The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Hayden DeLand

Abilene native inspires next generation of baseball players

May 7, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

Long before sophomore outfielder and Abilene native Braden Regala was standing in the outfield of Crutcher Scott Field with his Little League teammates, he didn’t even know if he wanted to play college baseball. Now, he is a starter for the Wildcats, inspiring the next generation. Regala grew up wanting to play soccer in college, but as he got ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Features, Sports

Softball ends season with loss in must-win series

May 7, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

Entering the sixth inning on Saturday, the Wildcats led 8-6 over the Utah Tech Trailblazers in a must-win game to go to the conference tournament. The third batter of the inning hit a triple to right field, bringing in one run; the next batter doubled to center field, bringing in the tying run. With the game tied and bases loaded for the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Sports

Softball loses eighth straight, moves on to must-win series vs Utah Tech

May 1, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

Softball lost its eighth consecutive game after being swept in a conference series for the second time this season against the California Baptist Lancers on Friday and Saturday. With the series loss, ACU now sits at 6-39 on the season and 3-12 in conference play, putting them last in the Western Athletic Conference. In a doubleheader on ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

Softball gets swept on road, prepares for series vs CBU

April 23, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The Wildcats lost their fifth game in a row to fall to 6-36 on the season and 3-9 in conference play after getting swept in their weekend series against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, marking the first time ACU has been swept in a conference series this season. In the first matchup of the series in a doubleheader on Friday, the Wildcats lost ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

Turning setbacks into slam dunks: Cameron Hazzard’s story of perseverance

April 15, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The lights were set. A crowd surrounded the court with their phones out, filming, ready to see something crazy. It was a Jordan Brand dunk contest as Cameron Hazzard jumped in the air and threw down a monster dunk. The crowd went crazy, jumping around and swarming him after the dunk; a moment young kids everywhere dream of having. It wasn’t always ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Features, Showcase, Sports

Softball loses to Texas Tech, looks toward conference series

April 2, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The Wildcats lost their second matchup of the season on Thursday to No. 2 Texas Tech 9-1 in five innings to fall to 4-28 for the season and remain 1-2 in conference play. In the first matchup, the Red Raiders held the Wildcats scoreless while scoring 24 runs and ending the game early in the fifth inning by run rule. In Thursday’s game, ACU ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

Softball loses opening conference series vs. UTA

March 25, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The softball team finished its first conference series of the season with a win on Saturday against the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks, 7-2, after losing the first two games of the series on Friday. On Friday, the Wildcats played a doubleheader, losing the first game 12-8 in 10 innings and the second game 11-6. After the series, the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Sports

Softball secures Power Four victory, looks forward to UTA

March 17, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

After securing its first Power Four victory since April 20, 2022, with a win over the University of Utah, 9-4, on Thursday, the softball team will play in a weekend series against the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks, starting with a doubleheader on Friday at home. ACU is now 3-24 on the season with its first conference action coming in ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

Men’s basketball ends season with loss in second round of WAC tournament

March 13, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The Wildcats ended their Western Athletic Conference tournament run Thursday with an 80-74 loss to the No. 3 seed Utah Tech Trailblazers for the fourth time this season, finishing the year with a 14-19 record. The loss marks the fourth straight season the Wildcats have not finished above .500. Head coach Brette Tanner used one word to define his ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

ACU eliminates Tarleton, ends WAC tournament drought

March 12, 2026 by Hayden DeLand Leave a Comment

The sixth-seeded Wildcats improved to 14-18 on the season in an 84-78 victory over No. 7 seed Tarleton State Texans in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, breaking a four-game losing streak and giving ACU its first WAC tournament victory since the 2021-22 season. In that tournament, ACU started as the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Sports

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 9
  • Next Page »
You are here: Home / Hayden DeLand

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
9 May

BREAKING: The 2026 teacher of the year is Dr. Clint Buck, assistant professor of accounting in the College of Business Administration.

Reply on Twitter 2053158226070257771 Retweet on Twitter 2053158226070257771 Like on Twitter 2053158226070257771 2 Twitter 2053158226070257771
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
4 May

BREAKING NEWS: James Bradshaw and Maddie Grace Fridge are the 2026 Mr. ACU and Miss ACU.

Reply on Twitter 2051110655172784350 Retweet on Twitter 2051110655172784350 Like on Twitter 2051110655172784350 4 Twitter 2051110655172784350

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist updated their status.

1 month ago

The Optimist

This content isn't available right now

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 months ago

The Optimist
Click the link in our bio to nominate a graduating senior for the Optimist to feature in our print issue. ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2026 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved