The Buddie System
3/19/2025 3:06:00 PM | General
TCU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Buddie debuts his newsletter
Dear Horned Frogs,
Thank you so much for the incredibly warm welcome you have provided Traci and me upon our arrival to TCU and Fort Worth! Between traveling on behalf of TCU to visit with some of you across the country, Big 12 Conference meetings and an incredibly busy time of athletics competition with our crossover seasons, we're slowly making progress on unpacking the boxes at our house, but we'll get there eventually.
In just my short time on campus, I can already feel the momentum that defines the Horned Frogs. It's also what attracted me to this position. I can't thank Chancellor Boschini, President Pullin and our Board of Trustees enough for their belief in me and providing this opportunity.
When I was at Wake Forest and we were looking to upgrade our facilities, I made my first visit to TCU and was blown away by the attention to detail in every aspect of the buildings and grounds on campus. It made quite the first impression on me! With the rebuild of Amon G. Carter Stadium and other enhancements, TCU was a leader in its commitment to the student-athlete and fan experiences. If you were about to undertake a facilities project, you made sure to benchmark TCU because it was well known for not only having donor-funded projects but also having everything done in a first-class manner.
Upon returning to campus years later with Army West Point for the Armed Forces Bowl, it was so impressive to see how TCU continued to reinvest with additional projects, most notably the Legends Club & Suites. It's simply phenomenal to see the pride on campus and throughout Fort Worth for what TCU continues to accomplish while also having its academics and athletics missions mirror each other.
The TCU Athletics program is in great shape! It's why my predecessor Jeremiah Donati was coveted by South Carolina. I thank Jeremiah for all his outstanding work in having TCU positioned so well as a leader in the Big 12 Conference and nationally. With that said, my commitment is to take us to the next level in a new model of collegiate athletics that is upon us.
In addition to Jeremiah, I've known past TCU athletics directors Chris Del Conte, Danny Morrison and Eric Hyman. Each one speaks glowingly of their experience at TCU and was the right fit at the right time for us, and that's my goal in now serving you. Chris and I actually had lunch recently in Austin and he clearly enjoyed his time in Fort Worth.
During the process of pursuing this position, I studied TCU's Strategic Plan. With Athletics as one of the four priority pillars and the University participating at the maximum level in revenue sharing upon settlement of the House v. NCAA case, there is no better illustration of TCU's commitment to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.
TCU is such a unique place with how academics and athletics complement each other. We strive to be a great partner on campus, knowing how the power of collegiate athletics provides an incredible stage to elevate an institution's visibility and academic profile – playing right into goals in our Strategic Plan.
I take pride in being accessible and look forward to connecting with as many Horned Frogs as I can. If you see me at a game or event on campus, please introduce yourself.
SPANNING THE GLOBE
It's definitely been a whirlwind with travel since coming on board. From visiting with Elliott Hill at Nike's World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to spending time with Kelly and Anita Cox in Palm Springs and attending the Riff Ram Roadshows in Austin and Newport Beach with Chancellor Boschini, President Pullin, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Heath Einstein and other campus leaders, it's truly been fun and an incredibly productive way to meet so many of you.
Elliott has been one of the most influential figures in our athletics history. We are so appreciative of the impact he has made on our program from his previous role at Nike and having served as Chairman of the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee of our Board of Trustees. With Elliott now President and Chief Executive Officer at Nike, we are very happy for him.
HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE
Mark Campbell wants to build an elite program at TCU, and I am proud to be able to support his efforts. We are extremely pleased to announce a contract extension with our Big 12 Women's Basketball Coach of the Year! In just two seasons, he has made an unbelievable impact on our players and competitively by bringing TCU its first Big 12 Championships as well as growing the sport's popularity within our campus and Fort Worth communities. Coach Campbell has made TCU a brand name in women's basketball and a program that has earned its spot among the nation's elite.
MARCH MADNESS IN SCHOLLMAIER ARENA
Congratulations to Head Coach Mark Campbell, his staff and especially the student-athletes in our women's basketball program on making TCU history with our first-ever Big 12 Women's Basketball Championships! Yes, we're talking plural with our regular season and tournament title wins over Baylor.
It didn't take me long to realize there's something special about beating that school down I-35. Baylor has been the dominant program in the league for women's basketball. To not only win the regular-season championship on their home court but also sweep them over three games is truly special. Prior to this year, we had not defeated them since 1990.
