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Thursday, September 17, 2026
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SPORTS: Alex Caruso ‘16 to host third-annual foundation tournament
NEWS: A&M to place bid on management of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab
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Thursday, September 24, 2026
No. 9 A&M sets sights on SEC foe Kentucky Aggies welcome Wildcats for fourth meeting in program history By Brody Vaughn Associate Sports Editor As respected and full of history as the Southeastern Conference is, one might assume that each team would have a deep and storied past with every other opponent. That isn’t the case for No. 9 Texas A&M football and Kentucky, who have only met three times in the two squads’ vast history. The Aggies open up their 2026 SEC slate in Week 3 for just the second time since the shortened 2020 season, having to start the conference climb early with the new ninegame SEC schedule. “Our guys always get fired up for SEC games,” head coach Mike Elko said at a press conference on Sept. 14. “It’ll certainly get their attention that we’re going to play a really, really good football team next week, so it’ll be a great opportunity for us.”
The story of these two programs dates all the way back to 1952, when the Aggies and Wildcats split a two-game set. Kentucky took Game 1, 10-7, while A&M stole a 7-6 win in 1953. After a 65-year break, the two foes met for the first time in the SEC, with the Aggies winning a 20-14 overtime thriller in 2018. The Maroon and White have historically played well in their SEC openers, boasting a 9-4 record since joining the conference in 2012. Only one of those four losses was to an unranked opponent, losing 42-24 to Mississippi State in the disastrous 2022 season. A&M currently holds a three-game winning streak in SEC openers, recently besting Auburn in 2023 and 2025 and upsetting Florida in senior quarterback Marcel Reed’s first career game in 2024. The opener against Kentucky presents a unique challenge for the Aggies, with former defensive coordinator Jay Bateman having taken over the Wildcat defense last offseason. “I think you have kind of a mixed bag
of what Jay has maybe traditionally been or wanted to be in his career,” Elko said. “Combined with maybe a couple of things that he picked up here that he liked and thought fit.” With Bateman having internal knowledge of A&M’s systems, Elko is forced to change things on both offense and defense to stifle any information Bateman might hold for the Wildcats. “Obviously, I have a ton of respect for Jay Bateman and the job that he does on defense,” Elko said. “And certainly they’ll have an intricate working of who we are and what we’re all about. So that creates its own challenges.” The Wildcat defense has shown two vastly different performances in its two games this season. Kentucky held Youngstown State to just 13 points in a 45-13 victory. The script flipped against No. 10 Alabama, where, despite Kentucky keeping it close for the first half, a 32-point second half from the Crimson Tide triggered a 45-17 loss. Starting SEC play this early in the season has its pros and cons. While facing only two non-conference opponents to start the year
leaves less room for growth, an accelerated start to meaningful play can drive a team to perform at its best. “Every game has meaning, and every game has a stage and importance,” Elko said. “But the second you throw up an SEC logo on that Monday meeting, OK, ‘Hey, it’s SEC week.’ Like, you just kind of see everything perk up a little bit. And I just think that’s probably the nature of playing in this conference.” For a top-10 team like A&M, an early SEC matchup against Kentucky will provide a perfect test of where this team really stands. With Bateman’s knowledge of the playbook and the Wildcats hungry to bounce back after a beatdown against the Crimson Tide, the Aggies will have their hands full in their SEC opener. “We’ll have our hands full with Kentucky, and it’ll be another big game and big challenge for us,” Elko said after the win over Arizona State. “So I’m looking forward to getting ready for it.” A&M will kick off its SEC slate on Saturday, Sept. 19, with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. at Kyle Field.
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SPORTS
09.17.2026
Crossing bylines: Kentucky at Kyle Previewing A&M’s SEC opener in interview with Kentucky Kernel’s Brett Ramsey By Ian Curtis Senior Enterprise Reporter Conference play is here, y’all. As No. 9 Texas A&M football gears up to open its Southeastern Conference slate against Kentucky — looking to recover from a 45-17 loss to No. 10 Alabama last weekend — it’s time to turn the page from A&M’s 48-20 win over Arizona State and start looking ahead as the Big Blue Nation arrives in Aggieland. To get an idea of what the 12th Man can expect from the Wildcats under firstyear head coach Will Stein, I spoke to Brett Ramsey, the assistant sports editor for Kentucky’s student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel. Ramsey, who said that he grew up enamored with Kentucky sports, entered college as an aerospace engineer before pivoting to journalism after the then editor-in-chief of the Kernel spoke to one of his classes. “I wanted to follow something that I had a passion for and thought I could do well in, and that led me to journalism,” Ramsey said. Stein time Kentucky is looking for its first SEC win under Stein, and Ramsey said that fans of the program are feeling refreshed after the end of almost-A&M-head-coach-that-onetime Mark Stoops’ tenure in Lexington, Kentucky. And that enthusiasm hasn’t dampened after the loss to Alabama, Ramsey said, although he made it clear that fans are realistic about how this year is merely the first in a rebuilding cycle. “It was getting worse and worse with each passing year [and] fans were starting to get a little frustrated and upset — and I would say rightfully so,” Ramsey said. “But everybody is really excited for what Will Stein has brought as far as energy. [He’s] done a great job getting started on recruiting. So I think one loss to an obviously storied program hasn’t changed a lot.” Stein made the move to his native Kentucky after three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Oregon under head coach Dan Lanning. There he coached current NFL QBs Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel and helped turn the Ducks into the No. 10 scoring offense nationally last season, averaging 36.9 points per game. Ramsey said a key part of that