The Teams: (3) Tarleton State Texans (37-19, 12-6 WAC) vs. (2) UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (38-18, 22-8 Big West)
Where: Austin, Texas
Stadium: UFCU Disch-Falk Field (7,211)
Day and Time: Friday at 5 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM
 
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS

• TSU RHP Cort Lowry (2-3, 3.24 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 50.0 IP); UCSB RHP Calvin Proskey (0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 28.0 IP)

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton State is playing in its first NCAA Regionals in its D1 era and making its fifth ever NCAA Regional appearance, its first since 2018 at the D2 level (also 2014, 2011 and 1998). The Texans are a combined 2-8 in NCAA Regional tournaments, their last win on May 16, 2014. They have never won an NCAA Regional opener, with both wins coming in the second game (other was 1998).
• Tarleton State won the WAC regular season and tournament championships, the Texans' first time winning both conference championships in the same season in their NCAA history. Tarleton State's regular season title is its second in its NCAA era (2013, LSC), and its conference tournament title is its fourth in its NCAA era, its second in the last three years (2024, 2018, 2014).
• The Texans swept their WAC Tournament slate 3-0, averaging 11.7 runs with a 21-run outburst in the championship. That matched their most runs in a conference tournament game in program history, and their 21 hits are their most in a postseason game since 1998. Both are season-highs (runs, hits).
• Six Texans were named to the WAC All-Tournament Team; Sergio Guerra, Rayner Heinrich, Slade McCloud, Carson Lorch, Cort Lowry and Raphaël Smeenk. Smeenk was named Most Outstanding Player for the WAC Tournament, going 5-for-8 with two home runs, six RBI in the Texans' last two games.
• Cort Lowry is slated to start on the mound for Tarleton State. He led the charge in the Texans' one-hit shutout in the WAC Tournament opener against Sacramento State, with 7.0 IP, allowing one hit and two baserunners. Lowry now has a team-best 1.04 WHIP. The Texans' one-hit allowed is their fewest in a conference tournament game in program history, and their fewest overall since Feb. 16, 2019.
• Friday's game will be the first matchup between Tarleton State and UCSB in series history.

 
Team Comparison (Tarleton State vs. UCSB)

• Batting Average (.294 to .274)
• Slugging Pct. (.474 to .412)
• BB/SO (248/437 to 222/424)
• On-Base Pct. (.393 to .375)
• SB-Att (114-140 to 41-60)
• HR (64 to 47)
• 2B (112 to 101)
• 3B (20 to 8)
• Runs (408 to 340)
• ERA (5.59 to 3.45)
• WHIP (1.50 to 1.22)
• Opp. Batting Avg. (.266 to .226)
• SO/BB (409/238 to 549/194)

 
NATIONWIDE
Across the nation (and WAC), the Texans rank...
- 5th (1st) in triples (20)
- 8th (1st) in double plays (53)
- 10th (1st) in double plays per game (0.95)
- 11th (1st) in triples per game (0.36)
- 34th (1st) in stolen bases (114)
- 36th (1st) in stolen bases per game (2.04)
- 52nd (3rd) in hits (563)
- 52nd (3rd) in doubles per game (2.00)
- 56th (3rd) in doubles (112)
- 61st (3rd) in batting average (.294)
- 65th (4th) in slugging percentage (.474)
 
And individually...
- 10th (Rayner Heinrich) in doubles per game (0.42)
- 10th (Slade McCloud) in triples (6)
- 11th (Rayner Heinrich) in doubles (22)
- 17th (Slade McCloud) in triples per game (0.11)
- 20th (Ike Shirey) in triples (5)
- 23rd (Ike Shirey) in triples per game (0.10)
- 37th (Rayner Heinrich) in hits per game (1.50)
- 37th (Tai Phetluangsy) in saves (8)
- 41st (Rayner Heinrich) in slugging (.692)
- 44th (Rayner Heinrich) in RBI per game (1.19)
- 47th (Anthony Treto) in saves (7)
- 48th (Rayner Heinrich) in total bases (144)
- 48th (Rayner Heinrich) in triples (4)
- 51st (Rayner Heinrich) in batting average (.375)
- 53rd (Rayner Heinrich) in RBI (62)
- 76th (Slade McCloud) in hits per game (1.44)
- 82nd (Rayner Heinrich) in hits (78)
- 82nd (Slade McCloud) in hits (78)
- 84th (Rayner Heinrich) in triples per game (0.08)
- 93rd (Slade McCloud) in stolen bases (22)
 
HISTORIC SEASON
Tarleton State is enjoying one of the best seasons in program history. The Texans won a regular season conference title and a conference tournament championship in the same year for the first time in their NCAA era. They've defeated three Power Four conference opponents this season after entering the year with one such victory in program history. The Texans have the tied-third most wins in their modern era and their most wins since 1992, posting the ninth season of 35+ wins and 19th season of 30+ wins. Tarleton State's 30+ win campaigns:
- 41-22 in 1991
- 41-27 in 1992
- 37-19 in 2026
- 37-22 in 1988
- 36-21-2 in 1993
- 36-23 in 1995
- 35-15 in 2011
- 35-17 in 2018
- 35-21 in 1998
- 34-16-1 in 2013
- 34-21 in 1999
- 33-24 in 2000
- 32-29 in 2024
- 31-23 in 1989
- 31-24 in 2002
- 31-26 in 2003
- 30-21 in 2012
- 30-24 in 2014
- 30-26 in 1996
 
Head coach Fuller Smith, the WAC Coach of the Year, has already led the Texans to two 30+ win seasons in just three years at the helm. He is the third coach in Tarleton State's modern era with multiple 30+ win seasons, joining Jack Allen (nine) and Bryan Conger (five). Allen also had two 30+ win campaigns in his first three seasons, and Conger reached his second 30+ win season in his fourth year.
 
SINGLE-SEASON TEAM RECORDS
The Texans have posted new single-season team records, or are close to, in the following categories:
 
Fielding Percentage:
1. 0.979 in 2024
2. 0.974 in 2013
3. 0.972 in 2014
4. 0.971 in 2023
5. 0.970 in 2026
Home Runs:
1. 79 in 1995
2. 73 in 2018
3. 69 in 2022
4. 68 in 1996
5. 65 in 1991
T6. 64 in 2026
T6. 64 in 2025
T6. 64 in 1992
Saves:
1. 22 in 2026
2. 15 in 1991
Stolen Bases:
1. 127 in 2013
2. 123 in 1989
3. 114 in 2026
Stolen Base Attempts:
1. 178 in 2013
2. 143 in 1989
3. 140 in 2026
Strikeouts:
1. 452 in 2023
2. 435 in 2018
3. 409 in 2026
 
POSTSEASON PLAY
Tarleton State is playing in its fifth NCAA Regional. The Texans are 2-8 all-time in the previous four regionals, with wins in 2014 and 1998. This year in Austin will mark Tarleton State's third time playing a regional in Texas; 2018 in Canyon, 2011 in San Antonio. The Texans also played in Grand Junction, Colorado, in 2014 and in Carrollton, Georgia, in 1998.
 
At the WAC Tournament this past weekend in Mesa, Arizona, the 1-seed Texans swept their 3-0 slate, shutting out 4-seed Sacramento State 9-0 in a one-hitter, defeating 2-seed California Baptist 5-3, then dishing out 21 runs in the championship game against Sacramento State to win 21-11. The Texans sent the same nine players to the plate across the three games, with Rayner Heinrich starting all three in left field, Kendyl Johnson in center field, Jake Tatom in right field, Raphael Smeenk at third base, Ike Shirey at shortstop, Slade McCloud at second base, Cage McCloud at first base, Sergio Guerra at catcher, and Carson Lorch at DH. Six batted .300+; Slade McCloud at .500, Smeenk at .500, Lorch at .417, Heinrich at .417, Cage McCloud at .364 and Guerra at .364. Smeenk and Guerra each hit two home runs, Slade McCloud and Tatom each hit one. Cort Lowry led the staff in IP with 7.0. Anthony Treto (5.1 IP), Tai Phetluangsy (3.0 IP) and Jackson Elizondo (1.1 IP) each made multiple appearances, with Treto a team-high seven strikeouts.
 
