For Baylor Volleyball, the 2026 season is the next step in the best era in program history. For 10 straight years, the program has reached the NCAA Tournament — a decade filled with postseason runs, program firsts, all-conference performers, and consistent national recognition under head coach Ryan McGuyre.
The last 10 years includes a Final Four finish in 2019 and four Sweet 16 appearances. This year’s squad begins the year in position to continue those superlatives, beginning the season ranked No. 21 nationally and picked to finish in the upper echelon (No. 4) of the competitive Big 12 Conference.
When he was an English major at Baylor, classmates knew the man who would go on to become one of radio’s most prolific interviewers and storytellers as Bob Lewis (BA ’57) — but to generations of Texans, he’s known only by his radio stage name: Tumbleweed Smith.
For 57 years (!!) — until his retirement earlier this year — Bob/Tumbleweed was the host of The Sound of Texas, a program airing on stations across the state. It featured interviews with everyone from movie stars to everyday Texans, and chronicled the depth and breadth of life in Texas. The Baylor alum (and native Wacoan) served as a conduit for unique Texas stories through interviews, as well as his own unique storytelling ability.
What a week! From Move2BU to Welcome Week and then the first day of classes, Baylor and Waco are once again buzzing with activity!
We’re less than a month from Baylor Football’s 2026 home opener (Sept. 12 vs. Prairie View A&M, 7 p.m.) — and fans at McLane will find a host of improvements to the gameday experience this fall.
Dr. Jon Eckert believes that he and his team in the Baylor Center for School Leadership have the best jobs in education. The Center, whose goal is to be “the most effective Christian leadership catalyst for educators worldwide,” steers Eckert and his colleagues toward the positive in an ever-changing field that presents its share of challenges for those who teach.
Baylor is known for its incredible student experience, especially for first-year students. A look at what students can expect during their first 100 days on campus illustrates that beautifully:
What happens when a Baylor geologist makes a career pivot to build an apparel and lifestyle brand? You end up with Sendero Provisions Co. — an outdoor lifestyle and apparel brand offering a modern take on Western wear that’s popular with millennial and Gen Z shoppers.
The geologist-turned-entrepreneur? That’s Hunter Harlow (BS ’10), who thought his love for the outdoors would lead him into the oil and gas industry (hence the geology). Instead, he found his calling with a western wear store in downtown Waco that has since exploded into popular culture, partnering with brands like Whataburger.
On some level, all research promotes human flourishing. Whether it be scientific research leading to new cancer drugs or cleaner water, engineering research developing new technologies or exploring the final frontier, or ethicists applying insights to address key ethical questions, all research aims to make life better in some fashion — and, clearly, Baylor advances these causes a great deal.
But there’s also research that is specifically about human flourishing — for humanity as a whole, groups of people, specific professions, and more. It’s research that gets to the root of how to help people thrive in multiple dimensions: physical and mental health, spiritual wellbeing, relationships, finances and more. And in higher education, no one else is doing what Baylor is doing in this area: