The Steelers are coming

The Pittsburgh Steelers arrive in DFW today and will be staying in Fort Worth for the Super Bowl. TCU has undergone some little changes such as: the football pratice fields have been painted and the Steelers logo has been stamped down. TCU will be the host practice site for the Steelers as they prepare for the Super Bowl. Everywhere you look there is Super Bowl action especially downtown where ESPN has setup their home base for the Super Bowl Coverage.

Athletic Department Update

FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

We are committed to putting together as attractive a football schedule as we can. We had originally agreed as a conference for the Boise State game to be a home game for us. To see it now reversed and moved to a road game is disappointing for our fans and community. We were also disappointed that Texas Tech chose not to come to Fort Worth this fall. Our focus right now is on finding opponents to complete our 2011 schedule. We hope to have our non-conference games finalized and announced soon.

A LEGEND RETURNS HOME

Please make every effort to be at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum for Saturday's 5 p.m. home men's basketball game with Air Force. We'll be honoring Horned Frog great James Cash. It's also Lettermen's Association Night. Discounted tickets for $5 are available for Lettermen's Association members from any of our sports. The tickets must be purchased on-line on the TCU Athletics Ticket Office Web site (www.GoFrogs.com) and by entering the code of Lettermen in the open box on the page.

THE LEAGUE LEADERS

Our women's basketball team, which hosts New Mexico tonight at 6:30, is undefeated in the Mountain West Conference and sitting atop the league standings. We're also receiving votes again in the top 25. We hope to see you this evening in the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

HONORING THE PAST

We'll have another Lettermen's Day next Saturday, Feb. 5, at our 2 p.m. home women's game with San Diego State. Our 2000-01 WAC championship women's team will be recognized. For more information, please check the Lettermen's Association Web site (http://lettermens.tcu.edu).

WELCOME STEELERS

We look forward to hosting the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers as they'll be practicing at TCU in preparation for the Super Bowl. The practices are closed to the public, so there won't be an opportunity for any fan interaction. The Steelers and ESPN will be headquartered in downtown Fort Worth. We will have one Horned Frog in the big game. Former TCU offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse is a member of the Green Bay Packers.

EXPOSURE

Make sure to pick up a copy of the winter edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football. The Horned Frogs are featured on the front cover.

SOUVENIR DVDs

Our 2010 football season commemorative DVD is now available on our on-line store (http://shop.gofrogs.com). It's a game-by-game recap of our 13-0 campaign with radio calls from Brian Estridgeand interviews with members of our senior class. The on-line store also has a DVD of the Rose Bowl game broadcast.

MINI-HELMET MANIA

The very popular helmets we wore in the Rose Bowl, featuring the Frog with the rose in its mouth, are now available as mini-helmets on our on-line store (http://shop.gofrogs.com). Make sure to pick one up.

SUITES STILL AVAILABLE

We still have four suites remaining on the West side of Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU associate athletics director Davis Babb is your contact at d.babb@tcu.edu or (817) 257-5658.

CONGRATULATIONS!

American Football Monthly named Gary Patterson its 2010 Coach of the Year. It's always nice to see others recognize what we already know - that we have the best football coach in America!

SIGNING DAY NEARING

Our Signing Day reception is sold out, but you can still watch and hear football coach Gary Patterson announce his incoming class next Wednesday, Feb. 2. GoFrogs.com will have live coverage of Coach Patterson's 2 p.m. press conference.

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS SET TO REPORT

The renewal date for season tickets for our top-ranked baseball team is Friday. We have had a great demand with new season-ticket holders. If you have not renewed your seats yet, please make sure to do so by Friday.

ON THE DOCKET

We have plenty of home events to keep you occupied on campus this weekend. Our swimming and diving programs host New Mexico and BYU Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, in addition to James Cash being honored at the 5 p.m. men's basketball game versus Air Force, we have a 10 a.m. men's tennis home match against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The weekend closes with our equestrian team hosting Delaware State Sunday

Neeley Entrepreneurship Program Best In the Country

TCU’s Neeley Entrepreneurship Program http://www.nec.tcu.edu was named the 2011 National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) annual conference in South Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 15.

TCU’s winning presentation focused on how the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program offers comprehensive, unique opportunities for TCU undergraduate students through the Neeley School of Business as well as a campus-wide entrepreneurship initiative. Brad Hancock, director of the Neeley Entrepreneurship Center, Keith Hmieleski, professor of management and program director for the Neeley Entrepreneurship Program, and Smilor delivered the presentation.