The Texans won the WAC Tournament in 2024 as a 5-seed, becoming the first baseball program to win a conference tournament during NCAA Division I reclassification. The Texans opened that tournament with four straight wins, knocking off 8-seed Sacramento State 12-6, 4-seed California Baptist 5-3, 1-seed Grand Canyon 4-2 and 2-seed Abilene Christian 11-1 (7). The Texans and Lancers matched up again in the championship, with CBU winning the first game 8-4, but Tarleton State secured the title in the winner-take-all nightcap with a 9-1 victory. That was head coach Fuller Smith's first season at the helm. Six players from that season are still members of the team in 2026; Mason Crews (now Director of Player Development / Camp Director), Ike Shirey, Tyson Drake, Sergio Guerra, Slade McCloud and Mason Kirk.
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Last week, head coach Fuller Smith was named WAC Coach of the Year in his third season at Tarleton State. At the time of the announcement, the Texans had a historic 2026 campaign going already, winning their second regular season conference championship in program history and first since 2013. At the time of the award, the Texans were the No. 1 seed heading into the WAC Tournament, with already the most wins in their NCAA Division I era. Year-over-year, Smith turned a 24-32 2025 team into a regular season 34-19 (now 37-19) 2026 club, with the same amount of conference wins in six fewer conference games, a 12-6 WAC mark. Tarleton State has posted some of its best wins in program history this season, including a 6-1 road win at No. 2 Texas, a 6-5 home win vs. Baylor and a 5-1 road win at Baylor. The Texans entered 2026 with one Power Four conference victory in program history, and have three such victories this season. Tarleton State is 10-4 against SEC, Big 12 and Mountain West Conference opponents this season, with a 7-0 mark against the MWC (four-game sweep at New Mexico, three-game sweep vs. Air Force).
 
Smith has won the fifth conference coach of the year award in Tarleton State Baseball's modern era, joining Bryan Conger (LSC Coach of the Year in 2013), Trey Felan (LSC Coach of the Year in 2003), and Jack Allen (twice LSC Coach of the Year, 1999 and 1998). Across Tarleton State Athletics, Smith is now one of five head coaches named WAC Coach of the Year this season (Texan Men's Golf's Chance Cain, Texan Indoor Track and Field's Bobby Carter, Texan Women's Golf's Isabel Jimenez, Texan Tennis' Elianne Douglas-Miron).
 
FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC
Last week, outfielder Rayner Heinrich earned his second All-WAC postseason recognition in as many years, his first on All-WAC First Team after a spot on the All-WAC Second Team as a freshman last year. At the time of the award, Heinrich led the Texans in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.372), OPS (1.129), runs (47), hits (73), doubles (21), home runs (12), RBI (58), total bases (136) and slugging percentage (.694). Conference-wise, Heinrich finished in the top-seven across nine offensive categories, taking third in batting average, third in OPS, third in doubles, fourth in RBI, fourth in triples (three), fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in total bases, seventh in hits and seventh in home runs. Heinrich also posted a .435 OBP, had 10 steals in 12 attempts, and recorded a .968 fielding percentage on 95 attempts (88 putouts, four assists). Heinrich had started all of his 49 games played, earning a hit in 43, with 14 multi-hit games, five with three hits or more and two with four hits. He posted a season-long 17-game hit streak and had 14 games with multiple RBI.
 
OTHER WAC WINNERS
Besides Smith and Heinrich, Tarleton State had five others earn a postseason WAC honor.
 
RHP Matthew McCullough was named Second Team All-WAC as a true freshman. At the time of the award, he had the tied-second most wins on the team, owning a 5-2 record across 15 appearances and eight starts. He's posted a 4.71 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 42.0 IP (fourth most on the Texans), allowing a .264 average with 31 strikeouts. In conference play, McCullough especially shined, going 3-0 across six appearances and five starts with a 1.96 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 23.0 IP. He allowed a .221 average with 15 strikeouts. Across McCullough's eight starts on the year, the Texans went 6-2.
 
Anthony Treto earned All-WAC Second Team status in his first year at Tarleton State. At the time of his award, the junior RHP owned a 3.30 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 43.2 IP in 23 appearances. He had the tied-most saves on the Texans with seven, and also sported a 2-0 record, allowing a .218 average with 55 strikeouts, most on the team. Treto had the tied-second most saves in the WAC, only behind Utah Tech's Ryan Kroepel (10), tied with fellow Texan Tai Phetluangsy. Treto's seven saves in the regular season were tied-second most by a Texan in their D1 era, trailing only AJ Wood's nine in 2021.
 
Catcher Sergio Guerra earned his second straight All-WAC Second Team nod. At the time of the award, Guerra batted .294 in 43 games (40 starts), with 39 RBI, five home runs and nine doubles. In conference play, he batted .339 with an .808 OPS in 17 games with 14 RBI, a pair of doubles and a home run. He also had 14 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI performances, twice posting five RBI or more. Behind the plate, Guerra posted a .987 fielding percentage on 76 chances, with three caught stealing assists. He had one of the best opening series across the nation, named both Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Week and WAC Baseball Player of the Week, batting .667 (6-for-9) with 13 RBI, six runs, three home runs, and a double in a three-game opening sweep. His weekend performance resulted in a 2.511 OPS, highlighted by a 1.778 slugging percentage and a .733 on-base percentage. In the opener, he belted two home runs and earned eight RBI in a 3-for-3 day, and added five RBI with a home run and a double in a 2-for-4 day in the finale.
 
Outfielder Jake Tatom was one of the best players in conference-action, earning him an All-WAC Second Team spot. Altogether at the time of the award, Tatom batted .290 with seven home runs, five doubles, 30 RBI and 75 total bases, adding 22 walks in 48 games (44 starts). In WAC play, Tatom batted .435 with a 1.207 OPS in 17 games, belting four home runs and four doubles, with 15 RBI, 43 total bases and 12 walks. He posted a .513 on-base percentage in WAC-play, with five steals. Tatom also had a .970 fielding percentage on 100 chances, with 92 putouts and five assists.
 
Rounding out Tarleton State's representation in the WAC awards is shortstop Ike Shirey on the WAC All-Defensive Team, his second straight such honor. At the time of the award, Shirey made all of his 48 starts at shortstop, posting a .939 fielding percentage on 198 chances (120 assists, 66 putouts). He was part of 34 double plays across Tarleton State's 50 on the year, the 10th most by a team across NCAA Division I regular season action. Shirey also had a strong season offensively, batting .315 with seven doubles, five triples, two home runs and 34 RBI, adding 14 steals.
 
BEST WIN EVER
Tarleton State shocked the No. 2 team in the nation on March 17, handing the Texas Longhorns just their second loss of the season with a 6-1 win in Austin, Texas. Texas entered the day tied with USC with the tied-fewest losses in the nation at one, but the Texans shut out the Longhorns over the final eight innings to earn the upset bid.
 
The Texans allowed just one run and two hits on the game to a Texas team who entered the night with the 12th best scoring mark in the nation (9.9 runs per) and the 15th best batting average (.335). Meanwhile, the Texan offense powered six runs on eight hits against a Texas pitching staff that ranked No. 3 in ERA (2.54), No. 4 in WHIP (1.04), and No. 4 in hits allowed per nine innings (6.1).
 
Texas, ranked No. 2 in the country, represents the highest ranked opponent Tarleton State has faced in program history. This midweek matchup was the fifth all-time meeting between Tarleton State and Texas, the first in nearly 30 years. The Longhorns were 4-0 all-time against the Texans, all games in Austin, with all previous games played between 1994-97.
 
The Texans used five to get the job done. Brendon Carter got the start, allowing a run in the first. Ethan Jaques took the next three innings and earned the victory, allowing no runs on no hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Jackson Elizondo took the fifth, allowing no runs on no hits. Anthony Treto handled three innings between the sixth and eighth, allowing no runs on no hits, with five strikeouts. Tai Phetluangsy closed in the ninth, allowing no runs on one hit with a strikeout.
 
Texas earned its lone run on the second at-bat in the first, a solo home run. That was the Longhorns' only hit until the ninth, with Tarleton State seeing 34 straight Longhorn batters fail to get a hit. With two outs in the ninth inning, the Longhorns got a single.
 
Tarleton State did most of its damage in the fourth inning, turning a one-run deficit into a three-run lead with a four-run frame. Carson Lorch (2-for-3, two walks, one run) and Slade McCloud (2-for-5, one RBI, one run) had multi-hit outings.
 
BACK-TO-BACK VS. BAYLOR
Tarleton State spoiled Baylor's four-game winning streak on March 31, improving to 2-0 against the Bears this season, dropping the team from Waco to 16-12 overall, who also had nine Big 12 games under their belt (5-4). The Texans won their third game against a Power Four team this season after entering 2026 with one in program history. Now the Texans have four, three against Baylor, narrowing the all-time series to a 4-3 Baylor advantage, with two Tarleton State wins in Waco (2026, 2023).
 
Tarleton State's pitching staff shut out the Bears after allowing a home run to the first batter of the game, allowing just the one run, five hits, one walk, with 12 strikeouts. LHP Ashton Bassett got the start, his first since March 7, and he dominated. He allowed a run on three hits, no walks, with six strikeouts across four innings, improving to 1-1. Jackson Elizondo relieved him in the fifth, facing trouble with the bases loaded and one out, but induced a double play. He covered two innings, allowing no runs on two hits. Andrew Hardin, Ben Bosse and Anthony Treto each pitched an inning to close it out, not allowing a baserunner with five strikeouts combined.
 
Cage McCloud had the big moment offensively for the Texans, belting a three-run home run in the second inning to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Texan lead.
 
Earlier this year, the Texans beat the Bears 6-5 in front of packed house in Stephenville. After trailing early, Tarleton State scored three unanswered runs between the sixth and seventh innings to take the lead for good. The Texans allowed a single baserunner in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Ethan Jaques earned the win with scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
This season, the Texans are 14-8 in true road games, suffering their first loss at Lamar on March 24 after eight straight wins against New Mexico (four), #2 Texas (one) and Stephen F. Austin (three). Following WAC Tournament action, the Texans are 4-3 in neutral site games, a combined 18-11 mark away from Stephenville.
 
One of Tarleton State's best series of the season came in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tarleton State has had great success playing the Lobos over the past two seasons, going a perfect 8-0 against New Mexico with two four-game series sweeps in each of the past two seasons. This year it was in Albuquerque, with the Texans winning 13-11, 7-3, 15-10 and 9-7. That makes it an 11.0 runs per game series for the Texans, and they collected 54 hits across the four games. New Mexico entered the four-game series with a 12-1 overall mark.
 
OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT VS. UIW
On Feb. 24, the Texans dropped 17 runs in seven innings on Incarnate Word. Tarleton State had six batters with multi-hit outings, led by a 4-for-5 day with three RBI by Slade McCloud. His brother, Cage McCloud, went 3-for-5 with four RBI and provided the walk-off run-rule three-run home run in the seventh inning. Jake Tatom went 3-for-4 with four RBI, a grand slam in the seventh. Sergio Guerra, Rayner Heinrich and Kendyl Johnson also had two hits apiece, combining for four doubles.
 
The Texans scored 11 runs in the seventh inning after entering the frame leading 6-5. This marks the second time this season Tarleton State has scored 10+ runs in a single inning (10 in the third inning in the season opener vs. Le Moyne on Feb. 13).
 
SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS
The Texans were 5-3 entering the College Baseball Series Tarleton State had one of the better weekends to start the college baseball season, going a perfect 3-0, outscoring Le Moyne 38-15, with a 34-24 hit advantage. The Texans scored the most runs in their season-opener in the program's modern era, dropping 20 runs.
 
LET'S GET PERSONAL
All of the Tarleton State players have great stories and unique things about them -- here are some of the most notable...
 
#2 Ike Shirey
• Trains horses, plays golf, fishes, hunts
• Came to Tarleton State when head coach Fuller Smith came here
• Plan postgrad is to work in a fire department
 
#3 Kendyl Johnson
• Was a First Team All District WR for high school football team, chose baseball over football because love of the sport -- belives baseball is a more polished game than football, and he loves the pursuit of the small percentage of success
• Favorite movies are Marvel movies
• Favorite shows are anime related
• Favorite video games are Minecraft and Call of Duty
• Favorite memory from his time thus far at Tarleton State have been Bible studies on Fridays and the side quests he goes on with his teammates
• Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball, then be an entrepreneur
• Dad played overseas basketball (Anthony Johnson), and his cousin was part of the infamous Butt Fumble (offensive lineman Brandon Moore)
 
#4 Brady Englett
• Was born in Alabama, lived there until he was 4 years old (Mobile)
• Was a football state champion at safety in high school
• Likes to hunt, hang out with friends
• Rocky IV is favorite movie
• Favorite video game is NBA 2K
• His dad, Todd, played Single A baseball in the Pirates organization
 
#5 Jake Tatom
•  Likes to golf and fish
•  Played for Fuller Smith at Sam Houston
•  Plan postgrad is to coach high school baseball
 
#6 Carson Lorch
•  Big Star Wars fan (especially Revenge of the Sith), and also likes Marvel movies
•  Big video game player (Call of Duty, Fallout, Pokemon)
•  Favorite shows are The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball and then enter the sales business
 
#7 Karsen Davis
•  Is a second degree black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, been doing it his whole life
•  Big-time golfer, has a five handicap
•  Plan postgrad is to open up a tint shop
 
#8 Rayner Heinrich
•  Goes by Baywatch
•  Likes to fish and hunt
•  Favorite movie is Step Brothers
•  Favorite video game is MLB The Show
 
#10 Matt Guthmiller
• Started getting into duck hunting
• Enjoys to play golf every now and then
• Favorite move is Fast and Furious
• Favorite show is Shooter
 
#11 Sergio Guerra
• Big hunter, sells deer on the ranch back home
• His dad played professional baseball in the Indians organization (Pete, catcher for the Double-A team)
 
#12 Raphael Smeenk
•  Plays pool and card games
•  Favorite movie is Moneyball
•  His great grandpa played professional soccer in Brazil
 
#13 Cage McCloud
•  Says he's a scratch golfer
•  Favorite show is Big Brother
•  Favorite video game is Fortnite
•  Joined the Texans to play with his brother
•  Plan postgrad is to open a business, a high-fence ranch
 
#14 Chris Ricard
•  Spends a lot of time outdoors a lot in a small town in Idaho, spends a lot of time in the mountains
•  Favorite shows are Landman, Yellowstone
•  Plan postgrad is to become a strength and conditioning coach
•  Favorite memory at Tarleton State was going to the lakehouse in Granbury with team
•  Dad is a logtruck driver, mom works with kids with special needs
 
#15 Mason Kirk
•  Getting married this summer to Lindsay after five years
•  Watches Big Brother
•  Plan postgrad is to work somewhere in finance, ideally front office of a professional sports team, will get MBA next year here at Tarleton State.
•  Favorite memory at Tarleton State was winning the WAC Tournament his freshman year, dogpiling after.
 
#17 Slade McCloud
• Hunts, fishes, golfs, takes his boxer dog Shep on walks, boxer Shep
• Favorite memory at Tarleton State was winning the WAC Tournament 
 
#18 Tai Phetluangsy
• Wakeboards sometimes, tries to golf
• Favorite movie is Fury
• Favorite show is The Pacific
• Plan postgrad is to be a collegiate coach
• Favorite memory since being here have been the Bible studies
• His dad is in the Marines
 
#20 Braden Gostisha
•  Has a identical twin, Conner, who is working back home
•  Fishes, hunts, golfs
•  Favorite shows are Landman and Yellowstone
•  Favorite movie is Interstellar
 
#21 Brian Panneton
•  Used to competiveily waterski, ended his junior year in high school -- started at 5 years old, parents met on the waterski team at Texas A&M, stopped because of baseball
•  Still waterskis for fun and for good exercise
•  Cooks a lot, specialty is steak
TSU coaches and the culture
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball, and then financial planning
•  Chose Tarleton State partially after lessons with Chad Fox – had an influence in him coming here
 
#23 Cullen Kickhoefer
•  Says he's a goofy guy, likes to have fun, constantly trying to have a good time and make people laugh
•  Hunts, fishes, wood work
•  Favorite shows are The Sopranos and Dexter
•  Favorite movies are Goodfellas and The Godfather
•  His uncle played basketball at Navy, cousin designs missiles for the Navy
 
#24 Aden Lucas
•  Likes to golf, play the guitar, played the last five years
•  Favorite show is Suits
•  Plan postgrad is to enter construction field and eventually become a superintendent
 
#25 Daniel Bass
•  Senior year of high school was his first season playing consistent baseball
•  Likes to bow hunt
•  Favorite show is The 100
 
#27 Ethan Jaques
• Golfs
• Favorite shows are Suits and Breaking Bad
• Interstellar is favorite movie
 
#28 Cort Lowry
•  Is big into duck hunting
•  Considers himself a cowboy, an amateur golfer, semi-pro Fortnite player
•  Plan postgrad is to be an electrician
•  Favorite memory since being here was being part of the Tarpless Texans in the football playoff games
 
#29 Conner Doucet
•  Had three heart surgeries from 18-19 years old
•  Has a dog from the shelter here, Nala – breed is lab mix
•  Favorite show is Peaky Blinders
•  Favorite movie is Hook
•  Favorite video game is Sea of Thieves
•  Considers himself a semi-pro ping pong player
 
#30 Ashton Bassett
•  Golfs, fishes, hunts
•  Has webbed toes
•  Favorite video game is NBA 2K
Favorite shows are Friends, Ted Lasso, Grey's Anatomy
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball and then be an anesthesiology assistant
• His grandpa was a LHP at Miami – went onto the Mets organization, the Triple-A team (Richard Bassett)
 
#31 Anthony Treto
•  Has a ton of hobbies, likes to do as much as he can to stay out of the house (bowling, golf, fishing, hunting)
•  Favorite show is SWAT
•  Favorite movie is 300
•  Favorite memory is the Tarpless Texans and being part of the group at the football playoff games
•  Plan postgrad is to follow father's footsteps in sales, maybe work alongside him, but wants to play baseball as long as he can
 
#32 Corbin Walter
•  Used to play football, sophomore year, stopped to focus on baseball
•  Fishes and races cars sometimes
•  Favorite movie is Ford vs. Ferrari
 
#33 Kasey Swan
• Hunts, fishes, attempts to golf
• Plan postgrad is to enter the oil and gas field
 
#34 Ethan Wendel
•  Owns a lot of animals back home, dogs, cats and ducks
•  Favorite Show is Peaky Blinders
•  Favorite movie is Transformers
•  Hunts, fishes
•  Plan postgrad is to be a sports agent
 
#35 Andrew Hardin
• Likes MLB The Show
• Hunts, fishes
• Favorite movie is Moneyball
• Plan postgrad is to be a chiropractor
• Dad played college baseball at Texas Tech
 
#36 Ben Bosse
• Likes to fly fish and bow hunt
• Likes the show 1923
• Chose Tarleton State partially because of the master's program
• Plan postgrad is to study and work with wildlife, especially quail and duck habitats, wetlands 
 
#37 Carter Coffin
• Big-time outdoorsman, fishing, hunting
•Plan postgrad is to go to game warden school
 
#38 Tyson Drake
• Golfs, fishes, hunts
• Favorite memory at Tarleton State has been winning the WAC Tournament, getting to spend a week with the boys
• Plan postgrad is to get his CPA or work in the bank somewhere
• His dad is a seven-time state champion football coach (Robert Drake)
 
#39 Brendon Carter
•  Played hockey for 12 years, gave it up when he was 15 to pursue baseball -- he was a defenseman, played travel hockey, played in Dallas a lot
•  Watches a bunch of Netflix, favorite shows are Peaky Blinders and Landman
•  Favorite movie is Miracle on Ice
•  Plan postgrad is to be a physical therapist
 
#40 Matthew McCullough
•  Plays video games, hunts, fishes,
•  Has a lot of family who went to Tarleton State, including his mom and dad, who met here, and his brothers
•  Uncle played basketball at Southeastern, cousin plays basketball in Nebraska Wesleyan
 
#43 Jack Lovin
• Can play the piano, has been playing since he was 3 years old
• Likes to ski, been a lifelong skier
• Favorite show is Breaking Bad
• Favorite memory has been going to head coach Fuller Smith's lakehouse with the team and riding the jet skis
• Plan postgrad run is to run his own business
 
UP NEXT
If Tarleton State wins Friday's game, the Texans will next play the winner of 1-seed Texas and 4-seed Holy Cross on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT in Austin. If Tarleton State loses Friday's game, the Texans will next play the loser of 1-seed Texas and 4-seed Holy Cross on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT in Austin.