What’s next on TCU athletic director Mike Buddie’s checklist? Facility upgrades
More than halfway through his first year as TCU’s athletic director, Mike Buddie is now settled into his new position.
Buddie’s transition was made easier due to him inheriting an athletics program that is mostly doing strong across the board.
During the spring season TCU won a beach volleyball national championship, reached the title game in men’s tennis and also returned to the NCAA Tournament in baseball after missing last season.
Buddie’s first major accomplishment was locking up TCU women’s basketball coach Mark Campbell to an extension in March after he led the Horned Frogs to the Elite Eight and Big 12 championship.
So what’s next to do on Buddie’s checklist?
Football
Buddie has made it clear that he understands how important the success of TCU will be. The program already has high expectations and meeting them now isn’t just about appeasing fans. Having successful seasons could determine the Horned Frogs’ place in the pecking order whenever the next round of conference realignment comes.
“We’ve got to get football where we need,” Buddie said in an interview in June. “These next two or three seasons are the most important college football seasons in recent history of TCU as we anticipate another conference realignment shuffle between 2029 and 2031.”
The Horned Frogs recently completed their human performance center expansion project with a standalone weight room for football and more upgrades that helps TCU keep pace with some of its rivals facility wise.
It’s been a good step, but Buddie knows more will need to be done.
“We’ve got to put ourselves in the best position to win games, Coach (Sonny) Dykes is the right guy to lead that effort,” Buddie said. “Job one for me is to make sure that Coach Dykes and his staff and our student athletes have every resource they need to be successful.”
Basketball
The men’s and women’s basketball programs with the women looking like they could go a lengthy run of Big 12 success while the men are hoping for a bounce back season after missing the NCAA Tournament.
Buddie says it’s a priority to give Campbell and men’s head coach Jamie Dixon everything they need to hold their own in a competitive Big 12 starting with improving the practice facility.
“We’ve got one practice basketball court,” Buddie said. “Most high level institutions have two courts for their men’s and women’s programs. Our volleyball team also uses Schollmaier Arena. So we’re looking at potentially adding a second practice court so our men’s, women’s and volleyball have the best chance to be as competitive as possible.”
Baseball
The Horned Frogs baseball team has established a strong home field advantage at Lupton Field including going 22-7 at home last season.
In due time Buddie wants to take Lupton to the next level, which will help TCU keep pace with the many successful baseball programs in the Big 12 and SEC.
“Lupton Stadium probably needs a face lift,” Buddie said. “It’s time to modernize Lupton and create a little bit more fan amenities that currently exist.”
Tennis
TCU men’s tennis has quietly been one of the best programs on campus recently. The Horned Frogs won a national championship in 2024, finished second this year and made the Final Four in 2023.
Excluding the 2020 COVID year, TCU has made the NCAA Tournament 10 straight times and Buddie wants to help the program continue its momentum.
“Our tennis center only has five indoor courts which is counter intuitive to playing six matches,” Buddie said. “We’ll look at potentially building out our tennis center and then improve little things like parking and game day experience. All those things will be discussed this summer with our leadership team.”
Fortune favors the bold and Buddie clearly has an ambitious vision of where he wants to take TCU athletics over the next few years.
This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
