Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up: Bobcat Men’s Basketball, Volleyball, Cross Country & Soccer

Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up:
Bobcat Men’s Basketball, Volleyball, Cross Country & Soccer

Bobcats battle with No. 24 Baylor

WACO, Texas – Texas State (2-2) fought their way to a 30-30 tie at halftime on the road at No. 24 Baylor (2-1), but ultimately fell 72-63 at the Ferrell Center on Friday night. Senior guard Nijal Pearson posted a 20-point performance and is now 26 points away from passing Donte Mathis (1,622 points; 1995-99) for third-most in school history.

BOBCAT NUMBERS

• Texas State shot .430 percent (26-of-61) from the field and outshot Baylor’s .410 percent (25-of-61). The Bobcats drilled 6-of-17 threes at a .350 clip compared to the Bears 6-of-23 long-distance performance at .260.
• Pearson collected his second 20-point outburst of the year on an 8-of-19 from the floor with four triples. He scored 13 points in the second half and connected on 3-of-6 treys.
• Sophomore guard Caleb Asberry joined Pearson in double digits and netted 12 points on an efficient 5-for-8 evening.
• Junior forward Isiah Small registered a career-high 12 rebounds in 28 minutes.
• Tonight’s matchup at No. 24 Baylor is the first game Texas State has played against a ranked opponent since it traveled to No. 8 Texas in 2014.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• TXST scored in the first two minutes into the night on junior guard DeShawn Davidson’s mid-range jump shot. Baylor was quick to strike back utilizing two threes and a free throw to claim a seven-point lead.
• Despite trailing by 13 points at the 12:08 mark of the first half, the Bobcats rallied to end the half on an 8-0 run to go into halftime tied at 30.
• Texas State shot .464 percent in the first half (13-for-28) and drilled 2-of-5 3-pointers. Pearson and Asberry both led the team with seven first-half points.
• Both sides scored a bucket to begin the second half, but then the host Bears went on a 16-0 run to grab a 50-34 lead at the 13:12 mark of the second.
• Baylor’s lead ballooned to 18 points with 7:12 remaining in the second, but the Bobcats sliced it to single digits with a 13-2 run to trail by just six at the 4:00 interval. Pearson scored eight of the 13 points and drilled two treys.
• Baylor hit a three with 3:27 to play to go back up by double-digits to erase any chance of a Bobcats comeback.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Baylor connected on 16-of-24 from the charity stripe and shot more than three times as many free throws as Texas State (5-of-7).
• TXST led in bench points (27-16) while Baylor led in points off turnovers (21-17), rebounds (34-31), second chance points (10-7), points in the paint (32-22) and fast break points (24-10).
• The Bobcats limited Baylor to .220 percent long-range shooting (2-for-9) in the second half.

UP NEXT

Texas State will return home for a 7 p.m. tilt against Jackson State on Monday, Nov. 18, marking the first of four games as part of the Southwestern Showdown presented by Engage Telehealth with three inside Strahan Arena.

Bobcats secure Sun Belt Conference title
outright with sweep over UT Arlington

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (22-8, 14-2 Sun Belt) turned in its 13th sweep of the season, defeating UT Arlington (16-12, 8-8 Sun Belt) 25-19, 25-14, 25-11 on senior night Friday at Strahan Arena in front of 2,419 fans (No. 5 all-time). With the win, the Bobcats are the outright Sun Belt Conference Champions for the second consecutive year.

“This was the best we have played in a while,” said head coach Karen Chisum. “Overall, to repeat as regular-season champions absolutely pleases me. I could say that it is my job, but these girls are believers and worked hard to earn this championship. I am extremely proud of them. This was the largest crowd we had this year and they really brought some energy. I hope they come back for the conference tournament.”

Seniors Micah Dinwiddie, Rylie Fuentes, Cheyenne Huskey and Konner Wood were honored before the first serve and started tonight’s match. Dinwiddie and Wood have been with the Marron and Gold all four years and made history by logging 95 victories in their tenure, the most of any four-year student-athlete in the program’s history.

