SMU (0-0) vs Texas A&M Commerce (0-0)
Moody Coliseum – Dallas, Texas
Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 – 7:30 p.m. CT
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SMU hosts Texas A&M-Commerce in the season-opener at Moody Coliseum on Monday. This is the first game for the Mustangs under new Head Coach Rob Lanier.

Lanier came to the Hilltop from Georgia State with more than 30 years as a collegiate coach, including seven seasons as a head coach. His teams have made 12 NCAA Tournaments and earned 19 total postseason bids. Those teams also have five conference titles, three regular season championships and two tournament crowns, plus five more trips to a league tournament final.
 
In his three seasons at Georgia State, the Panthers went 53-30, winning the Sun Belt Tournament in 2022 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers also made the Sun Belt Tournament final in 2021. Additionally, he led GSU to a victory over Georgia Tech, the program's first win over an ACC opponent. The Panthers also claimed the 2019-20 2K Empire Classic Riverside Regional.

SMU went 17-1 at home last season and is 38-5 in the past 43 games at Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs have won 12 straight non-conference home contests.

THE SCHEDULE: The season opens at home on Nov. 7 against Texas A&M-Commerce. That starts a non-conference slate highlighted by match-ups with [24/25] Dayton, Arizona State, New Mexico, [rv/rv] Texas A&M and [14/16] TCU plus the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. The American Athletic Conference 18-game league schedule includes home and away against Cincinnati, ECU, [3/3] Houston, [rv/-] Memphis, USF, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. SMU will have just a single match-up with Temple at home and UCF on the road.

SMU is coming off of a 24-9 season, that included a second-place finish in the American Athletic Conference and a trip to the second round of the NIT. The Mustangs were 16-0 at Moody Coliseum during the regular season.

SMU IN OPENERS (66-40 *): Last season, def. McNeese 86-62 in Moody Coliseum. SMU has won 10 * straight season-openers. (* win to open 2013-14 was later vacated, officially 65-40)

SMU IN HOME OPENERS (71-35 *): SMU is 71-35 in home openers with a 49-16 record in home openers at Moody Coliseum and a 22-19 mark outside of Moody Coliseum. SMU has won 23 of the last 26 home openers, including 11 straight. Last season, SMU defeated McNeese 86-62. (* win to open 2013-14 was later vacated, officially 69-35)

SMU WHEN OPENING AT HOME (48-16): SMU is 48-16 when opening the season at home (2021-22, SMU defeated McNeese 86-62).

THE ROSTER: The 2022-23 Mustangs six returnees and 10 newcomers. 

The returnees:
- Zach Nutall (6-3, 185, G, Sr.) 33 games with 29 starts, 6.8 pts, 3.7 rebs, 1.5 asts, 32.5% 3FGs

- Franklin Agunanne (6-9, 245, F, Sr.)  23 games, 1.1 pts, 1.9 rebs, 55.0% FGs

- Darius McBride (6-4, 165, G, Jr.) 10 games 

- Zhuric Phelps (6-3, 175, G, So.) 3.8 pts, 1.9 rebs, 1.0 asts, 0.8 stls, AAC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 13)

- Jalen Smith (6-4, 175, G, So.) 8 starts, 2.0 pts, 0.9 rebs, 38.9% 3FGs

- Stefan Todorovic (6-8, 190, F, So.) 2.9 pts, 1.2 rebs, 43.5% 3FGs

The newcomers:
- Keon Ambrose-Hylton (6-8, 215, F, Jr. - Alabama) 2020-21 & 2021-22: 29 games, 1.1 pts, 0.8 rebs, 57.7% FGs

- Xavier Foster (7-0, 230, F, So. - Iowa State) 2020-21: 7 games, 4.0 pts, 1.7 rebs

- Jefferson Koulibaly (6-3, 185, G, So. - Washington State) 16 games, 2.6 pts, 0.9 rebs, 6-20 3FGs

- Emory Lanier (6-3, 180, G, Jr. - Davidson)     16 games, A-10 Champions, NCAA Tournament

