Search the Community

https://meangreensports.com/honors/north-texas-athletics-hall-of-fame

DENTON, Texas – Lysette Rivera-Cortes has been named the strength and conditioning coach for the North Texas women’s basketball team, Jalie Mitchell announced on Wednesday. “Lysette comes to UNT highly recommended, and ready to leave her mark”, Mitchell said. “I can't wait for her to lead our young women in strength and conditioning work, preparing them for what's to come. Her mindset and drive are unmatched, and what attracted us in the hiring process. She will join us in doing whatever it takes to continue soaring to new heights!” Rivera-Cortes was with Bucknell’s strength and conditioning staff for two seasons where she worked with eight different sports. Prior to Bucknell, she was at Georgia Southern University, where she had been serving as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. At GSU, Rivera-Cortes worked with the men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, and cheerleading teams. She instructed student-athletes in proper execution of Olympic and powerlifting movements, plyometric drills, sprint mechanics and other techniques. She was also responsible for creating individualized nutrition programs to optimize athletic performance and recovery. Rivera-Cortes is a 2019 graduate of Old Dominion University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. In August 2020, she completed a master's degree in exercise science from ODU, and she also worked with the Monarchs' women's volleyball, women's basketball and swimming and diving teams as a graduate assistant. Rivera-Cortes is a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She has completed USA Weightlifting Level One (USAW-1) certification. She is also a certified nutrition coach (PN-1) and a registered yoga teacher (200 Hr-RYT). QUOTING STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH RIVERA-CORTES “I’m thrilled to be joining the Mean Green and working alongside coach Mitchell. North Texas is a phenomenal opportunity. I admire UNT’s emphasis on developing the best overall student-athlete to help them succeed on the court and in life. I’m super excited to make a positive impact on this program and in Denton.”

Zac Babb and Hank Dickenson debut #GMGCast with former Mean Green men's basketball players JJ Murray and DJ Draper, discussing their The Basketball Tournament team "Bleed Green." Zac and Hank walk through JJ and DJ's journeys from walk-ons with the men's basketball program to key contributors on championship-winning teams. They break down everything that goes into creating a TBT team and how Mean Green fans can support Bleed Green as they gear up for their first game on July 22nd. That's followed by a brief trip down the corridor of years in a segment called Babbling with Hank, where Zac and Hank talk about the 1995 North Texas football season and the infamous "Schedule from Hell" the Mean Green had to play in their return to the FBS ranks. 0:00 - Podcast introductions 2:08 - DJ Draper & JJ Murray Intros 4:35 - DJ & JJ's early days at UNT 7:02 - Bleed Green TBT Overview 8:47 - Beginnings of TBT team 10:00 - Bleed Green roster 14:02 - Benefits of TBT exposure 15:09 - Unique rules to TBT games 17:51 - How to help support Bleed Green 19:56 - Bleed Green coaching staff 28:16 - "Babbling with Hank," the 1995 UNT football team LINK TO PODCAST: https://meangreensports.com/podcasts/-gmgcast-jj-murray-and-dj-draper/77

The Big 12 is involved in deep discussions to add multiple Pac-12 programs as a way to shore up its membership in the wake of the USC and UCLA defection to the Big Ten, sources tell CBS Sports. At least four teams are being considered with the potential for the Big 12 to add more as realignment continues to shake out. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah were mentioned specifically as the teams being targeted by the Big 12, sources tell CBS Sports. There is also consideration of adding Oregon and Washington to make the Big 12 an 18-team league, the largest in the FBS. A merger of the Big 12 and Pac-12, in some form, is also a possibility. "Everything is on the table," said one Big 12 source. There is "no question" the Big 12 has to be aggressive in expansion, another conference source said. Despite the Big 12's attempts, the Pac-12 released a statement Monday saying it would immediately begin negotiations on its next TV contract, intending to go forward with at least its 10 remaining members. There is a possibility more could be added to the mix, according to a Pac-12 source. The Pac-12's current deal expires in 2024 read more: https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-12-in-deep-discussions-to-add-up-to-six-pac-12-teams-after-usc-ucla-defections-to-big-ten/

Upcoming AAC Realignment In one of the biggest conference “trades” in NCAA history, three current American Athletic Conference teams – Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF – will be leaving for the Big 12 before the 2023 academic year. Six C-USA teams replacing them (FAU, UAB, Charlotte, Rice, North Texas, and UTSA) would do so at the same time, to prevent the AAC from dropping to just eight teams. The buyout for the AAC schools is going to be $18 million each. That’s the standard $10 million buyout fee, plus another $8 million each to leave early. The buyout will be paid over 14 years. Meanwhile, lawyers with billable hours are still working out further details on the new incoming schools. With it, the American will compete as a 14-team league in football after the transition next summer. MEMPHIS – ATTRITION MISSION – 7.5 W – *7 / 6 The Tigers’ 7-year bowl streak came to an end last season. The culprit was the Tigers’ shoddy 5-7 mark ‘In The Stats’ (ITS) as they now stand 10-13 ITS in all games under Ryan Silverfield, including 2-7 away. This pales in comparison to the 34-20 ITS mark in the Mike Norvell years from 2016-2019. Thus, you can see where erosion is occurring. Despite seniors making 145 of the 260 overall team starts last season, they will line up with a good amount of returning experience this season. With four of its first five games this campaign against foes with losing records in 2021, a fast start is imperative if Memphis is to revisit the alleys this season. PLAY AGAINST: at Mississippi State (9/3) – *KEY STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Tigers are 0-9 ATS away under head coach Ryan Silverfield. SMU – 50 LASHES – 7 W – *6 / 7 New head coach Rhett Lashlee led what should have been a mess of a Miami offense to a top-50 rank in points-per-drive last season while developing young star Tyler Van Dyke in the process. His reward was landing the top spot with an SMU squad that has gone 25-10 the past three seasons under Sonny Dykes, who now takes over the reins at TCU – an hour down I-30 in Dallas. Lashlee was a quarterback at Arkansas from 2002-05 where the Hogs won 23 games and played in two bowl games. He’s worked under Gus Malzahn for a good portion of his college coaching career and looks to be a good fit for the Ponies. PLAY ON: at Tulsa (10/29) STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The Mustangs are 10-2 ATS at home versus greater than .600 opponents the past five seasons. read more: https://www.wagertalk.com/news/college-football/2022-aac-football-betting-preview-marc-lawrences-playbook/

Time flies like a football for the Drummond family! Youngest son Todd Drummond, who turned 18 in early June, just made one of the biggest decisions of his life — he's decided on a college football career at the University of South Dakota. He announced in a tweet, tagging the South Dakota Coyotes football team, that he's committed his football prowess to the powerhouse team. Todd has been the quarterback for his Pawhuska, Ohio football team since his brother Bryce Drummond went off to play for North Texas. Though Bryce was a quarterback in high school, he's changed his position to linebacker for North Texas. The South Dakota Coyotes are an NCAA Division 1 team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (per 247Sports). Todd will start his first season for South Dakota in the fall of 2023 under head coach Bob Nielson. Read More: https://www.mashed.com/912365/ree-drummonds-son-todd-just-made-a-major-decision/?utm_campaign=clip