offense was Stein’s use of tight ends. “He uses tight ends just about as much as you would see anybody use them,” Ramsey said. “There’s a lot of two-tight end sets. Probably 75% of snaps there’s at least one of the tight ends in motion. Junior TE Willie Rodriguez led the Wildcats in both receptions and receiving yards against the Crimson Tide, with eight catches for 49 yards. “He’s one of the few returners that have produced consistently, not just last year, but the year before,” Ramsey said. “And it was great to keep him around when there was a complete revamp in the coaching staff and a lot of players left. … He’s become a fan-favorite because he’s just consistently been a great football player, to be honest. And I think he’s bound to have a very big year, especially with Stein’s affinity for using tight ends like he does.” Rodriguez’s performance can partially be credited to senior QB Kenny Minchey, who transferred to Kentucky after serving as then-sophomore QB CJ Carr’s backup at Notre Dame last season. He saw limited playing time with the Fighting Irish, playing in six games and passing for a total of 196 yards in 2025. “It’s kind of hard to tell what [Kentucky] has in Minchey,” Ramsey said. “Week 1, he did a great job, no complaints. And then, obviously, against Alabama it was a little rough. Kentucky’s defense is led by former A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who left the Aggies to take the same job under Stein after last season. Ramsey says the unit has performed well this season despite last week’s loss after holding last year’s Walter Payton Award — the FCS’ equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — winner to just 243 yards and a single touchdown in Week 1 against Youngstown State. “It started to get out of hand in the second half, but I wouldn’t say that’s on the defense as much as the offense,” Ramsey said. “Kentucky’s offense went three and out on three or four possessions in a row, and the defense just wasn’t getting any sort of rest between possessions. And when you’ve got a defense that’s gassed, you’re just not going to be able to hold Alabama back without having some sort of rest.”
Steve Carrasco IV — THE BATTALION
Rocio Salgado — THE BATTALION
From 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. Wide receiver Isaiah Horton (7) catches a touchdown pass to put the Aggies up 24-13 in the third quarter during Texas A&M football’s game against Arizona State University at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
Horton hears a ‘Whoop’ Transfer wide receiver makes early impact on A&M’s offense By Matthew Almand Sports Writer After the departure of former standout wide receiver KC Concepcion, No. 9 Texas A&M football had big shoes to fill at the top of the receiving depth chart. Concepcion, who only spent one year in College Station after transferring from NC State, made his presence well known for the Maroon and White last year, totaling just shy of 1,000 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. However, the Aggies may have found the piece to fill that vacancy in graduate WR Isaiah Horton. The 22-year-old playmaker from Nashville, Tennessee, is playing his fifth year of college football, hoping to make one last splash at the college level before setting his sights on the NFL. Horton began his collegiate career at Miami, where he saw limited action until his third year, when he became a key player for the Hurricanes. Over the course of the 2024 season, he tallied over 600 yards and five scores. After a three-year stint in Coral Gables, Florida, Horton decided to make a quick stop in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 2025, he led the Crimson Tide with eight receiving touchdowns along with 511 yards, lifting Alabama to the Southeastern Conference Championship and the second round of the College Football Playoff. Horton entered the transfer portal earlier this year, just one week after the Crimson Tide made their exit from the CFP. It didn’t take long for the veteran to make his commitment to A&M, announcing the news just three days later. When asked about what his role will look like for the Aggies this season, one word came to mind during the interview: dominant. “Be a dominant force on the field,”Horton said in a press conference on Aug. 27. “In the run game, my blocking, just
be dominant.” Fast forward to Sept. 5, and it became apparent that the new guy in town didn’t want to waste any time making his name heard. Just over five minutes into the first game on Sept. 5, senior quarterback Marcel Reed, a fellow Nashville native, connected with Horton for an easy pitch and catch, marking the Aggies’ first score of the season. Horton led A&M in receiving yards in its season opener with 76 yards despite only four catches against Missouri State. Regardless of the Aggies’ 50-0 rout of the Bears, Horton wasn’t complacent with the team’s performance. “Just go back to the drawing board, and it’s time to work,” Horton said after the win. “How are you going to respond? Go back to the drawing board, go back to the field and we work.” Week 2 brought a more formidable opponent for A&M, as Arizona State rolled into town as its first Power 4 conference opponent of the season. In the 48-20 win, Horton produced just three catches for 33 yards; however, two of those grabs were found in the end zone. One of the weaknesses of the Aggie offense last season was a lack of size at the WR position that could make one-on-one impacts against SEC defenses. In 2025, A&M didn’t roster a single receiver over 6-foot-2, with the majority of the workload being carried by a trio of receivers all 6-foot or shorter, accounting for more than 2,300 of the offense’s 3,378 receiving yards. The Aggies brought in Horton to be that bigger presence the offense was looking for. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver presents an issue to opposing defenses that was a nonfactor against the Maroon and White last fall. “KC did a phenomenal job for us. Bussey, Ashton Bethel-Roman, as well as Mario did a phenomenal job for us, right?” offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins said in a press conference on July 18. “But they didn’t have that size and that speed, so now that kind of just brings a different element to what we’re trying to do offensively.” Horton will look to continue making an impact and finding the end zone for the Aggies as head coach Mike Elko and his squad prepare to open SEC play against the Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 19, with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m.
