TCU Football Players Johnson and McDermott Vai Invited to Seatte Rookie Minicamp

TCU linebacker Jawuan Johnson and fullback Casey McDermott Vai did not get drafted like fellow Horned Frogs L. J. Collier, Ben Banogu and Ty Summers, but they have been invited to the rookie minicamp of the Seattle Seahawks. Johnson also has been invited to the New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp, if he isn't offered a contract by Seattle.

Collier was drafted in the first round by Seattle. He joins fellow Horned Frog Joey Hunt, who is entering his fourth season with Seattle. He was a sixth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2016.

Banogu was drafted early in the second round by Indianapolis. Summer was drafted in the seventh round by Green Bay.

Johnson started the final seven games of the 2018 season. He finished fourth on the team with 70 tackles.

McDermott Vai played in 11 games last season. He played as an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman and a tight end.

TCU's Women's Golf Team Will Play for NCAA Division 1 Championship

The 22nd-ranked TCU women's golf team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division 1 Women's Golf Championship.

The Frogs, who will be making their 22nd NCAA postseason appearance in the last 24 years, will begin play May 6 in the Norman, Oklahoma, Regional. TCU is seeded sixth in the 18-team Regional. Joining the Horned Frogs are No. 1 seed Texas, Wake Forest, Florida, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Pepperdine, Purdue, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, NC State, Texas A&M, UTSA, UNC Wilmington, Sam Houston State and Fairleigh Dickinson.

The top six teams and three individuals at each of the four regional sites advance to the Championship rounds, to be held May 17-22, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. TCU has reached the Championship rounds in four of the last 12 seasons.

TCU's Springer Wins Big 12 Golf Championship, Frogs Finish Second as a Team

TCU's Hayden Springer won the Big 12 individual title  at the 2019 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virgiinia. As a team, the sixth-seeded Horned Frogs finished second, with as score of 838 (two under par). No. 1 seeded Oklahoma State won the team championship with a score of 827 (13 under par).

Springer earned TCU’s second individual champion title since 2014. The senior won by one stroke, carding a final score of 202 (eight under par). Springer tied two Big 12 individual championship records -- for the lowest first round score (64) and the lowest 36-hole score (132). 

Springer became the first TCU golfer to win the Big 12's individual title since Julien Brun won in 2014.

Victor Hovland of Oklahoma State finished second. TCU's David Ravetto tied Texas' Cole Hammer for third place. 

TCU's second-place team finish was the best finish for TCU since the Frogs joined the Big 12.

Finishing tied for third place in the team competition were Oklahoma and Texas, at 842 (two over par). In fifth was Texas Tech, at 844 (four over par), followed by Baylor, 846, Kansas State, 847,  Iowa State, 856, Kansas, 860, and West Virginia, 864.

Teams consisted of five golfers and the lowest four scores per round from the designated five-player team were used.

Selected teams will resume play at the 2019 NCAA Men’s Golf Regionals May 13-15 and the NCAA Championship May 24-29 at Blessings Golf Course in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Teams selected to compete for the NCAA Championship will be announced on Wednesday, May 1, at 8 pm CT, on the Golf Channel. 

Green Bay Selects TCU's Summers in Seventh Round of 2019 NFL Draft

TCU defensive end/linebacker Ty Summers (#42) joins two other
Horned Frogs in stopping Baylor during a 16-9 victory
over the Bears in Waco on November 17, 2018.

-- Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

TCU defensive end/linebacker Ty Summers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Summers is the third Horned Frog taken in this year's draft, joining fellow TCU graduates L. J. Collier (first round, Seattle Seahawks) and Ben Banogu (second round, Indianapolis Colts).

Summers is the first Horned Frog drafted by the Packers since offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse in the fifth round in 2010.

Summers, a three-time All-Big 12 selection, had 319 tackles in his career for the second-best total in the 18-season tenure of TCU head coach Gary Patterson. He was also a three-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and the Walter Camp National Player of the Week in 2015 when he posted a career-high 23 tackles. In addition to his 319 career stops, he totaled 23.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, including four in each of the last two seasons.

