The TCU Office of Admission expects more than 1,000 additional prospective Frogs to apply this year compared to last year, in part because of the Horned Frogs’ success on the football field.

Although it’s early in the application season, Dean of Admissions Ray Brown predicts 18,000 students to apply for the class of 2019. Last year, roughly 17,100 total students applied, Brown said.

Brown said that this year 10,049 prospective students applied by the Nov. 1 deadline, well ahead of the 8,413 who applied last year.

“There’s no way to prove it, but there’s no way to disprove it,” Brown said. “There’s no doubt that TCU Athletics is tied to the rise.”

After a Rose Bowl victory in 2011, TCU received 19,334 applications—the highest amount of applicants TCU has ever had.

This year, the Office of Admission staff has traveled to almost all of the 50 states and 30 countries to recruit students.

“Our busiest season is mid-September to mid-November” Brown said. “I’m only home for about two days in October because I’m traveling.”

The next deadline comes January 1 and the final deadline is February 15.

“I love this job,” Brown said. “No two years are alike. No two days are alike. No two years are alike for applications.”