NEWS RIO VISTA SEES LESS LITTER AFTER FENCING, ENTRY FEES PAGE 3
OPINION
LIFE & ARTS
TEXAS STATE FOOTBALL NEEDS TO REEVALUATE
TXST THEATRE RETHINKS "ALL MY SONS" REHEARSAL
PAGE 4
PAGE 7
TUESDAY
October 6, 2026 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 40
FEATURE
fROM SAn MarCos
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION JEN NGUYEN | DESIGN EDITOR AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Former Texas State student Cogan McBride performs at Austin City Limits, Friday, Oct. 2,, at Zilker Park. The 4411s are a local San Marcos band that performed at the ACL Music Festival.
SEE ACL PAGE 8 UNIVERSITY
FOOTBALL
Takeaways from TXST collapse Scooter safety concerns arise in Pac-12 opener against SDSU at Texas State By Ayden Oredson Sports Editor
It was a tale of two halves as the Texas State Bobcats' third-quarter nightmare led an injury and illness riddled San Diego State Aztecs squad towards a 31-29 victory Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. An absolute meltdown of the special teams unit and an offense that seemingly slammed the brakes after halftime resulted in the Bobcats (2-3, 0-1 Pac-12) giving away a game they were favored to win by 9.5 points. The Aztecs (2-3, 1-0 Pac-12) surged in the third quarter to come back from a 17-3 halftime deficit. With the dust settling after a chaotic Pac-12 after-dark evening in the Golden State, here are a couple of key takeaways. The defense did not lose this game While often being the number one cause for why the 'Cats seem
to struggle, the defense showed considerable signs of improvement as it played its best game all year, forcing SDSU to 239 total yards of offense, with just 89 yards in the second half. The Aztecs converted only one third down, and TXST forced a safety late that kept them within range of a win. "I thought the defense played their butts off; they had a great game plan and executed well," Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne said at a press conference following the loss to the Aztecs. "We just put them in some bad situations." Those bad situations were a dime a dozen between the special teams and offense. The former did quite a lot of harm to Texas State, from a blocked field goal to the kickoff return touchdown to start the second half and a botched punt attempt that set up the Aztecs right in the red zone.
By Foster Conner & Audrey Leckey News Contributors
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State junior tight end Ty Stamey (18) celebrates after a touchdown against San Diego State, Saturday, Oct. 3, at Snapdragon Stadium in San SEE TAKEAWAYS PAGE 6 Diego, California.
Electric scooters returned to Texas State and San Marcos, renewing concerns about scooter traffic and accessibility on campus. Lime scooters began operating on Sept. 1 after Texas State and the San Marcos City Council approved a partnership with Lime on Aug. 18. The partnership includes 150 scooters operating on Texas State's campus. downtown San Marcos and other areas of the city. The scooters can travel up to 15 mph and are available 24 hours a day. The agreement allows up to five additional one-year renewals. Unlike transportation that riders must return to a hub, riders can pick up and leave Lime scooters at different locations. Riders must park scooters in designated areas and cannot block sidewalks, building entrances, fire hydrants, bus loading areas, ADA ramps or other access points.
SEE SCOOTER PAGE 2
FEATURE
Genius at work: TXST professor wins MacArthur Fellowship By Cady Clements Life and Arts Editor
A Texas State anthropology professor who helped give names back to the unknown earned a MacArthur Fellowship for transforming how researchers find, study and honor unidentified remains in Texas. Kate Spradley, an anthropology professor and founder of Operation Identification (OpID), received one of 20 MacArthur Fellowships for 2026 for her dedication to supporting others and providing answers to families through OpID. The fellowship is an $800,000 no-strings-attached grant commonly called the "Genius Grant."
Spradley founded OpID in 2013 as a humanitarian initiative that facilitates identification and repatriation of unidentified human remains found in border counties in Texas. Spradley moved to Texas after earning her doctorate to pursue her passions in forensic anthropology. Spradley said she founded OpID, which has identified the remains of nearly 300 people, to fill a need in counties that often lacked funding and resources. She said the fellowship gives her an incredible opportunity to expand her team's work and help families get answers.
