Maroon Life — Fall Sports 2023

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CONTENTS

03 Historical Class Takes the Snap 06 Feature: Ainias Smith 08 Q&A with Andersson Garcia 10in Spanish Feature: Wade Taylor IV 12 New Roster for Women’s 15Basketball Football: Season Schedule 16 Feature: Janiah Barker 18 Feature: Maile Hayes 26 Feature: Devon Thomas 29Feature: Munzy Kabbara 30 Letter From the Business 32Manager Letter from Sports Editors

Cover by Pranay Dhoopar @dahoopermedia/ig

LETTERS FROM

THE SPORTS EDITORS

By Hunter Mitchell

This may be cliche, but if you told me three years ago I’d be not only writing for The Battalion, but that I’d be an editor as well, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Now here I am, with a new major, new passions and most importantly, new friends. I would have never predicted my life to go down the path it is now, but I would never trade it for the world.

I figured writing for The Battalion would be a fun gig, getting to cover games and throw out a sports commentary here and there. I never expected it to grow to the point where I now spend more time in MSC L400 than I do in my own home.

To start, I want to thank my parents.

I, like many, grew up with a passion for sports. I played football and basketball, but my real love was for the analytics and statistical side of things. My parents were always there to listen to me ramble on about a pitcher’s ERA, a point guard’s 3-point percentage or a quarterback’s QBR. They were also the first people to tell me that no matter what I wanted to do, they would always support me, including a career in sports. My dad always told me, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.’”

To Zoe, Luke and my former editors Grant and Jordan, thank you for putting me in the position to be the sports writer I am today. I quite literally would never have been where I am now without y’all.

Y’all taught me how to put my voice into stories, how awful AP style is and just how much love I can put into sports journalism.

To Ish and Kyle, you make all of my stories look so much better than sometimes they actually are. It gives me such peace of mind to know that my stories will be tied with some of the best sports photos in the country.

To Megan, your designs are unreal.

Thank you for using my stories as your guinea pigs for some of the coolest visuals.

To Caleb, thank you for always editing my sports stories and thinking you found an error (and being wrong).

To Ryan and Ruben, y’all are my favorite Catholics around. There’s no one else I’d rather write satirical Packback posts for or laugh at poorly-edited photos with than y’all.

Finally, but certainly not least, Ana. You’re my rock. You read every one of my articles before it ever reaches someone, and for good reason. You never fail to make me smile, and I don’t know where I would be without you. I can’t wait to see just how many stories we’ll write together.

By Luke White In many ways sports imitate life and life imitates sports. Sometimes we’re thrown a curveball or take a sack, and other times we have to call an audible and roll with the punches.

Producing the 2023 Maroon Life Fall Sports magazine was no different. There were several hurdles to clear, and other times things simply didn’t work out as planned. Extenuating circumstances brought upon new challenges, challenges that I wouldn’t be able to overcome without the help of those around me.

Within Maroon Life, readers can gain a new perspective on A&M’s football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and swimming teams. The success achieved by these programs doesn’t happen without an ability to work cohesively with one another as they strive for a common goal.

The same goes for the staff at The Battalion, from writers, to editors, to photographers, to designers, to business managers and everyone in between. By working as one, we’ve created a piece that I’m proud to distribute to the Aggie community. I hope you enjoy this magazine as much as I enjoyed helping to create it.

To my fellow sports editor and right-hand man, Hunter Mitchell, thank you for taking on this challenge with me and making it look easy. Maroon Life is a heck of an introduction to the editor position, but

you killed it while looking like a seasoned professional. You always stayed on top of things and ensured they got done one way or another, and that dedication doesn’t go unnoticed.

Ruben, Justin Chen, Noe Canchola, Kylie Stoner and Cade Harris were rock stars this summer as they worked through the process of finding and getting in contact with sources, conducting interviews and writing their features. Each did a commendable job, and I thank them for hard work and flexibility. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish this fall.

I’d also like to thank my fellow editors for their assistance in producing this edition of Maroon Life. The process of creating a magazine is a long and tedious one, and we couldn’t do it without their help. Given that this is a sports magazine, I’m very grateful for them going beyond their desks to make it possible.

Ruben and managing editor Ishika Samant were paramount to the creation of this magazine. They were with us from the get-go and guided us through the process from start to finish. These two kept us on track and provided us with plenty of support, and for that, I can’t thank them enough.

Ish, Megan Williams, Kyle Heise, Robert O’Brien and Pranay Dhoopar made up the team that made this Maroon Life look beautiful inside and out. Writing is only part of the magazine, and they succeeded in turning it into a work of art.

Finally, thank you to you, the reader, for taking the time to make our efforts worthwhile. This summer has undoubtedly been a low point for journalism at A&M, but I hope this product displays just how talented The Battalion staff is. If you enjoyed this Maroon Life, why not stop by a newsstand each week to pick up a new edition of The Batt? I bet you won’t regret it.

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Historic Class Takes the Snap

No. 1 recruiting class set to make waves this season, right wrongs

By Luke White @LukeWhite03 For all the hype and fanfare the Texas A&M football team’s top-ranked 2022 recruiting class received, it got a rude awakening to the college football scene.

A season removed from an Orange Bowl victory and a 9-1 finish in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff rolled up their recruiting sleeves and reeled in eight five-stars and 20 4-star recruits to finish with the top class in the nation, according to 247Sports.

The Aggies took the No. 1 spot over the likes of powerhouse programs Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State, bringing a surplus of talent to College Station as the maroon and white looked to join those programs atop the world of college football. Optimism for the upcoming season is nothing new in Aggieland, but it got taken to a new level in 2022.

“Hopefully we’ll develop these guys the right way that we can climb to the top of college football the way we want to,” Fisher said on National Signing Day. But by now, we all know the rest of the story.

To say A&M underachieved would be a severe understatement as it stumbled to a 5-7 finish and a 2-6 record in SEC play. The only distraction from the team’s shortcomings on the field were disci-

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plinary issues involving several freshmen, as three were suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

Upon the conclusion of the season, fallout was swift, as seven 2022 recruits transferred elsewhere. At least three of those transfers are reportedly no longer a part of the program they transferred to.

But each dawn brings a new day, and each fall brings a new football season. As the Aggies put last year in the rearview mirror, many members of the 2022 class aim to play a key role on both sides of the ball for A&M in 2023.

A series of poor performances by the team doesn’t negate the high individual talent the players bring to the table, particularly after a season at the collegiate level. The transition from high school to college is never easy, but many freshmen showed bright spots in 2022.

Leading the charge is sophomore QB Conner Weigman, who finds himself locked in a competition to be named signal-caller with junior QB Max Johnson.

Weigman, the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 signing period, began last year as the third-stringer but ascended to the rank of starter after injuries to sophomore Haynes King and Johnson.

Since his signing, Fisher has raved about Weigman as one of the most naturally gifted quarterbacks he’s seen in his time as a coach. The Cypress native threw for 896 yards and eight touchdowns while starting four games since being hurled into the spotlight, during which the Aggies went 2-2.

Weigman and Johnson each carry different assets. Whereas Johnson brings a

full year of SEC experience dating back to his time at LSU, Weigman, who turned down the opportunity to play baseball at A&M, boasts a higher ceiling and athletic ability. It seems hard to go wrong with either quarterback, but many expect Weigman to get the starting nod.

