TCU News: Baseball Looking for Ninth Straight

Baseball:

College baseball rankings: TCU moves up in the D1Baseball.com ranking | NCAA.com

After dropping from the no. 1 spot, the Frogs are climbing back up the polls on the strength of consecutive conference sweeps.

Louisville stayed No. 2 after winning a road series at Virginia, and TCU moved up a spot to No. 3 after sweeping its second straight conference series. Clemson also climbed one spot to No. 4 after winning a road series at Georgia Tech, and fellow ACC power North Carolina moved into the top five for the first time this season after sweeping a road series at Florida State for the first time ever.

Weekend rotation gaining steam as Frogs start 8-1 in Big 12 | The Star-Telegram

Janczak is unfair. Lodolo is starting to look like the elite talent he has been billed as. Just imagine once Howard really gets going.

“Janczak’s coming into his own as an elite Division I Friday night pitcher,” coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Lodolo, each time out, is getting a little better, getting a little more confident. Howard’s not there yet; he’s still trying to find himself.”

Pair of shutouts, blowout win gives Frogs sweep of K-State | TCU 360

It was a very good weekend in Manhattan for the Horned Frogs.

The No. 3 ranked Horned Frogs (22-5, 8-1) pushed their win streak out to eight games with a sweep of Kansas State (15-13, 0-6) in Manhattan, Kansas, winning two games in extra innings on Friday and Saturday, and blowing out the Wildcats on Sunday.

Football:

Football Announces 2016 Team Award Winners | www.gofrogs.com

Kyle Hicks was TCU’s team MVP, to the surprise of absolutely no one.

In voting by his teammates, running back Kyle Hicks was selected as TCU's Dan Rogers Most Valuable Player. Hicks is the first running back to receive the award since Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 1999 and 2000.

Hicks was also named the Offensive Most Valuable Player with linebacker Travin Howard voted the Defensive MVP. KaVontae Turpin, as a return specialist, was the Special Teams MVP for the second straight season.

Hicks became the first Horned Frog since Basil Mitchell in 1996 to lead TCU in both rushing (1,042 yards) and receiving (47 receptions). A rising senior from Arlington, Texas, Hicks gave the Horned Frogs a 1,000-yard rusher for the second consecutive season (Aaron Green, 1,272 yards, 2015).

The top 10 linebackers in the Big 12: Does TCU have the conference's top group? | Sports Day

Statistically? Yes. Ability? Probably also yes.

Howard was a revelation for the Horned Frogs as a junior in 2016. The safety-turned-linebacker started all 13 games and led the Big 12 with 130 total tackles. He also added three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries. At 6–1 and 210 pounds, Howard can still shift from linebacker to safety. His positional versatility and ability to cover will be critical as TCU attempts to bounce back from a 6–7 season this fall.

Basketball:

Josh Jurgens on Desmond Bane: 'He's a winner' | Pal-Item

Desmond Bane was a revelation down the stretch, filling in for an injured Jaylen Fisher. His clutch shooting and improved D were a big catalyst to the Frogs upset of no. 1 Kansas and NIT title - and he’s just a freshman.

“He built a program for us and now he’s rebuilding a program in college,” Jurgens said. “He’s a winner, wherever he goes. He’s the kind of kid that knows his open gym win-loss record. He knows how many times he’s won, how many times he’s lost, because he’s a winner.”