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Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief
Hudson Elkjer, Executive Editor
Ayla Francis, Managing Editor
Olivia Ingram, Art Director
Quentin Deming, Photography Director
Sydney Hale, Social Media Manager
Brianna Buffalo, Assoc. Social Media Manager
Macy Richardson, Event Head
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Adriano Espinosa
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Business and Distribution
Hayden Arevalo
Hamsini Mahadevan
Those who follow college athletics closely may already be aware of the numerous court cases and settlements surrounding the issue of “name, image and likeness” compensation for college athletes. Those who don’t may have learned about it for the first time this summer, which has seen several major developments involving NIL rights and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA. Most recently, President Trump’s executive order entitled “Saving College Sports” addressed the issue on a national level. As NCAA regulations surrounding NIL payments continue to change, universities including Texas A&M are paying close attention and beginning to create strategies to adapt.
By Lucy Belcik, Staff Writer
The issue of compensation for college student athletes has been in the headlines for more than a decade. Beginning with an antitrust lawsuit initially filed in 2009 by former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon, many cases have been opened involving NIL rights and college athletes. The landmark 2021 Supreme Court case Alston v. NCAA upheld a lower court’s decision that the NCAA’s restrictions on compensation for college athletes violated antitrust laws. This case opened the door for individual universities and conferences to loosen rules regarding NIL compensation and benefits for college athletes.
Another major case, House v. NCAA, was finally settled this June and allows colleges to dispense funds of up to $20.5 million to athletes who have played since 2016. This is in response to athletes who felt that they were due funds they were unable to receive prior to the ruling in 2021.
Alongside this settlement finally taking effect, the College Sports Commission was created, as well as the launch of a portal called NIL GO. The portal will help ensure athletes are entering into compensation deals that are considered “fairmarket.” Prior to the creation of this portal, athletes were essentially able to enter into whichever deals they chose; now any compensation deal with a student athlete must pass through the portal before being approved.
2014 JUNE 2020 JUNE 2O21
O’Bannon v. NCAA decided, finds that NCAA’s restrictions on NIL compensation for student athletes violated antitrust laws.
House v. NCAA case initially filed.
Supreme Court case Alston v. NCAA decided, allowing athletes to begin directly receiving NIL payments.
Fair-market NIL deals come from third-party entities outside of the athlete’s university. These deals cannot be “pay-to-play” deals (where an athlete is compensated simply for being on a team) or involve revenue shared with university ticket sales or concessions. A lack of overarching guardrails meant that athletes were free to enter into whichever deals they wanted to since 2021, regardless of whether or not they met this standard.
With the creation of NIL GO, large universities are now working to build tools to help student athletes find these kinds of deals more easily, including A&M. Any fair-market deals that athletes can find that pass through the NIL GO portal don’t factor into the $20.5 million distribution cap and are ultimately beneficial for both athletes and A&M.
A&M athletic director Trev Alberts spoke about developing strategies to find fair-market NIL deals in an interview with KBTX news this June. Alberts said that A&M’s ability to find these deals for its athletes may be what makes A&M a top choice for prospective student athletes nationwide.
In February of this year, A&M entered into a 15-year multimedia rights deal with Playfly Sports. The company bills itself as “the sport’s industry-leading revenue maximizer.” The contract is intended to help the university in its strategy to find fairmarket deals for student athletes.
The issue remains prevalent nationwide. This July, President Trump issued an executive order that called for an end to pay-to-play deals with athletes and for clarification on the employment status of college athletes. The order generally calls for rule-making authority to be handed back to the NCAA instead of individual state legislatures and courts.
The topic of college sports is prominent in Washington, where the SCORE Act, backed by House Republicans, is currently being pushed through committee. The act would consolidate the current patchwork of state laws regarding NIL compensation by stating that individual colleges and universities establish their own guidelines as well as grant some antitrust rights to the NCAA. While it mostly aligns with the House settlement, some are concerned that parts of the act will restrict the freedoms of student athletes and hand over too much power to the NCAA.
While the act will likely meet opposition if it reaches the Senate, its progress through committee is important. It seems that those in Washington are now prioritizing helping college sports sort out issues that have since been handled at the state and local levels with mixed results.
The topic of compensation for name, image and likeness deals in college sports is an ongoing conversation and will certainly generate more headlines in the next few months. At the very least, President Trump’s executive order and the SCORE Act indicate more federal action regarding the issue. What it means for student athletes at Texas A&M remains to be seen.
Texas A&M signs multimedia rights deal with Playfly Sports.