SPORTS
09.17.2026
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Photos Courtesy of Sydney Loyed
Alex Caruso gives back to support local youth Former A&M basketball player, two-time NBA champion hosts charity golf tournament By Ava Loth Editor-in-Chief Former Texas A&M basketball standout and two-time NBA champion, Alex Caruso ‘16 has grown an honorable career on the court but his foundation for his admirable journey was laid on a basketball court at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Brazos Valley. Now, he will trade the court for the course when he makes his return to Aggieland, this time, for a bigger cause. Sparked by his pivotal time growing up in and around the Boys & Girls Clubs, Caruso will host the third-annual Alex Caruso Foundation Golf Tournament on Monday, Sept. 21, at the Traditions Club. Returning the favor giving the proceeds of the tournament to the local youth part of the Boys & Girls Clubs. With his earliest signs of talent brought to light in part because he was a Club kid himself, Caruso commends the coaches and mentors he encountered through the program that pushed him to realize his potential as an athlete. “Coaches through the Boys & Girls Clubs in the basketball league helped push me to realize that ‘There’s more for me than just playing basketball this summer and having a good time,’” Caruso said. “I could help this be a tool to navigate me to bigger promises and bigger rewards down the line, which it did.”
Though Caruso played for four years at the collegiate level as an Aggie and accomplished his goal of becoming a professional basketball player — also earning a pair of NBA championship rings — he described there still being a debt to be paid for what got him to that point. “In my chase to get to the NBA and be a pro, I always saw people that were giving back and had their own foundations, or the teams that had certain foundations,” Caruso said. “And it was just, it always struck with me that it was something I wanted to do if I had the opportunity.” Now presented with the chance to do so, Caruso has taken strides to create something that feels personal. In support of the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Alex Caruso Foundation is now his vessel to be able to give back to the community that once poured into him. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have some success and build some type of following brand,” Caruso said. “I have free time now to kind of pour back into the community that helped me get to where I’m at today.” His support doesn’t stop at an annual golf tournament with proceeds donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs. His significant involvement year-round, a majority of what Caruso gives back goes to expanding the organization to house more kids and for the Clubs to have the ability to take on whoever needs it in almost every capacity. “We put on a clinic, as well as made a donation to them for the year,” Caruso said. “It goes to various things. They always need new furniture for the Clubs. They’re working on a project now to build a new library because they have too many books and too many kids, and the space doesn’t
hold as well as it should.” Drawing back to the efforts that the Boys & Girls Clubs once spent on him and resources it gifted him with — the coaches, motivation and, most importantly, a place to play basketball — Caruso believes he followed a path otherwise unknown without the experiences he had that encouraged him to take a chance on himself. “The tools that they provide kids to maybe realize potential they don’t have or find ambition that maybe they wouldn’t have without somebody helping them open their eyes to that,” Caruso said. Since putting on the first foundation tournament in 2024, Caruso has learned what his influence can look like outside of being a role model on the court. Now, with acquired knowledge of the processes and the organization of teams it takes to put on a tournament of this capacity, the power to grow each year has been the most rewarding. “I think the growth is the biggest thing and the coolest thing to be able to see, just, like I said, from Year 1 to Year 3,” Caruso said. “ … It’s very, like I said, it’s humbling and fulfilling to see people want to support me.” Even with the recognition that surrounds what Caruso does, whether that be on the court or for his generosity, he stands on a belief that streamlines through many Aggies alike: service before self. “It is really just an outside third party, sacrifice of time, sacrifice of financial gifts to support me in my vision and the love I have for where I grew up and the people that helped me get there,” Caruso said. The tournament represents something bigger than his own gain, and it’s not a
reason for people to come out to benefit him or his own career. It’s a way for the community to support the Boys & Girls Clubs and to ultimately serve those whom it benefits. “There really is no return for them other than helping out the kids that benefit from this,” Caruso said. Reflecting on his time as a kid in the program, Caruso recalled his firsthand experience with a present community that cares for an organization like this. He now encourages others to be that same person that he once had. “There’s a lot of full-circle moments for me with my life, the places I’ve gone, the people I’ve met,” Caruso said. “And a lot of that started within [the] Bryan-College Station community.” While the actual tournament day is just a fragment of the work put in up until that point, Caruso describes the day as having fun out on the course and seeing all the people who showed up. Whether that be familiar faces from Caruso’s journey or not, all coming together to support something he is passionate about. “I’ll probably have a nice wound-up speech for everybody to kind of motivate everyone to have a great day, and then we blast off,” Caruso said. “We go play golf.” The tournament will include prizes and additional donation opportunities featuring a silent auction, ultimately serving as a motive for the community to show up to contribute to local youth. “It’s pushing me out of my comfort zone a little bit, and it’s allowing me to kind of grow and prove to myself that I’m much more than just a basketball player,” Caruso said.
A&M to face final non-conference tests Aggies meet Bluejays on road, host Owls at Reed By Elon Jent Sports Writer
Spencer Halstead- THE BATTALION
Annie Smith - THE BATTALION
CJ Smith - THE BATTALION
Top to bottom: Middle blocker Kaia Castle (19) forces a block tip during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against Wisconsin on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Libero Gabi Rodriguez (1) prepares to dig the ball with outside hitter Megan Fitch (20) close behind during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against Wisconsin on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (37) receives the serve during Texas A&M volleyball’s match against SFA at Reed Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.
