Baylor Bears Athletics: The Complete Student Guide to All Baylor Sports
If someone asked you how many sports Baylor competes in, you'd probably guess eight or ten. The real answer is 19 — and most students don't discover half of them until their junior year. Some of Baylor's lesser-known programs are genuinely worth showing up for: championship-caliber, electric atmospheres, free student admission.
This guide covers every Baylor varsity sport, where the games are played, how to get in, and which programs are worth putting on your calendar as a student. Whether you bleed green and gold at every home football game or you've never been to a Baylor athletic event, here's what you're working with.
How Student Tickets Work at Baylor
Before getting into individual sports, understand the basics of student access.
Student GameDay portal is where all football and men's basketball tickets live. Set up your account at studentgameday.web.baylor.edu with your Baylor student ID. Football and basketball tickets are lottery-based for high-demand games — you earn priority points by attending games, which improves your lottery position for better seats over time.
Most sports are free with your Baylor ID. Baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, cross country, track meets, equestrian, and acrobatics & tumbling all have free or minimal-cost student entry at the gate. You're literally leaving athletic events on the table if you're paying $10/month for streaming sports instead of walking to campus.
Proximity matters more than you'd think. Students who live walking distance to campus attend significantly more events — it's easier to catch the last half of a volleyball match or drop into a baseball game when you don't need to plan a drive, find parking, and pay for a permit. Centre's location at 1901 S 11th St puts you under a mile from McLane Stadium, Ferrell Center, and most Baylor athletics venues.
Football: McLane Stadium and the Big 12
Venue: McLane Stadium, 1001 S MLK Jr Blvd — capacity 45,140. Opened 2014 on the Brazos River. One of the best stadium settings in college football, with the river directly behind the south end zone.
Student section: Located in the east stands. Student tickets go through the GameDay lottery — most Baylor students get tickets to most games, but rivalry matchups (Texas Tech, TCU, Kansas State) sell out faster. Big 12 opponents to prioritize: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and TCU consistently draw the loudest atmospheres.
Game day logistics: If you live at Centre, you can walk to McLane in about 15 minutes via S 11th Street to S University Parks Drive — no parking permit, no shuttle line. The walk along the Brazos River pedestrian bridge is genuinely excellent. For the full experience, hit a game day tailgate along the Brazos beforehand.
What to know: The Baylor Band (Golden Wave Band) is fantastic and loud. Bring sunscreen for day games — the South Texas sun hits the east stands hard from noon kickoffs. Check the complete McLane Stadium guide for parking, gate maps, and what's inside.
Men's Basketball: Foster Pavilion
Venue: Foster Pavilion, 1001 S MLK Jr Blvd — capacity 10,284. Opened in 2023 as one of the newest and most beautiful arenas in the Big 12.
Baylor men's basketball won the 2021 NCAA National Championship — the program's first title and one of the most surprising tournament runs in recent memory. The fan culture built around that run is still electric. Foster Pavilion is louder per square foot than almost any arena you'll visit.
Student tickets: The big-demand items at Baylor athletics. The priority point system means consistent attendees get better seats over time — show up even for smaller games to bank points for February rivalry matchups. Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas Tech home games are the hardest to get. The full basketball student ticket guide has the step-by-step.
Best time to go: Non-conference home games in November and December are lower demand and easier to get tickets for — and they're actually fun. You get to watch the team gel before conference play.
Women's Basketball: Ferrell Center
Venue: Ferrell Center, 1000 Dutton Ave — capacity 10,284. The original large arena on campus before Foster Pavilion opened.
Baylor women's basketball has been one of the elite programs in college basketball for two decades. Kim Mulkey-era dynasties (2005, 2012, 2019 national championships) built the brand; the current coaching staff is maintaining that standard. This is one of the best free athletic experiences at Baylor — serious basketball, legitimately good players, free student admission with your ID.
Women's basketball is the program most Baylor students admit they should have been attending all along once they actually go. The women's basketball guide covers the schedule and how to catch the best home matchups.
Baseball: Baylor Ballpark
Venue: Baylor Ballpark, 1221 W Floyd Casey Blvd — capacity approximately 3,000.
Baylor baseball is a Big 12 program with consistent NCAA Tournament appearances. Free with your Baylor ID. The atmosphere at Baylor Ballpark is one of the most relaxed game-day experiences on campus — tailgate-style, bring your own folding chair to the berm sections, afternoon games in spring weather that is genuinely excellent.
If you've never been to a college baseball game, start here. Early April weekday games are the hidden gem: light crowds, the team is usually hitting its stride, and it's a great place to bring family when they visit for spring semester. See the full baseball guide for home schedule and parking tips.
Softball: Getterman Stadium
Venue: Getterman Stadium, 5103 Gorman Ave.