House v. NCAA settlement made active, allows colleges to directly pay athletes back-pay damages for those who couldn’t benefit from NIL payments previously. Created College Sports Commission, NIL GO portal to better govern fair-market NIL deals.
President Trump’s executive order “Saving College Sports” signed.
Quiet focus and dedicated precision mark a team like no other. With a roster of 10 talented players lined up for the 2025-26 season, these athletes are ready to make history both on and off the course.
While the spotlight often shines on scorecards and tournament schedules, the heart behind the team members reveals what it takes to compete at this level of sport. Three athletes from Texas A&M’s women’s golf team share their experience being on the team, their path to the collegiate level and what holistic goals are driving them as they enter the 2025-26 season.
Many athletes are introduced to sports at a young age by their families, and what starts as a family activity can grow into a personal passion. Junior Sky Sudberry started one such journey when she first picked up a club at the age of four. What started with childhood tournaments grew to liking and taking the sport seriously.
“I think when maybe I was 11 or 12, I realized what we were doing and actually loved the sport. I am old enough to understand all the amazing things that it can bring to me,” Sudberry said. “So that’s when I really took it upon myself to start practicing on my own, working hard and working toward the goal of being a college golfer.”
What began as childhood passion has now evolved into competitive drive. With years of expertise now behind Sudberry, she enters the season with meaningful excitement. One of the tournaments she’s looking forward to the most is the team’s opening game at Pebble Beach.
“Pebble Beach, California: It’s awesome and super iconic in the golf community,” Sudberry said. “It was my first college tournament ever, and I played there my freshman year … it’s just like a dream, it’s so beautiful.”
The excitement for their debut course is matched by the arrival of the new members of this years’ roster. With a diverse group of players bringing fresh perspectives and new styles, the team strives for unity and a shared purpose.
“With 10 girls this year, it’s a lot of different personalities coming together and so far it’s worked really well,” Sudberry said. “Our coaches do a great job of enforcing the culture and upholding the Aggie values and really representing A&M well in the most important things that we do. I think we all feel like sisters.”
Behind each incredible team, there is a coaching staff honing not only athletic skills but also personal growth. For senior Mia Nixon, the guidance she has received on the team has shaped her mindset and built a strong, mental resilience with the sport.
“The coaches do a good job of lifting you up. Golf is such a hard game; you lose more than you win,” Nixon said. “I feel like you have
By Maryhelen Guerrero, Staff Writer
to keep your head on straight, and our resources here are great with sport psychologists, and the coaches have a lot of good insight on how to remain positive.”
In her last year, Nixon reflects on her past achievements, including making a hole-in-one at a Pebble Beach tournament and claiming memorable victories with her team.
“Coming to college and having a team that you can actually have some camaraderie with has been really beneficial,” Nixon said. “Especially being a senior, cherishing every moment with my team and enjoying every time I have left.”
For players coming from overseas, the transition to college golf is layered with adjustments to a new culture, too. For junior Cayetana Fernandez, golf has been part of her life since she could hold a club, and despite being away from Spain, she has found a home away from home at A&M.
“I know it’s something hard, but for me it’s something I chose to do and all the resources that I get sometimes, it’s crazy … all the opportunities we get while we do something that we love,” Fernandez said.
As one of the few Aggies who earned a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Fernandez knows firsthand the level of dedication it takes to get there. Competing on that stage only strengthened her motivation to give 100% each day at practice, she said. She plans to fulfill her dream since age five to be a professional golf athlete.
“My idea is that as soon as I finish my studies, that’s one thing I want to do for sure, is I want to finish and graduate over here. My sister is a professional; she already plays golf. So I think I’m probably going to want to follow in her steps,” Fernandez said. “I want to try for at least the first five years to play golf.”
No matter where the game may be, the support from the Aggie community is a steady certainty.
“We had a lot of family and friends there, and when Natalie was the first off on Friday, it was loud. That was probably the loudest I’ve ever heard at first tee for us for just a regular season event. So she’s about to hit, and you just hear the whoops and cheering behind. It kind of startled me because we’re in California,” coach Chadwell said in a recent press conference.
The new members on the team have brought their A-game to the opening tournament at Pebble Beach in the first week of September.
“Those young ladies have played a lot of golf, but the interesting thing this week was a lot of firsts just from the team standpoint. How we are around them in a practice round, how we’re around them on a golf course, there’s things that we do before and in some ways you kind of have to conform with the team and go with the flow,” coach Chadwell said.
AmplifyU secures a better tomorrow for
The crown jewel of a student athlete’s career has to be when they star in a game-winning play, final seconds ticking down for whatever famous professional team they’ve been drafted to, all the watching worlds’ hopes riding on them. In their shining moment, they glory in the bright lights and cheering masses, knowing this is the destiny for all Texas A&M athletes … or at least, that would be the dream.
As dazzling as playing with the pros seems, the reality is most college athletes won’t pursue that picturesque dream to its end. What happens when life’s paths tangle and twist, NIL deals fall through and athletes decide to chase more than one dream? The good news is: the drive, dedication and discipline they’ve daily trained will smoothly lift them into leading careers. The better news is: A&M has a program to prepare them well for their future debut in the business world.
AmplifyU began with a need, brought to light around August of 2021. Dr. Janet Parish, director of the Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute, along with some colleagues from athletics and law, met with a former student turned sports attorney, Alex Sinatra. She was distraught over recent NIL deals and up-and-coming athletes’ lack of knowledge surrounding NIL law. The idea of implementing education tailored to student athletes began rolling.
A couple of months later, Dr. Parish recounts meeting with Chris Valletta, Class of 200 1and former offensive lineman for the Aggies. As a now successful business leader, Valletta’s ideas for
a new program would equip student athletes for future business careers, especially since the nature of athletics gears them toward hard work and lofty opportunities.
These pressing needs for proper education molded into a plan, and boot camps teaching these skillsets sprang to life over the next several years. As momentum and interest built, A&M Athletics commissioned a full-semester course.
Dr. Parish and Johnna Melton made this vision a reality through co-founding AmplifyU, a course for student athletes powered by the Student-Athlete Engagement Program and Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute. Their program is stocked with opportunities from former athlete panels to guest lectures to team sessions with the Mays Business School staff.
“No matter when or how they choose to enter the business world, whether that’s because they have NIL deals now or because they’re going to retire from sports 15 years from now, we’re giving them the knowledge, framework, tools and most importantly a network to translate into that business career in the future,” Dr. Parish said.
The semester class of around 50 students serves as an elective for typically business, agricultural leadership and sport management students. However, its purpose caters to any athletes looking to foster business connections and skillsets. Freshmen, upperclassmen and transfer students are all welcome even as they plan according to their different academic timelines.
“I would say the upperclassmen put in more effort to make
By Ayla Francis, Managing Editor
connections with the former athletes and try to build their Aggie network to prepare for what their next steps are going to be,” Melton said. “So we’re really trying to plant the seed in the mind of freshmen that the earlier you can start planning for your future, the easier it will be for yourself.”
The future-oriented heart of AmplifyU has encouraged Aggie athletes to invest in their endeavors of tomorrow now and encouraged alumni to bring back their stories of success. Melton said one of the program’s most unique factors is how many former athletes come back to pour their time into teaching and advising.
“We have a contract negotiation class that’s taught by former football player Matt Joeckel, who’s currently a lawyer, and then Matt Douglas, who’s also a former football player – he does a lot of negotiations at his job at Stryker,” Melton said.
Other featured classes include a former athlete discussion by Michael de la Torre, personal branding by Katy and Logan Lee, digital presence and LinkedIn by Mark Peppercorn and many other courses and workshops from beloved alumni athletes.
Melton said some of the students’ biggest takeaways come from their personal finance class, where students take a look at their budgeting and watch where they are spending without often realizing it. They also hone personal strengths through social and even dining etiquette along with lifelong practices in professionalism.
“We also meet the education requirements for NIL law with
this class, and so we cover: Who are you holistically as a person? And let’s do some smart things with our money, manage our debt, and manage our wealth,” Dr. Parish said. “So then when we have all these other opportunities like licensing or NIL or entrepreneurship or additional education, we’re in a position to maximize all that.”
By choosing not to outsource NIL education, Mays Business School mentors invest directly into A&M’s student athletes by laying out the paths before them clearly and preparing them for each one. The dream of launching educated and well-rounded athletes into their futures has come true and continues to grow as AmplifyU enters its second year in full swing. Both founders said they have big plans for the program and look forward to seeing the success it will bring their initial and upcoming graduates.
“Our favorite thing to hear hands down is when a former student says, “I wish this program had been there when I was there”,” Dr. Parish said. “And we hear that from every former athlete we talk to, even the ones that graduated from Mays Business School and have been extremely successful.”
“I’m really excited about this program, and I’m excited to see how far it’s come from the first workshop that we put on,” Melton said. “Everyone who volunteers their time to take part in the class is really looking for the success of all of these student athletes and really trying to help them take the next step … and it’s really wonderful to be a part of that.”
Coach Bucky McMillan takes over as A&M basketball goes into next season with only one returning player
During the tenure of former Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams, the 12th Man got used to a knock-down, drag-out defense-andrebounding-first style of basketball.
