SILVER TAPS
Max T. Ma, Tony Nguyen to be honored during Silver Taps Ceremony on Tuesday, March 3, at Academic Plaza A9
SPORTS
A&M prepares to face Texas, Kentucky in final two home games before SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee A11
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
Guide to candidates, elections ahead of Friday, Feb. 27, voting deadline
By Julia Kazda News Editor
As the Spring 2026 Student Body Elections come to a head, it is ever more pertinent than ever that the Aggies who make up Texas A&M’s campus be aware of the ins and outs of the polls, which will be open for students to cast their votes from 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, until noon on Friday, Feb. 27. Voting will take place on A&M’s Online Student Elections website, and the unofficial results will be announced on Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. at the 12th Man statue.
Before casting a vote, it is imperative to become acquainted with all that will be decided on, most notably the candidates and their respective agendas.
“Voters should take time to learn about each candidate before casting their ballot,” political science senior and Election Commissioner Shelby Byerly wrote in a statement to The Battalion. “Reviewing platforms, policy priorities, and leadership experience allows students to make informed decisions about who best represents their interests. Being a well-informed voter helps strengthen the integrity of the election process and ensures that elected leaders genuinely reflect the needs and values of the student body.”
Major races
Jack Kemper comprise the other two Junior Yell candidates. The candidates for Senior Yell Leader are mechanical engineering junior and member of Squadron 17 Luke Rollins, supply chain management senior and member of Company E2 Roy Doggett and economics senior Josh Brewton.
Minor races
The minor races are Class Councils, Residential Housing Association, Honors Student Council, Class of 2027 Agents and SGA Senate. Within the Class Councils elections, students will vote on the sophomore, junior and senior class presidents.
The duty of class president is, according to the Constitution of Texas A&M University Class Councils, is to strive “to serve and unite Texas A&M University and to enhance traditions for the continual improvement of the Aggie Community.”
In the primary races, students will be able to vote on the student body president and vice president ticket and the Junior Yell Leader and Senior Yell Leader candidates. The paired candidates for student body president and vice president are management junior Brock Slaydon with marketing junior Mattie Taylor and industrial engineering junior Duncan Poling with agricultural economics junior Bryce Fisher.
Slaydon and Taylor’s main objectives are to improve transportation, make it easier for students to find community through Get Involved and prioritize Aggie traditions and lower the cost of Aggie Rings by spreading the message of scholarships.
“We want to make every Aggie feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves, so they can graduate as friends, leaders and citizens,” Slayden and Taylor wrote in a candidate guide on the Student Government Association, or SGA, website. “Our goal is to remove barriers, pursue excellence and push for every student to feel like a valued member of the Aggie family.”
On the other hand, Poling and Fisher’s goals are to decrease shadow costs for classes, offer community service options for parking fines, advocate for larger ticket pull groups and expand food access.
For the Class Councils race, biomedical sciences freshman Allie Fleener and Blinn Team freshman Jaden Taylor are running for freshman class president. Business honors sophomore Cole Horton, political science sophomore August Pritzlaff and public service & administration sophomore Camila Vivanco are running for sophomore class president. Urban & regional planning junior Diego De La Rosa and industrial distribution junior Braden Nott are running for junior class president. The responsibilities of senate members are to advocate for the interests of the student body, discuss and propose legislation and plan initiatives that reflect the concerts of each class.
Within the SGA Senate elections, there are three spots for the four for Lowry Mays Business School, nine for the College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Fine Arts, five for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, four for the College of Education and Human Development, four for the Health Science Center, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, eight for the College of Arts & Sciences, three for the Bush School of Government and Public Service, three for the Corps, 28 for the Off-Campus Caucus and seven for the On-Campus Caucus.
“Government and MSC Abbott, we’ve led with a simple belief: leadership starts with listening and follows through with action,” Poling and Fisher wrote in a released statement. “Texas A&M shapes leaders grounded in service, integrity, and community — and we’re committed to advocating for every Aggie and helping each student thrive.”
The four-candidate selection for Junior Yell Leader is composed of two non-regs — students who are not members of the Corps of Cadets — with communication sophomore Fielder Scott and computer science junior Hayden Futch on the ballot. Political science sophomore and member of Squadron 17 Clay Kennedy and agricultural business sophomore and member of Squadron 2
Importance of voting
“Voting in SGA elections is one of the most direct ways students can shape the future of their university experience,” Byerly wrote. “By participating in the election process, students choose peers who will advocate for their concerns, communicate student perspectives to university leadership, and help guide decisions that affect campus life. Voting ensures that student voices are represented and that the Student Government Association reflects the priorities of the campus community.”
Voting in SGA elections allows students, as members of a system that is built to serve its constituency, to handpick candidates that will represent their interests and advocate for their needs during their time at A&M.
“High voter participation strengthens campus representation and empowers student leaders to advocate effectively on behalf of their peers,” Byerly wrote. “When more students engage in the electoral process, the outcomes better reflect the diversity of perspectives across campus and contribute to stronger student advocacy and programming. Conversely, low participation can lead to underrepresentation of certain voices and missed opportunities for students to influence decisions that shape campus life and student affairs.”
Poling, Fisher: ‘Policy over people’
Get to know Student Body President, Vice President candidates Poling, Fisher
By Mathias Cubillan Managing Editor
It would almost be trite to say that his collegiate political career began with a latenight knock at his door.
Industrial engineering junior Duncan Poling was merely a small fish in a much larger khaki-emblazoned Corps of Cadets
when he answered the knock. A familiar face from high school, he wasted little time before asking Poling a question that would irrevocably send the wide-eyed freshman on a path that has shaped his undergraduate career: “Do you want to run for freshman class president?” It didn’t take long for Poling to answer.
After assembling a team of advocates on GroupMe, he finished atop the polls weeks later and won the election.
Now ready to write his final chapter two years later, Poling has his eyes set on the student body president chair. But he doesn’t want his campaign centered on sweeping
A&M student.”
The decision to run was an easy one for Poling once he got the greenlight from his running mate, agricultural economics junior Bryce Fisher. The pair’s relationship began at a Bible study during their freshman year, though the friendship didn’t immediately blossom into a political alliance.
“He actually applied to be on my cabinet for freshman class president freshman year, and I actually rejected him,” Poling said. “To this day, worst decision I’ve ever made at Texas A&M was not giving Bryce a spot on cabinet.”
who I am as a person and my values, but Texas A&M has solidified that and sharpened it in a really cool way.”
That lineage now forms the backbone of their campaign. The pair said they want to have their ears to the ground, listening to the issues the students and the people care about.
Affordability quickly became the pair’s top issue. They seek to eliminate shadow costs that aren’t included in financial aid, oftentimes in the form of educational software such as Packback, Cengage, Pearson and McGraw Hill.
Fisher was prominently involved in Student Body President Carter Mallory’s cabinet at A&M and Future Farmers of America throughout high school, yet it wasn’t until after a conversation with former Sophomore Class President Cole Sloan in Washington, D.C., that Poling and Fisher decided to team up.
