Dear Horned Frogs:

Between football being 12-0, Max Duggan winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Jane & John Justin Foundation providing a $10 million lead gift for a multifaceted renovation and expansion of our Human Performance Center and volleyball back in the postseason, this is as exciting a week as I have experienced in my 11 years at TCU.

Like you, I cannot wait for Saturday and look forward to seeing you at AT&T Stadium for the Dr Pepper Championship against Kansas State at 11:00 a.m.  We could not be prouder of what Head Coach Sonny Dykes, our student-athletes, assistant coaches, support staff and everyone in our football program have accomplished this season.  Thanks to the innovative mind of Commissioner Brett Yormark, the 2022 Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship will be an event different than any other the conference has previously hosted.  Among the many brand enhancements are Grammy Award winner Ashanti performing the National Anthem with Unified World Welterweight Boxing Champion Errol Spence Jr. leading the ceremonial coin toss. 

And how about our TCU Volleyball program? For the first time since 2016 we are in the NCAA Tournament set to face Washington in a first-round match today at 4:30 p.m. in Madison, Wisconsin.  We finished third in the Big 12 Conference with an 11-5 record.  I am so happy for Coach Jason Williams, our student-athletes and all those involved with volleyball on their phenomenal season.

We also concluded another terrific women's soccer campaign with our third straight trip to the Sweet 16!  We are one of just 14 programs nationally to have played in each of the last seven NCAA Tournaments.

Men's basketball is 6-1, just outside the Top 25 and with impressive back-to-back victories over No. 25 Iowa and then Providence in the Big 12/Big East Battle.  Our women's basketball program is 3-3 and at Rice tonight.  Congratulations also to Gracie Morris on being our first cross country runner since 2016 to qualify for the NCAA Championships!​



MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT
We are very thankful to the Jane & John Justin Foundation for their lead gift of $10 million for a renovation and expansion of the existing Bob Lilly Performance Center, construction of a new state-of-the-art Football Performance Center and development of a Restoration and Wellness Center.

This will be an approximately $40 million project that will benefit all 22 sports.  Construction is targeted to begin in early 2024.  The renovated Bob Lilly Performance Center will be 20,000 square feet and focus on Olympic-style training.  It will also provide a yoga/stretching room, expanded free weight and cardio space, increased nutrition center, student-athlete lounge, addition of an outdoor warm-up area and a studio for the women's triathlon program.

As student-athletes enter the new 10,000 square foot Restoration and Wellness Center, they will begin a post-training restorative routine featuring state-of-the-art technologies designed to accelerate recovery and an emphasis on injury prevention. The facility will connect to the Walsh Physical Performance Complex and the football locker room below the Morris Practice Fields.

The Football Performance Center will include 20,000 square feet of weights and cardio areas, conference rooms and technology centers that connect the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility and the Morris Practice Fields.  It will be among the largest and technologically advanced of its kind in the nation as well as a perfect fit for Head Coach Sonny Dykes' emphasis on nutrition, restoration and wellness.

For more information on the conceptual designs and features for the new project, including how to get involved, please click HERE.



HONOR ROLL
Congratulations to Max Duggan on being our first-ever recipient of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award!  It is very rewarding to see him receive the recognition he has earned.  In voting by the league's head coaches, Max was also the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous first-team selection on the All-Big 12 Conference Team.

In addition to Max, we had 21 other Horned Frogs receive All-Big 12 honors, the most of any conference member.  It was so appropriate for Sonny Dykes to be the unanimous selection as the Big 12 Coach of the Year!  In addition to Max, we had individual award winners in Derius Davis (Special Teams Player of the Year) and Johnny Hodges (Defensive Newcomer of the Year).  We had 10 first-team selections.  A complete list of our honorees can be found HERE.

Max is also a finalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year, while Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is a finalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award which is presented to the nation's top defensive back.  We also have Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Garrett Riley as a finalist for the Broyles Award, recognizing the top assistant coach in the country.  Coach Riley has played a major role in Max's success.

