Texas State Men’s Basketball overcame every obstacle thrown their way last season — and there were a lot. The team adapted over the course of a coaching change, the loss of two long-time starters, a global pandemic, a conference scheduling format change, a severe winter storm, a late-season injury to an important piece in the rotation and the quarantining of its head coach in the final two games of the regular season.
The Bobcats weathered it all. The maroon and gold kept chugging along, posting an 18-7 overall record and a 12-3 record in conference play, winning their first-ever Sun Belt regular season championship. They look to be a league title contender again this season, going 9-3 in non-conference play.
Texas State’s ability to prevail through everything thrown at them in 2021 makes them the Daily Record’s Team of the Year.
Honorable Mentions:
San Marcos Academy Football
The Bears flashed potential during their first year playing six-man football in 2020 and showed growth in year two. SMA went 7-3 in the regular season, won a rematch against District 4 champion Austin Veritas Academy in the playoffs and reached the TAPPS Six Man Division I championship game, finishing the year at 10-4.
San Marcos Volleyball
The Lady Rattlers had a historic season in 2021, going 32-13 this year. A tiebreaker win over Buda Hays not only clinched San Marcos’ second consecutive appearance in the playoffs but also broke the program’s single-season wins record. Seven players were named to the All-District 26-6A teams, led by district MVP Maggie Walsh.
Texas State Softball
The Bobcats returned to an NCAA Regional this season for the first time since 2018. The maroon and gold went 39-14 overall, with six wins against Power 5 opponents, and made a deep run in the Sun Belt tournament. Texas State was selected as an at-large bid to the NCAA Austin Regional and picked up a win over No. 10 Oregon before being eliminated from the tournament.
San Marcos Football
John Walsh’s second year in San Marcos saw the Rattlers return to prominence. The purple and white benefitted from a full offseason under Walsh, showing improvements on both sides of the ball. The Rattlers finished the regular season at 5-5 overall and 4-3 in District 26-6A play, earning a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
San Marcos Girls’ Basketball
After years of coming close but falling shorts, the Lady Rattlers finally reached the postseason. Headlined by forward Faith Phillips and guard Kayla Presley, San Marcos went 14-6 overall and 9-5 in district play, taking fourth place in District 26-6A. Phillips and Presley both scored their respective 1,000th career points during the year and finally achieved their dream of taking the court in the playoffs.
Texas State Volleyball
While the Bobcats didn’t go “four-for-four” as planned, they still had a remarkable 2021. Texas State won its second NCAA tournament game in program history in the spring, went 20-12 overall and 14-2 in Sun Belt play in the fall and reached the conference championship match for the fifth year in a row. Four players went on to receive All-Sun Belt recognition at the end of the year, with senior setter Emily DeWalt being voted the league’s Player of the Year.