The starting quarterback won’t be short on receiving targets, as sophomore WR Evan Stewart complements graduate WR Ainias Smith and junior WR Moose Muhammad III. Stewart, the nation’s top high school wideout in 2022, led the Aggies in receptions during his rookie season with 53 catches for 649 yards and two touchdowns.The Frisco native brings high playmaking ability and athleticism to the receiving corps, as does sophomore WR Noah Thomas.

Thomas flew under the radar last season with just five receptions, two of which were brought in for touchdowns. Despite his limited role in 2022, the Pearland native has been praised by Fisher as “phenomenal” in practice.

“He was the MVP of the spring,” Fisher said. “He will be playing. He will be starting. He’s the real deal … I really have my eye on him.”

Joining Thomas as a starter on offense is sophomore TE Jake Johnson, who looks to make up for the loss of fellow sophomore Donovan Green to a torn ACL. Johnson carries a football pedigree as the brother of Max Johnson and the son of former NFL signal-caller Brad Johnson.

He and redshirt freshman Theo Melin Öhrström of Sweden complement graduate TE Max Wright.

On the other side of the ball, DBs

Bryce Anderson and Jarred Kerr anchor a secondary that lost two of its top playmakers to the NFL in Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones. Kerr appeared in 11 games last season with 22 tackles, including one tackle for loss and one sack.

Anderson proved effective in his freshman campaign with 28 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss over 11 games. Additionally, the Beaumont native contributes to the team in ways that don’t show up in the box score, consistently bringing high energy and a love of the game, according to Fisher.

“The longer he’s on the practice field, the more he smiles,” Fisher said. “Bryce is a very talented guy.”

Football is won and lost in the trenches, and A&M must improve upon a defensive line that allowed 209 rushing yards a game in 2022 if it’s to compete for a top spot in the SEC. Sophomore DL Shemar Stewart and Walter Nolen combined for 52 tackles last season and are expected to be at the forefront of the Aggies’ attack.

It feels as if A&M can only go up from here given the resources at its disposal, but last season showed that anything is possible in the world of college football. One can imagine the Aggies will enter 2023 with a hungry attitude and a disciplined mentality, something that Anderson discussed in the spring.

“It feels like this team is committed,” he said. “Last year, some of the young guys were kind of, like, loose in the head, they weren’t really focused. This year everybody is ready to practice, and everybody wants to practice. It’s a whole different mindset this year.”

Ishika Samant— THE BATTALION

Junior RB Devon Achane (6) weaves past the Miami defensive line on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 at Kyle Field.

Feel the freeze Ainias Smith’s fight from the sidelines back to the frontlines

By Cade Harris @Cadeharris_ After suffering a season ending knee injury in Week 4 of the 2023 season, Subzero is back for year five.

On Feb. 2, fifth-year wide receiver Ainias Smith announced his decision to return to Texas A&M rather than enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Smith is aiming to make up for last year’s 5-7 campaign as well as continue his education for life after football.

Although the decision might have been easy to make for Aggie fans, Smith took his time to make the decision that was best for his future.

When deciding to come back for his fifth year, Smith said he got his advice from the people he was closest to: his parents, brother and God. Getting advice from the people he loves allowed him to get genuine feedback.

“I really wasn’t looking for them to tell me what to do, and they weren’t really telling me what to do,” Smith said. “I was just trying to hear everybody out and see different signs on what it was I needed to do.”

In the midst of Smith making his decision to return in the offseason, he said he went to Tampa, Florida to prepare for the NFL Combine as well as speak to different doctors and trainers about his injury.

“I went out to Tampa just to see what it was I needed to improve on, or what it was I was lacking in, and just basically to see where I was,” Smith said. “That was my first time getting back into full grind and training.”

While in Tampa, Smith was referred

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to Dr. Norman E. Waldrop III, an orthopedic consultant with the New Orleans Saints, Alabama and Auburn. Waldrop performed the surgery for former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa when he dislocated his right hip in 2019 and for former Alabama and current Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle when he fractured his ankle in 2020.

Smith said he seeked advice from his trainer in Tampa and former NFL wide receiver Llewellyn “Yo” Murphy.

“Basically, I was just trying to grind out the facts,” Smith said. “See where my numbers were, whether it was gonna be good or bad. I was just trying to get exactly what it was I needed to see.”

On January 6, a little less than a month before Smith announced his return, the Aggies hired former Arkansas and Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino as the program’s offensive coordinator. This hire factored into Smith’s decision, he said.

“I definitely had to look at how that would benefit me in a way or how that would tear me down,” Smith said.

“Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about anything bringing me down.”

Smith said he is grateful to return because he and Petrino have been working well together.

Smith said he decided he would surprise his head coach Jimbo Fisher with his return.

Upon returning to College Station, Smith said he came to the football facility right as the team was getting out of meetings. He let Fisher know he was coming back and that he wanted to shoot a little video, which he posted to social media to announce his return.

Smith said he struggled mentally and physically while benched last season. The toughest part, he said, was not being able

to play and practice with his team.

“The games definitely hurt watching them lose, but seeing them prepare then [go] out there and lose, it lowkey made me feel like it was partly my fault,” Smith said.

“I wasn’t out there saying the things that I’d probably be saying if I was out there.

“It had put me in a real bad spot and a real dark place,” Smith said. “I wasn’t really thinking great. I ended up getting fat and eating ice cream during surgery and sitting around.”

After now getting back in shape and through physical therapy, Smith says he is back at 100% health.

Smith said he would tell his mother that he just wanted to walk. He hated having to be pushed around in a wheelchair or ride on a scooter all day.

A couple months after he got his cast off, Smith said he went in for another procedure to remove the screws from his leg and put in a tightrope. After surgery, he said he was given more freedom to walk around and begin the process of returning to the football field.

Once he was allowed to start walking again, Smith said he got more joy out of his day. Now, as Smith has turned his attention to the 2023 football season, he said the excitement is starting to come his way.

“We have so many weapons,” Smith said. “We have so many things we can do with this team, and the sky’s the limit.”

Smith said he is more excited for this season’s practices.

“I’m trying to see how the practices are going to be, because I know it’s going to be different,” Smith said. “In the previous years it just felt like it was a grind each and every day to get up and come to work.

Now it feels good coming out to work. I like the grind.”

Smith said maturing and developing a love for the grind has helped his younger teammates grow as well.

“You can see the younger guys are eager and that the leaders are also developing into better leaders,” Smith said.

Smith’s sophomore season in 2020 was one of the best seasons for the maroon and white in recent history, as the Aggies went 9-1, won the Orange Bowl and were the first team excluded from the College Football Playoff.

Smith said the 2023 team is similar in its accountability and community. .

“The difference is this year the older guys and the young guys are all on the same page,” Smith said. “We were together back then but it was a little divided.

It was two different recruiting classes and two different coaching staffs. The [older players] had come in with coach [Kevin] Sumlin and we [the younger players] had come in with coach Fisher and then we had guys right there in the middle.”

Now the players are all after the same mission under Fisher, Smith said.