“This senior class is fun to be around, and they are four nice young ladies. They work hard, they are talented and most importantly, really good people,” said coach Chisum.

The Cats outhit the Lady Mavs .384-.118 and dominated their opponents in kills (48-29), assists (47-26) and digs (50-33). Texas State also held a slight 3-1 advantage in aces and a 6-2 margin in blocks. There was one lead change in the entire match.

Senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey led all players with 19 kills behind a .429 hitting percentage. Huskey also finished with match-high two aces and added seven digs and one block in the win. Junior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott matched a career-high .900 attacking percentage after landing nine kills on 10 errorless swings. Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt dished out 38 assists and finished with five digs, four kills, and two blocks including one solo block. Freshman middle Tessa Marshall landed seven kills and paced the team with three blocks. Senior defensive specialist Micah Dinwiddie logged a team-high 11 digs followed by fellow classmate and counterpart Konner Wood who dug out a season-high nine balls.

Senior outside hitter Kylie Jedlicka led the Lady Mavs with 10 kills and had seven digs. Setters sophomore Kylee Kapp and freshman Jessica Stancliff logged 11 and 10 assists, respectively, and junior libero Madelyn St. Germain led all players with 17 digs and had UTA’s only ace in the match.

Set 1
The Bobcats used a 5-0 run to grab ahold of an 11-6 lead and built their margin as large as six points on two different occasions. Texas State won the set 25-19 with a .364 hitting percentage highlighted by Huskey’s seven kills.

Set 2
Texas State opened the stanza with four unanswered points and led UT Arlington 15-10 by the media timeout. The home team extended their lead 19-11 to pressure UTA into a timeout and closed the set on a 6-3 run for the 25-14 win. No Bobcat hitter registered an error in the set and the team hit .419 in the frame. Texas State never trailed in the set.

Set 3
The Bobcats ran away with the third set 25-11 to secure the league title outright. TXST opened with a 5-1 run that grew to a 10-4 lead before UTA called for time. The Maroon and Gold never looked back, however, as they hit .375 and held UTA to a .000 hitting percentage behind four team blocks.

Up next is the Sun Belt Conference Championships that will be held at Strahan Arena Nov. 21-24. The Bobcats will be the No. 1 seed and have an eight-day break before returning to the court Saturday, Nov. 23.

Preview: Bobcats send four to NCAA
South Central Regional Championships

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Four student-athletes from the Texas State cross country team will compete at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships Nov. 15 in Fayetteville, Ark. Juniors Cade Michael and Justin Botello will run for the men, and junior Sydney Cole and freshman Riley McGrath will represent the Bobcat women.

Live results will be available for both races. The women will start at 11 a.m. with a 6k run and the men will follow at noon with the 10k race.

Botello and Michael come off performances that placed them on the All-Sun Belt second and third-team, respectively. At the Sun Belt Championships, Botello placed eighth to lead the Bobcats with a 24:45.3 time in the 8k race, and Michael finished 13^th with a 25:02.9 time. The men finished fifth with 92 points.

Cole and McGrath was also tabbed All-Sun Belt for the women as they helped the team to a fourth-place finish with 112 points. Cole earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt Second Team with an 18:00.3 time that was good for a 10th place finish, and McGrath placed 12th with am 18:04.7 time and was honored to third-team and named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.

Soccer Signs 10 for 2020 Class

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State head coach Kat Conner announced the signing of nine high school seniors for the 2020 season on Wednesday. The group consists of five midfielders, two goalkeepers, one forward and one defender.

Joining the Bobcats will be Beth Agree, Alana Clark, Trinity Clark, Ashley Johnson, Emma Jones, Abby Lucksinger, Alyssa Price, Haley Shaw, Olivia Wright and Wimberly Wright.

“The 2020 Class is an exciting one. These incoming players have a strong desire to continue improving their soccer skills and game knowledge,” said Conner. “These are the gold standards of Bobcat soccer we look for in all our recruits.”

