Rocket Report with Bryan B. Blair - February 2026 - University of Toledo Athletics

February 5, 2026

Team Toledo,

As we wrap up the winter and look ahead to an exciting spring, I'm energized by the momentum we continue to build together across Rocket Athletics. Over the past year, our strategic plan — Rise Together — has served as both our compass and our commitment: a call to elevate the student-athlete experience, strengthen our competitive edge, and deepen our connection to this community and university we are proud to represent.

Few initiatives embody that vision more clearly than the Champions Complex. This transformational project is a direct reflection of our belief that when we invest in people, we create opportunity, excellence, and lasting impact. Every step forward we take — whether on the field, in the classroom, or through facilities that support holistic development — is grounded in our desire to help our student-athletes thrive.

The new year has already seen championship-level moments across our department, from the launch of a new era in Rocket Football, to unforgettable rivalry victories, academic excellence, and historic investments that will define our future. Thank you for your continued support, passion, and belief in what we are building — together.

Champions Complex: A Transformational Investment in Student-Athlete Success

The Champions Complex represents one of the most meaningful investments we have ever made in the lives of our student-athletes. This project will renovate and re-imagine the existing Health Education Building, covering a total of 74,000 square feet and maximizing its centralized campus location.

This Champions Complex project will single-handedly improve the lives of all 450+ Rocket student-athletes, while also returning our baseball and softball programs to the main campus from Scott Park. This project will transform the lives of our student-athletes by bringing academics, nutrition, health, wellness, training, and team spaces together in one centralized, modern environment. Every design decision has been made with the daily experience of our Rockets in mind, ensuring they can focus on being their best in the classroom, in competition, and as individuals in our community.

Planned features of the Champions Complex include:

A new Academic Center, doubling down on our commitment to academic excellence while freeing up space for our growing football program.
A Performance Dining Center designed to fuel the competitive dreams of our 450+ student-athletes.
A Wellness suite designed to maximize the mental health and well-being of our student-athletes.
Locker rooms, offices, and team rooms for baseball and softball.
11,000+ square foot indoor training turf area for year-round practice and hitting.
Multi-purpose classrooms and meeting spaces.
A signature "Champions Corridor" celebrating decades of Rocket excellence.

The Champions Complex is a bold statement about who we are and who we aspire to be. It reflects our belief that when you invest in young people, you change lives. This facility will elevate the student-athlete experience, strengthen our competitive edge, and reinforce Toledo Athletics as a place where excellence is expected and supported. Simply put, this project will redefine what it means to be a Rocket — and I couldn't be more proud of the direction we are heading, together.

You will be hearing more about the Champions Complex in the coming months. However, transformative projects like this take tremendous support. Thanks to the leadership of Roy and Marcia Armes, as well as many other loyal Rockets, we are making significant progress towards our fundraising goal. For more information on how you can help bring this once-in-a-generation project to life, please contact the Rocket Fund team at 419-530-4183.

Football: The Mike Jacobs Era Begins!

What an incredibly exciting time for our football program! The arrival of Head Coach Mike Jacobs, along with his tremendous staff and an exciting group of new players, has sparked incredible energy across our campus and community. You can feel it — in the Larimer building, in the locker room, and in every conversation about the future of Rocket Football. Coach Jacobs is a proven winner who brings a clear vision for what his program will look like, and his team has embraced that standard from day one.

That momentum extends beyond our walls and into the national conversation. Coach Jacobs and his staff worked tirelessly to put together the No. 1 Transfer Portal class in the MAC! I can't wait for the spring practice season to get an up-close look at our new coaching staff and team. Please hold Saturday, April 18th as we plan an opportunity for the public to get a glimpse of the 2026 Toledo Rockets Football team.