“Our approach to entrepreneurship begins with helping students identify and develop their individual talents and core virtues, then synergistically put them into action to accomplish entrepreneurial endeavors,” said Hmieleski. “This enables our students to focus on their strengths in a way that enhances engagement in the learning process and allows them to function with an economy of means. In the end, it is our hope to place each of our students on a path toward a career and life of meaning. We believe that sets us apart.”

Soccer team 5th Straight All-Academic Award

The TCU women's soccer program earned its fifth-consecutive Team Academic Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA), the organization announced Wednesday. To be eligible for the NSCAA Team Academic Award, a program must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0 for the 2009-10 academic year.

TCU was one of six Mountain West Conference schools to earn the honor, joining BYU, New Mexico, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming. In total, 444 college women's soccer programs were honored for producing at least a 3.0 team GPA.

Earlier this winter, Jordan Calhoun and Jackie Torda were named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Women's Soccer Team. TCU has now had at least one student-athlete named to the academic all-district squad each of the past three seasons.

Calhoun, a Norman, Okla. native, earned third-team honors after netting six goals, while also dishing out three assists in 2010. Earlier this year, Calhoun became TCU's all-time leader in goals scored for a career with 29 career goals. She also moved into No. 2 all-time in points for a career with 69 points.

Torda, who was also a third-team honoree, closed her career finding the back of the net twice in 2010, while also posting two assists. Overall, the 2009 all-conference selection netted 20 goals for her career, which ranks No. 6 all-time in career goals in TCU history.

Goalkeeper Kelsey Walters received her bachelor’s degree during December Commencement. The Oklahoma City, Okla., product holds four of the top seven goals against averages marks in TCU history, highlighted by a program-best 0.84 output in 2008. Her 1.32 clip in four years tops the Horned Frogs’ all-time list. Walters’ registered the most minutes in goal (6,054) than any other TCU goalkeeper. She ranks third all-time for TCU in career saves (303) and shutouts (11).

Coach P is the Coach of the Year

TCU's Gary Patterson has been named American Football Monthly's 2010 Coach of the Year.

Patterson led the Horned Frogs to a No. 2 ranking and 13-0 season, capped by a 21-19 victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

The Horned Frogs are the only team in the nation to finish in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls over the last three seasons. The 2010 campaign also saw TCU make its second-straight BCS appearance.

TCU posted the first 13-win campaign in its history while also recording the first undefeated season since its 1938 national championship team was 11-0. The No. 2 ranking was also the Horned Frogs' highest finish in a poll since being No. 1 in 1938.

Despite losing two defensive All-Americans to the first two rounds of the National Football League draft and a pair of four-year starters at cornerback, Patterson led TCU to the nation's top ranking in total defense for a third straight season.

Patterson is 98-28 in 10 years as TCU's head coach. His .778 winning percentage is second among active coaches with a minimum of five years experience.

With 98 victories, Patterson is 12 shy of surpassing Dutch Meyer (109) for the most wins in TCU history. Meyer coached TCU to its 1935 and 1938 national championships.

Patterson received nine National Coach of the Year honors last season when he led the Horned Frogs to a 12-1 record, No. 6 ranking and Fiesta Bowl appearance.

3 Frogs going to All-Star Game

TCU safety Alex Ibiloye, cornerback Jason Teague and wide receiverJimmy Young will play in the Eastham Energy College All-Star Game Sunday in Tempe, Ariz.

Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. CST. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports affiliates, including Fox Sports Southwest in the Dallas/Fort Worth market.

Ibiloye, a two-year starter and four-year letterman, tied for sixth on TCU with 39 tackles this season. The Garland, Texas, native was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week after forcing three fumbles in a 62-7 win over Tennessee Tech.

Teague, from Carthage, Texas, was a second-team All-MWC selection in his first year as a starter in 2010. He topped the Horned Frogs with seven pass breakups while adding two interceptions for a team-high nine passes defended. He also forced two fumbles while totaling 37 tackles.

Young closed his career as one of the more productive receivers in TCU history. His 2,316 receiving yards rank second on the Horned Frogs' career list, while his 147 receptions place fifth. Young's 13 touchdown receptions are tied for fifth all-time.

A native of Monroe, La., Young was a three-time All-MWC performer. In his final game at TCU, he tied a season-high with five receptions for 57 yards in a 21-19 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin.