Beth Agee | Mansfield, Texas | Mansfield HS
Agee is a 5-foot, 6-inch goalkeeper from Mansfield, Texas and is serving as team captain for Mansfield High School this spring. As a two-year starter, she has compiled a 45-4-4 record between the posts with 14 shutouts each season while twice earning academic all-district accolades.

This past spring saw her post a 0.14 GAA with a .900 save percentage as the Tigers advanced to the UIL 6A quarterfinals. Agee’s performance earned her TASCO 6A All-State honorable mention, District 7-6A Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and team’s Defensive MVP accolades.

As a sophomore, she recorded a 0.61 GAA with a .860 save percentage in helping MHS reach the UIL 6A semifinals. Agee was named to The Star-Telegram All-Star honorable mention team, All-District 7-6A Second Team and was the Tigers’ Newcomer of the Year.

Agee plays club soccer this year for Solar ECNL. She played last season for the Dallas Texans DA and from 2016-18 for the Dallas Texans ECNL squad which she helped lead to the ECNL National Playoffs each season.

Conner on Agee: “Beth’s drive to be excellent is what makes her such a standout. In camp, I was amazed by how coachable she was and always able to listen and immediately apply coaching points to her game. Beth is disciplined and determined, qualities that remind me of former greats of Texas State goalkeepers before her.”

Alana Clark | Lakeway, Texas | Lake Travis HS
Clark is a 5-foot, 4-inch midfielder that will graduate from Lake Travis High School. This past spring, she helped the Cavaliers go 23-5 and reach the state semifinals where she was picked to the UIL Soccer State Finals All-Tournament Team. She was also a Texas Association of Soccer Coaches (TASCO) All-State honorable mention honoree and selected to the All-District 25-6A First Team.

In 2018, Clark received UIL All-State 6A First Team and all-district first team accolades while being named the team’s co-Player of the Year. Her freshman campaign saw her be named second team all-district. All three years she has earn Academic All-District honors.

Clark competes for Lonestar SC. She will be joined on the Bobcat roster by her twin sister Trinity.

Conner on A. Clark: “Alana’s greatest asset is her ability to read the game. She’s very technical, which means we can use her in many positions. Alana will add a critical dimension of tactical awareness to our game.”

Trinity Clark | Lakeway, Texas | Lake Travis HS
Clark is a three-year letterwinner from Lake Travis High School. The midfielder was a TASCO 6A First Team and UIL 6A All-State Tournament First Team selection this past spring while helping the Cavaliers to a 23-5 record and reach the UIL 6A semifinals.

The future Bobcat was a TASCO 6A All-State honorable mention honoree and the team’s co-Player of the Year as a sophomore and All-District 25-6A Second Team pick as a freshman.

Clark competes for Lonestar SC. She joins her twin sister Alana on the TXST roster next season.

Conner on T. Clark: “Trinity brings that spectacular awe to the game as in, ‘How did she do that?!’ She is incredibly skillful and has the vision to go along with it. Trinity will be a fan favorite.”

Ashley Johnson | Rowlett, Texas | Rowlett High School
Johnson is a defender that will arrive to Texas State from Rowlett High School. Last season saw her help the Eagles finish as District 10-6A runners-up with a 12-8 mark and helped the team earn co-district title in 2018 with a 14-6 record.

In 2019, Johnson was the district’s Defensive MVP and was an all-district selection. She helped RHS record eight shutouts and average less than a goal per match during district play.

During her sophomore campaign, Johnson scored the match-winning goal to snap rival Sachse High School’s 33-match district winning streak.

Conner on Johnson: “Ashley plays with such passion. She can perform in any defensive position, a talent that will be a cornerstone in the shoring up of our defense.”

Emma Jones | Hutto, Texas | Hutto HS
Jones comes to San Marcos from Hutto High School. The 5-foot, 6-inch midfielder has recorded 27 goals and 14 assists through her first three years on the high school pitch.