Sloan informed them that he was taking a step back from college to get married and, in turn, wouldn’t be running for student
“It’s heartbreaking to think that there’s students at our campus that choose between buying Packback or buying groceries for the week,” Fisher said. “ … I want to carry it across the finish line with Duncan and our team and ensure that no student afterwards has to face those costs. And if we are going to do things like that, they have to be advantageous to our education.”
Food accessibility and cost were pushed to the forefront for Poling after he saw his friend, an international student from India, not have access to groceries because of a lack of transportation. The duo now call for better food truck collaboration on West Campus, a beefed-up meal swipe donation program and increased visibility for government-funded aid like the Supplemental Assistance Tradition Program.
“One in 5 students at Texas A&M face food insecurity every single day,” Fisher said. “ … I actually just recently went to Washington D.C. with a student government group called Aggies in Action, where we lobbied exactly for that to ensure that there’s food resources on campuses. … But how can we help the people at home? … Because what we found is a lot of students face food insecurity not just because of affordability but because of access.”
The third linchpin of their campaign, though, carries a different weight.
At a school where heads are bowed and voices hushed for Silver Taps every month and traditions like Muster unite current and former students and faculty across the globe, Poling and Fisher have vowed to tear down the barriers that prevent Aggies from coming together to share in the traditions. Poling and Fisher want to prevent exams from being held at 8 a.m. after Bonfire and allow the newly reworked ticket pull system to increase the size of the groups that can be pulled with, citing the fond memories of entire organizations cheering in the Kyle Field bleachers.
“Texas A&M is a mosaic of very different people from very different places that come together over shared value,” Fisher said. “RELLIS is like this most special thing ever that we have that, that people from southern India can come to a place where someone in College Station grew up and you can be shared in community. And those traditions are so vital and valuable to keeping that community.”
The election itself is emblematic of that community, with the opposing ticket of management junior Brock Slaydon and marketing junior Mattie Taylor being two of those familiar fac-
Taylor and Fisher currently work together in Mallory’s cabinet as chief of policy and chief of student engagement, respectively. Fisher said they’ve gained trust working through the chaos of an administration change, noting Taylor’s leadership as a Poling and Slaydon’s relationship runs deeper still, going back to elementary school, where they first met. Now, more than a decade later, they laugh with each other when they find themselves at the same speaking engagements along the campaign trail.
“I’m so glad that if Bryce and I aren’t the ones winning, that it’s Brock and Mattie winning,” Poling said. “Because we really do love them and think that they have the most character. … We’re not enemies, it’s not adversarial. We all just want the best for A&M students.”
This mutual respect, Poling said, reflects the responsibility that both tickets feel toward upholding A&M’s values. For Poling and Fisher and the team that “keeps things running” behind them, the race was never about the rivalry, but about faithfully serving the mosaic that shaped them.
“Our primary mission is people over policy,” Poling said. “ … Our primary policy point is people and partnering with people from all across campus, opening channels of communication with tons of different entities from all corners of campus. … We want to be an advocate for student voices when they aren’t always heard.”
Slaydon, Taylor: listening to you
Get to know Student Body President, Vice President candidates Slaydon, Taylor
By Kynlee Joyner Editor-in-Chief
The sound of shared laughs and hoarsely sung lyrics rang throughout the car as it whisked down the winding highway from College Station back to the cabined confines of Spicewood. Sitting in the cramped back seat of the Jeep, somewhere between a sleep-deprived delirium and an adventurer’s rush, then-marketing freshman Mattie Taylor looked to the front seat, where the faces of her fellow T Bar M camp counselors reflected the warmth of the summer sun. Her eyes then flickered to the right, where then-management freshman Brock Slaydon sat.
Although having met during a campaign in their freshman year, the pair’s close-knit friendship wasn’t immediate.Their relationship truly blossomed the following summer during a car ride back to T Bar M after a George Strait concert in College Station.
While both recall screaming “East Bound and Down” at the top of their lungs, Taylor pointed out that it was Slaydon’s nonstop jokes that made her realize that he was go ing to be more than just an acquaintance. But Slaydon recalled a moment when he thought, “These people are my family.”
“We worked at T Bar M together … a Christian summer camp, and just got to almost be just bonded in a way that’s not unique to just being on campus,” Slaydon said. “Through that, just seeing the same passions for A&M, being kind of involved in the same crowds and interests, just [helped] to keep up that relationship, both in the student government realm and out side of it.”
Two years later, when Slaydon and Taylor felt called to place their names on this year’s ballot for student body president and vice president, they both had only one name in mind.
“Mattie and I work together really, real ly well because, just our passions align, and our values align really, really well,” Slaydon said. “We share the same love for A&M and have just grown in that love for A&M and the people around us over the last couple of months.”
While prioritizing the goal of making their partnership a strong, forward-facing representative for Texas A&M, they have put together three policy pillars — tradi tions, transportation and Get Involved — that they hope will leave a lasting impact long after they graduate.
Their traditions pillar is defined by three main factors — canceling classes that inter fere with Muster, removing exams the same day as Bonfire Remembrance and raising awareness of Aggie Ring scholarships.
Having had to make decisions them selves of whether to prioritize honoring the lives of fallen Aggies or a test they have the next morning, the pair both emphasized the importance of tradi tions and the meaning they hold at A&M.
“What Brock and I love about Texas A&M is the fact that we are all united under one common iden tity,” Taylor said. “We want every single Aggie to feel that feeling of being a person greater than oneself. Through all of our policy points … our goal is to promote that feeling.”
And that includes receiving the most visible symbol that imme diately unites current and former students alike: the Aggie Ring.
“The Aggie Ring probably is going to be over $3,000 next se mester,” Slaydon said. “It has dou bled in the last couple of years or semesters, even. So we want to … advertise scholarships better … and either maybe … [create] a new scholarship or new schol arships so that every single student doesn’t have a financial burden of getting an Aggie Ring.”
Their transportation policy aims to increase student voices and advo cate for student needs, efficiency and safety. However, as the only for-profit body on campus, the pair understands its need for funding, even if that means receiving income from parking tickets.
“Transportation is the only for-profit entity on campus, so this means that they run like a business, and you have to pay parking tickets, as much as it hurts to do so,” Slaydon said. “ … But with that, there’s not a ton of student representation in the transportation system. We want to be the leading student voices and say, ‘Hey, we’re the ones that go to class and take all these different routes through campus every sin gle day.These are areas that we think should be prioritized.’”
The final piece of their election puzzle that stands out against the other focus es — their own and their opponents’ alike — is their Get Involved pillar which aims to simplify platform use, increase access to community and professional opportunities and better equip student leaders to serve.
“Get Involved is a website that helps stu dents quite literally do what’s in the name:
get involved, but it’s hard to use right now,” Taylor said. “ … We want to make it easier to use not only through appearance, but also the way that you find organizations for students so that they have an easier time finding community as well as professional opportunities.”
As a College Station native, Slaydon has seen many A&M leaders come and go, each with their own set of goals to achieve. But a vital factor for him throughout his campaign has been finding friends, even among his foe.
