With their 2025 home opener set for Friday, the Dallas Wings are rolling into the summer with several changes in the works: a new staff, a rebuilt roster and one final year at College Park Center before relocating to downtown Dallas. The Wings began their partnership with CPC after relocating from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and have called Arlington home for the past nine seasons. Pending approval from the WNBA, the team will move to Dallas for the 2026 season, set to play in the heart of the city at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. The Wings struggled to find success early in their tenure in Arlington. Despite having advanced to the semifinals in 2023, the team has yet to make it through the playoffs with a positive record. With a vast roster rebuild, the team hopes to revert to winning ways. During the off season the Wings introduced Chris Koclanes as the new head coach and Curt Miller as the new general manager and executive vice president. Koclanes was previously the defensive coordinator for the Connecticut Sun and an assistant coach at the University of Southern California. Under Koclanes, the Connecticut Sun ran a bolstering defense, leading the league in defensive scoring average and defensive field goal percentage in 2021. The coach also helped the team reach the 2019 and 2022 WNBA finals. Miller is the first general manager for the team since they moved to Arlington. He served as the Los Angeles Sparks head coach for two years and worked with Koclanes as the Connecticut Sun general manager and head coach for seven seasons. “It’s fantastic being back with Curt. He’s been a tremendous mentor for me and to have that support system there, someone who’s lived this and breathed this,” Koclanes said. The two share a vision for the team and staff. Koclanes said Miller is consistently available for guidance without overstepping, and is an invaluable resource for him and the staff. The Wings also drafted five players to the roster this preseason, including No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers. DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris and NaLyssa Smith have joined the team as free agents. The Wings also obtained the reserved rights to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, who joined as part of a four-team trade. The Wings have maintained three members from the 2024 roster: Teaira McCowan, Arike Ogunbowale and Maddy Siegrist. Ogunbowale joined the Wings out of University of Notre Dame in 2019 and became a staple for the team’s success. “I think people are catching on, and I think the players we have are gonna embody that type of style and grace and just support the city, and just put the city on the map, so I’m excited for that,” Ogunbowale said. Koclanes said he’s focused on flexibility to build a game plan that fits the roster and reflects the team’s strengths. Players already have strong chemistry, and he expects it to keep growing. The team has an autonomous dynamic, and he said he believes accountability and leadership will develop organically. Bueckers said that the team has acknowledged the challenges of a young team and is prepared for growing pains. “You never want to get used to losing, but you want to get used to learning from good games, learning from lessons, and moving forward and taking whatever you learned from the last game, the last practice, the last whatever to continue to make you better for the future,” she said. With the team’s final preseason game in the books, the Wings open up their season against the Minnesota Lynx at 6:30 p.m. Friday at College Park Center. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Arlington Renegades (3-4) faltered to No. 1 Michigan Panthers (5-2) 25-24 in the inter-conference match Saturday, crushing hopes in their last home game of the season. The game marked the fourth overall loss to Michigan, breaking a 3-3 tie between teams. Despite the loss, the Renegades were applauded by Michigan head coach Mike Nolan, who noted the team's fight throughout the game. “They played an outstanding game, they had a heck of a game plan, both sides of the ball and all the faces, my hats off to them,” Nolan said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for them.” Arlington struggled in the first half, unable to reach the end zone until the fourth quarter. Kicker Lucas Havrisik’s four field goals accounted for half of the Renegades’ points. The momentum swung on Arlington’s side in the third quarter where the team produced two field goals and recovered two fumbles to take a 12-9 lead. That energy carried into the fourth quarter with the Renegades scoring an early touchdown from wide receiver Tyler Vaughns, who caught a 29-yard deep left pass from quarterback Luis Perez. A failed two-point conversion left Arlington with an 18-9 lead. Only four touchdowns were produced between both teams. The Renegades’ lead was snatched by the Panthers on the next play after they scored on a drive, tying the match with a successful 3-point conversion. Panther quarterback Bryce Perkins was a notable threat to the Renegades’ defense. He averaged 8.2 passing yards and 7.5 rushing yards throughout the game. “That fourth quarter, we had all kinds of pressure on [Perkins], or guys grabbing him, he’d just find a way to fling it to somebody or get out,” Renegades head coach Bob Stoops said. “I don’t know how many times we thought we had him sacked or broken up, and he’d find somebody.” Arlington responded with a late fourth-quarter touchdown off a pass from Perez to tight end Sal Cannella, reclaiming the lead. The Panthers regained possession at the two-minute warning. After a series of completions and timeouts, Michigan found itself deep in Arlington territory. Perkins scrambled out the pocket and gained 10 yards to put the Panthers in scoring position. With one second on the clock, Michigan running back Toa Taua rushed up the middle for a touchdown, finding a 24-24 game. The Renegades' defense set up to hold the lead, but a successful one-point conversion sealed the game for the Panthers. “These games, win or lose, they’re always tight, close games, so I’m sure next week will be no different,” Stoops said. “Hopefully we could be on a better side of some of these calls that we’re getting, but we gotta do our part to acknowledge what can be better with us.” Arlington will return to XFL conference play against the D.C. Defenders at noon May 18 at the Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Live streaming will be available on ESPN. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA baseball (14-27) lost to Texas Christian University (32-13), 3-1, Tuesday in Fort Worth. The loss halted UTA’s dominance in the local showdown, drawing an even 3-3 split in the last six matchups. Head coach Mike Trapasso said despite the loss, the emphasis of the team’s focus is conference play on the weekends. “It’s a midweek game for both of us, and midweek games, there’s a different mindset,” Trapasso said. “It’s about trying to stay sharp, get some guys some work that maybe haven’t had work on the weekends.” The Mavericks struggled early, being held hitless by the Horned Frogs’ defense until the top of the fourth inning. The game was fast-paced with both teams recording frequent groundouts and strikes. Noah Franco, Texas Christian freshman pitcher and first baseman, recorded the game’s first hit in the second inning. With a sacrifice fly, Franco opened the game’s scoring to give them a 1-0 lead. Despite allowing nine hits, UTA only gave up three runs. However, their offense continued to struggle throughout the game. The teams went on a stalemate, going scoreless for four innings. “I mean, we just faced a really good staff. We obviously have to do a little bit better just battling [at bats] out and being tough, but credit to these guys,” said Tyce Armstrong, redshirt junior first baseman and infielder. Junior infielder Xavier Melendez said he was excited to be back from injury, contributing to the defensive effort with nine putouts. In the bottom of the seventh, Texas Christian added a run. Senior pitcher Aaron Calhoun began the inning by hitting a pitcher, advancing him to first base. After a couple of stolen bases, Calhoun gave up an RBI single to score the runner home. The Horned Frogs added another run in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 3-0. Looking to make the most of the team’s final at-bats, the Mavericks finally scored a run in the ninth inning from sophomore outfielder Jackson Hill. However, UTA was unable to capitalize on the momentum in the end. The Mavericks will resume conference play this weekend with a three-game series against Utah Valley University starting at 6 p.m. Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark. “I think we’re starting to play our best baseball at the right time. We got a good group going into the conference tournament,” Melendez said. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The “portaling” season is about maintaining the balance of putting the last season behind everyone and building off it to improve the team. On April 17, UTA women’s basketball announced the signing of the Reynolds sisters — Mila, Amiyah and Kira — from South Bend, Indiana. Mila and Amiyah Reynolds, transfers from Purdue University, spent two years together at the school and were expecting to complete the trifecta after incoming freshman Kira Reynolds originally committed to the Boilermakers, too. However, all three ultimately decommitted and decided to bring their talents to Arlington. The Lady Mavericks are coming off a season where they made a Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game appearance. Although falling short, the team received a bid to participate in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament that included a home win against University of the Incarnate Word. Head coach Shereka Wright said she believes the team’s success was a key piece in recruiting the trio, making the sisters want to buy into the program’s culture. Kira Reynolds highlighted the importance of playing collegiate basketball with her sisters, which UTA helped them do. “I’m a very family-oriented person. My whole entire family, we’re all very close,” she said. “My sisters are my best friends. So, when I went down to UTA, they are also family-oriented and had a very good, comfortable feel.” On Jan. 4, the highly-touted freshman recorded the first quintuple-double in Indiana history. Kira Reynolds recorded 14 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, 11 steals and 10 blocks. The sisters each bring a unique style of play to the court. Mila Reynolds, a 6-foot-3-inch forward, can stretch the floor with her ability to “flat out shoot the ball,” Wright said. Wright is excited to see what she does for the team after dealing with injury a season ago. Kira Reynolds called Amiyah Reynolds, the middle sister, the captain of the trio, with her high basketball IQ. Wright called her the “midrange assassin,” a complement to Mila Reynolds’ shooting skills from behind the arc. Behind many sports families is a father who shares the limelight. Steve Reynolds is the man behind the sisters’ basketball acumen, having coached them in high school and hinted that he might join the Lady Mavericks coaching staff. “My dad, for the most part, taught me literally everything I know, including my sisters,” Kira Reynolds said. “Being able to go to this next level and have him there with me, as he’s been there with me the entire way, it just also made me feel very secure.” The signings are massive not only for the women’s basketball program, but for all of UTA athletics. In addition to the talent level the team has acquired on the court, portal signings of this magnitude could influence other players to transfer to Arlington. Wright said the Lady Mavericks will continue to add necessary pieces to complement the six returning players to help the team compete for championships. “I think this is probably the highest ranked student athletes that we’ve had here at UTA, and a lot of excitement around it,” she