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis announced a home-and-home series with Boise State University on Wednesday. The two teams will play at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis in 2023 and in Boise, Idaho during the 2026 season. Dates for both contests will be announced later. The games between the Tigers and Broncos are in addition to the two games announced between the programs in January of 2021. Those contests are scheduled for Aug. 31, 2030 in Memphis and Sept. 13, 2031 in Boise. For Memphis, the game with Boise State replaces the North Texas contest in the 2023 season, with the Mean Green now joining the American Athletic Conference (AAC) on July 1, 2023. The Tigers' non-conference schedule for the 2023 season includes a road game at Arkansas State (Sept. 9), as well as home contests against Missouri (Sept. 23) and Boise State (TBA). Along with the road game against the Broncos in 2026, the Tigers are also slated for a home contest against Arkansas State (Sept. 5) and a road game at Arkansas (Sept. 19). Single-game tickets for the 2022 Memphis Football season are now available for Family Zone & Endzone seats at GoTigersGo.com. Tickets in the family zone for all home games start at $20 and in the endzone for $25. The Pick 3 Mini Plan is also available for the 2022 Tiger season. The Pick 3 Mini Plan gives fans the flexibility to pick from any three Memphis home games during the 2022 season at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, starting at just $45. Additionally, season tickets for the 2022 University of Memphis football season are now on sale. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets can go to GoTigersGo.com or call the ticket office at 901-678-2331. Link: https://gotigersgo.com/news/2022/6/29/memphis-football-announces-pair-of-games-with-boise-state.aspx

DENTON — The back-to-back-to-back Conference USA champion North Texas men's basketball team will play in the eight-team Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, beginning on Nov. 25 and running through Nov. 27, the tournament announced Thursday, UNT, who won a program record 25 games last year, will face San Jose State in the first round (Nov. 25) of the Nassau Championship scheduled to start at 4:30 CT. All games will be broadcast on FloHoops and the Mean Green Sports Network presented by Learfield. Along with North Texas and SJSU, the 2022 Nassau Championship field includes Vermont, Ball State, Long Beach State, Missouri State, UNC Wilmington and Oakland. All games will be played at the Baha Mar Convention Center. Mean Green fans can book rooms now at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar at the tournament rate by visiting www.bahamarhoops.com. Tickets will be available to the public later this summer. Stay tuned for more information on tickets. In addition to winning a program-record 25 games last season, the Mean Green won a program-record 16 league games in route to their third straight C-USA title. North Texas earned its first ever trip to the National Invitation Tournament and advanced to the second round. UNT featured the nation's No. 1 scoring defense last year, holding opponents to just 55.7 points per game. They return starters Rubin Jones and Abou Ousmane as well as leading scorer Tylor Perry who was named first team all-conference and C-USA Sixth Player of the Year. North Texas has added four newcomers to the mix for this upcoming season. Grand Hyatt Baha Mar A mere 55-minute flight from Florida, Baha Mar opened in 2017 and is home to three iconic brands: Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood. Situated on 1,000 acres overlooking Nassau's famous turquoise ocean waters, the resort destination features more than 2,300 rooms and an abundance of dynamic programming, activities, and amenities including the largest casino in the Caribbean, a state-of-the-art convention center, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the Caribbean's first and only flagship ESPA spa, a collection of more than 45 restaurants and lounges, and more. The $200 million luxury water park, Baha Bay, debuted in July 2021 as the latest addition to Baha Mar's portfolio of spectacular guest offerings. Set on 15 beachfront acres, Baha Bay has introduced an exciting array of aquatic activities and experiences, alfresco dining, a gaming pavilion, beach club, and more.

North Texas' Seth Littrell, Texas State'sJake Spavital and Rice's Mike Bloomgren enter 2022 on the college football coaching hot seat. Three of the 12 FBS coaches in the state of Texas arguably face a make-or-break season at their respective universities. Seth Littrell, North Texas Record: 37-38 (7th season) Best case: It’ll take another bowl berth for North Texas to feel good about the direction of the program as it heads to the AAC following the season. A winning record likely guarantees a chance for Littrell to lead the Mean Green into their next athletic chapter. New additions offensively could elevate North Texas’ offense back to the Mason Fine era. Worst case: The back-to-back nine-win seasons feel like a lifetime ago for Littrell and North Texas. The road only gets tougher in the coming years with a move to the AAC happening next season. Losses on defense – specifically KD Davis and the Murphy twins – return the unit to the basement of Conference USA while the offensive additions don’t make instant impacts. read more: https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2022/06/23/three-fbs-college-football-coaches-enter-the-2022-season-on-the-hot-seat?ref=related_thumb

Here’s a look at the six newcomers: ▪ Phillip Houston, a 6-5, 270-pound offensive tackle, arrives from Navarro Community College in Texas. ▪ Jamarrion Solomon, a 5-11, 270-pound defensive tackle, is a freshman from Miami Palmetto. He will rejoin another former Palmetto defensive tackle, Savion Collins, who is an FIU veteran. “(Solomon) is dominant – quick and athletic,” MacIntyre said. “He plays with good leverage and is put together like a 25-year-old.” ▪ Luke Knox, a 6-3, 240-pound outside linebacker, spent the past four years at Ole Miss, making two starts in 2019. He was switched to tight end last year, but MacIntyre wants him on defense. His older brother is Buffalo Bills starting tight end Dawson Knox. read more: https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/college/conference-usa/florida-international-university/article262967983.html

A local motivational speaker is continuing his national success with a new book discussing difficult issues faced by coaches and athletes in today's society. Damon West tackles tough topics in his new book "The Locker Room," which focuses on the power of communication to heal hurt and build a unified team in any situation. West partnered with player development coach and fellow motivational speaker, Stephen Mackey, to write the book. A Port Arthur native who starred as a quarterback at Thomas Jefferson High School and North Texas University, West's life then took a tough turn after a career-ending injury. He turned to drugs and alcohol, and spent seven years in prison for a spree of burglaries in the Dallas area. read more: https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Damon-West-tackles-tough-topics-in-new-book-17271579.php

We’ll See North Texas: Seth Littrell has acquired a stable of arms at the quarterback position. The question is, can any of them come remotely close to the production that Mason Fine provided the Mean Green? Austin Aune has had the task of immediately following Fine and in two seasons has been pedestrian — throwing for 3,641 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He enters this year’s QB battle as the incumbent, but will be pushed by former four-star North Carolina signee Jace Ruder, well-traveled Grant Gunnell who arrives in Denton after stops in Tucson and Memphis and former Louisiana Tech QB JD Head. read more: https://www.underdogdynasty.com/platform/amp/2022/6/28/23177556/conference-usa-preseason-position-previews-quarterback-college-football-cfb

South Dakota football landed a commitment Monday from 2023 Pawhuska (Okla.) quarterback Todd Drummond. Drummond announced via his personal Twitter account, going with the Coyotes over offers from Ohio and Lamar, per his 247Sports recruiting profile. Todd Drummond is the youngest of four children to author and Food Network star Ree Drummond, who hosts The Pioneer Woman. Drummond's older sisters, Alex and Paige, attended SEC schools while his older brother, Bryce enrolled last year at North Texas. Drummond will be used to the spotlight, appearing on weekly episodes of The Pioneer Woman since 2011. Drummond's commitment post can be seen below: link: https://247sports.com/Article/QB-Todd-Drummond-son-of-Food-Networks-Pioneer-Woman-commits-to-South-Dakota-189319366/

