The Texas Lutheran University women’s basketball team continues to make history in what has been a monumental 2024-2025 season for the Bulldogs program.
“The story kind of started on the first day of practice, we came together and decided what goals we wanted to have for the year, and the goal the team set from day one was to work as hard as they can to win a championship,” said Texas Lutheran Head Women’s Basketball Coach Troy Patterson.
After winning the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, the Bulldogs earned the 24th ranking in the Division III NCAA Rankings, the first ranking in school history.
𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.
— TLU Women’s Basketball (@TLUwbb) March 4, 2025
For the first time in program history, your Bulldogs are 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝.#TooLiveU | #PupsUp pic.twitter.com/Hr703wAlbd
The Bulldogs will face East Texas Baptist University in the opening round of the Division III NCAA Tournament at 7:15 p.m. Friday at ETBU’s Ornelas Gymnasium.
The Bulldogs spoke to KSAT about what they need to be prepared for their opening-round matchup against the Tigers.
“Just the physicality and ... the height and the size compared to us, but it’s not something that we’re scared of, we’re going to be prepared for it,” said junior forward Sarahi Jones.
Senior guard Elexis Morado said the opposing team may be a lot taller, but the Bulldogs “have a lot of heart.”
“I think we’re going to be able to take that into this tournament and make some noise,” Morado said.
For New Braunfels High School alum and TLU senior guard Kailee Mulkey, any disrespect the team felt at the beginning of the year was put into the hard work for the rest of the season.
“The beginning of the year you know everyone’s like, ‘Oh Texas Lutheran, they’re a lot smaller, they’re a lot faster but they don’t have no shooters,’ but as a team, I feel like when we have five on the court, we’re very powerful,” said Mulkey.
The Bulldogs were surprised by the TLU volleyball team with goodie bags and a card wishing them good luck in the NCAA tournament run.
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