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LUCKY LONGHORN NUMBER: YO ELEVEN
BY LARRY CARLSON (LC13@TXSTATE.EDU)
If you’ve played craps in Vega$, you are likely familiar with the “yo eleven” bet.
It’s a one-roll deal that is risky but pays 15-to-one. Not good odds, but if you’re a low roller like me, it’s okay to throw the minimum bet out there every fifteen minutes. You hit the eleven, it’s fun.
That’s a long way of getting to this point: Eleven as a jersey number has been a winning number in modern (DKR forward) Longhorn football. Two certified All-America players, a national championship QB and two other all-time UT standout quarterbacks. Together, they’re the overloaded “five aces.”
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Two Longhorn brand builders will be honored at the TSDHOF awards banquet on April 21, 2023.
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Sam walked on to the Texas swim team but graduated as the swimming/diving team manager.
After graduation, Kendricks was an assistant coach for Eddie Reese for five years and Richard Quick for three.
Sam Kendricks’s talent, love, enthusiasm, and dedication to the sport led him to the” microphone as “the voice of swimming.”
In 1983 when the double dual meet between UCLA, Texas, and Florida needed an announcer he volunteered. He was a natural !
For 30 years his voice resonated at major swimming events including all the major USA and NCAA Swimming and Diving ChampioShips and 6 U.S. Olympic trials.
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Longhorn Leigh Ann Fetter- Witt will also be honored at the TSDHOF awards banquet. Leigh Fetter was a fifteen-time NCAA Champion winning the 50-yard freestyle all four years in college (1988-91), and she is recognized as the first woman ever to swim the 50-free in under 22 seconds.
Her detailed story is chronicled at :
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The TSDHOF Event is on Friday, April 21st, 2023
Reception 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Dinner and Induction: 6:30 pm
Where: Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center (social hour) & The San Jacinto Ballroom (Dinner and Induction)
Cost: $75/person (Additional donations are always appreciated.)
Or contact
2084 Bella Vista
Canyon Lake, TX. 78133
713.823.1690 phone
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In late April 2023, TLSN will post the podcast, text, and photo history of Hall of Fame Longhorn Jim Gideon.
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No University woman’s Collegiate sports program may ever duplicate or exceed the success of Longhorn women in the 1980s.
There were 14 women’s national championship teams in the 80s. As a comparison, from 1990 to 2023, 16 Longhorn women’s teams won the national championship.
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Two of the champion caliber players in the 1980s were TLSN Board members Beth Coblentz (volleyball) and Sherryl Hauglum (basketball). Each shares her story in detail via oral History, text, and photos on the TLSN website.
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Sherryl’s podcast is the newest addition to the growing archival library of Longhorn brand builders. Like Beth Coblentz, high school sports and coaches inspired Sherryl to excel. Her success in basketball at Victoria led to a scholarship at Texas, many international and Longhorn honors, and a successful career in coaching and school administration.
The link to her oral podcast, text, and photos is at:
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TLSN Board members Sherryl Hauglum (basketball) and Beth Coblentz (volleyball).
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Beth’s podcast is energy-packed. She shares the important message that discipline and focus learned by playing sports are essential tools in the business world.
Her competitive spirit led to a volleyball national championship and a leadership position in the corporate business world. Beth’s oral history, text, and photos are at the link
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1980- 1981 RECORD 19-8 COACH DAVE WOODS – WOMEN’S TENNIS
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Coach Woods was hired in 1972 as men’s Tennis coach Dave Snyder’s assistant. As such, he was instrumental in developing Kevin Curren and Gary Plock’s NCAA tournament success and five other NCAA All-Americans.
As the head coach of women’s tennis, his focus on the mental side of the game, combined with intensive two-a-day physical training, led to Longhorn’s success. The practice regimen he implemented resulted in Texas finally defeating traditional tennis powers Trinity and SMU.
Coach Woods’s 1980-1981 team was represented by two freshmen, two sophomores, and two juniors. In the Spring, Coach Woods said, “we played well…just not well enough.” However, Coach Woods Horns still won the SWC and went undefeated in 10 dual matches.
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By his second year of recruiting, he had signed some excellent tennis talent from all over the country building Texas into a national tennis power.
His top recruit, Kristen McKeen, won five straight matches in the AIAW national championship to win the consolation title.
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Jane Johnson (on the left in the photo below) was a two-time All-American for Texas. She was #1 in singles and #1 on the doubles team for the Longhorns.
She and Kristen McKeen (on the right in photo) finished 3rd in doubles at the AIAW national tournament.
Kirsten McKeen won the consolation title in her exciting run to the national championship.
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The team finished 4th in the AIAW National championship postseason competition.
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Beth Ruman suffered a stress fracture the day before the national tennis meet forcing all the players to move up one position.
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VISIONARIES, LEADERS, PERSISTENCE, FOCUS, DISCIPLINE, AND A STRONG WILL, CREATED THE 80-YEAR ROAD TO TITLE IX
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The Beatle’s song “A Long and Winding Road” could be the theme song for Longhorn women’s path from 1893 to the signing of Title IX in 1972.
This TLSN newsletter format is not the venue to share the whole Longhorn women’s sports history, so the following is a bullet-point history of Anna Hiss, Betty Thompson, Donna Lopiano, Jody Conradt, and Chris Plonsky with links to each if you wish to know more about a particular period of time.
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Louisa May Alcott’s comment captures the resolve of Longhorn women’s leaderships climb to Title IX.
ANNA HISS
From 1921-1957, Anna Hiss’s strong will and vision focused on women’s rights in sports and politics. Her story is told in detail from 1921-1957- ANNA HISS (squarespace.com)
FYI – as an interesting side note- Anna’s brother was the spy Algier Hiss.
BETTY THOMPSON- 1962-1974
Betty Thompson’s passion for Longhorn women’s sports was best reflected when the UT administration rebuked one of her policy directives. Betty said:
“nor hell has a fury like a woman scorned.”
Before Title IX was fully implemented, Betty Thompson’s drive and vision were essential in building the Longhorn women’s brand, paying great dividends for Longhorn women’s in collegiate sports in the 1980s. Betty’s first two Title IX hires were Rodney Page for women’s basketball and Pat Patterson for women’s swimming.
Rodney shares his thoughts on Betty at
Betty’s story is at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/betty-thompson . Betty Thompson was instrumental in hiring the first women’s Athletic Director, Donna Lopiano.
Donna Lopiano
The link to Donna’s podcast, text, and photos is at:
A.D. Lopiano’s first coaching hire was Jody Conradt for volleyball and basketball. A brilliant hire that cannot be overstated.
Coach Conradt
Coach Conradt’s success in basketball convinced quality coaches and recruits in other sports to sign with Texas making the 1980s a national championship decade for Longhorn women.
Jody Conradt’s story is at
Chris Plonsky
In 1993 Chris Plonsky returned to Texas and served in various roles that led to her present position in 2023 as the visionary shaping the future landscape for the Longhorn women’s sports.
No other University presently has someone on staff with the credentials and success of Chris Plonsky. Chris Plonsky’s link is
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TLSN is an independent organization celebrating Longhorn Sports History and assisting qualifying Horns who need temporary financial assistance.
The TLSN website and newsletter are free, educational, historical, and insightful, sharing Longhorn sports history through the eyes of those who created it.
TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.
Https://texaslsn.org
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