Slaydon met industrial engineering junior Duncan Poling, fellow student body president candidate, in fifth grade. From sharing a lunch table to playing football together and ending up in the same schools up until their high school graduation, the dynamic between Slaydon and Poling is one that — despite expectations — has re mained friendly.
“It’s been super fun getting to share this experience with him,” Slaydon said. “We’ve texted and called, and we chat every time that we are speaking at the same places. … We are friends at the end of the day, and
agricultural economics junior Bryce Fisher have created a friendship of their own.
“Bryce is awesome, and I know that he cares about what he does and cares a lot about people,” Taylor said. “ … It’s fun and encouraging and easy because we have friendships with the other team that we’re running against. And so showing up somewhere and knowing we’re both speaking is almost more comforting because I know I have a friend in them.”
But through this experience, Taylor found her closest friendship in Slaydon, specifically through an ever-growing trust that continues to strengthen as elections close in.
“I feel like it’s very easy to trust Brock,”
She pushes me; she encourages me. … She knows what’s going on and knows how to motivate people, and it’s incredible to watch it happen in real time.”
As the pair prepares for the election, they hope that their campaign can make a difference in the lives of students beyond just what they hear through the grapevine — from being approachable and available on campus to being a listening ear for others.
“I have been taught and understand that literally every single person should be listened to; you can learn anything from anybody,” Slaydon said. “ … I genuinely care for people. I couldn’t care less what the position is, where you’re from, any of that. I just want to know who you are and how
5 for Yell candidates prepare for elections
Luke Rollins, Josh Brewton, Roy Doggett run for Senior Yell Leader, Jack Kemper, Clay Kennedy run for Junior Yell Leader
LUKE ROLLINS
Luke Rollins is a mechanical engineering junior and member of Squadron 17 of the Corps of Cadets currently serving as a Junior Yell Leader. Rollins was inspired to run for Senior Yell Leader by his faith, experience in the Corps and love for Texas A&M and its traditions. Rollins said that growing up in an Aggie family and going from a spectator to a leader of the 12th Man has been a great honor and blessing, and that he hopes to continue serving the student body faithfully. His favorite tradition is Bonfire Remembrance due to its powerful reflection
JOSH BREWTON
Josh Brewton is an economics junior and member of Company E2 of the Corps of Cadets currently serving as a Junior Yell Leader. Brewton was inspired to run for Senior Yell Leader by his experience as a first-generation Aggie. As a Yell Leader, he wants to give back to the university that accepted him without hesitation, declaring it one of the easiest decisions of his life. His favorite tradition is Silver Taps, where thousands of students gather to honor lost Aggies and unify in a night of remembrance. Brewton said that Silver Taps is a testament to the unique culture at A&M, as students of a generation that is often labeled as self-centered rally as one around a common cause. To Brewton, representing A&M means being a representative of all Aggies regardless of their background and location. It is also an opportunity for him to serve as a symbol of his faith in God, his biggest calling in life. If elected, he said he aims to ensure everyone understands the lifelong commitment that comes with being an Aggie. He said whether on campus or at the airport, being a member of the Aggie family is an identity that is always carried.
of the Core Values and significance for the Aggie family. Rollins wishes to carry on the legacy of Jerry Don Self, one of the 12 fallen Aggies and late member of Squadron 17 — a responsibility he said he does not take lightly. To Rollins, representing A&M is a privilege and a calling that motivates him to make the 12th Man proud and honor the university to the utmost degree. If elected, Rollins said he wants to continue strengthening the unity of the student body, preserving the integrity of the Yell Leaders and supporting A&M athletics at the highest level.
ROY DOGGETT
Roy Doggett is a supply chain management junior and member of Company K-2 of the Corps of Cadets. Doggett was inspired to run for Senior Yell Leader by not only the strong bonds formed between Aggies, calling them and Aggieland another family and home, but also the great honor found in being a representative of the university as a Yell Leader. He’s seen how past Yell Leaders have brought the 12th Man together in everyday life and seeks to be a part of that legacy. His favorite tradition is Bonfire Remembrance, as he believes it is a powerful reminder that every Aggie supports one another in both
JACK KEMPER
Jack Kemper is a Blinn Team sophomore and member of Squadron 2 of the Corps of Cadets. Kemper was inspired to run for Junior Yell Leader from stories about the Spirit of Aggieland that were passed down by his family, which fostered his love for the university and desire to help others connect with it. His favorite tradition is Muster because of the sacred bond it represents between Aggies across generations and around the world. At Muster, Kemper noted the importance of not only honoring Aggies who have passed, but acknowledging that every Aggie is a part
of something much bigger than themselves. To Kemper, representing A&M is a humbling honor and an immense privilege that must be taken on with integrity and the embodiment of the other Core Values. He said he will strive to lead the university with the qualities that make it like no other. If elected, he said he wants to serve the student body and help every Aggie feel connected to the 12th Man and its values. For Kemper, everyone has a place at A&M and is a part of the Spirit of Aggieland, an idea he wishes to further uphold.
good and hard times and a night during which he can feel the unity and strength of the Aggie Spirit.
To Doggett, representing A&M is a calling to carry the weight of the university’s traditions and Core Values. Doggett said serving as a Yell Leader would mean showing up every day for students who look to them for energy and pride while upholding the legacy cultivated by former students and sustaining the Aggie Spirit for future generations. If elected, he said he aims to bring Aggies together regardless of their background and help them find the same sense of home and family he discovered.
CLAY KENNEDY
Clay Kennedy is a political science sophomore and member of Squadron 17 of the Corps of Cadets. Kennedy was inspired to run for Junior Yell Leader by the great influence A&M has had on his family, which shaped family gatherings and weekends throughout his childhood. After seeing the pride and passion former Yell Leaders have exhibited during their tenure, he said he wants to exemplify that same fire by participating in every event, game and interaction with an attitude that reflects well on the student body. Kennedy’s favorite tradition is Silver Taps, during which he sees Aggies from all walks of life
gather in a common place for the honorees and is reminded to hold those he loves close and spend his time on Earth well. To Kennedy, representing A&M on the biggest stage is less about the individuals and more about what he calls their legacy and meaning behind them. He called it the opportunity of a lifetime for him to serve that legacy and be a tangible representation of the Aggie Spirit. If elected, he stated he seeks to get every Aggie excited about every tradition, whether that be a graduate student or freshman, and ensure they feel welcome to the greatest family around.
Opinion: On the A&M scooter epidemic
A hopefully scathing and desperately wishful expose
By Marie Kneeland Opinion Writer
This is the story of the day I nearly died.
I was walking — strolling, if you will. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and my class had been canceled. It couldn’t have been a prettier day, and I couldn’t have been in a more pleasant mood.
And then I saw my life flash before my eyes.
Was it a bird? A plane? Superman?
No. It was a scooter.
If there’s one experience we can all relate to at Texas A&M, it’s nearly getting run over by a scooter-driving fiend. A&M is a large university, and students often struggle to get to their classes in time — those 20-minute intervals between courses can be surprisingly short if you have a place you need to be.
So don’t misunderstand me when I say that I particularly despise scooters. In fact, I fully appreciate the reasoning behind their use.
It’s the brushing with death three times before 8 a.m. that I don’t appreciate.
As a side note, from this criticism I must exclude bikers. They, at least, put effort into their speed. They obey the rules of the road and respect us pedestrians.
Rest easy, bikers: You do not stand above the rest of the population, nose up and head held high as you risk life and limb that are not your own. On the contrary, I’ve seen many bikers also subjected to the reign of terror scooter drivers hold over all Aggies. Join us, and together we can rule the galaxy as … Oops, that’s Star Wars. Either way, join the Rebellion. I asked a good friend of mine — yes, a member of the scooter regime — how she does it. How can she zoom by us simple peasants as if she were a god, risking our lives for the sake of her speed?
The answer? “We are gods.”
For most members of this Scooterati, their excuse sounds bulletproof: They claim not to see you.
However, I must refute this. On my most pleasant of days — the day I nearly died — I was wearing bright red. I assure you, I did not blend in to the ubiquitous beige and slightly darker beige buildings nor the roads of our campus. Now, I must regretfully turn toward the serious matter. Pieces like this have been
written before; maybe not by The Battalion, but certainly by other collegiate papers. I don’t think it’s prudent to ask for a ban on scooters. Still, to use the subjunctive tense — and hopefully impress my Latin teacher in doing so — mutationes faciamus. Let us make changes.
Perhaps it’s time a special license was required for these psychopaths, or at least some glasses. Perhaps they should stick to the roads like every other vehicle is required to do.
University Police Department officers on campus have certainly gained a reputation for cracking down on unsuspecting scooter operators. It’s like a never-ending cycle: A scooter runs a stop sign, an officer pulls them over, the scooter addict receives a ticket, then they barrel through commuters, zooming away to ignore another road regulation. The cycle continues.
I might be tempted to laugh — I’ve seen more tickets given to scooter offenders than any other motor vehicle, and it almost inspired me to extend mercy. Sadly, right as that thought crossed my mind, another scooter tried to flatten me. Instead of mercy, I’ll extend a “Thank you” to anyone trying to end these dark days.
I don’t pretend to be an expert on transportation, but I am a fairly good walker
— I’ve practically been doing it my whole life. In sharing the sidewalks with these pavement scrubbers, walking to class has begun to feel like driving a vehicle: checking your blind spots and praying someone doesn’t make an error in judgement while passing you and ramming full speed into your backpack full of textbooks and, of course, a copy of The Battalion. For a campus completely enclosed in the Aggie bubble, such precautions seem silly. Will I have to start requesting a Corps of Cadets escort to class in hopes that they’ll protect me from … scooters?
It’s common to end such pieces with a call to action. So, to all scooter drivers out there, I now speak to you. Implore you. Beg you.
Picture me writing this with a feather quill, ink everywhere, tears streaming down my face. Don’t factcheck that — this was indeed typed on a computer — but imagine it regardless. Imagine my distress and allow it to move you. There is still time to repent! Turn from your fiendish ways. Join us simple folk on the street and walk to your classes. You might save a life.
Marie Kneeland is an English honors freshman and an opinion writer for The Battalion.
Opinion: Botox, Ozempic, filler, oh my!
Our insecurities shouldn’t be a monetizable industry
By Thea Findlay Opinion Writer
“Did you know dermatologists can use half of the syringe so it looks more natural, and when I go back in, my lip filler refill is essentially free?”
Gee, what a steal! For a couple hundred bucks, my lips could look almost the same as they do now but better.
Since turning 18, and now thrusted into a world where my friends and I can legally pay for cosmetic surgeries and GLP-1s — weight-loss injections — that have flooded the beauty market, signatures have been given out left and right among the women I know to receive various procedures — invasive or not.
Who am I to say that this is wrong? They can vote, take out a loan for tens of thousands of dollars and can get a tattoo or a piercing. We all have dabbled in getting manicures and dying our hair since middle school. Why stop at just that?
If the best way for someone to feel confident and comfortable in their skin is to take control of their body, I applaud them. Bodily autonomy is of the utmost importance, and you absolutely have the right to exercise that.
The artistic and social connection between women and the simple pleasures of getting dolled up that does not exist in fillers and botox. Sitting at a nail salon is not only a place where you can feel refreshed and choose a color that compliments your natural beauty, it’s a social outlet where friends go to gossip and relax. The same could be said for the hair salon or even a pregame before a night out when everyone is sharing eyeshadow and curling irons.
That artistry and friendship is not found in a dermatologist’s office. Cosmetic procedures aren’t a way to express oneself when they are done simply to appeal to the
mass expectations of beauty — it’s just a sterile room and a needle ready to fill the emptiness inside of you.
The pressures of beauty seem to be completely unattainable and unavoidable — just as they always were.
Hearing about how Serena Williams is now a spokesperson for a GLP-1 medication and supposedly “healthier” on it might not be the best commercial to play during every ad break. If a beloved women’s sports idol reaches for a weight-loss drug to fill her
term effects this will have on, not only their bodies, but their mental health.
What I find most troubling about the aesthetic-procedures industry is that nobody ever leaves the office feeling completely comfortable in their skin. Changing one’s appearance to live up to the idealized beauty standard of influencers or celebrities has never been a guaranteed solution, despite what the industry claims.
Left with a Band-Aid-like fix, all your other insecurities have a chance to come to
emptiness, would this not be a direct attack on the women who look up to her? A body that supported her through a decorated tennis career and birthed children was still not good enough.
With easy access to GLP-1s, young women — who have no medical reason to go on this weight-loss medication — have subjected themselves to a socially acceptable eating disorder. Turning off the part of your brain that makes you hungry to see the scale drop? I’m already stressed about the long-
light, and, in a matter of time, you’re back in the office asking for more. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps people focused on their insecurities under the guise of boosted selfesteem and body positivity.
Unfortunately, all of these beauty procedures and medications are created by an industry set up to make money off of our insecurities.
Combined with their marketing tactics that shout, “GLP-1s are for everyone” and “baby botox is a smart investment
for wrinkle prevention,” I doubt that this is the best rhetoric to spread toward impressionable young women.
Of course, social media has never helped our understanding of beauty either. It almost seems ridiculous the sheer number of celebrities that openly admit to their cosmetic procedures and act as if it’s the one thing that transformed them into these confident women we hear about; however, on the other hand, no one wants to hear another celebrity deny plastic surgery allegations either.
How utterly exhausting is it to keep up with who’s done what and how we can look like our favorite celebrities with their bottomless wallets to fund their beauty endeavors? You will never be able to keep up with the Kardashians, so release yourself from this madness of trying to attain celebrity-like beauty.
Ladies, you gained the right to a bank account and credit in your own name only in the past 60 years, take advantage of this and save a pretty penny by avoiding the unnecessary beautification procedures and medicines!
Am I jealous because I won’t — or can’t — dish out $200 for a lip-flip to make my upper lip more noticeable when I smile because I know my insecurities lie within myself and no injection could ever truly take them away? It sure would save me the five seconds it takes to overline my lips on a night out.
Maybe.
What I do understand, though, is that we are young, so simply let yourself live. Soak up the sun and sure, wear sunscreen, but, oh my! You are too beautiful as you are to lose the features that make you unequivocally yourself.
Find joy in the laughter with your friends and eating the cookies you baked after exams. Life is worth living without the focus on needle-led beauty fads.
Thea Findlay is a communication junior and opinion
Illustration by Susana Lazcano — THE BATTALION Illustration by
SILVER TAPS
Ceremony: Tuesday, March 3, at 10:30 p.m. at Academic Plaza.
Warning: There will be gun sounds at the ceremony. Please remember to remain quiet upon arrival.
AA brother, traveler, sports fanatic and cultural pioneer. Max T. Ma them all, and his fun-filled way of living will be the vessel that carries his memory on forever. A mathematics senior from Roanoke, Texas, Max left his mark on the world through his genuine care and love toward every one of his relationships. His older brother, Michael Ma, is a testament to the extent to which that Max’s kindness imprinted on the hearts of those around him.
“He really, really cared about others,” Michael said. “He really cared about his friends. In fact, like a lot of them describing him and writing tributes to him, like from what I’m reading … there’s some of them that say, you know, he was a once-in-ageneration type of friend.”
Not only was Max a one-of-a-kind friend, but he also paved his own path as a first-generation Aggie. After his parents immigrated from China, he immersed himself in American culture, embracing favorite pastimes and striving to visit as
Max T. Ma
February 18, 2003 - December 23, 2025
caring person with a passion for good
many national parks as possible. It’s this eagerness to live life to the fullest that colors Michael’s memories of Max so vibrantly.
“And so it was kind of like a blending and meshing of cultures for me and Max,” Michael said. “Just knowing, getting, enjoying and learning and indulging in Chinese culture, while also having our parents being able to learn and indulge in American culture as well. So a lot of that stuff was fascinating, too, just the fusion and the blending of the two cultures and being a part of it.”
Max’s passion for blending cultures didn’t stop at a point of self-interest. Set ablaze by the flame of the Aggie Spirit, Max was determined to share it with all those whom he loved.
“Things like Max involving parents into coming to A&M to take part in senior weekend, like them being exposed to American college culture, going to a Texas A&M football game,” Michael said. “You know, just tailgating, like the college
nightlife scene, my parents being exposed to that. So it was like, it was really a pleasure to be able to be exposed to things like that and having Max kind of pave and transition that.”
Because of Max’s outward joy, it was extremely difficult to tell that he was struggling, which is something that Michael and some of Max’s friends aim to bring attention to.
“He’s somebody who never really, quote, unquote, showed signs that he was struggling with mental health issues, struggling with depression and things like that,” Michael said. “And so there’s an aspect of this in mental health awareness. So there’s an aspect of this here locally around his high school, around where he grew up, that there’s a huge support group that’s building, and that’s going on with mental health and with suicide prevention.”
Michael highlighted the importance of being able to recognize and identify signs of depression, especially in young men
who may feel emotionally restrained or influenced to suppress their struggles. With fond memories of Max in his mind, he wants to make it known that counseling is a viable option for all, and emotional communication within a trusted circle is crucial. To further emphasize this message, Michael and a group of Max’s friends have started a nonprofit aimed at increasing suicide awareness for young adults called M.A. Health.
A beautifully delicate project such as this could have only been sparked by someone who truly left a mark on every person they encountered, and that is exactly the type of person Max was. After dedicating his life to pouring himself into and genuinely caring for those around him, it is his loved ones’ turn to pick up the torch.
“He always cared about how his friends were doing,” Michael said. “He, sometimes he cared about how they were doing more than himself. So yeah, he was a very, very genuine person.”
Tony Nguyen
March 3, 2004 - December 16, 2025
A driven and intelligent role model for all
Tony Nguyen, a brilliant and independent mind, served as a golden role model for those around him. Amidst a time when it is so easy to get confused in life, Tony, a biology senior from Katy, never veered from the things that were most important to him: his academics and his family.
The eldest of four siblings — three sons and a daughter — Tony took the responsibility of small minds constantly watching him in stride and worked tirelessly to be a man that all of his siblings could look up to and be proud of.
“He is the role model for his siblings,” David Nguyen, Tony’s father, said. “Everything looks good on him. He’s independent, confident and everything.You know, he’s the best in the house. So, but unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly
for his last four years … before he goes for something else.”
Tony was able to accomplish the challenging feat of drawing joy from the well of simple things in life.
No matter how hectic or overwhelming things got, he never failed to peacefully return to his roots.
“He’s a little quiet guy, but he tried to, on the holiday, enjoy with the family the most,” David said. “And enjoy with friends, go to movie and talk about something from a very good friend from high school.”
Although his family was always at the forefront of his motivations, Tony never used them as a crutch; instead, he treated his family as a home base to which he could return and shower his siblings with all he had learned.
“I think he the self-confident, and he make most of decision by himself and is confident in what he doing,” David said.
“And then he get it done, no matter what. With or without the family help.”
Tony planned on using his intellect to become an anesthesiology assistant.
Because he was only a semester away from graduating, David is in the process of applying for Tony to receive a posthumous degree, a specialized degree that Texas A&M provides to honor the academic pursuits of deceased students.
After all of the effort and dedication that Tony poured into his studies, David is persistently advocating for him to receive this degree that could act as a tangible continuation of Tony’s erudite legacy.
“So if he qualify, I really want him
to have that degree to role model for his sibling, because he worked hard for three and a half years,” David said. “Only one more semester to finish the school. So if that thing happened, that’s good for my family, for his sibling to learn and respect the school.”
Regardless of if the request is approved or not, Tony will continue to serve as a role model for his siblings long after his passing. After spending his lifetime serving his loved ones with constant effort, this is the perfect bow to wrap up the beautifully intelligent and hardworking man Tony was.
“He just love family,” David said. “It’s almost everything for the family. He love his sister, brother and help them out. When they have problem with the school stuff that he always help them out.”
SPORTS
Maroon twist on women’s bobsled history
Former students, Aggie sisters make history as part of first U.S. women’s bobsled team, add event to 2002 Olympics
By Kynlee Joyner Editor-in-Chief
“Weißt du, wo du bist?”
For a split second, lying on the cold, hard ice, Michelle Powe ‘86 looked up at the sky.
“Weißt du, wo du bist?” the man asked again. “Umm … Germany?” Michelle responded.
“Take her, and hurry.”
Wincing in pain, she wasn’t looking for her teammate or her now-damaged bobsled; instead, she noticed how through the slight overcast, a sliver of light was shining through.
Despite the chaos around her — medics rushing in with a gurney, Germans ushering people out of the way, her teammate lying just a few feet away — she felt a rush of calm. Little did she know it was because a sea away, her sister was also lying on ice, wincing as she looked up at the same sky.
With Michelle competing in Germany and her sister, Alexandra Powe Allred ‘91, competing in Canada, their parents, though nervous, were at peace knowing that at least if there was a crash, only one of them would be involved — until they received two calls.
Michelle and Alexandra — or Alex for short — were no average sisters.They didn’t bond over small, mundane things; instead, they bonded through bobsled. As part of the first-ever United States women’s bobsled team, made up of nine members and officially recognized in 1994, Michelle and Alex had no shortage of accomplishments.
From helping establish a women’s bobsled event in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games to serving as a medical model for pregnant athletes, the sisters helped build the sport from the ground up. Yet, despite their accomplishments, there was one thing the sisters couldn’t do.
“[Our parents] made us promise that we would not be in the same sled,” Michelle said. “So we honored that promise even though we wanted to slide together. … That was the one thing that was like, ‘Do not be in the same sled. We can’t take that.’”
But even competing in different sleds — and in different countries — didn’t stop the pair from facing similar fates.
“Instead of one call, [our parents] got two calls from two different countries,” Michelle said. “ … We kept our promise, but then we just crashed separately.”
Like their collisions, their journey with
bobsled wasn’t always glorious. In a time when women were not respected in the sport, the sisters served as trailblazers on both the national and global stage. But the road to Team USA began two years after college graduation — at least it did for Alex.
‘Are you coming, big mouth?’
In 1993, Alex was sitting on her couch with her newborn when she turned on the TV.
“I was watching ESPN and saw bobsledding, and … I fell in love with it,” Alex said.
“ … I wanted to see the women, and so, of course, I waited and watched for the women, and they never showed.”
But this didn’t sit well with Alex. With no internet to turn to, she headed to the library to look for answers. It was then that she discovered the story of Katharin Dewey.
In 1940, after driving her team to an Amateur Athletic Union championship title as the only woman in an all-male competition, a vote to strip her of her medal and ban women from the sport ended any hopes of
That call incited an unrelenting determination within Alex, as she trained and counted down the days until she would hit the ice in Lake Placid, New York. But this drive only deepened when her other half joined her — her sister.
In 1993, Michelle was T-boned, refracturing an existing neck injury. In December of that year, she underwent surgery, leaving her in a neck brace and bound for recovery. This meant that, when Alex began her letter campaign, Michelle was merely a month into her healing.
“When she went to those first camps in February and March, I was still in the big, massive brace … but around March or April … I went to visit,” Michelle said. “ … As I was improving, I started actually training with her.”
As the two trained together, it wasn’t long before Alex addressed the elephant in the room: “You’re doing what I’m doing. Why don’t you try out?”
“So, six months after neck surgery, I ended up trying out and making the team,” Michelle said.
For all my big-mouth talking, I, what can you do? So I had to say, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there.’ And that was really the beginning.
Alexandra Powe Allred ‘91 Member of first-ever U.S. women’s bobsled team
Dewey’s competing again. This ruling was upheld for almost six decades before Alex stepped in.
“When I learned that … I was outraged, and so I started sending letters to literally everybody I could think of,” Alex said. “ … I was stale mailing letters to the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee, just every governing body attached to bobsled.”
As months passed by with no news or response to her inquiries, Alex’s hope began to wane, but not before she received a long-awaited call. It was then that she learned the first-ever women’s bobsled camps were in the works, and the caller had one important question for her: “Are you coming, big mouth?”
“For all my big-mouth talking, I, what can you do?” Alex said with a chuckle. “So I had to say, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there.’ And that was really the beginning.”
1994: year that changed everything
Michelle didn’t make it to the Lake Placid camps in time, but Alex held her own in New York, while also enduring a medical situation herself. When Alex visited the doctor, instead of braces and pain medicine, she heard a heartbeat and left with ultrasound photos of her second-born child.
In 1994, Alex became the U.S. national bobsled champion — while 16 weeks pregnant — before going on to help author the first U.S. women’s bobsled bylaws. But her story was too good to pass up for Dr. James F. Clapp III from Case Western Reserve University, whose focus of study was in the effects of pregnancy and exercise. Clapp reached out to Alex — who squatted over 350 pounds and ran over 20 mph whilst carrying — to be a medical model for pregnant athletes.
“The [United States Olympic Committee] and the International Olympic Committee used the data from my training research for the safety of pregnant athletes,” Alex said. “That was really cool because I
had no idea. I think it was like 2008 when they revised them again, but up until that point, they were using my workout routines and looking at the data that … Western had collected from my workouts, and that was really cool.”
Two decades later, the impact of that research showed its face when Alex was approached by Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor.
“Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, who were the two top female bobsledders you’ll see in this … Olympics … they came up, and they thanked me for changing the way female athletes could train while pregnant,” Alex said. “ … So that was a good complete circle for me.”
Walking down memory lane
Now, Michelle and Alex both spend their time teaching — the former instructing English at Life High School Waxahachie and the latter women’s sports history at Texas A&M’s sister school, Tarleton State University.
Despite redirecting their efforts into education, the pair frequently take a walk down memory lane with their former teammates, who all catch up in weekly or biweekly Zoom meetings, depending on their schedules.
From Michelle recalling the crude comments exchanged to Alex talking about their once-in-a-lifetime interaction with Prince Albert II of Monaco — when he personally thanked all nine women last October for their impact on the sport — the Powe sisters can agree on one thing: There’s no better feeling than being in the bobsled.
“People don’t realize when you’re in the bobsled, it’s so loud because there’s zero padding,” Alex said. “ … You’re so low to the ground that even though you’re going 85 miles an hour, it feels like you’re going 200. … I mean each time you just keep saying, ‘I got to do this again.’”
And they did until they couldn’t anymore. Michelle and Alex said they both knew they weren’t meant to make the Olympics, but they instead wanted to set a foundation to allow other women to follow in their footsteps. Little did they know, Jill Bakken — coined the “baby” of the original nine — would take the gold at the Salt Lake City Games right after their retirement. Now, Michelle and Alex both agree that giving advice to female athletes hoping to follow in their footsteps is simple: Don’t give up.
“Be prepared for the physical aspect of it, and don’t give up,” Michelle said. “ … Just know there’s going to be tough times, but there’s going to be great times, too. And enjoy yourself.”
Clockwise from top: Group photo of the first U.S. women’s bobsled established in 1994. Photo of a bobsled. Alexandra Powe Allred ‘91, a member of the first U.S. women’s bobsled team established in 1994.
Michelle Powe ‘86, a member of the first U.S. women’s bobsled team established in 1994. The inside of a bobsled. A member of the Team USA bobsled team with a member of Team Jamaica’s bobsled team.
Photos courtesy of Alexandra Powe Allred ‘91
‘Finish this thing off right’
A&M prepares for regularseason finish with NCAA Tournament in sight, focus on Texas, Kentucky matchups
By Trey Bohne Sports Writer
Under first-year head coach Bucky McMillan, Texas A&M men’s basketball has exceeded expectations with a clear path to the NCAA Tournament. Written off at the beginning of the season, the Aggies defied the odds, starting Southeastern Conference play with a dominant 7-1 record. Alone atop the SEC, reality crept in for the Maroon and White, as they went on to lose 4 of their next 5 games in a midseason gauntlet.
With postseason aspirations on the line, the battered and bruised Aggies regrouped to steal a pair of must-win games against the Ole Miss Rebels and Oklahoma Sooners. Now sitting at fifth in the SEC with a record of 9-5 in conference play, A&M aims for a dominant finish to the regular season.
“I want to finish this thing off right,” McMillan said. “I got a number in mind that I want to get to, that’s 13. I think that you have to keep grinding. We don’t have any bad losses. We’ve shown that we are a great team, at home and on the road, particularly. If you think about our road games, in the toughest league in the country, and the SEC has the toughest places to play in
the country, we’ve gone to Alabama, and we lost by three, we won at Auburn, won at Texas, won at Georgia, won at Oklahoma and double-overtime at Tennessee.”
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, A&M currently sits as a 9-seed, with Delphi Bracketology in agreement. Nevertheless, the Maroon and White have been sure not to get ahead of themselves, maintaining focus on the games to come in their schedule.
“Focus on playing good basketball, everything else should take care of itself,” McMillan said. “Everybody knows each other by now. We know what the other players can do; they know what our players can do. They’re going to know what defenses we run, and we’re going to know what they run.You don’t see too many ‘I gotcha’ plays out there at this time of year.”
A&M will play rival Texas on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Reed Arena, with tipoff set for 3 p.m. The Aggies look to face a similar Longhorn team they saw in their 74-70 victory in Austin earlier this season. With a five-game win streak snapped by a loss to Georgia, Texas sits tied for sixth in the SEC, 8-6 in conference play. The Maroon and White are favored to win at home, with a 65% chance of victory, according to ESPN Analytics.
“Who can cut whose water off that night?” McMillan said. “I think that’s really what it comes down to this time of year.”
The Aggies will look to cut the water off from junior guard Dailyn Swain on Saturday night, as he leads the Longhorns in 5-of-6 major statistical categories. Fueling
Texas’ offense, Swain leads his squad with 17.9 points per game, 3.3 assists per game and a 57% field goal percentage.
Following the competition against its in-state foe, A&M will stay in Aggieland to welcome Kentucky on Tuesday, March 3, with an evening tipoff at 6 p.m.Though not as dominant as they once were, the blueblood Wildcats sit tied for sixth in the SEC, with a conference record of 8-6, presenting a strong competition for the Aggies.
After a one-point loss to Auburn, Kentucky looks to maintain tournament hope by breaking its three-game losing streak.
Led by senior G Otega Oweh, the Wildcats aim to finish the season strong; however, it will not be easy. With games still to play against No. 25 Vanderbilt and No. 7 Florida, Kentucky could likely face a must-win scenario in College Station.
“A lot of teams wait until the NCAA Tournament, where their life is on the line, to really fight,” McMillan said. “They wait until they get in the octagon, and they’re really going to fight. Well, how did you train for the sixty days leading up to that? If you walk into the octagon and you haven’t done that, that’s an eerie feeling. To get to the NCAA Tournament, you have to have that same sense of urgency every night, that your life is on the line.”
As the regular season comes to a close, the Fightin’ Farmers will go on to face their final tests against tournament-level opponents. Blue bloods or
A&M’s
will be on the line as it prepares for
postseason.
Aggies to take on Magnolia State rivals
In order for the Maroon and White to qualify for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament and get into NCAA Tournament discussion, they will need to maximize the last two regular-season games.
By Dylan Fonville Sports Writer
Texas A&M women’s basketball has gone on a late-season tear, taking down three consecutive conference opponents, including then-No. 21 Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Unfortunately, the Aggies face a hard truth: They need every win they can get this late in the season. It all starts with the Gulf of Mexico matchups against Mississippi State at Reed Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, and No. 19 Ole Miss at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi, on Sunday, March 1. Standing at No. 11 in the Southeastern Conference, the Aggies have an overall record of 12-11 with a 5-9 conference record. As of now, this squad sits as a bubble team that will need to reach for a playoff berth, and while it is possible, the pressure is in full effect.
“We are continuing to get better,’ head coach Joni Taylor said. “ We’re gonna enjoy this one, and then we gotta go on the road and play another top-25 team. So shortterm memory, in this league, win, lose or draw.You got to have a short-term memory and come to work every day.”
The Fightin’ Farmers have progressively improved, taking steps in the right direction in every game.
Senior guard Ny’Ceara Pryor still stands as the leader for the Aggies; she currently leads A&M with 15.9 points, 3.6 steals and 7.1 assists per game while sitting fifth in assists across the entire league.
Her partner in crime, junior forward Fatmata Janneh, is in lockstep with Pryor, averaging a double-double of points and boards. Both have dropped a double-double in their last three games against Arkansas, Tennessee and Auburn, showing a shift in momentum as they enter their next two games.
“[Pryor’s] work on the floor speaks for
itself,” Taylor said. “She leads us every single day. She’s actually the first player since Whitney Boddie from Auburn in 2009 to have three straight games with a double-double in points and assists, which is incredible in this league.”
The Aggies will make their return to Reed Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, to take on the Bulldogs, who currently sit next to the Aggies at No. 11 in conference standings.
Freshman F Madison Francis leads Mississippi State with 13.2 points and 2.8 blocks per game and is second in blocks per game in the league. Dominant in the paint, she is an offensive and defensive menace with the potential to explode.
The Aggies have faced players with a similar archetype and have failed due to being undersized. Wildcat junior center Clara Strack put up 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in A&M’s loss to Kentucky on Feb. 12. To successfully hold Francis, the Fightin’ Farmers must be prepared to shoot lights out and post up on defense.
Following the matchup against Mississippi State, A&M will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to compete against Ole Miss. Securing a win in this game would mean more
than just a tally on the stat sheet — it would prove that the Aggies are worthy of consideration for the NCAA Tournament. The road ahead is not smoothly paved, though, as Ole Miss hopes to make a statement after their previous two losses to then-No. 7 LSU and No. 3 South Carolina.
The Rebels have an excellent frontcourt with three different forwards leading its team in points. Senior F Cotie McMahon currently averages 20 points per game and is the No. 4 scorer in the SEC. The Aggies will need to take advantage of Pryor’s steals and Janneh’s ability to force turnovers in this game.
“I think we’re getting more games under our belt, remember we only had nine nonconference games, and you normally play thirteen,” Taylor said. “So we’re four games behind everyone else. Part of it is continuing to get better and learn what it is we’re doing, and part of it is confidence.”
In order to capitalize on the success they’ve had recently, the Maroon and White will need to continue their growth as a team and finish the season powerfully. Tipoff
tween the Aggies and Bulldogs
p.m. on Thursday,
A&M bears early test in Arlington
Aggies take on nonconference contenders at Globe Life Field in first ranked contest of year
By Noah Ruiz Associate Sports Editor
After spending its first eight contests in the comfort of College Station, No. 23 Texas A&M baseball travels to Arlington as part of a six-team ensemble, making its appearance at the third weekend of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field.
A&M, being fresh off eight straight victories, brings its veteran pitching staff and sluggers to face Virginia Tech, No. 1 UCLA and Arizona State, in that order, starting on Friday, Feb. 27. The Aggies’ pair of lefties and strong-armed sophomore right-handed pitcher Aiden Sims have allowed four earned runs in their last four starts, including 10 strikeouts from Sims against the Penn Quakers on Feb. 22.
The Aggies’ nonconference stand at the home of the Texas Rangers marks the second time in three years they have participated in the tournament, which pits some of the best squads in the nation against each other for a wildly entertaining start to the 2026 season.
But facing an impressive crew of Hokies and the No. 1 team in the nation, redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Shane Sdao and junior RHP Weston Moss will need to bring a lights-out approach to curb their coastal contenders. Their 26 strikeouts and just two free passes issued between the experienced duo pose a unique challenge for Virginia Tech and UCLA alike.
However, both units have found ways to win.
The Hokies post a 6-1 record but have struggled to pull away from their opposition, with their highest margin of victory being just six runs. The Maroon and White, however, have boasted a 6.29-run average margin of victory through seven games, as superb pitching and quality at-bats have given the Aggies every advantage needed to succeed. When its starters aren’t on the mound, A&M has its relievers at the ready to silence potential uproars, including junior RHPs Juan Vargas and Clayton Freshcorn, who have struck out 11 batters and allowed zero earned runs in 10 innings of work.
While flashing the same record as Virginia Tech, UCLA is flying at an even higher altitude after trashing then-No. 7 TCU at Jackie Robinson Stadium. In their homestand against the preseason Big 12 favorites, the Bruins stomped the Horned Frogs 30-8 in a three-game sweep. UCLA has a true su-
perstar in projected No. 1 overall MLB draft pick and junior infielder Roch Cholowsky, who shares the lead of his squad with six home runs in just seven games.
The Aggies will meet a familiar face at the plate when junior outfielder Will Gasparino comes to bat, whose transfer from Texas was a jaw-dropping move after posting 13 homers and 49 RBIs with the Longhorns.
Even so, A&M has its own all-star roster built to shock College World Series contenders. Despite finding himself in a slump and with stitches in his hand, the Aggies have hope that junior center fielder Caden Sorrell will be ready to go for their test at Globe Life. In just five starts, the project ed top-10 MLB draft pick has belted three home runs and 10 RBIs while maintaining a perfect fielding percentage.
However, veteran talent is not the only place the Maroon and White have found success. Underclassmen have been imper ative in the Aggies’ undefeated start, with freshman shortstop Boston Kellner and sophomore second baseman Sawyer Farr stealing the show — and walk-off victories.
Kellner, a native of Chandler, Arizona, has brought Southwest heat to his Texas bat, knocking down a team-best five doubles, including a doozy over the head of the Quakers’ center fielder for a walk-off win over Penn on Feb. 21.
The script didn’t change the following day, as the Aggies were down to their last strike with two outs at the bottom of the ninth against the Quakers with Farr com ing in to pinch hit. Not only did the young switch-hitter deliver a game-tying RBI, but he was also the beneficiary of a walkoff walk, capturing the series versus their Ivy League visitors.
Arizona State, on the other hand, is a whole other monster, terrorizing its last seven opponents with a 6.83-run average margin of victory. The Sun Devils have their own prized slugger, junior INF Nu’u Contrades, who has sent three homers to his home islands of Hawaii. With 13 RBIs, Contrades places sixth among D1Baseball’s third basemen ranking this season.
Sophomore LHP Easton Barrett has been Arizona State’s Sunday starter but struggled against Omaha and St. John’s with an alarm ing 11.25 ERA that A&M will be eager to jump out early against. Freshman 3B Nico Partida will be one of the leaders in such an effort, having already gone yard three times in his young college career.
Set to face such quality opponents in the infancy of the 2026 season, head coach Michael Earley will have the stage set at Globe Life Field to prove the Aggies have what it takes to make a push for the NCAA Tournament and revive their identity as perennial challengers for the national title.
Aggies host calm before SEC storm
By Ava Loth Associate Sports Editor
No. 13 Texas A&M softball hosts Week 4 of tournament season with the Texas A&M Invitational, a four-day College Station contest. After a brief hiatus from facing ranked opponents, there’s now an opportunity for the Maroon and White to put wins under their belt in front of the 12th Man before Southeastern Conference play.
After a mixed weekend defined by late games and unruly losses at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, the Aggies look to recover from their jet lag and regroup where they’re most comfortable: Davis Diamond.
The Fightin’ Farmers split their games 3-3 in Cathedral City, California, extending their overall record to 10-6. All three losses came against ranked foes: No. 14 Oregon, No. 6 Nebraska and No. 11 UCLA. Coordination finally struck A&M bats against No. 14 Duke in an 11-5 triumph, notching its only win against a ranked opponent during the weekend.
The Aggies’ pitching has been hot and cold in recent outings as they search for stability in the circle. Senior right-handed pitcher Grace Sparks recorded nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings on Feb. 20. In her first season start in the circle, she managed four hitless innings, seemingly en route to a no-hitter, but a single in the fifth broke the dam, and the promise of a spectacular feat evaporated. However, lending a big helping hand in the 5-2 win against UC San Diego, Sparks claimed her first collegiate win and the Aggies’ second of the weekend.
In their 15-7 run-rule loss against the Bruins on Feb. 22, A&M’s arms supplied UCLA with a proper batting practice. The circle featured sophomore RHP Sydney Lessentine to start, who gave up a season-high five earned runs. Put in for relief, senior left-handed pitcher Taylor Pannell dealt a season-high of her own with seven earned runs.
The Fightin’ Farmer offense has been sporadic, coming across home plate 33 times during the six-game tournament, 11 of which came against the Blue Devils. Senior third baseman Kennedy Powell is currently
stretching a 19-game on-base streak. In her performance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, she had just two RBIs and six walks to show for her 18 battles at the plate, dropping her batting average by .034. Another weekend contributor took the form of sophomore center fielder Frankie Vrazel. The Danbury native granted the Aggie run game with nine hits, four RBIs and two runs of her own during the tournament. Her best outing occurred during the five-inning loss to UCLA, with a season-high two hits, two RBIs and one run scored.
With six games slated and back-to-back doubleheaders in Aggieland, fine-tuning before they come face-to-face with their conference schedule is the only thing on the Aggies’ minds.
Houston will be the first test for A&M, with the Cougars’ 11-3 overall record marking them as the only squad entering the contest with a better record than the Aggies. A 10-0 shutout victory against Louisiana on Feb. 22 was dealt by sophomore RHP Nevaeh Brown. Supporting at-bats from sophomore designated player Maddie Hartley got Houston’s offense fired up, slamming three homers in three games, totaling to nine on her season.
The A&M Invitational will give the Aggies a preview of their conference schedule format. Alternating between teams on different days will give them a sense of what it’s like facing similar offenses but different arms for multiple games, testing them in a way they have yet to be this season.
The Maroon and White will face Kennesaw State and Louisiana twice, along with a single outing against Saint Mary’s. Louisiana will present the biggest benchmark for where A&M stands, as it comes in with a similar record, including notable wins against No. 7 Florida State on the road and Ole Miss.
With a hopeful surge of a fiery offense, Kennesaw State and Saint Mary’s should present A&M with the opportunity to get comfortable in its pitching. The
tion