- Mo Njie (6-10, 245, C, So. - Eastern Michigan) 6.6 pts, 5.3 rebs, 61.9% FGs, 4-8 3FGs

- Efe Odigie (6-9, 240, F, Sr. - Troy) 11.5 pts, 6.7 rebs, 48.4% FGs, 81.0% FTs, All-Sun Belt 1st Team, NABC All-District 2nd Team, Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, Sun Belt All-Tournament

- Samuell Williamson (6-7, 210, F, Sr. - Louisville) 5.6 pts, 3.7 rebs, 45.6% FGs
Trey Utter (6-0, 160, G, Fr. - Argyle HS) 2021-22 team went 31-7, 4A Defensive Player of the Year, 8.0 pts, 5.0 asts, 40% 3FGs, 2020-21 UIL 4A State Champs

- Ricardo Wright (6-4, 185, G, Jr. - Marist) 13.6 pts, 4.2 rebs, 1.7 asts, 37.4% 3FGs (6th MAAC), 70.9% FTs, 1.9 3FGs/game (8th MAAC)

- Jackson Young (6-2, 190, G, So.- Hawai'i Pacific) 24 games, 6.3 pts, 2.0 rebs, 0.8 asts, 38.0% 3FGs

MEET THE MUSTANGS:

Franklin Agunannae: Played 22 games last season, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds.

"Frank has a maturity and physical presence that has really stood out. He has a very good touch and basketball IQ on offense and great effort and intensity on defense. Frank brings definite value to our team" – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Keon Ambrose-Hylton: Transferred from University of Alabama prior to the Summer 2022 academic semester. He attended SMU for both June and July 2022. He begins the 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  
 
2020-22 (Alabama): Saw action in 11 games on the season, averaging 4.6 minutes per appearance for NCAA tournament team. As a freshman, he earned SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll. He played in 18 games on the season for a team that played in the NCAA Tournament.
 
"Keon has been a joy so far. Most young bigs want to be good at so many things that they never excel at any one thing. His motor gives him an identity as a player. He brings a relentless approach to the floor that separates him as a rebounder and defender. That along with his budding skillset and work ethic, the future is bright for Keon" – Coach Rob Lanier

Xavier Foster: Transferred from Iowa State University prior to the Summer 2022 academic semester. He attended SMU for both June and July 2022. He begins the 2022-23 with four seasons to play.  
 
2020-21 (Iowa State): As a freshman, Xavier played in seven games prior to season-ending right foot surgery on Jan. 11 for an injury that was sustained in high school. Prior, he averaged 4.0 points in 7.8 minutes per game. He made 10-of-16 field goals and 3-of-4 3-pointers and scored a season-high 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting against Kansas State in first career Big 12 game. Xavier was honored as Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll.

"Xavier has a world of talent. I'm so excited for him and about him. It's just a matter of time and experience before we begin to see his true capabilities. He's a young man with a very bright future." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Jefferson Koulibaly: Transferred from Washington State University prior to the Summer 2022 academic semester. He attended SMU for both June and July 2022. He will begin the 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  
 
2020-22 (Washington State): Battled injury all season. Jefferson played in 16 games averaging 2.6 points and 0.9 rebounds. He scored a career high in his first collegiate game netting 13 points in 18 minutes (adding 3 rebounds and 3 assists) against Alcorn State Nov. 9. In 2020-21, Jefferson medically redshirted the season.

"Jefferson brings a work ethic and competitive spirit that is essential to our program. He's a strong on-ball defender and a skilled open-court offensive threat. I love what Jefferson brings" – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Emory Lanier: Transferred from Davidson College in July 2022. He begins 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  
 
2020-22 (Davidson): Appeared in 16 games for Davidson as the Wildcats went 27-7, won the 2022 A-10 regular-season championship (15-3) and earned a bid to the NCAA tournament. Scored a season-high eight points in 23 minutes vs Fordham (2/26). Emory was recruited and played for retired and future hall-of-famer, Coach Bob McKillop.... In Emory's Freshman season, he appeared in eight games. Scored a season-high 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 4-of-5 at the charity stripe in Davidson's win over Southern Virginia (2/19). Also drilled a 3-pointer against George Mason (3/5) in A-10 quarters.

