🐻 The Official Daily Newsletter For Baylor Athletics

Good Morning Bears. When the lights come on, the stars step up.

With the last few weeks or games of the 2023 regular seasons coming, the BU volleyball and futbol squads are turning it up to make their late season pushes towards postseason play.

What all do we have stirrin’ in today’s Brew? Check it out!

🏀 Three’s Company
🎥 Brand New Episode of “The Follow”
⚽️ Turning It On
🐻 And much, much more!

🎙 INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS

Rejoice, Baylor basketball fans! We are rapidly approaching hoops season, and what better way to get ready for tip-off than with Head Coach Scott Drew.

Join Coach Drew in an exclusive Inside Baylor Sports interview as he previews the upcoming season, talks transfers and freshmen, and so much more.

^{Inside Baylor Sports is the official daily podcast of Baylor Athletics.}

^{This is the one-stop shop for everything fans need to know about the Bears: the biggest stories, exclusive interviews and opinions on the most important news of the day.}

📈 STOCK UP

🔺 Turning Heads. He hasn’t even played a game yet, but he’s already turning heads.

This week, BU men's basketball's Ja'Kobe Walter was named the Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He is Baylor's third-straight Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year. The Bears and Kansas Jayhawks are the only teams in league history to have the preseason conference freshman of the year in three consecutive seasons.

Walter follows Keyonte George and Kendall Brown, who each took home the honor prior to their freshmen campaigns in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively.

The sixth McDonald's All-American in program history, Walter played his senior season at Link Academy in Branson, Mo., where he helped the Lions to a 24-1 record in 2022-23. Before transferring, ESPN's No. 17-rated player led McKinney High School to its first-ever state championship game, where he scored a team-high 23 points against Duncanville.

🔺 Besting The Bearcats. With about six weeks left in the regular season, there’s no better time to turn it up a notch.

BU’s 20th-ranked volleyball squad looks to be doing just that, winning its third match in the past four, a decisive 3-1 road victory over Cincinnati.

Sophomore Averi Carlson picked up a double-double with 47 assists and 11 digs, while also chipping in two service aces. Elise McGhee (16) and Riley Simpson (15) led the offensive attack with 31 combined kills.

📝: How It Went Down - Baylor 3, Cincy 1

🔺 Point Earned. When it’s coming down to the wire, every single possible point is important.

BU’s futbol squad pushed its unbeaten streak to five with a 2-2 tie with visiting Cincinnati on Thursday night. Ashley Merrill scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season, while Callie Conrad added her second.

The Bearcats got a late goal on a questionable call to even things up, but BU thought it answered with two late near goals, but it would end in a tie on a frustrating night at the Betty Lou.

Baylor now sits in an eighth-place tie with two regular season games remaining. The top 10 seeds earn a berth in the conference tournament.

📝: How It Went Down - BU 2, Cincy 2

🔺 Three’s Company. The youngster’s day wasn’t over with just being named Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Walter joined seniors Jalen Bridges and RayJ Dennis as preseason all-conference honorable mention honorees.

Bridges is Baylor's lone returning starter from last year's squad, which piled up 23 wins and yet another trip to the NCAA Tournament. The senior from Fairmont, W.Va., made an instant impact as one of two players to start all 34 games for the Bears a season ago, while leading the team in rebounds (192) and blocks (35).

Dennis is the latest impact transfer for Coach Drew and the Bears. The Plainfield, Ill., native was the unanimous MAC player of the Year last season with Toledo, appearing in 35 games and averaging 19.5 points and 5.8 assists en route to a regular-season conference title for the Rockets. Dennis was integral in helping the Rockets match a school record with 27 wins, leading the conference in assists per game (5.8) and ranking 10^th in the country in assist-turnover ratio.

🏆: The Full Breakdown of the Big 12 Preseason Honors

🎥 BAYLOR+: THE FOLLOW

The Baylor football team is back in Waco to face Texas Tech in an important BIG 12 matchup before the bye week.

Go inside positional meeting rooms, the game day locker room, practice & sideline huddles, and so much more.

🐻 FOR THE FUTURE

Parents and teachers, start your future Bear early by being a part of one of our favorite days of the year!

Baylor Basketball welcomes back K-8 students to their annual education game, "Future Bears Day", in 2023.

Men's basketball will host local schools on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. when the team takes on John Brown, while women's basketball hosts "Future Bears Day" on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. in an outing against Delaware State.

This year's educational component will revolve around physical activity, nutrition and the importance of mental health while growing up.

All classrooms K-8 are welcome to complimentary admission to one or both games upon registering. Registration for the men's game will close Monday, Oct. 30, and registration for the women's game will close Friday, Nov. 17.

🔗: Learn More About the Future Bears Day

🐻 BACKING THE BEARS

What’s better than repping your school colors?

Repping your colors and your favorite players. Officially-licensed Nike NIL jerseys are available at the Baylor Bookstore featuring participating football student-athletes.

Place your order in person at the Baylor Bookstore today! 

🤔 SIC ’EM TRIVIA

Pocket Aces. BU’s volleyball squad ripped off a season-high eight aces in Thursday night’s win in Cincy.

It was the most since last November when the Bears had nine against the Longhorns.

What’s the program record for aces in a single match?

Got a guess?

Scroll on down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Baylor Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

🗓 ON THE DOCKET

Friday, October 13
🏐 Volleyball at Cincinnati @ 5pm | Live Coverage
👟 Cross Country at Arturo Barrios Invitational (College Station, Texas)
🐎 Equestrian vs. Oklahoma State @ 1pm | Live Coverage
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. ITA Regionals (Hurd Tennis Center)

Saturday, October 14
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. ITA Regionals (Hurd Tennis Center)
🥎 Softball at Sam Houston State @ 12pm
🥎 Softball at North Texas @ 5pm

Sunday, October 15
⚽️ Women’s Soccer at #21 TCU @ 1pm | Live Coverage
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. ITA Regionals (Hurd Tennis Center)

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 18!

That’s right, Baylor ripped off 18 service aces in a five-set thriller, 3-2, over Montana State back on Sept. 3, 1988.

🐻 Let’s have a great weekend, y’all!

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