The University of Texas at Arlington, also known as UT Arlington or Texas-Arlington, is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, founded in 1895. During the early 20^th century, the university served mainly as a military academy and, after spending several decades as part of the Texas A&M University System, they joined the University of Texas System in 1965. UT Arlington has an enrollment of over 32,000 students and is currently the second largest institution within the UT system, offering 80 undergraduate, 74 graduate, and 31 doctoral degree programs. Famous alumnae of UT Arlington include actor and Golden Globe nominee Lou Diamond Phillips, country singer-songwriter Chris Cagle, and former Mariners catcher Adam Moore.

The UT Arlington Mavericks support 14 varsity sports, all of which Seattle U teams will face throughout the 2012-13 school year. The school offers seven men’s sports – baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, tennis, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field – and seven women’s sports – basketball, cross-country, softball, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and volleyball. This is Texas-Arlington’s first and last year in the Western Athletic Conference, as they will move to the Sun Belt Conference at the end of the 2012-13 year.

Baseball

The baseball team finished 2012 with a 36-25 record, also finishing 19-14 in the Southland Conference. They won the Southland Conference Championship, winning four straight versus McNeese State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Sam Houston State, and Southeastern Louisiana, and grabbing the automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. However, at the NCAA Regionals, they were unable to keep the momentum going, as they lost two straight to Dallas Baptist and Baylor, ending their magical season. Ryan Walker, the only player to start all 61 games for the team, led the Mavericks with a .360 avg., recording 56 runs on 90 hits, as well as ten doubles, one triple, and 31 RBIs in 250 at bats. The Mavericks will look to continue the momentum from 2012, as they will face the Redhawks for the first time in WAC play during the spring of 2013.

Men’s Basketball

The Mavericks men’s basketball team posted a 24-9 overall record and 15-1 conference record in 2011-12, resulting in a Southland Conference regular season title and the team’s second ever trip to the National Invitational Tournament. They entered the NIT as a No. 8 seed and fell to Seattle U’s cross-town rival Washington in the first round on Washington’s home court.  LaMarcus Reed started all 33 games for the Mavericks, leading the team with a 46.1 field-goal percentage and a 79.9 percent free-throw percentage, averaging 17.8 points per game. Head coach Scott Cross was named one of 11 “Coaches on the verge of elite status” by espn.com’s Fran Franchilla in Aug. 2012. Seattle U will first face UT Arlington men’s basketball on Jan. 17 in Arlington. The Mavericks will travel to face the Redhawks at KeyArena in Seattle on Feb. 16. Both teams will also compete in the WAC Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. on Mar. 12-16.

Women’s Basketball

UTA women’s basketball ended 2011-12 with a 7-21 overall record and a 5-11 conference record. Though they went into their season finale on a five-game losing streak, they finished the season on a positive note, topping UTSA, 75-65, in their final game of the season. Senior Bianca Sauls was named Southland Conference Second Team All-Academic. Sauls also led the team with 7.1 ppg, with a 38.5 percent field-goal percentage and a 68.1 percent free-throw percentage. The Redhawks will host the Mavericks for the first time on Jan. 17 before heading to Arlington on Feb. 16.  Both teams will also compete in the WAC Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. on Mar. 12-16.

Cross-Country

In 2011, the men’s team placed seventh, while the women’s team placed fifth at the Southland Conference Cross-Country Championships. Emily Koenig finished 12^th, the top finish for the women, while David Rayo finished 33^rd, the top finish for the men. At the NCAA South Central Regional Championships in Waco, Texas, the team finished 21^st overall. Maria Sandstrom crossed the finish line first for the Mavericks, with a 70^th place finish. The team will open the 2012 season on Sept. 8 at the UTA Season Opener in Arlington. The first meeting between the Redhawks and Mavericks will be on Oct. 27 at the WAC Championships at Lincoln Parish Park in Ruston, La.

Men’s Golf

Last season, the Mavericks saved their best performance for last, as they finished third at the Southland Conference Championships on Apr. 23-25, but were unable to defend their conference championship from the previous year. Their season came to an end at the NCAA Regionals, as they finished 12^th as a team.  Paul McConnell, who will return in 2012, finished T-15^th, the team’s highest finisher at the Regional competition. McConnell also led the Mavericks overall on the season, averaging 73.0 strokes per round. The team kicks off the 2012 season on Sept. 9-11 at the Kiawah Island Invitational in Kiawah Island, S.C. The Redhawks will first have the chance to meet the Mavericks at the WAC Championships on Apr. 29 – May 1 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Softball

In 2011, the Maverick softball team finished 15-27 overall and 5-15 in conference play, tying for last place in the conference. Sarah Higginbotham led the team with a .444 avg., recording two runs, one home run, and two RBIs on four hits in nine at bats. Among players who played in at least half of the team’s games, Charne Office led the team (second overall) with a .321 avg and six runs, nine hits, one double, one home run, and nine RBIs in 28 total at bats. As the Mavericks’ entire 2013 schedule has not yet been set, they will face the Redhawks for a three-game series in spring 2013.  The top six of eight WAC teams will qualify to meet on May 8-11 at the WAC Championships in Ruston, La.

Men’s Tennis

The Maverick men’s tennis team finished 2011 with a 10-13 overall record, falling to Nicholls State in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament. Mindaugas Celedinas led the team with a 14-9 overall record in singles play and three other players finished tied for second with 11 wins apiece. In doubles play, Mindaugas Celedinas/Soren Goritzka finished with a 14-6 record and David Subirats/Yauheni Yakauleu finished with a 12-6 record. The Redhawks will first face the Mavericks on Apr. 7 in Arlington.

Women’s Tennis

The UT Arlington women’s tennis team finished with a 16-9 overall record and a 9-2 conference record in 2011-12.  Five Mavericks ended the season with double digit wins, led by Verena Scott who went 17-7 in singles play. In doubles play, three different pairs led the team with 13 wins apiece, including Maria Martinez-Romer/Nikola Matovicova (13-10), Christine Foote/Verena Scott (13-7), and Giada D’ortona/Natalia Mayuk (13-9). The Mavericks and Redhawks will first meet in San Marcos, Texas on Mar. 29.

Track & Field

The men’s track and field team took sixth, while the women’s team placed fifth in the Southland Conference Championships in 2012. Four Mavericks were named to the Southland Conference Cross-Country and Track and Field All-Academic Teams, including Hance Loyd, Lionel Mungwari, Jeff Rodriguez, and Samantha Little. At the conference outdoor championships, Loyd placed eighth in the 3000-meter steeplechase, Mungwari placed third in long jump and fourth in triple jump, and Little placed third in discus. Rodriguez was the conference champion in pole vault during the indoor season and set a school record in the event during the outdoor season. Thirteen Mavericks competed in the NCAA West Preliminary Round in Austin, Texas on May 24-26. The first meeting between the Mavericks and Redhawks will be the WAC Indoor Championships on Feb. 21-23, 2013 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Volleyball

In 2011, the Mavericks finished with a 12-19 overall record and 8-9 conference record, falling to Sam Houston State in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament. Outside hitter Tara Frantz led the team in kills last season with 383, while middle blocker Emily Shearin recorded 107 total blocks. Both Frantz and Shearin graduated after the 2011-12 season, so the young team looks to remaining upperclassmen and newcomers to lead them. The Mavericks are currently 3-5 in 2012, after falling in three straight games following a 3-2 start to 2012. The Redhawks and Mavericks will face twice this season, with the first contest coming on Oct. 13 at College Park Center in Arlington, and the second coming on Nov. 8 at the Connolly Center on Seattle U’s campus.

The UT Arlington athletic department does not sponsor any additional sports that Seattle University does not also sponsor. Seattle U, however, also sponsors women’s golf, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s swimming.

2012 marks Seattle University's first year in the Western Athletic Conference and first year as a full NCAA Division I member since 1980. For current information on these events and other Seattle University athletics news, visit GoSeattleU.com.