"Obviously, I know Emory better than I could know anyone else that I've coached. So, here's what I know, he's a winner. He has always immersed himself into the team and put winning first. His skill, his effort and his overall character will make him an asset to our team and program on and off the court." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Darius McBride: Played 10 games in 2021-22.

"Darius brings undeniable strength, and athleticism to our team. He's improved as a shooter and has the ability to be extremely impactful as a defender and rebounder. He has worked very hard this off-season despite working through an injury." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Mo Njie: Transferred from Eastern Michigan University prior to Summer 2022. He begins 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  
 
2021-22 (Eastern Michigan): As a Freshman, Mo played in 28 games, making 25 starts. He averaged 6.6 points on 61.9% FGs (73-of-118) and 5.3 rebounds per game. He hit double figures in seven games, including scoring a career-best 16 points twice, against Northern Illinois 2/22, and at Miami 3/4…Earned his first career double-double against FIU with 10 points and 11 rebounds 12/11. Mo had two double-doubles for the season and averaged 1.1 blocks per game (Ranked 8th in the MAC) He was selected to the MAC All-Freshman Team.

"Of all of our players, Mo made the biggest improvement from the start of the summer to the end. I'm excited to see how he builds on that progress. Mo has the size, strength, athleticism and coachability to have significant impact for this team. I'm excited to see his continued growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Zach Nutall: In 2021-22, he played all 33 games with 29 starts. He averaged 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists while hitting 32.5% on threes (50-154). He was the 2020-21 Southland Conference Player of the Year at Sam Houston when he averaged 19.3 points (1st SLC), 5.7 rebounds (13th SLC), 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals. He shot 43.9% on FGs (10th SLC), 69.6% on FTs (9th SLC) and 37.2% on 3FGs (7th SLC) while hitting 2.5 3FGs per game (5th SLC).  

"Zach is a key to our team. He's a leader by nature. I expect big things from him with regard to production through his example as a program veteran player." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Efe Odigie: Transferred from Troy in August 2022 after earning his undergraduate degree. He begins the 2022-23 with only one season to play at SMU.  
 
2021-22 (Troy): Played in 31 games with 28 starts leading the team in scoring (11.5) and rebounding (6.7). He shot 48.4% FGs and 81.0% FTs. Troy went 20-12 and earned a CBI bid. HONORS: All-Sun Belt First Team, Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, Sun Belt All-Tournament Team, and NABC All-District 23 Second Team.
 
"I've seen up close the effect that Efe can have on winning having competed against him in the Sun Belt Conference. He is proven and his ability to score, rebound and defend along with his feel for the game make him an immediate impact player!" – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Zhuric Phelps: As a freshman in 2021-22, he played 32 games while averaging 3.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists. He was the AAC Freshman of the Week on Dec. 13. Phelps was a point guard at Duncanville High School where he was named Mr. Basketball in Texas after helping lead Duncanville to a 29-1 record and the Texas 6A State Championship. 

"From a talent standpoint…size, skill, athleticism, and competitiveness… Zhuric is one of the more talented guards I've ever had the opportunity to coach. The challenge for any young player is to develop a level of consistency and reliability. I'm confident that he will figure it all out." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Jalen Smith: As a freshman, he played 29 games with 8 starts and averaged 2.0 points while shooting 38.9% on 3FGs (14-36).

"Jalen established himself as one of our hardest workers right away. He carries himself with a tremendous sense of humility. He's a bit of a throwback. I expect big things from Jalen due to his versatile skill set, his elite athleticism, and tremendous defensive ability." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Stefan Todorovic: Played 24 games as a freshman, averaging 2.9 points hitting 43.5% on threes (20-46), that was 15th in a season at SMU and second all-time for an SMU freshman. In the summer of 2021, he played for Serbia at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia as the team went undefeated in group play and finished fourth overall. He hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 9.4 seconds left in the 71-70 win against Latvia in the final game of group play.
 