This past Spring, she was selected as the District 18-5A MVP and the Hippos’ Team MVP. Jones received All-District 18-5A First Team honors both her freshman and sophomore campaigns. Both of those years saw her be named the HHS’ Offensive Player of the Year, as well.

Jones competes for Galaxy SC for club soccer and has served as the team’s captain the last four years. In 2017, the future Bobcat helped lead the team to the 2017 state championship.

In the class room, Jones is President for the National Honor Society, the girls’ soccer representative for the Student Athletic Leadership Council and is a member of the FCA.

Conner on Jones: “Emma is another standout we found through our ID camp. She has an innate ability for the game and is capable of playing many positions. Her drive to improve is going to make her a significant asset for us.”

Abby Lucksinger | Belton, Texas | Belton HS
A 5-foot, 6-inch goalkeeper, Lucksinger arrives from Belton High School. A three-year letterwinner, she earned All-District 12-6A First Team honors last season in helping the Tigers to an 18-5-3 record and claim their third straight Bi-District title. The future Bobcat has also earned academic all-district accolades and was named the team’s Most Improved Player.

Lucksinger competes for Sting Austin ECNL on the club circuit.

Conner on Lucksinger: “Abby is a great shot stopper. She has an athleticism that will allow her to improve on her range. I know Abby will be pushing hard for a starting position.”

Alyssa Price | Forney, Texas | Forney HS
Price will arrive in San Marcos from Forney High School. The midfielder enters her senior campaign as a three-year letterwinner for the Jackrabbits. Last season saw her be named the District 13-5A MVP and Offensive MVP after scoring 37 goals and recording 11 assists.

As a sophomore, Price was the district’s Offensive MVP and was an all-district second team selection her freshman campaign.

Price is a member of the HOSA, National Honor Society, student council and has been in the top 10% of her class every year.

Conner on Price: “Alyssa is highly intelligent and equally technical. She will be able to control possession and the tempo of the game.”

Haley Shaw | Spicewood, Texas | Lake Travis HS
Shaw is the third member of the signing class that will graduate from Lake Travis High School. The 5-foot, 4-inch forward earned TASCO All-Region IV-6A First Team, District 25-6A Offensive Player of the Year and All-District 25-6A First Team honors after finishing with 22 goals and eight assists as a sophomore. Her performance that year also earned her selection to the Austin American-Statesman All-Central Texas Team.

Her freshman year saw Shaw receive all-district honorable mention pick. She was also earned academic all-district accolades that season.

Conner on Shaw: “Haley embodies true grit. She will put the team on her back and lead. Haley will help maintain that tough, blue-collar drive that the 2019 senior class had. She’ll make good things happen.”

Olivia Wright | San Antonio, Texas | Cornerstone Christian School Academy
A 5-foot, 7-inch forward out of San Antonio, Wright will arrive to Texas State from Cornerstone Christian School Academy. Last season she led the Warriors with 19 goals and was credited with six assists to earn the team MVP award.

Prior to attending Cornerstone Christian, Wright attended Reagan High School. As a sophomore, she earned All-District 26-6A honorable mention honors after pacing the Rattlers with six goals and five assists.

Wright played club soccer with San Antonio City SC and for Lonestar SC out of Austin.

Conner on O. Wright: “Olivia has tremendous speed and ability to attack a defensive line. She has the ability to both attack 1-v-1 and to combine with teammates to be an attacking threat to opponents. We are excited to add her skills and abilities to our roster.”

Wimberley Wright | Denton, Texas | Ryan High School
Wright is a three-year starter at midfield for Ryan High School in Denton, Texas. She is a two-time All-District 8-5A First Team selection and made the all-district second team as a freshman.

In the classroom, Wright is in the top 10 percent of her class, is a member of the National Honor Society and board member of the bowling club.

She plays club soccer for the U19 FC Dallas Development Player League team. She has also played for Solar SC.

Conner on W. Wright: “Wimberley continues to grow physically and in her skill development. She is another player we found through our ID camp, and her improvement in that time is a great indicator of what we expect her to accomplish here at Texas State. Wimberley loves the game and it shows when she plays.”