While being recruited by Fisher out of Fort Bend Dulles High School, Smith was ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports. During his recruiting process it came down to A&M and Duke University. When deciding, Smith said he came to the conclusion that an Aggie Ring would hold a lot more weight in Texas than a bachelor’s degree from Duke.

Other factors that Smith said led him to choosing the Aggies were the distance he would be away from his parents as well as the way the coaching staff at A&M recruited him.

“It was just something about A&M that felt like home,” Smith said.

Smith completed his bachelor’s degree in three and a half years in University Studies - Business and now will look to gain his master’s as he continues to pursue the business and entrepreneurship route.

After a career in the NFL, Smith said a dream job of his would be to run his own auto mechanics shop where people can get their car detailed, prepared or even wrapped and painted.

Smith said he would like to continue with his family’s training organization, the Heavenbound Christian League, or HCL. The HCL originally started inside Smith’s parents’ garage, where kids would come and were trained by his father, Maurice Smith.

The HCL has grown into something much bigger, as now it is run out of a church where they have summer camps throughout June and July. During the rest of the year, Maurice runs personal training sessions for the kids as well as after school programs where they bring in tutors to help kids with homework, SAT preparation and any other schoolwork.

Smith said what makes HCL different from other training organizations is their spiritual approach. They bring the Bible

into many topics they discuss while also trying not to discriminate against different religions or how kids may feel spiritually.

“We try to bring in the Word and manage it to where we bring our lives into what’s really going on,” Smith said.

“Almost like Bible study in a way, but that’s not even just it. It goes so far beyond what the actual program is.”

Smith does not shy away from the fact that he enjoys helping the youth, and the HCL will be a great way for him to do that while he plays football as well as in his life after football.

However, before that life after football begins he must complete his fifth season in college. When asked about what he wants Aggie fans to remember him by, Smith said winning a Heisman as well as the person that he is.

“I feel like I did so much on the field for the university that they will always remember me for on the field, but I really want them to remember me for who I am as a person,” Smith said. “I had [gone] through a lot, I had learned a lot and I had some obstacles that I had to get through.

They have stuck with me and my family here has stuck with me and I definitely appreciate them for that.All of the things that the people may have portrayed of me on social media or whatever the case is, if they don’t know who I am [I want them to] at least know I am a good person, and I try to be a real genuine person.”

Smith will begin his goal of winning a Heisman with the maroon and white as they begin their season Saturday, Sept. 2 against New Mexico at Kyle Field.

Illustration By Pranay Dhoopar — THE BATTALION

¡Andy llega!

By Ruben Hernandez @Battandmuse Desde el centro del golfo hasta Reed Arena, Andersson García viajó millas desde casa para encontrar su mejor posición en Aggieland.

En su pueblo natal de Moca, República Dominicana, García comenzó inicialmente con el deporte nacional del béisbol, pero pronto encontró el refuerzo con su talento distinto para el basquetbol. Luego, saltando de Chattanooga, Tennessee, a la Universidad Estatal de Mississippi, el Dennis Rodman Dominicano consideró a College Station como su nuevo hogar después de dos años jugando baloncesto universitario.

Ahora, Garcia juega con tremenda energía que traslada su equipo de A&M a niveles más altos — sin un descanso dominical. ¿Cómo fue la conversación con su familia cuando decidió mudarse a los Estados Unidos?

Fue un poco difícil.Ya que, por no saber el Inglés, era un poco incómodo para mí. Mudarme otro país sin saber nada. Fue un buen desafío para mí y mi familia. Eso era cuando estaba en mi [año de] junior. ¿Qué es lo que más extraña de su hogar?

Lo que más extraño de mi hogar es mi familia, la comida de mi madre, estar cerca de mis hermanos, mi hermano y mi hermana y compartir con mis amigos de infancia. Yo vine a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía 18. Tendría siendo como cinco años [fuera de mi hogar].

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¿Hubo algún momento en que consideró renunciar y regresar a la República Dominicana?

Bueno, mayormente, yo te digo que todo el tiempo pienso en irme a la República Dominicana. Pero a veces como que, al no tener días buenos, puede que tenga más pensamientos así, como de querer [volver]. [Pero] pienso en que para poder tener un mejor futuro, tengo que perseguir mis sueños en los Estados Unidos porque aquí hay más oportunidades.

“

nuevo lenguaje?

El Inglés no fue fácil, porque hoy en día lo sigo aprendiendo. Las cosas que me ayudaron mucho … Me gustaba mucho leer. Me gusta escuchar música como personas como Adele. Como ella canta muy lento, era fácil para mi entender lo que decía y también pronunciar lo que ella decía. ¿Porque se cambio de Mississippi State a A&M? La decisión mía de venir a College Sta-

Mis metas son tratar de ayudar lo más posible a Texas A&M, en cualquier cosa, en la cancha o otra cosa que me diga Coach Buzz que haga, eso haré para poder que el equipo tenga un buen resultado.

My goals are to try to help Texas A&M as much as possible, whatever it may be, on the court or whatever Coach Buzz tells me to do, that’s what I’m going to do to help the team get a good result.

¿Qué es lo que te motiva?

A empezar, mi familia y yo mismo.

Yo diría que me gusta competir conmigo mismo. O sea, si digo que jugué duro contra un equipo, a mi me gustaría tener la misma energía en el juego siguiente, o tratar de jugar con más energía. O sea, yo me desafío a mi mismo. ¿Cómo fue tener que aprender un

das. No creo que haya un plan para mi de estar en un momento específico. Creo que, mayormente, creo que es natural y depende como pueda leer el juego. No creo que tenga un plan para eso, más natural que todo. ¿Cuáles son sus metas para el futuro, ambos aquí en A&M y más allá?

Mis metas son tratar de ayudar lo más posible a Texas A&M, en cualquier cosa, en la cancha o otra cosa que me diga Coach Buzz que haga, eso haré para poder que el equipo tenga un buen resultado.

Mi meta también, ya fuera de college, [es] tratar de ser un basquetbolista profesional, también graduarme de la universidad, tener un título y eso, para poder ayudar a mi familia.

“

Todo sobre el país de origen y la casa nueva de Andersson Garcia

tion fue por la energía con la cual juegan los demás compañeros y como juega fuerte. Fue la mejor decisión que tuve, venir a College Station. ¿Usted es reconocido por sus “Jugadas de Andy” como lo pone el coach Williams, es algo que se esfuerza por hacer o simplemente viene naturalmente?

Yo diría como es como salen las juga-

¿Cuál fue su momento favorito de esta última temporada?

Bueno, fueron muchos. Creo que compartir una buena historia con mis compañeros fue maravilloso, sinceramente, pero de tener uno en específico, no te podía decir, pero tengo varios. Y específicamente ahora, ahorita mismo, creo que puedo decir venir de tener una mala cancha que quizás nadie creyera en nosotros [que podíamos] cambiar todo de la noche a la mañana, y que todo el mundo pudiera creer en nosotros, terminando la temporada.

¿Alguna otra cosa que gustaría comentar?

Yo diría que, sumamente, [ustedes] han sido las personas que me ayudaron estar aquí hoy en día, como una fundación.

FBM [Federación Baloncesto Madrid], fueron las personas que me ayudaron a estar aquí y las personas que me mantienen hoy en día enfocado.