"Stefan has an elite skill. He can shoot the basketball at an extremely high-level. Once he adapts to focus on becoming a strong defensive contributor, his impact will be felt. He has it in him for sure so I have little doubt he will show the growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Trey Utter: Played at Argyle High School in Argyle, Texas. He started 38 games as a senior while averaging eight points and five assists and hitting 40% from three. He was the 4A Defensive Player of Year as Argyle finished 31-7 after a run to the regional tournament. 

"Trey has caught on quickly. He's smart, tough and knows how to play. He has a quiet confidence about him and an overall understanding of the game that allows him to bring tremendous value to our program" – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Samuell Williamson: Transferred from Louisville prior to Summer 2022. He attended SMU for both June and July 2022.  He begins 2022-23 with two seasons to play.  
 
2019-22 (Louisville): In his Junior season, Samuell was a double-figure scorer in six games as a junior (17 career), starting six games. Ranked fifth in rebounding (3.7 rpg) for the Cardinals. As a sophomore, he was a starting forward in 15 games. He averaged 10.7 points and 10.9 rebounds over the last seven games. He was on the 2021 All-ACC Academic team, his second straight year to earn the recognition. Rockwall High School: He helped Rockwall go 30-6 as a senior in reaching the regional semifinals and a No. 8 final ranking for Class 6A in the final regular-season poll. The McDonald's All-American was a first team all-State selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches 6-A, a first team All-USA Today Texas Boys Basketball and all-area selection by the Dallas Morning News and was the Texas District 11-6A MVP.
 
"This is a win-win. Sam brings so much to the table for us and I believe our program is ideal for him at this stage of his career, His work ethic, versatility and competitiveness will allow for him to make a tremendous impact." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Ricardo Wright: Transferred from Marist prior to July 2022.  He begins 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  
 
2020-22 (Marist): In his sophomore season, he started 27 of 30 games played while averaging 13.6 points (1st at Marist, 10th MAAC), 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He shot 37.4% on 3FGs (6th MAAC) and 70.9% on FTs while making 1.9 threes per game (8th MAAC). In his freshman year at Marist, he earned MAAC All-Rookie Team and was 4-time MAAC Rookie of the Week. He appeared in all 21 games, with 17 starts and led team in scoring (11.0 ppg).
 
"Ricardo is a proven scorer. He has a real knack for putting the ball in the basket. He also has the competitive spirit to match that offensive skill. Once he elevates his commitment to the defensive end, he will become a complete player we can rely on. I'm excited to see Ricardo's growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

Jackson Young: Transferred from Hawai'i Pacific where he played in 24 games with 2 starts last season, averaging 6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists. He hit 38.0% on 3FGs (41-108) and was 10-11 on FTs while scoring in double-figures 6 times.

"Jackson has been terrific. He has an obvious love for the game and really stands out as a teammate. He's competitive and understands what goes into winning. He also brings unique experience to our team in his role, and we could see that value as soon as he arrived in our program." – Head Coach Rob Lanier

THE SERIES VS. A&M-COMMERCE (17-2): SMU is 17-2 vs the Lions, but this is only the second meeting since 1950. The last was Dec. 5, 1975, an 88-77 win at Moody Coliseum. 

LAST MEETING VS A&M-COMMERCE (Dec. 6, 1975, W 88-77 at Moody Coliseum): The Mustangs had five players in double figures in the 88-77 win. Ira Terrell had team highs of 18 points, 15 rebounds and a then-SMU record eight blocked shots. Pete Lodwick (15 points), Bob Arnold (15), Michael Jaccar (13) and Joe Swedlund (10) were the other SMU players scoring in double figures. 