Patterson has now had 48 players drafted with a total of 116 in NFL camps. ESPN.com has previously ranked TCU No. 1 in the nation for developing NFL talent. 

Indianapolis Colts Select TCU's Banogu in Second Round of 2019 NFL Draft

TCU defensive end Ben Banogu pressures Kansas

State quarterback Alex Delton during a 14-13 TCU

victory in Fort Worth on November 3, 2018.

-- Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

TCU defensive end Ben Banogu was selected in the second round, the 49th pick overall, by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2019 NFL Draft. Fellow defensive end L.J. Collier was selected in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks, and fellow defensive end/linebacker Ty Summers was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers.

Banogu was first-team All-Big 12 each of his two seasons at TCU. He topped the Horned Frogs in 2018 with 18 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He totaled 57 stops on the year. Banogu took part in two of TCU's three defensive touchdowns on the season, returning a fumble 47 yards for a score in the 17-14 victory over Iowa State and forcing a fumble that Alec Dunham returned for a touchdown in a 42-12 win at SMU.

Banogu started all 27 games for the Horned Frogs the last two seasons. His 17 career sacks rank ninth in TCU history. He was the 2017 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention for 2018 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Banogu joins fellow Horned Frog Derrick Kindred on the Colts. Banogu is the first Horned Frog drafted by Indianapolis since defensive end and first-round pick Jerry Hughes in 2010.

With Collier, Banogu and Summers being drafted this year, TCU head football coach Gary Patterson has had 48 players drafted with a total of 116 in NFL camps in 19 seasons. ESPN.com has previously ranked TCU No. 1 in the nation for developing NFL talent.

 

TCU Women's Golf Finishes Fourth

The 23rd-ranked TCU women's golf team finished fourth at the Big 12 Championship, held recently in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The Texas Longhorns won the tournament, their sixth Big 12 Women’s Golf Championship. UT became the first program to win three consecutive Big 12 conference titles since Oklahoma State won three-straight championships in 2001-03.

Texas won the tournament with a 54-hole score of 877 (+13). Baylor finished second, shooting 914. Oklahoma was third, with a 916 score. The Frogs shot 919. Texas Tech finished fifth, with a 920 score. Oklahoma State shot a 924, Kansas shot 928, Iowa State shot 929 and Kansas State shot 939.

TCU Tennis Teams Lose Early in Big 12 Championship Tournaments

The TCU men's and women's tennis teams faltered early in their respective Big 12 championship tournament.

The men were defeated in their first match by Oklahoma State. The tournament championship was won by Baylor. The Bears won their ninth Big 12 Tennis Championship trophy, first since 2014, by taking down top-seed Texas.

The women were defeated in their first match by Kansas. The tournament championship was won by Kansas. No. 3-seeded Kansas, which was the host school of the tournament, beat the top-seeded Longhorns for the Jayhawks' first conference championship in Big 12 history.

Seattle Selects TCU's L. J. Collier in First Round of 2019 NFL Draft

TCU defensive end L.J. Collier (#91) pressures Kansas

State  quarterback Alex Delton (#5) during a 14-13 TCU

victory in Fort Worth on November 3, 2018.

-- Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

TCU defensive end L. J. Collier was drafted 29th in the 2019 NFL Draft first round by Seattle on Thursday, April 25.

Collier is the 13th first-round draft pick in Horned Frogs history and the fifth under head coach Gary Patterson.
 
Collier was the sixth defensive end taken in the first round. Ohio State’s Nick Bosa was the first pass rusher taken, going No. 2 to the San Francisco 49ers. Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell went fourth to the Oakland Raiders, Michigan’s Rashan Gary went 12th to the Green Bay Packers, Florida State’s Brian Burns went 16th to the Carolina Panthers and Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat went 26th to the Washington Redskins.