No. 15 Texas A&M volleyball will close out its non-conference schedule with a pair of matchups against No. 20 Creighton and Rice, two opponents familiar with one another after meeting just a week before facing the Aggies. The Maroon and White will first head to Omaha, Nebraska, on Sunday, Sept. 20, for a matchup with the Bluejays before returning to Reed Arena to host the Owls on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Rice gave A&M an early look at both sides of its upcoming slate after defeating then-No. 15 Creighton in four sets on Sept. 13. The Owls outlasted the Bluejays 25-21, 37-35, 18-25, 27-25, handing Creighton its fourth loss of the season while giving the Fightin’ Farmers a direct comparison between their final two non-conference opponents. Entering the week with an overall record of 4-5, the Aggies previously split a pair of matches against top10 opponents. A&M knocked off then-No. 4 Stanford in four sets before returning to Reed Arena and falling to No. 6 Wisconsin in five. The Maroon and White still found plenty of offense against the Badgers, with junior middle blocker Kaia Castle’s career-high 19-kill match spurring on a seasonhigh 69 total kills. Castle was not alone in filling up the stat sheet against Wisconsin, as senior outside hitter Kyndal Stowers finished with 16 kills while fifth-
year OH Natalie Ring and junior MB Eliza Sharp added 13 apiece. With several players finding success at the net, the Fightin’ Farmers will carry multiple attacking threats into Omaha against the Bluejays, who have also found production throughout their front row. Creighton enters the week at 5-4 after a three-match weekend at the Rice Invitational, where the Bluejays defeated Northern Iowa before dropping matches against then-No. 5 Louisville and Rice. A&M will be Creighton’s third match in five days when it welcomes the Aggies to D.J. Sokol Arena. The trip will also send A&M into a building where Creighton has rarely stumbled in recent seasons. The Bluejays entered 2026 with a 46-1 record over the previous three seasons at home. A&M leads Creighton 3-1 in the all-time series, but the Bluejay’s lone victory came during the Aggies’ previous trip to Omaha in 2008, which saw Creighton sweep the A&M in three straight sets. Creighton doesn’t rely on just one arm to carry its offense. Junior OH Trinity Shadd-Ceres entered the Rice Invitational as Creighton’s kills-per-set leader, while junior MB Ayden Ames, sophomore OH Abbey Hayes and senior MB Eloise Brandewie all reached doubledigit kills against Rice. Ames led the group with 15 kills and added a career-high eight blocks, leaving A&M’s front row with several attacking options to track. The Maroon and White will not have to look far for a comparison between its upcoming opponents, as Rice faced Creighton just one week prior to A&M’s trip to Omaha. The Owls handed the Bluejays a 3-1 loss
on Sept. 13, taking a marathon second set, 37-35, before fighting off the Bluejays again in a 27-25 fourth set. Rice saved a combined 11 set points across the two frames to secure its first ranked win since 2023. Sophomore OH Sydnee Peterson led Rice with 20 kills and 11 digs, while freshman OH Ashlyn Seay added 14 kills and 13 digs. Peterson has been one of Rice’s primary attacking options early in the season, earning American Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after totaling 41 kills across three matches earlier in September. With Seay beside her, the Owls boast a formidable one-two punch on the pins that A&M’s block will see only two days after battling Creighton’s collection of hitters. Rice will have a busy road of its own on the way to College Station, facing No. 5 SMU on Thursday, Sept. 17, and No. 13 TCU on Friday, Sept. 18, before traveling to Reed Arena for its matchup against A&M. The contest will bring both programs’ non-conference slates to a close, with Rice beginning American Conference play three days later and A&M turning its attention toward Southeastern Conference competition. With the Bluejays perched in Omaha and the Owls making the trip to Aggieland two days later, the Maroon and White will get a final pair of tests before conference play arrives. A&M will meet Rice at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, before making the quick turnaround home, where the Owls await a 6 p.m. first serve on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Reed Arena.
NEWS
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09.17.2026
TPUSA chapter holds Charlie Kirk memorial Community gathers on 1-year anniversary of activist’s death By Jolie Jackson News Reporter Texas A&M’s Turning Point USA chapter hosted a memorial in remembrance of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Rudder Plaza on Sept. 10, the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s assassination. A table illuminated by candlelight was set in the center of the memorial and covered with flowers as Bryan-College Station residents gathered to watch a livestream from Utah Valley University, the place where Kirk died a year prior. While Kirk supporters attended the memorial to pay their respects, the memorial also attracted those whose beliefs did not align with his. Protesters joined the crowd and some Kirk supporters even turned to engaging in conversation with them. “I was expecting there to be protesters at the memorial,” political science sophomore Graham Gillock said. “My conversations were very respectful, but I also pleaded with some protesters to reconsider their thoughts on Charlie. They were obviously misinformed and were fed out-of-context clips of Charlie from the internet. I addressed those concerns with patience and facts.” Gillock, an A&M Turning Point USA member, said his debate style takes after Kirk’s. Just as Kirk shaped his political views around his Christian values, Gillock tries to do the same. “I try to carry on Charlie’s legacy through my conversations with everyone,” Gillock said. “I like to stress the fact that we’re all Americans at the end of the day, and that we don’t need to be divided. I also like to bring my faith into my beliefs and conversations, just like Charlie did. It helps keep me grounded, putting God first and realizing that Jesus also died for the person I might be disagreeing with.” Political science senior Audrey Dunn is
also a member of A&M’s Turning Point chapter and attended the memorial as well. Dunn said she also sees Kirk as a role model for having political discussions. “I think it’s very important that we preserve Charlie Kirk’s style of asking questions and being open to have free debates,” Dunn said. “We can’t be closedminded and not want to talk about things. When you don’t talk about differences, there’s no chance of ever reaching good conclusions. Everyone would just be set in their own opinions and hate each other.” College Station local Ella Hamblin was also impacted by Kirk. She attended the Utah Valley University rally on Sept. 10, 2025, and witnessed Kirk’s assassination firsthand. “I was in the front row,” Hamblin said. “When the shot rang off, we all kind of just stood there because we were shocked and confused. It felt like forever, but really it was only like five seconds. I was so in shock that I don’t think I ever ran. Someone was literally pulling me because I couldn’t move my legs.” Hamblin said that due to the trauma of watching the assassination, she was not able to attend the memorial. “I considered going [to the memorial], but large crowds really freak me out because of what happened,” Hamblin said. “I didn’t think it was the smartest thing for me, so I did my own things to remember Charlie. I went and got pancakes, then I got a Mint Majesty tea with honey, which was Charlie’s favorite drink, and I watched all of his videos all day.” Dunn said it is still important to think critically about political issues. “You can’t put your trust in one person or party, because they’re doomed to make mistakes at some point in their life,” Dunn said. “There will always be someone there to try to tell you how to think. And I see that a lot in college. We are taught what to think, not how to think. So that’s a problem, and that was something I loved about Charlie Kirk. He called it out. People don’t want to attack public education or higher education, and it’s one of the fundamental problems in our country right now.”
