McMurry Athletics Is Winning, Investing, and Expanding
McMurry Athletics is in the middle of something significant.
The War Hawks are winning. In the spring of 2026, McMurry swept both the men’s and women’s SCAC Track & Field Championships at home in Wilford Moore Stadium, with back-to-back titles for the men and the program’s first SCAC women’s title. Brenna Stell set a new SCAC record in the pole vault and became the top-ranked women’s pole vaulter in all of Division III. The previous fall, the women’s soccer team claimed the program’s first-ever SCAC Women’s Soccer Championship, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
This fall, the university breaks ground on a $15 million athletics complex that will give track and field, cross country, and soccer training spaces built around their needs, while giving the championship War Hawk football program room to breathe at Wilford Moore Stadium.
Alongside that investment, McMurry is elevating its cheer and dance programs to a fully competitive status and launching men’s and women’s gymnastics in fall 2027, making McMurry the first university in Texas to offer the sport at the collegiate level.
These investments are strategic. For a university of McMurry’s size, the link between a thriving athletics program and a healthy enrollment pipeline matters.
Built on Belief
Over the years, McMurry’s outdoor programs have grown in number and size, and accommodating them all at Wilford Moore Stadium has become a challenge. Multiple teams share the same grounds, and late-night practices remain routine to find an open window on the schedule.
As McMurry returns to the American Southwest Conference and continues to expand its roster of sports, purpose-built facilities are not a luxury; they’re a necessity.
The new complex, fully funded through private support, addresses that need directly. A $2 million challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation helped make it happen, matched by donors who believe McMurry athletics is worth the investment.
When complete, the complex will deliver an entirely new suite of spaces: locker rooms, coaches’ offices, team meeting and film-review rooms, and a dedicated recruiting area. A new outdoor practice field will resolve the scheduling conflicts while also opening space for intramural sports and broader campus life. A Champions Walkway will honor McMurry’s rich athletics history and offer an inspiring welcome to every future War Hawk.
“When I came to McMurry, I saw a program with momentum and a community that was genuinely invested in its scholar-athletes. These facilities change what we can offer in terms of recruiting and the daily experience of every athlete who trains here. We are building an environment that says, ’You belong here, and this university is committed to your success.”Susan Decker
Decker, who joins McMurry from Baker University, brings a proven record of building competitive, student-centered athletics programs. Her arrival coincides with one of the most significant periods of investment in McMurry athletics in the university’s history.
Growing the Roster
Cheer and Dance
Expanded ProgramsBoth programs are being elevated to fully competitive status with dedicated coaching and structured recruiting.
Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics
Launching Fall 2027McMurry is the first university in Texas to offer gymnastics at the collegiate level.
Cheer and dance have long been a part of campus life at McMurry, supporting athletic events and building school spirit. Now, both programs are being elevated to fully competitive status, with dedicated coaching, structured recruiting, and a clear path toward intercollegiate competition. Full-time coaches for both programs will be hired this summer, bringing professional leadership to athlete development and competitive preparation.
McMurry has also announced the addition of men’s and women’s gymnastics as its newest intercollegiate athletics program, with the first competitive season anticipated in fall 2027. McMurry is the first university in Texas to offer the sport at the collegiate level. This distinction positions the program to draw scholar-athletes from across the state and beyond.
“This new program reflects McMurry’s strategic commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for student involvement and competition,” said Dr. Grant Greenwood, vice president for enrollment management. “We are intentionally building this program from the ground up, with a focus on long-term success and strong leadership.”
National searches are underway for head men’s and head women’s coaches, with both positions expected to be filled by summer 2026. The coaches will be responsible for establishing the program culture of their respective programs, leading recruiting efforts, and preparing their teams for future competition.
McMurry Gymnastics will be built around a partnership with Abilene ISD, whose gymnastics facility at the Jefferson Center on Vine Street will also serve as the program’s training home. In a meaningful show of investment in that partnership, McMurry received a $50,000 commitment from USA Gymnastics to fund enhancements to the AISD facility.
Each team is projected to carry 22 to 25 athletes, supported by two full-time coaches and two assistants. By its fourth year, the program is expected to bring 50 gymnasts to campus, students who, in many cases, would not have considered McMurry without it.
“These programs are not additions for their own sake. They reflect a deliberate vision to invest in student engagement, competitive excellence, and institutional growth at a moment when McMurry has the momentum to make it count.”Dr. Lynne Murray
Why Athletics Matters
New sports bring new students. Better facilities bring better recruits. For the scholar-athletes already here, winning championships without the infrastructure to match, this investment is long overdue.