Also making all-star game appearances from TCU are quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver/return specialist Jeremy Kerley. They will play in the Jan. 29 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Congrats to Kirkpatrick

TCU center Jake Kirkpatrick was formally presented the Rimington Trophy in a Saturday night ceremony at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb.

The Rimington Trophy, named after former University of Nebraska All-America center Dave Rimington, honors the nation's best center. In 1982, Rimington became the only player to win the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award in the same year. He also placed fifth in Heisman Trophy voting that season.

Kirkpatrick arrived in Lincoln, Neb., Friday night after spending time with TCU teammate Tejay Johnson at the Walter Camp All-America weekend in New Haven, Conn. Kirkpatrick then returned to Fort Worth in time for Sunday's Rose Bowl championship celebration in the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

Kirkpatrick, who set the blocking scheme on each play for the Horned Frogs, did not commit a penalty or allow a sack in his senior year.

A first-team All-American, Kirkpatrick was also the lone offensive player to be one of four finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award.

Kirkpatrick was the anchor of an offensive line that enabled TCU to set single-season school records for touchdowns (73), points scored (541), first downs (327) and total offense (6,199 yards).

TCU ranked fourth nationally in scoring (41.6 points), 10th in rushing (247.4 yards) and 12th in total offense (476.9 yards). The Horned Frogs tied for fifth in fewest sacks allowed, surrendering just nine in 13 contests (0.7 per game)

TCU Celebrates the Rose Bowl Victory

A celebration to honor the TCU football team's Rose Bowl championship and undefeated season will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

The event will be televised live on WFAA-TV (Channel 8) in the Dallas/Fort Worth market while also being streamed on www.GoFrogs.com.

The public is invited at no charge. The doors to the DMC and concession stands open at 2:30 p.m. Rose Bowl championship merchandise will be available.

TCU football coach Gary Patterson, TCU chancellor Victor Boschini and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief will be among the speakers.

In addition to the 2010 Horned Frog football team, the TCU band and spirit groups will be present.

Excluding the NFL, TCU's 21-19 victory over Wisconsin was the most-watched event in ESPN and cable television history.

The Horned Frogs, who finished second in the Associated Press and USA Today polls, posted their first undefeated season since winning the 1938 national championship. TCU (13-0) also won 13 games in a season for the first time in its history.

Soccer team at the Rose Bowl

More of the girls would like to share their moments at the Rose Bowl with everyone. Morgan Lane and some others from Texas and Oklahoma traveled out together to watch the Horned Frogs dominate the badgers in Pasadena. They were really in the TCU spirit and represented the soccer team.

Rose Bowl Pictures

A lot of the girls on the soccer team made the trip out to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. We wanted to share with everyone who great of an experience it was going to the Rose Bowl and winning it in Horned Frog style. In these pictures we have some of the California natives like Kristen Halverson and Chelsey Wilgenburg, who only had a short car trip to the game in oppose to Kaylie Garcia who drove from Oklahoma.

Rose Bowl Highlight Video

Here is a highlight video of the action at the Rose Bowl. Some of the footage includes action shots that are for Horned Frog eyes only. For everyone who missed the action and a TCU dominating performance this video should get you up to date.

Click this link to go straight to the video. Highlight Video

Rose Bowl Victory Celebration this weekend

A celebration to honor the TCU football team's Rose Bowl championship and undefeated season will be held Sunday, Jan. 16, at 4 p.m. in the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

The public is invited at no charge. The doors to the DMC and concession stands will open at 2:30 p.m.

TCU football coach Gary Patterson, TCU chancellor Victor Boschini, TCU director of intercollegiate athletics Chris Del Conte and Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief will be among the speakers.

In addition to the 2010 Horned Frog football team, the TCU band and spirit groups will be present.

Excluding the NFL, TCU's 21-19 victory over Wisconsin was the most-watched event in ESPN and cable television history.

The Horned Frogs posted their first undefeated season since winning the 1938 national championship. TCU (13-0) also won 13 games in a season for the first time in its history.

Baseball #1

The TCU baseball program keeps making history as it earned its first-ever No. 1 ranking. The Horned Frogs debuted in the top spot of Collegiate Baseball's preseason rankings released Monday.

TCU returns its entire starting rotation from a year ago and seven starters in the field. All three members of the rotation (Matt Purke, Steven Maxwell and Kyle Winkler) have earned preseason All-American accolades, while Jason Coats represents the hitters as a preseason All-American.

The Frogs finished the 2010 season ranked No. 3 after an historic run through the postseason that saw them come within a win of the championship series.

Opening day is just around the corner as the Frogs host Kansas on Feb. 18.

Basketball Takes Down Oklahoma

Emily Carter and Helena Sverrisdottir combined to score 12 of TCU's last 13 points to lead the Horned Frogs to a 76-69 victory over No. 14 Oklahoma Sunday night at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

In a game that saw nine lead changes and 10 ties, Carter made bucket-after-bucket down the stretch, including six-straight points in the closing minutes that helped seal the Frog victory in front of 4,003 spectators at the DMC. The senior finished the night with a game-high 26 points, while also grabbing eight boards. Sverrisdottir, who moved into No. 4 all-time in career field goals made in program history Sunday, was just as dangerous, scorching the Sooners for 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 12-of-13 from the charity stripe.

Finally, sophomore DeLisa Gross had another solid outing with 11 points and six boards. Gross has now scored in double-figures in five of her last seven outings. Fellow sophomore Starr Crawford just missed her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 14 rebounds, while also chipping in with nine points.

Oklahoma, who was held to only two field goals down the stretch, was fueled by the return of Fort Worth native Whitney Hand Sunday. Hand, who saw her first action in over a year Sunday night, totaled 24 points, while also grabbing 11 boards. All-America candidate Danielle Robinson, who was hassled by an aggressive Horned Frog defense all night, totaled 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

Overall, TCU moved to 8-6 on the year with the win, while the Sooners dropped to 10-3 on the season. By defeating the nationally ranked Sooners Sunday, the Purple and White have now upended at least one ranked opponent in each of the last nine seasons.

Rose Bowl Champions

Andy Dalton threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score, linebacker Tank Carder swatted down a 2-point conversion pass attempt with 2 minutes to play, and No. 3 TCU completed a perfect season with its first Rose Bowl victory, 21-19 over fourth-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday.

Bart Johnson caught an early TD pass and recovered a late onside kick for the Mountain West champion Horned Frogs (13-0), who followed up their second straight unbeaten regular season by busting the BCS in dramatic fashion.

Dalton passed for 219 yards for TCU, which won't win the national title - that will go to either Auburn or Oregon. They meet in the BCS championship game in nine days.

These ferocious Frogs still proved they can play with anybody on college football's biggest stages.

"I've been saying for a while that parity in college football is here," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "I got texts from everybody across the nation, from Boise State and schools all over. ... Today we played for us, and for all the schools that wanted a chance."

Montee Ball rushed for 132 yards and a late score for the Big Ten co-champion Badgers (11-2), whose loss capped a nightmare New Year's Day for their conference. The Big Ten went 0-5 in bowl games Saturday, and the Badgers fell just short of a late rally when Carder made a defensive play that will live forever in TCU lore.

TCU lost last year's Fiesta Bowl to Boise State, but that's still the only loss of the past two seasons for Patterson's remarkable Fort Worth power. TCU is the first school from a non-automatic qualifying conference to play in the Rose Bowl since the advent of the BCS, but the Frogs were right at home in Pasadena.

Luke Shivers' 1-yard TD run put TCU ahead 21-13 early in the third quarter, but neither team scored again until Wisconsin mounted a 77-drive in the waning minutes. Montee Ball rushed for a 4-yard score with 2 minutes to play, but Carder made a perfectly timed leap at the line to bat down Scott Tolzien's throw to the end zone. The intended receiver was open in the end zone.

Johnson easily grabbed Wisconsin's onside kick, and TCU rushed for a final first down to kill the clock.

Patterson stopped his players from dumping a Gatorade bucket on him before time ran out, lecturing them with a smile on his face. When the final seconds ticked off, the Frogs ran about the field in a frenzy, eventually collecting near the TCU band and the quarter of the Rose Bowl stands filled with purple-clad fans.

And eventually the Frogs doused there coach, too.

Dalton went 15 for 23 and rushed for a first-quarter score, winning the game's offensive MVP award. But the defense deserved the credit for hanging on when TCU couldn't score in the game's final 26 minutes.

Carder was the leader all game and the man at the end.

"I saw him cock his arm back, and I jumped up and swatted it away," Carder said. "I was in the right place at the right time. They almost (wore us down), but we pulled it out at the end. It seems like we got a little bit better toward the end."