PREVIEW: Big test for Bobcats at Baylor

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (2-1) will have a big opportunity when they take on No. 24/18 Baylor (1-1) at 8 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Ferrell Center. This will be the first matchup between the two programs in 13 years.

SETTING THE SCENE

• Texas State is coming off a convincing 75-48 victory vs. Prairie View A&M thanks to an efficient first half of basketball. The Bobcats are shooting .518 percent from the floor, and .776 percent from the free throw line through the first three games of the season.
• The Bobcats average 37.7 rebounds per game and have a 7.0 rebound margin on their opponents.
• Senior guard Nijal Pearson leads the team with 18.7 points per game behind a .543 field goal percentage and .417 clip from deep. Pearson also averages 3.7 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore guard Mason Harrell and senior forward Eric Terry averages 10.7 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. Harrell leads the team with nine assists, while Terry leads the way with four blocks and a .867 free throw percentage (13-of-15).
• Junior forward Isiah Small leads the Cats with 8.0 rebounds and adds 7.0 points per game.
• Last game vs. Prairie View A&M, Pearson dropped a season-high 23 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and 11-of-14 from the line. Pearson also had five rebounds in the win.
• Junior guard Deshawn Davidson turned in 11 points in the first half and shot .500 percent in the game, while Small flirted with a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. Small also had two blocks.
• Junior guard Marlin Davis also had nine points and led all players with four steals. Davis also finished with three rebounds and two assists.

PEARSON RECORD TRACKER / NOTABLES

• Pearson’s 16th point vs. PVAMU pushed him past Brandon Bush (2005-09) to No. 4 on the all-time scoring list with 1,570 points. After finishing with 23 points, Pearson now has 1,577 career points and needs 46 more to past Donte Mathis (1995-99, 1,622 points) to move to No. 3 on the all-time scoring list.
• The Beaumont, Texas native now has 142 career steals, ranking No. 5 in school history. Ryan White (2007-11) is at No. 4 with 154 career steals.
• Pearson was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List on Nov. 5. Pearson appeared on the Lou Henson Mid-Season Watch List last year. He was also picked as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in a couple of publications including the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and Street & Smith’s.
• Pearson was tabbed to the 2019-20 Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team by the league office after garnering All-Sun Belt First Team honors in the 2018-19 season.

SCOUTING BAYLOR

• The Baylor Bears is the No. 24 in the men’s basketball AP Poll after dropping a 67-64 decision to now No. 20 Washington (previously unranked) on Nov. 8. The Bears opened the season with a 105-61 victory vs. Central Arkansas.
• BU has a 46.3 field goal percentage, including a 48.1 clip from 3-point range. They have outrebounded their opponents 43-31.5 and have 44 total assists on 63 field goals in the small sample size.
• Four Bears average 12 or more points, beginning with sophomore guard Jared Butler who has 24.0 points per game. Butler shoots over 65.0 percent from both the field and 3-point range and has a team-high nine assists.
• Junior guard MaCio Teague is next with 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while senior forward Freddie Gillespie nearly averages a double-double with 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game and paces the team with four blocks and three steals. Senior guard Devonte Bandoo rounds out the Bears top scorers with 12.0 points per game and also has 5.0 rebounds on average.
• Baylor was picked to finish second in the 2020 Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll and had one selection in junior forward Tristan Clark to the 2019-20 Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
• Clark averaged 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury Jan. 8. Prior to that he started all 14 games and led the nation with a 73.7 field goal percentage. Clark has started both games this season and has 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
• BU returns eight letter winners from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, including Butler, Clark and junior guard Mark Vital who were All-Big 12 players last season. The Bears welcome four newcomers, including a pair of transfer guards in Teague and sophomore guard Davion Mitchell who sat out last season.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday will be the first meeting between Baylor and Texas State since Nov. 2, 2006. BU leads the all-time series 12-3.
• The Bobcats have lost the last two meetings and are 1-9 in the last 10 meetings. TXST last win vs. BU was a 70-62 decision at the Ferrell Center on Nov. 24, 1998

UP NEXT

• Texas State will open the Southwestern Showdown, a multiple team event presented Engage Telehealth at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at Strahan Arena. Of the four-game tournament, three will be hosted in San Marcos and the other game, a 5 p.m. CT tip Nov. 20 at UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets are now available for purchase through the Texas State online ticket center website. Prices for season tickets will depend upon seating location. General admission season tickets will be available for as low as $99 and lower reserved seating options will start at $130. Any questions regarding 2019-20 Texas State men’s basketball season tickets can be addressed to the Texas State Athletics Ticket Office at 512-245-2272 or via email at gametickets@txstate.edu.

PREVIEW: Bobcats conclude regular season vs. UT Arlington

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The 2019 regular season nears its end as Texas State (21-8, 13-2 Sun Belt) hosts UT Arlington (6-18, 4-8 Sun Belt) at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Strahan Arena.

SETTING THE SCENE

• Texas State claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title after winning both matches last weekend. The Bobcats recorded their 12th sweep of the season vs. Little Rock and topped Arkansas State 3-1 to avenge an early-season loss.
• The Bobcats have an opportunity to win the league title outright for the second consecutive year with a win vs. UT Arlington.
• Texas State enters the weekend with a 22-match win streak in conference matches played at Strahan Arena.
• The Bobcats are 12-3 at home this season, including an 8-0 mark in conference matches.
• The Bobcats still lead the Sun Belt with a No. 44 RPI ranking. Texas State ranks in the top 50 in all of Division I volleyball in opponent hitting percentage (.165, No. 33), team aces (162, No. 37) team assists (1,241, No. 49), and team kills (1,336, No. 48).
• Overall, the Bobcats rank in the top five of the Sun Belt Conference in every statistical measure except digs which is No. 7 (14.44/set). In conference-only matches, the Bobcats lead the league in hitting percentage (.282), opponent hitting percentage (.133), and is tied at the top with Troy with 13.71 kills per set. TXST rank No. 2 in blocks (2.22/set), and aces (1.71/set), and is No. 3 with 12.40 assists per set. They are also No. 6 with 15.27 digs on average.
• Senior outside hitter and Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year candidate Cheyenne Huskey leads the team with 3.56 kills per set (No. 5 in the Sun Belt) and 0.47 aces per set (No. 3 in the Sun Belt; 48 total). Huskey’s total aces rank No. 13 in Division I volleyball and her aces per set ranks No. 23. She also has 2.29 digs per set and has 58 total blocks. Huskey’s 44 total aces rank No. 14 in all of Division I volleyball.
• Sophomore outside Janell Fitzgerald is second on the team with 2.92 kills per set and a .287 hitting percentage (No. 9 in the Sun Belt). She also has 55 total blocks this year. Fitzgerald is fifth in the conference with a .338 hitting percentage in conference-only matches and ranks seventh with 3.20 kills per set.
• Junior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott leads the team with a .317 hitting percentage (No. 5 in the Sun Belt) and 1.04 blocks per set in 2019 (No. 4 in the Sun Belt). Scott has 175 total kills and a team-high 11 solo blocks.
• Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt averages 10.17 assists per set which sits fourth in the Sun Belt and ranks No. 16 in all of DI volleyball with 1,048 total assists. She also breaks the top 10 of the conference with 0.34 aces per set (No. 8; 35 total). DeWalt adds 2.40 digs per set, 64 kills, and 37 blocks to her season totals.
• Sophomore middle Jillian Slaughter has 122 total kills and has a .265 hitting percentage. She also adds 70 blocks (eight solos), and three aces. Slaughter has missed the last three due to a concussion.
• Junior libero Brooke Johnson leads the club with 2.65 digs per set and has 77 assists and 16 aces this season, while senior DS Micah Dinwiddie has 2.02 digs per set and aces in 2019. Dinwiddie is the program’s all-time leader in career digs.

