(06-17-2026 10:47 AM)Texas48 Wrote:  ACU Head Coach Jo Koons resigns.
Hard time of the year for that. ACU has many roster spots open. Need a quick national search and hire!

I saw where 12 players from the team had entered the portal so the coach resigned.

(06-17-2026 12:20 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(06-17-2026 10:47 AM)Texas48 Wrote:  ACU Head Coach Jo Koons resigns.
Hard time of the year for that. ACU has many roster spots open. Need a quick national search and hire!

I saw where 12 players from the team had entered the portal so the coach resigned.

I had high hopes for her when she came to ACU. I feel bad, as she was a really good person, but things just didn't happen for her here.

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

(06-18-2026 07:45 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

We are having fun here.

So when UTA had a clear and distinct advantage over Tarleton while we were transitioning, you are ok with it and want to compare results. However, when UTA’s leadership under funds their athletic department in comparison to their conference mates, you cry disadvantage. You appear to want it both ways so your even playing field comment may not hold up.

Tarleton beat the West Coast private school by 20 points for the Commissioner ‘s Cup so they don’t have an advantage over us.

I compared the average costs of an undergraduate year at UTA and Tarleton and Tarleton is about $2,000 higher. I looked at numbers on each schools website. So the average cost of a degree at Tarleton is about $8,000 higher than UTA. I’m not sure an increased debt of $8,000 is a major issue but I could be wrong. What it not being taken into consideration is university financial aid and I don’t know how to figure it into this discussion. This could change the numbers for either/both schools.

I wasn’t changing your point of team sports. My point is the quality of my school’s overall athletic department. And in year 2 of being post season eligible, we are doing very well.

I wish success to all athletic departments in the UAC, including UTA. Let’s all step up our performances to raise the prestige of the UAC.

Jo Koons leaving ACU is a disappointment. She had improved our team and finally we were starting to look attractive to young athletes. Good luck to you Jo, whatever you may choose to do next.

(06-18-2026 07:45 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

Yawn. Would you like come cheese with that whine? Tarleton > UtA, in every way imaginable.

(06-18-2026 01:29 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 07:45 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

We are having fun here.

So when UTA had a clear and distinct advantage over Tarleton while we were transitioning, you are ok with it and want to compare results. However, when UTA’s leadership under funds their athletic department in comparison to their conference mates, you cry disadvantage. You appear to want it both ways so your even playing field comment may not hold up.

Tarleton beat the West Coast private school by 20 points for the Commissioner ‘s Cup so they don’t have an advantage over us.

I compared the average costs of an undergraduate year at UTA and Tarleton and Tarleton is about $2,000 higher. I looked at numbers on each schools website. So the average cost of a degree at Tarleton is about $8,000 higher than UTA. I’m not sure an increased debt of $8,000 is a major issue but I could be wrong. What it not being taken into consideration is university financial aid and I don’t know how to figure it into this discussion. This could change the numbers for either/both schools.

I wasn’t changing your point of team sports. My point is the quality of my school’s overall athletic department. And in year 2 of being post season eligible, we are doing very well.

I wish success to all athletic departments in the UAC, including UTA. Let’s all step up our performances to raise the prestige of the UAC.

You seem to be missing my point on funding, so I'll try it differently. GCU raised money via tuition of its online diploma mill. That is illegal for TSU or UTA. That creates an inherent imbalance. As a private, CBU can funnel any money it wants from any source into athletics. Same principal, it is illegal for UTA or TSU to do so. CBU's budget is double the second-place budget in the current WAC (and was half of GCU's).

TSU and UTA on the other hand, can raise money the same way as a public school in the same state. I pointed out the student fee as to why Tarleton is having success. It isn't inherently unfair. However, UTA has hundreds of postseason appearances this century and a couple of dozen in the team sports. I have no doubt based on historical precedent and the positive the U has to offer, they'll get back. We'll see if I'm overoptimistic fan in the NIL era.

I despise UT-Austin, because their athletic department is built on Wal-Mart fans. They don't have an unfair advantage per se, because in theory, UTA or TSU could do the same thing. That is not the case for GCU or CBU.