As we look ahead to the upcoming football season, we're thrilled to have added Temple to our 2026 schedule, giving us seven home games for just the third time in our history! We open the season in a huge test at Michigan State, then play three consecutive games in the Glass Bowl, beginning with our home opener, the "Biggest Party in Toledo" on Sept. 12! As for future schedules, we have also added a four-game series with Marshall beginning in 2030, a matchup that Rocket fans have been clamoring for ever since those classic MAC Championship Game matchups in the 1990's and early 2000's. Look for the announcement of other exciting matchups in the near future!

I'd also like to highlight the incredible recognition earned by safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who landed on three major All-America teams and is positioning himself as a likely high pick in the next NFL Draft. Eman is one of handful of Rockets who have made their marks in post-season all-star games as they prepare for potential careers at the next level.

Eman's rise is yet another example of what can happen when talent meets development, opportunity, and the Rocket culture. His success follows in the footsteps of many former Toledo stars, like Quinyon Mitchell, a first-round draft pick in 2024 who earned All-Pro honors with the Philadelphia Eagles this year. We've had 11 NFL Draft picks in the last decade and that number is sure to rise! Their success stories are perfect examples of the greatness that is manufactured in our football program!

WATCH: Mike Jacobs intro press conference
LINK: Toledo Blade's David Briggs - After 'crazy' portal season, Mike Jacobs' big vision for Toledo comes into focus

Men's and Women's Basketball: A pair of "Battle of I-75" Victories!

Another unforgettable chapter in the history of the Battle of I-75 was written last month when our men's basketball defeated That Team Down South, 73-72 - capped by freshman Leroy Blyden Jr.'s game winning three-pointer in the final seconds - and our women's team followed up with a convincing 59-49 victory one week later.

The energy inside the building for the men's game was electric from start to finish, fueled by a season-high crowd of 6,850 and a back-and-forth contest that featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes. But just as memorable as the game itself was the atmosphere in Savage Arena. From the opening tip, the student section brought championship-level energy, pushing our team to fight on every possession, and then ultimately storming the court in celebration.

The season-high crowd of 5,461 was just as fired-up for our women's victory, helping the Rockets jump out to a 23-5 lead and then cheering them on down the stretch in the fourth quarter. If you don't believe the home crowd can make a difference in a rivalry game like this, just listen to what the opposing coach had to say about Savage Arena after the game: "What a great environment for college basketball…I think the environment — that's probably worth a good 10 points. They're just after you. I must have heard my name about a thousand times."

These weren't just wins over our rivals; these were YOUR victories, and a reminder of what makes our #TeamToledo special and how powerful our community can be when we Rise Together.

WATCH: Leroy Blyden Jr.'s Game-Winning Three vs. Bowling Green
LINK: Toledo Blade's David Briggs - How many points are Toledo women's roaring crowds 'worth'? BG coach has interesting theory
LINK: Toledo Blade's David Briggs - A huge Toledo basketball crowd began to leave. Then, magic and bedlad at Savage

Basketball: MAC Tournament and Post-Season Play

Let's keep the momentum of our recent big wins going and pack Savage Arena for our remaining home games and cheer on our Rockets as they head into the MAC Tournament in Cleveland in March!

I would also like to take this opportunity to directly address our position when it comes to post-season play. We expect all of our programs to strive to compete at the very highest level in everything they do, so for post-season basketball that means playing in the NCAA Tournament, or in the next-best opportunity (NIT for the men and WBIT for the women). While we understand that there are many other post-season tournaments (CBI, WNIT, CIT, etc.), our basketball programs will pass on those opportunities, if presented, and focus our time, energy and resources on preparation for the following season.

We are excited to see how the season plays out for our men's and women's basketball teams, and we hope you will be cheering them on all the way!

MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TICKETS

Another Record Semester in the Classroom!

