OPINION
It’s time for football to dump “POWER” — hate has no place at Texas A&M A6
SPORTS
Back-to-back losses: How will No. 1 Texas A&M baseball perfom in Houston? B1
STUDENT GOVERNMENT:
TO KNOW.
Riley Pritzlaff and Ezra Villarreal
Economics and public administration junior Riley Prizlaff is running for student body president alongside his running mate political science junior Ezra Villarreal.
Using the slogan “Pritz for Prez,” the two Aggies are centering the focus of their campaign on student engagement. Specifically, Pritzlaff wants to sign an executive order that would bring in student task forces to increase activity.
Villarreal aims to make a mark as the first student body vice president by speaking to organizations around campus and asking what they want from the president and the board of directors.
Villarreal claims that will increase intentionality throughout the student government, as they will be contacting organizations outright rather than waiting for them to have complaints.
Pritzlaff and Villarreal aim to make a difference by reaching stu dents who have not been reached before. Because of Villarreal’s in volvement in several activities, such as working on campus and in Wash ington, D.C., he believes he un derstands how to approach people.
Pritzlaff brings an inside perspective he gained from being the candidate with the most student government experience. Their campaign is en
Brandon Beller and Gia Viggiano
Business honors and finance ju-
nior Brandon Beller is running for student body president alongside his running mate education senior Gia Viggiano.
Charging with the slogan “Better with Beller,” the duo prioritizes communication in their campaign.
Viggiano expressed that because A&M has increased dramatically in enrollment numbers, resources and the administration has had difficulty following the trend. With this in mind, this duo aims to increase com-
munication between the administration and the students, increasing consistency and progressiveness.
Beller first became interested in running when former student body president Case Harris ‘23 spoke at one of his organization meetings. After that, he served on a campaign team, further propelling his spark for student government.
What ultimately drives his campaign is his passion for A&M and his fascination with student government.
Because Viggiano previously served as the Panhellenic vice president, she has expressed that her experience with student affairs will propel her into success with the previously stated goal of increased communication. She claims that what makes her and Beller stand out is their passion for the university and aspirations for it to excel in all of its endeavors.
BEGINS FEB. 27
ENDS FEB. 28 9 A.M. NOON
Colton Whisenant and Brock Barrington
Agribusiness junior Colton Whisenant is seeking the student government’s top position with his running mate, finance junior Brock Barrington.
Leading with the slogan “Count on Colton & Bet on Brock,” the duo is focusing their campaign on digital ID cards for students and improved campus parking, with a lack of moped parking on West Campus being one example of an area Whisenant
Biomedical sciences junior Carter Mallory is running for student body president alongside society, ethics and law junior Kathleen Parks. Mallory realized he wanted to run for student body president when he saw this passion for the
said he’d like to improve.
The campaign has been endorsed by the student senators from the Corps of Cadets and the Interfraternity Council, Texas A&M’s governing body for its 19 recognized fraternities.
Whisenant, a D-2 cadet and member of A&M’s Delta Tau Delta fraternity, is the current junior class president and served as the sophomore class president a year prior.
Whisenant and Barrington have
become the first student body president campaign in recent history to initiate a text message campaign as well, with members of their team individually messaging students throughout campus after the campaign acquired an unknown number of student phone numbers and associated names.
Whisenant did not reveal how his team acquired the phone numbers but said it was part of his goal to increase voter turnout this year.
Carter Mallory and Kathleen Parks
Corps had stopped him from experiencing outside relationships. Because of this, much of his campaign’s focus is on rehabilitating campus culture.
He also served on Fish Aides, a Freshman Leadership Organization, and the Muster committee during his freshman year, allowing him to see the organizational side of student government. On the other hand, Parks has
been a part of student government since her freshman year.
Her passion sits within the academic policy side of government, but she has a love for all parts of the organization and the members within.
She claims to be ready to take the next step and dive deeper into the Student Government Association as its first vice president.
The primary pillar of this duo’s
campaign is affordability. They plan to decrease the costs of educational tools such as textbooks, scantrons and Packback, an online learning tool.
By ensuring that higher education made is affordable, Mallory and Parks aim to break down the barriers that stop students from fully diving into Texas A&M and the culture that makes the university what it is.
SILVER TAPS
Ceremony: Tuesday, March 4, at 10:30 p.m. at Academic Plaza.
Warning: There will be gun sounds at the ceremony. Please remember to remain quiet upon arrival.
Alice Zheng
May 5, 2003 - January 11, 2025
will not be sharing additional information or
Victor Guerrero
March 10, 2005 - January 27, 2025
truly selfless servant of others
Victor Guerrero came to Texas A&M in order to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer. He grew up in Galveston, and his family said he loved to share all that he learned from university. He was in his fourth semester at A&M and he had a passion for welding, which is what first piqued his interest in his major, material science and engineering.
“He loves [engineering],” Maria Guerrero, Victor’s mother, said with the help of a translator. “Because he has to do something with welding, and he used to love
welding and all that stuff.”
Along with his passion for learning, Victor had a great love for his family. He is remembered as being incredibly kind, thoughtful and compassionate. According to his mom, he was always thinking of others, even down to his last moments.
“Even on his last breath he let them know that he wanted to donate his organs, and probably that’s what [his family] cherish most about him,” Maria said.
Victor had many interests, both professional and personal. According to his obituary, Victor
loved eating his favorite foods, video games, running, climbing and cats. He was known to be a great friend, brother and son.
“There are no words to describe the great human being that Victor in his short life proved to be,” the Memorial Oaks Chapel obituary reads. This sentiment remains true, as his mom recounts all the valuable things Victor continues to teach their family even after his passing.
“Even after he passed away, he’s still teaching [the family] how to love and be kind to others … by donating his organs and the love that he showed to his siblings and to them,” Maria said.
Lyndon Colbert
April 23, 2005 - January 2, 2025
U.S. Marine named 47th commandant
Lt. Gen James W. Bierman will oversee the largest uniformed student organization in the U.S. outside the military academies
By Nicholas Gutteridge Editor-in-Chief
Lieutenant General James W. Bierman has agreed to serve as the 47th commandant of the Corps of Cadets, President Mark A. Welsh III announced Wednesday morning. Bierman will join Texas A&M on Aug. 1, following his retirement from active duty. He is currently the deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations for the U.S. Marine Corps, where he develops and executes service plans and policies for the branch. He has over 20 years of command experience, including infantry battalion combat commands in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“It’s truly humbling and exciting to join the team at Texas A&M University as the commandant of the Corps of Cadets,” Bierman said in a press release. “Throughout my Marine Corps career, I’ve encountered many Aggie servant-leaders who are a credit to this time-honored system. I’m fully committed to the mission of the Corps, and to maintaining its proud place in this great university.”
Graduating with a bachelor of arts in history from the Virginia Military Institute and a master of arts in national security studies from the College of Naval Warfare, Bierman was one of four finalists who visited campus from Jan. 16 to Feb. 3 and one of two who is not an Aggie. He will oversee the largest uniformed student organization in the U.S. outside the military academies, head the School of Military Sciences and serve as liaison for academic matters between the university and three ROTC departments.
“Lt. Gen. Bierman is an exemplary combat-proven leader and a decorated Marine infantry officer,” Welsh said in the release.
“His commitment to service and leadership aligns perfectly with the mission and Core Values of Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets.
I’m confident he will be a stellar role model for young Aggies, embodying character, competence and dedication to living a respected and respectful life.”
During his military career, Bierman has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with gold star, the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device and two gold stars and the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars.
Bierman will take over from Loyd S. “Chip” Utterback, the interim commandant who stepped in after Welsh directed the 46th commandant, Patrick Michaelis, to step down in August 2024. Michaelis is currently a special assistant to the president.
A man anyone could love forever
A son. A musician. A chef. An engineer.
An Aggie. Lyndon Colbert was a man of many roles, and he radiated kindness and goodness within every single one of them. Lyndon may have passed at 19 years old, but the beauty of his character will be remembered by every person he encountered. According to his mother, Rosland Renfro, Lyndon had a special magnetism that drew every person to absolutely adore him.
When Lyndon was in high school, he excelled in academics. He especially took a liking to the technological side of things and found a passion for building and coding.
“When he was in junior high school, he would build robots,” Renfro said. “And then he went to the SMU technical camps —
coding camps — and he got into coding.”
Continuously chasing this passion, Lyndon was enrolled in general engineering at Texas A&M in order to fulfill his aspirations of working with technology.
Although he passed before he was able to be admitted into a specific program, he had high hopes for mechanical engineering as a stepping stone for a career in artificial intelligence.
“He wanted to do AI, so he’s been through a couple [majors], and he landed on mechanical engineering,” Renfro said. “He could have done anything.”
When Lyndon wasn’t busy with school, he could be found playing classical piano music or cooking. His passion and talent for these things are embedded within memories that will not leave the
hearts of those he loved.
One meal that Lyndon cooked stuck out in particular, as it was a perfect representation of his kindness and willingness to bring joy to the people around him.
“One year, Lyndon cooked a whole Thanksgiving meal,” Renfro said. “I think his junior year. Was it junior or sophomore year when COVID was in? He ended up cooking. Everybody was sick but him, so he ended up cooking the whole meal. And it was really good.” Lyndon used his skills and innate goodness to spread happiness to everyone around him. These traits will forever be remembered and cherished by those who loved him and by the Aggies who have the opportunity to honor him.
“He was such a beautiful soul,” Renfro said. “I mean inside and out. Animals, old people, babies, just loved him. He was just, he was just so beautiful.”
Texas A&M System’s finalists to replace Sharp, explained
The Board of Regents has narrowed down finalists for the A&M System’s top role, with three politicians and two presidents up front
By Hilani Quinones Senior News Reporter
The Texas A&M System Board of Regents will potentially select the new chancellor soon, according to a public agenda. The Board is deliberated on the final selection in an all-day meeting in Houston on Monday. According to The Texas Tribune, the regents have narrowed the finalists to five candidates for the position of chancellor, which include a mix of prominent leaders in state and federal government, a university president and the president of the Texas A&M Foundation:
• Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar ‘93
Texas A&M Foundation
President Tyson Voelkel ‘96
University of Alabama President Stuart Bell ‘79
• State Rep. Trent Ashby ‘96
(R-9)
• U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul
(R-10)
Hegar is an attorney who has served as Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts since 2015 and was elected twice in 2018 and
2022. He previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives representing Texas House District 28 from 2003 to 2007 before being elected to the Texas Senate representing the 18th Texas Senate District from 2007 to 2014. Hegar graduated from A&M in 1993 with a degree in political science and history and acts as Texas’ chief financial officer.
Voelkel has served as president and CEO of the Texas A&M Foundation for eight years. Since his hiring, he has led the $4 billion Lead By Example campaign for A&M, and the Foundation has provided over $1.5 billion in cash and assets to the university under his leadership. He graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and served in the U.S. Army before teaching at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Today, Voelkel still serves in the U.S. Army Reserves as Lieutenant Colonel. Bell has been the University of Alabama’s president since 2015 and announced he would step down earlier this year. He graduated from A&M in 1979 with a nuclear engineering degree and pursued a master’s and Ph.D. in the same subject area. Before stepping in as Alabama’s president, he held several university leadership positions, including executive vice president and provost at Louisiana State University and dean of the University of Kansas’ College of Engineering. Ashby represents the 9th Texas House district as a member of the Texas House since 2023. Be-
fore his election, he represented the 57th Texas House District from 2013 to 2023 and served as president and member of the Lufkin Independent School District Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2012. He served in the Student Government Association as a senator while studying at A&M and was elected Senior Yell Leader and class treasurer before graduating in 1996. He remains active through A&M’s Letterman’s Association and the Association of Former Students.
McCaul is an attorney who has represented Texas’ 10th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005. He sits as chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — a position he has held since 2023 — and previously chaired the House Committee on Homeland Security during the 113th, 114th and 115th Congresses. Before his election to the U.S. Congress, he served as a federal prosecutor. He is the only candidate who is not an A&M former student.
The selected finalist would succeed Chancellor John Sharp ‘72, who announced he would retire on June 30. He is the longest-serving chancellor in the history of the A&M System. Whoever steps into the position would lead eight state agencies and 11 universities educating over 150,000 students.
If the regents choose a finalist, it would begin a 21-day wait before the candidate can be officially appointed.
Alice May Zheng was a biology major at Texas A&M. At the request of the family, we
photos of Alice.
METRO
Student body president candidates debate
Seven students took the stand in the MSC Flag Room for the annual presidential debate
By Tenny Luhrs Associate News Editor
The 2025 Texas A&M student body president and vice president debate took place Thursday night, where candidates presented their platforms for the next year.
Hosted by the Student Government Association and proctored by business freshman Isabella Manke, the debate consisted of three rounds of questions for presidential candidates followed by one round of questions for vice presidential candidates.
Senior Colton Whisenant
He is the current junior class president, a member of the Corps of Cadets and involved in Greek life. He said his family ties to A&M and his experience serving the student body are his motivators for running.
“I’ve bled maroon ever since the day I was born,” Whisenant said. “I have had a real privilege to serve the students around me, and I’ve seen the real impact that student government can make on people’s lives.”
Junior Brandon Beller
Beller opened by expressing his excitement to share his intentions as president and for the opportunity to run.
“I’m super excited to be here, and I’m glad to be able to share a little bit more about what I care about,” Beller said. “And I’m excited to share it with the student body.”
Junior Carter Mallory
Mallory began by saying that two of his priorities as president would be education affordability and encouraging a campus culture of serving others.
“No. 1 is taking care of some basic needs for our students,” Mallory said.
Junior Riley Pritzlaff
He said the student government falls short in engagement with the student body.
To better represent students, they must increase their presence
on campus, he said.
“I firmly believe that student government should represent students,” Pritzlaff said. “It should fight for students to get things done. Student government is an organization that is of, by and for Aggies.”
What is one area that you believe students at Texas A&M are not being aptly represented or educated in and how would you take steps to rectify that situation?
Whisenant said one of his passions is serving students with disabilities, a group he feels is underrepresented.
Whisenant said he helped bring a $2.4 million testing center to West Campus in the past year, which is currently under construction.
“We’ve had major problems with different parts on campus,” Whisenant said. “I had a friend the other day that got stuck on a wheelchair elevator outside the Quad for two hours in the rain. That is not something that should be happening at a university with 70,000 students.”
Beller answered by saying that although student government has represented underrepresented groups well, he feels some are often shone in a negative light, namely Interfraternity Conference, or IFC, fraternities on campus. Beller said he plans to change the culture around IFC fraternities by celebrating their wins with them and getting them involved in leadership.
“People don’t hear about the $1.6 million that Greek life raised in the past year,” Beller said. “ … Those are not things that are coming up in conversation, and that’s not because they aren’t
happening or being advertised by IFC themselves. These things aren’t being publicized because no one else is celebrating their wins for them.”
Mallory reinforced his belief that students haven’t had a say in education affordability, and he plans to use student government to give students better access to administration to voice their concerns.
“One of the things I would love to see more of is students having access to university administration by means of student government, rather than the Student Government Association taking their own desires up to university administration without vast input from the student body,” Mallory said.
Pritzlaff said he agrees student engagement is a big problem.
His solution would be creating a student engagement task force that would bring stakeholders and students into the fold by hearing their concerns, accomplishments and priorities.
“SGA’s biggest problem right now is this thing called ‘the bubble,’” Pritzlaff said. “To bring in stakeholders from all over our campus, to hear their different perspectives, to make a difference and actually fight for the things people care about, that’s what we need to do.”
Some argue that Texas A&M holds on too tightly to tradition, while others believe we are losing our Core Values. How do you balance tradition with progress while making sure every Aggie’s voice is heard?
Whisenant said traditions are what makes A&M so unique and that progress lies in ensuring those customs reach every student.
While he feels that A&M is an inclusive university, he said there needs to be more encouragement for underrepresented groups to get involved with traditions like Silver Taps and Muster.
“I’m in the Corps,” Whisenant said. “We’re always there, but what the Corps wants more than anything is for everybody to be there.”
Beller believes A&M’s traditions can best benefit the university by focusing on the relationships and leadership of tradition-centered organizations to get more students involved.
He went on to say that one area of change he plans to focus on is convenience and accessibility for students, specifically by helping students get more access to advisors and supporting engineering majors.
“We can’t advertise a fouryear degree and then not follow through on that,” Beller said. “At the end of the day, students and the relationships those students are exposed to are the most important thing about the Aggie experience.”
Mallory feels traditions embody A&M’s Core Values and hold the Aggie family together. Silver Taps is one example of the positivity A&M’s traditions can bring, he said.
“There is a significant opportunity to improve what we already have on this campus, but I don’t believe the traditions of this campus hold us back in any way,” Mallory said.
Pritzlaff said that while A&M’s ability to hold onto traditions for over 100 years is inspiring, there has also been and continues to be change on campus, using the
West Campus and Northgate developments as examples.
“There’s changes that are happening now that we need students to have a voice in, that are going to affect Aggies for years to come,” Pritzlaff said.
Texas A&M works closely with the government, donors, faculty and administration, all of whom affect its reputation and resources. If these groups disagree on an issue, how would you handle the situation while advocating for the student body?
Whisenant said it’s all about relationships and finding common ground on friction points between different groups.
He said all stakeholders ultimately want to help people, so focusing on student opinion and communication is key.
“The way that you change somebody’s perspective on things is explaining the ‘why,’” Whisenant said. “If I go talk to a governmental representative, it’s not about attacking them and telling them what they’re doing is wrong. It’s about explaining why what you’re talking about is the best way to help a student.”
Beller said the focus is always on the students and that while the student government has notable achievements, the group fails to communicate its progress effectively to the student body. He said President Mark A. Welsh III has been a great example of someone who keeps the student body engaged and informed.
“People don’t know that student government is doing those things because it’s not communicated on the tail end, and because of that, we’ve seen a lack of trust by the general student body towards student government,” Beller said. Mallory said his experience has shown him that by keeping the focus on students and understanding everyone’s perspectives, disagreements can easily be settled.
“In polite conversation, we’re able to realize the needs of the student body while also recognizing the limitations of the university administration on certain issues where students feel they might not be represented well or treated fairly,” Mallory said.
Pritzlaff said the most important thing is to focus on the students and communicate what the students want and care about.
“There’s a lot of different stakeholders that come to the table with a lot of different perspectives,” Pritzlaff said. “Students are one of those. It begins and ends with students. That’s, at the end of the day, who we represent.”
Thrift Station: Aggieland’s latest vintage shop
Built off community and collaboration, vintage finds meet affordability
By Kynlee Bright Design Editor
Hundreds of people lined up outside the strip mall off of Wellborn Road, anxiously awaiting the clock to strike 10 a.m. The chatter slowly began to die out as the time neared closer. 9:58 … 9:59 … and then, finally, among the silence, the click of a door unlocked as a business opened for the very first time.
On Feb. 23, Graysen Day, owner of Thrift Station, opened the doors to Aggieland’s newest vintage shop. Customers gathered outside for the grand opening — a turnout that took even Day by surprise.
“My expectation was having 50 people in line, but when we opened there were 300 to 400 people,” Day said. “I was not expecting it to be that big, but it was awesome. I was super happy with it because I put in a lot of hard work.”
Prior to the grand opening, Day, alongside his friend and girlfriend, remodeled, stocked and began marketing the store, during a 20-day set up period.
Over 20 vendors set up outside of his shop for the grand opening thanks to connections he’s made through his other business, Aggieland MarketPlace, which hosts vintage and maker markets in the Bryan-College Station area. Vendors are able to reach out to Day through his social media to reserve a spot in the marketplace.
“I found [Day] through Instagram, so I just gave it a try,” Leticia Saldan, owner of Lety’s Findz, said. “I’ve been here a few times this year; it’s been really good.”
Aggieland MarketPlace not only appeared at the grand opening, but the business has also led Day to long-term partnerships with local vendors, such as Preston Swiggart, owner of Swiggy Thrifts Vintage.
Though starting as vendors, the two have developed a friendship, leading Swiggart to play an important role inside of Thrift Station.
“Graysen and I are friends,” Swiggart said. “He wanted to do something special with a whole A&M room, something that people haven’t done before. He was basically like, ‘Hey, I would love for you to come put as much A&M stuff as you want in there and to take a percentage,’ which was super generous.”
The back room of the shop, dedicated to Texas A&M merchandise, will continue to be restocked by Swiggart, helping students rep vintage Aggie apparel.
The opening of Thrift Station had many students pumped not only for A&M clothing but also for the affordable fashion rolling into town.
“I’m excited for the $20 filla-bag, and I’m hoping to find some good staples,” mathematics sophomore Torrynce Armstrong said. “I feel like thrifting is a great way just to find clothes that are cheap or clothes that you can’t find anywhere else.” Armstrong wasn’t the only thrilled student. Animal science senior Jolie Molina-Zaleski looked forward to the new experience
with her roommate, Doris.
“We love going to pop-up stuff, so we figured it’d be fun,” Molina-Zaleski said. “I found some cute stuff. I think it’s a cool opportunity for college students who are trying to find some cool stuff while on a budget.”
As a Blinn College student, Day understands the struggle of stretching a dollar. His goal is to create a place where students, like himself, could shop affordably while also buying good-quality clothing.
“I try to work with budgets as much as I possibly can,” Day said. “I know for a lot of other stores in town, their price tag is their price. For me, if you come up here, you have a $20 item but you want to do 14, 15 bucks, we can definitely talk about negotiating.”
The low price, high-quality bargains are not the only aspects that Day enjoys. He says a major part of his joy comes from the interactions he sees from behind the counter.
“My favorite part is 100% being about to see people come in here,” Day said. “They’re having fun with their friends. They’re smiling, laughing. They’re looking at cool clothes from the 90s that you can’t even find anywhere else. I like having customers come in and leaving with a smile on their face.”
Day hopes not only to please customers, but to create a space where college students can come every weekend, to hang out and enjoy camaraderie among each other.
Between Thrift Station and Aggieland MarketPlace, Day has created an ongoing event: weekly markets.
According to Day, the Bryan-
Chris Swann — THE BATTALION
Three of the four student body vice president candidates during a debate at the MSC Flag Room on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
‘She’s a boss mom’: Katie Denton’s double life
Student tackles life as single mom by day and businesswoman by night
By Kynlee Bright Design Editor
The screams of a baby’s first cry fill the sterile room. The sound echoes in Katie Denton’s head, her mind flashing back to the birth of her own child eight years ago — a day that was picture perfect.
This memory fills her mind as she stands, staring at a fellow mother through the lens of her camera.
Women and gender studies senior Katie Denton faced an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 20.
Years later, Katie has become a strong single mother, successful business owner and full-time student at Texas A&M.
‘Mommy’s sidekick’
At 21, Katie gave birth to her daughter, Zoey. She underwent gallbladder surgery, an emergency C-section and hospitalization due to septic infection during her pregnancy.
The experience forced Katie to put her life on hold to recover and take on a new responsibility: becoming a mother.
“I’m really proud of her for standing up at the time she told me she was pregnant,” Katie’s mother Laura Denton said. “I was thinking, ‘This is my bubbly cheerleader who has no idea what this world’s all about.’ But she locked in — ‘I don’t care what anybody says, I’m going to have this baby.’ She stood up the second she found out she was going to be a mommy.”
Despite her age, being raised by a single mother, Katie knew she
too could create a beautiful life for her daughter.
“Zoey is her person,” Laura said. “Zoey is very strong, but she’s also mommy’s sidekick.”
Katie’s efforts began as a stayat-home mom during the first year until a separation from Zoey’s father left the determined mother desperate to find a way to provide. Thus, her businesses were born.
‘I had to provide’
After the separation, Katie knew she had to find a full-time job.
Being raised in a home where the value of self-sufficiency was constantly instilled encouraged her to turn her photography, a long-loved hobby, into a fullfledged career.
“I had to provide for her,” Katie said. “It wasn’t like it was just a fun hobby anymore. I had to survive.”
While beginning as a necessity, Katie’s business has since blossomed into a passion she holds near and dear.
This growth has allowed Katie to find a niche and allows her to become a part of a couple’s most vulnerable moment: the birth of their child.
Katie’s role as a mother helps her cherish the stories she’s able to tell through photography. While she photographs an array of subjects, Katie focuses on documenting couple’s journeys.
“A lot of times, I prefer to grow with my family because when I photograph their maternity, they feel safe for me to photograph their birth, and then they feel even safer for me to photograph after birth,” Katie said. “If there’s anything I can do to support a mama’s healing, I hope my photography can be a part of that journey.”
The doors opened by Katie’s initiative have allowed her to delve
into various other opportunities.
‘Before you know it, she had a hundred dresses’
Despite her growing photography business, Katie’s drive for a secure future led her on yet another adventure.
In 2017, Katie applied to become part of a travelling dress project, a contest where 12 artists would be selected to photograph a dress that travels across the world. Despite a lack of experience, Katie had the utmost confidence she would be picked until her hopes were crushed when her entry was not selected.
She did not let this setback discourage her. Instead, she decided to create a travel dress of her own.
“She had moved in with me after she had Zoey, and she was thinking about the dress rentals,” Laura said. “She orders her first dress and it’s like a thousand bucks.
I’m like, ‘What are you thinking?’ But it was paid for in two months. Before you know it, she had a hundred dresses.”
Her personal investment not only broke even, but quickly brought in revenue. After numerous inquiries asking if the dress would return, Katie decided to turn a one-time profit into another successful business.
“The thing about my traveling dress was that anybody could do it,” Katie said. “I wanted it to feel welcoming versus how unwelcomed I felt when I didn’t get the position the year before. I ended up investing in about 15 to 20 dresses at that time, and now I have over 100 in circulation.”
The business has sent Katie’s dresses across the globe from Guam to Japan, even shocking her when one of her dresses landed on the cover of Vogue.
Despite the success of her
businesses, Katie remained determined to chase her ultimate dream of wearing Aggie gold.
“I just want my Aggie ring”
In 2022, Katie knew it was time for a change. She would continue her education, a decision that led her to the heart of College Station.
“My stepmom had a dad who graduated ‘62 and he used to take me to all the games,” Katie said.
“He instilled a lot of the core values into what being a true Aggie is.When I decided I wanted to go back to school, I wanted to make sure that I was an Aggie because I followed all those core values.”
Having had A&M’s core values instilled in her, Katie’s determination also stemmed from the possibility of attaining her Aggie bling come this fall.
“I had an incredible first advisor,” Katie said. “She sat down with me and she was like, ‘Katie, what do you want to do?’ And I’m like ‘I just want my Aggie ring.’ My advisor told me, ‘You’re at one of the best universities. You have to utilize the education.’ And so she guided me into women and gender studies and I wholeheartedly have loved every minute of it.”
In women and gender studies, Katie is able to develop a deeper understanding of her clients, and of course, near that 90-hour threshold.
But her education doesn’t come without a cost. While Katie’s three-hour commutes to Aggieland have worked out over time, the initial opportunity raised concerns.
“I was so excited for her because she loves A&M, she is an Aggie girl and has been forever,” Laura said. “But I was also worried, because she’s a single mom. She was on her own. I wasn’t going to say no,
because Katie is a go-getter; you don’t hold her back.”
Thankfully, Laura’s worries were quickly put to rest. For the past two and a half years, Katie has completed biweekly commutes, leaving her daughter under the care of her mother.
After trial and error, Zoey is now a part of a homeschooling community, which eases scheduling concerns.
Not only has she found a healthy balance, but A&M has helped Katie develop new goals as she explores different avenues of education, including research and graduate school.
“She’s changed her mindset about her future,” Laura said. “She loves photography and is amazing at it, but long term as a mom and a professional, she’s looking at being able to teach.”
Katie wants to teach and share empowerment throughout campuses in hopes that her story may be constantly evolving and inspiring to others.
“She’s a boss mom,” Laura said. “She’s like that little engine that could; like a massive locomotive that’s pulling these cars to being mommy and being a full-time student. She has all this stuff, she’s taking care of it all, but she’s still moving forward.”
Despite the obstacles, Katie survived thanks to strong willpower and a long line of support standing behind her.
“Without the support of my mom and aunt, it just wouldn’t be possible for me to complete everything,” Katie said. “Without them, truly there’d be no way.”
Katie may have many accomplishments under her belt, but her story is far from finished.
“All you have is right now because you’re only guaranteed today,” Katie said. “So, if you have this really big idea and you’re really excited about it, just do it.”
Women in STEM: success stories at A&M
Conference displays unique pathways that women have used to find success in science, engineering
By J.M. Wise News Editor
Over the weekend, the 33rd annual Susan M. Arseven ‘75 Conference for Women in Science and Engineering or WISE took place in the Memorial Student Center. With seven speakers from across Texas A&M, attendants had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the prolific women who have advanced science and engineering.
The lineup included Fuhui Tong, Ph.D. as the keynote speaker and Tatyana Igumenova, Ph.D. and Dr. Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH as two of the breakout speakers.
“What is next?” Gastel said.
“You don’t have to have everything figured out … Be willing to live with a little bit of ambiguity and uncertainty. There are lots of good paths and good orders for doing things.”
Historically, women have been underrepresented in high-ranking positions. According to multiple studies, female professors make only about 81% of what their male counterparts earn.
“Thinking back, views on gender roles as a kid — I think they were kind of nixed,” Gastel said. “I remember when my mother told me in dancing that the man always leads. I said, ‘No, you should decide whoever is the better dancer should lead,’ and that’s really been my philosophy all along.”
The goal of WISE is to support women in the fields of science, engineering and technology.
The conference was founded in 1992 after women in the chemistry department noticed colleagues dropping from their programs.
Over three breakout sessions, six professors spoke about their accomplishments and career development. Ivett Leyva, Ph.D., department head of aerospace engineering, Tapasree Roy Sarkar Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, Perla Balbuena Ph.D., university distinguished professor of chemical engineering and chemistry and Natalie Johnson, associate professor of environmental health, chair of the interdisciplinary program in toxicology all presented at the conference.
“I remember, many many years ago, a young cousin said ‘You’re a doctor, but you’re a writer, but you’re a teacher, but you’re a woman,’” Gastel said.
Academic conferences focusing on supporting women may be hindered by policies that the Donald Trump presidency is using
to direct funds. The Department of Education recently canceled 18 grants totaling $226 million on the basis of “race-based discrimination and gender-identity ideology.”
“When you are faced with a fork in the road, it does take some thought and sometimes courage to take one road instead of another,” Igumenova said. “Especially when the outside environment uses our decisions as a deviation from the norms.”
Igumenova explained how her past has influenced her current interests. Her 45 research articles have been published in numerous journals, and she has been featured in local news stories about her lab, which is one of the only nuclear magnetic resonance or NMR capable labs in central Texas.
“Problem: There was only one NMR lab in Academic City, or Akademgorodok, where I grew up,” Igumenova said. “And there was an explicit policy stated there — they don’t take female students. It was perfectly acceptable at the time.”
Being raised in the Soviet Union, Igumenova said her parents’ dedication to science and her introverted personality contributed to her ability to find success despite difficult situations. She moved to the U.S. for her Ph.D. and has since worked with NMR across the country.
“If, say, I go to the United States for graduate school, would I be able to come back to my own country and see my parents?”
Igumanova said. “There are always ups and downs during our graduate studies.”
Igumenova’s lab focuses on researching proteins and the physics behind their unique shapes. Her research is instrumental in understanding how drugs interact with parts of the human body.
Being the first researcher focused on NMR at A&M, Igumenova had to build her entire lab from scratch, including buying the NMR machine and constructing the facility to house it.
“I had to negotiate the purchase of this instrument and
other instruments, and that was a few million dollar package,” Igumenova said. “I learned how to negotiate multimillion dollar deals … I learned how to lead a diverse team.”
Women in academic positions have become more common, with specific opportunities for positions in science and technology. Despite federal and state-level pushback against these initiatives, both professors encouraged students to continue persevering and engaging in their education.
“Be ready to pursue unexpected opportunities,” Gastel said. “Take opportunities, take risks.”
Trading stories with Aggie Investment Club
Student organization provides development opportunities for students to grow their finance, investment skills
By Julia Helsel Life & Arts Writer
Tucked away on West Campus lies the E.L. Wehner building, which hosts a state-of-the-art trade room for business and finance students to get hands-on investment experience.
Every Thursday evening, select members of the Aggie Investment Club, or AIC, meet to invest and manage an equity fund that has grown from $50,000 to $70,000. The group has managed to beat the market in its 25 years of operating, but more importantly it has kick-started the careers of many young professionals looking for experience in the finance industry.
The club’s current president, finance junior David Rabalais, boasted of the club’s claim to fame as the oldest and largest investment club on campus.
“We have about 250 members that can be divided into two main sections,” Rabalais said. “We have general weekly meetings with all the members and the finance development program, which is for members who are new to finance and want to learn the foundations of investing. … The other part is the equity fund.”
Rabalais said the primary mission of the organization is to kickstart careers.
“We are here to help Aggies break into the world of finance,”
Rabalais said. “Historically, finance is very selective. … It’s hard to get into these closed-door organizations because they prefer to recruit from other universities. At AIC, we want to take members who have zero background knowledge but ambitious goals, and we give them the resources, tools and education to help them.”
The club’s vice president, finance junior Juan Jose Vivanco, emphasized that experience is not essential to joining the club and said that many members start out knowing next to nothing about the investment industry.
“I didn’t know a single thing,” Vivanco said. “It was just a welcoming organization where everyone learns from each other.
A lot of the older members give back to the underclassmen, a lot of people partake in high-impact programs … and come back to give knowledge to those who are just starting out.”
The group has a yearly meeting with its founder,Bryan Farney ‘06, who still keeps in contact with members 25 years later. Currently, AIC is trying to expand their alumni network to create business opportunities for members.
“There’s been thousands of Aggies that have gone through Aggie Investment Club,” Rabalais said. “If you search for wellknown firms, most of the Aggies there were in Aggie Investment Club. … We can’t take full credit, but I would say there is a common thread that the world’s finest were in AIC.”
Finance senior Tori Garza is the longest-tenured member of AIC, being involved in all eight semesters she’s spent at Texas A&M. As such, she’s witnessed many ways that the club has adapted over the years.
“In the beginning of my freshman year, a lot of meetings weren’t mandatory,” Garza said. “Involvement is a lot more important now, and I think it’s a big part of why we’ve grown in the past four years. … I’d say we’re also more organized and structured now that we have the finance development program, general meetings and the equity fund.”
According to Garza, the club now provides a platform for the inclusion of female voices in the finance space.
“When I first came to an AIC meeting, it was a room full of men with one other girl there,” Garza said. “I can now say throughout the last four years, we’ve recruited about 50 girls. Seeing that progression — not just for the org, but as a woman in finance at A&M — is really great to see.”
Finance sophomore Kiyan Phelps, AIC’s chief investment officer and head of securities analysis workshops, gathers data and news to be shared at general meetings. Because investment is heavily tied to politics and current events, he has to be diligent to keep members informed.
“We’re talking about tariffs and deportation, which are big staples of the Trump administration,” Phelps said. “These are controversial topics. … We gather info from many different sources and we present it with an unbiased view … and try to present it to our members through a finance lens.”
Because these topics are interconnected with finance and have huge ramifications on investment decisions, there is a lot of pressure to make the information easy to understand for those new to the investment
world, according to Garza.
“We present these high-level topics and break them down and interpret them into something helpful,” Garza said. “We have to deliver something digestible, especially because freshmen make up a large majority of our org.”
Phelps says the organization’s equity fund program was introduced last year and has allowed students to get handson experience investing and managing money. AIC is unique as the first student-managed single fund at A&M.
The fund’s growth in the past year is impressive, and it is managing to grow to a level that surpasses that of professionals.
“More than half of professional money managers don’t beat the
market,” Vivanco said. “We’re able to do that as 30 undergraduate students. … It’s really cool because you would think it’s all highly intellectual, but in the meetings it’s just people sitting and talking about the world around them.”
In the typically cutthroat world of finance, the members of AIC feel compelled to lift each other up rather than compete for top spots.
“Whenever we get someone who enters a good firm or a field that we haven’t gotten into yet, they send it into the chat and everyone celebrates and talks about it,” Vivanco said. “We never compete against each other, and it’s really to the benefit of the entire club, Mays Business School and the university.”
A&M to launch research platform on ISS
New project provides exclusive research opportunities for Aggie students
By Erin Wunderlich News Reporter
Imagine a giant metal structure with sliding compartments and a white Texas A&M logo plastered across it — like a box composed of maroon Legos with a robotic arm attached to the top. It’s fitted with drawers that house countless research experiments.
Now, imagine that structure in space and a group of eager students simultaneously collecting data in their labs back in College Station.
In just a few months, A&M will be the first university to have a permanent presence on the International Space Station, or ISS, to conduct in-space research — a feat made possible by collaborating with Aegis Aerospace Inc.
“Now, thanks to our partnership with Aegis Aerospace and support from Chancellor Sharp and The Texas A&M System Board of Regents, the TAMU-SPIRIT Flight Facility will pave the way for Aggie researchers to
push the boundaries of space innovation,” President Mark A. Welsh III wrote in a press release.
TAMU-SPIRIT, which stands for Texas A&M/Aegis Aerospace Multi-Use Space Platform Integrating Research & Innovative Technology, will be a facility for robotics testing, space surveillance, material manufacturing and, of course, in-space research.
“We’re curious about how we can solve problems,” Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering Robert H. Bishop, Ph.D., said. “My message to Aggies is that you’ll have this opportunity front and center — whether you are researching aerospace, agriculture or medicine. This is such an exciting opportunity for the advancement of space research and our creative students.”
TAMU-SPIRIT is an in-space facility, meaning all experiments will be conducted outside of the ISS and in orbit.
At no cost, it will let Aggie students send up experiments and see how they react to radiation, extreme temperatures and zerogravity conditions.
“With this opportunity, you can see your experiment all the way through,” former NASA employee and professor of practice
in the department of aerospace engineering John Connolly said.
“We have a pipeline that can fly 12 different experiments every six months, get them back, and load another set in with a robotic arm. It’s not often researchers get their experiments back from space due to high costs.
