Daily Bears Reports 8/19: Soccer; Olympics; Baylor DB’s; Lady Bear Lauren Cox

Today’s Events

Sport: Baylor Women’s Soccer

Event: at Detroit Mercy

Time: 2:00 p.m. CT

The globetrotting Baylor Women’s Soccer Team played in Germany, Austria and Mexico during the off season gaining experience and a closer bond that they intend to use to make the playoffs this year. WacoTrib has the story. They start season play on the road today at Detroit Mercy. KWTX Channel 10 has more video and News Channel 25 has match data and Baylor Quick Notes. “We said from Day One if you’re not here to compete for the Big 12 championship and to be on the national stage for the championship you’re in the wrong place,” said Baylor coach Paul Jobson.

Hey, its the Olympics

Britney Griner and Team USA advance to the Olympic Women’s Final by defeating France in the semifinals 86-67. Team USA will play Spain on Saturday for the gold medal. SBNation has the story.

USA crushed Spain in the opening round by 40 points, and after a lackluster showing by the Spaniards in semifinal play on Thursday morning against Serbia, there's no reason to believe the same thing won't happen again.

In their first matchup, which ended in a 103-63 American rout, Spain turned the ball over 23 times and shot 35 percent from the field. No American player ran more than 24 minutes on the court and five players scored double-digit points, none more than 13. Everyone should get a chance to play healthy minutes in the gold medal-winning game and it shouldn't take anything special for it to be comfortable with or without Sue Bird.

Camp BU

Coach Grobe believes the secondary will be a major strength for the Bears. WacoTrib’s Brice Cherry has this story on Baylor’s DB’s.

The Big 12 is a defensive back’s torture chamber in a lot of ways. Some of the best quarterbacks and receivers in the country call the conference home, and the wide-open spread offenses and sports car-quick tempos force cornerbacks and safeties to be on their toes. Make no mistake – at times, they’re going to get burned. It’s a highly flammable position.

Former Baylor DB Gary Baxter visited the Baylor football team on Wednesday.

“I told those guys it’s an unfortunate situation that happened, and they can still write the story,” Baxter said. “I talked to a couple of the leaders today and told them now is the time you find out what kind of character you have. Holding people accountable, your teammates, that’s what makes you good.”

Spotlight on Lady Bears’ Lauren Cox

The Baylor Lariat says four time gold medalist freshman Lauren Cox will be great asset for the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team.

Cox will have work cut out for her entering her freshman year, as Baylor is only losing one starter from a team that went to the elite eight last March.

“It’s one of my goals to start playing my freshman year, so I’ve really been working hard, and we have some really good post players on this team, so I’m really going to have work hard this pre-season. But I’m really looking forward to it,” Cox said. “I think we’re going to have a really good team next year. We have some good seniors to lead us, as well as some really good returners, so I’m excited about that.”

Learning to embrace challenges and face adversity head-on is part of the process of competing at the highest level. Cox is not one to back down from a challenge, having defeated a tough Russian team in their backyard last summer. It begins by developing a relentless work ethic on and off the court and recognizing your strengths and how you fit into a team’s system.

Cox certainly knows her strengths and believes that she can contribute to this Baylor team.