Jori Epstein

University President Gregory Fenves extended Mike Perrin’s contract as the men’s athletic director through 2017–18 on Thursday.  

With the Longhorns’ record at 3-5, rumors spread about players transferring. Freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson dispelled them — he is the perfect player to lead a turnaround.

Head coach Charlie Strong has preached mental focus and core values his whole career. But the principle took on additional importance in 2015.

Texas’ freshmen show great potential for Texas’ future. But the class must join upperclassmen to compete Saturday.

Texas’ defense knows its third-quarter pressure falls short. Now, the rising action begins with conference play against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Xiaomin Xue always felt like something was off. It wasn’t until Xue, a physical culture and sports senior, came to the 40 Acres – still identifying as female – that he learned about the transgender and LGBT community.

Texas is in a much better place than it was one year ago, according to sports editor Jori Epstein.

From some angry boosters to the extra bucks in student athletes’ pockets, Texas Athletics has been abuzz while students were away for summer. To catch you up, here are four things to know before heading back to the 40 Acres.

Students are still responsible for comments made on social media.

For Texas, Monday night epitomized head coach Charlie Strong’s first year struggles and sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes’ inconsistent play.   

Texas accepted its invitation to play in the 2014 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl on December 29 in Houston.

In 2013, Boykin became the first TCU player ever to tally a 100-yard rushing game, 100-yard receiving game and 200-yard passing game.

Guest columnist Jori Epstein explains the concept behind The Challenger, a street newspaper dedicated to empowering people in need.

At season’s start, sophomore linebacker Seth Jacobs was excited. 

Texas’ offensive line doesn’t do anything on a small scale. 

Although senior safety Mykkele Thompson hasn’t missed a game in his four years at Texas, a few of his competitions are a little hazy. 

Although head coach Charlie Strong first came to Texas in January, he understands traditions that date back long before his arrival.

Like many Wildcats, the senior signal caller’s collegiate career didn’t start in Manhattan, Kansas, but rather in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at Iowa Western Community College.

Learn more about Iowa State QB Sam B. Richardson.

For years, in Garland, just 25 miles from Cotton Bowl Stadium, a Longhorn football hopeful watched the emblematic Red River Rivalry matchup with elation.

Although Texas’ 2-3 record doesn’t quite reflect it, the Longhorn defense stands strong this season.

When asked about freshman safety Jason Hall, teammates and coaches consistently mention the same trait: Hall’s energy.

Kansas’ Ben Heeney knows he can’t hide — not on the field, not in the locker room and not on campus. Wherever he goes, someone is always watching. 

While Texas rested its feet this weekend, underdogs around the country gave top-10 opponents a run for their money.

Texas head coach Charlie Strong announced Wednesday evening that junior quarterback David Ash will no longer play football after suffering his third concussion earlier this season.

As a freshman in 2013, Myles Jack played in 13 games and started in 12 as linebacker. Not only does he boast more starting experience than Texas’ entire offensive line, his experience ranges more broadly than any player on Texas’ entire team.

As a four-year starter and offensive presence on the team, senior running back Malcolm Brown knew he’d need to be a leader this season. What he didn’t know was how inexperienced an offensive line he’d be leading.

Linebacker Deoundrei Davis is no longer on the football team, according to reports Friday afternoon. Davis, a redshirt freshman from Cypress, spent last year sidelined to finish rehab for a high school knee injury. He was the only player not to receive medical clearance as of July 22 and has never played nor suited up for a game.

If the Texas defensive linemen could erase one memory from their college football experiences, it would be their time in the locker room in Provo, Utah, last fall.

Between a handful of injuries and two handfuls of suspended players over the past few years, the Texas football staff has learned to rely on more than just veteran players alone.

After playing in all 25 games his freshman and sophomore seasons, senior linebacker Jordan Hicks and his role on the team took a sudden plunge. 

When Texas hit a bump in the road in the 2012-13 season, it needed to rebuild its chemistry, its school confidence and its recruiting program.

There are few things more exciting than watching David Barrett’s rendition of “One Shining Moment” each April.

It all started at recess.

It hasn’t hit sophomore center Imani McGee-Stafford that she’s playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. 