Fellow defensive end Ben Banogu was selected in the second round, the 49th pick overall, by the Indianapolis Colts, and fellow defensive end/linebacker Ty Summers was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers.

Collier placed second on TCU with his career-high 6.0 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. He also tied for third on the team with four pass breakups, the most by a defensive lineman. Collier totaled 82 tackles in his TCU career, including 20.5 for a loss with 14.5 sacks.

Collier had a standout 2018 season with six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss, his first season as a starter. Collier closed his TCU career with two tackles for loss, including a sack, as part of four stops in the 10-7 overtime win versus Cal in the Cheez-It Bowl. He had a career-best eight tackles in the 14-13 victory over Kansas State.

Collier joins former TCU teammate and center Joey Hunt with the Seahawks. Hunt is entering his fourth season with Seattle. He was a sixth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2016.

With Collier, Banogu and Summers being drafted this year, TCU head football coach Gary Patterson has had 48 players drafted with a total of 116 in NFL camps in 19 seasons. ESPN.com has previously ranked TCU No. 1 in the nation for developing NFL talent. 

TCU's First-Round NFL Draft Picks:

1936 – Jimmy Lawrence, WB, Chicago Cardinals
1937 – Sam Baugh, QB, Washington Redskins
1939 – Ki Aldrich, C, Chicago Cardinals
1939 – Davey O'Brien, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
1958 – Jim Shofner, DB, Cleveland Browns
1960 – Jack Spikes, FB, Denver Broncos
1961 – Bob Lilly, DT, Dallas Cowboys
1970 – Norm Bulaich, RB, Baltimore Colts
2001 – LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
2010 – Jerry Hughes, DE, Indianapolis Colts
2014 – Jason Verrett, CB, San Diego Chargers
2016 – Josh Doctson, WR, Washington Redskins
2019 – L.J. Collier, DE, Seattle Seahawks

TCU Baseball Player Lodolo a 'Golden Spikes' Nominee

TCU baseball player Nick Lodolo is one of 40 collegiate and high-school baseball players around the country who have been nominated for this year's Golden Spikes Award.

The Golden Spikes Award goes to the country's top amateur baseball player. The nominees were announced by USA Baseball.

Other nominees from the Big 12 include: Cody Bradford and Shea Langellers of Baylor, Josh Jung of Texas Tech and Alek Manoah.

Lodolo, a junior, is the ace of TCU's pitching staff. As the Frog's Friday night starter, the left-hander is 5-2 this season. He has an ERA of 1.34. He has recorded 74 strikeouts in 60.1 innings. He is holding hitters to a combined batting average of .196.

The Golden Spikes Award, created by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association, was first presented in 1978. Presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, the winner of the 42nd Golden Spikes Award will be announced on June 14.

The 2018 award Golden Spikes Award winner was Andrew Vaughn, an infielder for the University of California.

Frogs Chasing Pro Basketball Dreams

TCU basketball players Kouat Noi and Desmond Bane and former TCU basketball player Jaylen Fisher have announced that they are exploring professional basketball careers.

Noi has no plans to return to TCU for his junior season. Bane is maintaining an option to return to TCU for his senior season. Fisher, who is enrolled at TCU through this season and is in the NCAA's transfer portal, is keeping open his options to continue his collegiate playing career somewhere.

21 Former Frogs on Professional Baseball Rosters

TCU baseball is well-represented in professional baseball this season. The Horned Frogs boast 21 players on a professional baseball roster. They are:

Major League:

Jake Arrieta - Philadelphia PhilliesSeasons at TCU: 2006-2007
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2007-present

Matt Carpenter - St. Louis Cardinals
Seasons at TCU: 2005-2009
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2009-present

Andrew Cashner - Baltimore Orioles
Seasons at TCU: 2008
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2008-present

Riley Ferrell - Miami Marlins
Seasons at TCU: 2013-15
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-present