SEE GRANT PAGE 7
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE SPRADLEY
NEWS
2
Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Housing implements new security policy at Castro Hall By Kyd C. Ledezma News Contributor
Texas State Housing and Residential Life introduced a new security policy at Castro Hall to prevent unauthorized guests from entering the residence hall amid student safety concerns. Texas State University Police Department’s Daily Crime and Fire Log shows 116 reported offenses at residence halls between Aug. 15 and Oct. 1. The new policy took effect Sept. 28, with modified entry procedures, additional staffing in common areas and a new guest-entry policy. Castro Hall had the most reported crimes this semester, with 14 reported incidents from Aug.15 to Sept. 23. The new policy aims to stop nonresidents from bypassing the ID scanners by following closely behind a resident, a practice known as tailgating. Housing and Residential Life notified all Castro Hall residents on Sept. 25 via email that the policy would restrict entry to the entrance nearest to Bobcat Trail from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, and the policy would require residents to scan their own Bobcat Card. “Additional staff will be present in common areas across the hall to ensure guests to the building are escorted at all times in accordance with Housing and Residential Life policies,” the new policy email obtained by The Star stated. Additionally, the modified entry procedures state that residents are responsible for notifying guests of applicable university and housing
KALIYAH RILEY | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
policies and for their guests’ behavior. Jayme Blaschke, director of university communications and public relations, wrote in an email to The Star that UPD is issuing additional security staff to Castro Hall. “[UPD is] not escorting guests, as that is the responsibility of the residents, but rather ensuring that guests are escorted by residents and that ‘tailgating’ into the hall does not occur,” Blaschke wrote in the email. Whenever students fail to follow university policy, the incident is documented and the student is referred to the Texas State student conduct process, Blaschke wrote.
FROM FRONT SCOOTER Gavin Steiger, director of disability services, said his office has received multiple complaints from students about scooter use on campus this semester. “This semester, I think that we’ve seen a little bit of an uptick [in complaints],” Steiger said. “... [Scooters] create an opportunity for greater challenges, particularly on narrower ramps.” Lime replaced Spin, another dockless electric scooter company that previously operated in San Marcos and on campus. Spin ended operations in San Marcos in 2025. Rolando Rios, psychology junior, said scooters ridden or left on ramps have made traveling between classes more difficult. Rios has undergone two knee surgeries and said there are times when using a ramp is easier than taking stairs. “It’s just the congestion that’s caused by the scooter riders on the ramps,” Rios said. “I’d love to take the ramps around right there by Alkek instead of going up the grand staircase.” Rios said he has seen students riding scooters on ramps at the same speed someone would ride a scooter on a flat area. “Most of the students, if you’re walking on the ramp, they don’t care,” Rios said. “They’re just gonna blow past you.” Texas State’s transportation policy recognizes electric scooters as micro-mobility vehicles and requires riders to prioritize public safety, yield to pedestrians, travel at low speeds when passing pedestrians and park scooters in designated areas. The City of San Marcos also requires Lime riders to yield to pedestrians, ride in bike lanes or with traffic and avoid sidewalks except where dedicated bike paths are provided. Riders are also told to use caution around curb ramps and changes in elevation. The city has designated no-ride areas where scooters slow down or stop. The city prohibits riders
According to Blaschke, a spike in crime at the beginning of the fall semester is normal, as new students adjust to the new environment and understand the expectations. UPD documented 78 crimes near residence halls from Aug. 15 to Sept. 23 according to the UPD Daily Crime and Fire Log. The log lists 28 theft and larceny offenses, 19 alcohol offenses, seven vandalism and criminal mischief offenses and five threats. “Housing and Residential Life continues to work in collaboration with UPD to create positive environments and expectations for [Texas State] students,” Blaschke wrote.
History:
The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.
ARABELLA DICHRISTINA | NEWS EDITOR
A scooter blocks part of an access ramp near LBJ Student Center, Monday, Sept. 21, at Texas State..
Publication Info
Editor-in-Chief: Andrew Bencivengo
Multimedia Editor: Aiden Fritsche
stareditor@txstate.edu
starmultimedia@txstate.edu
Managing Editor: Meg Boles
Engagement Editor: Tatum Pou
starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu
starengagement@txstate.edu
News Editor: Arabella DiChristina
PIR Director: Keely Florez
starnews@txstate.edu
Life & Arts Editor: Cady Clements starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Opinions Editor: Regina Orozco Lopez Forment staropinion@txstate.edu
Design Editor: Jen Nguyen stardesign@txstate.edu
starpr@txstate.edu
Creative Service Director: Sophia Gerke starcreative@txstate.edu
TV News Director: James Phillips startvnews@txstate.edu
Web Editor: Nico San Esteban starweb@txstate.edu
Sports Editor: Ayden Oredson starsports@txstate.edu Check out Star News Network for broadcast news!
To find UPD reports, you can visit the UPD Daily Crime and Fire Log. To report a crime, call UPD at 512-245-2805, or in an emergency, dial 911.
from parking within 10 feet of an ADA ramp. Steiger said improperly parked scooters can create accessibility issues for students who rely on accessible routes. “If the individual that has a mobility issue is going to be able to get back and forth, and that path of travel was blocked, then that is obviously going to create some challenges for them to get to and from places promptly,” Steiger said. Rios said students don’t have scooter etiquette and should still be able to use ramps but should be aware of others who may be using the same routes. Kate Taylor, theater sophomore, said accessibility barriers can affect her ability to move through campus independently with a wheelchair. She said students may not always recognize why accessible routes are necessary for other students. “[Students] are not really thinking ‘Oh! There could be somebody with a wheelchair that is coming up this ramp,’” Taylor said. “They are thinking ‘Oh my god I am late for class.’” With scooters operating on campus again, Taylor said students need to recognize that accessible routes are not simply alternatives for people who choose not to use stairs. “Even if it’s not your [scooter] but if it’s just somewhere, like parked inconveniently on a sidewalk or its blocking a ramp, scooting it out of the way like two or three feet makes a world of difference,” Taylor said. Students can report improperly parked scooters and other Lime-related concerns through the City of San Marcos’ Connect Reporting System. On campus, students can direct concerns through the safety hazard report form.
Editorial Staff Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487
Breckhan Jones, finance freshman, said that it is very common to see police on a nightly basis around his dorm, Castro Hall. “[UPD] will sit in Castro Hall most of the time, or have some sort of security there,” Jones said. “That’s just how bad it’s gotten.” Residents post about their hall experiences on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Yik Yak. Posts have included rumors of a person dressed as the Cat in the Hat near Castro Hall and concerns about overcrowding inside and outside the buildings. Ariana Bermea, criminal justice freshman, said that in Falls and Sayers Hall, it is common to see UPD walking around the dorm about two or three times a week. “I think it’s kind of crazy,” Bermea said. “We’re college students; we should know how to act right, and the fact that we have to have [UPD] around our dorms, it’s kind of insane.” Bermea said she blames the increase in crimes near dorms on students adjusting to their newfound freedom, causing them to act without considering potential consequences. UPD continues to address the problem, implementing new systems for dorms to ensure that residents bring in guests and leave potential trouble outside of residence halls.
Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu
Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, October 6, 2026. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief. Corrections Policy: Errors appearing in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.
Advertising Inquiries Contact at: 512-245-3487 advertising@universitystar.com
NEWS
Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
3
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Rio Vista fencing, entry fees led to a cleaner park By Arabella DiChristina News Editor
Rio Vista Park fencing and entry fees led to a cleaner and safer park after a successful peak season. Rio Vista’s fences and fees are part of the Managed Access Test Plan (MATP), which the City of San Marcos implemented on April 7, providing access points managed by park ambassadors and generating revenue to support the park’s upkeep, safety, and environmental health. Residents and nonresidents and people younger than 18, regardless of residency, had free access to the park. Evelin Garcis, San Marcos communication specialist, wrote in an email to The Star that the city sold 20,746 nonresident tickets, generating $103,730 and issued 2,229 resident passes. According to Garcis, while managed access was in place, there was noticeably less litter, even though the amount of micro-litter remained high. ALEX ORTIZ | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER The biggest sources included plastic A litter boat floats beneath a bridge along the San Marcos River, Wednesday, Sept. bottle caps, bread and bun twist ties and 2, in San Marcos. The City of San Marcos deploys litter boats during periods of high plastic wrappers from juice box straws. river use to provide visitors a spot to leave trash. Micro-litter or micro-trash refers to small pieces of waster and debris, outreach coordinator for The Eyes of items he finds. Other than vapes, he typically measuring two inches or the San Marcos River, a local grassroots said he finds a lot of alcoholic drink less, that are accidentally dropped nonprofit organization and volunteer containers, cigarette butts, water bottle or intentionally discarded into the group to protect the San Marcos River, caps and Capri-Sun straw wrappers. environment, according to Texas Litter said the organization found a lot less “I know that for some locals, both Facts from Don’t Mess with Texas. trash around Rio Vista on Monday the fencing and the fee structure were During peak season for Rio Vista mornings; however, city staff still highly unpopular, but I also know that in 2025, the city spent more than cleaned throughout the weekend. people are kind of tired of seeing the $508,568, about 18% of the overall “[A] handful of times, I would just litter [so they] understand why it kind parks maintenance budget. go by myself with a grabber and, you of became necessary,” Zambrano said. To operate the park during peak know, a backpack full of trash bags,” Zambrano said since the city season last year, the city spent $11,179 Zambrano said. “I was still seeing the implemented the single-use container for the fencing rental, $19,800 for micro-trash that tends to indicate that ban, also known as the can-ban, there in-stream litter removal contracts and other things are still there.” haven’t been as many citations for $37,557 for police officers’ and fire Zambrano said new trends affect individuals who break the rules. marshals’ overtime. the type of litter found in the river, with The can ban is a 2024 city David Zambrano, education and vapes being one of the most common ordinance that prohibits single-use
disposable beverage containers on the San Marcos River and designated riverside “No Zones”, where single-use containers are completely prohibited to reduce trash and protect the local ecosystem. According to Zambrano, The Eyes of the San Marcos River removes at least 5,000 pounds of litter from the river annually. Virginia Parker, executive director of the San Marcos River Foundation, said there was less litter last summer when the city first installed the fences because they are a visual stop, encouraging people to follow the rules. Part of the MATP aimed to prevent overcrowding at Rio Vista Park during the peak summer season, according to the City of San Marcos’ website. “Overcrowding, specifically at Rio Vista, where there is a higher chance for injuries because of the slippery rocks or the fast-moving water, it becomes an issue when emergency services can’t access someone that needs help,” Parker said. According to Parker, there has been a decrease in litter in general; however, there are still a lot of single-use containers making their way into the river. “We’re not only polluting our local waterways, [but] we’re polluting, you know, the bays and estuaries that depend on fresh water as well,” Parker said. For anyone visiting the river, Parker said it’s important to keep items with them and in a place they will remember, to avoid litter entering the water. Garcis wrote that city staff is developing a full report with details about the managed access initiative at Rio Vista Park. City staff will present the report to City Council in November.
OPINION
4
Regina Orozco Lopez Forment | Opinion Editor | staropinion@txstate.edu
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
TXST football needs to have difficult conversations By Andrew Bencivengo Editor-in-Chief
It’s hard to watch a team stumble, but it’s even harder to watch it stumble over the same mistakes. Bobcat fans watched a lackluster start to Texas State football’s inaugural Pac-12 season, as the Bobcats opened conference play with a disappointing 29-31 loss to the San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday. What started as a chance to prove Texas State belonged in the Pac-12 instead became a shaky debut that raised more questions about whether the program was ready to leave the Sun Belt behind. Texas State said it joined the Pac-12 for greater visibility and to pursue excellence, but the program can’t close its eyes and hope change meets it. There need to be conversations about whether or not the current approach is working. Texas State has struggled to find its footing this season, losing at home to UTSA in week two, a sign that the program had yet to shake the defensive and special teams issues fans were worried about. A 49-35 win against North Texas the next week helped placate some concerns, while a blowout victory against Incarnate Word helped too, but the loss to San Diego State showed those problems have not gone away.
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State football coaches call a play against San Diego State, Saturday, Oct. 3 at Snapdragon Stadium. The Bobcats lost 31-29 to the Aztecs.
The San Diego State game had already drawn extra attention after a mumps outbreak sidelined multiple Aztecs starters. The Bobcats capitalized on the unexpected advantage in the first half, entering halftime with a 15-point lead. However, blunders in play-calling, special teams and defense ultimately put the ‘Cats behind in what felt like the culmination of the same mistakes that have followed the program all season. In a post-game press conference, head coach Gary Joe Kinne III addressed the mistakes that contributed to the Bobcats’ secondhalf collapse. “Really upset by the way we came
out and played that third quarter … It was really one quarter that really cost us,” Kinne said. “We looked at the stats [and it’s] pretty lopsided … we just couldn’t capitalize.” However, second-half collapses are nothing new under Kinne. Texas State struggled to close out games for multiple seasons under Kinne’s tenure. Fans have been looking to point fingers for quite some time, but as investment in Texas State Athletics grows, the program’s profile rises and its offense continues to shine, those fingers may need to start pointing toward the coaching staff. Other Pac-12 programs are already responding when repeated mistakes become impossible to ignore.
On Saturday, Colorado State stripped defensive coordinator Tyson Summers of play-calling duties during its loss to Oregon State before parting ways with him after the game. However, Texas State seems to be taking the opposite approach, bringing in coaches whose previous units had already shown some of the same problems now hurting the Bobcats. Tanner Burns came to Texas State from Auburn as special teams coordinator after the Tigers dealt with repeated penalties and inconsistency on special teams. While it might be uncomfortable, Texas State may need to start looking at the top of the program as well. The Bobcats have delivered winning seasons and bowl victories, but if the same problems continue, this does not look like a program ready to take the next step. Athletics are important to a university; they bring in donations, name recognition and recruitment, but when programs falter, the effects hurt fan engagement, fundraising and the university’s broader reputation. At a time of rapid growth for Texas State, its football program can’t afford to keep making the same mistakes.
-Andrew Bencivengo is a business management senior
Filipino Student Association: not just for Filipinos By Filipino Student Association
The Texas State Filipino Student Association (FSA) is a cultural organization with a diverse member population. Texas State FSA was founded in 2012-13 and strives to teach Filipino culture, history and current events. Students do not have to be Filipino to be in FSA! The executive board of FSA prioritizes establishing and maintaining a welcoming community for all, one that is not limited by ethnicity or identification. Since its founding, FSA has provided opportunities for students to develop friendships, participate in cultural events and promote greater awareness and appreciation of Filipino culture at Texas State. The month of October holds significance for FSA, as it is Filipino American History Month! Texas is the third-largest home to the Filipino population in the United States, so the organization is proud to offer students in San Marcos a piece of home. FSA members are able to enjoy and bond over Filipino culture through events, opportunities and meetings. There are numerous ways to get involved with FSA. Students of all interests can
find a place in FSA! Those interested in artistic movement may join FSA’s culture dance team, Kalinaw, or the modern dance team, Umigi. Later this month, Kalinaw will be participating in Isang Mahal, an annual competition held by A&M. Texas State FSA will showcase Tiklos, a traditional folk dance from the Visayas region in the Philippines. Umigi has goals for students to have fun, be open-minded, gain confidence and have a safe community of support and encouragement. Each team is inclusive and open to all levels. Even students with no dance experience are encouraged to join; FSA is a supportive community built to accommodate and support everyone. Students may also join any of the numerous intramural sports teams, including flag football, soccer, volleyball and basketball. Recently, FSA’s co-ed sand volleyball team and co-ed flag football team advanced to the playoffs for Texas State’s recreational league. FSA members who participate in the sports or dance teams work toward a competition known as GoodPhil, which is a multi-day sport and dance tournament against 16 universities across Texas and Oklahoma. The event brings culture, competition and community to students.
SANTIAGO RIVERO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
The FSA executive board poses with the Filipino flag, Thursday, Oct. 1, at Bruce and Gloria Ingram. Their mission is to enhance awareness of Filipino culture across campus. All officers were all asked to wear FSA merch for this picture.
To benefit Texas State, FSA has made numerous strides in its philanthropic endeavors this semester. FSA recently worked with the Keep San Marcos Beautiful organization, whose mission is to maintain and support the greater San Marcos community and wildlife. Through the program, FSA has adopted a local spot in San Marcos to maintain and preserve for the next two years. FSA has also participated in downtown cleanups on The Square and has worked tirelessly to give back to the Texas State and San Marcos community through meaningful volunteering. To support non-profits in the Philippines, FSA gathers donations each semester
Letters to the Editor Policy The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 300 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Writers must include their full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation (for students), phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is used to verify the identify of the letter writer. It is
through a program known as the Balikbayan Box Drive. FSA will host its Philanthropy Week from Oct. 19 until Oct. 23 on the Quad and LBJ Mall. All proceeds will be donated to local San Marcos and international Filipino non-profits. Additionally, the executive board recently traveled to Atlanta to participate in the Norman Y. Mineta University Regional Summit. The summit was held by the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), which is dedicated to empowering and informing Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities with voter education. At the summit, FSA officers were educated
to become APIAVote ambassadors. Through the ambassadorship, we will utilize the training to uplift the AAPI community at Texas State, promote civic engagement and ensure students’ voices are heard. FSA has several events planned this month, all of which will offer opportunities for students to socialize, celebrate Filipino culture, support the organization and give back to the community. If students are interested in attending an event and joining the fun of FSA, they should attend a general meeting and speak with an executive board officer to learn more. The next general meeting will be at 8 p.m. on Oct. 15, in Ingram Hall, room 3104.
not used for any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. An editor will contact the letter writer if their letter is a candidate for publication. The Star will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. Letters can be submitted to staropinion@txstate.edu or by mail to Attn: Opinion Editor, The University Star, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666.
GAMES
5
Sophia Gerke & Milla Deur | Creative Services | starcreative@txstate.edu
Tuesday, Sept 6, 2026
1
CROSSWORD 2
Silly Goose Games Down:
3
1. The goose associated with fairy tales and nursery rhymes, _________ Goose. 3. River side plant that resembles a corn-dog. 5. “Killing the goose that lays the ___________ eggs.”
4
5
Across: 2. Onomatopoeia shared by cars and geese. 4. An adult male goose. 6. Another term for a goose’s beak.
6
WORD SCRAMBLE Silly Goose Games 1. GEG
LAID
2. IHFS
SWIMMERS
__ __ __ __ __ __ __
3. EVRIR
WATER
__ __ __ __ __
4. KUCQA
NOISE
__ __ __ __ __
5. KTACTA
AGRESSION
6. HRTAFEE
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
QUILL
NONOGRAM
NONOGRAM
Silly Goose Games
SUDOKU
Silly Goose Games
GAME BY SUDOKU-SOLUTIONS.COM
2
4
5
7
2
6
7
1 1
6 9
5
8 3
8
4
9
8
1
8
2 5
3
9
1
1 2
2 2 4 10 10 5
2 4
1
6
2
2
4
2 1
6
4 2
2
9 9
2 1
7
4 2
5
9 9
6
7
7
6
5
1 2
4
4
4
4
2 2 4 10 10 5
4
SPORTS
6
Ayden Oredson | Sports Editor | starsports@txstate.edu
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
SOCCER
How a Division II player paved a path at TXST After three years of playing NCAA Division II soccer in California, Marivic Lek-Miro was at a crossroads. In early 2025, Sonoma State University announced it would discontinue its athletics programs. Lek-Miro had just transferred to Sonoma State in the previous fall from Stanislaus State, and the decision left her and her teammates scrambling for a path forward. “From what I remember, we had just started our season, and they [then] cut athletics, saying that this was the last round for the school,” Lek-Miro said. “I remember talking with other athletes, and they would talk about how they should have let us know before ... with athletics being cut, you’re kind of forced to find ALEX ORTIZ | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER a new home.” Texas State senior forward Marivic Lek-Miro (11) defends against a Lek-Miro’s new home turned out to be a place she was somewhat familiar San Diego State player, Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. with. Before transferring to Sonoma The Bobcats lost to the Aztecs 1-0. State her junior year, she learned that Texas State had shown interest, really wanted to join the main team,” the upcoming fall season. After not although nothing materialized. Lek-Miro said. “I was like, ‘shoot, if featuring in the season opener, the After her short stint at Sonoma, it’s God’s plan, then we’ll go for it.’” senior forward has played in eight she looked back at Texas State to One of her teachers during the matches, starting in three. She scored continue her academic journey, even if fall was Texas State Soccer’s associate her first goal for Texas State against her playing one was in doubt. head coach Nathan