The Current: March 2023

Student-Athletes & Bobcat Athletics

 

Transformational Gifts to Bobcat Athletics

Texas State Athletics recently received a generous $4 million gift toward the renovation and expansion of the End Zone Complex at Bobcat Stadium. The anonymous contribution is one of the largest ever made to the athletic department.

In addition, former Texas State football student-athletes David Mayo and Mike Orakpo have each contributed $25,000 to the End Zone Complex renovation project.

The donations will support a planned $37 million, privately-funded project to build a new 8,000-square-foot weight room, a new players lounge, new training room with hydrotherapy, individual position meeting rooms, upgraded conference rooms with additional offices, a recruiting room and additional premium hospitality spaces for fans to enhance the game day experience.

Graphic image of plans for the new south end zone complex

Meet Kennedy and Jose

Kennedy Taylor, Women’s Basketball, Guard

Graduate student earning her master’s in business administration

  • Two-time All-Sun Belt selection
  • Two-time Texas State Star of Excellence Award winner
  • Texas State Dean’s List
  • Sun Belt Conference all-time leader in career assists – a record she broke this year
  • Texas State all-time leader in career assists – a record she broke this year
  • Helped the Bobcats win their first conference championship in 15 years this season
  • Career totals of more than 1,300 points and 750 assists
Kennedy Taylor on the basketball court

Jose Gonzales, Baseball, Outfielder 

Senior majoring in general studies with a minor in business administration

  • 2022 Stanford All-Region Team
  • 2022 All-Sun Belt Second Team
  • Player of the Week earlier this season on Feb. 21
  • Played in 59 games last year, including 57 starts, during Texas State’s run to the conference title in the 2022 season
  • Hit 13 home runs to help the team set a program record for most home runs in a season
  • Recorded 2 solo home runs in the regional to help the Bobcats to the regional final against Stanford
  • Played in more than 100 games as a Bobcat after transferring from Navarro College
Jose Gonzales on the baseball field

All-Sport Trophy

Did you know Texas State Athletics has won the Sun Belt Conference Vic Bubas Cup all-sports championship trophy TWICE in four seasons? It’s awarded each year to the TOP athletic department in the conference.

David Bailiff Returns to Bobcat Football

Veteran Bobcat football player and coach David Bailiff has returned to the Texas State football program as a special assistant to head coach GJ Kinne, who was hired in December. Bailiff played from 1977-80 and served as the Bobcats head coach from 2004-06, which included a Southland Conference co-championship in 2005. Bailiff is a member of the Texas State Hall of Honor.

Bobcats have been busy this spring

  • Women’s basketball captured its first regular season conference championship in 15 years and reached the Sun Belt tournament championship game. The team made its second appearance in the WNIT in the past six years.
  • Men’s basketball made some noise in the Sun Belt tournament by becoming the first double-digit seed to ever reach the semifinals.
  • Baseball had a record-breaking home series to start the season. The Cats won their conference-opening series over Southern Miss. They also won a game against ranked opponent TCU.
  • Softball is off to a strong start, including upset wins over No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Texas.
womens basketball team holding up a banner
A male running track
  • We’re also looking forward to following tennis and men’s and women’s golf leading up to their championships in April.
  • Men’s basketball grabbed some attention with an upset of No. 3 seed Marshall and a decisive win over Old Dominion.
  • Track and field hosts two home outdoor meets, the Bobcat Invitational March 24-26 and the Charles Austin Classic April 15-16.

 

  • The track and field team has broken numerous school records in indoor competition this year. With the outdoor season under way, the Cats earned seven first-place finishes and took the entire podium in the men's 200 and women's discus at the UTSA Invitational.
  • Women’s golf won the Texas State Invitational in February, and sophomore Mattingly Palmer won the individual medalist honors.
  • 34th Annual Bobcat Bonanza is April 22 in the LBJ Student Center. It is one of the largest fundraisers in Central Texas and directly supports student-athlete scholarships.
  • Looking forward to in the fall: Football season is starting under new head coach GJ Kinne. The season opener is Sept. 2 at Baylor while the home opener is Sept. 16 against Jackson State.
  • Volleyball and soccer will also get going as volleyball is coming off another Sun Belt tournament championship game appearance under head coach Sean Huiet while soccer had one of its best seasons in recent history under head coach Steve Holeman.
Mattingly Palmer