Controversy

UT women's track and field coach resigns after “consensual intimaterelationship” with student-athlete

University of Texas head women’s track and field coach Bev Kearney, who was put on paid leave in November for undisclosed reasons, has officially resigned after it was revealed that she had been involved in a “consensual intimate relationship” with an “adult student-athlete.”

As first reported in the Austin American-Statesman, UT launched an investigation last October after the unidentified student-athlete filed a report of the relationship between student and Kearney, reportedly from July 2002 to December 2002, when Kearney suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident.

Kearney’s attorney, Derek K. Howard, told the Statesman that when Kearney, 55, entered the relationship, she unknowingly violated a then one-year-old provision in the UT Handbook of Operating Procedures.

“We believe that Ms. Kearney has been subjected to a double standard and has received far harsher punishment than that being given to her male counter-parts who have engaged in similar conduct,” attorney Derek K. Howard said in the statement.

“In the event that a consensual relationship exists or begins to develop, the individual in the supervisory, teaching or advisory position shall immediately notify his or her immediate supervisor of the relationship and cooperate with that supervisor in making the arrangements necessary to resolve the conflict of interest,” the handbook states.

In her interview with the Statesman, Kearney expressed regret. "It’s been a difficult challenge for me simply because I have to forgive myself for making an error,” Kearney said. “I didn’t commit a crime, but I displayed poor judgment.”

And while both Kearney and her legal counsel did not reveal whether they would pursue legal action for her termination, Howard did release a statement to the Statesman that would suggest action further down the line.

“We believe that Ms. Kearney has been subjected to a double standard and has received far harsher punishment than that being given to her male counter-parts who have engaged in similar conduct,” Howard said in the statement. “It is a shame that this remarkably talented female African-American coach, who has devoted her life to helping others, is being bullied and scapegoated by the University of Texas.”

In a statement released Saturday, Patti Ohlendorf, UT vice president for legal affairs, said that the university’s official position on the issue was that “it can’t happen.”

“We believe Bev is a good person. Bev has done a lot for the university over the years,” Ohlendorf said. “We think this is a terrible mistake, and I know it’s something she regrets. But it’s not the type of thing that can happen between a coach and a student-athlete on the team.”

As head women’s track and field coach, Kearney was one of the university’s most decorated athletic leaders. In her 20 years at UT, she led Texas to six national championships and was inducted into the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

According to public records requests made by the Associated Press in November, Kearney was in line for a pay raise after a recommendation from women’s athletic director Chris Plonsky to UT president William Powers Jr. Before resigning, Kearney’s annual salary was $270,000.

Kearney told the Statesman she might have to liquidate assets in order to continue to support her family, which now includes her daughter, whom she adopted after the child’s mother was killed in the car accident that left Kearney with serious spinal injuries.

“My life is service,” Kearney said in the Statesman article. “If I can no longer serve, I no longer exist, because what I exist to do is serve.”

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High Score

Austin named the nation's pickleball capital in industry report

Photo by Henry Selis Photo

Other Racquet Social Club is back after city woes.

It's no secret that Austinites love pickleball. A new study proves just how much by ranking Austin the No. 1 city for pickleball in the whole country. Dallas and Houston also made the top 10 at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively.

The report was published by TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports (and sometimes music) from private instructors. It used data from its own platform, USA Pickleball, Places2Play, local pickleball associations, and more. It also referred to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America, with a growth rate of 223.5 percent over three years.

Similarly, TeachMe.To ranked Austin as the fastest-growing city for pickleball, and citing this as the main reason for the overall title of "the nation's pickleball capital."

It name-checked the Austin Metro Pickleball Association (AMPA) — with approximately 3,000-3,500 members — and the Austin Pickleball League (APL), estimating that overall, "15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area." About half of those players — about 8,000-10,000 people — play at least twice a month.

The report did not include gender data on Austin, specifically, but it did note that not only are two-thirds of pickleball players female; women's involvement in the sport is also growing 50 percent faster than men's.

New courts everywhere
This probably isn't a surprise to people who have noticed the number of courts opened around Austin in recent years. By 2024, TeachMe.To's data shows 32 dedicated courts in Austin, and thanks to with a utility rate of 92 percent it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down.

In the summer of 2023, the online booking platform Swimply noticed how many pickleball courts there were in Austin compared to such great demand, and added courts to its service. In fall 2023 and summer 2024, at least two important developments expanded that availability: Other Racquet Social Club opened as a friendly, country club-like neighborhood option, and national chain The Picklr announced it's bringing five locations to Austin and Round Rock.

Perhaps because Austin is such a food-obsessed city, there seems to be some growing opportunity for food and beverage hospitality around pickleball, too. Other Racquet recently started hosting the Bill's Dips food truck, a spinoff of the popular downtown restaurant Bill's Oyster; and a pair of bars with pickleball courts, Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails and The Pickle Pub, also opened in South Austin this year, with strong online ratings already.

The trend has even reached into real estate (see this cute house with its own pickleball court) and inspired athletes to introduce similar sports to the local market, as in the case of the padel club Paddle39. TeachMe.To's report also mentioned tech companies adding pickleball to their campuses.

Aside from growth, the study also considered lesson activity (including information about teacher availability and diversity of clinic offerings), infrastructure, community vitality, the tournament scene.

Austin had the highest concentration of all the cities of players under 40 (65 percent), as well as the highest share of national lesson bookings. At 16.90 percent, that means about one in six of the pickleball lessons contracted through this platform were in Austin. Lesson demand, the report says, is growing 125 percent year-over-year.

Elsewhere in Texas
Dallas was No. 3 thanks in part to its "central location" according to the report.

"The city's 45 dedicated courts and 85 [percent] public accessibility rate have fostered one of the most active competitive scenes in the country, with 8,500 registered league players," it says. "The combination of strong tournament presence, extensive infrastructure, and a 112% growth in lesson bookings solidifies Dallas as a powerhouse in the national pickleball landscape."

Houston made No. 8 with an emphasis on integrating pickleball with other sports.

"The city's 22 dedicated courts have seen a 92% increase in lesson bookings, driven by innovative programming that includes the nation's first corporate league system," it says. "Houston's success in integrating pickleball into existing sports infrastructure while maintaining 72% year-round utilization demonstrates a sustainable model for rapid growth."

Overall predictions
After laying out data about the top cities in pickleball, the report made some predictions. As the Austin newcomer mentioned above believes, the report also thinks padel is the next big thing. It also guesses more cities will act like Houston by focusing on hybrid facilities.

It also expects to see an expanded professional circuit and mainstream coverage, more technology used on the court, a rise in the prevalence of young players, and more opportunities in corporate wellness and real estate. "Dedicated pickleball facilities will become as common as swimming pools in luxury developments," it says. Texans will be the judge of that one.

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