TAMU-SPIRIT is a rare opportunity in more ways than one.”
It’s the research that will make a difference, Connolly said. Projects he hopes to see with TAMUSPIRIT include developing new drugs by looking at pharmaceutical methods in zero-gravity, evolving types of seeds to grow in degraded environments and seeing how AI reacts to in-space conditions.
“I think we’ve just scratched the surface on the kind of benefits that will work backwards to Earth that are coming from space,” Connolly said. “Ultimately, we’re going into space because it benefits us all, and that’s been the case since the early days of the space program. I mean, the reason we’re all walking around with cell phones and personal computers is because the Apollo program needed to develop them to get us to the moon.”
TAMU-SPIRIT is based on the MISSE Flight Facility, a
commercial facility built by Aegis that allows researchers to buy a spot on the experiment carrier. Stephanie Murphy ‘01, CEO of Aegis Aerospace Inc., donated MISSE’s design to build TAMUSPIRIT.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to open up this opportunity for other Aggies,” Murphy said. “It’s also very humbling that Texas A&M would entrust my company to help them in this sort of bold venture. When you think about it, Texas A&M already spans across the state. Now, we’re helping them expand geographically in space.”
Connolly said TAMU-SPIRIT is the next stride in former NASA’s rocket developer Wernher Von Braun’s space exploration paradigm: taking one step at a time to reach an age where humans can live in space.
“All the researchers have to do is figure out what kind of research to conduct and find the resources to actually do the development of the individual experiments,” Connolly said. “All the heavy lifting, literally, of flying into space, testing everything before it’s flown into space, operating it in space and getting it back from space — all of that is part and parcel of the TAMU-SPIRIT program.”
Aggie Investment Club President David Rabalais speaks to his team in the E.L. Wehner Building on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.
Photo courtesy of John Connolly
'Rate My Professors' needs improvement
Auditing the internet's most important website
By Kaleb Blizzard Opinion Writer
You’re sitting in on a lecture.
It’s close to the end of the semester, but the writing is on the wall: You will not be getting a good grade on this final.
“Maybe I can get by with an 80. I’ll probably get a C though, and if it’s really bad, maybe I’ll dip down into the low 60s.”
You internally sigh as the professor continues to squint at the size 80 font on the slides. He’s reading with an exhausting drone that sounds like the personification of paint drying, and you start to wonder how rude it would be to just stand up right now and never come back into that lecture hall.
Thankfully — later in the semester — you make a glorious academic comeback with your latest exam score: a 78. As you tell your friends to avoid taking that ancient professor at all costs, you ask yourself, how many more innocent freshmen will fall into his clutches in the years to come?
Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s how I imagine the average college student’s life pre-“Rate My Professors” — and I’m only half
joking.
Despite what an academic advisor or whoever else might say, I think it’s obvious to anyone with any sense that “Rate My Professors” is an incredibly useful platform.
Yes, it’s true that it doesn’t capture all of the facets of every course — and lazy students will naturally underrate rigorous professors — but it does a good job of giving a general sense of what a class will be like.
At the very least, it gives you an idea of what other students have thought of a professor in the past, and that alone can be helpful. However, it’s time to make some updates. “Rate My Professors” serves its purpose, but there are a few things that could be done to take it to the next level.
Allow full professor profiles with syllabus postings and class expectations
One complaint often raised by those who dislike “Rate My Professors” — usually the professors themselves — is that the platform contains an inherent tendency to cause a professor to be viewed more negatively than they would otherwise be viewed if every member of their class had to leave them a review on the
platform.
Specifically, they argue that a student is far more likely to leave a review if they did poorly in a course, irrespective of how the given course was structured or the degree of fault in the student’s performance. For this reason, they assert that the reviews on a professor’s profile can easily misrepresent the views the majority of a class might hold on that professor.
This is a reasonable objection. But there’s a problem: We can’t just silence the students who complain. So what should we do?
I say let the professors make their case.
Sure, professors can already reply to reviews on the site, which is a start. But let’s expand that functionality.
Let professors upload the previous semester’s syllabi on the platform to set student expectations. Give them an option to introduce themselves and talk about the way they like to run their classes. Maybe even add a feature where professors can create listings for individual courses to set future class expectations and attract new students.
Will all professors use this feature? No. But including it would make sorting the good reviews from the bad much easier when professors do engage with their online reputations more directly.
Add an “average rating given” indicator next to student reviews
Following the vein of the previouslast problem, we still need a way to indicate the reliability of individual student reviews — even when professors aren’t posting syllabi or course expectations under my new feature.
However, there’s a countervailing problem that arises here: The reviews on “Rate My Professors” are anonymous, and it’s critical that they remain that way.
For that reason, it’s probably not a good idea to have post histories. Instead, a similar — although effective — alternative could be implemented: Average rating given indicators.
Since “Rate My Professors” has proprietary access to users’ post histories, the platform could
aggregate user reviews and post an indicator next to each review that shows the mean average of ratings given by that student to all professors.
Want to just post reviews to rag on professors? Other people can see that and know that you aren’t the most reputable source. It’s a simple thing to add, but it would give additional credibility to user reviews — a critical step in portraying course expectations more accurately.
Let students display their major next to their reviews
I’m sure you’ve read a horrible review on “Rate My Professors” after completing a course, only to wildly disagree with the reviewer's opinion of the professor teaching the class. For example, maybe you’re an engineering major who read a doomsday-sounding review on Calculus 1, only to breeze through the class with ease.
“Heh,” you scoff. “Only a liberal arts major could have written this. No wonder they're not getting jobs.”
If I was an engineering major, I would probably say that. But I fear I’m too romantically successful to be admitted to any engineering program. Anyway, the point is this: You probably want to know what sort of academic background a reviewer has to understand the perspective they’re coming from.
Allowing students to display their majors would give readers additional insight into reviews; instead of guessing whether a reviewer was well-equipped to take a class, you could get a better sense of the reviewer’s academic preparation for that course.
These aren’t groundbreaking changes, but honestly, “Rate My Professors” doesn’t need an overhaul. Although it would be nice to see these features implemented, I’m grateful for what we have.
Sure, maybe I can’t see the absolute specifics of a class, but I’m not stuck watching a borderline-hypnotized professor read slides for an hour.
And for that, I have “Rate My Professors” to thank.
Kaleb Blizzard is a philosophy sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion
Out with ‘POWER’: Hate has no place here
It's time for a new walkout song at Kyle Field
By Wyatt Pickering Opinion Writer
Some people just have to be the center of attention.
Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — is no stranger to the spotlight, and has been involved in some of the biggest pop culture moments in the past two decades, from a marriage to Kim Kardashian to a bid for the presidency of the United States.
In 2022, Ye faced severe backlash for multiple antisemitic comments and was compelled to issue a public apology.
You would think he would learn from this and no longer make such awful statements. However, just weeks ago, he did the exact opposite. His recent comments and actions are significantly worse than anything he had done before — for example, calling Adolf Hitler “fresh” and selling a $20 t-shirt with a swastika on it. Ye’s talent agency, 33&West, dropped him because of the statements, and Shopify, an e-commerce company, banned Ye’s company Yeezy from selling his merchandise on their platform.
So what does Texas A&M have to do with any of this?
At the beginning of the 2012 football season, the newlyappointed coach Kevin Sumlin greenlit a new entrance theme for the football team. During those discussions, it was decided to use a 30-second clip of the song “POWER” by Ye to get the crowd hyped for Aggie home games.
The rest was history.
“POWER” has been the football team’s walkout song for at least part of 12 of the 13 seasons since its inception.
The song took a leave for the
end of the 2022 season and all of 2023 because of Ye’s antisemitic comments in 2022. To give you an idea, Ye said he was going to “go Death Con 3” on Jewish people. This is a reference to the U.S. military’s DEFCON system and was Ye’s way of proclaiming we should be on high alert against Jewish people.
In light of these statements, A&M changed the song to a new composition made specifically for the team’s intro, “Aggie Intro” by Collin Padecki ‘20. Many current and former students pressured the university into bringing back “POWER” for the most recent football season.
I must admit that I was one of the many people excited to see “POWER” return to Aggie football after a year of absence. However, I’ve seen a shift in behavior from Ye that needs to be addressed. Words have power, and he has used his platform to normalize the hate of minority groups for too long.
There is a concept called the Pyramid of Hate that details the rise of violent action in societies. Hate is never sudden. It builds over time, with the actions people take slowly but surely worsening. Acts of harmful bias — like what Ye is currently doing — are lower on the Pyramid of Hate, but these actions will slowly turn to discrimination, then violence and finally genocide. It’s a domino effect, starting small and building up speed until it’s out of control.
If you think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, look in your history book. There have been many times throughout history when the words people say shape the narrative and have devastating effects on people unfortunate enough to face the consequences of others’ actions.
There is a rise in antisemitism in the U.S., with violent rhetoric and attacks on Jewish Americans
significantly increasing. However, it’s difficult to quantify how much, if any, of that increase is directly related to Ye’s actions.
Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, but we also have the right to choose who we platform. Ye has consistently shown over the years that he is not to be trusted with this power. His actions are not indicative of A&M’s Core Values either.
Whether we like it or not, sports are political and serve as a direct indication of the quality of our society. A&M has a responsibility to its athletes and the 12th Man who supports its mission.
It chooses to platform entertainers like Ye and allow their ideas to be broadcast to a greater audience.
People may argue that we should separate the art from the artist, but this is a rationalization to keep us from the truth. Being a talented artist does not give someone like Ye an excuse to buy a Super Bowl advertising spot for t-shirts with swastikas on them. We should hold artists accountable for the things they say and make the decision to not support their work. The athletic department has a choice to make for the coming
football season. It can either choose to keep the status quo and make the definitive statement that Ye’s words and actions are acceptable, or it can stand up and make the choice to align with the university's Core Values. We Aggies have the opportunity to right a wrong and show the world we stand up for the things we believe in. Hate has no place in our university, and
ENTERTAINMENT
game against Cal Poly at Blue Bell Park on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.
Living up to the No. 1 ranking
With plenty of time left this season, the Astros Foundation College Classic is the next chance for A&M baseball to prove itself
By Braxton Dore’ Sports Editor
Us against the world.
That should be the mentality of the Texas A&M baseball team going into the rest of the season.
After the mid-week gut-punch loss to Texas State 7-2, in which the Aggies displayed poor pitching and even worse at-bats, the topranked squad can right their ship on Friday, Feb. 28, when they head to the newly renamed Daikin Park, home to the Houston Astros.
Now, about the competition. They don’t look like the average Cal Poly or Texas State team that
has failed to see the postseason in recent years.
While Arizona is the only one of the three opponents the Aggies will face in the Classic with a record above .500, an urgency to live up to lofty expectations has emerged from every corner of Aggieland.
The No. 1 ranking comes with the double-edged sword of knowing that they’ll get every opponent’s best shot. A&M found that edge in its loss to the Bobcats and is going to need to fight desperately against teams with real battle experience already this young in the season. Arizona, Oklahoma State and Rice await the king of college baseball, hungry to get a piece of what the Bobcats carved off.
What needs to be fixed
In both the Cal Poly and Texas State losses, offensive production and a bullpen collapse were key factors in the visitors taking down No. 1.
The hit ratio was nine-to-seven in the Bobcats’ favor and it was six-to-five in the Mustangs’ favor. Something must change for a team that was expected to be among the best in generating production at the plate. With injuries affecting heavy hitters in sophomore third baseman Gavin Grahovac and sophomore outfielder Caden Sorrell, players like junior center fielder Jace LaViolette and graduate designated hitter Hayden Schott need to pick up the extra slack.
The Ivy League transfer Schott collected just two hits in his six plate appearances during the team’s two losses. While it is still early in the year, the giant 6-foot6 LaViolette has yet to come alive. Through the first six games of last year, the MLB prospect garnered 10 hits and nine runs, compared to this year’s five and seven, respectively.
While batter’s box problems are one thing, pitching woes are a whole ‘nother beast.
Nine different Aggies saw
Going forward
A&M loses sophomore third baseman Gavin Grahovac to seasonending surgery
By Noah Ruiz Sports Writer
Having already lost sophomore right fielder Caden Sorrell for an undisclosed amount of time, things went from bad to worse for Texas A&M baseball as sophomore infielder Gavin Grahovac will undergo season-ending shoulder repair surgery, per TexAgs’ Ryan Brauninger. Though remaining No. 1 overall in this week’s D1 Baseball poll, the loss of such a productive batter and defender creates a line of questions for the Maroon and White.
The California native had big expectations coming into his sophomore campaign after setting the Aggie freshman home run record with 23 in the 2024 season. Accounting for two home runs and six RBIs already this season, his absence creates a hole in offensive production that must be addressed as conference play looms on the
horizon.
Luckily for A&M, a surplus of talent is a luxury that can fill the void left behind by the sophomore. Super utility man junior INF Jamal George may see the field more often until Sorrell returns, while fans may see graduate second baseman Wyatt Henseler slide out to third base in Grahovac’s stead as more Aggies may see their positions shifted. Regardless of who ends up where, Grahovac’s loss creates a delicate situation on both sides of the ball for the Fightin’ Farmers. The offensive production has slacked off in the recent losses to Cal Poly and Texas State. In the loss to the Bobcats, the Aggies only amounted seven hits. With a nationally-ranked batting average of 158th, problems at the plate are apparent.
However, with the injury so early in the season, coach Mike Earley and Co. have ample time to plug the holes that have sent their boat adrift.
action on the mound Tuesday, and none remained for more than two innings. This kind of midweek matchup shuffle is typical in college baseball but not for a topranked program coming off a loss to Cal Poly. Despite gloomy weather and poor game conditions over the weekend, the 12th Man was greeted with a promising start to junior left-handed pitcher Myles Patton’s career in maroon.
The Long Beach State transfer was dealing in the second win over Elon and the loss to Cal Poly, totaling eight strikeouts in each bout and allowing just one run. More consistency from the rest of the 19 roster-listed pitchers need to help solidify the defense in Houston.
What to expect
Arizona has gained the most experience against top teams so far in its losses to Louisville, Clemson and Ole Miss. The Wildcats will likely be a favorite to upset the Aggies coming off a four-win streak and with their .296, top100-ranked batting average.
The offensive capabilities of Oklahoma State rest at 29th in the country, with a BA of .324. The Cowboys have shared opponents with Arizona in Clemson and Louisville, in which they lost to the Tigers 5-6 and beat the Cardinals 12-3.
While the final program, Rice, only has two wins so far in the season, don’t count the Owls out just yet as they are looking for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017, and a ranked win against the Fightin’ Farmers would help their chances tremendously.
Sydney Lessentine Softball, freshman righthanded pitcher
During an 11-2 win over Florida A&M in the JoAnne Graf Classic, Lessentine struck out 19 of the 25 batters she faced, setting the program’s single-game strikeout record. Despite playing two ways in high school, the righty looks right at home in the circle.
Andersson Garcia
Men’s basketball, senior forward
In a gloomy week for basketball in Aggieland, Garcia shone through the darkness with his best shooting game of the season. The big Dominican drained two 3-pointers on his way to 14 points to keep the Aggies in it against Tennessee.
Justin Lamkin
Baseball, junior left-handed pitcher
In what has been a rocky start for the A&M pitching rotation, Lamkin had the first quality start of the season in a 4-3 win over Cal Poly. The southpaw recorded four strikeouts in six innings and only one unearned run.
