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Saturday, August 22, 2026

TRADITIONS: Letter from the editor: SPORTS: Texas A&M volleyball’s New EIC Ava Loth addresses Aggies new faces take center court

@THEBATTONLINE

PUBLICATION NOTICE Tuesday, Sept. 1: Silver Taps

Kynlee Joyner — THE BATTALION

Howdy Week welcomes Ags back home Texas A&M’s Student Life division hosts back-toschool events for students to kick off fall semester By David Swope News Editor Texas A&M’s annual Howdy Week kicked off on Aug. 17 and will continue through Tuesday, Aug. 25, welcoming one of the United States’ largest student bodies back to Aggieland. In addition to the Howdy Week festivities, various subsequent welcome events are planned in the following weeks. Geophysics junior and Geology and Geophysics Society Treasurer Christian Mares, a Club Crawl table host, believes that taking advantage of the events and making new connections is paramount for those trying to find their place in college — a task that he believes can prove to be particularly challenging at such a large university like A&M. “If you don’t talk to anyone else besides your small group of friends coming in from high school, you won’t find your community,” Mares said. “The best way to do that is just to talk to brand new people and see what they’re doing, enjoy new experiences and do things on a whim.” During these events, Mares thinks students can get their foot in the door

with not only student organizations, but the faces behind them. “I think it’s really important because you don’t know anyone here, and clubs are just that first step to meeting new people,” Mares said. “ … You never know what A&M has to offer until you go to Club Crawl and other Howdy Week events.” With that said, here are some notable events to take place throughout Howdy Week and the beginning of the fall semester. Off-Campus Student Carnival Aug. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. - College Station City Hall The Off-Campus Student Carnival offers an opportunity for students to connect with the Bryan-College Station community through games, carnival snacks, inflatables and a local celebrity dunk tank free of charge. In addition to connecting with fellow Aggies, students can meet various local officials and organizations to find unique ways to get involved. Rec-A-Palooza Aug. 23 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. - Student Recreation Center Situated among over 540,000 square feet of recreation space, RecA-Palooza aims to introduce Aggies to the wide assortment of facilities at their disposal. With 15 event booths, such as introductory bouldering and climbing classes and inflatable obstacle courses, students can explore the numerous sports clubs and activities

enjoyed by their peers, making new connections and discovering healthy hobbies. Class Photo Aug. 23 from 8 to 10 p.m. - Kyle Field As to one of Howdy Week’s most anticipated events, the Class Photo invites freshmen to Kyle Field to commemorate their arrival to A&M. New students will make their way on the field and arrange themselves in the shape of the number 30, marking their membership to the Class of 2030 with a group picture. First Day Photos Aug. 24 and Aug. 25 - Across campus Students can have the opportunity to memorialize their first day of the fall semester through First Day Photos. Located across campus, volunteers will be set up outside various colleges and high-traffic areas with chalkboard signs for students to take a photo with. A full list of locations can be found on the Howdy Week website, with more to be finalized prior to the first day of class. Part-Time Student Job Fair Aug. 26 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. - Bethancourt Ballroom A&M students looking for part-time employment opportunities can enjoy special access to the Jobs for Aggies Part-Time Student Job Fair. Admission to the event is free and requires no prior registration. Featuring

both on-campus departments and off-campus employers throughout the Bryan-College Station area, students can browse a diverse array of jobs and find openings that best suit their preferences and schedule. Club Crawl Sept. 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. – MSC and surrounding venues Club Crawl is A&M’s largest student involvement festival, bringing together over 1,300 recognized student organizations. Hosted in the heart of campus, everyone from incoming freshmen to graduate students has the chance to browse and interact with the wide assortment of different on-campus organizations. The list of approved organizations and general tips for attendance can be found on the Club Crawl website. A complete list of both general and featured events can be found on the Howdy Week website. Other A&M events that are not a part of Howdy Week are listed on the Get Involved website. With over 74,000 students enrolled at the College Station campus in Fall 2026, some find it hard to distinguish themselves and find where they belong, but Mares offers a simple piece of advice. “Just be yourself,” Mares said. “There’s always going to be someone else exactly like you. Finding your niche community is your best way to do it, by talking to different people, by meeting their friends and just connecting with a bunch of people.”

New DSA initiative to foster connection ‘We want you to feel connected’: Aggie Experience Groups promote community By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor In addition to Texas A&M’s annual Howdy Week and subsequent events, Aggie Experience Groups — an initiative spearheaded by the Division of Student Affairs and one of its Associate Vice Presidents, Jennifer Ford ‘99 — will be added to the back-to-school events calendar this fall. With the first event kicking off on Tuesday, Aug. 25, these groups will aim to help students find a community on campus and their purpose at A&M. The initiative will feature 75 total events from Aug. 25 to Saturday, Sept. 19. The groups range from arts and

crafts to more active activities like bouldering, each one led by a Division of Student Affairs employee and student host. “We want students to feel like they are connected and belong here, and so that’s really what’s motivating all of this,” Ford said. “I think there’s been a lot of research and different programs that have happened on campus, that doing things in smaller groups is helpful. … The goal of leaving is with one new person that they know.” Statistics on the benefits of small groups are not the only research behind the push for student engagement. Since 2021, the Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research department has examined students through the Aggie Well-being Survey. The assessment covers a wide range of topics from overall health to engagement. The results of the survey — for Ford, specifically the loneliness and

belonging categories — helped the Division of Student Affairs recognize a need for an initiative dedicated to fostering connections between students through a shared likeness. Over the past three years, an average of 44.5% of students reported feelings of loneliness. On the other hand, over the past four years, an average of 63% of students said they feel a strong sense of belonging at A&M. “Will we ever get that percentage to a hundred?” Ford asked. “I don’t know, but wouldn’t that be nice? … My particular background has been working in Student Life for the last 10 years. And so, you know, seeing the students who are waiting to talk with one of our case managers who are experiencing some challenges of transitioning, I have seen it firsthand as our other staff are working on this effort, and I want to reduce the number of students who are feeling that way.”

The Division of Student Affairs hosted a kickoff on Aug. 19 for the initiative. Emails have begun being sent out to students to sign up for the experience groups and will continue to reach more students in the coming weeks through the first six weeks email. While the events are targeted at reaching incoming students, all are welcome to take part in the experiences. Events will be capped around 25 students in order to maintain a small group, but Ford assures that in the case of a high demand, adjustments will be made. “If there is a waitlist, if we see there’s higher demand, all of the hosts for these groups know that I’m going to go back and say, ‘Would you do another group?’ Ford said.

Scan here!

NEW

Steve Carrasco IV — THE BATTALION

Letter from Editor: Pages worth turning Why Ava Loth believes shared Aggie By Ava Loth Editor-in-Chief For some students, choosing Texas A&M is as simple as flipping the page of a book, with an Aggie ending waiting for them, written before their story ever started. It could be that they’re the newest sequel to a family legacy rooted in Aggieland, having bled maroon before they even learned how to read. Or perhaps the main plot of their book is to meet Miss Rev — well, because whose isn’t? But for others, they wonder if this is a book they’ll ever be able to pick up, let alone one they will stick around to the end for, unsure of whether the story inside is one they want to be a part of. Or maybe for others like me, it’s like starting in Chapter 12, feeling behind and confused, wondering if the story will ever feel completed without a traditional beginning. Transferring to A&M halfway through my sophomore year, I felt like I was stepping into a place with thousands of stories and traditions already written on the pages, which left me questioning if there was room for one more story — one that included me. But like every other Aggie, I took a chance that would unknowingly change the plot of my ever-evolving story. When I first joined The Battalion, I did not truly understand what I was diving into — I just knew I loved watching sports. I thought transitioning from a sports writer to associate sports editor would be the biggest plot twist The Battalion would throw at me. Looking back now, I realize that I didn’t have to know exactly how each chapter ended to start it. Now turning the page to my new role as editor-in-chief, I want to continue making this publication a place where Aggies — no matter what chapter they are in — can find themselves as they write stories of their own. While our editors and writers have deliberately chosen to make The Battalion an important part of their story, it is our goal to make sure the stories of students across campus are shared through The Battalion. The events that matter to you. The news that matters to you. The sports that matter to you. The opinions that matter to you. We want to cover it all, because it matters to us, too. What makes A&M special are the thousands of stories being created every day — we are just here to tell them. Whether it be a freshman joining their first club that will change the trajectory of their college years or a senior preparing to walk across the stage in a few short months, there is always a story worth telling. While old tales and traditions have defined A&M’s history, new ones are created every day that continue to shape A&M’s future. We don’t know every story that we will cover or every person we will encounter this semester. That is what makes our job so exciting. Every semester brings new people, new journeys and new experiences, and we get to discover them right alongside you. The Battalion’s staff is not filled with out-of-town journalists looking for the next big headline. Each of its members are Aggies just like you, looking for the stories that show why A&M is so special, a uniquely formed cast dedicated to serving the 74,000-plus students that make up our campus. At a university with thousands walking the same sidewalks, sitting at the same tables and learning from the same professors, the biggest differences are the paths we took to get here and that we continue to take every day. We are here to represent the student body in all its complexity. Serving the student body means creating a space where that is possible — where voices are heard whether people agree or not, and where everyone has the opportunity to see their experiences showcased in our coverage. Despite the traditions woven into the binding of A&M’s story, our university is constantly evolving, and The Battalion is here to help others understand and remember that change. All we ask is that you give us that chance to tell your stories — the issues you think deserve to be covered and the experiences you think deserve to be heard. We hope you trust us to report on your stories no matter the plot, cast or setting, because every story is one worth telling. We are not removed from the campus we cover. Our staff is composed of students just like you, experiencing for the first time what it means to be an Aggie. We also understand what it feels like to wonder whether your story matters, but it does. Whether you are opening your first chapter or preparing to read your conclusion, we hope you let us take that journey with you. So, reach out, tell us what matters to you and what you think we should know. Every book has a dedication page; The Battalion’s honors over 74,000 names, yours included.