Full english translation here. here

Family Shaped Taylor Made The Wade family reflects on the ties that built their net

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001

The 2019–20 Lancaster High School boy’s basketball team, led by Wade Taylor IV and Mike Miles Jr., went 36-1 with a 34-game winning streak before the COVID-19 pandemic cut its playoff run short.

“A lot of people were trying to say that we were going to get a run for our money, but I just felt like we were so locked in and so together,” Wade said. “That year was our year. I don’t think any team could have stopped us that year.”

However, this is not where competitive basketball began for Wade. In fact, it didn’t even start on the hardwood. His first exposure to tough basketball began in the driveway.

“Me and [Wade] did play basketball a lot,” Kennedy Taylor, Wade’s sister, said. “He was always around the game, at my school games, my AAU games, practices. So he was always around the game, learning the game and just getting the feel for it. We did play very often, and I hope he did tell you that I did beat him around a lot.”

Wade Taylor III, Wade’s father, said despite where he is now, it took him a while to catch up to his sister.

“It was a good while before he competed,” Taylor III said. “So, he finally got more athletic and just kind of understood the assignment. Next thing you know, he was bigger than she was.”

Kennedy, the Sun Belt Conference All-Time Assists leader, said she always knew Wade was bound for more on the court.

“He’s always, always been special,” Kennedy said. “Ever since he touched the ball, I knew that he was destined for greatness. He’s putting in the work. He’s putting in the time. He’s a student of the game. He has a very supportive village around him.”

Kennedy is not Wade’s only supporter in his family. His mother, Sheila Taylor, and his father both played sports in college. Because of this, Taylor III said that their household has always been more than just basketball — a sports-centric house.

“I don’t even want to just make it about basketball,” Taylor III said.

“That’s just a sport they happen to be playing now in college.

It didn’t matter, whatever they were doing, sports-related, school-related, our family is there. My dad had a saying that if something happened to one of the kids while our game was on, nobody else would tell him about it.”

Even in college, both of his parents still manage to make it in person to see

Wade play despite them living in Dallas.

“My parents make every game, road and away,” Wade said. “They’re supporting. My aunties and grandmother, they’re supporting. It’s the most I can ask for.”

Wade said that he chose to play at A&M largely because of his close

bonds with his family and his desire to have his parents at every game.

“That’s one of the reasons I picked [A&M],” Wade said. “I know my family can make every game. They’ve been to every game, scrimmage [and] exhibition that I’ve had in my whole life, so I didn’t want to change that.

For the past two years, both Kennedy and Wade played college basketball, with Kennedy at Texas State.

So, Taylor III said that sometimes they would have to split up games between him and his wife to ensure that someone was in attendance for both of their children’s games.

“They both play on Saturdays, they both play during the week on different days,” Taylor III said. “So, I’m trying to match the schedule out, and it was crazy.

“There were times when they were both playing on the same day,” Taylor III said. “Sometimes, my wife went to one game; I went to another game.

But then there were some days where we were able to catch both games. So with that two-hour gap, all I needed was for her to play at 11 a.m. and him to play at 6 p.m.”

Taylor III said that throughout Wade’s commitment process, he wanted Wade to choose A&M, but he didn’t want to infringe too much.

“His mom is from Madisonville, which is like 35 minutes away from College Station,” Taylor III said. “We spent an abundant amount of time over in College Station because if you wanted to go out to eat, you had to go to College Station.

“So, in the back of my mind, I was definitely rooting for A&M, not just because of the closeness, but because of the presentation coach Buzz put on,” Taylor III said. “I really couldn’t show any emotion, because I didn’t want him to think I had any biases towards his decision. I wanted him to make his own decision.”

Now heading into his third season with the Aggies, Wade said he has aspirations to make it to the NBA, but he has already thought about what he wants to do after his career is over.

“I mean, growing up in basketball,

I’ve learned so many things, and I’ve seen so many things,” Wade said. “ So once my career is over, playing-wise, I want to become a sports broadcaster.

I just never want to leave the game. I want to be able to talk to other basketball minds and just pick their brains about things.”

As a basketball player, Wade is known by fans and coaches for his high “EQ” and prolific scoring, leading the Aggies in points per game last season. But off the hardwood, Wade wishes people knew how much he cares for others. “[I wish others knew] how much I love people,” Wade said. “I’m a people’s person. I want to see everybody do great. I go out of my way to make sure if somebody needs a smile on their face, ‘cause I just know I would want somebody to do that to me. I treat others how I want to be treated, and I just want everybody to be successful in life.”

Kennedy also echoed the same sentiments about her brother.

“He’s a really good person,” Kennedy said. “I honestly think that a lot of Texas A&M followers do know that because a lot of people come to my family after the game and say, ‘He’s great on the court. He shoots the ball well, he does this, he does that, but he’s a very respectful young man.’

He’s very caring. He’s always trying to do something beneficial for the next person, and he definitely would rather see someone else win before him.”

For now, Wade said he intends to fulfill a promise he made to his mom, and get some Aggie hardware — his class ring — and leave A&M with a lasting legacy.

“I made a promise to my mom to graduate from A&M,” Wade said.

“That, and getting my Aggie Ring, winning some games in the NCAA Tournament, trying to get back to that dominant level A&M was at. Just changing the culture. When I leave A&M, I want people to remember me for who I was, what I did to the community and what I did for this school.”

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Night and Day Despite last season, coach Joni Taylor is now armed with a new dynamic roster

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001

Kaili Gaston — THE BATTALION

Head coach Joni Taylor cheers for her team during a game vs.

LSU at Reed Arena on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023.

There’s not much to say about the 2022-23 Texas A&M women’s basketball season other than the fact it’s one that both the Aggies and their fans most likely want to forget.

The final season of the Gary Blair era didn’t exactly go as planned either with a 14-15 record, but coach Joni Taylor was left with a rebuild from the getgo. Blair started almost entirely seniors and graduates, so all that was left for Coach Taylor were unproven, inexperienced players who had yet to see substantial minutes.

There was a lot of hype behind the players Taylor brought in from her recruiting class, and rightfully so, as it included the No. 2 player in the country in Janiah Barker. Unfortunately for the Aggies, just because you’re a top-rated recruit, doesn’t mean you’re at the caliber to go toeto-toe with schools like LSU and South Carolina immediately.

Experience may be one of the most underrated parts of a team’s success. How else are you supposed to acclimate yourself to not only hostile teams, but hostile environments? The fact of the matter is that the 9-20 record in Year 1 of the Taylor era is due in large part to her inheriting one of the most inexperienced teams in the country, having to rely on freshmen to lead the team in one of the most difficult conferences in the country.

It won’t be like that next year.

Disregarding coach Taylor because of the Aggies’ record last season may be a grave mistake that many make this season.

If the recruitment of Barker and Sydney Bowles mean any-

thing, it’s that Taylor can recruit, and with one year under her belt, she’s beginning to flex her muscles this offseason.

The Aggies secured a top-20 recruiting class this offseason, bringing in guard Kylie Marshall — the No. 1 player in Texas — and point guards Sole Williams and Erica Moon, all top-100 recruits.

While highly-rated recruits are crucial, they do not solve the experience issue. This is where Taylor’s transfer class comes in.