The Longhorns have put on their dancing shoes with a No. 5 seed as they head to the Big Dance for a date with No. 12 Penn. And head coach Karen Aston says they’re putting in their all.

Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the Oklahoma City Thunder (46-15), is already a bastion of Longhorn dominance. Memcache statistics Operation Bin Key Hit get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-variables 1 get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-bootstrap_modules 1 get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-lookup_cache 1 get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-system_list 1 get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-module_implements 1 get cache cache-context 1 getMulti cache cache-.wildcard-context 1 get cache cache-ctools_plugin_type_info 1 get cache cache-plugins%3Acontext%3Aplugins 1 getMulti cache cache-.wildcard-plugins%3Acontext 1 get cache_path cache_path-ckeditor%2Fxss   get cache cache-filter_formats%3Aen 1 get cache cache-filter_list_format 1 get cache_bootstrap cache_bootstrap-hook_info 1 get cache cache-theme_registry%3Atexan 1 getMulti cache cache-.wildcard-theme_registry 1

Back in January, Texas fought valiantly against then-No. 11 Oklahoma State in an attempt to open conference play with a win.

Playing an overaggressive, undisciplined defense Saturday night, Texas sent the Cyclones to the charity stripe repeatedly.

As losses become memories of the past, Texas’ improvement is evident in its conference schedule. 

When sophomore guard Brady Sanders suits up for each game, she knows she owes more than 40 minutes of play to her teammates. 

Though junior forward Nneka Enemkpali grabbed 15 boards to complement 19 points, Texas (14-7, 5-4) couldn’t maintain its halftime lead against No. 9 Baylor (18-3, 8-1).

Entering the round-robin series against Baylor last year, head coach Karen Aston knew hopes were lost.

Texas (13-6, 4-3 Big 12) topped West Virginia, 66-63 at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday, handing the Mountaineers only their third loss of the season.

When sophomore guard Brady Sanders subbed in with 2:31 left Thursday night, the Longhorns were down 21 points to Syracuse. 

Texas hasn’t topped No. 6 Stanford in a meeting since the Sweet 16 round of the 1988 NCAA tournament.

In what head coach Karen Aston called “more of a complete game” than the team’s season opener, Texas beat Texas State 96-42 in the Longhorns’ highest scoring game since 2010. 

Head coach Karen Aston and Texas women’s basketball have set a mantra for the 2013-14 season: Own it.

Be it through Texas Exes, athletic loyalty or the simple acknowledgment later in life that UT aided our success, it’s important to give credit to our alma mater. 

When the No. 4 Longhorns stepped onto the Women’s College World Series field in Oklahoma City, they didn’t expect anything, other than the weather, to be a breeze. JOri But something among the burnt orange felt different en route to the Longhorns’ 6-3 victory.  

When junior catcher Mandy Ogle threw out her tenth base-stealer this season against Oklahoma last weekend, she was on a roll.

The No. 6 Longhorns swept Iowa State (18-22, 3-6) this week to improve to 38-4, remain undefeated in conference play and extend their winning streak to 15 games.

Nobody’s perfect, but the Texas softball team keeps coming pretty close.

When Torie Schmidt’s family enters Red & Charline McCombs Field on Tuesday, they won’t be donning their usual burnt orange gear.

Amidst the swishing blonde ponytail and piercing blue eyes, Thom consistently displays a smile and character that motivate her teammates.

Texas Softball plays University of Louisiana today at 5.

After both Texas and No. 24 Tulsa were held scoreless in the first seven innings of Sunday’s Texas Classic championship, Gabby Smith singled up the middle to bring Stephanie Ceo home for the win.

 After Kim Bruins struck out two batters and another fouled out, Texas quickly found its way to the plate in the first inning.

The Longhorns are looking beyond their comfort zone for game seven, competing in their first away games of the season at the Hilton Houston Plaza Invitational.

Softball wins Texas Classic championship with 5-0 season start.

The game will commence the weekend Texas Classic tournament that also hosts North Texas and Memphis.

Senior Blaire Luna plays a pivotal role on the softball team not only as a star pitcher, but also as a teacher and role model.

Twenty-three teammates will join sophomore Kaitlin Petrillose to represent No. 13 Texas.

When women’s athletics director Chris Plonsky told Rose Brimmer she would become interim head coach upon Beverly Kearney’s resignation.