Sports Briefs: Fall 2009

Fundraising Campaign

Baylor hopes to raise an additional $10 million for its five-year “Victory with Integrity” campaign. Originally approved by the Baylor Board of Regents on February 4, 2005, the campaign had generated $89.1 million for Baylor athletics by late August through capital projects ($61.2 million), endowment growth ($7.2 million), and annual giving ($20.7 million).

“We are on pace to reach and exceed the five-year, $90-million goal and have recently established $100 million as our stretch goal for the campaign,” Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. “God has shown us great favor over the last four and one-half years, and we are hopeful to finish strong.”

Wariner in Spotlight

Former Baylor sprinter and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner finished second in the 400-meter final at the World Championships in August in Berlin.

Wariner completed the race in 44.60, finishing .54 seconds behind USA teammate LaShawn Merritt, who held on to a two-stride lead down the homestretch.

Wariner, who won the World Championships in 2005 and 2007, recorded his best time of the 2009 track season.

Newcomer Football Stand-outs

Baylor signees Bryce Petty and Tevin Reese helped Team USA win the gold medal in the first International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship.

Team USA routed Canada, 41-3, in the championship game on July 5 in Canton, Ohio, as Petty hit all fourteen of his pass attempts for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Reese caught two passes for seventeen yards and also returned a kickoff for twenty-eight yards.

In three games in the tournament, Petty hit twenty-five of thirty passes for 382 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. Team USA blew away France, 78-0, and Mexico, 55-0, to advance to the championship game.

“It has been an amazing experience,” Petty said. “I am extremely blessed.”