If A&M’s recruiting class made a wave, their incoming transfers made a tsunami. The Aggies secured the No. 4 transfer class this offseason, bringing in junior Auburn guard Aicha Coulibaly, senior Oregon guard Endyia Rogers, junior Arizona center Lauren Ware and sophomore Texas guard Kyndall Hunter.

The issue of experience has gone from one of the Aggies biggest weaknesses to potentially one of their biggest strengths.

Rogers was All-Pac 12 First Team the past two years, and Couilbaly was All-SEC Second Team in her last two seasons.

Ware sat out last season after dislocating her patella, but started 24 games as a sophomore. Hunter is the only transfer without major experience. However, she was a top-25 recruit and McDonald’s All American, so I think Aggie fans can forgive her for that.

Taylor has, seemingly overnight, completely overhauled a roster lacking experience and depth — the nine-game stretch last season with only seven players being the glaring indicator of that problem — into a completely different team.

The only question now, as is always the question with explosive transfer classes, is how will they gel with one another? With recruits, sure, it may take longer for them to mesh, but they get those development years to do so. For experienced transfers, the mentality is win and win now.

This means that if players can’t find a groove with one another on the court, it’s all for naught.

It will be up to Coach Taylor to get them ready to play with one another before the first tipoff.

With all of the new roster additions, it may be easy to gloss over last season and look ahead to next, but despite the lackluster record, some good came from it.

Because of the thin roster, both Bowles and Barker started and played more minutes than many other freshmen would, getting more of that aforementioned experience which is so crucial.

Not only did they log extensive minutes, but they both made the SEC All-Freshman team, illustrating just how crucial their contributions were.

Taylor is quickly shifting the culture and expectations around A&M women’s basketball. After going 9-20, she managed to bring in multiple high-end recruits and transfers into the program. This begs the question, who can she bring in with a winning team?

I think that question will be answered sooner rather than later.

15

Shooting2

the stars

‘With the basketball in her hands and her shoes on her feet’

By Ruben Hernandez @battandmuse Prestige is an understatement when it comes to the history and developing legacy of women’s basketball star Janiah Barker.

Janiah harbored awards such as the Florida State Championship in 2022, being the No. 3 Overall recruit in the country and obtaining gold medals with the U16 National Team and the 2021 3x3 U18 World Cup squad. Within the prospects of Texas A&M, she ranked the highest overall recruit in A&M women’s basketball history, won SEC freshman of the week twice, made the SEC All-Freshman Team selection, and gained a career-high of 24 points against Georgia last season — her first game back after missing the previous 10 games.

Janiah’s first introduction to basketball came with the help of her father, Tye Barker, who would become her mentor and coach as she grew into the game.

“My most vivid memory of the first time ever watching basketball would be sitting on [my father’s] lap and watching the Celtics game back when I was about four or five, just something we would always do together,” Janiah said. “He put the ball in my hands, he’s the one who put me where I am now and I just owe a lot to my pops.”

Tye gave a testimonial with great pride yet humility, being overall grateful to the person Janiah is now and the mounting success she has achieved with her skills, talent and people to guide her.

From the start, Tye said he was able to see the fire that was present within Janiah.

“When it came to her just playing the game of basketball, you know, I played the game and I loved the game,” Tye said. “And she was tall! And

18

you know, she’s a daddy’s girl. And she wanted to play the game, she would watch the game all the time. Janiah used to sit there and be like, ‘I’m going to the Olympics.’ She had that mindset in sixth grade” Even with the separation between Janiah living in Texas and her family living in Florida, Janiah said that they’re the main source of support for her career in basketball. Janiah said that their support even extended to sacrificing time, jobs and friends to build the base for her.

“They sacrificed so much for me just to make sure that I was in the right predicament so that there was a ball in my hand and the right people around me were coaching me and making sure that I’d be good enough to go to the next level,” Janiah said. “They are my rocks. This is who I really do it for, for my family.”

Efforts into having Janiah succeed were not simply one way, with her family elevating her and Janiah seemingly going with the flow. Tye said he recalls when Janiah started to exert the same effort she received.

“I remember particularly one day, in the fifth grade — this is when I knew, when we trained every day in the driveway or at a park or worked out every day — and one day, she just couldn’t take it and left,” Tye said. “[I told her] ‘you gotta get through this drill,’ and she got through the drill, and she went inside and I went to work. Came home the next day and she was sitting there with the basketball in her hands and her shoes on her feet, ready to go workout. And that was a pivotal moment for me as a dad, to see that in her, that she’s willing to go through it.”

The fruits of labor are shown in the work and dedication that lines Janiah’s track record. Such actions, however, aren’t meant just for the sake of winning but, as Tye said, to build the character of Janiah both in and out of the hardwood.

“You can see it on the court when she plays, you can see the excitement [and] you [could] see

Luca Yaquinto — THE BATTALION

Freshman F Janiah Barker (2) and Graduate F Aaliyah Patty (32) celebrate during a break during A&M’s game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Reed Arena on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022.

the joy once she loved the game,” Tye said. “So she’s true to what she does and who she is … She’s a selfless person and I love that about her. She’s a very good team player, regardless on or off the court. Whatever the task is, she’s with it.”

When it comes to what factors define the enjoyment of playing basketball, Janiah said that the sisterhood formed between players is what marks her favorite aspect of the sport.

“Growing up, just playing basketball, playing AAU and travel ball, you’re always with your friends and you’re always making memories and these are friends you’re going to have for the rest of your life because y’all hoop together,” Janiah said. “It’s just the camaraderie that I feel is always around. Just to have that sister, that friend you know you all have, you will always have.”

The contributing reason as to Janiah coming to A&M is attributed to coach Joni Taylor, who came from University of Georgia, the same school Janiah was committed to. Once Taylor moved to A&M, Janiah followed without hesitation. The commitment to a coach, Janiah said, comes from the admiration of value and energy that bring out the best in both team and player.

“They just have those core values that I still like and more that I feel like I’ve been growing up around, and just always be in there,” Janiah said. “To this day, even when I go to the facility and I see all the staff members, it just reminds me of a family reunion every day. So it’s something I feel I just want to be around and they constantly do a great job with that.”

A great amount of respect is given to both Taylor and the women’s basketball staff, Janiah said, becoming an extension of Janiah’s family that is so important to her practice in the sport.

“They just have those core values that I still like and more that I feel like I’ve been growing up around, and just always be in there,” Janiah said. “To this day, even when I go to the facility and I see all the staff members, it just reminds me of a family reunion every day. So it’s something I feel I just want to be around and they constantly do a great job with that.”

Even with a league of achievements under her belt, Janiah still has some time at A&M. Janiah said she wants to use that time to continue the standard of greatness and elevate A&M to national triumph.

“I promised Joni a national championship, and that’s something that I feel like would be fulfilled,” Janiah said. “I just feel like she’s the right person to coach the teams to get to there and just choose the right person who deserves it. End of the day, I just want to make sure that we win SEC, win NCAA, whatever the top of the top, that’s my goal.”

Janiah is more than just a list of accomplishments, but a daughter and friend that always finds a way to brighten the room with such ease.