Our soccer and volleyball programs were also well represented with postseason honors.  Just like football and we covered in last month's newsletter, women's soccer led the Big 12 Conference with 10 selections.  Additionally, Gracie Brian, Messiah Bright, Chalyn Hubbard and Camryn Lancaster received All-Midwest Region honors from the United Soccer Coaches Association.  Our outstanding quartet of Head Coach Eric Bell, Associate Head Coach Ryan Higginbotham, Assistant Coach Tom Serratore and Director of Operations Ana Auger-Crossman were recognized by the USCA as the Midwest Regional Staff of the Year for the third consecutive season.



Volleyball's Audrey Nalls, who was a four-time recipient of Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades, was a unanimous All-Big 12 selection and was joined on the first team by Callie Williams.

Congratulations to all!

DR. CASH HONORED
November 11 was a special day for our athletics program, TCU and Fort Worth.  It was an absolute honor to see Dr. James Cash recognized with a statue in front of Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.  He is a true trailblazer.  In case you are not familiar with his incredible story, Dr. Cash is a Fort Worth native who was the first black student-athlete at TCU and black basketball player in the Southwest Conference.  His standout career in a Horned Frogs uniform included earning Academic All-America honors and being all-conference in leading us to the 1968 Southwest Conference Championship.  After earning his master's and doctorate degrees at Purdue, Dr. Cash joined the Harvard Business School faculty in 1976.  Nine years later, he became the first black faculty member to receive tenure.  Dr. Cash has served on the board of directors for several major corporations as well as being part of the Boston Celtics' ownership group.

In conjunction with the statue dedication, Chancellor Boschini presented Dr. Cash with a Honorary Doctor of Science, honoris causa.  Click HERE to see a video recap of the memorable day.  Thank you, Dr. Cash!



TICKET OFFICE NOTES
As we learn our football bowl game destination on Sunday, please note the ticket request deadline is Monday, December 5, at 5:00 p.m. CT.

Amidst the excitement of our fall sports and with basketball underway, baseball season is just around the corner for our defending Big 12 Conference Champions!  Season ticket renewals are available HERE with a January 6 deadline.

THANK YOU, JD
John Denton and TCU have been synonymous with each other, and that extends to the entire Denton family.  John recently announced his upcoming retirement from TCU.  While he currently serves as our Associate Athletics Director for Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the Block T Association, he is so closely identified with our radio broadcasts.  John is in his 34th and final year as the color analyst.  He will continue on men's basketball games for the remainder of the season.  It was great, and I know it meant a lot to him, to receive the loud ovation when he was recognized at our home football game last weekend.  Best to you, John, and thank you for everything you have done for TCU and me personally.  We know you will always have the Horned Frogs close to you!



DID YOU KNOW?
We have five sixth-year seniors on our football team who will be involved in their second Big 12 Championship Game.  Defensive lineman Terrell Cooper, cornerback Noah Daniels, defensive lineman George Ellis, offensive guard Wes Harris and tight end Carter Ware were in their first year as Horned Frogs when we played in the 2017 game.  We also had an offensive analyst on that team named Sonny Dykes.

FIST BUMP
This month's Fist Bump goes to former TCU Athletics student intern John John Roney.  John John was a host for us at a recent football home game.  We had a donor's guest who was on the east side of Amon G. Carter Stadium and not sure how to get to the Founders Club.  John John volunteered to find him and bring him where he needed to be.  John John later waited with them in our athletics academics services office as two Ubers canceled on them. He then got a golf cart and took them to the Uber pick up location on the far side of The Harrison.  There were issues with their app, so John John paid for their ride home to uncomplicate things.  Thank you, John John, for defining hospitality!

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU 
Whether it's through email, Twitter or Instagram, please feel free to always reach out if we can be of assistance.  Thank you for your continued support of TCU Athletics!  

Go Frogs! 


 
Jeremiah Donati, J.D.
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics