hours every week due to spring football practices. While football is not going on, Stoeber logs about 10 to 12 hours weekly.
“Mari does a really good job in the athletic training education program,” said head athletic trainer Ron Husley. “She is always willing to work and put in extra hours. While most students are on spring break, she is up here helping and being a really vital part of our program.”
This job is not for the faint-of-heart. With long hours, numerous responsibilities, and no pay, this job requires a certain type of worker.
“I would recommend this position to other students if it is really what you want to do,” said Stoeber. “If you don’t love it, you’re not going to make it. We put in a lot of hours. You have to be dedicated and ready to really work. If it is what you want to do, it is amazing. I personally love it. It takes a strong-willed person to do this job. If this is your goal, then this is a great job to have.”
The athletic training education program offers more to its students than lines on a resume. The experience gives the students a front row view into what it’s like to be a trainer.
“My favorite thing about this job is actually being able to be on the field,” said Stoeber. “Football is my favorite sport, and I never got to be on the field for a football game. The first time I did, it was just the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.”
Stoeber is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and plans to double-major in Sports and Exercise Science next fall.
Sophomore pitcher Sarah Blair has been a big hit on the WT Lady Buff softball team this season. Having pitched 73 innings for the Lady Buffs, Sarah Blair tops the leader boards in wins from the circle with a record of 8-3.
“I started playing softball when I was 6 years old,” Blair said. “A family friend was coaching his daughter’s team and they needed an extra player. My dad signed me up and had to drag me to my first practice, but after the first season, I was hooked!”
Blair also is a force at bat. With eight homeruns for the season, Blair leads the team alongside sophomore outfielder Kim LeComte. Blair has scored 19 runs off of 32 hits and holds the leading slugging percentage of .759.
“I brought both pitching and hitting to the team, and I feel very confident in both aspects of the game,” Blair said. “But, the team’s best asset is our depth and ability to put any 9 players on the field and win.”
Blair spent her freshman year playing softball for Kansas University. While at KU, Blair tallied a 2-3 record with a 3.71 ERA over 34.0 innings pitched. Blair started two games in her 14 appearances. She allowed 47 hits and 18 earned runs, while striking out 19 batters and walking 13.
“I was at KU my freshman year, and it was just not the place for me,” Blair said. “I had played with Meghan Brown, Meghan Slattery and Kasey Henderson for years before college,
and they pushed me to come here. Once I looked into WT and the softball program, it looked like a place I could be really happy. I took a visit here over Thanksgiving and signed to play before I got on the plane to go home.”
In high school, Blair lettered all four years at James E. Taylor HS. She was awarded two-time all-area and all-district first team. Blair was selected to the TCGA Texas All-Star Team and was named Most Valuable Player by her teammates twice. Blair was selected as the Houston area Player of the Year as a senior and holds the single-season school homerun record, with eight in 2008.
“I am incredibly hard on myself, and have goals that reflect that,” Blair said. “This year I want to be named to an All-American Team, but the ultimate goal is for the team to win a national championship. When the team plays their best, I know we can compete with anyone. My expectations are just that: to play better and beat every team we come up against. If we accomplish that, we’ll reach our team goal and have a ring on our fingers at the end of the season.”
Blair is a business major at WT. She is the daughter of Dorsey and Laura Blair and has a sister, Jeannie.
The West Texas A&M Men’s Basketball team concluded their regular season with a 15-12 overall record last Saturday with a win over Abilene Christian and now look forward into the post-season. The Buffaloes underwent many highs and lows this season, but hope for a conference championship this upcoming weekend.
“We are going to take the post-season one play at a time and see what happens,” said head coach Rick Cooper. “With this group of kids, we have a good chance to do well in post-season play. We are going to have to get better. We are going to have to take care of the basketball and be more consistent. I would like to think that we will be a factor in the race for the championship.”
The Buffaloes ended the season at a 6-6 mark in the Lone Star Conference. They were 5-1 at home and 1-5 on the road. This trend doesn’t differ in their season records, having a winning record of 12-1 on their home-court and a losing record of 3-9 away.
“We’ve had our strong points this season, and we’ve had our weak points,” said senior forward Bijan Dotson. “We’re great at home, but we struggle on the road. That is something that we need to improve on, especially with the conference tournament coming up.”
Dotson leads the Buffaloes in rebounds, totaling 159 for the season.
“I’m strong in rebounding and am another offensive and defensive threat for the team,” said Dotson. “I played a lot better this year than I did last year. Over my last four years in college, I’ve always improved.”
Leading the team in scoring with 340 points is senior guard Nick Burns. Burns also tops the leader board in assists (93), steals (44) and scoring average (12.6). Because Dotson and Burns are seniors, they will not be returning to the court next season.
“Nick and Bijan have both been very important to our success this year,” said Cooper. “They played major roles, but kids move on every year. I don’t know if you ever really replace kids like that. You just have to find kids that can step into that role and do what they had been able to do for us this year.”
Junior guard Joe Mincey shows promise for next season, having scored 314 points with a scoring average of 12.6. Mincey also poses a threat from the free-throw line averaging .805. Junior guard LaDarius Hall follows with 312 points tallied for the season with an 11.6 scoring average.
“We would like to see Joe Mincey, who has had a really good year, step into a leadership role,” said Cooper. “I think he will be a factor next year. LaDarius Hall, also another guard, had really good games and adjusted to the Division II level well.”
As a team, the Buffaloes hit a 72.5 scoring average this season, hitting .437 in field goals, .310 in three-pointers and .693 from the line. They also had a rebound average of 37.6 in their 27 games.
“We have had some really good moments as a team, and then we’ve had some moments that we would like to have over again,” said Cooper. “I may be a little disappointed in some past performances, but overall I feel very good about this group of guys and about this season.”
The Buffs currently stand at fourth place in the Lone Star Conference South Division.
“We want a conference championship,” said Dotson. “We all feel as if we have some payback for the teams we lost to this season, so we are going to play strong.”
The Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament will take place March 3-6 in Bartlesville, Okla.
“I just talked with the team about how they may have a winning record, but they haven’t won anything yet.” – Krista Gerlich
The West Texas A&M Lady Buff basketball team ended their regular season last Saturday. They are ranked number six in the nation by the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll. The team will enter post-season play with a staggering overall record of 26-3
“I just talked with the team about how they may have a winning record, but they haven’t won anything yet,” said head coach Krista Gerlich. “We still have a lot of games to play and a lot of championships to win.”
The Lady Buffs wrapped up their regular season with a 75.6 scoring average. WT scored a percentage of .479 in field goals, .359 from outside the circle and .715 from the free-throw line. They currently average 37.0 in rebounds.
“We have proven ourselves throughout the season, especially in conference, that we are the team to beat and that is a big accomplishment for us,” said Junior guard Joni Unruh. “I am really excited about the games still to come.”
Unruh leads the Lady Buffs in steals (84), assists (97) and offensive rebounds (69). With 394 points for the season, averaging 13.6 points a game, Unruh tails closely behind Sophomore forward Jamie Simmons for the most points on the season.
Simmons has scored 427 points for the Lady Buffs this season, averaging 14.7 points a game. Simmons also holds the top seat of the leader board in rebounds, totaling 220 in her 29 games played.
“I think Jamie and Joni have had a great year and have really stepped into those leading roles for us, and I hope they continue to do that,” said Gerlich. “I hope they will be able to be in even more of a leadership role with Holly and Ceciley being gone.”
Senior guard Holly Isaacs scored 252 points over the season and led the Lady Buffs from the three-point line, dropping 65 baskets. She tallied 62 assists, 32 steals and 60 rebounds for her team.
“Holly is instrumental in everything we do,” said Gerlich. “She is our heart and soul, our emotional leader. She gives us that fire that we need.”
Also leaving the Lady Buffs is 6’2 Senior center Ceciley Johnson and Senior guard/forward Maddy Brown.
“It’s going to be hard to lose those three girls, but it’s unavoidable,” said Gerlich. “It’s just something that is going to happen, so you just prepare the next class to come in and take over.”
The Lady Buffs will enter the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament this weekend with a 1st place standing in the South Division. The Lady Buffs hold a 10-2 mark in conference play this season.
“I think the post-season will be hard-fought,” said Gerlich. “Going into the conference tournament, being the defending two-time conference champions, we have a huge target on our backs. I think everyone in that place will be after us, so our girls have to rise up and combat that and combat that mentality.”
The LSC Women’s Basketball Championship game will be held in Bartlesville at the Bruin Field House Mar. 7 at 1 p.m.
Lone Star Conference South Division Season Standings – Division
School
Record
Win %
PF
PA
West Texas A&M University
10 – 2
0.833
920
749
Tarleton State
9 – 3
0.750
804
677
Abilene Christian
7 – 5
0.583
811
771
Texas A&M-Kingsville
6 – 6
0.500
801
849
Angelo State
5 – 7
0.417
693
751
Eastern New Mexico
3 – 9
0.250
685
800
Midwestern State
2 – 10
0.167
718
835
Lone Star Conference South Division Season Standings – Overall
The WTAMU Women’s Basketball program heads to new heights this season with a 26-3 record and a #6 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll. Leading the Lady Buffs on the court is sophomore forward Jamie Simmons.
Growing up with five siblings, Kinberly, Tyeshia, Christopher, George and Brittany, Simmons’ love for basketball developed at an early age.