Baylor softball competes in the Big 12 and draws respectable home crowds to Getterman Stadium. Free with student ID. Spring afternoons at the softball stadium are a legitimately good time — similar low-key atmosphere to baseball with a passionate fan base. Big 12 softball is highly competitive, and Baylor regularly fields strong rosters.
If you're a softball fan, check the Baylor softball schedule guide — and don't sleep on weekend doubleheaders.
Volleyball: Ferrell Center and Waco Convention Center
Venue: Ferrell Center (primary) and occasionally Waco Convention Center for large matches.
Baylor volleyball is a consistent Big 12 contender and one of the most fun atmospheres in Baylor athletics. Free with student ID. Ferrell Center volleyball nights have a student section that genuinely shows up — the team feeds off it.
Fall volleyball season runs September-November, overlapping perfectly with football season. If you're already on campus for game day weekend, check whether volleyball has a Friday night home match — it's a legitimate pre-game experience. The volleyball guide has the schedule and what to expect.
Soccer: Betty Lou Mays Field
Venue: Betty Lou Mays Field, 1001 S MLK Jr Blvd (near McLane Stadium).
Baylor women's soccer plays in the Big 12 and has been competitive with conference play. Free with Baylor ID. Fall season means games in September-October weather that's perfect for outdoor viewing. The field is adjacent to McLane Stadium, making it easy to combine a soccer game with campus wandering on a fall afternoon.
The Baylor soccer guide has home schedule details.
Tennis: Hurd Tennis Center
Venue: Hurd Tennis Center, on Baylor's campus.
Baylor tennis (both men's and women's) regularly places well in the Big 12. Free with student ID. College tennis is an underappreciated live sport — matches are continuous, close, and over in 2-3 hours. The Hurd Tennis Center is a modern facility worth seeing at least once. Spring season (February-May) is when to go. See the Baylor tennis guide.
Equestrian: Willis Family Equestrian Center
Venue: Willis Family Equestrian Center, on Baylor's campus.
This is the Baylor sport most students don't know exists until someone drags them to a meet — and then they're hooked. Baylor equestrian has won multiple Big 12 Conference Championships (2010, 2015, 2017, 2019) and the NCEA Hunter Seat National Championship.
The sport is legitimately impressive: horses and riders compete in Western (horsemanship and reining) and English (fences and flat) disciplines against each other head-to-head. The Willis Family Equestrian Center is one of the best college equestrian facilities in the country. Seven home meets per season, Big 12 Championship frequently hosted in Waco. Free or low-cost student admission.
If you've never seen collegiate equestrian, this is worth an afternoon. The Baylor equestrian guide has what to expect.
Acrobatics & Tumbling: Ferrell Center
This is arguably Baylor's most exciting sport that almost no one attends.
Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling is one of approximately 30 NCAA programs nationally — a sport combining gymnastics, cheerleading, and tumbling elements into head-to-head team competition. The athletes are elite-level gymnasts doing things that are, frankly, hard to believe in person.
Free with Baylor ID. Home meets at Ferrell Center. If you can see this sport once before you graduate, you'll understand why the program is growing nationally. The acrobatics & tumbling guide covers the season and what to watch for.
Track & Field and Cross Country: Clyde Hart Track Stadium
Venue: Clyde Hart Track Stadium, on Baylor's campus — named for legendary Baylor coach Clyde Hart, who coached Olympic champions.
Baylor track & field is one of the most decorated programs in school history. Free to watch at home meets. If you're interested in running or know athletes on the team, track meets are a different but worthwhile experience — especially the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. The Baylor track & field guide has schedule details.
Golf: The Courses
Baylor men's and women's golf compete in the Big 12. Tournaments are held at various courses — check baylorbears.com for home event locations. Golf tournaments are free, open to the public, and a genuinely peaceful way to spend a few hours following a team through a course.
Centre Apartments: Built for Students Who Show Up
Living close to campus isn't just about class commutes — it's about actually using the athletic facilities and events you're paying for with student fees. Centre's location at 1901 S 11th Street puts you within walking distance of McLane Stadium and Ferrell Center. No parking permit. No shuttle timing. Just walk.
If you're a student considering where to live, proximity to campus venues is a real quality-of-life factor that compounds over 3-4 years. Check our floor plan options or schedule a tour to see the neighborhood.
How to Follow Baylor Athletics
- Baylor Bears official site: baylorbears.com — schedules, rosters, live stats
- Student GameDay tickets: studentgameday.web.baylor.edu — required for football and basketball
- Baylor Athletics social: @BaylorAthletics on X (Twitter) and Instagram for real-time updates
- ESPN+: Many Big 12 games stream on ESPN+ or ESPN networks
- Big 12 Now on ESPN+: Conference-only streaming app covers many non-televised events
With 19 sports, there's almost always a Baylor team competing somewhere on any given week from September through May. Most are free to attend. Most are genuinely good. Start with the ones closest to your class schedule or apartment — and build from there.