EL PASO, Texas - UTEP has finalized its 2022 football promotional schedule. The Miners will kick off the 2022 campaign on “915 Night” versus North Texas on Aug. 27. UTEP is seeking its first capacity crowd in the stadium in 14 years for the “Sun Bowl Sellout” game against the Mean Green. To date, over 30,000 tickets have been issued for the matchup against North Texas in the 45,971-seat venue. “We are so thankful to everyone that has gotten on board with our ‘915’ Campaign and purchased a ticket to the ‘Sun Bowl Sellout’ game against North Texas,” UTEP Director of Athletics Jim Senter said. “To be over 65 percent of the way to capacity at this point is just amazing! It’s going to be an electric atmosphere and we’re excited about making the Sun Bowl the place to be on Aug. 27.” UTEP football season tickets, starting at just $65, are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets to the North Texas game for just $9.15 by scanning a QR code at GECU and Jack in the Box locations. Three-game mini plans that include the North Texas game will go on sale July 1, starting at $36. Family four-packs will be available for the Miners’ games versus North Texas, Middle Tennessee and FIU beginning on July 19. The family four-pack for the North Texas game is just $58 (a $110 value) and includes four sideline tickets, four regular hot dogs, four medium soft drinks and a large popcorn. For additional ticket information, fans can visit www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets. They can also pay a visit to the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office, located at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building Room 109), call 747-UTEP, or email tickets@utep.edu. Ticket Office regular hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Information on UTEP’s 2022 football promotional dates follows. Aug. 27 vs. North Texas (7 pm) – 915 Night/Sun Bowl Sellout Game sponsor: GECU The Miners open the season with a conference game for the first time since 1992 as they square off against the Mean Green on “915 Night.” Get your tickets now and help sell out the Sun Bowl for the first time in 14 years! The UTEP Marching Miners, cheer and dance teams will collaborate with band and spirit squads from across the city on a “915”-themed halftime show. read more: https://kvia.com/sports/utep/2022/06/27/utep-announces-2022-football-promotional-schedule/

Has coached 28 national champions in last four years DENTON, Texas – Doug Marshall has been named North Texas Director of Track & Field, Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker announced Monday. "We are thrilled to welcome Doug, Erin, Avery, Brendan and Cason to the Mean Green Family," Baker said. "Doug is a rising star and possesses the qualities our search committee outlined when we began the process. His energy and enthusiasm for this opportunity made him an easy choice to be our next director of track and field. "He possesses championship experience and a proven ability to recruit and develop student-athletes to go along with his Texas roots. Most importantly, he is dedicated to building champions and preparing leaders. He will be a great addition to our campus and this community." A San Antonio native, Marshall spent four seasons as head coach of Iowa Western men's and women's track & field and cross country from 2019-22. In that time, IWCC won three national championships and finished in the top six 13 times after only two top-six finishes in the previous four years. Marshall is the 12th director of track and field in UNT history. "I'm extremely blessed and excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Mean Green Family," Marshall said. "I would like to say a special thanks to my wife and family, the administration at IWCC, my incredible coaching staff, and most of all our amazing student-athletes. They're the real reason I am able to accept an amazing opportunity like this. I also want to say thank you to Wren Baker and his committee for their belief in me. UNT is a place that we can develop into an elite program with a strong culture. I'm excited about this next chapter and can't wait to get to work with our team." The Reivers finished the 2021-22 season as the women's indoor and outdoor national champions, runner-up for men's outdoor title, and as the men's indoor third-place finisher. The program added 17 individual national champions and 29 NJCAA All-Americans. Marshall was honored as region coach of the year by the USTFCCCA. His teams combined to post a GPA of more than 3.8 for the year. Freshman distance runner Hilda Chebet was named National Women's Track Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA for the indoor season after scoring 38 points at the meet. Marshall also had two athletes achieve major success at the 2022 USA U-20 National Championship meet with women's high jumper Miracle Ailes finishing first (1.81m/5-11.25) and men's quarter-miler Andrew Brown finishing seventh (47.40). In 2021, Marshall guided the IWCC women's program to the school's first team national championship during the indoor season. Iowa Western won six individual titles and claimed three second-place finishes. He earned his first national coach of the year honor following the indoor title. The cross country program also posted its two highest team finishes in program history under Marshall's leadership. The 2020 men's squad finished third in the country and followed that performance in the 2021 season as the national runner-up. Individually, women's cross country runner Faith Linga won national titles in both 2019 and 2020. The 2020 indoor season saw the Reivers perform well as a team, with the women's side finishing in sixth place, while the men finished in the top 15. Marshall's first year at IWCC in 2019 was successful as both the men's and women's teams finished in the top 15 both indoor and outdoor. The highlight of the year was the women's team finishing as region champions during outdoors. All told, Marshall coached 28 junior college individual national champions and 131 NJCAA All-Americans in his four seasons at the helm. In addition, the women's team was the NJCAA top team GPA honoree from 2019-21 and the men were runner-up for three straight years. Prior to coming to Council Bluffs, Marshall served one season in 2018 as head coach at Garden City Community College in Kansas. In his lone season, Marshall led the Broncbusters to top 20 finishes in both the men's and women's indoor national meets and numerous individual awards, including a national championship in the men's indoor heptathlon. Marshall served as an assistant at Garden City for three seasons from 2015-17 before being promoted to head coach. He coached 11 All-Americans and 33 national qualifiers in the indoor and outdoor seasons with the Broncbusters as an assistant. He also spent time coaching at Hartford and Garden City high schools in Kansas. Marshall earned his bachelor's degree from Emporia State in 2011, where he was an NCAA qualifier in the triple jump and holds the third-best triple jump in school history. Marshall earned seven All-MIAA awards in both the long and triple jumps. Marshall is married to the former Erin Gerstberger. The couple has a daughter, Avery, and twin sons, Brendan and Cason.

A number of young women from the Bay Area will compete for the crowns of Miss Texas USA and Miss Texas Teen USA in a weekend of pageantry July 1-3 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak in Houston. The contestants include last year’s first runner-up at Miss Texas USA and a former Miss Mississippi Teen USA. The Miss contestants, who include 89 women born from 1994 to 2003, will be scored in three categories: personal interview, swimsuit and evening gown. The 80 Teen contestants, for girls who were born from 2003 to 2007, will be judged in personal interview, active wear and evening gown. Friendswood Representing Friendswood in the Miss pageant is R’Bonney Gabriel, 28, a fashion designer and model who was the first runner-up at Miss Kemah 2021, Miss Houston 2021 and Miss Texas USA 2021. In 2018, the Filipina American earned a degree in fashion design with a minor in fibers from the University of North Texas. She works as the lead sewing instructor for domestic-violence survivors at a nonprofit design house, Magpies & Peacocks, in east downtown Houston. Gabriel designed and constructed her wardrobe for this year’s pageant. Info on her design and sewing work is at rbonneynola.com or Instagram: @rbonneynola. Read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-women-compete-for-teen-and-miss-titles-17261929.php

I keep hearing how deep our running back stable is and yet I usually hear about Oscar, Ayo or Ike, even Qualon. What about big Keith J? Is he still in the mix as I hope so, I really like his combination of size, speed and game. I do believe he is well over 6 foot and 200 pounds now. If we are 6 deep is it possible one or more of the RB's would be asked to play another position? It would seem now with KD's departure we are getting a little thin at LB.

The month of June has been a whirlwind for Texas A&M football. With the dead period approaching beginning Sunday night at midnight, the Aggies have had four big recruiting weekends this month. Those include the nation's top-ranked wide receiver, five-star USC commit Zachariah Branch. National top-150 wide receiver Tyler Williams is also on the visitor list. The other was North Texas transfer KD Davis, who was an All-Conference USA pick in 2021. read more: https://247sports.com/college/texas-am/Article/Texas-AM-football-recruiting-official-visits-2023-class-189255071/

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Abner Haynes has been honored by the University of North Texas with a new Unity Plaza. When you think of all of the great running backs employed by the Kansas City Chiefs over the years, it’s important to remember that the all owe something to the franchise’s first great back—‚literally the forerunner for them all—in Abner Haynes. Haynes was the first star running back of the franchise, going back to the days in which the team wasn’t the Chiefs and they were not yet located in Kansas City. Even with the Dallas Texans, Haynes was establishing himself as a beast in the backfield after winning the AFL’s first ever Rookie of the Year award in 1960. From there, Haynes would command the attention of defenses with a hearty 4.8 yards/carry average. Nearly 60 years after he was traded away from the Chiefs, he’s still No. 6 all-time on the team’s rushing yards list with 3.814. read more: https://arrowheadaddict.com/2022/06/24/former-chiefs-rb-abner-haynes-honored-university-north-texas/amp/