As a student, fees didn't bother me. As an adult that paid loans back, I wish I was a little more attentive. Scoffing at $8,000 seems a little elitist to me, especially as the University model is shaky lately.

I even said I think this upcoming UAC has a chance to be the most balanced conference UTA has been home to since they left the Sun Belt. I could care less about student fees per U. Texas State was in the same ballpark as TSU and UTA still owned them in basketball.

I bring up team sports because they do more for a school's moral, attention outside the school and, primarily, where the bulk of the budget goes. CBU clearly didn't care about track, good for a total of six sports. They did however, care about the team sports, evident in them taking the postseason berth in four of seven sports.

I too wish all of them well, even CBU. They were classy. It still doesn't negate my point that they had an unfair, non-replecable advantage

(06-18-2026 08:25 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 01:29 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 07:45 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

We are having fun here.

So when UTA had a clear and distinct advantage over Tarleton while we were transitioning, you are ok with it and want to compare results. However, when UTA’s leadership under funds their athletic department in comparison to their conference mates, you cry disadvantage. You appear to want it both ways so your even playing field comment may not hold up.

Tarleton beat the West Coast private school by 20 points for the Commissioner ‘s Cup so they don’t have an advantage over us.

I compared the average costs of an undergraduate year at UTA and Tarleton and Tarleton is about $2,000 higher. I looked at numbers on each schools website. So the average cost of a degree at Tarleton is about $8,000 higher than UTA. I’m not sure an increased debt of $8,000 is a major issue but I could be wrong. What it not being taken into consideration is university financial aid and I don’t know how to figure it into this discussion. This could change the numbers for either/both schools.

I wasn’t changing your point of team sports. My point is the quality of my school’s overall athletic department. And in year 2 of being post season eligible, we are doing very well.

I wish success to all athletic departments in the UAC, including UTA. Let’s all step up our performances to raise the prestige of the UAC.

You seem to be missing my point on funding, so I'll try it differently. GCU raised money via tuition of its online diploma mill. That is illegal for TSU or UTA. That creates an inherent imbalance. As a private, CBU can funnel any money it wants from any source into athletics. Same principal, it is illegal for UTA or TSU to do so. CBU's budget is double the second-place budget in the current WAC (and was half of GCU's).

TSU and UTA on the other hand, can raise money the same way as a public school in the same state. I pointed out the student fee as to why Tarleton is having success. It isn't inherently unfair. However, UTA has hundreds of postseason appearances this century and a couple of dozen in the team sports. I have no doubt based on historical precedent and the positive the U has to offer, they'll get back. We'll see if I'm overoptimistic fan in the NIL era.

I despise UT-Austin, because their athletic department is built on Wal-Mart fans. They don't have an unfair advantage per se, because in theory, UTA or TSU could do the same thing. That is not the case for GCU or CBU.

As a student, fees didn't bother me. As an adult that paid loans back, I wish I was a little more attentive. Scoffing at $8,000 seems a little elitist to me, especially as the University model is shaky lately.

I even said I think this upcoming UAC has a chance to be the most balanced conference UTA has been home to since they left the Sun Belt. I could care less about student fees per U. Texas State was in the same ballpark as TSU and UTA still owned them in basketball.

I bring up team sports because they do more for a school's moral, attention outside the school and, primarily, where the bulk of the budget goes. CBU clearly didn't care about track, good for a total of six sports. They did however, care about the team sports, evident in them taking the postseason berth in four of seven sports.

I too wish all of them well, even CBU. They were classy. It still doesn't negate my point that they had an unfair, non-replecable advantage

Hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have.

I haven’t missed your point on funding, I just don’t care how a school funds their athletic programs as long as they follow the rules for their type of institution. I don’t get mad, I don’t get angry, I don’t get jealous, I don’t get envious how a school funds their teams. I wish Tarleton could find a multibillionaire like Tech and spend like crazy. I don’t care if you have a huge online enrollment which funds your budget. I don’t care if you are a private school with different funding rules than my state school. I just want schools in Tarleton’s conference to fund their teams to the highest level possible. I have upped my giving to the athletic programs at Tarleton and I encourage others to do the same if they are able.

