Photo of UMHB Acrobatics & Tumbling courtesy of UMHB Athletics
It’s a new week in Cru Country, and there’s plenty to watch for as April gets going. This Monday morning breakdown is intended to do just that, highlighting some of the notable moments and accomplishments from the previous seven days, while giving a look ahead at what is upcoming for UMHB Athletics.
4 things to watch in the coming week
At last…the ASC opener arrives for UMHB Baseball — 28 games into the season, Mike Stawski’s squad still hasn’t taken the field for a conference matchup. But that changes on Thursday evening, as the Crusaders host Howard Payne in the opener of a four-game set in Belton. The 4 p.m. contest will be followed by a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Friday and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday. UMHB took three of four in Brownwood when the two faced off a season ago, but this is an improved HPU squad, sitting at 13-12 on the year. This coming weekend also marks the final home series for UMHB in 2026, as the regular season wraps up with back-to-back road weekends at ETBU and Hardin-Simmons.
UMHB Softball seeks revenge in home series against Hardin-Simmons — Last season The Cru went to Abilene in early April, and after winning Game 1, dropped the next three, including a 3-2 loss in a 10-inning marathon. HSU also handed the Crusaders a loss in the ASC Tournament a month later. But it’s a new season, and after a doubleheader sweep of Concordia, UMHB is poised to return the favor against the Cowgirls this time around. The four-game weekend series follows an anticipated doubleheader with No. 13 St. Thomas (TX) on Tuesday, with HSU making the trip to Dee Dillon Field for a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday and a noon doubleheader Saturday. The Cru will need a dynamic performance out of its pitchers, as HSU comes in with a league-leading team batting average of .420, led by Ella Salinas (.458 BA, 21 RBIs) and Aylssa Lusk (.600 BA, 7 RBIs). Head coach Melissa Mojica has a number of options in the circle, with six pitchers having started at least three games this spring, including junior transfer Chloe Booth, who tossed 8.0 innings with only two earned runs in a win over Concordia last week.
The quest for a four-peat for UMHB Acro & Tumbling — In each of the last three years, The Cru has won the NCATA D-III Postseason Invitational, and as even more programs begin to enter the fold, UMHB remains amongst the nation’s best. Head coach Raffaella Scotto and her squad look to defend their title once again, this time on the campus of ETBU, with the D-III Tournament starting on Thursday. UMHB’s opening matchup pits The Cru against Buffalo State, a team they beat rather handily, 258.300-211.730, on March 20. Should UMHB win, the Crusaders advance to Saturday’s final, and position themselves for a third-consecutive bid to the NCATA National Tournament at Asuza Pacific University.
UMHB Beach Volleyball ready for Division I competition in the week ahead — Can one of the nation’s best Division III beach volleyball programs go toe-to-toe with scholarship-level Division I programs? That question has already been answered en route to UMHB’s 18-4 overall record this spring, which includes wins over Sam Houston State, Tarleton State, and Nicholls. Now, with six-straight road matches ahead to close the regular season, The Cru is set to face two more D-I opponents in the coming week; Houston Christian on Tuesday, and Tarleton State on Friday. UMHB is more than capable of picking up a pair of wins in those matches, playing at an incredibly high level as of late, with nine consecutive wins going back to March 25. Tuesday’s 10 a.m. match at HCU will be only The Cru’s second true road contest of 2026.
3 Numbers to Know
4 – hits for UMHB first baseman Taylor McDaniel in The Cru’s doubleheader sweep of Concordia (TX) on Friday in Austin. McDaniel went 4-for-8 with a pair of RBIs in the twinbill, helping UMHB to wins of 7-3 and 6-4. McDaniel is hitting .411 on the year with 11 doubles and six homers.
21 – The stroke margin for UMHB men’s golf to the rest of the field at the Greystone Classic in Tennessee last week. The Cru took the tournament title in convincing fashion, recording three rounds under par to finish with a score of 842 (-22). Willamette, ranked No. 17 in the Clippd Rankings, was the only other team in the field whose three-round team score was under par, at -1. Jordan Cox’s squad has now won four of the six tournaments it has played in this season.
12 – runs scored in UMHB softball’s Game 2 win over Concordia (TX) on Monday. That offensive performance marked the third time this season that The Cru pushed 12 across against a D-III opponent, and their 11 RBIs were the third-most in a single-game this spring. Bralyn Belk had three hits, and Jordan Iverson and Addy Todd each added two more.
2 notable individual performances from this past week
Lucas Latimer, Men’s Golf — Latimer led UMHB’s victorious effort on the course at GreyStone Golf Club, winning the indivudal title at the tournament, which featured four Top 20 teams. His 64 (-8) in the final round was only one stroke off the UMHB single-round record as he carded a 208 (-8) across the three days of play in Tennessee, ranking No. 1 in the tournament in birdies and par-3s. He also earned ASC Golfer of the Week honors for his performance.
Bralyn Belk, Softball — The senior infielder was on fire at the plate in Monday’s wins over Concordia, going a perfect 5-for-5 across both games. She opened with a 2-for-2 performance in Game 1, driving in two runs in the narrow 4-3 victory. The Axtell, Texas native then went 3-for-3 in the nightcap, scoring twice along with a solo homer in the fourth inning. She also doubled to lead off the third, beginning UMHB’s comeback after facing an early 3-0 deficit.
1 final thought
UMHB men’s golf is going to make some noise at the national tournament later this spring. Seeing the way The Cru performed at the Greystone Classic in a field that featured No. 14 Southwestern, No. 15 Trinity, and No. 17 Willamette was incredibly impressive, and this squad is only going to get better over its final three tournaments before NCAAs, including the ASC Championship in early May. The depth on the roster is something few programs have, and being able to carry over the strong performances from the fall into the spring only raises the confidence in this team, with The Cru ranked No. 6 in the Clippd Rankings as of Sunday.
Awesome Athletes!
Go Cru!