General | 12/31/2022 12:46:00 PM

DENTON, Texas (Dec. 31, 2022) – The year 2022 brought triumphs and joy, stories of hard work, perseverance and success throughout the Texas Woman's athletic department. We had the ultimate privilege to walk alongside our student-athletes and coaches and cover their incredible stories. We had a great year, full of memorable moments. While every moment spent with our Pioneers is unforgettable, we would like to celebrate the top 10 moments of 2022 (in no particular order):
 
#1 TWU Gymnastics claims the "triple crown"- winning the Midwest Independent Conference Title, the USAG Collegiate National Championship and the National Academic Championship.
 
March 17, 2022: Isabel Goyco was named the Midwest Independent Conference Woman of the Year, and Kristen Harold was named the MIC Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
March 18, 2022: TWU won their third Midwest Independent Conference title at home in KMA with a then season-high score of 195.750.
 
April 9, 2022: TWU claimed their 12th USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championship with a season-high score of 196.025 at Cornell University.
 
April 10, 2022: Isabel Goyco repeated as USAG Floor National Champion with a career-high 9.950. Kristen Harold was also recognized as the co-winner of the USAG Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
August 10, 2022: TWU posted the highest grade point average in the nation among all women's collegiate gymnastics programs. As a team, TWU earned a 3.8774 GPA.
 
#2 TWU Basketball makes history. Pioneers earn highest regional ranking in program history and win their first NCAA Regional Tournament game in program history. Pioneers open 2022-23 season strong.
 
February 22, 2022: TWU defeated the No. 1 team in the nation, Texas A&M – Commerce, marking their first win against a No. 1 team in program history.

March 2, 2022: Head Coach Beth Jillson was named the Lone Star Conference 2022 Noel Johnson Coach of the Year, becoming the first TWU head coach to receive the honor. Ashley Ingram was named the LSC Freshman of the Year—just the fifth Pioneer to earn the award. 

March 6, 2022: TWU earned the fourth seed in the 2022 NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. 
 
March 12, 2022: TWU defeated MSU – Denver in overtime, 90-83, to advance to the regional semifinals for the first time in program history.
 
March 13, 2022: TWU's season came to close, but they cemented themselves in the record book, tying the program's lowest number of losses in a season (nine) and breaking the fewest turnovers in a season (437). Sadie Moyer also set a program record for season free throw percentage (.887).
 
March 14, 2022: Sadie Moyer became the first Pioneer to be named to the South Central Regional All-Tournament Team. Moyer was the only player not from one of the two teams in the final to earn a spot. In the tournament, Moyer averaged 27 points and shot 100% from the free throw line.  
 
November 24, 2022: Ashley Ingram became just the second Pioneer in program history to be named the LSC Preseason Player of the Year.
 
December 21, 2022: On Nov. 23, the Pioneers entered the D2SIDA National Poll for just the second time in program history. Then, on Dec. 6, they debuted for the first time in program history on the WBCA Poll at No. 25. The Pioneers continue to rise and, most recently, were ranked No. 1 in the South Central Region, No. 10 on the D2SIDA National Poll and No. 20 on the WBCA Poll.
 
#3 TWU Artistic Swimming places fourth at Collegiate Nationals in inaugural season of competition.
 
March 28, 2022:  The Pioneers qualified for every event final at Collegiate Nationals, swimming solo, duet, trio and team. In the solo competition, Ashley Latchford placed fourth. Latchford and Maribella Falconer placed seventh in duet. The Pioneers swam two trios. Falconer, Makayla Crichton and Haiden Long placed seventh, while Anaya Kashikar, Laura Klein Paredes and Regina Ramirez placed fifth. As a team, TWU scored a season-high 77.4500 to place fifth out of 12 teams. With all the placements and scores calculated, the Pioneers finished the competition ranked fourth out of 13 teams, narrowly behind Ohio State, Stanford and Incarnate Word.
 
May 26, 2022: Ashley Latchford became the Pioneers first USA Artistic Swimming All-American. Maribella Falconer, Regina Ramirez, Makayla Crichton and Laura Klein Paredes received All-Collegiate honors.
 
#4 TWU STUNT wins first game of program history and closes the season ranked following their first season of competition.
 
February 27, 2022: Pioneers recorded their first win in program history. TWU scored 15 points and defeated Connors State College.
 
May 5, 2022: Following their first season of competition, TWU was ranked 10th by College STUNT in the final Division I/Division II Collegiate rankings.
 
May 11, 2022: Lauren Murphy was named the program's first All-America honoree. Murphy was named to the College STUNT Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention List.
 
#5 TWU Wrestling hosts first competition in program history, records first win in program history and enters rankings.
 
November 6, 2022: Aubrey Yauger made history in the Pioneers' first competition on the road at Colorado Mesa by defeating the preseason No. 1 ranked wrestler twice.
 
November 10, 2022: TWU hosted their first wrestling competition in Kitty Magee Arena, battling Texas Wesleyan.
 
November 17 and December 8, 2022: On Nov. 17, the Pioneers enter the National Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA Women's Coaches Rankings at No. 13 as a team. Aubrey Yauger debuted at No. 2 in her 191 weight class. Then, on Dec. 8, TWU moved up to No. 12 in the NWCA rankings and Yauger held steady at No. 2.
 
#6 Two TWU coaches celebrate 200 career wins – Beth Jillson and Jeff Huebner.
 
January 6, 2022: Head Coach of TWU Basketball Beth Jillson recorded her 200th career win at TWU. The Pioneers defeated St. Mary's 69-56 at home in Kitty Magee Arena.
 
September 8, 2022: With the Pioneers win over Western New Mexico, TWU Volleyball Head Coach Jeff Huebner celebrated his 200th career win.
 
#7 TWU SAAC receives third place in Lone Star Conference SAAC Cup Standings.
 
July 28, 2022: After a year of service, community involvement and meetings, the Texas Woman's University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) finished third in the Lone Star Conference SAAC Cup standings. The Pioneers accumulated points for their various projects and community events to earn third place.
 
#8 TWU inducts Frank Kudlac, Chantelle (Clegg) Kadlec and the 1993 Gymnastics Team into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Bailey Vrazel was inducted into the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor.
 
February 26, 2022: For the first time in 10 years, the Pioneers held a Hall of Fame Ceremony. The Pioneers inducted long time TWU Gymnastics Head Coach Frank Kudlac and decorated TWU Volleyball student-athlete Chantelle (Clegg) Kadlec into the 2022 Class of the TWU Hall of Fame. Additionally, they also inducted the 1993 Gymnastics team, which was the first team to ever win a USAG National Championship for TWU.
 
August 8, 2022: Bailey (Vrazel) Hammock was selected as a 2022 inductee into the LSC Hall of Honor. Vrazel became the first TWU student-athlete inducted into the Hall of Honor.

#9 Penny Tusa named recipient of the 2022 AVCA Diversity Award.
 
November 3 and December 23, 2022: Penny Tusa, TWU Volleyball graduate assistant, was named a 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Diversity Award recipient. She attended the AVCA Convention and shared her experiences. Tusa became the second Pioneer coach to receive the AVCA Diversity Award, after Luiza Andrade was a recipient in 2021.
 
#10 TWU and the nation celebrates 50 Years of Title IX.
 
June 23, 2022: Fifty years ago, Title IX changed the world of women in sports. We celebrated Title IX by looking at the impact it had within our department. Additionally, we celebrated the impact it had on our student-athletes, coaches and administrators. 
 
To all our Pioneer student-athletes, coaches, administrators, staff and fans, thank you for a truly unforgettable year. Here's to everything we will accomplish in 2023 and as always: Go Pioneers!