Lauren Ware Women’s basketball, redshirt senior forward
Despite the Aggies’ season crumbling since the loss of redshirt senior guard Aicha Coulibaly to injury, Ware has remained a steady force in the paint. In the loss to Mississippi State, Ware scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Aggies on the Combine clock in Indy
Three of Elko’s finest to attend NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis
By Mathias Cubillan Associate Sports Editor
As front office executives, head coaches and a gaggle of St. Elmo Steak House-powered reporters descend upon Indianapolis, Indiana, all eyes are on the 329 invitees to the NFL Scouting Combine. Among them, three Texas A&M football players have their sights set on making the right impression to boost their draft stock come April.
Shemar Stewart: the hottest name in Indy
Every year, a player with absurd athletic traits becomes the in-vogue name for scouts and draftniks alike. Junior defensive lineman Shemar Stewart is in prime position to make this week all about him.
Listed at 6-foot-6, 290 pounds and expected to measure slightly lighter, Stewart has a hulking frame for the trenches without sacrificing explosive athleticism. The rumblings from the media, including from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler in his latest appearance on the “The Athletic Football Show”, indicated that Stewart’s 40-yard dash could be in the 4.5 range. A sub-4.60-second 40-yard dash at 280-plus pounds would be one of the most impressive times in Combine history.
With the top of the 2025 NFL Draft widely considered to be a weaker group of prospects, eyepopping testing numbers could be enough for the draft industrial complex to manufacture a prospect that might not really exist.
You might remember the similarly weak 2022 class, when then-Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke went on what can only be assumed was a psilocybin-fueled bender that led him to see the ghost of Aldon Smith in the eventual first-overall
pick, Travon Walker. Walker did not have elite collegiate production — posting just six sacks in his final year at Georgia — but running a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at 272 pounds had the NFL salivating. Similarly, Stewart only recorded 1.5 sacks in his junior season in Aggieland. But, his rare physical traits could make him an enticing option for teams in the top 10 because of the moldable ball of clay some evaluators will see.
Partners in crime
Joining Stewart at Lucas Oil Stadium are junior edge rusher
Nic Scourton and senior defensive tackle Shemar Turner, who helped wreak havoc on opposing offenses last season.
Scourton, who finished second in the Southeastern Conference in tackles for loss and recorded 11 sacks for Purdue the year prior, is likely on the bubble for a potential first-round selection. At 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, the Bryan native has the requisite size and a history of past statistical production appealing to NFL teams.
With his numbers and effectiveness tailing off in the back half of the year, the athletic testing allows the edge rusher an opportunity to vault back into the first-round discussion, should he impress.
As one of only 10 prospects who will be just 20 years old on draft day, coaches will want to see him go through position drills on the field to demonstrate technical growth.
Teams will also want to meet Scourton one-on-one to ask him how his changed role in A&M’s lineup limited him from putting up high-end stats.
Turner won’t be participating in on-field work due to a stress fracture in his leg he played through as a senior, but he is expected to be cleared for participation at the Aggies’ pro day.
Without the ability to show off his physical gifts and technical refinement, Turner will likely spend the week undergoing medical evaluations for teams
to see how his rehab is going. Additionally, as the 12th Man knows all too well, Turner had a propensity for personal fouls in college, something he will surely be grilled on in interviews.
While the underwear olympics aren’t the end-all and the be-all for these prospects, we’ve seen the Combine be a star-making vehicle for players to turn potential into opportunity.
Around the SEC: March 1
By Diego Saenz Sports Writer
A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR THIS WEEK’S GAMES
No. 17 Kentucky
Saturday, March 1 — 12 p.m. on ABC Rupp Arena — Lexington, Kentucky
The Southeastern Conference kicks off March with No. 1 Auburn visiting No. 17 Kentucky in a top25 showdown. Last weekend, Kentucky faced another elite team, No. 6 Alabama, where it jumped to a quick 20-9 lead before fading and ultimately falling 96-83. Junior guard Otega Oweh, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, had a career-low two points — the first time he failed to reach double digits in his collegiate career. The Jersey native normally averages 15.7 points per game and totaled 20
points in each of the two previous games against Texas and Vanderbilt.
Auburn is riding a four-game win streak, finding ways to win on both ends of the floor. Senior forward Johni Broome, who leads the SEC with 2.6 blocks per game and ranks third in scoring at 18.6 points per game, has been at the center of the Tigers’ success.
The Tigers are playing like the best team in the country by a long shot, and the Wildcats will want nothing to do with this freight train of a team.
Prediction: Auburn 90, Kentucky 72
On the other side of the state, the Vanderbilt Commodores will be hosting the No. 14 Missouri Tigers in their second meeting of the season. Missouri has been fairly inconsistent on the road, posting a 3-5 record in away games. Their most recent road loss came against a struggling Arkansas team. However, the Tigers should have more than enough firepower to bounce back, led by a trio of guards — junior Mark Mitchell, senior Caleb Grill and senior Tamar Bates. Memorial Gymnasium has
turned into a fortress for the Commodores this season and may be the only reason a March Madness bid is still possible. Vanderbilt holds a 13-2 home record while also being ranked tenth in the conference standings. Dynamic junior G Jason Edwards has shown his playmaking ability and junior forward Devin McGlockton has become a force in the paint. The duo have emerged as a potent one-two punch for the Commodores’ offense. Expect Vanderbilt’s home dominance to continue as it keeps its March dreams alive.
No. 6 Alabama at No. 5 Tennessee
Saturday, March 1 — 3 p.m. on ESPN Thompson-Boling Arena — Knoxville, Tennessee
Let’s start with No. 5 Tennessee, which just finished manhandling No. 7 Texas A&M in dominant fashion at Reed Arena. The Volunteers’ top-ranked SEC defense thrives on shutting down the paint and forcing opponents into contested jumpers. They lead the conference in fewest points allowed at 60.8 per game, lowest opponent field goal percentage at 37% and lowest opponent 3-point percentage at 28%.
Alabama’s bread and butter is attacking the paint and kicking it out for open triples. The Crimson Tide
leads the SEC in 3-pointers per game, averaging nearly 30 attempts from beyond the arc. With six players averaging double figures — each more than willing to let it fly — Alabama’s offense is as dangerous as it is reckless.
The key to the game will be whether the Crimson Tide can drain contested shots and wear down the Volunteers’ aggressive defense. Alabama has struggled against elite defenses as of late, and Tennessee’s top-ranked defense will prevail in a close one.
Prediction: Tennessee 76, Alabama 74
Don’t let the rankings, or lack thereof, fool you — this game has serious NCAA Tournament implications. After five consecutive losses — four of them by at least 18 points, Oklahoma earned a much-needed victory against No. 24 Mississippi State for their fifth Quad 1 win of the season. According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Oklahoma currently has a 55% chance of earning an at-large bid. With only three games left, the Sooners are in dire need of a victory against a flustered Ole Miss
squad. The Rebels find themselves unranked for the first time since Week 3 of the season. After a hot start to February with a 3-0 record, Ole Miss has slowed down, going 0-2 over their next two games.
The Rebels will look to senior G Sean Pedulla to carry the offensive burden and fuel his squad to a much-needed victory.
With only two more weeks of SEC play, the Sooners’ sense of urgency as the postseason inches closer will give them the edge over the Rebels in a thriller.
Lucciana Perez Women’s tennis, sophomore
Taking on Texas in the Lone Star Showdown, Perez was a thorn in the Longhorns’ side all day. First winning her doubles match with junior Lizanne Boyer, Perez fought from behind to win both sets in a tiebreak in her singles match.
Top to bottom: Texas A&M defensive lineman Nic Scourton (11) reacts after making a tackle in the backfield during Texas A&M’s game against Missouri at Kyle Field Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) watches the