Laurie Pottier — THE BATTALION
Steve Carrasco IV — THE BATTALION
Top to bottom: Turning Point USA member and freshman psychology freshman Loren Flood lights candles for the Charlie Kirk memorial at Rudder Plaza on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. Students watch the Charlie Kirk Memorial broadcast by Turning Point USA on a projector screen during the Charlie Kirk memorial at Rudder Plaza on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026.
Regents approve A&M System to bid on management of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab A&M System to build proposal challenging Caltech’s 90-year uncontested hold on lab By Isha Sudheer News Reporter The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents authorized the System to build a team to prepare a proposal for the management of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL. Known as one of the agency’s most prominent research centers, it is renowned for its work on Mars rovers and deep-space exploration. The stakes on the project are high. JPL’s current management contract is held by the California Institute of Technology and runs through Sept. 30, 2028. It boasts a maximum value of $30 billion if all options are exercised, greatly exceeding the other facility contracts currently held by the System. Additionally, the lab employs roughly 7,300 people across sites, a workforce significantly
larger than any other single facility the Sys- a competitive market has developed. The tem currently manages. move also occurs in the midst of tightening The approval came at the System’s Sept. federal science budgets, resulting in observ2-4 quarterly Board meeting following NA- ers arguing the motivations behind fiscal SA’s announcement earlier this year that it reform and tighter federal control. would open JPL’s management contract to In a statement to The Battalion, a System competitive bidding for the first time in the spokesperson confirmed the Board’s autholab’s history. Caltech, which founded JPL rization. 90 years ago, has managed the lab since its “The Board of Regents has authorized creation and enters the competition as its The Texas A&M University System to build long-standing operator. and lead a team to prepare a proposal for NASA has the manageframed the ment and opcompetition eration of the as a chance NASA JPL,” to evaluate the statement a l t e r n at i ve read. “Because management this is an active strategies to federal compeimprove mistition, we will sion perfornot discuss pomance and tential partners, innovation, team structure citing the or other details rapid growth of our procureof the U.S. ment strategy.” Edoardo Vannini — THE BATTALION space econ- The Moore-Connally Building, State Headquarters of The Texas Chancellor omy as ev- A&M University System on Friday Sept. 11, 2026. Glenn Hegar idence that ‘93 stated that
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the System is a strong contender for the contract, pointing to A&M’s co-management of other federal facilities, including Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Pantex nuclear weapons plant, as well as its existing research partnership with JPL that dates back to 2019. Securing the contract would mark a significant achievement for the System on the national scale, allowing it to expand its facilities beyond energy and defense to aerospace as well. It could translate into a major new pipeline for A&M students and faculty, a boost that would ripple throughout the Department of Aerospace Engineering’s research profile. The System’s interest also aligns with the broader pattern of Texas’s space sector growing. A&M is nearing completion on its $200 million Space Institute near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA said the competition will take several years to resolve and will not disrupt current JPL missions throughout the bidding process. For now, the System’s next step is assembling the authorized team and preparing a full proposal for review, with no public timeline for when that proposal needs to be submitted.