Minor League Players:

Tyler Alexander - Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2014-15
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-present

Luken Baker - Palm Beach Cardinals (St. Louis Class A-Advanced)
Seasons at TCU: 2016-18
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2018-present

Jason Coats - Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2009-12
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-present

Stefan Crichton - Reno Aces (Arizona AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2011-13
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-present

Kevin Cron - Reno Aces (Arizona AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2012-14
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-present

Taylor Featherston - Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2009-2011
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2011-present

Durbin Feltman - Portland Sea Dogs (Boston AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-present

Brandon Finnegan - Louisville Bats (Cincinnati AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2012-2014
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-present

Bryan Holaday - New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami AAA)
Seasons at TCU: 2008-2010
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2010-present

Brian Howard - Midland Rockhounds (Oakland AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2014-17
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2017-present

Jordan Kipper - Bowie Baysox (Baltimore AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2014
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-present

Evan Skoug - Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox Class A)
Seasons at TCU: 2015-17
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2017-present

Jerrick Suiter - Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2012-14
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2014-present

Brian Trieglaff - New York Yankees System (Injured List)
Seasons at TCU: 2013-2016
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2016-present

Austen Wade - Lynchburg Hill Cats (Cleveland Class A-Advanced)
Seasons at TCU: 2015-17
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2017-present

Jantzen Witte - Portland Sea Dogs (Boston AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2009-2013
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2013-present

Sean Wymer - Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Class A)
Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-present

Alex Young - Reno Aces (Arizona Class AA)
Seasons at TCU: 2013-2015
Seasons in Pro Baseball: 2015-present

Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals Agree to Contract Extension

Former TCU baseball standout Matt Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a two-year, $39-million contract extension through the 2021 season.

This season, Carpenter, who is 33, is in the last year of a six-year, $52 million contract he signed with the Cardinals in 2014.

A 13th round pick by the Cardinals in 2009, Carpenter is in his 19th season with St. Louis. He is a three-time All-Star at three different infield positions. He also has won a Silver Slugger award. During the 2018 season, Carpenter set a career-high with 36 home runs, and he broke the St. Louis franchise record held by Lou Brock for leadoff homers in a career and in a single season.

Carpenter has established the Cardinals franchise records for career (23) and single-season (8) lead-off homers and he has compiled the top career on-base pct. (.388) among active lead-off hitters. Since 2013, Matt is currently leading the majors with his 245 doubles and he is one of just three players (also Mike Trout, 652, and Paul Goldschmidt, 608) with over 600 runs scored (616). 

It's no wonder that Carpenter arguably is currently the most popular Cardinal with St. Louis baseball fans.

Big 12, ESPN Expand Agreement

The Big 12 Conference has signed a deal to expand its rights agreements with ESPN. The deal runs through 2024-25, when the rest of the league's TV rights contracts will expire.

As part of the new agreement, ESPN will broadcast every Big 12 football championship game through the 2024 season and create a Big 12 platform on ESPN+. 

All of the championship games will appear on either ABC or ESPN.

Eight of the 10 schools in the league will ship hundreds of games across multiple sports to ESPN+ beginning this year, including one regular-season football game, and men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball games.

Texas keeps its rights on the ESPN-owned Longhorn Network. Oklahoma's rights will remain with Fox Sports. Both schools, however, will be featured on ESPN+ as road teams.

The ESPN+ agreement starts for Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State this year. Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia join in 2020.

TCU Men Golfers Win Second Tournament of Season

TCU's men's golf team recently won the Tiger Invitational golf tournament in Columbia, Missouri. It was the second tournament win of the season for the Frogs.

Senior Stefano Mazzoli led TCU. He earned tournament medalist honors with a three-round score of seventeen-under 199, which is the second-best 54-hole score in TCU golf history. The tournament win was Mazzoli's third-career victory and first of the season.

As a team, TCU's score of 40-under 824 was the second-best score vs. par in program history. The only one topping it was from earlier this season when the Frogs won the Lake Charles Invitational with a score of 47-under 817. TCU finished seven shots ahead of Big 12 foe Kansas State (-33) and 21 shots in front of third place Missouri (-19).

The Frogs will play in the Big 12 Championship, April 26-28, at The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.

Team results from the Tiger Invitational:

1. TCU: 824 (-40)
2. Kansas State: 831 (-33)
3. Missouri: 845 (-19)
4. Illinois State: 846 (-18)
5. Oral Roberts: 848 (-16)
6. UMKC: 850 (-14)
7. Southern Illinois: 851 (-13)
8. Missouri State: 859 (-5)
T9. SIU Edwardsville: 861 (-3)
T9. South Dakota: 861 (-3)
11. Morehead State: 864 (E)
12. Drake: 883 (+19)
13. South Dakota State: 888 (+24)
14. Central Arkansas: 900 (+36)
15. Hutchinson CC: 902 (+38)

 

Dixon Reaffirms Commitment to TCU Basketball; Assistant Coach Hired

Jamie Dixon, coaching in his first game as TCU's head basketball coach,

on November 11, 2016.                       --  Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

UCLA has hired Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin as its new basketball coach, ending a months-long search to find a replacement for the fired Steve Alford.

That search included the courting of TCU basketball coach Jamie Dixon, who was silent during the courtship but recently reaffirmed his commitment to TCU basketball.

Dixon issued a statement that said, "It has been my long-standing policy to never comment on coaching positions at other universities. This end-of-season speculation, however, was particularly intense and personal for my family because it suggested an imminent return to Los Angeles the childhood home of both my wife and I. 

"Since our team flight back from New York City, rather than attend the Final Four in Minneapolis during this dead period, I have been in Fort Worth meeting with our players, calling recruits and explaining to three generations of relatives and friends on both sides of the family the commitment I made to rebuild the TCU basketball program.

"After much discussion, I am proud to affirm my family's commitment remains the same. I am very grateful for the leadership of Texas Christian University, especially Chancellor (Victor) Boschini and our Athletic Director, Jeremiah Donati, as we all are committed to winning championships."

The Bruins were interested in Dixon, but reportedly couldn't reach a deal because of a reported $8-million buyout in his contract with TCU. That reason, and the amount of the contract buyout, were never confirmed.

Also recently, Dixon hired Duane Broussard as an assistant coach. Broussard spent six season as a coach at UCLA under Steve Alford.

Broussard has a reputation as a top-notch recruiter. He helped UCLA secure four incoming classes that were ranked in the top five, nationally, over the past five years.

Late in the season (in mid-March), TCU fired Corey Barker, the men's basketball assistant coach who is linked to the FBI college basketball corruption case. 

Near the end of the season, while the team was in the midst of its run to the NIT Final Four, TCU assistant basketball coach and former UTA head basketball coach Scott Cross was hired as the head basketball coach at Troy University, which is located in Troy, Alabama. Cross stayed with the TCU team through its NIT semifinal loss to Texas in Madison Square Garden.

2018 TCU Football Season Award Winners

Here are the this past season's TCU football award winners:

• Defensive Scout Team Most Valuable Player – Hidari Ceasar
• Offensive Scout Team Most Valuable Player – Nate Guyton
• Davey O’Brien Fightin’est Frog Award – L.J. Collier
• Grassy Hinton Most Conscientious Award – Ben Banogu
• Y.Q. McCammon Outstanding Squadman - Nate Guyton
• Abe Martin Leadership Award – Ty Summers
• Ralph Lowe Sportsmanship Award – Ty Summers
• G. Malcolm Louden Academic Achievement Award - Grayson Muehlstein
• Special Teams Most Valuable Player – Trevon Moehrig
• Defensive Most Valuable Player – L.J. Collier
• Offensive Most Valuable Player – Jalen Reagor
• Dan Rogers Most Valuable Player – Jalen Reagor