Stockie. After Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 10 and “My third year playing college asking for an opportunity to try out, scored her second just days later soccer was really rough for me. I was Stockie spoke with head coach Steve against Louisiana Tech. going through a lot mentally [and] Holeman and she secured a one-week As Texas State (7-3-2, 0-2-0 physically,” Lek-Miro said. “[When] trial a few weeks before school started Pac-12) continues its strong start to the I [came] out here, I didn’t know if I in the spring 2026. season with a top 25 ranking for six wanted to play again.” “Everything went really well,” straight weeks, one would think that However, not being deterred, she Lek-Miro said. “At the end of the back-to-back games with goals on the joined Texas State’s club soccer team. week, [the coaching staff said] ‘we’re road would warrant an extended run Lek-Miro quickly found her stride really impressed with how you did and of starts for Lek-Miro. and helped them reach the NIRSA we want to keep you for the spring Instead, Holeman has instead National Soccer Championships. [schedule] ... we’ll have your stuff in opted to shape his team depending Her success at the club level left her your locker on Monday.’” on the opponent and make use of his wondering if there was a path to Lek-Miro played with the Bobcats squad’s depth. Division I after all. through the spring and was offered “Every team presents a different “I was like on edge about if I the opportunity to stick around for challenge, and we have a different
shape going into different games,” Holeman said after Texas State’s scoreless draw to Santa Clara. “Based on our system and our approach, she wasn’t the player that we needed in this game early on.” Still, Lek-Miro’s mentality hasn’t wavered, and considering the road she’s taken to this moment, that isn’t particularly surprising to the man who helped give her another chance. “She earned everything she’s gotten every step of the way,” Stockie said in a comment to The Star. “She kept showing up, kept working, and kept proving herself. She’s a phenomenal human being, an incredible teammate … Seeing her take hold of this opportunity and make the most of it has been really special.” The path to D1 soccer is rarely linear, and even less so for Lek-Miro, whose career almost ended when she came to Texas State last fall. Now, she’s contributing to one of the best starts the program has ever seen. “I’ve always wanted to explain my story and give my story to other people,” Lek-Miro said. “I’m not the type of person to complain about playing time or cry about stuff. I’m just a person who puts [their] head down and works.” The Bobcats will try to win their first Pac-12 game in program history against Oregon State at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 at Paul Lorenz Field in Corvallis, Oregon. It will be streamed through the Pac-12’s YouTube channel.
FROM FRONT TAKEAWAYS
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State freshman running back Davian Jackson (6) keeps an SDSU defender awaywhile going fora touchdown, Saturday, Oct. 3, at Snapdragon Stadium. The Aztecs beat the Bobcats 31-29.
It hasn’t been a one-game situation either for Texas State, as both kicking and punting stats rank at the bottom of the conference. The kicking team has just four total makes on nine attempts. While they don’t punt often, they average just 34.3 yards per punt. Oregon State, the closest Pac-12 team in statistics, averages 42.2.
Even then, some of the blame rests on the offense. Despite an overall statistically strong performance for the offense and sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson, who threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 80 yards, Jackson also made several critical mistakes with two interceptions.
His first occurred deep in Bobcat territory and resulted in an easy score. The other was a tipped pass that turned into a pick-six right as TXST got possession after the defense forced a safety with 2:55 remaining in the game. What ultimately erased any hopes of snuffing a comeback victory was the decision not to spike the ball after reaching near midfield in their last possession with 25 seconds on the clock in an attempt to keep the Aztecs on their heels. History keeps repeating
The recent loss to SDSU adds yet another one to a series of games across Kinne’s four-year tenure where the Bobcats were close to a win and yet snatched defeat from the jaws of victory with another second-half collapse. Such occurrences go back to games like 2024’s match-ups against Arizona State and Sam Houston State, multiple games during a stretch of five straight losses in 2025 and even more recently AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR against UTSA back on Sept. 12. Texas State junior defensive lineman Jo’Lasion Landry (6, right) chases SDSU senior “We have to close [games] out and quarterback Jayden Denegal (4, right), Saturday, Oct. 3 at Snapdragon Stadium. find a way to get it done,” Kinne said.
“It is frustrating ... we got to get back to work and figure out [what we can do better].” It’s become more of a solidified trend rather than a simple discrepancy. With so many similar mistakes occurring and no adjustments made, Kinne must make those adjustments quickly to not just get the ‘Cats to places they’ve never reached before since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), but also take the next step as a program-building coach. The Bobcats will return to San Marcos to begin a two-game slate at home, hosting the Colorado State Rams after a bye week at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15 at UFCU Stadium. The game will be available to watch on the CBS Sports Network.