And trust me, there is nothing elitist about me. Based on the enrollment gains Tarleton is experiencing, the $8,000 isn’t an issue for Tarleton students.

I free exchanged of ideas should be the bedrock of civilization. It's been good.

We just likely have differing viewpoints on funding. If tomorrow, UTA changed the student fee and tripled TSU, started winning a conference title in 2/3rds the teams sports and won the Commish Cup every year, I'd be willing to bet TSU fans would complain. You not so much, as I'd wager you're the most even-keeled poster of the fan base on this board. But if tomorrow, the legislature said UTA and only UTA gets a 10-cent per gallon gas tax for its athletic department amongst all state schools, there'd deservedly be an uproar.

GCU's funding mechanism was shady for sure, with the school's president also the president of its biggest vendor. Private schools don't funnel academic money to athletics the way they did. CBU wasn't inherently unethical, but certainly unreplicable by public schools. At the mid-major level, I just want an even playing field. All of us are building a brand and the roadblocks hit since leaving the SBC based on the monetary hurdles has been pretty rough. In 2016, it looked like UTA was on a path to national attention. It stalled out, partially due to internal blunders. But some of it is the competitive imbalance within the conference. Support for an athletic department is tied to excitement. Excitement is tied to winning. Winning is tied to budgets. We lose on an even laying field, all good. The last four years have been frustrating.

$8,000 isn't cheap. Students don't look at the long picture. I'm not sure enrollment is an endorsement of student fees.

(06-19-2026 03:19 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 08:25 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 01:29 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(06-18-2026 07:45 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-11-2026 01:36 AM)TexanFan Wrote:  So multiple points…

The reason I listed football, track and golf is because the WAC counts them in the Commissioner Cup standings. I don’t care how they are defined elsewhere, they matter to the standings. So far we have shared or won outright 6 of the 15 sports the WAC sponsors with two still up for grabs.

Last year in our first year of being eligible for NCAA postseason, we finished ahead of UTA in the Commissioners Cup and we will finish ahead of the Mavericks again this year. I don’t personally count the four year transition years as schools are just trying to survive them and not necessarily trying to be competitive. Note when Tarleton and Utah Tech (know then as Dixie State) began the four year transition, we weren’t allowed to compete in the WAC Conference Tournaments. We were only allowed to be in the tournaments beginning with our third year of the transition.

As for the athletic themed debt inflicted on our students, we have increased our enrollment by approximately 8,000 so the debt isn’t perceived as a negative for our enrolling students.

Per the WAC cup standings, each university is scored on the 14 highest scoring sports. Tarleton sponsors 16 of the WAC sports so our two lowest point totals are dropped from the overall score. UTA sponsors 14 of the WAC sports so all of their sports count. Tarleton gets no additional points for providing more sports than UTA.

You have stated you are glad GCU and CBU are leaving and I on the other hand wish they both were still here because they made us a better athletic conference. The remaining schools can either get better athletically or make excuses for why they can’t improve. The schools I don’t mind seeing leave our conference are Utah Tech and Southern Utah because they don’t make us better athletically.

Don't know how I missed this, but here goes.

I'm aware the WAC counts them. I'm also aware that the WAC has had national; champions in its history. I said team sports. I meant team sports. Kudos on your golf titles. The NCAA tournament bids for team sports is what I was referencing. Not sure why you were trying to change my point to include the individual sports.

Transition is great. TSU was eligible for every conference tourney since UTA has been a part. Put an asterisk if you wish, but UTA has finished ahead of TSU in the Commish Cup twice. Fact.

You're inferring a negative about student fees. I could care less if students are flocking there or not. I suspect they will care in their 30's with the student debt, but that's their choice. Fact is, TSU isn't winning on any great attribute from the U. They are winning with a student fee 5-6 times higher than others. Fact.

So UTA scores all their sports. TSU drops their bottom two sports. UTA doesn't drop any sports and has no margin of error. TSU drops the bottom 12.5% of its athletic department. But there's no advantage.... Okay.

I want an even playing field. By all accounts, the UAC will be the best iteration for UTA since our SBC days. A diploma mill and a West Coast private school have severe advantages over everyone else.

We are having fun here.

