Shaun Rutherford lived out his football career with no regrets. He played every down as if it were his last and became a true leader on the Texas State football team.

“I feel like everything went pretty good here,” Rutherford said. “Usually when I come around my presence is known. I can get respect from people quick. I just wanted to lead by example, do things the right way and give people someone to look up to.”

Rutherford came to Texas State after a two-year stint with Blinn College as a wide receiver, punt returner and a back-up quarterback to future Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.

Along for the ride was senior wide receiver Isaiah Battle, with whom Rutherford had “a big brother, little brother relationship.” Having played at Blinn, Battle witnessed the full growth and transformation from one position to another in his “big brother” at Texas State.
Battle said his ability to change roles speaks volumes to him as an athlete.

The Republic of Latvia, a Baltic state north of Lithuania in Europe that is mostly recognized for its sporting traditions in basketball and ice hockey, is not known for producing competitive golfers.
Krista Puisite, a native Latvian, challenges such tradition.

Puisite, finance senior, has a decorated collegiate career as a Bobcat, both athletically and academically.  She has been named WAC Golfer of the Week on three occasions this season. Last season, Puisite was the recipient of the 2012 Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year, averaging a 74.39 stroke average, which amounted for the best in school history, while also maintaining a 3.88 GPA.

Sometimes in life you have to be knocked down hard to the ground before getting what you want. You will likely endure a few scratches and bruises, and it could come with some embarrassment.
All in all, you have to hope something meaningful concludes from the emotional or physical fall you could take.

Failure is as big a part of sports as success. No matter how good you are as an individual or as a team, you will experience failure. This sports season, Texas State has experienced some failure.
There was failure to beat elite teams in football. There was failure to take the next step in both basketball programs. There are some unmet expectations between both the softball and baseball programs. The volleyball team, although young, did not experience quite the season Coach Karen Chisum is accustomed to having.

The 2013 season for the Texas State softball team began with promise and high expectations but has since been filled with distractions, injuries and poor play.

The team had just come off a Southland Conference regular season title and a championship before ending their 2012 campaign by getting bounced in the NCAA tournament by Texas A&M.
The Bobcats began the next season by playing the National Pro Fastpitch All-Stars in the fall of 2012 and lost in extra innings by one run. The outing was so impressive that All-Stars Coach Jim Beita said the Bobcats were “the toughest battle” they had seen all year.

The Bobcats were be picked by WAC coaches in January to win the conference and had two preseason All-WAC selections in senior pitcher Anne Marie Taylor and senior second baseman Anna Hernandez.

School pride is a big deal around college campuses, and two distinguished alumni are attempting to improve it.

In an effort to improve attendance at basketball games in particular, Gregg Roberts and Ann Roberts have hosted and funded a Greek Attendance Challenge and Scooter Giveaway for the past six years.

“I’ve achieved the goal that I set out to achieve through basketball,” Gregg Roberts said. “We’ve improved attendance dramatically through those programs, and a lot of students are coming to games that weren’t before.”

Gregg Roberts said the initiative began when he walked in to Strahan seven years ago to watch a basketball game against a Southland Conference rival and was floored that only 400-500 students were in the seats.

Sophomore in-fielder Ben McElroy attempts to tag out a player from stealing April 23 at Bobcat Ballpark.

The Bobcats secured a win over SEC opponent Texas A&M University 4–1 in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,512, the third highest in Bobcat Ballpark history, earning them a second straight midweek victory.

The triumph followed a ceremonial first pitch honoring the men and women who lost their lives in the West, Texas tragedies last week. Texas State (18–22) beat Big 12’s Baylor University 3–0 a week ago, which was its second midweek victory of the season. The Bobcats defeated fellow WAC member, University of Texas—San Antonio, in early March 6–0.

The Texas State softball team came into its contest 0–9 in extra-inning games this season. It turned the trend around Tuesday, however, holding on to a 5–4 victory in 10 innings against Lamar University.

Texas State (13–33) was able to withstand an early 2–0 deficit when Courtney Harris, sophomore third baseman, hit a double to drive in seniors Anna Hernandez, second baseman, and Haley Lemons, first baseman, in the fifth inning.

In the next inning, freshman catcher Katie Doerre hit a two-run homer to give the Bobcats a 4–2 advantage heading to the bottom of the sixth and later the seventh.

The Cardinals (21–30) responded in the seventh when junior center fielder Candyce Carter hit an RBI single to bring Lamar within one run. Two batters later, freshman left fielder Jenna Holland doubled to center field to even the contest at four and send the game into extra innings.

Texas State was able to earn its first West Coast victory of the season while visiting San Jose State University, but ultimately lost the series two games to one.

The series loss gives the Bobcats a 17–22 record overall and a 9–6 record in WAC play. They still sit third in the conference with a one game lead on three teams tied at 8–7 (California State University-Sacramento, New Mexico State University and Dallas Baptist University). They are still behind the University of Texas-Arlington by one game and California State University-Bakersfield by two.

 “I don’t think we played bad,” said Coach Ty Harrington. “On Saturday, we were really good in the second half of the game, and we put ourselves in position to win. (There) were a couple of things that were unfortunate for us late in the game. (Sunday) I feel like we came out and played at a high level.”

Senior second baseman Anna Hernandez attempts a double play April 19 at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.

The Texas State softball team fell to 0–9 in extra-inning games over the weekend when they dropped two of three against first place New Mexico State University.

The team came into the series against the Aggies tied for third in the conference. The Bobcats (12–33) are now tied for fifth in the WAC with Louisiana Tech University, posting a 7–8 conference record.