UP NEXT: The Mustangs play at [24/25] Dayton on Friday before begining a four-game homestand on Nov. 15 (New Mexico, Evansville, Louisiana, Lamar).

THE SERIES VS. DAYTON (4-1): The Mustangs are 4-1 in the series after the 77-69 win at Moody Coliseum on Dec. 8, 2021. The Mustangs also won 66-64 win at Dayton during the 2020-21 season. SMU won a neutral-site matchup, 67-59, in Lexington, Kentucky on Dec. 22, 1956. UD returns to Moody Coliseum next season.

LAST TIME VS DAYTON (W, 77-69 vs Dayton on Dec. 8, 2021): DALLAS (AP) — Kendric Davis had 19 points as SMU defeated Dayton 77-69 on Wednesday night. Zhuric Phelps had 13 points for SMU (8-3), which earned its fifth straight win. Zach Nutall added 11 points. Michael Weathers had 10 points and seven rebounds. DaRon Holmes II had 15 points for the Flyers (6-4), whose five-game winning streak came to an end. Elijah Weaver added 14 points. Malachi Smith had 13 points and six assists.

NON-CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON HOME WINNING STREAKS:

Wins    Streak Started    Streak Ended
39    Colorado State; W, 63-62  (Dec. 17, 1952)    Oklahoma; L, 96-83 (Dec. 4, 1962)
33    Texas Southern; W, 72-59 (Nov. 26, 2014)    Southern Miss; L, 74-64 (Nov. 11, 2018)
30    Central Michigan; W, 89-78 (Dec. 17, 1982)    [4] North Carolina; L, 88-86 (OT) (Dec. 30, 1986)
16    Texas-Pan American; W, 86-75 (Jan. 2, 1999)    Texas Tech; L, 78-75 (Nov. 20, 2001)
16    McMurry; W, 84-42 (Dec. 16, 1995)    Alcorn State; L, 75-74 (Dec. 5, 1998)
—-
12+    Georgia State; W, 85-76 (Dec. 23, 2019)


SMU IN THE POSTSEASON: Since 2014, SMU has been in the NCAA Tournament twice (2015, 2017) and the NIT three times (2014 runner-up, 2021, 2022).

UNDEFEATED REGULAR SEASON AT HOME: SMU went 16-0 at home in the regular season and finished  17-1 at home on the year. The Mustangs have won 38 of the last 43 games at Moody Coliseum.

MOODY MAGIC: The Mustangs went 17-1 at home last season, and are 38-5 in the past 43 games at Moody Coliseum. Since Moody Coliseum re-opened for the 2014 American Athletic Conference schedule, SMU has successfully defended home court 123 times in 145 contests.
SMU - Most Home Wins In A Season
Wins    Season    Home    
18 ^    2013-14    18-1
18    2016-17    18-0
17    2021-22    17-1
16    2014-15    16-2
16    2015-16    16-1
15    1984-85    15-1
15    2010-11    15-7
15    2019-20    15-2
^ Wins from 2013-14 later vacated

IN THE POLLS: The Mustangs received votes in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll in 2021-22. SMU has been ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top 25 and/or the USA Today Coaches Poll in eight of the past nine seasons (2013-14 to 2021-22). 

2021-22 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS (returnees):
- American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week
     D13 - Zhuric Phelps (13 pts, 2 rebs, 2 stls, 1 ast, 6-8 FG, 1-1 3FG in win vs Dayton)

AAC HONORS: SMU leads The American in All-AAC honors (19) and Players Of The Year (4)
AAC Players of the Year
4 - SMU 
2 - Cincinnati 
1 - Connecticut, Houston, Memphis, Wichita State
All-AAC Honors
19 - SMU
17 - Houston
14 - Cincinnati 
12 – Memphis

Mustangs Selected All-American Athletic Conference
Sterling Brown (2016-17 Second Team)
Kendric Davis (2019-20 Third Team, 2020-21 First Team, 2021-22 First Team)
Feron Hunt (2020-21 Third Team)
Tyson Jolly (2019-20 Third Team)
Markus Kennedy (2013-14 Second Team, 2014-15 Second Team)
Jahmal McMurray (2018-19 Second Team)
Isiaha Mike (2019-20 Third Team)
Shake Milton (2016-17 Second Team, 2017-18 Second Team)
Ben Moore (2016-17 Second Team)
Nic Moore (2013-14 First Team, 2014-15 First Team, 2015-16 First Team)
Yanick Moreira (2014-15 Second Team)
Semi Ojeleye (2016-17 First Team)
Marcus Weathers (2021-22 Second Team)

AAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: SMU has won two regular season titles and two tournament titles.
5 - Cincinnati (3 Season, 2 Tournament)
5 - Houston (3 Season, 2 Tournament)
4 - SMU (2 Season, 2 Tournament)
2 - Louisville (1 Season, 1 Tournament)
1 - Temple (Season), Tulsa (Season), Wichita State (Season), UCONN (Tournament)

SMU BASKETBALL - HONORS (Awards/Honors since 2013-14)
  •  NBA Draft Picks (Semi Ojeleye & Sterling Brown in '17, Shake Milton in '18)
  •  AAC Players of the Year (Nic Moore '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Kendric Davis '22)
  •  AP All-America Honorable Mention (Nic Moore '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17)
  •  Academic All-American (Semi Ojeleye '17)
  •  Wooden Award Watch List (Nic Moore '15, '16, Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Naismith Trophy Watch List (Nic Moore '15, '16; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Karl Malone Award Watch List (Markus Kennedy '16)
  •  Bob Cousy Award Watch List (Nic Moore '16; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Lute Olson Award Watch List (Nic Moore '15; Shake Milton '18; Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  Jerry West Award Watch List (Shake Milton '17)
  •  Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List (Nic Moore '16)
  •  NABC All-District (Nic Moore '14, '15, '16; Markus Kennedy '14, '15; Yanick Moreira '15; Ben Moore '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Shake Milton '17, '18, Kendric Davis '20, '21, '22; Marcus Weathers '22)
  •  USBWA All-District (Nic Moore '14, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  NABC College All-Star (Sterling Brown '17; Ben Moore '17)
  •  All-AAC 1st Team (Nic Moore '14, '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  All-AAC 2nd Team (Markus Kennedy '14, '15; Yanick Moreira '15; Sterling Brown '17; Ben Moore '17; Shake Milton '17, '18; Jahmal McMurray '19; Marcus Weathers '22)
  •  All-AAC 3rd Team (Kendric Davis '20, Tyson Jolly '20, Isiaha Mike '20, Feron Hunt '21)
  •  AAC Sixth Man of the Year (Markus Kennedy '15, '16; Ben Emelogu II '17)
  •  NABC Good Works Team Nominee (Semi Ojeleye '16; Jonathan Wilfong '17)
  •  Senior CLASS Award Nominee (Nic Moore '16; Ben Emelogu II '18)

SMU2NBA / Pros Since 2014: 
- Semi Ojeleye selected 37th in 2017 (picked by Boston)
- Sterling Brown selected 46th in 2017 (picked by Philadelphia, then traded to Milwaukee)
- Shake Milton selected 54th in 2018 (picked by Dallas, then traded to Philadelphia)
- Ben Moore spent 2017-19 with Indiana and San Antonio, played the 2021-22 with Memphis Hustle
- Feron Hunt signed a two-way deal with the New York Knicks (3/18/22) 
- Jahmal McMurray was picked 21st in the 2019 G League draft by the Northern Arizona Suns (Phoenix)
- Michael Weathers was picked 8th in the 2022 G League draft by the Oklahoma City Blue (OKC)
- Played professionally: Ben Emelogu II, Feron Hunt, Markus Kennedy, Jahmal McMurray, Isiaha Mike, Ben Moore, Nic Moore, Yanick Moreira, Nick Russell, Jordan Tolbert


SMU ATHLETICS CELEBRATES RECORD FUNDRAISING YEAR: The SMU Mustang Club broke the all-time fundraising record with $73 million in gift receipts and new commitments for the 2022 fiscal year, which ended May 31. The totals represent an increase of nearly $47 million from the previous fiscal year. It is the first fiscal year in which cash donations and commitments have eclipsed $70 million since the Mustang Club was founded in 1935. Through the generosity of Mustang donors, cash gifts rose 71% from fiscal year 2021 and totaled $36 million. The best-ever performance resulted from the contributions of 3,105 donors.