Coach Campbell and I, as well as many watching across the country on ESPN, were extremely impressed by the great crowd at Sunday night's NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Show Watch Party in Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. We very much enjoyed celebrating with you the historic moment of being announced as a No. 2 seed and host site for the first time. We open play Friday at 2:30 p.m. versus FDU with No. 7 Louisville taking on No. 10 Nebraska at 5 p.m. Should we advance to the second round on Sunday, our game time is TBD and will be announced at the conclusion of all games Friday. I hope that Schollmaier Arena will be wall-to-wall purple all weekend!
With team success comes individual accolades. It was rewarding to see the great recognition our program received with postseason honors from the conference head coaches. Hailey Van Lith became our first-ever Big 12 Player of the Year in addition to being named Newcomer of the Year. She was joined by Madison Conner and Sedona Prince to give us a league-best three selections on the All-Big 12 First Team. Mark Campbell was the Big 12 Coach of the Year in addition to being a top candidate for the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year.
NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKETS AVAILABLE
While reserved seats are sold out, we have general admission tickets available HERE for the NCAA Tournament games in Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Let's give Coach Campbell and our women's basketball program the sellout crowds they deserve!
REPPIN' THE CHAMPS
You can show your support and appreciation for our Big 12 Women's Basketball Champions with t-shirts and hats that are now available HERE. We will also have additional merchandise available at our Team Store during the NCAA Tournament games in Schollmaier Arena.
In addition to our Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship merchandise, jerseys for our football, men's and women's basketball and baseball student-athletes continue to be very much in demand with proceeds going towards their NIL. Click HERE for the latest offerings.
OUR LATEST NATIONAL CHAMPION
How about Indya Mayberry! Only a freshman, Indya became our latest national champion when she won the 200 meters at this past weekend's NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Indya's time of 22.30 was the No. 1 mark in the world this year and No. 7 all-time! It was also No. 2 in United States indoor history and No. 4 all-time in the NCAA.
With Indya being a Fort Worth native, Head Coach Khadevis Robinson and I are sure glad she stayed home for her college choice! Indya was also named the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships Women's High Point Performer after earning gold in the 60 and 200. Speaking of the 200 meters, congrats as well to Kashie Crockett on earning All-America honors in the event on the men's side at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
HORNED FROGS SUCCESS
We can all take pride in a well-rounded athletics program at TCU. We currently have 10 sports nationally ranked with several other programs receiving votes or just outside the Top 25.
•Women's basketball achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 6 in the Associated Press poll, while women's track and field closed the indoor season at No. 22. A tie for fifth at the Big 12 Championships marked its best finish in 13 years in the conference.
•Rifle finished sixth at last weekend's NCAA Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. It was our 19th consecutive postseason appearance which includes four overall NCAA team titles.
•Swimming and diving made history at the Big 12 Championships in Federal Way, Washington. For the first time, we had the Male and Female Divers of the Meet in David Ekdahl and Anna Kwong. David won two gold medals while Anna, in the 3 meter, became our first woman to capture gold in diving at the event. Overall, we totaled 13 medals and 10 school records.
•Men's tennis is ranked second and will host Arizona on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Arizona State on Sunday at 1 p.m. We've had impressive wins throughout the spring, including last week's 4-1 home victory over No. 3 Texas in front of a full house at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. We also feature the nation's top-ranked doubles duo in Lui Maxted and Pedro Vives. Pedro is also No. 2 in singles with Jack Pinnington 15th and Lui 20th.
•Women's tennis has opened Big 12 play with a 5-1 record for its best start since our first season in the conference in 2013. The doubles team of Jade Otway and Isabel Pascual is ranked 18th.
•Women's golf has set a program record with three tournament championships this season. Angie Ravaioli-Larkin, our longest-tenured head coach at 31 years, has her team ranked 16th nationally. We host the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate this coming Monday and Tuesday at Colonial Country Club. Admission is free!
•Men's golf has opened its spring with a pair of top-five finishes and is in contention for an NCAA Regional bid.
•Beach volleyball is ranked third and has won 11 in a row, including a 3-2 Tuesday victory over No. 4 USC. We also have a phenomenal 57-match home winning streak, dating back to 2020, and are 40-0 all-time against teams from Texas with our most recent in-state victory being 4-1 over Texas.