09.17.2026
LIFE & ARTS
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Aiden Ross makes homecoming at Rudder Season 28 ‘The Voice’ champion to bring upcoming original music to College Station in concert By Tejas Murali Life & Arts Writer Last year, one of Aggieland’s very own mesmerized audiences worldwide on “The Voice,” from a soul-stirring rendition of Adele’s “Love in the Dark” that won immediate panel-wide approval to being crowned the show’s Season 28 champion on Niall Horan’s team. Now he will return this Friday to prove that his musical journey has only gone up from there. Music performance junior Aiden Ross will perform with his band at Rudder Theater on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. While his concert will feature covers — including songs he famously sang on “The Voice” — new original music from his upcoming debut EP “Still Somehow” will be a highlight of the event. “I got asked so many times after winning ‘The Voice’ like, ‘Aiden, where’s the album?’” Aiden said. “I didn’t think it was a feasible thing for me to do or a thing that anybody really did. I didn’t know that there was such an industry and that making it was so achievable with a ton of work, dedication, talent and a little bit of luck. And so, [for] the past eight months, my head’s just been in the weeds working and writing and failing and trying again and just chipping away at myself as a writer and as a human.” According to Aiden, releasing an EP with six original songs feels like a “full-circle moment” as he aimed to capture his authentic experiences and emotions in his music. “Sometimes when you’re vulnerable with somebody, it causes you to get hurt, but sometimes it allows you to love somebody in
a way that you never would have been able to had you not put yourself out there,” Aiden said. “And I think a large thematic takeaway from this EP is that no matter what, whether I get hurt or whether it allows me to love somebody much more, I choose to live my life with love. Love others and be vulnerable.” Aiden draws his inspiration from a wide variety of artists from different genres when performing and writing original music. According to him, his inspirations for vocals include Lauryn Hill and Jazmine Sullivan, while his songwriting is influenced by Daniel Caesar, Malcolm Todd and Mac Miller. “I think the first artist that I really fell in love with was Daniel Caesar, his music and his vibe and energy,” Aiden said. “I think he is a little bit more l e t h a rg i c than my sound a n d I’m a little b i t
less nonchalant than Daniel Caesar. Mac Miller is a funny one because [he] was a rapper, but his musicality and the energy and retrospect of his art was [something] I’d always been fond of. Especially with this one song that’s coming out called ‘Pink,’ I was like, ‘How can I take inspiration from Mac Miller and integrate it into my style and artistry as a singer?’” Aiden’s band for the show will be composed largely of local musicians from the community. Aiden started accumulating band members for his performances while he was on “The Voice,” many of whom he had collaborated with before the show. “I had a culmination of people from the community that were willing to stick with me even before ‘The Voice,’” Aiden said. “And since after ‘The Voice’ we’ve added a couple members, and it’s really just built itself out. [It] is really cool for me because we went from playing a sold-out show at the Palace, which is 300, 350-ish people, to Rudder, which has a 2,500 cap, and
Annie Smith — THE BATTALION
Music performance junior and Season 28 winner of “The Voice,” Aiden Ross ‘28 sings the national anthem at the Texas A&M volleyball game against Wisconsin at Reed Arena on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026
that’s really a cool thing for us that we’re super excited about.” Aiden’s father, Jim Ross, said Aiden has been interested in music for most of his life, from writing a song in kindergarten to singing in high school musicals. However, he was initially an engineering major and only switched to music performance recently. “We’ve always been very confident in Aiden’s ability and talent,” Jim said. “The concern I had as a parent is that entertainment or music and any type of artistic pursuit like that is a lot of failure, a lot of rejection. … When we saw him on the national stage and how comfortable he was, to us it was like, ‘You’re meant to do this.’ So we have always known that he is super talented and gifted as a singer, a performer and a songwriter, but it’s also really competitive and you need some luck, too.” Jim said that the advent of AI in music has impacted young musicians, including Aiden, and that he is proud of Aiden for telling human stories through his music. “He’s competing with robots now that are in the music industry,” Jim said. “And it’s a crazy time to be a young person, whether you’re trying to get a job as an accountant or make it in the music business. I think as young people at the university peel back the layers and look at the lyrics and what he’s saying, and not just the melodies and the quality of his voice, the messages are pretty profound.” Ultimately, Aiden views his musical work as an opportunity to give back to the Aggie community. “I think an integral part of me winning the show was the A&M community and the people who put me on a pedestal and showed up for me when I needed them the most,” Aiden said. “I truly think I owe it to them to do everything I can to make music my career, because they stuck themselves out for me. And so, I don’t feel like I’m doing it just for myself, I feel like I’m doing it for all of us.”
Keynote: Horsing around imposter syndrome Equine medicine practitioner, comedian Dr. Matt Evans ‘03 speaks at Rudder Theatre on feeling underqualified By Sophia Muñoz Life & Arts Editor
In 2003, Dr. Matt Evans ‘03 stood in the East Texas humidity, puzzled at the sight of a collapsed bay gelding named Kevin. As a then-newly practicing equine veterinarian, it was a call he dreaded taking alone for fear of not being well enough equipped. While fighting the brain-scrambling heat, Evans attempted to recall the familiar steps of treating patients to steady his mind: obtain the patient’s medical history, perform physical examinations, develop diagnoses, rule out diagnoses through testing and develop a treatment plan. But all the while, a sickly feeling and doubting voice was creeping into his thoughts, one that questioned whether Evans was capable of saving Kevin’s life. This is the opening scene in Evans’ new book, “Chomping at the Bit: How I Became a Horse Vet (Against All Common Sense).” Today, Evans pinpoints this feeling as imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern of doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments. It is a state of mind Evans has grown accustomed to throughout his career and one he discussed further on Sept. 15, at Rudder Theatre with his keynote speech “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Humor.” To the first 200 attendees, Evans also gifted free copies of his new book, and stayed after the show to sign them. “I felt like an imposter,” Evans said. “I was terrified. I knew I was supposed to know what was wrong with Kevin, and I knew that I didn’t. Those are bad feelings, right? Which is one of the things that, like early in my career, I realized that humor played a role if I could make my clients laugh or if I could make my colleagues laugh, that they were more engaged with me and viewed me as more competent.” Evans said he was drawn to veterinary practice after reading books from authors like James Herriot throughout his childhood. However, he landed on equine medicine while studying at Texas A&M. “In the first year of vet school, they do a great job of cycling you through each different species,” Evans said. “ … Just showing you, ‘This is kind of what it looks like to be a veterinarian for this species,’ which