MUSTANG STUDENT-ATHLETES & NIL: SMU Football student-athletes benefit from Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunities through SMU Athletics' conference-leading BOLD NIL program. SMU topped the AAC for NIL Deals among INFLCR partners, ranking No. 1 in Total Transactions, Total Transaction Value and Average Transaction Value. To date, football student-athletes have amassed over 140 total transactions, totaling more than $408,000 with an average transaction value of almost $2,900. SMU student-athletes overall have over 250 transactions for over $574,000 with an average transaction value of over $2,000.

SMU ATHLETICS LAUNCHES NEW STUDENT-ATHLETE SUCCESS DEPARTMENT: As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the creation of a new Student-Athlete Success Department. This new department encompasses all student-development-centered efforts such as Life After Ball, SAAC and community service initiatives. Additionally, it will house NIL Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. Due to a generous donation from Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin, SMU Athletics will be able to grow staffing in these critical areas in our support of our student-athletes.

BOLD - BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIVE IN DALLAS: As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of studentathlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation. BOLD will, among other things, provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The BOLD program incorporates INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts. While the acronym BOLD emphasizes SMU's ties to the City of Dallas, the word is also important in its ties to SMU and the University's Brand Promise, which states, "For the bold, curious, and creative, SMU is the comprehensive research university whose enterprising spirit in a vibrant community empowers leaders to tackle grand challenges."

DAVID B. MILLER COURT: On Dec. 5, 2018, SMU named the Moody Coliseum court after David B. Miller, alumnus and vice-chair of the Board of Trustees. A two-time SMU graduate, Miller earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Edwin L. Cox School of Business. As an undergraduate, he was a three-year starter and letterman on the varsity basketball team and a member of the 1971-72 Southwest Conference Co-Championship team. Since 2011, Mr. Miller and his wife, Carolyn Lacy Miller, have given $20 million toward the expansion and renovation of Moody Coliseum as well as the construction of the Miller Event Center. He has served on the SMU Board of Trustees since 2008 and also serves as chairman of the Cox Executive Board. He is a recipient of Distinguished Alumni Awards from both the University and the Cox School. In 2009, Miller was honored with the Silver Anniversary Mustang Award by the SMU Lettermen's Association. He is also a recipient of the Methodist Health System Foundation's 2017 Folsom Leadership Award. Miller is a co-founder and partner of EnCap Investments L.P., a private equity firm based in Houston and Dallas. He also is the president of the David B. Miller Family Foundation, which he established in 2006. In addition to donating to academic and athletic programs at SMU, the Miller Family Foundation contributes to numerous charitable organizations. Carolyn Miller is vice president of the foundation. The Millers have been generous long-time donors to SMU. Their gifts have created the David B. Miller Endowed Professorship in Cox School of Business, the SMU-in-Taos Campus Center, the Don Jackson Center for Financial Studies in Cox and the EnCap Investments & LCM Group Alternative Asset Management Center, also in Cox, as well as numerous general university and school-specific scholarship funds. They also have provided support for the Crum Basketball Center, the men's basketball program and Circle of Champions in the Department of Athletics. Before establishing EnCap, Mr. Miller served as co-CEO of MAZE Exploration Inc., a Denver-based oil and gas company that he co-founded in 1981. Mr. Miller began his professional career with Republic National Bank of Dallas, ultimately serving as vice president and manager of the bank's wholly-owned subsidiary, Republic Energy Finance Corporation.