So when UTA had a clear and distinct advantage over Tarleton while we were transitioning, you are ok with it and want to compare results. However, when UTA’s leadership under funds their athletic department in comparison to their conference mates, you cry disadvantage. You appear to want it both ways so your even playing field comment may not hold up.

Tarleton beat the West Coast private school by 20 points for the Commissioner ‘s Cup so they don’t have an advantage over us.

I compared the average costs of an undergraduate year at UTA and Tarleton and Tarleton is about $2,000 higher. I looked at numbers on each schools website. So the average cost of a degree at Tarleton is about $8,000 higher than UTA. I’m not sure an increased debt of $8,000 is a major issue but I could be wrong. What it not being taken into consideration is university financial aid and I don’t know how to figure it into this discussion. This could change the numbers for either/both schools.

I wasn’t changing your point of team sports. My point is the quality of my school’s overall athletic department. And in year 2 of being post season eligible, we are doing very well.

I wish success to all athletic departments in the UAC, including UTA. Let’s all step up our performances to raise the prestige of the UAC.

You seem to be missing my point on funding, so I'll try it differently. GCU raised money via tuition of its online diploma mill. That is illegal for TSU or UTA. That creates an inherent imbalance. As a private, CBU can funnel any money it wants from any source into athletics. Same principal, it is illegal for UTA or TSU to do so. CBU's budget is double the second-place budget in the current WAC (and was half of GCU's).

TSU and UTA on the other hand, can raise money the same way as a public school in the same state. I pointed out the student fee as to why Tarleton is having success. It isn't inherently unfair. However, UTA has hundreds of postseason appearances this century and a couple of dozen in the team sports. I have no doubt based on historical precedent and the positive the U has to offer, they'll get back. We'll see if I'm overoptimistic fan in the NIL era.

I despise UT-Austin, because their athletic department is built on Wal-Mart fans. They don't have an unfair advantage per se, because in theory, UTA or TSU could do the same thing. That is not the case for GCU or CBU.

As a student, fees didn't bother me. As an adult that paid loans back, I wish I was a little more attentive. Scoffing at $8,000 seems a little elitist to me, especially as the University model is shaky lately.

I even said I think this upcoming UAC has a chance to be the most balanced conference UTA has been home to since they left the Sun Belt. I could care less about student fees per U. Texas State was in the same ballpark as TSU and UTA still owned them in basketball.

I bring up team sports because they do more for a school's moral, attention outside the school and, primarily, where the bulk of the budget goes. CBU clearly didn't care about track, good for a total of six sports. They did however, care about the team sports, evident in them taking the postseason berth in four of seven sports.

I too wish all of them well, even CBU. They were classy. It still doesn't negate my point that they had an unfair, non-replecable advantage

Hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have.

I haven’t missed your point on funding, I just don’t care how a school funds their athletic programs as long as they follow the rules for their type of institution. I don’t get mad, I don’t get angry, I don’t get jealous, I don’t get envious how a school funds their teams. I wish Tarleton could find a multibillionaire like Tech and spend like crazy. I don’t care if you have a huge online enrollment which funds your budget. I don’t care if you are a private school with different funding rules than my state school. I just want schools in Tarleton’s conference to fund their teams to the highest level possible. I have upped my giving to the athletic programs at Tarleton and I encourage others to do the same if they are able.

And trust me, there is nothing elitist about me. Based on the enrollment gains Tarleton is experiencing, the $8,000 isn’t an issue for Tarleton students.

$8000.00 is a lot of money to me. I imagine that for some of the poorer students it is a lot also. If winning more college sports is worth the extra expense then so be it, It would not be worth it to me. I love sports but winning a conference championship is just not that important to me or obviously our administration.

ACU makes home run hire in HOF coach Larry Hays. He has moved from baseball to softball and has had success at all levels.

"Hays spent 38 seasons as the head baseball coach at Lubbock Christian (1971-86) and Texas Tech (1987-2008), and then another nine as the head softball coach at Lubbock Christian (2010) and Colorado Christian (2019-26). He has amassed a combined coaching record of 1,902-951-8."

LINK: https://acusports.com/news/2026/6/23/hal...u-softball