MAVS WIN VOLLEYBALL TITLE. UTA won its second consecutive Southland Conference volleyball title, defeating Lamar University in the championship match of the SLC Tournament in November. The Mavericks became the first team to win both the regular-season and tournament titles since 1994. Amber Pack was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Olaya Pazo was named SLC Co-Player of the Year, and coach Janine Smith won Coach of the Year honors. UTA posted a 26-7 record and advanced to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament, losing in the first round to Arizona.

PACK DIGS UP RECORD. Senior outside hitter Amber Pack climbed to No. 1 on the career digs chart for the UTA volleyball team. She set the record Nov. 1 against Southwest Texas State, surpassing the old mark of 1,728 set by Jessica Bowlin from 1995-98. Pack finished her career with 1,887 digs.

MOVIN’ MAV HONORED. Former Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball captain Paul Schulte was honored in the Sept. 30 issue of Sports Illustrated in the “Faces in the Crowd” section. Schulte was recognized for scoring 32 points and leading the United States to victory over Great Britain in the final game of the Gold Cup in Kitakyushu, Japan.

BABB 15th IN TOUR EVENT. Former UTA golfer Adam Babb, who won the 2000 Southland Conference championship and appeared in the NCAA Central Regionals that same year, tied for 15th in the Buy.com Tour’s Hibernia Southern Open in Shreveport, La., in October. Babb shot 68-69-68 for an 11-under-par 205 in the event, which was shortened to 54 holes by rain.

RUNNERS FINISH SECOND, THIRD. The UTA women’s cross country team finished second at the Southland Conference meet Nov. 4 in Natchitoches, La., while the men finished third. The women narrowly missed winning a third straight title, losing to Stephen F. Austin by three points. UTA junior Kajsa Haglund placed second in the women’s individual competition.

HILLMAN HEADED FOR JAPAN. Former UTA baseball player Trey Hillman has accepted an offer to manage the Nippon Ham Fighters in the Japanese Pacific League. Hillman spent one season as director of player development with the Texas Rangers before taking the Japanese position in November. He is the first foreign manager of a Japanese team since Bobby Valentine managed the Lotte Marines in 1995.

BASEBALL RECRUITS RANK HIGH. UTA’s baseball recruiting class of 22 players, including 14 junior college transfers, is ranked 35th by Collegiate Baseball. The Mavericks were one of only two Southland Conference schools to receive recognition, with McNeese State ranked 48th. UTA is the only SLC school to be ranked each of the last four years. The 2003 baseball season opens Feb. 4 at Centenary.

BASEBALL ALUMS HOLD REUNION. More than 40 former UTA baseball players gathered for the 20th annual reunion in October. Wade Mensing, who played at UTA in 1992-93, won the home run contest with four while Scott Sexton (1991-95) clocked the fastest pitch at 87 mph. John Ford (1980-83) went three-for-three in the Blue and Red game and took home MVP honors. Blue won the five-inning game, 8-4.

FORMER ATHLETES ORGANIZING CHAPTER. If you are a former UTA student-athlete, you are invited to join the UTA Athletics Alumni Chapter of the UTA Alumni Association. For more information, contact chapter president Brian Happel at 817-856-3263 or Athletics Director Pete Carlon at 817-272-2261.