The 2022-23 seasons began full of excitement and anticipation at the possibilities of what could be achieved by several of the Texas State Athletic teams.

The successful year students and fans had hoped for and envisioned was instead marred with inconsistency as the high expectations for some of the teams were not lived up to.

For Texas State, the 2022-23 athletic season was a 10-month period that featured letdowns, surprising postseason victories, a head coach firing, the departure of all-time great players, a new head coach hiring that has reignited excitement level and much more.

Here is a look back at how the Texas State teams faired during the 2022-23 season.

Texas State sophomore midfielder Madi Goss (5) dribbles the ball away from Huskie defenders during a game against Houston Baptist, Sunday, August 28, 2022, at Bobcat Soccer Complex. The Bobcats won 2-1. (Star file photo)

The Texas State Soccer team finished with a 12-5-2 overall record and a 6-3-1 record in the Sun Belt Conference under first-year head coach Steve Holeman. The Bobcats’ season ended with a 1-0 round-one exit in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to fourth-seeded James Madison University.

Junior midfielder Madi Goss and senior defender Avery Thies were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Team.

Texas State senior setter Emily DeWalt (17) celebrates after the Bobcats score during a match against James Madison University, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats tied the weekend series 1-1. (Carson Weaver)

The 2022 season was a successful one for Texas State Volleyball. The team finished with a 24-7 overall record and went 14-2 in conference play. The Bobcats reached the third round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament where they were eliminated by James Madison 3-1, ending their season.

The end of the 2022 season was the end of an era for the volleyball team as it saw two of the greatest players in program history, graduate outsider hitter Janell Fitzgerald and graduate setter Emily DeWalt, leave to graduation. The dynamic duo ended the 2022 season as Division I American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Americans.

Junior Junia Gabasa watches the ball after hitting it at the Sun Belt Conference Championship, April. 17, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Texas State Athletics)  

(Romeo T Guzman)

The Texas State men’s and women’s golf teams competed in a total of 30 meets over the 2022-2023 year.

Senior Junia Gabasa winning the National Philippine Strokes Championship, the women’s and men’s teams finishing in fourth and first place at the National Golf Invitational, respectively, and junior Marcelo Garza finishing in a tie for fifth place at the National Golf Invitational.

Texas State redshirt junior quarterback Layne Hatcher (3) passes the ball to an open receiver during a game against Baylor, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at McLane Stadium. The Bobcats lost 42-7.

(Star file photo)

The 2022-2023 Texas State football team entered the season with the goal of making it to the program’s first-ever bowl game. However, a week one 38-14 loss to the University of Nevada thwarted any hopes of making it to a bowl game. The season quickly spiraled out of control as the Bobcats went 4-8 and 2-6 in the Sun Belt finishing second to last place in its division.

The season resulted in the firing of fourth-year head coach Jake Spavital and his entire coaching staff for lack of on-field success. In December, new head coach G.J. Kinne was hired to reinvigorate excitement in the fanbase and transform Texas State into a winning program.

Texas State senior guard Mason Harrell (12) looks for an open teammate to pass the ball to during a game against Coastal Carolina, Sat. Feb 5, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 69-64. (Star file photo)

After a successful 2021-2022 season in which the Texas State men’s basketball team went 21-8 and made an appearance in the NIT Tournament expectations were high for the 2022-2023 team that was selected to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Bobcats finished with a 16-19 overall record and 6-12 in the Sun Belt.

In the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, the Bobcats caught fire winning three straight games; two against higher-seed’s to reach the quarterfinal round. Despite the team’s best efforts, Texas State lost 64-58 to eventual conference champions Louisiana-Lafayette University ending its underwhelming season.

Fifth-year guard Mason Harrell was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team for the third consecutive year and left the program as the sixth all-time leading scorer and second in both games played and started.

Texas State senior forward Da’Nasia Hood (32) takes a free-throw shot during a game against the University of Louisiana, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won in OT 72-71.

(Star file photo)

Women’s basketball team went 23-10 and 13-5 in conference during the 2022-2023 season. The Bobcats made it to the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament where they were defeated 81-51 by top-seeded James Madison. The team’s season came to an end in the WNIT Tournament after an opening-round 89-79 loss to Stephen F. Austin University.

Head coach Zenarae Antoine was awarded the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year while graduate student forward Da’Nasia Hood was selected to the All-Sun Belt First Team. Graduate student guard Kennedy Taylor was also selected to the All-Sun Belt Second Team.

Antoine was given a contract extension good through the 2025-2026 as a result of the successful season.

The track and field and cross-country teams competed in 18 total meets throughout the 2022-2023 indoor and outdoor seasons. Redshirt senior sprinter Sedrickia Wynn, freshman jumper Chris Preddie and freshman thrower Elisabet Runarsdottir were invited to compete at the NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championships.

At the meet Wynn finished in 20^th place and received All-American Honorable Mention honors. Preddie placed 14^th in the men’s long jump and earned Second Team All-American honors. Runarsdottir placed in seventh in the women’s hammer throw and received First Team All-American honors.

Texas State sophomore pitcher Levi Wells (25) pitches to a Cardinal batter during game four of the NCAA Stanford Regional against Stanford, Saturday, June 5, 2022, at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond in Palo Alto, CA. The Bobcats won 5-2, sending Texas State Baseball to an NCAA Regional final for the first time in its program history. (Star file photo)

After being three outs away from clinching a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals during the 2022 postseason, expectations were high that the team could make another deep postseason run.

Texas State’s season was up-and-down, and the team ended the season with a 36-23 record and a 17-13 conference record.

Texas State split its first two games in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament before being eliminated by Louisiana-Lafayette. Texas State failed to clinch a spot in the NCAA College Baseball Tournament.

The biggest bright spot for Texas State was the unforeseen emergence of freshman infielder Chase Mora. Mora had a stellar freshman season batting .316 to go along with 57 RBI and 39 runs scored. Mora also led the team in home runs with 17, the most by a freshman in program history.

Junior pitcher Levi Wells was also selected by the Baltimore Orioles with in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

Junior Jessica Mullins (4) steps up to pitch before the fifth inning, Tuesday, April 12, 2023, at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

(Carly Earnest)

Texas State softball also entered the 2023 season with high expectations due to the return of several key players. However, offensive struggles and inconsistent performances on the mound kept Texas State from seemingly ever getting on track during the season, as the team finished with an overall record of 35-25-1 and 13-9-1 in conference.

Texas State defeated Troy University in the quarterfinal round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament before being eliminated by top-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette for the second straight year. Despite not making it to the championship, Texas State was still one of the 64 teams selected to the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament.

The Bobcats were placed in the Austin Regional where they suffered a 2-1 eight innings opening round loss to Texas A&M. They rebounded by defeating Seton Hall University 4-3 in a elimination game before having their season ended by the Aggies 4-2 in a second straight elimination game.

Junior pitcher Jessica Mullins was selected to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team while senior infielder Sara Vanderford was selected to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team.