is really good to expose all the students to everything. … As soon as I laid hands on a horse, I was like, ‘Oh, I want to spend time around this animal.’” Since graduating, Evans has had a career within equine medicine, practicing at Southeast Texas Large Animal Hospital before becoming a partner at the Austin Equine Hospital. Still, with every milestone in his career, he said the journey almost always started with a similar sinking feeling. “For a few years, I just enjoyed being a veterinarian,” Evans said. “But then I felt like an imposter as a small business owner … as we started Austin Equine and grew it. … And then I started doing advanced oral surgery, and I felt like an imposter in that. And then I felt like an imposter as a stand-up [comedian]. And then, the more times you do that, the more times you realize how natural it is to feel that way … it gets less daunting. It becomes more of a like, ‘Okay, this is just a sign that I’m doing something interesting and challenging.’” Throughout his life, Evans said he often found himself using humor to get through these challenges. When practicing medicine in Austin, he became inspired to try his hand at stand-up comedy. “I ran into people who were doing standup comedy, and I realized that regular everyday people could try it,” Evans said. “I had no idea. I thought that stand-up comedians were made in a factory somewhere.” Stand-up comedy became an outlet for Evans, one that he used to make light of the everyday challenges he faced in his professional life. But what started as a way to cope quickly became something that resonated with others, as he began performing his comedy acts at the American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention. “He has done his comedy routine for probably three or four years now at our annual equine practitioner meeting,” Clinical Associate Professor of Equine Community Practice Dr. Leslie Easterwood ‘95 said. “And he’s just so funny at those stand up events. And more than anything, when I think of Matt, that’s what I think about, is just how funny he is and quick-witted.” When COVID-19 hit, Evans began directing the same writing skills used for creating skits to writing a book. “I wanted the book to really describe how hard it is to become a veterinarian and the challenges that young professionals of any field face when they feel like impostors, which is really common,” Evans said. “And so I did not sugarcoat it anywhere in the book. Now, you get plenty of jokes all the way through, almost immediately with
Amara Sablan — THE BATTALION
Matt Evans ‘03, author of “Chomping at the Bit” poses with his new book in The Battalion studio at the MSC on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.
Kevin, I’ve got jokes. But I really wanted people to see the journey that I’ve gone on, and also to be inspired to go on their own journey.” After finishing the book, Evans said he felt the need to share his message with others. He first proposed the idea of his campus keynote speech on imposter syndrome to Easterwood, who is also the director of Continuing Education for the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. She was on board almost immediately. “He sent me the message that he had a book coming out and wanted to do kind of a launch at A&M,” Easterwood said. “I was all in, 100%, wanting to support a colleague. … That’s a message that our vet students need to hear, that this very suc-
cessful equine practitioner has always had thoughts about imposter syndrome and that that’s affected his life even though he’s an extremely successful practice owner.” While Evans wrote the book from his personal experience of self-doubt within equine medicine, he said he hopes the moral of his own hero’s journey can help others outside the profession start their own. “I don’t want to inspire one million horse vets,” Evans said. “We don’t need a big giant horse fest. But I do want to inspire people to try things that they weren’t born to do. To try things that are a challenge, or a reach for them and know that it’s going to be hard, know they’re going to feel like an imposter, and then, you know, keep pushing through and keep working at it.”
OPINION
A6
09.17.2026
Satire: The official guide to all the stages of running PSA: Turns out long runs are long By Thea Findlay Opinion Columnist Are you bored with your life? Too much free time? Ex-cross country kid? Perhaps none of these are the exact reason why you have taken up the unfortunate pastime of running, but whatever the reason, know that we are probably one in the same with the part of your brain that understands pain being toned down. I’ve been told I make running look and sound like the most miserable hobby imaginable. Big thanks to my roommates for that one. Nevertheless, here’s my personal, official and — most importantly — correct guide to the life cycle of any run! My resume includes being impressively mediocre in high school cross country and track and, now, continuing to be extremely average at the painful art of moving your legs at a slightly faster pace than a walk. 1. Wonder if you’re developing a superiority complex This lasts for my first 10 steps before I remember I am running. But for those first few meters on my path, I’m light and bouncy and soaking up the feeling of being “cool” while running past cars and houses full of “lazy” people. Never forget that you are out here running — it’s the reason why you do this. A tip to get to this stage and last longer than one song, is to only allow yourself to listen to music on a run. Then, when you put your headphones on, it’s like a little treat! I personally prefer to start with something super inspirational and uplifting, like “Porch Light” by Noah Kahan. Known for his upbeat tunes, he is the obvious choice to “get in the zone,” as the professionals would say. Ah, it really leads a girl into the next stage of running.
2. Dissociate and jam When I start to feel the slower music betray my ego because I have become conscious of the act of running, this is the perfect opportunity for something loud and deafening. My go-to has been “CRANK” by Slayyyter. But take this advice and run to what makes your heart happy; just make sure your playlist includes something that will drown out your thoughts. 3. Remember your knees, shins, [insert body part here] will hurt No runner is complete without a minor pain (or untreated injury?). If yours hasn’t developed, just wait — your time will come. Do your best to ignore this stage. It usually oscillates between this and the previous stage, but the fix is simple: louder music such as “crank 2.” 4. Turn static into adrenaline If the Texas heat starts getting to you and your vision begins to fade a little with blurriness closing in, it simply means you’re working hard. Remember the blinding lights can be rebranded as a night out at the club if you twist reality enough. Sometimes an imagined bear chase sequence in my head is enough to force me to dissociate from my aching legs. Other times, I like to put on a nice movie soundtrack and imagine I am Tom Cruise trying to make it out alive. The static in front of you is definitely a natural part of running and not a reason to slow down — please do not take this as medical advice. Whatever story you can tell yourself to excuse your struggling mind and body is worth it, and a little rhythm from some house music might be the extra push. One day, I will be able to fully lock in for a run. For now, I have not achieved this feat of nirvana and I prefer to pretend I’m doing the more enjoyable cardio activities as previously mentioned. Tips are appreciated.
