We're starting an athletics alumni spotlight series, and we're getting award-winning writer Rick Mauch to write them. The series highlights what Rams are doing after college athletics and how Texas Wesleyan impacted their journey. To start, here's a special homecoming edition about how former football student-athlete Braxton Brown found lifelong friendships, and true love, while at Texas Wesleyan.
 
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By Rick Mauch
 
 
Braxton Brown came to Texas Wesleyan University to help rebuild a long dormant football program. He left building a life with the girl of his dreams.
           
It was while playing defensive back for the Rams in 2018-19 that Braxton met his fiancé Iyanna Brown.
           
"Braxton and I have the same last name even though we aren't married. Ironic," Iyanna said with a chuckle.
           
Or is it a sign?
 
"Perhaps," she said, smiling. "Thank God we aren't related."
 
She was the manager of the football team, and while Braxton's job was to catch passes from opposing quarterbacks, he also caught her attention.
 
"When I first transferred to Wesleyan in January of '18 I met her one day at career services as I was finalizing my work study account," he recalled. "She was so helpful and kind.
 
"Fast forward a few days before Thanksgiving break, a few friends and I - including her - were chilling after finals, and that night I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with her. We talked for hours and have been together ever since."
 
Oh, and Iyanna was also a cheerleader. Of course, there was one special Ram she cheered for.
 
"I had no idea that our friendship would have turned into something like this. I have indeed found my forever, and he was right in front of my face the whole time," she said. "God has a very big part in putting us together."
           
Braxton came to TXWES after transferring from Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Miss. He saw the chance to be a part of something special, a program that had resurfaced after lying dormant for over 75 years.
 
"The Rams offered me a football scholarship and also an opportunity to further my education by being able to graduate college with little to no student loan debt," Braxton said.
 
During his time with the Rams Braxton was named Academic All-Sooner Athletic Conference. He was also honored among SAC scholar-athlete awards, and was named to the the Champions of Character team.
 
Now, Braxton is a software engineer for TATA Consultancy Services, a fortune 500 company in Plano. He credits the discipline from his days with the Rams as playing a key role in where he is now and where he plans to go.
 
"Playing football we live by the acronym, R (Respect) A (Accountability) M (Mentality) S (Sacrifice). In my day-to-day, I have to be respectful of my colleagues and co-workers," he said. "I am blessed to be a technical lead, so I have to keep myself and others accountable.
 
"My mentality on a day-to-day basis has to be strong, taking on obstacles that contribute to the company's success. Lastly, sacrifice, there is no way we can get through life without making sacrifices, so living by these four letters allows me to continue striving for better."
 
And, speaking of better, the Rams are enjoying their best season since the revival in 2016. Braxton takes pride in the role he and his teammates played in helping the program reach more history.
 
"Looking at the success now, we played a huge role in the start of the program by continuing to build onto a foundation and winning spirit at Texas Wesleyan. Looking at the boys now, I am so proud of how far they have come and how they continue to persevere through any and all adversity," he said.
 
Though only there a year, Braxton made a strong impression in the program, Rams head coach Joe Prud'homme said.
 
"Braxton was a great teammate and somebody that you could always depend on," Prud'homme said. "Braxton is doing well. He was a really solid player."
 
Along with finding Iyanna, he said his favorite memories of TXWES are gathering lifelong friendships with teammates and colleagues - and flying on his own for the first time when the team traveled to Arizona.
 
"I stay in touch and attend all the games I can. I can for sure say I made lifelong friendships with a lot of guys on the team," he said.
 
"I thank Texas Wesleyan for a wonderful experience on and off the field. As I look back, I would not be in the position that I am currently in if I would have never attended Texas Wesleyan."
 
And, of course, he would never have met the love of his life.
 
"We want to thank our entire Wesleyan family for contributing to our life, and always being there," Iyanna said. "We will always hold a special place in our heart for Texas Wesleyan."
 
The wedding date, by the way, is Nov. 17 of 2022.