When Lauren Cox ('21) came to UNT to join the women's golf team, she had never even spoken to her head coach. In the time between her recruitment and her arrival in Denton, UNT hired Michael Akers to take over the program. Traveling six hours from her hometown of Orange near the Louisiana border to play for a coach who hadn't recruited her created a certain amount of uncertainty for Cox.

"Honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened for our program and for me as a player to have Coach Akers as my coach for the next five years," Cox says.

Over those five years, Cox cemented herself as the best player in program history, setting records for scoring average (74.18), career par-or-better rounds (44) and career birdies (349). After graduating, Cox stayed close to Akers and the team, serving as a volunteer assistant for two seasons before she was hired as director of operations/assistant coach in October 2024.

"It's been really cool to watch her grow and continue to help the program ever since she graduated, whether it be as a volunteer assistant or an actual assistant coach," Akers says.

This summer, Cox decided she would move on from the program to look for career opportunities that will allow her to combine her love of golf with her degree in business computer information systems. But she says she won't hesitate to call on her former coach any time she needs advice.

"He was a really good mentor in that he wasn't just a golf coach," Cox says. "He really inspired us in all aspects of our life and how to be a good person."

Digging In

UNT volleyball fans have seen a new face pacing the sidelines, as head coach Dave Fleming leads his first season with the Mean Green. Fleming comes to Denton after 20 years as the head coach of Colorado Mesa University in Division II.

It's been a big adjustment for Fleming as he gets used to the greater resources UNT has to offer, but he says the players have helped make the transition easier.

"I'm very pleasantly surprised by the leadership of the group that we have here," Fleming says. "We had more than a dozen players who wanted to stay within the program and I think all of them believe that we can be very successful, so that was really encouraging."

In addition to many familiar faces on the court, he says fans can look forward to an aggressive playing style from the Mean Green in 2025.

"We're going to run our middles a lot more often and a lot faster. And we're going to put maximum effort on defense. I think fans really like to see the hustle, and we're not going to let balls hit without effort. That's just a culture I've been trying to establish since I've been here and the team's really picked up on that -- and it's a fun style to watch, too."

 

Year of Many Firsts

First-year Mean Green men's basketball coach Daniyal Robinson has been busy since taking over the program last spring, signing a dozen new players to the team, including his son, Reece. While fans will have a lot of new names to learn when the team takes the court this fall, Robinson says the team is ready to give them something to cheer for.

"Fans can expect a team that plays extremely hard," Robinson says. "We're going to be stingy defensively, make things hard for our opponents and be extremely physical. Overall, we'll be a team that plays really hard, that plays connected and is having fun."

As this new era of Mean Green men's basketball begins, Robinson says the team is most excited for their first game at the Super Pit.

"There's firsts of everything. You get your first practice with this group. You get your first time going out and playing. It's your first road trip. It's going to be a year of many firsts when it comes to this team," Robinson says. "It's like Christmas, everyone's excited. Taking the floor for our very first game here at UNT will be something special that I'll always remember."

By the Numbers: 110

Seasons of Mean Green football

• Light the Tower - 548 wins
• Raise the Banners - 25 conference championships
• Level Up - 78 NFL draft picks
• Glory to the Green - 121 UNT Hall of Famers

See the full 2025 Mean Green Football Schedule