5. Start contemplating a little too deeply about your life
am actually stronger than I think and an endurance athlete, no matter the time.
Oh no, it’s been you and your thoughts for too long. The music is too loud and it isn’t working anymore. Maybe your knee is acting up now because you upped your pace when you remembered tripping in front of your middle school crush. Yikes. I like to try to push into the zoned-out version of myself by listening to guilty pleasures. Unfortunately, I will be vulnerable and disclose that this is how the Glee Cast was my most-listened-to artist last year. Tragically, I am often still here in this traumatic loop of romantic disasters, and it may take shape as a moment of self-reflection and discovery when I am further led down the rabbit hole of my past choices. My advice? Turn the music up even louder.
7. Soak up your glory! It’s over, and now it’s your turn to lie in bed scrolling on your phone all day without a guilty conscience. Runner’s high will hit just like those hormones that make women forget the pain of childbirth, so don’t forget to tell everyone you went on a run today and had so much fun. Everyone knows the sport is all about the ego and bragging rights anyway. Thea Findlay is a communication senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.
6. Know that you are better than everyone else While everyone was doomscrolling on their couches, you went on a run. Listen to your favorite hype song to get you all the way through. One day, you’ll be in a race surrounded by the crowd, passing everyone ahead of you. When I am well near the end of the run, there’s no time to contemplate the meaning of my existence. I simply prefer to soak up the moments that I
Illustration by Allison Fernandes — THE BATTALION
Opinion: Seeing the world through a monochrome lens Making my life more vibrant one black-and-white TikTok at a time By Marie Kneeland Opinion Writer
Illustration by Susana Lazcano — THE BATTALION
Growing up, one of my favorite things to watch was “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” For those who are unfamiliar with this masterpiece, it was created in 1961 — so yes, it is in black and white. To this day I love watching reruns of shows like it, especially because of their monochrome color scheme. Then social media introduced me to a trend. Apparently, by going into the settings on your iPhone, you can make your screen appear just like these old television shows.
My first reaction to this was also the first stage of grief: denial. “I don’t use social media that much! I’m barely on my phone.” But unfortunately, your phone keeps that handy piece of information readily accessible. Learning I wasted five hours a day on a screen absolutely floored me. This isn’t an uncommon statistic. According to a study done by the National Library of Medicine, the average teenager spends two to four hours a day on social media. The amount of time my generation wastes on a phone is troubling. So, I switched my phone to monochrome. For an entire month I viewed every Instagram Reel, photo and music album in black and white. For years, phones have been displaying colors so vibrant they make your brain hurt. None of it looks real; everything is plastic, shiny and fake. Still, these are the shades that draw us in. It’s wired in our biology. Don’t let me lose you here. The science is rather simple. We have cells called cones in our eyes, and these cones let us see color. Signals stimulate the cones — like a bright red flower — and travel to the nerves in our brain. Stronger signals produce a stronger response, and overly saturated shades are considered one of those “stronger signals.” Extreme colors release dopamine in your brain — far more dopamine than brought about by natural colors, like the ones you
find in the real world. And scrolling on TikTok or Instagram furthers that dopamine hit, rewarding us for spending more time on our phones. The issue with this saturation is that, by contrast, it makes the rest of our lives seem dull. Why go outside and touch grass when the grass on your screen is so much … greener? Why travel to an ocean when you can see waves through a phone in 4K? I’ve seen this even in the past week, walking through the Texas A&M campus. We have some beautiful sunsets here, but you would never know it based on how many heads are bent down, staring at a screen instead of the sky. What makes this truly sad is that while our minds trick us into believing that scrolling is more rewarding, hindsight will reveal how debilitating it actually is. Never have I reminisced about a place I saw on Instagram. I haven’t had happy memories of sitting in bed on TikTok. But I have had memories of real places and real people. In two, 20, 40 years, those will be the memories we wish we had, not hazy memories of some influencer showing the top restaurants in New York City during August. When I switched my phone to grayscale, I instantly found it less “rewarding” to spend time on. Suddenly, the real world seemed so much more inviting. Scrolling was boring. Dull. There was no reward in social media
content without the oversaturated colors and false vibrancy. Turns out, my screen time nearly cut in half. The results were encouraging. I kept my phone in black and white for almost four months before switching it back to color. And once I did, I was shocked by how fake everything appeared. As a result, my screen time remained low. If this is something you want to try, it’s easy! Go to your settings on your phone, click accessibility, and then turn on color filters — specifically, grayscale. I’ll add that switching my phone to black and white was not a miracle solution. It made it more difficult to take photos. Passing ‘Are you a robot?’ tests were nearly impossible. And regardless of all my grayscale measures, I still spent time on my phone. In that case, what truly makes this shift worth trying? For me, it was the massive improvement in my quality of life. The minutes I spent on my cellphone no longer consumed my thoughts. It forced me to reevaluate how much value I place on immaterial things like Instagram Reels. With a dulled screen, I found myself looking up more often and discovering a vibrant, real world. And for that, it was worth every poorly lit photo. Marie Kneeland is an English honors sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.
ENTERTAINMENT
09.17.2026
Dr. Doctor stops a runaway bus
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