LIFE & ARTS
7
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Cady Clements | Life & Arts Editor | starlifeandarts@txstate.edu EVENT
PHOTO COURTESY OF THEATRE DEPARTMENT & LAUREN JURGEMEYER
Actors tap into personal experience in “All My Sons” By Azja Farabee Life and Arts Contributor
Texas State Theatre presented Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ with sincerity in its portrayal of grief, greed and guilt, using a new rehearsal method at Texas State. Texas State University’s School of Theatre, Dance and Film presented American playwright Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” Sept. 29 to Oct. 4 at the Patti Strickel Harrison Theatre. The play was directed by Charles “Chuck” Ney, professor of acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance. “All My Sons” follows the story of successful businessman Joe Keller, played by Drew Dunson, an acting for screen and stage senior, who has worked his whole life in a dog-eat-dog world for his family, and now faces the consequences of selling defective airplane parts to the military during World War II. In a story full of accusation and guilt, the feel of the actors’ performance carried the bulk of this production. The cast used authenticity in rehearsals to tell the story. Ney said emotions ran high throughout the learning process due to their rehearsal method, the Stanislavsky method, which has cast internalize their character and become more immersed in the story than the audience. “We do a run with all of the designers, and they’re usually not the best of audiences, often very technical,” Ney said. “ ... When the run was done, there wasn’t a single dry eye in the rehearsal room.” Ney had the actors break down scenes and
improvise with their genuine internal reactions based on the character and narrative objectives. “Before you get to the first rehearsal, you should have experienced every bit of that person’s life in your own skin,” Ney said. Ney focused on strong characters, using a step-by-step method to help the actors think about their own experiences in terms of their characters’ personalities. “We looked at the major circumstance in each scene, and they would [improvise],” Ney said. “...At the end, we go: ‘How is [improvising as themselves] similar [to] or different [from] the situation or character in the script? What strong emotions did I have? What did I physically do as a result? Were there any impulses that I did not follow?’ By the end of the process, they’re following their impulses.” Miguel Gaytan, acting for stage and screen senior, plays Chris Keller, the younger son of the Kellers, who invites Ann Deever, played by Kylie Hill, a marketing major senior with a theatre minor, to the Keller home to marry her, rocking his parents’ world since Ann was meant to marry the late oldest son, Larry Keller, before he went missing during the war. Kate Keller, played by Danica Feig, musical theatre sophomore, believes that Larry is still alive and will marry Ann if he comes back. His absence drives the tension and conflict of Chris being set aside, even though he is gone. “Chris feels he’s been pushed aside his whole life, so he’s made a promise to himself to make a life of his own and build a family with Annie even though she’s his older brother’s fiancée,” Gaytan
said. “He pursues it because this is his only chance to make something for himself.” Gaytan said “All My Sons” used an actororiented approach to realism. By connecting his own experiences to Chris, Gaytan said he could better act as the character. The cast rehearsed using personal improvisation, focusing on the play’s story to create a flow of emotion between the actors. “I’m always really bad at [improvising] because it’s always comedic, but this was dramatic, and I didn’t realize how intense it could get so fast,” Gaytan said. “You start crying all of a sudden, you’re hugging, and you’re so deeply connected to the other person.” Feig, being a musical theater major, said Ney squashed every preconceived notion she had about acting in plays, calling it the most helpful and gratifying experience she could have. “It was so easy; we knew the plot lines so well, but I also wasn’t having to pull from anything or create artificial feelings,” Feig said. “We had done so much [practice] already; I knew what was happening, and I knew those feelings and how to get back there.”
FROM FRONT GRANT “Our mission is to locate, recover, identify and repatriate unidentified individuals that have died in [TexasMexico] border counties or borderadjacent counties,” Spradley said. “Texas has 254 counties and only 14 counties have a medical examiner ... They don’t have the training, they don’t have the money, it’s completely overwhelming. It’s not their fault. It’s just the system we have in place ... So, we realized we can really help here.” According to the MacArthur Foundation’s website, The MacArthur Fellowship recognizes individuals who are creative, have a track record of excellence and demonstrate a positive impact on society through their pioneering work or the rigor of their contributions. Victoria Soto, OpID doctoral research assistant and doctoral candidate in the anthropology department, said if anyone deserved the honor, it was Spradley. She said her dedication to helping as many people as possible, both in her personal life and her line of work, made her the perfect candidate. “She has just been awesome at providing opportunities and just giving us all the space to not just work in the profession that we want to do, but also just help us grow as humans,” Soto said. Spradley established one of the first population-specific sets of reference data and classification criteria for skeletal remains of Latin American origin, helping identify the sex and geographic origins of remains, according to Spradley’s MacArthur Foundation profile. Spradley said she only had two
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE SPRADLEY
Anthropology professor and founder of Operation Identification (OpID) Kate Spradley (center) presents during a special screening of “Missing in Brooks County” at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. for congress. “Missing in Brooks County” is a documentary on Spradley’s work with OpID.