It did produce results. The Aggies made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances to end Williams’ tenure in Aggieland before he left to take over at Maryland. This past season, the Maroon and White ranked 10th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency and topped the leaderboard in offensive rebounding percentage.
But A&M never could get past the first weekend of March Madness under Williams. So athletic director Trev Alberts wanted something radically different — and he sure got it in Samford coach Bucky McMillan.
“I thought this was a great opportunity to look at every aspect of our program, and how do we modernize it?” Alberts said at McMillan’s introductory press conference. “How do we modernize our approach to the game? How do we modernize our roster development? … How do we create championship-level basketball?”
McMillan’s innovative offensive style of play — dubbed “Bucky Ball” by fans and media alike — has produced championships before. But that’s not the only reason Aggie fans should be excited.
“It’s great to win, and we’re certainly going to win, but it’s also supposed to be entertainment,” McMillan said at his introductory presser. “And you’re going to be entertained the way that we play.”
Bucky Ball by the numbers
After playing college basketball himself at Birmingham-Southern, McMillan entered the coaching field at the prep level, coaching at Mountain Brook High School outside of Birmingham, Alabama.
It was there that he first developed his unique philosophy, focusing on quickly shooting three-pointers on offense and running a full-court press on defense.
“When I went from being a JV coach to a varsity coach, people would say ‘Well the way you play, that’s not going to work at the varsity level,’” McMillan said when he was introduced as head coach. “Or ‘When you go to AAU to JV, I don’t know if y’all can play that fast. Y’all play a little different.’ And certainly, when I went from high school to college, it was the same sentiment.”
It carried McMillan to a total of five Alabama state championships while at Mountain Brook, before he was offered the head coaching job at Samford, a small school in the Southern Conference with just a brief run of basketball success around the turn of the millennium.
McMillan’s system made the jump from the high school level to Division I effectively — and then some. The Bulldogs took home SoCon regular season titles in 2023 and 2024, and made the NCAA Tournament in 2024 as a 13 seed, where they took four-seed Kansas down to the wire before losing due to a sketchy-at-best foul call.
But more impressive than the number of titles is the statistical ins-and-outs of McMillan’s system. In 2024, the Bulldogs ranked eighth in the nation in adjusted tempo, 10th in steal percentage and fourth in three-point shooting percentage. Shoot quick, press hard, get steals and repeat.
Keep in mind, all of this is at a low-major school in the SoCon. Now, McMillan is charged with adapting his system to the Southeastern Conference with SEC levels of talent.
He’s had to bring in an almost entirely new roster to do it.
McMillan was hired in early April, late in the coaching carousel. And with just one player from the Williams era returning — sophomore
forward
Chris McDermott, who saw very limited playing time in his first season in Aggieland — he was forced to work the transfer portal to put together a group of contenders.
And work it he did. The Aggies’ first roster of the McMillan era is a bit of a motley crew — grad transfers, players
By Ian Curtis, The Battalion Editor-in-Chief
on their third school, and European products — but it’s a crew with talent for sure.
Aggie fans might be familiar with a pair of former Texas Tech Red Raiders in junior guard Pop Isaacs and graduate forward Federiko Federiko.
Isaacs landed at Creighton last season after nearly committing to A&M after leaving Texas Tech for his first transfer, and averaged 16.3
points per game for the Bluejays before a season-ending injury early in the year. He’s projected to lead the Aggies’ starting lineup by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
Federiko, a 6-foot-11 forward from Helsinki, Finland, will be the big man on campus. In last season’s December matchup between the Aggies and Red Raiders, Federiko had seven points and six rebounds while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.
Though the 3-ball is what might grab the 12th Man’s attention, Indiana transfer junior forward Mackenzie Mgbako looks to pair with Fedriko and give the Aggies an elite frontcourt.
McMillan has added a litany of solid guards to the Aggies’ roster, from North Alabama transfer and two-time all-Atlantic Sun senior Jacari Lane to Kansas transfer and senior Rylan Griffin to European product sophomore Rubén Dominguez, straight out of Spain.
Nobody outside of the Aggies’ coaching staff knows who the stars will be, but even they don’t need to know that yet. The good thing for Aggie fans is that McMillan just wants his guys to do what they need to do on any given night.
“Maybe you have somebody that wants to score 20 points, but we say, ‘Man, we need you to score seven points and be an elite rebounder,’” McMillan said when he was introduced as the Aggies’ head coach. “Maybe it’s somebody that wants to be an offensive player, but they need to be a defensive player. But everybody in our organization must give up things that they may want to accomplish if we’re going to have a successful unit on that basketball court.”
“I don’t do it for the awards; I don’t do it for the fame; I just do it for the love of the game … I just want people to see me or see my name and know that she always worked hard — she always played hard for the name on her chest ... to that standard of excellence that A&M upholds.”
ver the past four seasons, senior middle blocker Ifenna CosOkpalla has built more than just stats; she’s curated a name for herself founded on a reputation of leadership on and off the court.
As her time in Aggieland comes to an end, Cos-Okpalla reflected on her notable collegiate career and lasting legacy.
“My senior season has already started,” Cos-Okpalla said. “It’s kind of bittersweet, but I’m also just taking it all in. … I’m really glad that it was with this group of girls, with this coaching staff, because the past two and a half [to] three years have just honestly been the best.”
Cos-Okpalla said head coach Jamie Morrison has been a key factor in teaching her to grow both as a player and a person.
“I’ve definitely become more of a leader on the court,” Cos-Okpalla said. “I enjoy having that kind of role where people can look to me for help or assistance or just whenever they’re having a rough time.”
As for this season, Cos-Okpalla hopes the team continues to hone their skills, deepen their chemistry with one another, and remain true to themselves. Personally, she plans to continue improving her own skills and looking to the future.
“When we do focus on us and what we’re good at and what we know, we usually do very well,” Cos-Okpalla said. “Personally, [I’m] using this as a stepping block into playing professionally. This is my last year of collegiate play … I won’t really get anything else between this season and pro. So just also kind of using that to continue to
get better at the sport.”
Cos-Okpalla’s success and impact extends far beyond the courts of Reed Arena. Her performance in the U23 Pan American Cup earned her the title of tournament MVP, and she returned home as a champion with team USA. Her time there taught her many lessons and was a formative experience, she said.
“I learned a lot there that I feel already has kind of translated into my play here,” Cos-Okpalla said. “I’m playing for something bigger than myself, even bigger than A&M. Representing the United States was a big blessing. If you told me even a year ago that would happen, I wouldn’t believe you.”
Playing against teams from different countries has given Cos-Okpalla new insight on the intricacies of the game. It’s important to stay prepared for the diverse styles of play and different tactics of other teams, she said.
“There’s a lot of good volleyball teams, and they don’t all win the same way … but I think again that takes me back to the point of playing like us, and I think we just take care of business regardless.”
Cos-Okpalla has played a role in shaping the future of Aggie volleyball, and her influence will transcend far beyond her time here. She said she hopes those who come after her will continue to uphold that standard not only for themselves but for the volleyball program and Aggie athletics as a whole.
“I think it really just starts with you,” Cos-Okpalla said. “Setting myself to that standard every day and making sure that I’m doing things that uphold that standard, whether it be staying on top of my sleep, hydration, nutrition, practice … so that when [teammates] see you giving 100%, it’s easier for them to want to do the same thing and in turn, the whole team comes up.”
Coach Morrison has done an excellent
job at upholding a standard of excellence, Cos-Okpalla said, and this program is primed for continued success.
“I just know that this program is going to continue to go up and up and up, even long after I’m gone,” Cos-Okpalla said. “One of the main reasons I came to this school is I didn’t want to go to a school that already had all the names and the honors and the awards and everything like other big schools. I wanted to be part of a program that became something like that, and I think in my time here we’ve definitely started that.”
Cos-Okpalla said it’s important to find your “why” and to soak up every moment possible because although four years may seem long, they fly by way too quickly. Her motivation has helped her push through, especially when times get tough.
“I’m intrinsically driven,” Cos-Okpalla said. “I don’t do it for the awards, I don’t do it for the fame, I just do it for the love of the game … I just want people to see me or see my name and know that she always worked hard, she always played hard for the name on her chest ... to that standard of excellence that A&M upholds.”
Cos-Okpalla said she doesn’t regret choosing Aggieland as her home for these past four years because the school spirit, traditions and people make it all worthwhile. Although this chapter may soon come to a close, she has built a home here in Aggieland.
“I genuinely don’t want to leave this place,” Cos-Okpalla said. “I just know for a fact I’ll be back to visit and, of course, to see the coaches and just how the program’s doing. I don’t ever see myself leaving here and never coming back.”
Story by Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief
If you thought your sports career ended when you started college, your real glory days are still ahead in intramural sports.
Competition runs fierce among Texas A&M Intramurals, or IM leagues, whether the teams fight for their student organizations or band together for the love of the game.
Set to celebrate its 100th year in 2026, Aggie intramurals are booming with success as participant numbers reach their highest point ever. Participation has grown by the thousands every year since COVID-19, surpassing all previous totals. In the 2024-25 school year, total participants (counting each team a person is on) peaked at 42,792, with unique participants (counting each person only once) at 14,316.
Austin Hebert, coordinator of intramural sports, said one of their biggest initiatives is to raise that unique participant number closer and closer to the student population to draw students into IM life.
“My interpretation of the 12th Man is a bunch of people getting together and standing for something that’s bigger than themselves, and I think intramurals kind of fits in that,” Hebert said. “It’s something that gives people a sense of community on campus where they may not otherwise have it.”
Hebert said the strong community has translated into lasting friendships with his coworkers through the years. With around 200 students employed, the intramurals office brings the competitive spirit to life with fresh ideas and passionate players.
The IM department continually searches for new programs to cater to student interests, such as the recent rise of pickleball toward its rank now as one of the larger minor sports leagues. As they plan for the future, there’s a lot for Aggie athletes to get excited about.
“We are currently – me and our current graduate assistant – working on the possibility of an adaptive sports option,” Hebert said. “So finding options that both disabled persons and able-bodied persons are able to participate in together. Wheelchair
basketball would probably be the most popular example.”
If all goes well, this innovative new program could make its debut as soon as the upcoming spring.
To invest in their own personal futures, Hebert recommends students participate in rec sports since clearing the mind with physical activity and team bonding can boost academic focus.
“Playing helps take your mind off of work,” kinesiology sophomore Juan Almeda said. “It’s just great to stay active, stay balanced and maybe try something new.”
Almeda recounted playing Action Ball, an A&M original game that combines parts of Ultimate Frisbee, basketball, football and soccer. Several other unique games have become popular in recent years among students, including esports, spikeball and even battleship.
Battleship takes place in the rec pool with four players in each canoe and one steering in the water, and each team races to sink the others with water buckets.
“I know some girls who did Battleship and wore bright pink
“Apparently that did make them a target, but they thought it was fun,” Perkins said.
Perkins runs the intramurals registration for her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. They’ve made their organization proud in volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, cornhole and whatever other events the members want to compete in. Perkins said intramurals provide a great space for her and her sisters to goof off and get into the competitive spirit together.
“You get to meet people you didn’t even know and see a different side of them,” Perkins said. “With the basketball team specifically, I was playing with some of the seniors that I had never met before, and they just were having fun and pushing me around: they were like, ‘Yeah, Perky, let’s go!’ It’s just the whole camaraderie of sports just ties you all together, and it’s really fun.”
With so many dynamic programs coming to life and more on the horizon, A&M intramurals promise a bright future for all students ready to invest in the experience.
What started as a primarily golf-focused brand in 2016 has become dynamic and evolving, elevating the digital footprint of many athletes and heavily influencing the NIL, or name, image and likeness, sphere.
Rhoback, a company based in Virginia, is an activewear brand with programs designed to boost the digital presence of collegiate athletes.
Shalen Moore, athlete relations lead for Rhoback, handles a multitude of different involvements. With a fairly small team of about only 70 people, Moore also gets to work with Rhoback’s product side, marketing side, and finance side.
“On a day to day basis, that means taking care of logistical ends on either the external or internal for either Rhoback or external parties,” Moore said. “That could look anywhere between negotiating contracts for the athletes, for the brand, to making sure deliverables within that set contract are met from the athlete, the creator, the podcast, whatever we’re working with.”
Rhoback operates with the focal point of building up athletes’ brands and focuses on giving back to what NIL stands for.
“Our overall program that we do have with our athletes is called the Rhoback U Program,” Moore said. “Our pillar athletes are the ones that are … the highlight of the program to bring in more athletes to that and showcase the program for what it is. The overall program in itself has spoken to more than 5,000 athletes across the country at a multitude of different universities.”
Rhoback at its core is a brand that embodies enthusiasm and positivity, Moore said. They look for these same attributes in the athletes they work with and heavily take into account their character, personality and presence within their
respective communities.
“All of our athletes stand for that same mantra,” Moore said.“They’re the most active focus that we can kind of rely on … They really embody it from a day to day basis where they’re as enthusiastic as possible about who they are, their brand that they represent, their sport that they play, their family name.”
All Rhoback athletes embody these traits, notably the No. 10 quarterback you know and love, Marcel Reed. Rhoback recently teamed up with Reed in representing their 2025 A&M-Rhoback collection. With Reed’s leadership within the Aggie community, athleticism and character combined, Moore said they knew he was the perfect fit for their Rhoback U program.
sports.
“We offer those guys digital marketing assets – ad assets – that is ran across thousands of email subscribers, and we take that and do it on the social side as well,” Moore said. “Our presence on YouTube, our presence on Instagram, things of that nature. We’re building a resume for these guys to truly hone in on as their digital footprint.”
Rhoback hopes to be a small part of what Reed has built here at A&M, Moore said. They hope to craft content Reed can look back on in the future, even when his time here in Aggieland is over.
“We kind of knew since day one: he had such a vibrant character”
“We kind of knew since day one: he had such a vibrant character,” Moore said. “He’s such an enthusiastic, outgoing person that really just wants to uplift his community. We saw he was doing a ton of communitybased projects when he had the availability to do so. … [We knew] he’s very athletic on the football field, someone that was kind of a game manager. He was definitely someone that was going to take over the game, not just with his voice, but with his play.”
With their own internal media house, Rhoback crafts content for its athletes and helps them build their presence and digital footprint. They’ve built a robust program around football athletes, Moore said, but also engage with a wide range of other
“I want him to be proud of the stuff that goes out when he has a social collab with us on Instagram,” Moore said. “Truth be told, I want his parents to see the content and be like, ‘This was really cool. We love Rhoback, we love the stuff you guys have helped on and helped shape his digital footprint.’”
The deals not only highlight the athletes, but also cater to their respective communities. Within the last two years, Rhoback has been intentional about taking the licensing approach and has now reached more than 50 schools.
“Every athlete that we do work with … we give them a commission aspect to their deals. They’re able to give back to not only the community with a discount toward the gear, but it also gives them an option to receive some additional revenue back for the sales that they generate. ”
Rhoback not only cares about supporting athletes, but also providing
By Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief
quality products for their respective campus communities.
“We’re trying to make sure that through licensing, we can speak to the community in a fun and engaging way,” Moore said. “So a lot of that stuff for us will look like polos, quarter zips, hoodies that are uniquely tied back to the university. As we continue to grow and as Reed will take his leap into the NFL and his future endeavors, it’s our job to still speak to the community.”
Moore said the hope is that the products will resonate with all Aggies near and far.
“We hope that we embody the 12th Man through the gear and the collection,” Moore said. “When you think of the 12th Man and you think of gear that you want to wear on your game day, we hope that our collections with the university speak toward that.”
By Sydnei Miles, Editor-in-Chief
‘STAY
These four words have grounded new Texas A&M Cheer Squad head coach Maddie Slone as she steps into her first season as head coach. Slone carries with her these words of wisdom from the coach that came before her, Atosha Rampy, who retired after nine years of leading the squad.
“It used to be something she would say all the time,” Slone said. “That is something that I will forever remember with her … not just focusing on the big picture, but also enjoying the moments as they come.”
The three-time national champion team has continued to grow and thrive since it began in 2001. The A&M Cheer program is committed to excellence and the plan for this year is no different, cheer squad president Maria Blakebrough said.
“The program has a legacy of winning and being successful in NCA College Nationals,” Blakebrough said. “But especially this year, we want to go into it with the mindset that we’re competing against the score sheet, and we want to do all we can. Going into this year, we really just want to do our best both days … and leave it up to the judges.”
As a former A&M cheerleader and previous assistant coach, Slone’s journey has been a unique one, and she has seen firsthand how the team has transformed over the years.
“It’s been such a full circle moment,” Slone said. “When I came to A&M, I knew I wanted to cheer: that was my dream, to be a college cheerleader. Being able to just transfer into the role that I am now as head coach, it has been such a cool experience seeing the growth of the program from what it was to where it is now.”
For the cheerleaders, the transition to Slone’s leadership has been a smooth one.
“It was super exciting getting to see Maddie step into the head coach role, especially because we’ve had her as the assistant coach,” Blakebrough said. “We can trust her, she’s been on the team before, she’s done a great job as assistant coach in the past. … The legacy that’s been left is great, and now coming into a brand new season, it develops a lot of opportunities for us.”
Cheer squad vice president Skylar Leach said the team’s strength derives from their unity and shared commitment.
“I think this team just has a lot of fire in them. We’re all in it together, but we also all want the same goal,” Leach said. “We’re not asked to be here, we’re not forced to be here, we simply want to be here and want to do this sport.”
With 16 veterans returning, the team looks forward to welcoming
the rookies into their close-knit bond.
“Yes, we’re here to cheer, and ultimately, we want to win,” Blakebrough said. “But having a team that’s like a second family, I think that’s a big part of A&M cheer. We truly are a family, especially with the [new] girls coming in and leaving home for the first time and being there for them. I think a big part of the legacy is having a program that truly is a second family.”