CATCHING YOU UP YOU MAY HAVE MISS

SSB sustained small electrical fi

Fire in SSB displaces mult divisions of Student Life By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor

The Texas A&M University Police Department, or TAMU UPD, and College Station Fire Department responded to an electrical fire in the Student Services Building, or SSB, at 8:53 a.m. on Aug. 15. “Arriving units observed smoke in the building that the sprinkler system had activated,” TAMU UPD Sergeant Robert Leseth wrote in a statement to The Battalion. “The College Station Fire Department, with assistance from the Texas A&M University Police Department, were able to locate and extinguish a fire in the building. The building was unoccupied and no one was injured.” While the fire was contained to the second floor of the building, the first floor, which houses A&M’s Disabilities Resources office, suffered water damage. The second floor of the SSB contains a multitude of Student Life services, such as Student Assistance Services, Student Legal

Board of Regents sued over polic

4 professors, AAUP sue A&M Board of Regents over new p By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor

A lawsuit was filed against the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Aug. 3 concerning A&M’s Civil Rights Protection and Compliance Policy that went into effect last fall. The suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, on behalf of the American Association of University Professors, or AAUP, and A&M professors Leonard Bright, Ph.D., Vanita Reddy, Ph.D., and Landon Sadler and Tarleton State professor Aaron George, Ph.D. The policy, which prohibits courses from advocating “race or gender ideology, or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity” unless previously approved by the acting CEO, has prompted protests since its implementation. In January, A&M’s AAUP chapter held two events — a press conference and demonstration — and has now taken its concerns to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Over 200 courses were altered in light of this policy, with others, like Bright’s graduate ethics course, canceled completely. “My ethics course — the only one of its kind available to graduate students — was canceled for noncompliance with a draconian censorship policy,” Bright, lead plaintiff and president of A&M’s chapter of AAUP, said in an ACLU of Texas press release. “This policy has impacted my ability to do my job, my students’ ability to learn and my colleagues’ ability to teach without fear of reprisal. The chilling effect of this policy is vast and immeasurable, and it poisons the very soul of what a university should be: a place where ideas are free to roam, and debate is uninhibited by the political winds.” The System has yet to respond to The Battalion’s request for comment. The complaint alleges First Amendment violations and argues that the policy is unconstitutionally vague. In the suit, the plaintiffs requested that the court declare the policy unconstitutional on those counts, as well as issue preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting the defendants from

Services, Substance Misuse and Violence Student Services, New Student and Fami of marketing and communication and bu Top staff was granted access to the bui following day all staff returned to pick up their offices. The fire damage led to the d Life offices, forcing them to find tempora next six to eight weeks. Student Life became fully operational events such as Howdy Week, the Off-Cam New Student Conferences and more are uled, but students are advised to look to S for updates on these events.

implementing or enforcing the policy or reinstate canceled courses or core course compliance with the policy and rescind d to remove readings or materials and resc iting professors from teaching or discussin the policy. “The First Amendment plainly prohib academic freedom at a public university,” the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Techno Sykes said in the press release. “This bro ty’s opaque enforcement process makes i learn freely and endangers course conten the history of slavery to Shakespeare to t sities are sites of inquiry, debate and disc categories of ideas is a betrayal of both t Amendment.” The policy has led to the cancellation o gions of the World to Ethics in Public Po the ACLU of Texas, Chloe Kempf, argu Brown, LGBTQIA+ and all other Texan been discriminated against by subjecting identities and indeed very existence to he “Universities should not be in the busin senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Tex wrote in a statement to The Battalion. “O hallowed traditions is the university camp plored and debated freely--not banned b don’t like them. By seeking to erase certa and sexual orientation from Texas A&M Regents is violating the academic freedom its students a disservice. In the real world encounter viewpoints different from their artificially limiting the viewpoints availab

Speed limits reduced on camp

Transportation Services a es changes to campus traffi By Ian Curtis Senior Enterprise Reporter

Texas A&M Transportation Services has announced a reduction of speed limits of various routes on campus that will be in effect for the fall 2026 semester. The changes come following a comprehensive “campus-wide review” including traffic engineers, the University Police Department, members of A&M’s administration and Transportation Services, according to an announcement of the changes that the latter organization posted earlier this summer. “As campus continues to grow and the use of bicycles and other micromobility devices increases, managing vehicle speeds plays an important role in creating a safer mobility experience,” the announcement read. “Lower speeds allow more time to recognize and react to potential hazards, while reducing the likelihood and severity of collisions.” The new speed limits come after Transportation Services com-

pleted several infrastructure projects in 20 the aim of making campus safer for all m according to the announcement. Major roads affected by the changes in Penberthy Blvd - 30 to 25 mph Tom Chandler Dr - 30 to 25 mph West Campus Blvd - 30 to 25 mph Olsen Blvd - 30 to 25 mph Houston St - 30 to 25 mph Throckmorton St - 30 to 25 mph John Kimbrough Blvd - 30 to 20mph

A full map of affected areas can be fou Services’ website.

ON 5 CAMPUS EVENTS THAT SED DURING SUMMER BREAK

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UHS rejoined Division of Student Affairs After 4 years under Texas A&M Health, UHS returns to DSA By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor

Texas A&M University Health Services, or UHS, joined the Division of Student Affairs on July 15 after four years under Texas A&M Health. The reclassification was spearheaded by Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Kibler ‘91, Ph.D., who assumed his role on Aug. 1, 2025. Kibler served as a high-division official in A&M’s Division of Student Affairs for 24 years. In 2004 he left the university in pursuit of other higher education positions. When Kibler returned to the Division of Student Affairs in 2025, UHS, once classified under his division, was now a separate entity. Within two weeks back in Aggieland, Kibler met with Associate Vice President of UHS Nancy Fahrenwald, Ph.D., to discuss the future of the department. “When I got here a year ago, I … felt very strongly and was very impressed with what they do and all that,” Kibler said. “ … I met with Dr. Fahrenwald, probably within two weeks of being here, but felt, at the time, that [UHS] belongs in student affairs.” The directive to move UHS out of the Division of Student Affairs came in 2022 from former University President Katherine M. Banks, who led the transition of UHS to Texas A&M Health. The move was supported by university stakeholders who reviewed MGT Consulting Group’s recommendation for A&M, and shortly after, Banks announced the plan in a follow-up report. The goal of moving UHS under the branch of Texas A&M Health was to both combine Student Health Services, or SHS, and Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, and expand the department. In their time under Texas A&M Health, SHS and CAPS were integrated into a more cohesive unit, even using a common medical records system, and A&M EMS expanded, growing from one ambulance run by volunteers to four 24/7 operational ambulances with full-time paramedics. Furthermore, the Aggie Recovery Program — an initiative to help Aggies struggling with addiction — was created. Texas A&M Health is comprised of five professional schools — dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Kibler believed that the organizational framework of Texas A&M Health was not the best fit for a division in need of a structure that prioritizes cohesion of divisions rather than keeping UHS separated from surrounding entities. “UHS, in my perception, was kind of this piece that was in there, but it didn’t really fit well,” Kibler said. “ … When I first got here … I began exploring the notion with the president of, ‘Can we move them back into student affairs?’”

In addition to the structural organization, Kibler said he thought that oversights within the original transition left UHS divided. While SHS and CAPS were the two forward-facing components of what became UHS, there was a third component that was left behind in the transition, separating a part of the division from its other components. Kibler explained that in addition to the health and counseling centers, there was a section of the division dedicated to health promotion and health education. When SHS and CAPS were removed from the Division of Student Affairs, the other supporting sections were not. Now, the Division of Student Affairs is home to many health education promotion programs within Student Life, including Aggies Against Violence, Aggies Choose, Alcohol & Other Drug Education, First Six Weeks Challenge, Pregnant & Parenting Student Services, STAND Up Trauma-Informed Care Training and Violence Prevention Faculty & Staff Training. Kibler’s main concern with UHS’s administration being in Texas A&M Health was that the Student Life programs and employees had no way of working in cohesion with UHS staff. Reclassifying UHS under the Division of Student Affairs allows the health and counseling centers to work side by side with these programs, meshing together A&M’s health services, bridging the divide between care and education. “Our goal is by bringing them back into student affairs, we reconnect all those things,” Kibler said. “Those staffs are working together. They know what they’re doing, because when UHS was reporting to the Health Science Center, they weren’t attending our meetings. … We weren’t really engaging with them very much, and now they’ll be fully integrated into everything we’re doing in student affairs, making things more seamless, with the end goal being, we are serving the students at the university better, more efficiently, more effectively.” As UHS settles into its new home in the Division of Student Affairs, Kibler ensures that while there may be tweaks in the process, UHS is entering the division still whole. “Some folks say, ‘Well, they’re back in the Division of Student Affairs again,’” Kilber said. “I don’t use that term because they were not UHS, and they were not that organization when they left here. … Now they’re an integrated organization that’s coming back in and whole into our division. We may reorganize some things or tweak some things, but as a general rule, they’re coming in whole into our division.”

Academic Building to be restored Academic Building’s dome to receive renovations this fall By David Swope News Editor

The Academic Building’s dome is set to be replaced this fall as part of a $30 million restoration and repair project renovating the building’s exterior. It will be the first time the dome has been replaced since the building’s establishment in 1914. Unanimously approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on May 21, the project will also repair the Academic Building’s roof and exterior stone walls. According to an article published by the System, administrators hope the renovations will eliminate any risks currently posed by the aging construction while returning the building to its original appearance. “[The Academic Building] is one of the great symbols of Texas A&M to generations of Aggies,” Board of Regents Vice Chairman Jay Graham ‘92 said in the System’s press release. “The Board is committed to preserving the Academic Building not just because of what it means to former students today, but because future Aggies deserve to experience and cherish it for generations to come.” Administrators say damage incurred by decades of weather exposure and moisture infiltration has caused considerable harm to interior finishes of the building, a problem exacerbated by the building’s age. Furthermore, they hope to minimize potential haz-

ards posed to the public by any damaged or insecure masonry. Constructed after a fire destroyed Old Main, A&M’s original campus hub and the university’s first building, in 1912, the Academic Building has remained largely unchanged throughout its 112-year history. The building received major renovations throughout the 1980s that targeted the exterior stonework but left much to be done for future generations The project is funded by the Permanent University Fund, or PUF, a state-owned endowment created by the Texas Constitution, and the Available University Fund, which receives annual distributions from the PUF. A projected $22.7 million is to be allocated directly to construction costs, with the remaining budget assigned to contingencies, inspections, testing and other services. “It is our responsibility to take care of this historic building while it is our turn to do so,” System Chancellor Glenn Hegar ‘93 said. “The Academic Building has stood at the heart of Texas A&M for generations, and these renovations will ensure it continues to educate, inspire and serve Aggies long after we are gone.” The restoration project began in June and is projected to be completed in June 2029.

CAMPUS

08.22.2026

Changing students’ lives page by page Every Friday, Aggies Promoting Literacy brings love of reading to BryanCollege Station youth By Adhithi Shankar Associate Life & Arts Editor

Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

Reveille Handler Trent Ford ‘29 and Reveille X before Savannah Bananas at the Texas Tailgaters at Kyle Field on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Reveille X’s new right-hand man General engineering sophomore Trent Ford to serve as Mascot Corporal By Sophia Muñoz Life & Arts Editor The call came, as it always does every spring for the freshmen in the E-2 outfit, during Family Weekend. Trent Ford stood in the crowd among his fellow nervous cadets and their family members, while his own parents held the leash he didn’t yet know was his to take. When they finally pressed it into his hands, his father, a man Ford describes as anything but emotional, pulled him into a hug and told him he was proud. It was the kind of moment Ford had watched happen to other cadets, but never expected to be his. “It was pretty surreal, especially when my parents came up and they handed the leash to me,” Ford said. “That’s how it’s done each year — the parents have Reveille and they hand off the leash to me.” Now, the general engineering sophomore serves as the newest Mascot Corporal, succeeding agricultural leadership and development junior Wilson Winchester. As Mascot Corporal, Ford is to be the primary caretaker, spokesman and near-constant companion of the highest ranking member in the Corps, Reveille X, more formally known as the First Lady of Aggieland and fondly referred to as Rev. While Trent noted that all of E-2 typically takes part in taking care of

Rev, second and third leash titles are also given to freshmen cadets during Family Weekend following the semester-long tryout process filled with Rev-related research and presentations. Together, it’s a job that comes with a title, leash and responsibility that Company E-2, the “Mascot Company,” has carried since 1959: to keep the rough collie, and the tradition wrapped around her, thriving for one more year. This year, Ford takes the title as a third-generation Aggie who came to the role by way of family, faith and a freshman drill team that taught him discipline. After graduation, Ford hopes to become a pilot for the Navy, his interest in flying tracing back to age 13, when he got the chance to ride along in a small, four-seat Cessna. “For me, Christianity is a really big part of my life,” Ford said. “So looking outside and seeing all of creation, I thought that was really incredible. And then just looking down from above — you never get that standpoint. It was really beautiful.” Ford chose to study engineering in part because his father was a nuclear engineer and his older brothers followed the same path. “I’ve always kind of wanted to challenge myself,” Ford said. “I thought ‘if they can do it, I can do it too.’” That same instinct shaped how he picked his outfit within the Corps. His older sister had worked in Corps recruiting before he joined, so he came in with the Scan here!

Every Friday at the Boys & Girls Club of the Brazos Valley, kids wait eagerly as a stream of college students trickle through the door. These volunteers set up stations with worksheets, “Mad Libs” and creative writing activities that the kids can cycle through. Completing a station represents progress on a child’s punch card, which they then use to enter a “raffle” for prizes that include stickers, pencils and other treats. These college students represent Aggies Promoting Literacy, or APL, a service organization at Texas A&M focused on inspiring a love of reading and writing among Bryan-College Station’s youth. Public health senior and APL President Emma Gao has been part of the organization since she was a freshman. At the time, there were around 15 members, a number that has now multiplied almost fivefold, she said “At its core, [APL] is still the same thing,” Gao said. “It’s a bunch of people getting together who love to read and really care about helping kids and the next generation of children.” The organization offers two types of volunteering. The first is at the Boys & Girls Club of the Brazos Valley, where members work with kids on writing-based activities and

games. The second has members assist teachers with lesson plans and activities at three public schools in the Bryan-College Station area. Chemical engineering junior and APL Vice President Lydia Allison manages the volunteer program. Originally looking for a way to meet people on campus, Allison joined the organization during her freshman year. “I realized just how cool all the people there were,” Allison said. “Especially doing Boys & Girls Club helped me realize, like, ‘Wow, these are some of the coolest people on campus.’ Not only do they love reading, but they’re actively trying to volunteer and give back to the community.” After becoming friends at the sophomore retreat of A&M’s chapter of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers, or AIChE, Allison successfully convinced fellow chemical engineering junior Alexis Bodden to join APL. Bodden now volunteers at Oakwood Intermediate School. “We primarily work with bilingual kids, so English is not their first language,” Bodden said. “We’re prepping them for the STAAR test and literacy and comprehension skills.” According to Bodden, in addition to community service, officers work to ensure that members also experience the social aspect of the organization. She explained that before she joined, Allison invited her to tag along for APL’s member social at First Friday in Bryan, which was the turning point that roped her into becoming a member. Scan here!