•No. 3 equestrian beat No. 4 Oklahoma State, 11-9, in its most recent competition. Make sure to mark your calendar for March 28-29 when we host the Big 12 Championships at Bear Creek Farms in Burleson.
•Baseball, coming off Tuesday night's 8-5 win at No. 15 Dallas Baptist, is at Texas Tech this weekend before returning home to host UTRGV on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. First pitch both days is at 6 p.m. UTRGV is currently No. 6 nationally in RPI.
SPRING FOOTBALL
Spring football begins next Wednesday, March 26. We'll soon share information on opportunities to catch some open practices. Offseason workouts have been going very well. I'm impressed with everything I've seen as we look to continue the momentum from last season's strong finish that saw us win nine games.
It will be great to have the nation's spotlight on TCU with our 2025 opener being on September 1, Labor Day night, at North Carolina on ESPN. It's Monday Night Football for the Horned Frogs! We'll be the only game in the country that evening.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Thank you to everyone who has renewed their football season tickets for this fall. Upgrades will begin in late April. If you have not yet renewed, there is still time. Please contact the Parrish Family Athletics Ticket Office at (817) 257-3764 or tickets@tcu.edu to discuss renewal options.
This will be our final season with just six home dates. Beginning with the eight games we have scheduled in Amon G. Carter Stadium for the 2026 season, we will have a minimum of seven home games every year in the foreseeable future.
Frog Flex packages for baseball are available HERE. This includes 10 vouchers to redeem for 10 general admission tickets to any regular season home game. Bring 10 people to one game or spread the option over several games of your choice.
IN THE HOME STRETCH
If you've been by campus lately, you can see how well construction is progressing on our Human Performance Center Renovation and Expansion Projects.
The Mike and Brenda Harrison Football Performance Center is scheduled for a May 6 completion with the Bob Lilly Performance Center then closed for renovations before reopening July 31. The Simpson Family Restoration and Wellness Center is on target for a June 24 opening.
It will bring us great pride to see all 22 sports and nearly 500 student-athletes benefit from these state-of-the-art facilities. They will also play a pivotal role in recruiting and retaining talent.
Thank you again for your support and making me feel so welcomed! It has truly been much appreciated.
Mike Buddie
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Thank you so much for the incredibly warm welcome you have provided Traci and me upon our arrival to TCU and Fort Worth! Between traveling on behalf of TCU to visit with some of you across the country, Big 12 Conference meetings and an incredibly busy time of athletics competition with our crossover seasons, we're slowly making progress on unpacking the boxes at our house, but we'll get there eventually.
In just my short time on campus, I can already feel the momentum that defines the Horned Frogs. It's also what attracted me to this position. I can't thank Chancellor Boschini, President Pullin and our Board of Trustees enough for their belief in me and providing this opportunity.
When I was at Wake Forest and we were looking to upgrade our facilities, I made my first visit to TCU and was blown away by the attention to detail in every aspect of the buildings and grounds on campus. It made quite the first impression on me! With the rebuild of Amon G. Carter Stadium and other enhancements, TCU was a leader in its commitment to the student-athlete and fan experiences. If you were about to undertake a facilities project, you made sure to benchmark TCU because it was well known for not only having donor-funded projects but also having everything done in a first-class manner.
Upon returning to campus years later with Army West Point for the Armed Forces Bowl, it was so impressive to see how TCU continued to reinvest with additional projects, most notably the Legends Club & Suites. It's simply phenomenal to see the pride on campus and throughout Fort Worth for what TCU continues to accomplish while also having its academics and athletics missions mirror each other.
The TCU Athletics program is in great shape! It's why my predecessor Jeremiah Donati was coveted by South Carolina. I thank Jeremiah for all his outstanding work in having TCU positioned so well as a leader in the Big 12 Conference and nationally. With that said, my commitment is to take us to the next level in a new model of collegiate athletics that is upon us.
In addition to Jeremiah, I've known past TCU athletics directors Chris Del Conte, Danny Morrison and Eric Hyman. Each one speaks glowingly of their experience at TCU and was the right fit at the right time for us, and that's my goal in now serving you. Chris and I actually had lunch recently in Austin and he clearly enjoyed his time in Fort Worth.
During the process of pursuing this position, I studied TCU's Strategic Plan. With Athletics as one of the four priority pillars and the University participating at the maximum level in revenue sharing upon settlement of the House v. NCAA case, there is no better illustration of TCU's commitment to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.