“I’m funny, I have a personality that can attract anybody; it’s very contagious,” Janiah said. “I just feel like, once you get to know me, you know who I am. I’m just a great person that you always want to be around.

I think I’m cool. A lot of my friends, you know, [think I’m] cool, too. I just hope that when people see me off the court, they know that I’m a child of God also, and that I will always be myself no matter what the circumstances are.”

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A&M soccer to kick it in high-gear for 2023 season

By Kylie Stoner @sportsbystoner Thirty one seasons of Aggie soccer, brought to you by coach G Guerrieri.

From top teams in the nation to those never before played, here are some of the things to know before the season starts.

Spring season’s new faces Seven freshmen and two transfers were added to the roster for the 2023 spring matches.

Defenders Bella James, Adysen Armenta, and Margo Matula, midfielders Reese Rupe, Grace Ivey and Ella Goodwin and forward Taylor Jernigan make up the incoming freshman class. Ivey and Goodwin are the only two true freshmen that will suit up for the maroon and white for the first time this fall, as the other five arrived in Aggieland in the Spring.

Rupe’s parents were both All-Americans at A&M, with her mother playing soccer and her father playing baseball.

Matula is a defender like her older sister and teammate, Macy. Earning back-toback Gatorade Florida Player of the Year awards, Ivey looks to show out during her

freshman season.

Transfers in Texas Guerrieri recruited a trio of collegiate transfers as the Aggies look to make up for the graduation of defenders Katie Smith and Karlina Sample, a duo that played in 150 matches between the two of them.

The transfers are highlighted by goalkeeper Grace McClellan from NAIA Keiser University, who comes to A&M with 28 collegiate shutouts in 52 caps after redshirting her freshman season at LSU. With five goals and five assists in her collegiate career, senior forward Jazmine Wilkinson added the fifth goal in a spring match against UTSA. Fifth-year forward Sammy Smith scored 24 goals in her time at Boston College, and during her final season with the Eagles she was the team’s captain.

Key returning players The 2021-22 leading goal scorer for the Aggies remains an asset to the team. Junior Maile Hayes has 17 goals and 10 assists in her career at A&M. The three-time SEC Offensive Player of the Week just in October of 2022 looks to add to her goal tally this upcoming season.

With the very Aggie-like number of 12 shutouts in her career and 173 total saves, fifth-year senior Kenna Caldwell makes her return to the maroon and white’s woodwork. Caldwell started every match last season boasting a 1.18 goals-against average.

Returning to the pitch after a season-ending injury midway through last season, senior Taylor Pounds has started every match she was fit for the Fightin’ Farmers. The midfielder has played 48 matches and netted eight goals during her time on the pitch for the Aggies.

Florida State The Seminoles will travel to Aggieland for a match against the Aggies on Thursday, Aug. 17. Florida State ended its 2022 campaign at No. 2 despite losing in the NCAA semifinals to North Carolina.

A&M has beaten FSU once throughout their eight matches, but that win was the first time the maroon and white played the garnet and gold in October of 1999.

Florida State has 1-0-1 record in College Station.The last match played on Texas soil was in August 2016, when the Aggies lost 1-0. In August 2021, the scoreline stayed the same but in the Sunshine State.

The most recent match in 2021 was won in the 89th minute by the Seminoles’ Clara Robbins as the only goal of the game got past graduate goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell. At the time of the match, Florida State was ranked No. 1.

Baylor The Fish Camp match against Baylor will be on Saturday, Aug. 26. Free admission is given to Fish Campers who attend in their camp shirts.The 15 largest NCAA regular-season attendance records include five Fish Camp matches.

The Aggies have a 14-2-4 record against the Bears, which includes the 11-match win streak against the Waco-based opponent. The streak ended with a scoreless overtime draw in the opponent’s most recent match in September of 2013. In that tie, the player with the most impact was Shea Groom, who now plays professionally for the Houston Dash.

The maroon and white haven’t lost to the green and gold since Bill Clinton’s presidency. The Aggies held a four-match losing streak from 1997 to 2000, and they haven’t lost to the Bears since.

Alabama The Tide will roll into town to play football and fútbol in College Station on Oct. 7 and 8.

While even the most uneducated college football fan can understand the prowess of Alabama football, it should be known to the same effect of their soccer team. The ladies in crimson were defeated in last season’s NCAA semifinals by the national champions, UCLA. Even with their impressive NCAA run compared to the Aggies, the Crimson Tide have a 4-2-8 record against the maroon and white. The last three matches have resulted in a win, draw and loss for the Fightin’ Farmers.

A&M’s last match against Alabama was a 3-0 loss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama last season, and the Aggies have not won at home since their 2-0 victory in October 2017.

Moving forward: From Qatar to College Station

By Kylie Stoner @sportsbystoner From a young age, last season’s leading goal-scorer for Aggie soccer has had a ball at her feet. Maile Hayes wanted to follow in the footsteps of her older brother and sisters, so she began to play on a boys recreational team around the age of three when living overseas in Doha, Qatar.

“I have gotten told multiple times that I play like a boy, which I’m going to take that as a compliment,” Maile said. “I think that has impacted the mindset.”

Playing with boys growing up and being the youngest of four has affected Maile’s competitive edge, according to Maile’s mother, Saundra Hayes.

Being the youngest of four with her eldest three siblings graduating from the University of Texas, Aggie soccer’s Maile has found her home at Texas A&M. Maile was shown A&M soccer from a young age due to her club team, Challenge, playing at Ellis Field when she was younger.

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“It was really cool for me,” Maile said.

“It kind of gave me the motivation to go there because it was the first school that I really saw and appreciated. What made me choose it was kinda the dream that I was working hard to go there, and you felt that you’ve accomplished one of your life goals.”

The junior forward attended an Aggie soccer match during the 2014 season with her club team, where she walked out with Olympian Annie Kunz. During the match, the then 10-year-old Maile, told her mother that she aspired to play at A&M. “When she got to walk her out and came back out she said, ‘Mommy, I want to go to school here,’” Saundra said. “I kind of brushed it off.”

Unsure if her daughter possessed the talents at the time to play collegiately, Saundra advised Maile to put effort into her playing. It took until Maile was in middle school for her mother to feel strongly that she could make it. As her talents improved, her competitive nature and passion for the game never waivered, according to Saundra.

A family friend of Maile’s family, Gary Greensage, noted she had the abilities to

play at the nation’s top soccer programs, but the Spring native chose A&M. Maile made her decision to commit to A&M in the ninth grade, but before her commitment, she visited top soccer schools in the University of North Carolina and Duke.

Greensage has taken on a mentoring relationship with Maile. He came into her life through his daughter, Morgan Greensage, a former club teammate of Maile that currently plays soccer at Baylor.

“She looked at me when she came back from her visit [to the University of Texas] and said, ‘I can’t go there … I need it to be a pure soccer field,’” Greensage said.

Gary gives great respect to coach G Guerrieri for his recruiting efforts and respect for the game. Due to Texas’ Mike Myers Stadium use as a dual-use complex containing both track and field and soccer, it didn’t appeal to Maile. A&M’s single-sport complex, Ellis Field, was built in 1994 — one year after the creation of Aggie soccer.

With her underclassman years in the rearview mirror, Maile said she looks back on her early seasons and looks forward to using her expertise to assist her teammates.