Photo courtesy of Lydia Allison

The Aggie Literacy Club poses for a photo in front of Clara R. Mounce Public Library

Goodbye to overpriced rides, busy buses Poparide brings city-tocity carpooling to College By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor *This article was sponsored and created in collaboration with Poparide.* As a college student, whether you’re driving home to see family or planning your ride to the airport, you’re tasked with preparing transportation. You have to account for gas and mileage, and if you don’t have a vehicle, this process only becomes more taxing. Then your options are to choose the least favorable option. A rental car that the $20 in your bank account won’t cover. A packed bus, sitting squished against a window. An app that costs $70 dollars one way, not accounting for your trip home. Or coordinating with a friend who’s already heading that way and has room for one more. But what if that fourth option was easier? Poparide, a Canadian carpooling system that has connected more than 2 million members across Canada since its founding in 2014, has just launched in Texas, its first and only market in the United States. The format is used for city-to-city carpooling

for drivers and passengers heading in the same direction. The app works as a hybrid between a rideshare and classified boards. No more paying outrageous amounts or posting to WhatsApp groups to find a ride. Drivers already heading to destinations like home, a game, a concert or even back to campus after break post their trip to the app with their available seats. Passengers heading the same way can book a seat and pitch in to help cover gas and tolls. This way, no one is going out of their way, and no one is paying full price for a trip already being made. International students may be familiar with a similar platform called BlaBlaCar that runs across Europe, Latin America and India. Poparide is the same idea, built up first in Canada and now expanding to the United States, right in the heart of Aggieland. In May, Poparide representatives traveled to College Station to learn more about the area. During their visit, they met with Gaurav Arora ‘26, an international student and founder of RideSplit.app, a local website built to help students find and share rides. RideSplit was one of the examples that showed Poparide there was demand for sharing rides in Aggieland. “International students without cars often rely on group chats to find a ride or someone headed the same way to split a rental with,” Arora said. “Working part-time at the Rec,

I noticed that many of my coworkers regularly drove to Houston, Austin or Dallas and would’ve happily shared the ride and split the cost; they just didn’t know who needed one.” Now bridging that gap, Poparide will function between the roads of Dallas, Austin and Houston, forming a triangular map with College Station as its home base. “We’re not launching in College Station expecting a big boom right away,” Poparide Market Development Lead Phil Langlois said. “We’re going to listen to what people tell us and adjust as we go. In the end, carpooling is about human connection, not just getting from A to B. That’s the same thing that built our community in Canada, and it’s what we’re trying to build here.” Whether home is Houston, Dallas, a few hours south of College Station or somewhere in between, the options for getting there without a vehicle of your own are thin. Game weekends only make it worse. With an average of 20,000 to 40,000 visitors traveling to Kyle Field, traffic in both ways can be a nightmare, especially when so many of those cars have only one person in them with four empty seats. The best part? Poparide isn’t exclusive to college students. Family and friends traveling between home and College Station can use the format, too, to avoid the same issues, including pricey parking garages or limited visitor parking spaces.

But even beyond going home for a weekend or traveling to Aggieland for big events, Poparide has a use for everyone. “My dream, if we can make this work in College Station, is that people use it for more than visiting family,” Langlois said. “Say there’s a big game in Austin. Parking is a nightmare, so why not carpool with other students headed the same way? And let’s pack Austin with as many maroon shirts as possible, and as little burnt orange in the crowd as we can.” While anyone can find a ride through the app, college students are particularly in luck. Students who sign up with a verified university email address receive a $50 credit as a passenger, split into five $10 discounts. All it takes is a couple of minutes: sign up and confirm your student email address. Once the email is verified, the credits will automatically apply to your first five bookings. “For the short time I was on campus back in May, I had the chance to witness the Aggie spirit. It’s something I hadn’t seen anywhere else,” Langlois said. “I’d like to see this become a way for Aggies to network wherever they’re going. Poparide is there to help with gas money, but the intent isn’t for drivers to make a profit. It’s to split the cost of a trip you’re already taking, and get good company along the way.” For more information visit https://www. poparide.com/en-us/.

08.22.2026

OPINION

Satire: Some things are worth the wait Time is but a number, right? By Maeva Elizabé Opinion Editor More and more these days, it seems like everyone is racing against the clock to check off that ever-evasive box and secure the next best thing they can get their hands on, whether in their professional or personal lives: a degree, a job offer, the newest tech, the hottest fashion trend fresh off the influencer griddle or flashiest car pulled straight from the cover of the latest Car and Driver magazine. But patience is a virtue, and some experiences are so universal, so core to being a person in today’s society, that slowing down to truly live through them in their entirety, and appreciate how formative they are in our character development, offsets any temporal loss and is a greater reward than any material gain can be. By no means an exhaustive list, below are some of those experiences bearing such invaluable fruit that I consider them well worth the rather negligible wait that may occasionally accompany them, and not only because they are so foundational, but also for the overall enjoyment they bring to and calming effect they have on our lives. 1. Appointments There’s no better motivator to learn initiative, take charge of your health and hone your research skills than waiting months for an available slot to see your general practitioner, waiting an extra half-hour because the office so kindly requested you be 15 minutes early for a doctor who is 15 minutes late — to assist with that punctuality you’ve been wanting to work on, of course — for a rushed prescription of a mint and water before being sent on your way, graciously relieved of that loose change burning a hole in your pocket.

And no picture you take of yourself will ever be as beautiful as the one snapped by the effervescent DPS employee after an hour-long wait set to the soothing, symphonic backdrop of queue numbers being called and fluorescents buzzing. Nor will you ever get as perfect an opportunity to unearth a buried interest in interior home design as you flip

appreciation of soft jazz as you’re put on hold — since repetition is the mother of wisdom. *Under the assumption you’re not dealing with a prerecorded, automated assistant. 3. Package delivery This is a canon event for gamblers, because with a window from 12:01

4. Airport bathrooms and baggage claim It is here that you discover the meaning of hope: hope that the stall will have a functional lock and enough sandpaper will be left on the roll, that the human wall in front of the carousel will part for you in good faith and that the next time the conveyor alert tone sounds, the motorized belt will spit out more than two bags and you pounce — extra cardio perk, while we’re keeping score — on your blue Samsonite and not that stranger’s doppelganger blue Samsonite. 5. Era of good drivers Now this one hasn’t happened just yet, but I’m sure we’re not far from achieving the same blissful harmony as that felt during the Era of Good Feelings: a strong sense of pride in no one falling asleep at the wheel when the light turns green and slow drivers sticking to the right lane. God bless America.

Tanner Brown — THE BATTALION

through the waiting room magazines — don’t forget to profusely thank the receptionists for disconnecting their Wi-Fi router to help you disconnect from social media. 2. Customer service* No need to feel obliged to limit the number of times you ask the agent to repeat themself on account of the spotty audio or their accent, because this one’s a two-for: You discover the ceiling of human patience and benevolently aid in improving the operator’s communication skills. And getting passed to another representative, effectively starting from square one, is your best bet at gaining a comprehensive knowledge on any issue — not to mention an unforeseen

a.m. to 11:59 p.m., few experiences provide the same near-miss dopamine surge as seeing the delivery driver speeding down the street just as you pull out of your driveway. But even if you are coincidentally away when your package arrives, no big deal — it’s always a good day if you accomplish your philanthropic goals and help a porch pirate in need. And for the homebodies among us, who wouldn’t want an excuse to be “stuck” at home the whole day? Bonus points for having to return the item because it was damaged in transit or didn’t meet your expectations, seeing as now you get another go at besting your personal record for how long you can stare unblinkingly at an “out for delivery” screen.

6. Becoming an adult Who needs to enjoy life anyway? Being carefree is so last season; worries are all the rage now. So really, there’s no need to act as if we’re all pressed for time — what’s the point in making up for some inconsequential, intangible currency you didn’t actually lose because it was wholly well-spent? Time is expendable, but these experiences most certainly aren’t, and I think we can all agree on that. Besides, what is life if not a waiting game? And the best part of the game is seeing those two solitary black dots face-up on the dice you shook and rolled and blew on for good luck in your hand for a mere eternity to get a three — it doesn’t get more climactic than that. Maeva Elizabé is a neuroscience senior and chemistry minor and opinion editor for The Battalion.

Opinion: It’s always worth the memories Even the worst situations can be something beautiful By Bethany Mann Opinion Writer It was a quiet acceptance. One that can only happen on the fourth day into a two-week trip when you’re sitting curled up at the bottom of a tiny RV shower in the pitch black, waiting for something — anything — to go right. As part of a family that has traveled by RV for over 30 years, our trip this summer can only be classified as a complete failure ripped straight from Robin William’s 2006 film, “RV.” It was a series of trials comparable to those of Job — “For they saw how great his suffering was.” Our farcical trip to Bryce Canyon National Park had a rough start with a long four days of travel, but we knew an oasis awaited us in Utah. However, we were sorely mistaken. With the door wide open, my dog, Jo, decided she needed to go explore and ran down the steps. My dad, too consumed with fixing the door, failed to notice her, and I found myself practically falling out of my bed — I don’t know if my feet even touched the ladder — and standing outside, barefoot in my hideous, thrifted green “National Treasure 2” shirt and Walmart pajama shorts, latching onto Jo. Good morning! The morning was a simple enough issue, but the tone was surely set for the rest of the trip. Halfway into the two-hour window when we could run the generator our first day at Bryce Canyon, I went to start it, but when I held the button, I heard a click and then nothing. Everything was dead — no generator, no lights, no water pump. Nothing. My dad, of course, freaked out, flipping all the switches in an attempt to fix it. In his frenzy, he managed to bring up our automatic stabilizers that keep the RV steady, leaving it unbalanced. Luckily, he eventually realized the connection for the battery was loose and tightened the wires to get everything running again. Only a momentary victory, as my father then set his sights on re-leveling our RV. Of course, our stabilizers broke, as we watched only three of the four descend.

As I stood watching my dad back up our motorhome — slide all the way out — onto the leveling blocks while he and my mother shouted back and forth over the sound of our struggling generator, I couldn’t help but remember the nice European man in his rented Cruise America Class C who asked us just an hour ago if it would be okay to run their generator because of its loud noise. Our Texas license plates might as well have spelled, “IM STUPID” After all attempts at getting us level failed, my mom and I left my dad sitting outside while we took the trash out. Upon our return, we were met with a very reflective version of my father sitting in his chair before he uttered one phrase: “You’re gonna be mad at me.” It’s worth noting that my very stubborn family does not accept defeat often. I knew this was bad. After him mumbling incoherently a few times, I finally made out what he said: In the five minutes my mom and I were gone, my dad tried once more to get on the leveling blocks and managed to back the motorhome into my mom’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, busting her taillight and ripping the bottom rung off the ladder of the RV. Those poor Europeans. My mom was surprisingly calm. All she said was that it was my dad’s responsibility to get it fixed, which is still not done as I’m writing this. After decompressing from the most stressful hour of our lives — yes, it had only been an hour at this point — we walked into our RV to see that the gas light of our fridge was flashing, meaning that the propane wasn’t lit and our fridge was not on at all. So instead of relaxing, we spent another hour trying to light the fridge, taking the cover off outside to give it more oxygen. We would have had a fridge full of spoiled food if not for the fact that my sister, Rebekah, got married a couple weeks prior and my other sister, Courtney, left one of the party favor fans in our RV, which we used to fan the outside and eventually light the fridge. Praise God for large families. As my dad would say, there’s a sermon in there somewhere. The penultimate event of the night decided to test me directly, but like Job, I didn’t waver. A couple minutes into my shower, everything went dark

and the water pump stopped — the coach batteries had disconnected once again. I immediately heard my mom yell, “Hang on, Bethany!” as my dad’s quick footsteps rocked our unstable RV. The only way I can describe my reaction is complete and utter apathy. The preceding events of the day had completely desensitized my normally high-strung self. Accepting my fate, I sat down in the 5-square-foot shower, which is not an easy feat when you can’t even see your own hand, and waited. And waited. And waited. When my dad finally got the batteries back on, I was able to finish my shower, but when I got out, I heard my mom outside with the vigorous whooshing of that flimsy fan because the fridge once again unlit itself. Being so exhausted from the day, my parents decided it wasn’t worth it, and they

would deal with it in the morning. My dad nervously took a shower and

headed to bed. My mom and I did not. It’s probably obvious now that my family can’t sit still. At around midnight, my mom slunk outside with that infamous fan while I was tasked with listening to the ticking sound of the propane trying to light. After three or four tries, it roared to life and the pesky light stopped flashing. My mom and I were in utter disbelief. It actually lit. Our shocked excitement quickly turned into a quiet fit of laughter as we stood in our crowded living area with my dad passed out in the bed, recounting the evening. “Oh my God, what a day.” “Can you believe Dad hit my JEEP?” “I just wanted to take a shower.” “It’s so pretty here, though.” And it really was. Despite our never-ending series of misfortunes that day, we went to bed knowing that tomorrow would be a new day. We spent the rest of our time at the park hiking the rim and trekking down into the canyon, seeing the hoodoos and smelling the piney woods, only relighting the fridge a couple times a day. As aggravating as our tribulations were, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. It was such a ridiculous trip that I can’t help but laugh. In the end, it wasn’t about the food we ate or how warm our showers were — it was about spending time with family. With only one more summer left to spend with my parents before I graduate, this trip meant everything to me — a near-perfect ending to a childhood spent in state and national parks — because what is an RV trip for if not making memories with your loved ones, however troublesome they may be.

Tanner Brown — THE BATTALION

Bethany Mann is a history junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

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SPORTS

Transfer talk: New faces join A&M VB By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor

Kaia Castle, junior middle blocker - Ohio State

Losing middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla to the professional ranks sent Morrison looking for a replacement who could cover the court and have consistently strong hands at the net. Ohio State’s roster had just who he was looking for. After redshirting her freshman year, Castle recorded 200 kills in 103 matches for the Buckeyes last season. With a powerful crosscourt swing, the Minnesota native has the ability to consistently place the ball in no-man’s land between zones one and two, but defense is where she shines. Last season, Castle recorded 91 total blocks, breaking Ohio State’s single-match block record with 15 against Troy. She is efficient at closing the gaps across the net, making it difficult for opponents to hit around the block. Morrison has the potential to take this 6-foot-4 junior to the next level this season, as he adjusts to a roster without last year’s AVCA First Team All-American.

Lily Nicholson, senior setter Florida State

Eliza Sharp, junior middle blocker - Boise State

Natalie Ring, fifth year senior outside hitter - Marquette

In the wake of losing AVCA Third Team All-American setter Maddie Waak, head coach Jamie Morrison had big shoes to fill at the net. Coming from the Sunshine State and wearing the coveted No. 12 jersey, Nicholson is Morrison’s most recent addition to the setter lineup. Nicholson began her career at TCU, where she spent two seasons with the Horned Frogs. In her sophomore year, she recorded 1,108 assists, 287 digs and 36 kills. Switching to garnet and gold for her junior season, Nicholson didn’t see the same highs, as she recorded 594 assists and 17 kills, despite appearing in 117 sets for Florida State. Now in maroon and white, Nicholson enters the setter rotation alongside two familiar faces in senior Margot Manning and sophomore Kirra Musgrove. With Manning coming off a redshirt season and Musgrove appearing in only 12 games in the 2025 campaign, Nicholson could serve as a consistent and seasoned player at the net for the Aggies.

Also joining the middle blocker lineup from Boise State is Sharp. The 6-foot-3 California native will also be crucial in filling the Cos-Okpalla-sized gap, bringing experience and many “Monster Blocks” to A&M. After redshirting her freshman year, the junior appeared in 113 sets for the Broncos, tallying 250 kills on the season and double-digit kills in seven matches. But much like Castle, Sharp shines on defense. Her 140 blocks helped her rank 50th in the nation in blocks per set with 1.239. Her time in Boise produced several accolades. Most notably, Sharp was named last season’s Mountain West Freshman of the Year. She also earned All-Mountain West and AVCA All-Northwest Region honors. Her ability to read the set and her strong net presence will be an asset to the A&M roster. With time to develop these new additions to the middle room, Morrison has stacked the odds in his favor at the net for the 2026 season.

Perhaps the most talked about transfer this year, the 6-foot-1pin and Madison, Wisconsin native brings a wealth of experience to the roster. Ring has a high volleyball IQ , not always opting for the strongest kill but reading the court to beat the block and find the holes in coverage. The highly decorated hitter — who’s currently on the AVCA Player of the Year Watchlist — recorded 497 kills, 197 digs and 46 blocks in her last season with the Golden Eagles. In the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament against Louisville, Ring hit a career-high 29 kills. Ring joins returning outsider hitters junior Amaré Hernandez, sophomore Megan Fitch and senior Kyndal Stowers — who is also on the AVCA Player of the Year Watchlist. Between her powerful cross-court swing, finding gaps on the court and strategic backrow attacks, Ring has a strong potential to serve as a reliable all-around player for the Maroon and White this season.

Aggie volleyball looking for fresh start After winning Texas A&M’s first-ever national championship, Morrison and Co. work to rewrite narrative By Kynlee Joyner and Ian Curtis Managing Editor and Senior Enterprise Reporter Texas A&M volleyball head coach Jamie Morrison’s message has been clear since winning a national championship last season: The best is yet to come, but that doesn’t mean every season will end with a banner. And beginning the year with eyes looking back to a title run doesn’t help a program that is trying to move forward. “This is a byproduct,” Morrison said with his hand on the national championship trophy while on TexAgs Live mere days after winning the program’s first title. “I can’t wrap up my success in this thing because these things are really hard to win. … This can’t be the expectation every single year. I know it’s what everybody wants … . All of the care and love that goes into our athletes, getting them a degree, all of these things. This is a byproduct [that] will happen every once in a while if we are doing it right.”

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As No. 8 Texas A&M volleyball kicks off its season, a national championship banner is about to be raised in the confines of Reed Arena, the story of last year’s team echoing in the halls. But Morrison and his team are determined to put those whispers to rest and make their own story. “We’re just moving onto a new chapter,” sophomore setter Kirra Musgrove said in a press conference on Aug. 20. “Like it’s an entirely new team and each person is different. It’s just writing our own story and like finding new ways that we’re going to play. We’re not going to have the same strengths and weaknesses as last year, and it’s just going to be completely different and really cool this year.” The Aggie’s new chapter comes in the wake of losing nine seniors — four of which continued into the professional ranks and two of which transferred to other programs. Turning the page for the Aggies meant bringing in a strong group of transfers, something that, despite popular belief, wasn’t solely based on winning a national championship. “I think if you talk to some of them, the crowd that was standing behind us in the TCU match was something they were watching as they went into the portal,” Morrison said. “And I think those stories are the ones that I really appreciate and the fact that they bought in before we won a national championship also. I

think a lot of people assume that that happened on like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday afterwards, but it was a lot of conversations, a couple visits within there of people coming and seeing what it’s about.” Morrison noted that during this process, the transfers maintained a respect for the team to let it write its story, not fighting to steal the spotlight in the midst of the tournament. Now it’s time to let this year’s roster create their own narrative. “I’ve tried to balance teaching through the lessons learned of the last three years, and last year wasn’t a product of the one year, it was a product of the three years,” Morrison said. “But at the same time, letting this group kind of have their own voice and speak for themselves and create their own story.” This story is one that includes a multitude of different parts, some old, some new. This season 8 of 16 players on the roster will put on Aggie maroon for the first time with four transfers and four freshmen stepping onto the court. Ohio State transfer junior middle blocker Kaia Castle said that the fresh start has allowed the program to grow close rather quickly. “Coming in at the same time as [junior MB Eliza Sharp], [fifth year outside hitter Natalie Ring] and [senior setter Lily Nicholson] and also the freshmen, I think that was great for a lot of us,” Castle

said after a practice before the Aggies’ scrimmages. “Being able to grow that connection through the spring and through the summer … allowed us to all work together and get to know each other off the court so that it translates on the court.” Morrison quickly became a household name during last year’s championship run. But for those up to date with the volleyball world, his coaching expertise at both the collegiate and international levels — including stints with the American and Dutch national teams — has become well-known. That’s what helped attract Castle to the program, she said. “We connected on a lot of things,” Castle said. “Especially the coaching side, he has a great career in coaching and that’s what I want to do after playing. So it was really great to connect on that and hear what he had to say about that stuff.” As the year kicks off, Morrison’s focus is letting this team build its own identity, one he hopes the 12th Man will come to appreciate just as much as last year’s squad. “The thing we’ve been talking about is just this team’s story that it’s going to tell over the course of this season,” Morrison said at a media availability on Aug. 4. “I think we’re excited to get that started. … So far, it’s been the same kind of head-down approach [of] ‘We have to work and we have to catch up and we have to get better.’”

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Steve Carrasco IV - THE BATTALION

Cooper Daniels - THE BATTALION

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Clockwise from top left: Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) hits the ball during Texas A&M’s volleyball game vs. Texas at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. Sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) runs out of the tunnel prior to Texas A&M’s volleyball game vs. Vanderbilt at Reed Arena on Friday, Oct. 31. Senior middle blocker Morgan Perkins (21) and freshman outside hitter Taryn Morris (6) during the Texas A&M vs Vanderbilt volleyball game at Reed Arena on Sept. 26, 2025. Defensive specialist Addi Applegate (2) gets up after hitting the ball during Texas A&M’s game against Missouri at Reed Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Freshman outside hitter Megan Fitch (20) spikes the ball during Texas A&M’s volleyball game against Vanderbilt at Reed Arena on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.

SPORTS

08.22.2026

12 Aggies named to preseason watch lists ahead of 2026 football season Review of A&M’s projected playmakers following Elko’s offseason overhaul By Trey Bohne, Associate Sports Editor As Henry Ford once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” But in the case of Texas A&M football — maybe you can. Ahead of a pivotal third season under head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies earned high praise from experts and amateurs, kicking off the 2026 season ranked No. 8 in the Preseason AP Top 25 Poll. From veteran returners to transfer portal additions, A&M’s reloaded roster features a plethora of key playmakers projected to receive college football’s best honors.

Marcel Reed, redshirt junior quarterback Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List - Given annually to the best player in college football, the Maxwell Award recognizes on-field performance at all levels. Notable Maxwell Award winners include Joe Burrow, Devonta Smith, Fernando Mendoza, Cam Newton and Tim Tebow. Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List - Voted on by 136 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, the Walter Camp Player of the Year is presented annually to college football’s most exceptional player. Named a team captain for the 2026 season, Reed enters his redshirt junior season with a 62% completion percentage, averaging 200.3 passing yards per game. Despite being outdueled by both Arch Manning and Carson Beck to end the 2025 season, the Nashville native will step onto Kyle Field against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5 under first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins with a brand new host of weapons from the transfer portal. Mario Craver, junior wide receiver Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List - The Biletnikoff Award honors college football’s most remarkable FBS receiver. Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List Returning for his second season in Aggieland, Craver emerged as a veteran leader in A&M’s wide receiver room, named to the Media Preseason All-Southeastern Conference First Team as an all-purpose player. Recording only three 100-plus-yard games in 2025, the former Mississippi State Bulldog is likely to undertake a greater role in Wiggins’ air-raid offense following the departure of KC Concepcion to the NFL. Mark Nabou Jr., graduate offensive lineman Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List - As the third-oldest major college football award, the Outland Trophy honors the nation’s best interior offensive lineman. Rimington Trophy Preseason Watch List - Presented annually to college football’s best center, the Rimington Trophy is named after former Nebraska center Dave Rimington, the sole two-time Outland Trophy winner, who received the honor in 1981 and 1982. Out of Lynnwood, Washington, Nabou is the Aggies’ only returning starter on the offensive line. Competing in all 13 games in 2025, the graduate helped A&M secure the third-ranked offensive line in tackles for loss at 3.31, finishing ninth in fourthdown conversion percentage. After losing veterans to the NFL, Nabou will work alongside transfer additions like Wilkin Formby and Coen Nichols to lift the Aggies to a second straight College Football Playoff appearance. Houston Thomas, graduate tight end Mackey Award Preseason Watch List - Created by the Nassau County Sports Commission in 2000, the Mackey Award honors the top tight end in college football. Entering his first year in Aggieland, Thomas transferred to A&M after four seasons at UTSA where he appeared in 42 games, earning All-American Conference Third Team honors with 78 receptions for 918 yards and five touchdowns. Richie Anderson III, senior tight end Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Out of Tualatin, Oregon, Anderson travels to A&M after a pair of seasons at Fresno State, starting 19 games with a career-high seven receptions against Nevada in 2025. Marcus Ratcliffe, senior safety Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List Presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy honors the nation’s best defensive player. Created in 1993, the award was intended to complement the Heisman Trophy. Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List - Considered college football’s most coveted award for community service, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy honors student-athletes who make a positive impact through volunteer work. LOTT Impact Trophy Preseason Watch List - The LOTT Trophy is presented to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year who has made the biggest impact both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity. Named team captain alongside Reed in 2026, Ratcliffe appeared in 13 games last season, ranking second on the team in tackles with 65, recording a career-best eight stops on three separate occasions.

DJ Hicks, senior defensive tackle Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List - Established by the Rotary Club of Houston in 1970, the Lombardi Award honors legendary coach Vince Lombardi and is presented to linemen and linebackers who represent his values of courage, discipline, leadership and performance. Hicks enters his fourth season at A&M, emerging as a veteran voice on the defensive side of the ball. The Katy native made two starts in 2025, recording 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one quarterback pressure. Anto Saka, graduate defensive end Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List Saka joins Elko’s roster after three seasons at Northwestern, where he started 11 games, recording 13 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles to earn All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2025. Ray Coney, senior linebacker Butkus Award Preseason Watch List Created in 1985, the Butkus Award annually recognizes the nation’s best linebacker. Notable winners of the Butkus Award include former A&M linebacker Von Miller ‘10. Coney enters his first season in Aggieland after two years at East Tennessee State University and a single season at Tulsa. The Fairfield, Ohio, native served as a team captain for the Golden Hurricanes in 2025, leading his team with 129 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. David Olano, fifth year kicker Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List - In its 35th year, the Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the best place-kicker in college football, as nominees are evaluated by a panel of more than 100 FBS coaches, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers. As a graduate transfer from Illinois, Olano joins Elko’s roster having earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2025. Succeeding a lackluster performance by Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel, he enters his first season at A&M having converted six consecutive field goals and 53 straight PAT attempts. Tyler White, senior punter Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List - The Ray Guy Award recognizes the nation’s top collegiate punter, using statistics such as net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts not returned to identify a winner. Entering his third season at A&M, White was named to the Ray Guy Award’s “Ray’s 8” three times in 2025 as 1 of 5 punters in the SEC to record at least 15 punts of 50-plus yards and at least 15 punts downed inside the 20-yard-line. Shea Freibaum, senior long snapper Patrick Mannelly Award preseason watch list - Presented annually to the nation’s best FBS long snapper. Out of Scottsdale, Arizona, Freibaum transferred to A&M after three seasons at Oklahoma State, appearing in 30 career games and 219 snaps. Mike Elko, head coach Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List - Considered college football’s most coveted national coaching award, the Dodd Trophy recognizes head coaches who achieve success both on and off the field. The watch list was created by evaluating each program’s Academic Progress Rate, Graduation Success Rate, commitment to community service and projected success for the 2026 season. After two seasons in College Station, Elko led A&M to a 19-7 record, marking the second-best two-year start by a head coach in program history. In 2025, Elko guided the Aggies to an 11-0 start for the first time since 1992, finishing the season with the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Off the field, A&M has posted the highest cumulative GPA in program history, fulfilling Elko’s inaugural promise to produce champions both on the gridiron and in the classroom.

08.22.2026

SPORTS

Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M head coach Bobby Shuttleworth walks on the field during the Argentina vs. Honduras press conference at Kyle Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Breakdown of new coaches in Aggieland Football, soccer, baseball, track & field, cross country underwent major shakeups during this past offseason By Brody Vaughn Associate Sports Editor A new year means new faces around Aggieland, and that includes a variety of coaching staff. This year, a few big names will make their Texas A&M debut, while some will elevate their role. Here’s the state of several programs’ leadership after an offseason full of shakeups. Holmon Wiggins - Football offensive coordinator After the departure of two-year coAfter the departure of offensive coordinator Collin Klein to take over the top job at his alma mater Kansas State, head coach Mike Elko has a tall task of replicating the top-five offensive unit from the year prior. Although Elko went on a nationwide search, the answer for the Aggies was already in-house. Holmon Wiggins came to A&M in 2024 with an extensive resume. During his time at Alabama as the wide receivers coach, he coached Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith alongside four first-round draft picks. Wiggins’ success continued following his move to College Station. After

landing standout WRs KC Concepcion and Mario Craver in the portal, Wiggins helped transform them into superstars. Concepcion went on to be a first-round draft pick this year, and Craver earned himself a third-team all-SEC selection. “I think what we have in Holmon is a guy who is a really, really elite football coach,” Elko said in Wiggins’ introductory press release. “He’s been around a lot of elite systems, has learned from a lot of the best coordinators in the game and in the country.” With a combination of a high football IQ and top-tier recruiting prowess, Elko’s selection of Wiggins looks promising.

the new staff looking to turn things around after back-to-back disappointing seasons, with the Aggies finishing under .500 both years. With several returners and star power from the likes of senior midfielder Trinity Buchanan and senior forward Leah Diaz, Shuttleworth has a chance to build on a solid foundation. “I am committed to honoring the winning tradition that has defined Texas A&M soccer by continuing to compete for championships at the highest level,” Shuttleworth said in his introductory press release. “We will strive to develop top-level players while also helping them grow as students, leaders, teammates and individuals of high character.”

Bobby Shuttleworth - Soccer head coach

Nolan Cain - Baseball assistant head coach

For the first time in program history, there will be a new leader of A&M’s soccer program. Bobby Shuttleworth was hired following the retirement of former head coach G Guerrieri, who had been with the team since the program’s inception, leading all 33 seasons for the Aggies. Shuttleworth joins the Maroon and White from Florida State, where he helped the Seminoles to NCAA titles in 2023 and 2025 as an assistant coach. Before turning to coaching, Shuttleworth spent 14 years in Major League Soccer as a goalkeeper, reaching the MLS Cup final in 2014 with the New England Revolution. This season will be a first in a new era for soccer in College Station, with

In one of the more shocking hires of the offseason, associate head coach Nolan Cain made his return to Aggieland. Cain might be familiar to A&M baseball fans after he helped lead the Aggies to a national championship appearance in 2024 as associate head coach. The success in College Station soon turned to success in Austin after the departure of former head coach Jim Schlossnagle, with Cain following suit. Cain aided in spurring Texas to backto-back college playoff appearances, including a trip to Omaha, Nebraska, this past summer. Head coach Michael Earley worked some magic, though, bringing his old partner in crime home for the 2027 season.

Cain’s success isn’t limited to onthe-field production, as he is known as one of the best recruiters in college baseball. So far, Cain has put together eight top-10 recruiting classes. “When you have an opportunity to pursue someone like Nolan Cain with his track record, experience and the relationship I have with him and his family, you have to take that shot,” Earley said in Cain’s introductory press release. “We did, and we were fortunate to get him.” Leroy Burrell - Track & field, cross country head coach With the retirement of legendary head coach Pat Henry — who won 10 of his 37 NCAA Championships with the Aggies — A&M had some big shoes to fill. Olympic gold medalist Leroy Burrell is the name that athletic director Trev Alberts landed on. The former 100-meter record holder joins A&M from Auburn, where he led the Tigers to four top-five finishes in NCAA Championships. Burrell comes in with expectations high after the recent success of both track & field programs, with the men earning their latest outdoor national championship in 2025. Burrell’s goal is to simply uphold the winning standard set from years past under Henry. “The first thing that ever came out of their mouths and from their mind had nothing to do with how fast he was in the Olympics or actually his coaching,” Alberts said. “All they kept telling me was he is a great human being.”

New era at Ellis Field begins as associate head coach at Bobby Shuttleworth takes serving Florida State, where he helped the to NCAA Championreins as head coach as part Seminoles ships in 2023 and 2025. His roots go that, though, having 14 years of first leadership change in beyond of professional playing experience in League Soccer as a goalkeeper. Texas A&M soccer history Major With the blueprint already laid out

By Brody Vaughn Associate Sports Editor At a school with as much history as Texas A&M, one would think a firsttime changing-of-the-guard at head coach has happened long ago. However, that change is happening at Ellis Field right now. Head coach Bobby Shuttleworth joins the fold in the wake of former head coach G Guerrieri’s retirement after 33 years of leading. Guerrieri led the team since its inception, reaching 28 NCAA tournaments and notching 523 wins, good for fifth all time. “We are incredibly grateful for everything that Coach G has built and accomplished at Texas A&M,” athletics director Trev Alberts said. “Coach G brought Aggie soccer to national prominence through more than 30 years as the head coach, making a number of NCAA Tournament runs and claiming nearly 20 conference championships.” Alberts had a big void to fill following Guerrieri’s departure. After a nationwide search, Shuttleworth was the name he landed on. Shuttleworth makes the move after

by Guerrieri, Shuttleworth’s goal is to honor the tradition of A&M’s past, while creating a new, high-energy environment that takes the team to new heights. “I want teams to come here and feel like this is a very difficult place to play and get a result,” Shuttleworth said. “I think it’s going to take a little bit of time to get us all on the right page, but when opponents leave, I want them to be like, ‘They were difficult to play against.’” The last few seasons have been stained by disappointment for the Aggies, with last season’s 5-7-5 record being a low point for the program. Shuttleworth remains confident that the players on this roster have the opportunity to turn it around. Shuttleworth will have numerous returners to establish a foundation, spearheaded by senior midfielder Trinity Buchanan, who led the team in goals last season. Senior forward Leah Diaz will also be a crucial piece, having been the leader in assists in the 2025 season. Some new pieces are also joining the Shuttleworth experience, featuring freshman midfielder Ireland Churchill, a highly touted recruit from Eastvale, California that has already made an impact on the pitch,

leading the team in shots this season. “We’re going to have a team that’s going to be blue collar,” Shuttleworth said. “Working hard and hopefully organized and hopefully winning games. We just want to be dynamic, high-pressing and energetic. Hopefully, when people leave the game, they’re thinking, ‘That group obviously worked really hard, created a lot of chances and scored a lot of goals.’” Shuttleworth’s Aggies have started the 2026 season with a 1-2 record, with Buchanan being the standout so far with a brace against Rice on Aug. 12. This team has all the tools to turn their five win season in 2025 to a tournament run in 2026, the Aggies will need to rely on Shuttleworth to put the pieces together. For Shuttleworth, time will be of value in rebuilding the program, with a heavy emphasis on recruiting in Texas, a powerhouse state in the high school soccer scene. Building relationships in the recruiting scene will be important in bringing talent to Aggieland. “I’m very much a relationship person,” Shuttleworth said. “I think you get the best out of players when they trust you and feel like you have their best interest at heart.” Shuttleworth will lead his troops against Sam Houston at Ellis Field on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 8 p.m.

Steve Carrasco IV — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M head coach Bobby Shuttleworth walks on the field during the Argentina vs. Honduras press conference at Kyle Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

SPORTS

08.22.2026

A&M makes return with roster depth

Rocio Salgado — THE BATTALION

Vanessa Borovilos walks after hitting her ball during The “Mo”Morial invitational at Traditions Club on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

New, returning Aggies set hopes high for A&M women’s golf fall campaign By Ava Loth Editor-in-Chief Under sixth-year head coach Gerrod Chadwell, Texas A&M women’s golf is gearing up for its 2026-27 season. Following a seasonending defeat in the third round of the NCAA Championship, the Aggies wrapped up their 2025-26 season ranked No. 6 in the nation, totaling five team wins — tying for the most in program history. But a fiery duo in addition to a pair of new swings on the course for the Maroon and White could produce another run abundant with trophies and records. Two of a kind

Junior Vanessa Borovilos and senior Cayetana Fernández García-Poggio produced stellar seasons for A&M, ending the year each ranked inside the top 30 nationally. They each put on matching uniforms during the collegiate offseason, ones that weren’t maroon. The pair was selected to be a part of Team International for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup that took place in early July. Both Aggies were major contributors to Team International’s win over Team USA. In West Barrow, Ireland, Borovilos holed out the final half point that tipped Team International to clinch its second victory in two years. “It is about so much more than the individual,” Borovilos said after the victory on Golf Channel. “We only get this a couple times a year, so we really try to enjoy it.” Borovilos and García-Poggio ended their spring season with A&M with scoring averages of 69.6 and 69.9,

respectively, and were both named to the All-Southeastern Conference First Team. Shortly after the conclusion of the duo’s postseason run, they were recognized with Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-America honors on June 2. Borovilos was selected as a WGCA First Team All-America — the fourth Aggie in program history to do so. García-Poggio earned an honorable mention from the association, extending A&M’s streak to five straight years of securing the honor. The teammates didn’t end their award spree there, with both praised from Golfweek as AllAmericans. Borovilos earned secondteam distinction and García-Poggio claimed a spot on the third team. With the dynamic duo entering or already in the latter half of their collegiate golf career, eyes are set on how far their dominance can carry the Fightin’ Farmers to more tournament titles in their fastapproaching veteran seasons. New season and newcomers With the 2026-27 season in mind, the Maroon and White signed two incoming freshmen. In November 2025, the Aggies recruited the No. 27 overall junior golfer in the country and No. 6 golfer in the 2026 recruiting class, Emerie Schartz. The rookie arrives in Aggieland with a stacked resume from her junior golf career. The Wichita, Kansas native has high-level experience, as she participated in the last two U.S. Women’s Amateurs and pursued active involvement in the U.S. National Junior Teams in 2024 and 2025. Schartz was also named a 2025 Rolex Honorable Mention AllAmerican — the fourth active Aggie

to earn the honor in their career. “Emerie is on a trajectory to impact our program immediately and leave an amazing mark here over the course of her career,” Chadwell said in a press release. On July 14, the Maroon and White signed their most recent rookie, Athena Singh, who joins the program as the No. 18 junior golfer in the 2026 class. The Morehead, Kentucky native is a three-time champion of the Kentucky PGA Junior Amateur, with her first victory coming in 2022. Another notable milestone in her junior golf career was produced by fourball against her now-teammate, sophomore Natalie Yen. The 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship concluded with Yen and her partner defeating Singh’s duo to claim the championship title, leaving Singh to settle for runners-up honors. “Athena brings a calmness to our team,” Chadwell said in a press release. “ … She fits Texas A&M perfectly and is a massive addition for the future of our program.” Both new additions made appearances in the 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in July, with Schartz exiting after a defeat in the Round of 32 and Singh making her way to the semifinal match — though failing to clinch her ticket to the final round by one hole. A&M announced its fall slate on Aug. 7, consisting of four tournaments across two months. As the newest Aggies are getting acclimated to Aggieland for the first time and the others are reaching for their storied maroon and white, the Aggie’s season debut will be at the Folds of Honor Collegiate on Monday, Sept. 7-9, in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Bucky Ball makes splash in Baha Mar Aggies open year 2 under McMillan in The Bahamas By Trey Bohne Associate Sports Editor As July turns to August, Texas A&M football remains the undisputed king of the sports landscape in College Station. But after an exciting inaugural season under head coach Bucky McMillan, Texas A&M men’s basketball is commanding plenty of attention of its own. With a roster made up of offseason transfers, the Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament with a 21-10 record, tied for 4th in the Southeastern Conference, despite entering the season projected to finish 13th in the SEC Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll. Only five months later, McMillan is entering his second year at the helm with proof of concept and a foundation already in place at Reed Arena. “I think the reputation is out there,” McMillan said in a media availability on July 13. “It doesn’t matter how good you are; If you’re not going to share the ball, you’re not going to play as hard as you can, you won’t play. That’s been something that I think everybody has bought into. When you have more time to recruit kids … they know what they’re getting into.” When McMillan arrived in Aggieland in April 2025, he inherited an essentially blank slate, featuring only one returning player: then-sophomore forward Chris McDermott. With limited time to form a roster and only a vague description of his playstyle, the up-and-coming head coach created a second-round NCAA Tournament team that prided itself on three-pointers and a 40-minute full-court press. As part of247Sports’ No. 12 transfer portal class in 2026, McMillan capitalized on his initial success by landing top-ranked graduate transfer point guard P.J. Haggerty, who finished top-three in the nation in scoring with Kansas State last year with 23.4 points per game. “I like them,” McMillan said about his new squad in a media availability on July 7. “They’re good; they work hard; good attitudes; not as old as last year’s group … sometimes the older the group, they’re not as excited about summer basketball — they just like March. This group is excited to play,

and you can see where everybody stacks up.” Over the course of the offseason, the Aggies addressed their lack of size, signing 6-foot-9 Tennessee transfer senior F Cade Philips to complement returning senior F Mackenzie Mgbako, who missed last season due to injury. McMillan also replaced the production lost from transfers and graduation, adding Loyola Marymount transfer junior F Jalen Shelly and McNeese transfer senior G TyShawn Archie. Both led their respective teams in free-throw percentage while averaging over 13.7 PPG during last season. “In March, you have to have size,” McMillan said. “We take up more space out there on the floor on defense than we did last year … hopefully we can get size — and the shooting with it — as we go along.” When students return to campus for fall classes and football season draws near, Bucky Ball will have been back — of all places — in The Bahamas. From Aug. 3-5, the Aggies traveled to Baha Mar resort in Nassau, The Bahamas, for a trio of summer games against international college and professional teams from Canada and Colombia. In back-to-back seasons, A&M has undergone nearly a complete roster overhaul, making early chemistry a priority for McMillan’s new-look squad. And with the NCAA removing its restriction on foreign tours that limited how often programs could venture abroad for exhibitions — A&M last took a foreign tour to the islands under Buzz Williams in 2023 — the Bahamas trip gave the Aggies the perfect opportunity to get in-game practice ahead of the regular season. “You don’t get kids as freshmen that all of a sudden become seniors,” McMillan said. “You’re [not] bringing in four new freshmen and nine returners. You’re usually bringing in 11 new players. The NCAA allowing more practice time … allowing a foreign tour every year … is really important in this day and age because the turnover is so great. You have to come out Game 1 ready to play, and it’s almost impossible with that many new guys if you didn’t have summer workouts and good practice.” A&M kicked off its summer slate with a 112-88 victory over a team from the University of Victoria in Canada, placing seven players in dou-

ble figures. Mgbako led the charge, shooting 7-of-13 from the field with 17 points, followed closely by Haggerty with 16 and freshman G Neiko Mundey with 14. The Aggies seized control early to claim a 30-point lead — their largest of the game — with 14:50 remaining in the second half, totaling 42 points off turnovers and 62 bench points. A day later, Archie found his rhythm against Toros del Valle, a professional team from Colombia, shooting 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 3-of3 at the free-throw line. The McNeese transfer finished with 21 points — second only to Mgbako’s 23 — as the Aggies rolled to an 80-point, 141-61 victory over Toros del Valle in the second game of their foreign tour. “The game is probably too fast … right now,” McMillan said in a media availability on July 13. “But that’s what we expect. My job as a coach is to be able to get it to play fast but

seem slow.” The Fightin’ Farmers finished their trip to Baha Mar with a 101-49 win over Carleton University, courtesy of a second 17-point stand from Mgbako and a pair of 15-point performances from LSU transfer sophomore G Jalen Reece and Radford transfer senior G Lukas Walls. As A&M prepares for the gauntlet that is the Southeastern Conference, only time will tell if its fast-paced playstyle can maintain success at college basketball’s highest level. And after exceeding expectations in his first season, McMillan enters year two knowing that the margin for error has only gotten smaller. “Our schedule is going to be difficult,” McMillan said. “It’s going to be a little more challenging in the non-conference. I know our SEC schedule is going to be a nightmare or a dream come true; we’ll see.”

Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

Head coach Bucky McMillan reacts to a call during Texas A&M basketball’s game vs. Northwestern State at Reed Arena on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

ENTERTAINMENT

08.22.2026

Dr. Doctor waits in a line

The Battalion Ava Loth Editor-in-Chief

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The Battalion is published Thursdays in Spring 2026 (except university holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. The Battalion is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom Phone: 979-845-3315 Email: editor@thebatt.com Website: http://www.thebatt.com Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local and national display advertising, email battads@thebatt.com. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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