I'm incredibly proud to share that our student-athletes have delivered a record-setting semester in the classroom, earning an all-time high 3.481 department GPA this past fall. This marks just the fourth time in school history—and the first time since 2023—that our Rockets have surpassed a 3.4 GPA, and it extends our streak to 13 consecutive semesters above a 3.3. Even more impressive, every single Rocket team earned at least a 3.2 GPA for the first time ever, with 13 programs topping the 3.4 mark. 73 of our student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0, a testament to their dedication and commitment to excellence. This achievement reflects not only the hard work of our student-athletes, but also the unwavering support of our coaches, faculty, and academic staff. This is who we are: a department committed to championship standards in everything we do.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day Panel Comes to Savage Arena

As part of our celebration of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, we are excited to host a fantastic panel discussion at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 in the Grogan Room in Savage Arena (just prior to our Women's Basketball game vs. Southern Miss at 2:00). The panel discussion is moderated by former UT track & field star and author Diana Patton and features leaders in women's sports: Women's Swimming & Diving Coach Jacy Dyer, Associate Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Experience Jillian Lehman, track & field student-athlete Karina James and Nicki McCoy, the founder of Next Play AAU. Admission to the panel is included with your ticket to the game.

Buy Tickets HERE.

Baseball: Head Coach Rob Reinstetle's contract extended through 2029

I'm excited to share some terrific news about the continued growth of Rocket Baseball, as we recently extended Head Coach Rob Reinstetle's contract through the 2029 season. Rob and his staff led our program to a 32-win campaign last spring, highlighted by an outstanding run to the finals of the MAC Championship Tournament. The progress we've seen on the field, paired with Rob's commitment to developing young men and building a sustainable culture, gives me great confidence that our baseball program is in very capable hands. With positive momentum, strong leadership, and continued investment, I'm excited about where Rocket Baseball is headed and proud to support a program that continues to raise the bar for the University of Toledo!

Spreading the Word About the Rockets!

I was grateful for the opportunity this month to share more about our vision for Rocket Athletics on three terrific podcasts. I recently joined men's basketball alum Brad Reiger for the In the Arena with Brad Reiger podcast, where we talked about leadership, culture, and what continues to drive the momentum across our department. I also appeared on the Four Hundred & Nineteen Podcast, where I had the chance to sit down on the same episode as head football coach Mike Jacobs to discuss the excitement surrounding Rocket Football and the broader direction of our programs.

Finally, I was a guest on local radio personality Eric Chase's podcast, where we covered topics ranging from the next iteration of "Glass City Live" to the changing landscape in college athletics to the positive momentum of collaboration happening in the Toledo area.

These conversations provide a great opportunity to highlight the incredible work happening here at Toledo and to showcase the people who make this place so special!

Manufactured in the Glass City: Barend Botha

Our latest episode of Manufactured in the Glass City features former men's golfer Barend Botha. Barend, a two-time MAC Men's Golfer of the Year, is just beginning what should be a long and successful career as a professional golfer. A native of South Africa, Barend registered five Top-10 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour and nearly earned his PGA Tour card last October after finishing as the runner-up at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Barend's story is a perfect example of how the University of Toledo can be a part of the success story for student-athletes who come here to from just about every part of the world!

Bragging Rights

Congratulations to all these Rockets on their incredible achievements!

Basketball: Congrats to men's basketball's Sonny Wilson and women's basketball's Kendall Carruthers, who each passed the career 1,000-point mark in January!
Football: Cornerback Nasir Bowers put his name into the NFL Draft conversation by earning Defensive MVP honors at the American Bowl on Jan. 22.
Track & Field: Junior Karina James bested the school record in the 5000m by more than six seconds at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational on Jan. 30.

What we are accomplishing at Toledo is not by chance — it is the result of shared vision, relentless commitment, and a belief that we can achieve more when we Rise Together. From record-setting performance in the classroom to championship moments in competition and bold investments like the Champions Complex, we are laying a foundation that will serve generations of Rockets to come.

I am incredibly grateful for the student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, and supporters who bring this mission to life every day. The best chapters of our story are still ahead, and I'm proud to continue this journey with all of you.

This Community.

This University.

This Athletics Department.

Together, we will accomplish the "impossible."

Bryan B. Blair Signature

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