“It feels like I just got there,” Maile noted. “I think it’s good because now I have a

lot more experience, so I can use this and propel everyone forward.”

For her junior season, Maile is most looking forward to the Florida State match at Ellis Field. Her confidence in herself and her team shines through her choice in opponents to anticipate due to FSU’s impressive talents and ranking.

“That’s definitely a big one because that was actually my first game as an Aggie,” Maile said. “I think it’s cool to see the difference, and they are going to be a different team than what they’ve been in the past. I think it’ll just be cool to kinda have a rematch and see where I’ve grown.”

Once her time at A&M comes to an end, Maile has her eyes set on playing professionally. European leagues have a specific appeal to the 2022 All-SEC First Team striker. She described the attractiveness of competing with and against people of varying cultures and backgrounds. Those close to her believe in her potential to continue playing past college.

“Greatness for Maile is still coming; she hasn’t reached her full potential yet, but it’s coming,” Greensage added.

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Leaping for the Fences

Equestrian Devon Thomas’ path to the saddle

By Noe Canchola @NCanch1

In the midst of collegiate athletics hides a sport where nerve and precision are required while maneuvering near-ton animals under scrutiny from spectators and judges.

According to her teammates and coaches, this is where senior equestrian Devon Thomas shines.

“I kind of just say it’s another day in the office,” Thomas said. “I don’t really get anxious or nervous about anything.”

Thomas’ journey began in the small suburban town of Millburn, New Jersey.

Originating from an athletic family, Thomas had a short stint playing soccer, but it was horse riding that ignited her passion, leading her to start competing.

“I finally had my own horse that I was leasing, and I began to compete in the Arabian Circuit,” Thomas said. “It was very unique and different from anything else. To me, it was everything. They have a little youth national championship, and I went into my very first year competing and I won two national championships, which was huge at the time.”

Even though the equestrian world demands extensive travel and financial commitments, Thomas attributes her mother in particular as an unwavering pillar of support, making sure she never missed a horse show.

“Not many know the capacity of how

heavy the travel of the sport of equestrian is,” Thomas said. “My mom was my biggest supporter because if something was not feasible price-wise, she would always find a place for me to stay. She would always make it work.”

Thomas attended the majority of high school online so she could hone her skills and talents for the next level. She regularly traveled so she could compete in the Equestrian Festival, where she won multiple equitation classes in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, coach Abby O’Mara began to recruit Thomas to A&M because she heard positive words from senior Alex Desiderio, an equestrian athlete at A&M at the time who was riding with Thomas.

“I remember liking her immediately,” O’Mara said. “We had an instant connection because we are both from New Jersey, and she was a phenomenal rider.

It was just great and our relationship has always been great ever since then. I knew she would be an amazing addition to the team.”

Once signing day came around, it was an easy decision for Thomas.

“I knew I wanted to go to an SEC school just because I know that the conferences have a lot of powerhouses,” Thomas said. “I knew [A&M] had the funding and the facilities, and it made me more interested in committing. I made it official and decided to attend A&M.” Transitioning from New Jersey to Texas was not without its challenges, but Thomas found a strong friend and teammate in senior Alexis Ortiz, whom she eventually became roommates and best friends with.

“I think we are both a little shy, of course, but we instantly got along really

well,” Ortiz said. “She’s super easy to get along with. I knew that she was someone I wanted to be friends with and someone I was looking forward to being teammates with, and I knew that she was a great rider.

Thomas attributes her success at A&M to her teammates and coaching staff. Although she may not be the most outspoken member on the team, Thomas said she believes actions speak louder than words.

“Something that people do not realize is the amount of work Devon puts in to be a double starter,” Ortiz said. “Devon starts on the flat and in fences, which is really difficult. I give her a lot of credit for that because it is not easy balancing a heavy academic course load and team obligations.

During her sophomore season in 2021-22, Thomas experienced her most successful campaign at A&M when she achieved a 4-1 postseason record. This performance earned her a spot in the national meet and the honor of being named to the NCEA All-Championship Team in Fences.

“Every time she competes, I feel like I can take a breath,” O’Mara said. “I know that Devon is going to get it done, and whether she wins the point or not, she’s going to give it her best and ride her horse to the best of her ability. She wants to be in those moments. She wants to be successful and will always give it 100%.”

On a more personal level, Thomas is known for her reserved nature; however, those like Ortiz, who have gotten to know her, can attest that there is never a dull moment in her company. Reflect-

ing on their college experience together, Ortiz expressed gratitude for the twist of fate that brought them together.

“I am really lucky that I ended up having Devon as a roommate because it was honestly completely random,” Ortiz said.

“I didn’t know her at all before coming to school, so I am grateful that coach Abby [O’Mara] recruited us both and that we ended up here. I could not think of a better person to have, not only as a teammate but as a roommate and best friend.”

As Thomas enters her fourth year at A&M, her focus is set on the upcoming season. However, she has bigger plans for the future. She intends to exercise her fifth year of eligibility, which will afford her the opportunity to continue riding for another season. Beyond her equestrian journey, Thomas is thinking about the path that lies ahead.

“I can’t really picture my life without horses, but at the moment, I see myself graduating and then going to [Physician Assistant] school,” Thomas said. “I hope to come back to the Northeast. New Jersey is my home and that is where all the beaches are and I am also 30 minutes from New York City.You kind of get the best of both worlds up there.”

As Thomas’ time at A&M nears its conclusion, she has a singular aspiration as an A&M student-athlete.

“Being an All-American would be amazing, but I am starting to realize that there is more to that,” Thomas said. “I want to be an example that my coaches talk about to student-athletes. There are certain girls that they talk about, and I just want to be one of them.”

29

Comeback Kid

Junior’s lane for overcoming obstacles, returning to the top

By Justin Chen @chen_justin_

30

Home is where the heart is. For Munzy Kabbara, home is in the water.

Just a few years ago, the junior swimmer was on top of the world.

Kabbara represented his home country of Lebanon on the world’s biggest stage: the 2020 Olympics. On top of that, he broke Lebanon’s national records in the 200-meter backstroke, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400-meter individual medley.

It all came crashing down when he suffered a back injury that sidelined him for his sophomore year.

“For me, this felt like the end of the world, and I thought I would never be the same athlete that I once was,” Kabbara wrote in an Instagram post about the injury.

Now, with newfound motivation, he’s looking to bounce back better than ever.

After being unsuccessful at other sports, Kabbara said that he felt home in the water whenever he began swimming.

“The reason I started swimming was because I was so uncoordinated at every other sport,” Kabbara said.

“Swimming was the only thing that stuck with me, and I kind of felt natural in it. As soon as I hit the water, I had [an] instant response to it, and I just felt like I was made for swimming.”

Kabbara’s family has supported him since the start of his career, particulary his dad. Kabbara’s father has been to all his meets, whether Kabarra finished first or dead last.

“My dad has been [my] No. 1 supporter and has gone to every meet, even when I was number 23 out of 23,” Kabbara said. “He’s always been there [to support me], as well as my family in general.”

After rising to be one of Lebanon’s top swimmers, Kabbara proudly represented his country in the 2020 Olympics.

