Choosing where to go to college is a big decision for every student. There's an added layer of complexity for student-athletes who have to evaluate how they might fit in with a team and which program will best support their athletic and personal development. For senior women's basketball forward Tommisha Lampkin, she also had to consider what would be best for her 2-year-old son, Kasen.

"I had like 10 D-1 offers all over the country and, before I had Kasen, I used to always tell my mom that I wanted to go as far as possible because I've been here my whole life," Lampkin, a Mansfield native, says. "UNT was the first school that offered me a scholarship, too, so it just always kind of felt like home because I had been talking to them the longest and they knew my situation with Kasen."

Read about Dear Kasen, the award-winning short student documentary about Lampkin and her son

Now in her fifth year with the Mean Green, Lampkin has developed into a leader on and off the court. She leads the team in points and rebounds this season and is on pace to finish in the top three in program history in multiple statistics. She says the experiences of motherhood have helped her become a leader in the locker room as well.

"I tell them all the time, 'I'm not about to be treating y'all like my kids. I only have one kid,'" Lampkin says with a laugh. "But at the end of the day, that's what helps me lead them the most, is me being a mother, and they respect me for it."

New Clubhouse

UNT Athletics broke ground this spring on a new softball clubhouse that represents the third phase of the multiyear Lovelace Stadium renovation project. The new 6,800-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2026 with player and coach locker rooms, a team meeting room, staff offices, an athletic training room, a player lounge, a nutrition station, an equipment room and an outdoor patio. Phase one of the project included a new video board and complete field renovation in 2022, phase two included new dugouts and field lights in 2024 and a future phase four is expected to include a new press box and grandstands.

Making a Splash

UNT swimming and diving head coach Brittany Roth just wrapped up her ninth season leading the program, cementing herself as the winningest coach in program history with a regular season-ending win over Little Rock Feb. 8.

Read about the life-saving heroics of Roth's husband that gained national media attention

"This win highlights the years of work and the effort that every UNT swimmer and diver has put in since they chose to represent the Mean Green," Roth says. "I'm honored to be surrounded by such a supportive environment and I'm proud of this milestone. I'm mostly grateful for UNT for trusting me with this team, believing in our mission and supporting our efforts over the years."

Softball Sisterhood

Senior softball teammates Cierra Simon (pictured, right) and Skylar Savage (pictured, left) played on the same select team for a few years before coming to UNT in 2022. But the duo says they barely knew each other before they were paired up as freshman roommates.

"We've been stuck with each other side-by-side for all four years now," says Simon, an all-conference infielder who has started every game of her Mean Green career. "We really didn't get close until UNT and I'm glad we have because she's my best friend."

As their friendship has grown, the pair has seen the program grow over the years, too, including a slew of renovations at Lovelace Stadium. For Savage, the most important growth she's seen since the team made it to the NCAA Regionals freshman year has been in the stands.

"Once we made it to that conference tournament and that regional, our community just continued to grow and grow and support us," says Savage, a pitcher that earned First Team All-American Athletic Conference honors last season. "It's just been amazing to watch."

By the Numbers: 7

The number of home football games UNT will host in 2025 – the most in program history. See the full schedule below and visit meangreensports.com to get tickets to see the Mean Green this fall at DATCU Stadium. DATCU is the official sponsor of UNT Athletics.

See the full 2025 Mean Green Football Schedule