TCU is such a unique place with how academics and athletics complement each other. We strive to be a great partner on campus, knowing how the power of collegiate athletics provides an incredible stage to elevate an institution's visibility and academic profile – playing right into goals in our Strategic Plan.
I take pride in being accessible and look forward to connecting with as many Horned Frogs as I can. If you see me at a game or event on campus, please introduce yourself.
SPANNING THE GLOBE
It's definitely been a whirlwind with travel since coming on board. From visiting with Elliott Hill at Nike's World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to spending time with Kelly and Anita Cox in Palm Springs and attending the Riff Ram Roadshows in Austin and Newport Beach with Chancellor Boschini, President Pullin, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Heath Einstein and other campus leaders, it's truly been fun and an incredibly productive way to meet so many of you.
Elliott has been one of the most influential figures in our athletics history. We are so appreciative of the impact he has made on our program from his previous role at Nike and having served as Chairman of the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee of our Board of Trustees. With Elliott now President and Chief Executive Officer at Nike, we are very happy for him.
HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE
Mark Campbell wants to build an elite program at TCU, and I am proud to be able to support his efforts. We are extremely pleased to announce a contract extension with our Big 12 Women's Basketball Coach of the Year! In just two seasons, he has made an unbelievable impact on our players and competitively by bringing TCU its first Big 12 Championships as well as growing the sport's popularity within our campus and Fort Worth communities. Coach Campbell has made TCU a brand name in women's basketball and a program that has earned its spot among the nation's elite.
MARCH MADNESS IN SCHOLLMAIER ARENA
Congratulations to Head Coach Mark Campbell, his staff and especially the student-athletes in our women's basketball program on making TCU history with our first-ever Big 12 Women's Basketball Championships! Yes, we're talking plural with our regular season and tournament title wins over Baylor.
It didn't take me long to realize there's something special about beating that school down I-35. Baylor has been the dominant program in the league for women's basketball. To not only win the regular-season championship on their home court but also sweep them over three games is truly special. Prior to this year, we had not defeated them since 1990.
Coach Campbell and I, as well as many watching across the country on ESPN, were extremely impressed by the great crowd at Sunday night's NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Show Watch Party in Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. We very much enjoyed celebrating with you the historic moment of being announced as a No. 2 seed and host site for the first time. We open play Friday at 2:30 p.m. versus FDU with No. 7 Louisville taking on No. 10 Nebraska at 5 p.m. Should we advance to the second round on Sunday, our game time is TBD and will be announced at the conclusion of all games Friday. I hope that Schollmaier Arena will be wall-to-wall purple all weekend!
With team success comes individual accolades. It was rewarding to see the great recognition our program received with postseason honors from the conference head coaches. Hailey Van Lith became our first-ever Big 12 Player of the Year in addition to being named Newcomer of the Year. She was joined by Madison Conner and Sedona Prince to give us a league-best three selections on the All-Big 12 First Team. Mark Campbell was the Big 12 Coach of the Year in addition to being a top candidate for the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year.
NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKETS AVAILABLE
While reserved seats are sold out, we have general admission tickets available HERE for the NCAA Tournament games in Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Let's give Coach Campbell and our women's basketball program the sellout crowds they deserve!
REPPIN' THE CHAMPS
You can show your support and appreciation for our Big 12 Women's Basketball Champions with t-shirts and hats that are now available HERE. We will also have additional merchandise available at our Team Store during the NCAA Tournament games in Schollmaier Arena.
In addition to our Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship merchandise, jerseys for our football, men's and women's basketball and baseball student-athletes continue to be very much in demand with proceeds going towards their NIL. Click HERE for the latest offerings.
OUR LATEST NATIONAL CHAMPION
How about Indya Mayberry! Only a freshman, Indya became our latest national champion when she won the 200 meters at this past weekend's NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Indya's time of 22.30 was the No. 1 mark in the world this year and No. 7 all-time! It was also No. 2 in United States indoor history and No. 4 all-time in the NCAA.
With Indya being a Fort Worth native, Head Coach Khadevis Robinson and I are sure glad she stayed home for her college choice! Indya was also named the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships Women's High Point Performer after earning gold in the 60 and 200. Speaking of the 200 meters, congrats as well to Kashie Crockett on earning All-America honors in the event on the men's side at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
HORNED FROGS SUCCESS
We can all take pride in a well-rounded athletics program at TCU. We currently have 10 sports nationally ranked with several other programs receiving votes or just outside the Top 25.
•Women's basketball achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 6 in the Associated Press poll, while women's track and field closed the indoor season at No. 22. A tie for fifth at the Big 12 Championships marked its best finish in 13 years in the conference.
•Rifle finished sixth at last weekend's NCAA Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. It was our 19th consecutive postseason appearance which includes four overall NCAA team titles.
•Swimming and diving made history at the Big 12 Championships in Federal Way, Washington. For the first time, we had the Male and Female Divers of the Meet in David Ekdahl and Anna Kwong. David won two gold medals while Anna, in the 3 meter, became our first woman to capture gold in diving at the event. Overall, we totaled 13 medals and 10 school records.
•Men's tennis is ranked second and will host Arizona on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Arizona State on Sunday at 1 p.m. We've had impressive wins throughout the spring, including last week's 4-1 home victory over No. 3 Texas in front of a full house at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. We also feature the nation's top-ranked doubles duo in Lui Maxted and Pedro Vives. Pedro is also No. 2 in singles with Jack Pinnington 15th and Lui 20th.
•Women's tennis has opened Big 12 play with a 5-1 record for its best start since our first season in the conference in 2013. The doubles team of Jade Otway and Isabel Pascual is ranked 18th.
•Women's golf has set a program record with three tournament championships this season. Angie Ravaioli-Larkin, our longest-tenured head coach at 31 years, has her team ranked 16th nationally. We host the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate this coming Monday and Tuesday at Colonial Country Club. Admission is free!
•Men's golf has opened its spring with a pair of top-five finishes and is in contention for an NCAA Regional bid.
•Beach volleyball is ranked third and has won 11 in a row, including a 3-2 Tuesday victory over No. 4 USC. We also have a phenomenal 57-match home winning streak, dating back to 2020, and are 40-0 all-time against teams from Texas with our most recent in-state victory being 4-1 over Texas.
•No. 3 equestrian beat No. 4 Oklahoma State, 11-9, in its most recent competition. Make sure to mark your calendar for March 28-29 when we host the Big 12 Championships at Bear Creek Farms in Burleson.
•Baseball, coming off Tuesday night's 8-5 win at No. 15 Dallas Baptist, is at Texas Tech this weekend before returning home to host UTRGV on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. First pitch both days is at 6 p.m. UTRGV is currently No. 6 nationally in RPI.
SPRING FOOTBALL
Spring football begins next Wednesday, March 26. We'll soon share information on opportunities to catch some open practices. Offseason workouts have been going very well. I'm impressed with everything I've seen as we look to continue the momentum from last season's strong finish that saw us win nine games.
It will be great to have the nation's spotlight on TCU with our 2025 opener being on September 1, Labor Day night, at North Carolina on ESPN. It's Monday Night Football for the Horned Frogs! We'll be the only game in the country that evening.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Thank you to everyone who has renewed their football season tickets for this fall. Upgrades will begin in late April. If you have not yet renewed, there is still time. Please contact the Parrish Family Athletics Ticket Office at (817) 257-3764 or tickets@tcu.edu to discuss renewal options.
This will be our final season with just six home dates. Beginning with the eight games we have scheduled in Amon G. Carter Stadium for the 2026 season, we will have a minimum of seven home games every year in the foreseeable future.
Frog Flex packages for baseball are available HERE. This includes 10 vouchers to redeem for 10 general admission tickets to any regular season home game. Bring 10 people to one game or spread the option over several games of your choice.
IN THE HOME STRETCH
If you've been by campus lately, you can see how well construction is progressing on our Human Performance Center Renovation and Expansion Projects.
The Mike and Brenda Harrison Football Performance Center is scheduled for a May 6 completion with the Bob Lilly Performance Center then closed for renovations before reopening July 31. The Simpson Family Restoration and Wellness Center is on target for a June 24 opening.
It will bring us great pride to see all 22 sports and nearly 500 student-athletes benefit from these state-of-the-art facilities. They will also play a pivotal role in recruiting and retaining talent.
Thank you again for your support and making me feel so welcomed! It has truly been much appreciated.
Mike Buddie
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Saturdays are for the #frogs
Wednesday, September 10
ATH | Simpson Family Restoration Center
Friday, August 22
Aer Lingus College Football Classic Press Conference
Monday, April 21
WBB Postgame Press Conference vs. No. 5 Texas
Tuesday, April 01
