Every Nov. 2 since 2007, the City of Arlington honors Movin’ Mavs alumnus and head coach Aaron Gouge with his very own day, Aaron Gouge Day, dedicated to his time as a UTA player. Gouge’s ‘06-‘07 season included National Wheelchair Basketball Association first team and Most Valuable Player nods for his stellar performance with the Movin’ Mavs. He was also announced to the 12-man Parapan American Games Team USA roster. Few can claim such an honor, but for Gouge, it came during his time as an athlete at UTA. Following a sophomore season filled with accomplishments, Gouge was surprised by the city, family and teammates. “I had no idea it was happening, so they presented it to me at halftime of one of our games,” Gouge said. “It was totally a surprise, but my parents were there watching the game, so that was really special to be able to receive that award with them there in the audience.” Gouge mentioned his parents’ impact on him as a young wheelchair basketball player and said they’ve remained just as supportive of him as head coach. “They were driving me down there for practice, taking me to tournaments all over, up and down the East Coast as a player, and it was a huge sacrifice for them,” he said. “A lot of our family vacations became me going places to play basketball, as opposed to going to places that they would get to enjoy and relax.” Gouge expressed his appreciation for Arlington’s strong relationship with Movin’ Mavs and the city’s overall support for adaptive sports. “I think [Arlington has] always been super supportive of our program that we have here and are excited for us and happy to share that success when we have been able to win some national championships,” he said. These days, Gouge celebrates the day with family and reconnects with those who supported him along the way. Though his birthday falls the day after, Gouge believes the date was picked because of their game day. “I always have several people, friends from college tend to reach out to me on Aaron Gouge Day and wish me the best,” he said. Seventeen years later, Gouge hopes his legacy goes beyond his time at UTA and inspires his players to strive for greatness. “I hope to have my team have that same mentality and philosophy to just always continue to improve, always continue to get better,” he said. Gouge cherishes the opportunity to coach the Movin’ Mavs, the program that shaped his own success as a player. Now, he said it motivates him to be just as great as a coach. “I feel like even more so now that I’m back here at UTA just being in the position I am now, I’m surrounded by those memories that I had while here as a player,” Gouge said. “It really helps inspire me to work hard as a coach as well.” @babyboimatt sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Last time the Lady Mavericks were on the court, they were one game away from the Western Athletic Conference Championship game. With four new transfers and one freshman, it’s a fresh start for the women’s basketball team. The team’s return to College Park Center saw three players reach double-figure scoring as the team routed the University of North Texas at Dallas in its lone exhibition game 87-51. Fans and fellow UTA sports teams came to support the Hoops and Treats-themed night sporting spooky Halloween costumes and others promoting upcoming events during timeouts. “It was something that our team really, really needed,” head coach Shereka Wright said. “I was definitely happy that we got to play everybody and got to see everybody. I love the energy in the College Park Center tonight.” UTA started off slow, knocking down 7-19 field goals in the first quarter. Fifth-year forward Koi Love scored the team’s first points and her first bucket as a Lady Maverick, putting UTA on the board early. Love recorded 19 points, five rebounds and five assists in her debut. Wright said Love brings her experience and versatility to the team. Other standouts include senior guard Aspen Thornton, who’s methodical and knows the league well and freshman guard Aubrey Reid, who had a great showing, she said. Thornton recorded 10 points and three assists. Senior guard Taliyah Clark had a strong night with 17 points and knocking down four 3-pointers. After a stagnant start, Wright said the team settled in and the bench performed well, but there’s still lots of work to be done before heading into its next game. During the game, Wright said the team needed to be more aggressive in finishing shots and preventing opponents from keeping pace. In the second quarter, the Lady Mavericks hit their stride scoring 27 points sparked by strong defense. They focused on transitions rather than settling for too many 3-pointers. “It was a good baseline, but the energy that we got to play with, the effort, the intensity, that is a non-negotiable for me,” Wright said. Once UTA extended its lead to over 20 points late in the game, Wright said she experimented with different lineups to find the most effective combinations for pressing, ball movement and consistency. With the exhibition behind them, she said the team can take a deep breath and dive back into film study. The Lady Mavericks will officially kick off its season on the road to face off against the University of Arizona at 6 p.m. Monday. @heyyyitslando sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu