The Battalion “
Bill Kibler ‘91 Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs
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The need for awareness, conversation and connection has never been greater.
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Kristen Brunson Assistant Director of Student Assistant Services
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We want to normalize saying, ‘I need help,’ in more ways than just if someone is feeling ill physically.
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Thea Attieh Psychology senior and President of Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors
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When you’re feeling some type of way, when you’re going through something, please go talk to someone.
PUBLICATION NOTICE
Next print: Thursday, September 17
‘You have to ask for help’: Raising suicide awareness Suicide Prevention Month sheds light on 15 student suicides at Texas A&M, helps address mental health struggles among college students By Kynlee Joyner, Managing Editor Roughly every 43 seconds, someone takes their own life. In the past year, 15 Texas A&M students joined that statistic. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students, and last year, A&M’s numbers more than doubled. “Suicide used to be much further down on the list,” Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs Bill Kibler ‘91, Ph.D., said. “Texas A&M had its own issues. We had 15 student suicides … last year. … That doesn’t even count the number of attempts or suicide ideations or students that get transported to the hospital to get help that didn’t result in a death.” A study conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine revealed that suicidal ideation has increased by 154% in the last 15 years. Furthermore, the Division of Student Affairs reported that as of April 2026, 41.8% of students are experiencing loneliness. “We have a lot of students that … if they don’t get connected in a positive way right at the beginning, those are students we worry about because they are lonely; they are isolated; they feel like they don’t fit in; they haven’t found their niche here within Texas A&M University,” Kibler said. On a campus with over 75,000 students, it’s easy to assume from the outside looking in that no one could be lonely, according to Kibler. However, when students struggle to find their place at A&M, feelings of loneliness can quickly turn into a slippery slope. “It’s those feelings of isolation and loneliness that can lead to depression, which can then lead to other issues, with the ultimate being that they feel like life’s not even worth living anymore,” Kibler said. The Division of Student Affairs found that a significant percentage of A&M students who committed suicide did so at or after the end of a semester. Kibler attributes this statistic to a lack of performance for students who may be at risk of being removed from their desired major. “We, of course, want to talk to them about, ‘You got 150 other options here at A&M. Let us talk to you about a different pathway that might still even get you to the work that you wanted to do in your life,’” Kibler said. In light of these statistics, the university is initiating a campus-wide movement in order to bring awareness to mental health, starting with September in the midst of Suicide Prevention Month. The Division of Student Affairs alone has brought about two major on-campus initiatives: Aggie Experience Groups and No Aggie Stands Alone. Aggie Experience Groups, spearheaded by Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Jennifer Ford ‘99, is a division initiative aimed at supporting student engagement and connection. Having started on Aug. 25, the events will run through Saturday, Sept. 19, helping students foster community on campus. Like Kibler, Ford believes there’s a correlation between loneliness and mental health that the initiative aims to reduce. “I think it’s easy to feel lonely in a group of people when you are not seen,” Ford said. “ … If we’re all just sitting together in a class, but none of us ever talk to one another, it’s very easy to feel lonely. But if I walk into … a dining hall and somebody says, ‘Hey, Jennifer, come sit with us.’ What changed? Somebody said my name. They know who I am, and they invited me in. … There’s still 2,000 people in the dining hall, right? But you saw me and said, ‘Come sit with us.’ That is, I think, the difference.” On Aug. 31, the division published an article on awareness and recognizing the indications of suicidal ideation. It walks readers through how to identify warning signs and what to do in the case that they or someone they know is in need of help. “The need for awareness, conversation and connection has never been greater,” Assistant Director of Student Assistant Services Kristen Brunson wrote. “The hope is this awareness empowers students to ask for support and know they do not have to figure it out alone. We hope to give students the information they need to help someone who needs support or find support for themselves.”
But these efforts are not just being made on an administrative level. Established in 2018, Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors is an A&M organization dedicated to creating conversation and providing education on mental health. Psychology senior and President of Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors Thea Attieh explained the importance of mental wellbeing and asking for help. “We believe that taking care of one’s mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health no matter who you are,” Attieh wrote. “Many people believe that speaking out or seeking help when it comes to mental health can be seen as a weakness or is frowned upon, but we want to further show how seeking support for our mental health is the complete opposite. We want to normalize saying, ‘I need help,’ in more ways than just if someone is feeling ill physically.” Aggie Mental Health Ambassadors will be table at the Suicide Prevention Month Resource Fair on Thursday, Sept. 10, and will host a panel at the end of the fall semester to address issues ranging from depression to eating disorders. Still, the movement doesn’t stop there. Even in the confines of Kyle Field, No. 10 Texas A&M football heard from mental health advocate Brandon Saho during a fall camp meeting. Displayed on the screen was a 2024 headline: “Former NFL offensive lineman Korey Cunningham dies at 28.” “This is a guy that has lived your dream and is someone that’s a friend of mine,” Saho said at the meeting. “And when I posted that was suicidal, he was there for me, but I could not see that he was struggling.” With three suicides in the NFL last season, the former sports reporter went on to explain his own struggle with mental health and where it has brought him today. “When you’re feeling some type of way, when you’re going through something, please go talk to someone,” Saho said. “You have to ask for help. You have to talk to your coach, your chaplain. You got to talk to your teammates, your family, your friends ‘cause you can’t do this on your own.” This presentation sparked a question from senior quarterback Marcel Reed who asked what Saho felt during his depression. “Every second of every day that year, I didn’t want to live anymore,” Saho said. “I had my dream job, I got where I wanted to be, but no one knew this stuff was going on because I hid it so well behind a smile. But, eventually, that dam breaks. And so when you hit that rock bottom, it just comes down to looking in the mirror and realizing you’re either gonna be here or you’re not if you don’t ask for help. But please, please, please don’t give up.” The campus-wide movement won’t just end when September does, either. University officials will establish monthly themes ranging from nutrition to recreation, kicking off with mental health this month. University President Susan Ballabina will include these themes in her monthly updates, noting advice or resources that students can utilize on campus. “The whole purpose of all of this is to try to make a positive impact on as many students as we can that would come here feeling isolated, or like they’re lonely, or like they just don’t have a place that they’ve identified they can fit in,” Kibler said. “That all translates into resiliency, into more positive mental health.” But university administration can’t make these strides alone. Brunson said that every Aggie plays a role in suicide prevention. “Connection is the most powerful thing you can offer a fellow Aggie who is struggling,” Brunson wrote. “It is ok to not have the perfect words to say and asking someone directly if they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head. Research shows this tells someone they are seen and it’s ok to tell the truth. All that matters is that you ask.” If you or someone you know is in need of help, call or text 988. For non-immediate and non-life threatening situations, visit University Health Services for crisis intervention.
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It’s those feelings of isolation and loneliness that can lead to depression, which can then lead to other issues, with the ultimate being that they feel like life’s not even worth living anymore.
Bill Kibler ‘91 Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs
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But please, please, please don’t give up. Brandon Saho Mental health advocate
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The whole purpose of all of this is to try to make a positive impact on as many students as we can that would come here feeling isolated, or like they’re lonely, or like they just don’t have a place that they’ve identified they can fit in.
Bill Kibler ‘91 Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs
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Connection is the most powerful thing you can offer a fellow Aggie who is struggling.
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We had 15 student suicides … last year. … That doesn’t even count the number of attempts or suicide ideations or students that get transported to the hospital to get help that didn’t result in a death.
SPORTS: Looking back at A&M’s first Red, White and Blue Game in 2001
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
LIFE & ARTS: Former fraternity house transformed into bed & breakfast
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INSIDE THIS EDITION
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Brandon Saho Mental health advocate
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Kristen Brunson Assistant Director of Student Assistant Services
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NO AGGIE STA
WHETHER YOU'RE STRUGGLING, SUPPORTI HELP AND RESOURCES A
ASK DIRECTLY
Asking someone directly if they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head. Research is clear: it opens a door. It tells someone they are seen, and that it is safe to tell the truth. How to start the conversation: I've noticed you seem off lately. I'm worried about you. Are you thinking about ending your life?
I care about you and I need to ask you directly. Are you thinking about suicide?
I'm not going anywhere. Whatever you're feeling, I want to know. Have you been so very unhappy that you've been thinking about ending your life?
You know, when people are as upset as you seem to be, they sometimes wish they were dead. I'm wondering if you're feeling that way too? Starting this conversation may seem frightening but you don’t have to go through this alone either. If you can't bring yourself to ask, find someone who can. You don’t need the perfect words. All that matters is that you ask.
If in immediate danger
911
Call the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988
Text “Hom
7
ANDS ALONE
TING SOMEONE, OR JUST SHOWING UP, ARE WITHIN REACH. KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Warning signs that someone may be thinking about suicide are not always obvious. They often show up as changes, but sometimes there are no visible signs at all. Trust your instincts if something feels off. Check on the friends who always seem to have it all together too. What it sounds like: I wish I could just disappear, or not wake up. I don’t see a way out. I’m a burden to everyone.
People would be better off without me. I don't have a reason to keep going.
Watch for changes like: • Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities • Sleeping much more or much less than usual • Increased use of alcohol or other substances • Giving away belongings • Changes in mood, appearance, or what they are posting online • Seeming suddenly calm after a period of distress These changes matter especially after a painful event: a loss, a failed class, a relationship ending, or any major stressor.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION AT TEXAS A&M tx.ag/NoAggieStandsAlone
me” to the Crisis Text Line
741741
Call TELUS Student Health Support
866–743–7732
OPINION
A4
09.10.2026
Opinion: You can’t schedule mental health awareness Suicide doesn’t stop when September ends, so why should our conversations about it? By Prachi Arora Opinion Columnist For most college students, September means football games, cooler weather and the realization that exams are somehow already approaching. For others, September means something else: Suicide Prevention Month.
For some, that means wearing a ribbon, sharing a post or learning how to recognize the warning signs. For others, it is much more personal. Maybe they have struggled with suicidal thoughts themselves. Maybe someone they love took their own life. Maybe they know what it feels like to wonder whether someone they care about is well. I love that September gives us a reminder to have these conversations. Awareness campaigns like Suicide Prevention Month matter. They give people the courage to talk about something that can otherwise feel impossible to say. But I hope that one day, we will not need a designated month to remind us to check in on the people we
Graphic By Allison Fernandes
love. Suicide does not become less important when September ends. Neither does depression, loneliness nor grief. So why do we treat checking in on each other like a seasonal activity? We have all asked a friend, “Are you OK?” And most of the time, the answer is some variation of “I’m fine.” But is “fine” really good enough? Sometimes, sure. People have bad days. Sometimes people are tired, stressed or just don’t feel like talking. But sometimes “I’m fine” means “I don’t know how to explain what is wrong.” Sometimes it means “I don’t want to bother you” or “I don’t think you actually want to know.” That is why checking in on someone can’t always mean asking one question and accepting the first answer. Actually check in. Ask your friend how their day went. Remember that exam they were nervous about, and ask how they did. Notice when the person who normally talks nonstop suddenly becomes quiet. You don’t have to diagnose them. You don’t have to become their therapist. You don’t even have to know exactly what to say. You just have to care enough to notice. Noticing matters, because mental health struggles do not always announce them-
selves. Someone can go to class, go to work or laugh with their friends and still be struggling behind closed doors. And those struggles don’t disappear just because a month on the calendar has changed. As fall turns into winter, the days will get shorter and classes will get harder; not to mention that holidays can bring their own pressures. Some people become more isolated, exhausted or simply stop acting like themselves. That is when checking in matters just as much as it does in September. You do not need to know exactly what is wrong to ask. Sometimes, checking in
merely means being willing to have a conversation before you even know where it is going. And if we are serious about checking in on each other, we also have to become more comfortable talking about suicide itself. Mental health has become easier to discuss in recent years, but there is still a line past which many people become uncomfortable. Approaching conversations surrounding depression and anxiety is one thing But if someone says they’re having suicidal thoughts, people often do not know what to do. We should be able to ask heavy questions without treating them as something shameful. We should be able to listen without immediately trying to fix someone and be willing to sit with a difficult conversation instead of changing the subject because we are uncomfortable. That principle should extend beyond suicide, too. There are plenty of things society teaches us not to talk about. Addiction. Grief. Abuse. Loneliness. Failure. Death. Depression. We often expect the people struggling with these things to bring them up themselves, in the right words, at the right time and with a clear explanation of what they need. But what happens when they can’t? We can’t build a supportive community by waiting for everyone to become comfortable enough to ask for help. This is especially true at Texas A&M, where we talk constantly about the “Aggie family.” Being part of a community should mean more than sitting beside each other in class, cheering together at Kyle Field or saying “Howdy” as we pass each other on campus. It should mean noticing when someone needs us, even when they do not know how to ask. September is a good place to start. Learn the warning signs. Talk about suicide. Check in on your friends and encourage someone who is struggling to seek professional help. But don’t let the conversation end when September does. Check on your friends in October. Check on them in November. Check on them when finals arrive, when the holidays come around and when everyone else assumes they’re doing fine. And do not be afraid of an uncomfortable conversation. Sometimes the most important question you can ask is not “Are you fine?” It is, “No, really. How are you doing?” We should not need a designated month to care about each other. September can start the conversation. The rest of our lives should keep it going. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Prachi Arora is a political science sophomore and opinion columnist for The Battalion.
Opinion: What is the lasting impact of a legacy? Dolly Parton and Tim Curry’s deaths show the importance of continued hope in our lives By Bethany Mann Opinion Writer
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There’s a light in the darkness of everybody’s life.
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The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Growing up with a mom obsessed with the 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and a pastor for a dad who loved to use lyrics from the song “Over at the Frankenstein Place” in his sermons, this light has always been embedded in the back of my mind. That’s why actor Tim Curry’s death, who famously played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “Rocky Horror,” was so somber. Coupled with country music legend Dolly Parton’s death the day prior, the past few weeks have been very emotional for fans of both. With any celebrity death, there is a lot of rhetoric online surrounding the two artists, reflecting on both their careers and personal lives. However, unless my algorithms have failed to give me their favorite form of engagement — divisiveness — I have yet to see any truly negative comments about the two. Why is that? For Parton, it could be her charitable nature. Her most well-known philanthropic endeavor is her Imagination Library, which gives free books monthly to children under the age of 5 who signed up for the
program. The foundation also gives scholarships to high school seniors in Parton’s home county and has been a crucial donor for disaster relief in her hometown and surrounding areas. Beyond being an extremely talented artist, Parton will mostly be remembered for her heart; no matter how divisive the nation is, it seems no one can disagree that she was an incredible person. Curry is remembered for his fearless acting and groundbreaking roles. His role in “Rocky Horror” is the most obvious example of Curry’s ambition. Anyone who has seen this film can never forget when Curry came down the elevator in his fishnets, stomping his heels to the beginning of “Sweet Transvestite.” Originally performed on stage in London in 1973, just six years after homosexuality was legalized, Curry’s bold performance as a queer character has stuck with audiences for over 50 years.33 Additionally, his character, Wadsworth, in the 1985 film “Clue” showcased his comedic range, and his portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 1990 version of “IT” proved he could never be typecast. Curry was a once-in-a-generation talent. Both Parton and Curry left a creative legacy behind in pop culture today. But what does it really mean to leave a legacy? According to the musical “Hamilton,” it means “planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” At a school with a rich military background, traditions such as Muster show us this legacy in the countless Aggies who lost their lives serving this country. For Parton and Curry, their legacies sprouted long before they left us. They reaped what they sowed. So then, what really is a legacy? Pondering this question, I kept returning to that light in the back of my mind. This
light, which is even more present amidst the political, social and educational struggles we are faced with today, represents a broader hope. It’s not something that we can necessarily grab onto now, but rather something in the future that we are working toward. Texas A&M is built on tradition, emphasizing the importance of the students and giving back to their communities, much like Parton and Curry, so we Aggies should take a page from the book of legacies that these two artists established. Just as Parton continued to support equality among all people, we as Aggies need to fight for the principles we hold true. And similar to how Curry never stopped sharing his love for the arts despite his stroke in 2012 that left him paralyzed, we should strive to never let any obstacles get in the way of claiming our education to the fullest extent, no matter how much our university
may change. For both Parton and Curry, their legacies were actively shaped throughout their lives, as they never stopped reaching for their light, and as Aggies, I believe it is our duty to do the same. Our light right now is the freedom we have to fight for what we believe in. Just like our predecessors, our legacy is actively being shaped today. It’s not a future or a past, but a here and now, and we must treat it as such. Despite the darkness, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe it’s the Frankenstein Place, or maybe it’s just a group of like-minded Aggies who want what’s best for their community, no matter who is in it. Bethany Mann is a history junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.
Graphic by Chi-Chi Zhang
09.10.2026
METRO
A5
How students could determine Texas election outcomes
By Sam McMahan News Reporter With this year’s midterm elections fast approaching, college students and other young voters may become an increasingly important target demographic for campaigns across Texas and the nation as Election Day nears. Recent data has shown the turnout for voters under the age of 35 has surged dramatically between the 2022 and 2026 midterm primary elections, growing faster than any other group. This information may be obvious but is nonetheless important to consider for candidates whose messaging still primarily targets older voters, especially when younger demographics are increasingly voting for less conventional politicians. Associate Department Head and Graduate Placement Director at Texas A&M University Kirby Goidel, Ph.D., discussed the implications of this growing voter bloc and the ideas it intends to see represented, whether it will make a difference this election cycle and what it means for the future of electoral politics. Goidel highlighted an important factor in political psychology that helps explain why younger voters tend to not turn out for elec-
tions compared to older generations: There is a lack of investment and permanence in the communities in which they reside. “Part of what happens is an old person, right, you buy a home, you live in a community, you start to connect a bit and so yeah, you’re going to vote in every election,” Goidel said. “One of the best predictors of how you vote is how close your neighbors live to you.” He cited some of his own research as well as other findings on how social contact and peer influence affect an individual’s civic engagement, how moving to a neighborhood with higher turnout increases an individual’s chances of voting and how voters are more likely to switch party affiliations if they feel strongly embedded in a community with different local norms. “Part of it is just that idea of the more connected you are to the community, the more you vote,” Goidel said. Goidel was also optimistic about the potential impact of the young electorate, believing them to hold a lot of leverage in how politicians conduct their campaigns, should they turn out. “Young people are notorious for not showing up,” Goidel said. “So, if they show up, they can have a really powerful influence on the future. If young people really wanted to take over politics, they could take over College Station and Bryan tomorrow.” Goidel also acknowledged the lack of incentive college students feel toward voting during their tenure. “You’re here for four years, and then you move on to somewhere else,” Goidel said. “There are issues that matter locally, but it’s harder to care about until you know where
your community is.” Goidel went on to discuss the differences in how young voters are influenced and how modern tools, such as social media, are used to target certain impulses in society. “Outrage is an effective motivation tool,” Goidel said. “When people are mad, they do stuff. And when you’re anxious, you look up information.” Research has shown that these factors are also associated with people turning out for more non-institutional candidates on either side of the political spectrum when they perceive the policies of one side as a threat. Such as Gen Z having turned out for President Donald Trump in 2024 or college students turning out for candidates from the Democratic Socialists of America in 2026. However, Goidel also noted potential setbacks in the voting patterns of younger generations, especially how they compare with trends of older generations. “Typically, when young voter turnout goes up, so does everyone else’s,” Goidel said. “So as a percentage, they may not make up a much larger segment of the electorate.” He also discussed some factors that commonly motivate younger groups to vote. “Young voters are more likely to be influenced by short-term influences and especially by really appealing candidates,” Goidel said. “And so, you do see from one election to the next, you know, young people, their turnout goes up and down.” He observed this effect in the U.S. senatorial race in Texas between State Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Representative James Talarico, referencing young people’s support for Talarico.
“We’ve done some polling on Texas, and if you look at some of the polling numbers, one of the things that really is striking is the number of young people who are supportive [of] Talarico versus Paxton,” Goidel said. “But so, part of the question is, ‘Will that hold as you go through this campaign cycle?’ but then also, ‘Is this something that’s a long-term matter?’ The other question is, ‘Will they vote?’”
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The other question is, ‘Will they vote?’
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Growing voting bloc among college-educated Gen Z voters can change America’s political landscape in upcoming cycle
Kirby Goidel, Ph.D. Associate Department Head and Graduate Placement Director
Samuel Falade — THE BATTALION
Voters wait in line for early voting at the Brazos County Election Administrator office in McLeod training room on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.
Former A&M fraternity house restored to Victorian glory How Zeta Psi’s 19th-century Bryan house transformed into vintage bed & breakfast venue By Adhithi Shankar Associate Life & Arts Editor Five blocks from downtown Bryan, the Milton Parker Estate stands tall on a sprawling lawn. The pale blue house with a two-tiered veranda and a classic Victorian fish-scale roof has been the location of many weekend getaways, family reunions and weddings, and has housed countless visitors during game day weekends and graduation. However, the 141-year-old home, owned by Denise and Bob Barbier, ‘76, ‘78, has withstood a long journey since its conception. The home was built in 1885 by Milton and Mollie Parker, who moved from Millican to the Brazos Bottom. Milton was one of the surviving children of Samuel Parker, a man who led his family by wagon from Virginia to Texas in search of land for farming. “Mollie was the chief architect of the home,” Denise said. “It was three stories and had a basement … and five bedrooms. It boasted having the first indoor bathroom in Bryan. The water was supplied from a cistern in the attic that collected rainwater, and then … you had water for the toilet, the sink and the tub, which was phenomenal for the city at the time.” Built by German carpenters from Dallas, the building is Eastlake-influenced Stick Victorian — a style that boasts being both utilitarian and elegant, according to Denise. It remained in the Parker family until 1991, housing three generations before it was eventually donated to Texas A&M. For the next eight years, the house belonged to the university’s now-inactive chapter of the Zeta Psi Fraternity. “Former students from Zeta and A&M have confirmed that the rival fraternities did a lot of damage to the house, shooting at it, breaking windows … and stealing,” Denise said. “There’s a pedestal statue that’s lit up on the grand staircase that they stole, and it’s been replaced with an artificial one.” The home was purchased by Van Walker, Ph.D., and John Zieg in 1999 and underwent extensive restorations into a bed and breakfast and event venue. In 2016, they handed the keys over to the Barbiers, who were moving back to Texas after 20 years in Louisville, Kentucky. “It just captivated us,” Bob said. “We thought, ‘There’s a lot of property here to play with.’ … We had had minor conversations about what to do in retirement, and B&B was talked about between us. And so it wasn’t a totally new idea.” However, balancing historical accuracy with modern comforts was a unique challenge for the Barbiers. The year they purchased the property, they renovated nearly every room with new plumbing, electricity, floors and paint. The Barbiers
worked closely with Lindsey Herod ‘07, a Houston-based interior designer, to utilize Parker family antiques, new color schemes and fresh furnishings to create a “comfortable yet nostalgic feel,” according to the history of the estate’s renovations chronicled on the Milton Parker Estate website. “We had the contractor come in on June 1, 2016, and then our guests arrived Sept. 2, 2016,” Denise said. “So we got a lot done in a short period of time.” Of all the renovations done on the house, the Barbiers are proudest of one room in particular. “The kitchen is probably the thing we’re happiest with, and we spend the most time in that room anyway,” Bob said. “We had redone a kitchen in Louisville, and so Denise had a really good idea of how she’d like things laid out, what needs to be in reach and all that. And it has worked out really well.” After restorations, the home reopened for visitors in the second half of 2016 with one important distinction that sets the Milton Parker Estate apart from other modern accommodations and makes guests’ stays feel special. “The difference between what we do here and Airbnb, is that Airbnb is ‘bed and bathroom,’” Denise said. “And we are ‘bed and breakfast.’ … We serve, every morning, a really fresh, home-cooked, large breakfast for our guests.” The ingredients for the fresh morning meals come from the estate’s large garden, which grows potatoes, herbs and vegetables. Additionally, beyond gardening and providing breakfast, the Barbiers like to stay involved in their guests’ tourism experience. “We like giving them, you know, recommendations for places to eat, places to shop, places just to see, things to do,” Denise said. The shift in consumer preference toward modern housing alternatives, such as Airbnb, has undeniably changed the landscape of tourist stays, but the Barbiers are enthusiastic about bringing more traditional-style accommodations to the younger generation. “When we first moved here, there were probably 12 other traditional bed and breakfast places,” Denise said. “Right now, we’re one of the only ones remaining. … [The house] is 141 years old this year, and we feel like we’re investing in it to where it will last another 141 years.”
Isabella Torres — THE BATTALION
Denise and Bob Barbier, owners of the Milton Parker Estate Bed & Breakfast pose for a photo in front of the home in Bryan on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.
Courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics
12th Man Memories offers new experiences for fans Aggies can choose between 9 experiences designed to provide behind-the-scenes access By Jolie Jackson News Reporter The new 12th Man Memories program — giving Texas A&M fans an exclusive look at what goes into a gameday at Kyle Field — launched last week during the A&M game versus Missouri State at Kyle Field. The program offered fans nine experiences to purchase, including behind-the-scenes tours, 50-yard-line family photos, field and sideline passes and premium seats to watch the flyover. External Relations & Revenue Generation Assistant Jackson White ‘26 spearheaded the program and said the hardest part of the launch was marketing. “We actually did not have a single hiccup during the game,” White said. “The only unexpected challenges would truly be getting it out there. Just because of the new fiscal year, we had to release [the program] a little bit later than we would like. And that led to the question: ‘How do we truly market this to everyone to let them know that there is an opportunity for you to create new memories through these experiences?’” Despite a later launch time, White said that the first weekend of 12th Man Memories was a success. “It went super smooth, and everyone was super, super pleased with their experience and said they would do it again,” White said. “We had a family partake in the tunnel experience this weekend, and the wife, after the tunnel experience, she was crying, because she was overwhelmed by how awesome it was.” The tunnel experience is one of many field packages offered by the program, according to the 12th Man website. Other experiences on and around the field include a pregame sideline pass, halftime field pass
and a third and fourth quarter pass. The tours include a Friday facilities tour, a Game Day facilities tour and a radio booth tour. Behind every 12th Man Memories experience is a coordinated effort between multiple different groups, White said. “What goes on behind the scenes is the meeting of game management to figure out which [events] we’re able to do and meeting with Special Events about the best path to travel for these fans so they do not get caught up in traffic,” White said. “This also goes into meeting with the facilities about what entrances will be closed, what entrances will not be closed. Also, we are blessed that a student organization called Team 12 decided to help us and staff these events.” Along with Team 12, BEST Crowd Management is utilized to ensure the safety of everyone involved. “We have a ton of BEST security, so if anyone starts acting like they’re not supposed to, they will be removed,” White said. “Because of how good our security is here at A&M, there were multiple times during our first game that the security came up and checked the credentials on every single person around us multiple times. So they really, truly did their best job of making sure that the experience is the best for each person.” One of the memories created last weekend was a proposal during a 50-yardline photo. “The guy reached out to me before the family photos, seeing if he could do the proposal,” White said. “They got to propose on Kyle Field, and I got to go talk to him and see the proposal, and it was truly, truly special.” White said he hopes to spread what 12th Man Memories is creating to other sports as well. “My dream goal would be to create this and turn this into something that we can do potentially for every sport, or at least the bigger sports, so everyone has the ability to gain an experience that will create a memory that’ll last for a lifetime,” White said.
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SPORTS
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Clockwise from top: An aerial view of Texas A&M’s first Red, White and Blue Game against Oklahoma State on Sept. 22, 2001. Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum runs out of the tunnel before Texas A&M’s first Red, White and Blue Game against Oklahoma State on Sept. 22, 2001. Texas A&M football players yell before Texas A&M’s first Red, White and Blue Game against Oklahoma State on Sept. 22, 2001.
How ‘Standing for America’ came to be 5 Aggie students kick-started grassroots effort that raised $180,000 for relief after 9/11 By Ian Curtis Senior Enterprise Reporter Millions of Americans remember exactly where they were when the world stopped turning on Sept. 11, 2001. Kourtney Gruner ‘03 is no different. “I remember it being very, very quiet, and everybody just kind of looked at each other,” Gruner said. “Because you didn’t know what to do, you didn’t know what to say, you knew you wanted to help, but what did that look like? What resources could we have here in Texas, right?” Gruner had an almost inescapable need to do something to help the nation recover after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, whatever that may be. And she wasn’t alone. Eric Bethea ‘03 felt the same emotions — shock, anger, despair — that paralyzed the nation in the initial hours after the attacks. On a whim, he turned to his fellow Aggies and what was at the time a rapidly growing message board: TexAgs.com “Literally, that night I had all kinds of thoughts,” Bethea told TexAgs in 2021 on the 20th anniversary of the inaugural Red, White and Blue Game. “I was on TexAgs. On a whim at probably about 12, midnight, I started a thread. Why not a ‘Red, White & Blue Out’ instead of a ‘Maroon Out?’ I just threw it out there.” Gruner quickly responded, as did dozens of other posters. But Bethea, Gruner and three others — Cole Robertson ‘03, Josh Rosinski ‘02 and Nick Luton ‘02 — were all eager to organize and quickly exchanged emails. Over the next week and a half, the five spawned a grassroots effort that soon enveloped all of Aggieland and spread far beyond its borders, raising $180,000 in relief funds for charities benefitting the New York Police and Fire Departments by selling approximately 70,000 T-shirts. It also created one of the most iconic visuals in Texas A&M history: Kyle Field decked out in red, white and blue as A&M faced Oklahoma State on Sept. 22, 2001. “We all share the sentiment that we never dreamed it would look like that,” Gruner said. “We thought we’d sell 500 shirts to students, and we’d raise $300, and we’d go
give it to somebody.”
Frantic work Decisions had to be made quickly. The idea for the third deck being red, second deck being white and first deck being blue was first brought up in the TexAgs thread, but the students had to make design mockups and a seating chart, where they landed on the “Standing for America” design meant to evoke A&M’s tradition of the 12th Man standing ready in the student section. Next, the focus turned toward printing shirts and marketing the event. Meetings were called with student leaders, who then disseminated information to their respective organizations in a campus-wide game of telephone while students tried to explain what was happening to every corner of Aggieland. “We didn’t go to class very much,” Gruner said. “We went to tests and we bombed them. We did try to work with professors, but they didn’t understand. They were like, ‘What student group is this?’ And we were like, ‘It’s not one.’” After local printing company C.C. Creations offered to produce the shirts for a discounted rate — and an initial batch of 5,000 sold out in less than half an hour — a new problem quickly emerged. There weren’t any blank red, white or blue shirts left in Bryan-College Station, Gruner said. Shortages in other large swaths of Texas soon followed. So Gruner and the other students relied on the Aggie Network, members of which soon drove down from other states bringing whatever T-shirts they could find with them to Aggieland, where a legion of student volunteers worked around the clock to screen print the design in time for game day — in some cases, forcing each other to go home to sleep in between shifts. But the days of work paid off. When then-head coach R.C. Slocum found out about the effort mere hours before kickoff, he donned a red T-shirt himself and directed his staff to swap their normal sideline attire for the “Standing for America” shirts. “There wasn’t anything incredibly thought out about it more than him deciding, ‘Hey, we need to do this,’” then-A&M football equipment manager Matt Watson ‘95 said. “And us obtaining those shirts from C.C. Creations and first and foremost outfitting him and the coaches, and then the rest of the support staff as well.”
Game day
As Courtney Bryson ‘03 walked from her friends’ house north of University Drive through campus on the way to Kyle Field, she knew immediately that it wouldn’t be a typical Aggie football game day the moment she saw a sea of red, white and blue slowly materialize across campus. Clad in her white “Standing for America” T-shirt in the middle of the second deck, Bryson witnessed a day she’ll never forget. “Being part of that game, I mean, it was incredible,” Bryson said. “I’ve been to a lot of sporting events [in] my life, and that — by far — was the most memorable, the most special, the most impactful event that I’ve ever experienced.” Former A&M tight end Seth McKinney ‘01 played in some of the most important games in Aggie football history during his time with the program. But as a team captain in 2001, he said precious few memories top exactly what he felt running onto the field before kickoff. “Nothing on earth could prepare you for what you saw,” McKinney said. “It was just insane that that level of commitment and organization could come from [82,000] fans. And the fact that they pulled it off, it was like nobody was missing any kind of color. … I think it goes without saying that there’s no other place that could pull that off but Texas A&M.” For Watson — who still owns the blue shirt he donned that day — the game showed the importance of sports in the national healing process. “Once kickoff happened, [it was], ‘We’re going to try to get back to some normalcy as a nation,’” Watson said. “‘If these couple of hours here can give everybody a little bit of comfort and some sense of normalcy and draw us all back together.’” But the five students themselves weren’t there to see it, even as passersby informed them how well the stadium was beginning to look. They told themselves they’d sacrifice their own game day to sell as many shirts as they could, even after it began. “I’d never left a game early in my whole life, and so it pained me to not be there,” Gruner said. “But we were like, ‘We have a job to do. We’re selling shirts until we sell out.’” It wasn’t until a member of the athletic department left the stadium and approached Gruner and the other students
who were still selling shirts in order to show them the impact of their work that the group could finally rest. “Whenever we went in, we were like, ‘We may not sell out because literally the whole thing is full,’” Gruner said. “That feeling of — it wasn’t relief, but it was confirmation that we had been able to meet our goal and achieve what we wanted to, and that it was worth all the effort of every single person.” And the Aggie Network wasn’t done helping. Gruner and the other four students who started the effort traveled to New York City — on behalf of the countless other students and volunteers who participated in the effort, Gruner was quick to point out — to present the money they raised for relief efforts to each charity personally. “I wish we would have been able to somehow capture the level of appreciation and gratitude that we felt when we went up there,” Gruner said. “They were like, ‘We have no idea who y’all are.’ We literally were like, ‘We represent Texas A&M. We’re not employees. We’re not official representatives. We’re five students who ramrodded a bunch of volunteers enough to get enough money to bring this to you to help because we wanted to help, and that’s what Aggies do.’” Looking forward For Gruner, this week’s Red, White and Blue Game is an opportunity to be thankful and patriotic in a unifying way that all students can enjoy. “It’s the ability to be patriotic in a way that is meaningful but not exclusionary,” Gruner said. “I think sometimes people think to be patriotic, you’re either making a statement — whether it’s political or whatever — or you’re trying to show dominance over other cultures of some sort, right? … It’s a good way to kind of bring everybody back to core values of just be a good person, give to others, have integrity, be patriotic, love [and] enjoy your freedom.’” McKinney, who has two daughters attending A&M, says he hopes students recognize the impact of the game. “I would encourage every student at A&M to realize how blessed they are to attend a school that cares so much for America,” McKinney said. “I think that what they did for that Red, White and Blue Out game just exemplifies what Texas A&M University is all about.”
SPORTS
B2
09.10.2026
Spencer Halstead - THE BATTALION
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CJ Smith - THE BATTALION
CJ Smith - THE BATTALION
Clockwise from left: Outside hitter Natalie Ring (17) and libero Gabi Rodriguez (1) high-five after a kill during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against Cal Poly at Reed Arena on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. Outside hitter Natalie Ring (17) serves the ball during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against Cal Poly at Reed Arena on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. Libero Gabi Rodriguez (1) celebrates a point during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against Arkansas State at Reed Arena on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. Middle blocker Eliza Sharp (25) spikes the ball during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against GCU at Reed Arena on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
Aggies welcome top-10 opponent to Reed Morrison and Co. host marquee matchup in front of 12th Man By Kynlee Joyner Managing Editor On Dec. 18, 2025, Texas A&M volleyball sat in the stands watching a five-set thriller in the NCAA Tournament semifinals, scouting out its national championship opponent. When a kill by Kentucky’s senior outside hitter Eva Hudson ricocheted off the hands of Wisconsin’s redshirt sophomore OH Grace Egan and 2025 AVCA Third-Team All-American senior middle blocker Carter Booth, the fate of the Red and White was sealed. No longer in contention for the trophy, Wisconsin went home empty-handed, forfeiting its opportunity to face A&M. Now it has that chance. On Friday, Sept. 11, No. 19 Texas A&M volleyball will welcome No. 6 Wisconsin to Reed Arena for what is sure to be a match to remember. The top-20 faceoff will see two evenly stacked teams, both with a new look after numerous senior departures from last year’s rosters. The Badgers will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak at Reed
Arena, capitalizing on the Aggies’ twogame skid prior to their game against the No. 4 Stanford Trees. “I think we’re capable of beating both those teams,” head coach Jamie Morrison said about Purdue and Indiana at a press conference on Sept. 7. “ … It’s a tough schedule to put together, so there’s a piece of it that comes with that. I said at the very beginning of the season I didn’t think we’d come through unscathed, but I did think we’d win some of these.” Wisconsin wasted no time getting to work after losing Booth, bringing in freshman MB Lynney Tarnow. The true freshman has made appearances in all six matchups this season, dominating the net with a teamhigh 17 blocks and 47 kills, the second most for the Badgers. A&M’s blockers will have to watch the right side, as finding the gap in a slide is Tarnow’s signature move, helping the 6-foot-5 middle blocker dominate the net. But the Aggies’ transfer from Boise State, junior MB Eliza Sharp, should have no issue taking control of the front court. With a nation-leading 41 blocks on the season, Sharp has been a standout player at A&M’s net. Her ability to close the block isn’t her only strength, though, as she’s recorded 55 kills, finding her sweet spot on the slide much like Tarnow.
A&M heavily outweighs Wisconsin in experience at the net, welcoming back standout pins in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, senior OH Kyndal Stowers, Marquette transfer fifth year OH Natalie Ring and sophomore opposite hitter Taryn Morris. Since returning from injury in A&M’s match against No. 14 Purdue, Stowers has recorded 39 kills in just two games, 29 from the match against Indiana alone, adding to Ring’s team-high of 74. “I think she feels great,” Morrison said of Stowers returning to play. “She’s one of the best players in the country. I’ve said it over and over again.” Adding to the stat sheet on the right side, Morris has dominated the front court, tacking on 52 kills to accompany her 21 blocks on the season. While Wisconsin may have a younger net presence, the rookies have not disappointed. Next to Tarnow at the net is freshman OH Audrey Flanagan, who has recorded a team-high 66 kills during her campaign debut. If A&M wants to defend against this true freshman, it will need to be prepared at all times as Flanagan frequently attacks from the back row. To defend the backcourt for the Aggies is freshman libero Gabi Rodriguez, who has been a prominent addition to A&M’s
roster. Rodriguez leads the team with 83 digs, making a remarkable matchup against Wisconsin’s freshman L Anna Bardaro, who trails Rodriguez with 81 in one less match. With nine freshman additions to its roster, Wisconsin is entering a rebuilding season, but it shouldn’t be discounted as a national contender. The Badgers have one of the toughest non-conference schedules, already having faced five ranked matchups in six games. Unlike A&M, which has dropped every ranked matchup since the start of the season, Wisconsin has defeated two ranked opponents, sweeping then-No. 7 Louisville at AVCA First Serve the day after it defeated A&M, 3-1. A&M’s saving grace may very well be its three-game winning streak at home, but it and the 12th Man will surely need to be on their A-game as they welcome Wisconsin to Reed Arena with first serve set for 7 p.m. “If I have any frustration … it’s just been [that] we didn’t really get a choice in our schedule,” Morrison said. “ … We didn’t get a choice to play at home and bring more of these matches to the 12th Man, and I’m excited for them to get to witness that. It’s one of the best opponents that’s been here on a non-conference schedule, and it’ll continue to happen.”
Crossing bylines: A&M hosts Arizona State replacing former QB Sam Leavitt,
“They’ve got [senior defensive]
transferred to Arizona State this season after making 11 starts for Kentucky over the past two seasons. “I thought he was accurate with the football all night long,” Weiss said. “Got the ball to his players in space. He made the right reads. He saw the field well most of the time.” Weiss did point out that Boley had struggled with ball control in the past, with a 17-16 TD-INT ratio over his career at Kentucky, and said that while part of that can be blamed on situational football, he is still interested to see how well Boley performs against Power Four opponents. But Boley wasn’t the Sun Devils’ only grab out of the transfer portal. Arizona State also added a pair of top-tier wide receivers in Colorado transfer senior Omarion Miller and Boston College transfer senior Reed Harris. The two combined for 14 catches, 239 yards and three touchdowns against Morgan State. “They can match up with just about anybody,” Weiss said. “Both of them are very versatile. You see them getting a lot of wide receiver screen passes — even [6-foot-5] Reed Harris. For his size, he still moves around pretty well. He’s very fluid.” Arizona State’s backfield may fly under the radar, but it’s a rotationheavy unit that combined for 249 yards in its season opener with nine players recording multiple rushes — and none more than senior running back Kyson Brown, who led the way with six carries for 80 yards and a score.
Weiss also highlighted Arizona State’s transfer edge rushers, especially senior DL Jalen Thompson, who transferred from Michigan State. “When he came to The Valley, it was clear to me, at least, that he was this great run defender, high-level run defender, and [Pro Football Focus] actually graded him pretty well in those aspects,” Weiss said. “But [in] the pass rush department, his grades have kind of hovered around the 60s-ish. And last night his pass rush grade was 90.”
Previewing Aggies’ Week 2 who transferred to LSU over the lineman C.J. Fite,” Weiss said. “He’s the anchor of the defense for the third matchup against Sun Devils offseason. Boley may be a familiar face for year in a row now, really. He’s really A&M fans used to watching the stepped up and taken a leadership with WCSN’s Tyler Weiss Southeastern Conference, as he mantle.” By Ian Curtis Senior Enterprise Reporter One can only learn so much from a Week 1 guarantee game. No. 10 Texas A&M football dominated Conference USA’s Missouri State with a 50-0 shutout, while the Aggies’ Week 2 opponent had a similar showing with a 70-7 rout of FCS Morgan State. So as Arizona State makes its way to Kyle Field and A&M prepares to face the Big 12 newcomers for the first time since 2015, who better to ask what the 12th Man might expect than one of the experts? For the second edition of Crossing Bylines, I sat down with Arizona State senior Tyler Weiss of the Walter Cronkite Sports Network, a studentrun sports outlet dedicated to coverage of Arizona State athletics. Weiss’ journalism background has an interesting beginning: It turns out, when a rare form of blood cancer puts you in the hospital for an extended stay, you read a lot of sportswriting. “I just started reading a bunch of articles, watching a lot of ESPN, and I really fell in love with the storytelling aspect,” Weiss said. “ … I loved seeing the athletes’ stories being told by someone, and I just remember thinking to myself, ‘Hey, you know, that could be me telling other stories.’” Offense preview The Sun Devils absolutely lit up the box score in their opener, recording 681 total yards — 387 of which came through the air by way of junior quarterback Cutter Boley, who added six passing touchdowns through the air and threw no interceptions after
Defensive Preview The biggest defensive strength for the Sun Devils is their defensive line and the experience they bring to the table, Weiss said.
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Wild card Weiss said that while Aggie fans may not think Big 12 football is as physical as conferences like the SEC, that’s a mentality head coach Kenny Dillingham is working to change. “I feel like from what I’ve seen at practices, that this is a team that’s really trying to get that physical identity,” Weiss said. “ … I would just say that ASU is just a team that really focuses on physicality, and I feel like that because they’re in the Big 12, that might not get spotlighted as much. … Kenny Dillingham even said last night that ‘you know you can look at the stats, [but] go watch our wideouts block tonight.’” And while it will be the Sun Devils venturing to Kyle Field for the first time in their school’s history — and their fans getting acquainted with all that Aggieland has to offer — Weiss did offer a tip for any Aggies who find themselves in Tempe, Arizona. “I really would recommend a lot of the taco food trucks,” Weiss said. “There [are] really great tacos around here. One of my favorite restaurants here is a place called Taco Chelo, just because it’s really cheap tacos, but they are really high-quality tacos.”
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Top to bottom: Wide receiver Isaiah Horton (7) celebrates his first touchdown as an Aggie for the season during Texas A&M football’s game against Missouri State at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. defensive end T.J. Searcy (18) celebrates a swatted pass during Texas A&M football’s game against the University of Texas at Darrel K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman (3) drops a fake punt pass during Texas A&M football’s game against Miami in the College Football Playoff at Kyle Field on Saturday, Dec 20, 2025.
SPORTS
09.10.2026
B3
Record predictions for each SEC team By Brody Vaughn, Associate Sports Editor The Southeastern Conference is always going to produce national championship contenders. With a motto of ‘It just means more,’ it’s easy to see why the South has defined the 21st century college football scene. Here’s how I think every team stands heading into the 2026 season, excluding Texas A&M (check out our staff predictions).
Alabama: 10-2
Mississippi State: 4-8
With an offseason defined by one of the most talented quarterback battles since Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray here in College Station years ago, the Crimson Tide has the roster to have the most successful season in the new era of head coach Kalen DeBoer. I foresee Alabama taking losses to Georgia and LSU, good enough for a spot in the playoffs.
Consistently the most middle-of-the-road team in the SEC, Mississippi State seems poised to repeat history. In yet another rebuilding year for the Bulldogs, head coach Jeff Lebby could be entering a make-orbreak year in just his third season. But hey, at least they don’t have to deal with Kiffin at the Egg Bowl anymore.
Arkansas: 1-11
Missouri: 7-5
Same old, same old for the Razorbacks, somehow looking worse than their 2-10 season last year. The departure of (the only) star QB Taylen Green hurts their offense tremendously. Someone has to be at the bottom of the SEC, and it looks like Arkansas will retain its bottom-feeder status, but hey, at least North Alabama is on the schedule!
A tale as old as time. The Tigers consistently find themselves in the back half of the top 25 at the beginning of the season, tack on a few easy wins to build momentum, then quickly fall apart against any team with a ranked record. With the roster the Tigers have assembled in Columbia, Missouri, another average season looks to be the most likely outcome for No. 23 Missouri.
Auburn: 7-5 It’ll be a tale of two halves for the Tigers. A favorable first four games will give new head coach Alex Golesh favor with Auburn fans, but an absolutely brutal stretch of Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss won’t make things easy for the fresh start in Lee County. I believe in Golesh’s ability to level up this team, but it will take time for a full rebuild for the Tigers.
Florida: 6-6 A similar situation to Auburn, Florida comes into the 2026 season with a new coach and revamped roster. While head coach Jon Sumrall was my favorite new coaching hire in the SEC, it’s hard to see a massive jump in Year 1. The future of the Swamp is bright, but a playoff run might have to wade through a couple murky years.
Georgia: 12-0 Hard to see a world where Georgia doesn’t decimate its 16th-ranked SEC strength of schedule. With their toughest nonconference game being Western Kentucky, head coach Kirby Smart should have no issue leading his Bulldogs to yet another SEC Championship appearance.
Kentucky: 3-9 Kentucky isn’t much different than it was last year. The drop from five to three wins isn’t necessarily a reflection of its decrease in talent, but rather of it having to face the No. 4 strength of schedule in the nation. The good news for the Wildcats is that volleyball looks really good this year!
Oklahoma: 10-2 I think I might hold the title for the biggest fan, outside of Norman, of senior QB John Mateer. The Sooners have a gauntlet of a schedule ahead of them, but a full season of a healthy Mateer puts Oklahoma right where it needs to be to secure back-toback College Football Playoff appearances. I have full confidence that the Sooners will finally get back in the win column against the Longhorns in the Red River Showdown.
South Carolina: 6-6 A lot is still up in the air with the Gamecocks. Junior QB LaNorris Sellers possesses one of the most talented skill sets in all of college football, but a down year in the 2025 season doesn’t give me a ton of hope for South Carolina as a whole. The talented roster gives the Gamecocks one of the highest ceilings in the SEC, but my distrust of head coach Shane Beamer keeps me from projecting them above six wins.
Tennessee: 7-5 How the mighty have fallen. Just two years ago, the future seemed so bright for the Volunteers. Freshman QB Nico Iamaleava had just led Tennessee to the playoffs, and even with a loss to the eventual National Champions, hopes were high. Now things are just looking worse and worse for the Orange and White. Another year of rebuilding is in store for the Volunteers.
Texas: 9-3 This may be wishful thinking, but I don’t think the Longhorns will live up to the preseason No. 5 ranking. Ohio State in Week 2 won’t help Texas get off on the right foot, and two tough rivalry games against Oklahoma and A&M won’t help its cause either. Junior QB Arch Manning will need to take a step up if the Longhorns want a chance at a postseason run.
LSU: 9-3 LSU is possibly the team with the most uncertainty. Head coach Lane Kiffin has, for better or for worse, dominated the media over the past few months. With debates on NFL players back on the college field, the Tigers have more than just wins and losses to worry about. If the SEC isn’t bluffing about bringing down the hammer on teams who break its rules on players returning to the college ranks, LSU could be in big trouble. With that being said, I believe Kiffin is a great coach and has swiftly rebuilt the Tigers into a borderline playoff team in Year 1.
Vanderbilt: 4-8 Poised to take the biggest step down in the SEC, a Pavia-less Vanderbilt won’t be a fun team to watch. While it was nice to have one year of relevance for head coach Clark Lea and Co. the Commodores will be right back to where they belong, hugging the bottom of the SEC.
SPORTS
B4
09.10.2026
Photos by Matthew Chin - THE BATTALION
Clockwise from left: Defender Blake Hughes (5) winds up to kick the ball during Texas A&M soccer’s game against Stephen F. Austin at Ellis Field on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. Forward Holly Storer (21) shields the ball from SFA forward BB Bonzheim (13) during Texas A&M’s soccer game against Stephen F. Austin at Ellis Field on Sunday Sept. 6, 2026. Midfielder Bella Carapazza (10) celebrates after a goal is scored during Texas A&M soccer’s game against Stephen F. Austin at Ellis Field on Sunday Sept 6, 2026.
Aggies to open conference slate on road Texas A&M to face Kentucky in Shuttleworth’s SEC debut By Matthew Coughlin Sports Writer Texas A&M soccer will face its first Southeastern Conference test under firstyear head coach Bobby Shuttleworth on Friday, Sept. 11. Headed to Lexington, Kentucky the Aggies are set to take on the Kentucky Wildcats aiming to take home their first conference game. The Aggies bounced back from a disappointing 3-0 defeat to the No. 19 TCU Horned Frogs on Sept. 3, topping the SFA Lumberjacks 4-0 on Sept. 6 to improve to 4-3 on the season. “Going now into SEC, I think that’s really good momentum,” senior midfielder Bella Carapazza said after the 4-0 win. “We are about to play teams that are in the
top 25 and top 10 in the country.” The Maroon and White feature a three-pronged attack of senior M Trinity Buchanan and freshmen forwards Ireland Churchill and Finley Lacher. Buchanan led the team with six goals and 14 points over the course of the non-conference slate. Churchill ranks second on the team with five goals and 12 points, while Lacher leads the team with three assists and has added three goals for nine points. The Aggies hold a 1-2 record on the road, with both losses coming by a single goal. “We got to continue to find rhythm with the ball,” Shuttleworth said. “We have been giving away too many chances defensively.” Kentucky enters the matchup against A&M after dropping consecutive home games to Louisville and Bowling Green. The Wildcats have been dominant offensively so far this season, outscoring opponents 28-9 while outshooting them 130-61. Despite Kentucky’s three losses, all have come by just one goal. Meanwhile,
each of its victories has been decided by three goals or more. “We go on the road next week to Lexington, and that’s gonna be a really tough game,” Shuttleworth said. “We need to be brave on the ball, have courage, find space and try to connect.” Standout freshman F Kyla Dawn is one to watch on the Kentucky side of the ball. The Dallas native has been on fire during her debut campaign, tallying eight goals and two assists. Her best performance came against Wright State when she recorded a hat trick on four shots. Dawn has earned two SEC Freshman of the Week awards this season. The Wildcats have also benefited from the transfer portal, with additions senior M Nadia Ramadan and junior M Juliette Rayo emerging as key contributors. Ramadan, who transferred from Alabama, has tallied six goals on 18 shots. Rayo, an Oklahoma transfer, has scored five goals on 11 shots.
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Sophomore Megan Holland has been the primary goalkeeper for Big Blue Nation. As a freshman, she navigated her way through six SEC games undefeated. Holland recorded a 3-0-3 record, including a shutout win over A&M. Fifth-year Kentucky head coach Troy Fabiano has revived the program during his tenure. The Wildcats failed to qualify for the postseason from 2015 through 2023 before Fabiano guided them to back-toback tournament bids, including a 5-seed and a first-round victory in 2024. Historically, A&M has dominated Kentucky, sporting an 8-1-2 all-time record. The Wildcats earned their first win in the series in 2025, shutting out the Aggies 3-0 in College Station. The Aggies will have one more stop on the road in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday, Sept. 18, before returning home to Ellis Field on Thursday, Sept. 24, to face the Crimson Tide.
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Left to right: Senior Arthur Rinderknech returns a shot on his way to win his singles match. Senior Jackson Withrow prepares to serve.
5 former students rep A&M in U.S. Open Maroon and White stars show out, make debut in grand slam By Teagan Parker Sports Writer Beginning on Aug. 23, five former Texas A&M tennis players geared up to compete in the 2026 U.S. Open Tennis Championships. A&M leads the Southeastern Conference with five former players participating in the worldrenowned tournament. Mary Stoiana ‘25, Valentin Vacherot ‘21, Arthur Rinderknech ‘18, Austin Krajicek ‘11 and Jackson Withrow ‘14, who each started their journey in Aggieland, competed in this year’s main draw in New York City. Krajicek and Withrow competed separately in the men’s doubles main draw. Krajicek and his partner Nikola Mektić competed as the 15-seed and will move on to the third round after having defeated two unseeded duos in the first and second rounds.
During his time as a Fightin’ Farmer, Krajicek brought home the 2011 NCAA Division I men’s tennis doubles title, which he won with his partner Jeff Dadamo ‘16. His accomplishments didn’t stop there, however, as after he left Aggieland, Krajicek climbed to No. 1 in the world in doubles, Krajicek was inducted into the A&M Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. He won his first Grand Slam title at the 2023 French Open and just one year later, Krajicek teamed up with Rajeev Ram for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the pair brought home a silver medal in men’s doubles for Team USA. Withrow — the other former A&M men’s doubles competitor — paired with Nathaniel Lammons was given a wildcard into the main draw. The pair won the first round and advanced to the second but were stopped at the latter by the 16-seed. While at A&M, Withrow earned AllAmerica honors and became the third Aggie duo to be ranked No. 1 by the ITA with his partner Junior Ore ‘15. Although he redshirted in spring 2011, Withrow still had the opportunity to work out with Krajicek and his doubles partner,
with the pair now competing in the same professional tournaments. Another familiar face for Withrow is Rinderknech, who reached the national final in the 2016 NCAA doubles as a duo with Withrow. Professionally, Withrow reached a career-high rank of No. 16 in 2024. The other side of the bracket featured Stoiana, a member of the 2024 A&M women’s tennis National Championship team. Her awards from her time at A&M included 2024 ITA Player of the Year and the honor of 2025 ITA All-American. While Stoiana did not earn direct entry into the main draw of the tournament, her accomplishments and time as a Fightin’ Farmer prepared her to fight her way through qualifying rounds. Ranked No. 122 in women’s singles, Stoiana battled to win three consecutive matches to enter the first round of the main draw. However, she was sent home after being defeated in straight sets by 17seed Alex Eala. Twenty-two-seed Vacherot’s career also began at A&M, where he recorded one of the best individual seasons in the school’s
history. Vacherot qualified for a direct entry into main-draw play, marking his first U.S. Open main draw, and beat Aleksander Kovacevic 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, in the first round. Vacherot went on to defeat Kamil Majchrzak in four sets but lost to 11-seed Frances Tiafoe in the third round. Along with Valcherot, 26-seed Rinderknech appeared in the men’s singles main draw bracket. After defeating Rio Noguchi in the first round, Rinderknech recorded another win against Sho Shimabukuro and advanced to the third round. However, Rinderknech’s end came when he faced defeat from 7-seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. The former A&M standout earned five All-American collegiate honors during his time in Aggieland and now sits at No. 23 in the top-30 ATP world singles rankings. Although, A&M doesn’t have any players to watch in contention for the championship title, the U.S. Open will conclude and award a champion on Sunday, Sept. 13.
ENTERTAINMENT
09.10.2026
Dr. Doctor gets some food
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Across 1 Newborn 5 Garbage barge 9 Cleanser 13 Military facilities 14 Earthen pot 15 Division word 16 Hunting grounds for shellfishermen 18 French couturier 19 Little piggies 20 Towel embroidery 21 Split to unite 22 Shack 23 Persian spirit 24 Baker’s need 25 Grazing locale 26 Walking stick 28 Stitch up 31 Rhino relative 34 1975 Wimbledon winner 35 Achy 36 Diving ventilator 38 Lofty in style 40 Celebes dwarf buffalo 41 Catch sight of 43 Stares 44 Knock 45 Scheme 46 Canny 47 Freudian topics 49 Curved molding 51 Chinese tea 54 Disgusted
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30 Marries 31 Romanov ruler 32 Visitor to Siam 33 Fatigued 34 In addition 35 Gallows reprieve 37 Sushi fish 39 Gawk at 42 2nd century astronomer 45 Soft drink 46 Appear 48 Oomph 50 Ganders 51 Youngster 52 Nettle rash 53 State firmly 54 Greek salad cheese 55 Hydroxyl compound 56 Met solo 57 Poker variety 59 Standard 60 Favoring
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