SCOUTING UT ARLINGTON

• UT Arlington is third in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference after salvaging last weekend with a split vs. the Arkansas schools. After falling in a thrilling five-set match to Arkansas State, the Lady Mavs responded by sweeping Little Rock on senior day.
• The Lady Mavs have a respectable offense that ranks second in the league in assists (12.12/set) and kills (13.09/set). They also rank No. 4 behind the Bobcats with a .224 hitting percentage but are last in the conference with 1.01 aces per set.
• Defensively, the Lady Mavs are third with a .179 hitting percentage in large part to their blocking which is also third in the league at 2.07 per set. UTA is fifth with 15.55 digs per set.
• Sophomore outside hitter Brooke Townsend is the team’s leader with 3.38 kills per set, a mark that is No. 6 in the Sun Belt. She also adds 56 blocks and seven aces this season.
• Senior outside Kylie Jedlicka follows with 3.00 kills per set (No. 9 in the Sun Belt) and has 2.62 digs per set, 23 aces, and 23 blocks this year.
• Freshman setter Jessica Stancliff is No. 8 in the conference with 6.63 assists per set and has 14 aces and 12 kills. Sophomore setter Kylee Kapp also gets floor time and averages 5.01 assists per set and has 12 aces.
• Sophomore middle blocker Bre Walp paces the team with 1.09 blocks per set (No. 2 in the Sun Belt) and senior middle Madison Hill has a team-high .341 hitting percentage that is No. 3 in the Sun Belt.
• Junior libero Madelyn St. Germain is the Sun Belt Conference leader with 4.94 digs per set and leads the team with 25 total aces.

SERIES HISTORY

• Although Texas State trails UT Arlington in the all-time series 40-41, the Bobcats have won the last nine meetings and have swept the Lady Mavs the last two matches, including the one match earlier this season.
• In the dominating win in early October, Huskey led all players with 12 kills and Fitzgerald finished with 10 kills behind a .533 clip. DeWalt handed out a match-high 26 assists.

TXST Volleyball signs two for 2020 roster

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State volleyball coach Karen Chisum opens the signing period with two student-athletes in Ryann Torres and Megan Woods Wednesday.

“Ryann [Torres] and Megan [Woods] are tremendous additions to the 2020 roster,” said Coach Chisum “Both bring high-level talent to an already successful team and they will help us continue the upward climb in the rankings.”

Ryann Torres – S – 5-10 – Buda, Texas (Jack C. Hays HS)
Ryann Torres is a four-year letterman at Jack C. Hays with a number of accolades on the court. Torres was selected to the 25-6A District First Team three consecutive years (2017-19) and was the 25-6A District MVP Setter her junior year. She has also been tabbed to the 2018 Austin American Statesman All Centex First Team, 2018 Hays Free Press All-Area Team and the AVCA Under Armour All-American All-Region Team her senior season in addition to the 25-6A District MVP. Torres is the daughter of Darren and Dorie Luera and has three sisters in Ava, Dannah, and Margot.

Coach Chisum on Torres: “Ryann brings athleticism and offensive qualities to the setter position. She is quick, agile and a great team leader. She has worked with Emily DeWalt at camp the last two seasons and they are a perfect match.”

Megan Woods – MB – 6-4 – Yorba Linda, Calif. (El Dorado HS)
After being named the best offensive player her freshman year on the junior varsity team, Megan Woods moved up to varsity for CIF and helped the team reach the State Quarter Finals as a sophomore at El Dorado High School. That year along with her junior season, Woods was tabbed to the league’s Honorable Mention team and was the MVP at the Azusa Varsity Tournament her senior season. On the club level with Laguna Beach Volleyball Club, Woods won a gold medal at the Girls Junior Nationals in Dallas 18-1 National Division and was a National Qualifier in Vegas 18-1 both during her junior season. Academically, Woods is a three-time Distinguished Scholar and won the Eureka Award in Chemistry (sophomore year) and Physics (junior year). Megan is the daughter of Nathan and Marni Woods and has an older brother named Trevor.