“It was a surreal experience,” Kabbara said. “I’ve watched every

single opening ceremony since 2008 and to be a part of it in 2020 was insane. It was one of the greatest feelings ever. You see all the years and years of work that you put [into] your craft and to have it all pay off at the end. Very few people can say that they went to the Olympics, and it was just an awesome experience all around.”

By making it to the Olympics, the years of sacrificing everyday things, like time with friends, paid off for Kabbara, who made sure to soak it all in.

“I wasn’t worried about racing or performing, obviously the day [of the races] I was,” Kabbara said. “It was more of like, I need to take this in because you never know when your last race can be. I missed out on a lot of things in life [like] parties, friends [and] girlfriends. I’ve given up a lot and [being in the Olympics] made it all worth it.”

Transitioning to his freshman year, the new levels of conditioning and training on top of increasing back pain led to some initial struggles.

“It all made sense once we got the report the summer after his freshman year about his back issue and how [severe] it actually was,” head coach Jay Holmes said. “[It] made sense to us on why he struggled his freshman year.”

Despite the injury, Kabbara pushed through the pain during practices and meets and qualified for NCAA Championships.

“He still qualified for NCAAs as a freshman, so it’s not like he had a bad year,” Holmes said. “There’s not a lot of freshmen that make it to NCAAs, and he was one of the few that did.”

After having back surgery following the end of his freshman year, Kabbara said that he had to face mental battles during his recovery process, specifically if a return to the Olympics was in his future.

“That’s what upset me last year.

Will I make this next Olympic team, and will I even be able to swim at this next Olympics?” Kabbara said.

“It’s a difficult hurdle to get over after having the surgery because you feel like you might never be the same [and] the doctors tell you that you’ll never be the same swimmer or the same athlete that you were [before].”

Kabbara said he continues to stay positive by telling himself that he’s going to be better than he was before and will reach a point where he feels like a stronger athlete. However, he believes that the mental process was his biggest obstacle at first, but once he got over it, it was smooth sailing.

“You see the drawbacks and all the obstacles in the way and they’re all right in front of you,” Kabbara said. “You can see every hurdle you have to get over. It’s such a difficult thing, but you just go one hurdle at a time, it’s a lot easier and a lot more fun. I enjoy the [recovery] process; it’s more than just racing and doing good. The mental struggle was definitely hard to get over, but once I was in the clear, it’s like I don’t even remember having the surgery or being in a state in which I couldn’t move.”

Giving back to the community in College Station is something that is emphasized by Kabbara’s coaches.

Associate head coach Jason Calanog said community service is one of the building blocks of success for the athletes.

“It’s just an important part to give back because swimming is only one aspect of life,” Calanog said. “Academics is one aspect, family is one aspect and giving back is another aspect that is important to us coaches to serve the people.”

Kabbara has fully embraced the community service message, giving back whenever he can to Aggie Achieve, a comprehensive transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have exited high school. He said

that giving back to Aggie Achieve is both fun and a motivation to be better.

“Aggie Achieve, for me personally, is what made me want to swim faster,” Kabbara said. “It made me want to be a better athlete. I’ve always loved community involvement.

Coaches Jay Holmes and Jason Calanog definitely instilled community social responsibility in us. I can say that [community work] is my fun.

It’s funny because a lot of people want to go to beaches, want to go to places, but for me, spending time with Aggie Achieve is my fun. They make my weekends a ton better, and they make my days off on swimming so much better.”

The program features many mentors to help students in the program with different parts of life. The mentors can help with everyday tasks such as health and fitness, planning out lunch and dinner, academic planning and life planning. Helpers can also be a member at large, rotating between groups of students, as Kabbara does.

“The day where they reveal the students [of the program], and the mentors is probably one of the greatest days [I’ve had],” Kabbara said.

“You can see the pure excitement and joy from the students and they’re so happy to be a part of something bigger than them.”

Kabbara said the program is new and that being a part of the program’s first graduating class was a great feeling.

“The program basically just started in Texas,” Kabbara said. “It’s first senior class graduated this past May and walked the stage. Being a part of a lot of firsts in this program is also one of the biggest pluses in being in Aggie Achieve. [The students] got their Aggie rings, got to walk the stage and you get to appreciate the little things in life whenever you see people being happy like that.”

31

By Dan Hung The Battalion is a campus staple at Texas A&M with a unique history, not unlike the university in which it lives. As a kid, I remember coming to campus with my dad, studying for my SATs and looking through the latest issue of The Battalion together before his first class. It took me a long time to share this campus with him again.

I spent five years after high school working in sales and marketing before I became an Aggie. In the midst of transferring my credits to A&M in the spring of 2022, now former-President M. Katherine Banks attempted to shut down the print side of our publication. One of the primary reasons we continued to print was because our publication was and remains 100% advertiser and donation supported. Advertisement sales have traditionally been a university advisor responsibility, and our advisor tendered his resignation at the end of that spring semester. It took over a year for a replacement to be named.

In that time, The Battalion needed someone to fill a role that had not been commissioned to a student for nearly two decades.

In my application, I wrote that it would be an “honor” to join this publication.

Now I see it as providence. Every sale I ever made in my life led me to The Battalion and the distinct moment in its history where it needed me most. I am proud to report that the business desk celebrated its highest grossing year in recorded history and saw over 50% revenue growth from the 2021-22 calendar. This is also the highest grossing Fall Sports Preview in Battalion history. This magazine represents the beginning of the end of my service and everything I wanted to leave behind.

To the advertisers, there are no words spoken or printed that can properly capture how much The Battalion owes you.

Independent student journalism is a worthy endeavor. We are one of the only student publications left in the country that

32

LETTER

from the

BUSINESS MANAGER

still prints on a weekly basis. Over a calendar year, you allow us to get over 225,000 copies of print media out to the student population free of charge.

Award-winning articles, designs and photos can all be found in our paper directly next to your business, who made it all possible. Nobody owns The Battalion.There are no investors or shareholders to satisfy with our sales. Every dollar spent goes back into the paper through traveling budgets for national coverage, new camera equipment for photographers, updated hardware for designers and payroll for students on staff. Our team of paid writers, editors, photographers and graphic designers encompasses over 80 students who all aspire to build upon our university’s history. The Battalion’s 130 years of service on this campus are due to your efforts and generosity. The campus community is eternally grateful for your enduring faith in print advertising.

To the readers, there is an old letterhead that occasionally still gets used in our paper that reads “Patronize our advertisers, they make this paper possible.

Published weekly by the students of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.” Your readership and loyalty is the key to the cycle of advertising and funding this newspaper needs to survive.

While most universities no longer value their student media, ours tells a different story. Our university takes pride in tradition and that has been reflected in the community’s support of this publication. When you went to your New Student Conference and read the Maroon Life while waiting in line, you were maintaining our traditions. When you stopped by our stands and held up pages that read “BTHO BAMA” you were maintaining our traditions. When you spoke out, tweeted, wrote letters, you made your voices known while The Battalion was under threat, you were maintaining our traditions. I never want you to forget that for 130 years and forevermore this newspaper will be made by you, for you and delivered to you.

It has been an honor. By providence, this was an opportunity to serve the university, the students, the faculty, the alumni and maybe, just like me, even some other professor’s kid.

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