The dedication to this program and these girls is what fuels Slone.
“I have just such a big passion for this program and being able to represent A&M cheer and seeing it grow,” Slone said. “Being assistant coach, I knew kind of what was coming when our other coach retired. She has been the biggest blessing for this program, but whenever she stepped away and the girls told me that I would have the opportunity to move into the head coach role, I was thrilled. I’m just really excited for the opportunity to get to lead them from a new position.”
Slone said she is equipped to support and lead the cheerleaders in many aspects, as she knows what it’s like to be in their shoes.
“I have such an appreciation for all the dedication, the time, the effort that they’re putting in, all of their hard work,” Slone said. “Knowing where they’ve been, I understand and can give them grace where they need it and challenge them to push themselves and be better athletes as well as better people, too.”
The A&M cheer squad has spread their spirit beyond just the Aggie community, taking advantage of every opportunity they receive and increasing their team’s presence.
“We’ve had several different opportunities locally here in town, with the schools, different community events, being out and about with the city, doing Big Event, working different social opportunities as well, and just giving us the opportunity to put our name out there, and give back more as an organization, as well as just through cheerleading,” Slone said.
Blakebrough said their purpose as cheerleaders extends far beyond performing well on the mat.
“At the end of the day, yes, we’re a part of Rec sports, but we represent the 12th Man. We always have the A&M logo across our chest,” Blakebrough said. “That’s something we hold pride in. With the more recognition we get, the more we get to represent the 12th Man and lead into the future of the 12th Man and the cheer team.”
By Lucy Belcik, Staff Writer
This Fightin’ Texas Aggie football season opens with what many see as a major loss of tradition: the implementation of an online ticket pull system. Many fans are mourning the long-established in-person pull — performed under sometimes dire conditions but always with the most courageous of spirits — right outside Kyle Field.
The new system is conducted entirely online, affecting things like maximum group size and deck assignments. It was created in response to dangerous overcrowding that made headlines at the t.u. ticket pull last year. While there have been no major failures so far, reviews across campus remain mixed.
ticket-pull system but feels that tradition could have been better preserved.
“I think the best option would be a hybrid option where some games give you the option to do a traditional ticket pull as was done in the past,” Horn said. “However, for a big game, like the t.u. game where it’s an absolute mad rush, maybe that would be the one game a year they have to do some sort of online ticket pull.”
“A&M is all about tradition … they’re trying to change what ticket pull means to the student body.”
Underclassmen are cautiously accepting of the new system, since most only have a year of traditional ticket-pull experience. Management information system sophomore Ava Gonzales said she thinks the new system encourages those who were reluctant to pull in person last year to attend games. She feels the system is working but it could use some improvements.
“I think that maybe the groups could be a little bit bigger, especially for FLOS and Impact groups, Fish Camps and different things like that. I feel like they can’t really attend games together anymore,” Gonzales said.
Graduate students and upperclassmen have different views. Finance graduate student Hayden Horn, who has four years of ticket pull and football games behind him, said he sees the merits of the new
Horn feels that such a hybrid system would be important for both preserving tradition and rewarding Aggie football fans for their team spirit. He also noted the downsides the system has for those with lower class rankings that wish to pull with older siblings or friends.
“It gives students the option to camp out and be rewarded for their dedication by getting lower seating … it also gives the students the option if they have a younger sibling who’s say, a freshman or sophomore to pull with their group … and not kind of be penalized for not being able to pull with their senior brother or sister,” Horn said.
Some upperclassmen don’t see that there is anything that can be redeemed about the current ticket pull system and are frustrated with what they see as ultimately damaging to Aggie football culture.
Journalism senior Valeria Salazar said that she did not purchase a sports pass this year and does not have solid plans to attend upcoming games due to the new system.
“I hate it,” Salazar said. “A&M is all about tradition … they’re trying to change what ticket pull means to the student body and what it means to me and all
my friends.”
Salazar does not see that online pull could be adapted to be as special as the previous system was.
“I think what they did before was perfect,” Salazar said. “Having to sit outside with all your friends, camped out, was an experience that I think people talk about all the time. It was just a very human moment; now I feel like it’s just run by a computer.”
With tradition so highly valued at A&M, the loss of ticket pull is especially hard because it was so abruptly decided, seemingly without input from the student body. For seniors and recent graduates, disappointment and frustration are completely reasonable. Unfortunately, change, even sudden change, is inevitable. As new freshmen enter into the university, new traditions will naturally bud and grow to replace those lost. While traditions may come and go, it’s certain that the Aggie Spirit will endure.
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