“I started playing when I was about nine years old because I was a tom-boy. I also had two brothers, so they taught me how to play,” Simmons said. “Basketball is my peacemaker. Growing up as a child, it’s what I did to get out of the house. It was my passion, and I loved it. It helped ease my mind.”
Simmons’ skill level became apparent at the high school level. As a senior, Simmons was named State Most Valuable Player. She was the first player in Texas to receive the honor without her team making it to the state competition. Simmons was also named Great Houston Player of the Year.
Before signing with WT, Simmons played forward for Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.
“I was in the Panhandle before I signed with WT,” Simmons said. “I had a meeting with Coach Gerlich and Coach Baker. They introduced me to a lot of the boosters here, and they were so friendly. I had offers to go other places, but I found this environment so friendly. It is totally different where I come from. I fell in love with this place.”
Simmons now leads the team in scoring with 427 points tallied for the season. With a scoring average of 14.7 and a field goal percent of .542, she tops the charts for the Lady Buffs.
“My best ability on the court is the way I can maneuver around the defense,” said Simmons.
As well as offense, Simmons provides a defensive force for the Lady Buffs, leading the team with 154 defensive rebounds. She is the category leader in rebounds with a total of 220. But, life for Simmons doesn’t just reside on the basketball court.
“When I’m not on the court, I’m usually on Facebook,” Simmons said. “I go with a couple of other girls from the team and eat out once a week. I’m always out eating.”
Simmons is also the mother of two-year-old daughter, Royaltee. She is a Mass Communication major with an emphasis in sports broadcasting.
WTAMU Softball returns to the field this spring with hopes of advancing further in post-season play than ever before. Coming off of their most successful season in team history, the Lady Buff softball team enters the 2010 season ranked 22nd in the nation according to the National Coaches Fastpitch Association .
This is the first season since the installment of the softball program in 2004 that the Lady Buffs have been ranked in the top 25 pre-season poll.
“I’ve been with this team since the second year the program was at WT,” senior catcher Dani Couger said.
“From then to now is completely different. I’m expecting us to win 50 games this season, and when I was a freshman, we only won 19. I see myself as a leader, and I want to lead this team to the championship that WT softball has never seen. Being a part of that would be the cap to my four years here.”
In the LSC South Division, the Lady Buffs ranked 3rd in the preseason poll under #1 Angelo State and #2 Abilene Christian. The Lady Buffs hope to exceed that ranking by taking first in the conference championship.
“This season we expect to win a conference championship and make it to the regional tournament, possibly even the national championship,” sophomore outfielder Kim LeComte said.
With 14 returnees, the Lady Buffs will enter the season with a high level of experience.
“Last year we got a lot of post-season experience with our younger kids, and we are returning 14 players,” Couger said. “With that experience, we see ourselves going into the post-season and getting a championship for WT.”
Couger returns to the field as a leader in fielding percentage with .995 with 10 assists and 211 put-outs in 2009. As catcher, Couger allowed 38 steals. She totaled 44 hits, 11 doubles, and four home runs to give her a batting average of .317.
“I’m a catcher, and I had a lot of people steal on me last year,” Couger said. “This year I want to exceed the expectations of my coach and my team and really improve on that statistic. Being a catcher, I am in a leadership position. It’s the quarterback of the field, and I want to be that leader that my team is looking for and needs to have a successful season.”
Stepping up to the plate this season will be homerun-leader LeComte. With 10 homeruns, 51 runs batted in, and 109 total bases, LeComte comes off of her freshman year heading the statistics.
“This season I hope to be a good leader for the younger girls and set a good example,” LeComte said. “I want to be the anchor for out outfield.”
Other leaders returning to the field include: sophomore pitcher Shelby Cockrell who completed last season with a 9-2 record, junior outfielder Kasey Henderson who topped the charts in hits (71), batting average (.410), runs (58), and stolen bases (22), and junior infielder Kaitlyn Witte who led the team in doubles (15), putouts (245), and fielding double plays (4).
New to Lady Buff Yard is sophomore pitcher Sarah Blair who transferred to WTAMU from Kansas State and made 14 appearances for the Jayhawks as a freshman last season. While at KU, Blair totaled 19 strikeouts in 34 innings played and compiled an ERA of 3.71.
The Lady Buffs will begin their season February 4-6 as they travel to San Antonio for the St. Mary’s Classic. They will face five teams before traveling to Austin on the 8th to play a double header against St. Edward’s.
“We will meet a lot of good opponents this year,” Couger said. “Over the last three years, we have challenged ourselves to be the best we can be against Angelo State. Any team we face this spring will be an important team. All 67 games are in-region games, so they count toward us making those post-season games. We can’t overlook any team.”
Lone Star Conference play begins on March 12, when the Lady Buffs visit Texas Woman’s University in Denton.
Erik White – Student Football Coach