forensic anthropology classes in her master’s and Ph.D. programs, which limited how much she could learn about a person from forensics. She incorporates her knowledge from OpID into her teaching, showing students more specific identifying markers, such as national origin, instead of only standard forensic identification. “I take everything that I’ve learned from Operation Identification and especially put this into the forensic anthropology classes,” Spradley said. Texas State Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Pranesh Aswath praised Spradley’s research and community impact. “It is wonderful to see Dr. Kate Spradley and her stellar record of impactful research recognized by the MacArthur Foundation,” Aswath wrote in an email to The Star. “... Texas State has a long history of excellence in forensic anthropology, and I am very proud that Texas State has been Dr. Spradley’s intellectual home.” Spradley and members of her team said the funding came at the perfect time, as much of their previous grant funding expired at the end of September.
Valerie Arroyo, master’s student in the anthropology department and graduate research assistant at OpID, said Spradley’s dedication and the importance and nature of their work are exactly why The MacArthur Foundation awarded Spradley the fellowship. “As a daughter of an immigrant myself, I can see the passion that the team has,” Arroyo said. “Everyone is super driven and I think this funding couldn’t have come at a better time and I think Dr. Spradley is very deserving of it.”
LIFE & ARTS
8
Cady Clements | Life & Arts Editor | starlifeandarts@txstate.edu
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 FROM FRONT ACL
By Cady Clements Life & Arts Editor
Even pouring rain and mud-caked shoes couldn’t stop fans from gathering to hear two Texas State alumni and San Marcos area bands perform at Austin City Limits music festival (ACL). The 4411 and Flight by Nothing made their way from stages at Riverfest and The Porch to Zilker Park. ACL is a three-day music festival for two weekends in October, where 75,000 people a day from across the country gather to watch their favorite bands perform and discover new music. Both bands performed at weekend one of the festival from Friday, Oct. 2 to Sunday, Oct.4. The 4411 The 4411, an indie folk band made up of Texas State alumni, consisting of Tomas Gerlach, drummer and sound recording technology alumnus; Nick Speer, bassist and music education alumnus; Alan Holmquist, guitarist and sound recording technology alumnus and Cogan McBride, lead singer and communication design alumnus, played a set for weekend one at the covered Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage on Friday, Oct. 2.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION JEN NGUYEN | DESIGN EDITOR AIDEN W | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Flight by Nothing performs at Austin City Limits, Sunday, Oct. 4, at Zilker Park. The 4411 performs at Austin City Limits, Friday, Oct. 2, at Zilker Park.
The band’s performance packed the venue with a lively audience, despite a delayed start, heavy rain and strong winds. McBride said he attributes much of the band’s growth to Texas State and San Marcos, as the four members met each other at Texas State and San Marcos’ closeknit community gave them the right environment to thrive as a band. “There’s a lot of love for music in Austin, but I think San Marcos just had, you know, such an intimate scene that made it like, well, it would be easy just to get your foot in the door and play at the colleges,” McBride said. “There’s a lot of programs that I think just help student bands, like get in front of the college and play music.” The band started with McBride and Gerlach, who grew up together and eventually found Holmquist, who lived down the hall from the two. They met Speer a year later and formed The 4411. The band members believe it is important to honor and showcase their roots and how they’ve grown, from an EP dedicated to coming of age in San Marcos to basing their name on one of their hometown addresses. “I think the whole EP has a very coming of age through college [feel],”
McBride said. “It feels very connected to who we are and especially the past year that we [were] working on it. So I think with Sunset Calling, you just need to highlight how much fun we had in college as a band, but also just with each other as friends.” Flight by Nothing Flight by Nothing is an alternative indie rock band based in the San Marcos area. It consists of Conner Redden, vocalist; Huey Houston, keyboardist; Luis Salinas, lead guitarist; Sam Morales, drummer; and Porfii Rubio, bassist. The band performed at the Beatbox Stage on Sunday, Oct. 4, drawing a small crowd of dedicated fans who trudged through mud to see the band. Although its members are not originally from San Marcos, the band decided to put down roots in the area, where they found a love for the community. Salinas said the band grew up together and performing at ACL had been a goal for them for many years.
“This has been a long time coming for the band; the fact that we’ve finally gotten to play this is just an amazing feeling,” Salinas said. “I’m glad we’ve finally gotten to do this.” Flight by Nothing moved to the San Marcos area because the members wanted a community-driven scene to grow their fan base in. San Marcos has been a vital part of Flight by Nothing’s journey, according to Redden, as the fans they gained from the town are like no other. “In a huge way, I mean the San Marcos scene has let us stretch our legs out, let us try stuff, let us be weird,” Redden said. “I think some of our best shows have been in San Marcos; we’ve developed such a loyal fan base who will let us just be us.” Tatum Pou contributed to this story.