• Tennis, softball, track & field and baseball lead successful weekend for BU athletics

    Baylor women's tennisTwo teams advancing to the Sweet 16, a host of all-Big 12 honors, a No. 11 national seed, a road win over a top-5 team and a series win on the road against a top-25 team… It was a busy and successful weekend for Baylor athletics! I hope you’ll forgive another “roundup” post, but there was so much happening athletically over the weekend that it seems the best option. So we begin:

    * Baylor men’s tennis began the weekend hosting NCAA tournament first and second round action, and with wins Friday and Saturday, head coach Matt Knoll’s Bears will move on to the Sweet 16 for the 10th consecutive year. Baylor, ranked and seeded fifth overall, will face 12th seed UCLA Thursday at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Center, where all remaining matches will be held.

    * Also taking care of business at home with a pair of wins, the Baylor women’s tennis team advanced to the Round of 16 for the seventh year in a row. Head coach Joey Scrivano’s Lady Bears are ranked No. 7 nationally and are the No. 5 seed; they will face SMU on Friday, also at Stanford.

    * Freshman Tiffani McReynolds captured the gold in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships women’s 100-meter hurdles, matching the gold she won at the Big 12 Indoors earlier this year. McReynolds was one of two dozen Bears to earn all-Big 12 honors for the Baylor track and field teams, as each of head coach Todd Harbour’s squads entered the weekend ranked among the nation’s top 15 (the women at No. 9, the men at No. 13).

    * Baylor softball picked up its 40th win of the year in the regular season finale Sunday, beating No. 5 Texas in Austin, 2-1. Later in the evening, head coach Glenn Moore’s Lady Bears were named the No. 11 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament. Baylor will be the No. 1 seed at the Maryland Regional; they will open play Friday against Lehigh.

    * Last but not least, Baylor baseball took two of three games from No. 19 Oklahoma State over the weekend in Stillwater. Head coach Steve Smith’s Bears host Dallas Baptist on Tuesday, then welcome Oklahoma to Baylor Ballpark Thursday through Saturday for the final games of the regular season.

    Sic ’em, Baylor athletics!