Coach Chisum on Woods: “Megan brings the size and blocking instincts needed to compete at the highest level. She is very intelligent and works extremely hard. Her California style of play, ball control, and knowledge of the game will add depth to the middle blocker position.” 

Bobcats sign two players on National Signing Day

 SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State men’s basketball opens National Signing Day by inking four new Bobcats Wednesday. The Maroon and Gold welcome Jason Bush, Nighael Ceaser, Dylan Dawson, and Nate Martin to the 2020-21 team.

Jason Bush – G – 6-5 – Longview, Texas (Tyler JC)
Bush has been playing under head coach Mike Marquis. As a freshman, Bush helped the team reach a 23-7 overall record. Prior to Tyler JC, Bush played at Longview HS where he was named First Team All-District 11-6A as a senior averaging 18.0 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game. Bush was also tabbed First Team All-East Texas and participated in the Faith 7 All-Star Game (Texas vs. Oklahoma).

Coach Kaspar on Bush: “Bush is a good rebounder and defender with a nice shot. He is a tough player and represents what I look for in players. Many of his skills and reminds me of the type of players that we have been successful with in the past.”

Nighael Ceaser – F – 6-8 – Houston, Texas (Collin County CC)
As a freshman at Collin CC, Ceaser led the team to a 26-6 overall record, shooting over 55.0 percent from the floor. Ceaser was named to the 2018-19 All-Conference Second Team (NTJCAC). In high school, Ceaser was a two-time District 20-6A All-Conference First Team selection and holds the school record for rebounding in a single game and single season.

Coach Kaspar on Ceaser: “Ceaser is a good inside player that can play both the power forward and center spot. He was ranked one of the top 10 junior college players in Texas earlier this year and recently had 36 points and 32 rebounds in two tournament games. He’s a very good offensive player that we will need to come in and help immediately with Eric Terry and Chandler Davis graduating.”

Dylan Dawson – G – 6-3 – Humble, Texas (Atascocita HS)
Dawson is projected to be a top guard in the Houston area this season after a strong summer performance at the NCAA Academy hosted by the University of Houston. Last season Dawson averaged 10.0 points per game at Atascocita high school and excels in the classroom with a 3.3 GPA.

Coach Kaspar on Dawson: “Dawson is a combo guard at a program that has been one of the most successful programs in the state. He will come in knowing how to play defense and knowing how to win.”

Nate Martin – F – 6-8 – Humble, Texas (Atascocita HS)
Martin, a highly sought-after recruit, was the first in the 2020 class to commit to Texas State. On the court at Cy Creek High School in Cypress, Texas, Martin was selected to the 2018-19 All-Conference First Team and a Final Four finalist at Nike Peach Jam (Houston Hoops) this past summer. In the classroom, Martin is a three-time Academic All-District selection  and is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and a Distinguished Honor Roll Member. Martin intends to major in Business.   

Coach Kaspar on Martin: “Martin is ranked among the top 30 players in the state and I think that his potential is tremendous. His ability to help right away will depend on his development this year as a senior.”

DeWalt earns third weekly accolade in four weeks

NEW ORLEANS – Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt is awarded her third Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Week award announced by the league Monday afternoon.

DeWalt was given league honor for the third time in four weeks after directing the offense with 11.57 assists per set and finished the weekend with a .364 hitting percentage behind six kills on 11 attempts with two errors in a 2-0 weekend. DeWalt also had 2.29 digs per set, one ace, and one block. After tallying 35 assists, six digs, and four blocks in the sweep vs. Little Rock, DeWalt turned in her 11th double-double of the season with 46 assists and 10 digs in the conference-clinching match vs. Arkansas State.

The Bobcats claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title for the second consecutive year and have a chance to win the title outright with a victory Friday when they take on UT Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Strahan Arena.

Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week
Hali Wisnoskie, Jr., OH, Louisiana

Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week
Madelyn St. Germain, R–Jr., L, UT Arlington

Sun Belt Setter of the Week
Emily DeWalt, So., S, Texas State

Sun Belt Freshman of the Week
Julia Brooks, Fr., MH, Troy