said. @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the signage of logos, sponsors and partners on Globe Life Field’s outfield is Brian Nephew’s team. The Arlington native and lifelong Texas Rangers fan said he got lucky in landing his current position. As a UTA alumnus and vice president of partnerships for the Rangers, Nephew is a true American Dream City product. After starting in ticket sales almost a decade ago, Nephew now oversees the team’s day-to-day sales efforts and partnerships with nearly 200 brands, including Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, SeatGeek and Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company, who own the naming rights to the Rangers’ home ballpark. “I just fell in love with [baseball], probably just early on,” he said. “I just loved watching the Rangers growing up and turning on Sunday Night Baseball at home and watching all the pro teams, but specifically the Rangers.” He credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. It’s no secret what the 2023 World Series run meant for Rangers fans and the City of Arlington. Capturing its first championship in franchise history, the team ended its drought of being the MLB’s oldest organization without a title. Nephew called the championship run the best month of his life. “It was my professional and my personal career, my lives kind of crashing,” he said. “A decade with the team and being in Arlington my whole life, it was unbelievable.” The run has set even higher expectations for Nephew and the rest of the organization. “The easy way to put it is that the expectations now after winning the World Series in ‘23 is that we want to be a top five franchise in Major League Baseball,” he said. However, the Rangers face a unique challenge in achieving so. As of March 2025, the team ranks as the 12th most valuable MLB franchise, according to Forbes. Although Arlington is a hub for sports entertainment, most teams ahead of them are considered “major markets”: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia to name a few. Being neighbored with the most valuable in all sports, the Dallas Cowboys could also be a challenge for the Rangers. Nephew credits his time playing baseball at UTA for teaching him lessons not only in the sports industry but in life in general. Ray Casas, Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation community impact director, said he and Nephew take a lot of pride in being UTA alumni. “Growing up with the Rangers in our backyard, going to college at UTA and then getting to win a World Series ring, it’s pretty special,” Casas said. K.J. Hendricks, Los Angeles Angels scout and former UTA baseball player, served as Nephew’s assistant coach for his junior and senior seasons. Unlike Nephew, Hendricks was drafted to the MLB in 2002 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues. However, Nephew’s senior season had teams looking in his direction. In 2011, Nephew was selected to the All-Southland Conference second team in his senior season at UTA. On the mound, he played as a third baseman and was a strong hitter, finishing fourth in the regular conference that season with a .356 batting average. He also recorded 31 RBIs and led the Mavericks with 105 total bases. Playing professional baseball was always his goal, but not being drafted was a wake-up call. Despite not making the MLB, Nephew said everything worked out for the best. “Closing that chapter and going to the next corporate life kind of turned the page to make some money and get out of debt and all that stuff,” he said. “That was a big impact, it kind of changed my life.” Despite his talent, Hendricks best remembers Nephew for his leadership on and off the field. “The biggest thing that doesn’t do justice when you look at the stats with Brian is he was a good team leader. He galvanized guys, he brought good energy,” Hendricks said. “You've got to have those good locker room guys to help push the others forward and hold them accountable and encourage them and do all those things. Brian did a lot of those naturally.” Nephew’s principles as a teammate have carried into his future, regarding how he runs operations and treats his team. Nephew hopes to spend his entire career with the Rangers, the organization that has meant so much to him and his family. He met his wife, Bethany Nephew, during his tenure with the team and the pair have a son, Madden Nephew. She works with Casas, serving as the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation foundation event director. “The most important thing that I’ve learned is, now that I’m in a leadership role, just being vulnerable, being able to be a good teammate and be accountable for your colleagues,” he said. “If you do that, then everything else will take care of itself.” @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

With the semester winding down, softball, baseball and track and field look to finish their regular seasons strong. Here is the schedule for Tuesday through May 5. Baseball UTA baseball looks to continue its success against Texas Christian University at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas. The Mavericks defeated the Horned Frogs earlier in the season 6-4. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+. The team will then prepare for a three-game series against conference foe Utah Valley University starting 6 p.m. Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark. The series will continue 2 p.m. Saturday with the finale at noon Sunday. Softball The softball team will finish its regular season with a three-game series against Seattle University at Allan Saxe Field. The series will start with a doubleheader at 3 and 5:30 p.m. Friday and the finale will take place noon Saturday. All games will be available to stream on ESPN+. Track and field Track and field will compete in the TCU Horned Frog Invitational on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas as its final meet before Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. @tdreevess sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu