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Community members come together for No Kings Protest

By Cielo Perez-Aguilar & Alyssa Venegas News Contributors

organization handing out to protesters.

Step Up San Marcos, a local organizer, held a “No Kings” rally at the Hays County Historic Courthouse on Saturday, Oct. 18. Step Up is a non-partisan group that commits itself to “using our voices and actions to peacefully protest policies and decisions we disagree with in the current administration,” according to pamphlets the

“No Kings” is a nationwide movement that spreads the peaceful message that, “America has No Kings” and with the goal of opposing the actions of the Trump administration. At least 891 community members peacefully protested with chants and signs and joined the more than 7 million people across more than 2,700 locations worldwide at the No Kings protest.

SEE PROTEST PAGE 3 SAN

ISABELLE CANTU | ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Hundreds attend the No Kings protest in San Marcos, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 on E Hopkins Street and North LBJ Drive in San Marcos, . The protest ran in tandem with thousands of other No Kings protests across the world.

Hays County ends contract for ALPRs

By Ryan Claycamp News Editor

The Hays County Commissioners Court became the first in the state to end its contract with Flock Safety for automated license plate reading cameras (ALPRs) on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

The decision came after months of delaying votes, an open house held for community feedback and learning and State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) urging commissioners to vote to end the contract. The vote was 3-2 along partisan lines, with the Democratic commissioners voting against and the Republicans for the contract.

“I’m proud to have led the effort for greater accountability in how surveillance is used in Hays County,” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra wrote in a Facebook post. “In times like these, we must be vigilant about who has access to information about the people in our community. I support public safety technology, however, never at the expense of privacy, transparency or public trust.”

ALPRs are cameras that read the license plates of cars for law enforcement purposes, such as finding stolen vehicles or missing persons.

Hays County Sheriff Anthony Hipolito said the Sheriff’s Office had been using ALPRs since 2022 during an August open house at the San Marcos Library. The open house was hosted by Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe and Michelle Cohen to discuss ALPRs after the vote had been tabled multiple times.

According to Sam Benavides, an organizer with the Hays Caldwell Education Fund, the movement to end the Flock contract started in July. It came as a natural continuation of a movement to block a Flock expansion in San Marcos.

Patience brings strong results to Lindblom following injury

Texas State sophomore golfer Fia Lindblom drives the ball at the Jim West Challenge, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, at the Kissing Tree Golf Course. Texas State placed ninth in the Jim West Challenge.

By Grace Darcy Sports Reporter

Sophomore golfer Fia Lindblom is in the midst of a strong comeback this fall after cutting her 2024-25 season short with an injury.

During her freshman year at Texas State, Lindblom tore the right labrum in her hip. Throughout the year, Lindblom played with the injury, unaware of its extent.

“I actually didn’t know about it for almost a year, I think, now when I’m looking back at it,” Lindblom said. “It was right when I got here as a freshman. Our trainer, she was thinking it might be a little bit of a tear, but she didn’t know it was as bad as it was at first.”

Downtown pride: San Marcos named Great American Main Street semifinalist

By Enrique Lara Life & Arts Contributor

With culture flowing in the river running through Downtown San Marcos, residents wake up a little brighter on what is now “Downtown San Marcos Day,” knowing they have taken home a title that showcases city pride.

The Downtown San Marcos team accepted the proclamation from Mayor Jane Hughson at city hall on Oct. 8 after becoming a semifinalist in the Great American Main Street Award. Main Street America, a national organization that builds economic power in downtown areas and neighborhood commercial districts, recognized the team’s efforts toward

guiding San Marcos’ growth while staying loyal to its modest upbringings by supporting small businesses and keeping the arts and culture alive downtown.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of a city,” Josie Falletta, manager of Downtown San Marcos, said.

Wednesday, Oct. 8,

GRACE DARCY | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

FENAN MOREDA | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

The Downtown San Marcos team poses for a photo after San Marcos becomes a 2026 Great American Main Street Award semifinalist,

2025, at the San Marcos City Hall.

MARCOS

October 21, 2025

Proposition could give millions for Alzheimer’s research

By Ryan Claycamp News Editor

Texas Proposition 14, one of the 17 propositions on this year’s ballot, would, if passed, fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRI).

The proposition would provide the DPRI with $3 billion for Alzheimer’s and dementia research.

According to Jennifer Speed, assistant vice president for research development, funding from the proposition could be used to bolster Alzheimer’s and aging-related research already conducted at Texas State.

“Texas State, like many other state institutions, is hoping that the state will invest money in more research on dementia, aging and Alzheimer’s period,” Speed said. “So Texas State can hopefully ... compete for that funding, because we have really top-notch researchers who can help move that work forward, if they have the funding to do the research.”

Speed said increased funding from Prop 14 could improve opportunities for students under the current Dementia and Aging Studies graduate program.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) defines dementia as a brain disease that destroys memories, thinking ability and the ability to carry out daily activities.

“Dementia is the term for conditions where memory, language and problem-solving difficulties are severe enough to interfere in everyday life,” DSHS wrote on its website. “Many conditions can cause dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause.”

According to DSHS, approximately 460,000 Texans were living with Alzheimer’s in 2020. It is estimated that 6.9 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s in 2024.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a major public health issue in Texas,” DSHS wrote on its website.

“According to the most recent data, Texas ranks 3rd in the U.S. for the number of people living with Alzheimer’s, and 2nd in the number of Alzheimer’s deaths.”

John Mathis is an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, a group that advocates for Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia research. Mathis got involved with the organization due to his grandfather’s dementia and through his experience working in memory care.

“I made it a mission that we find a cure for

Benavides said the contract had previously been approved by the court, but came back for another vote due to a clerical error.

“I know that this was passed in February, when very little was known about Flock Safety, but since then, groups like EFF have worked tremendously hard to sound the alarm on this shady company, and now we know better,” Benavides said.

Alzheimer’s, and so I volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association,” Mathis said. “It’s a fine organization that does great work for families across Texas, across the country, across the world.”

Through his own experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia, Mathis said he believes the number of people impacted by dementia is much higher than the 460,000 individuals counted by DSHS. He said that number doesn’t account for families that make sacrifices to take care of their loved ones living with the disease.

Speed said some of the current research at Texas State revolves around making it easier to care for individuals with dementia.

“People with Alzheimer’s and dementia need a lot of care, and it often falls on family members to perform a lot of that care and support for daily living, and so those folks need a lot of support,” Speed said. “So better research can help families and caregivers and healthcare providers serve people that have those conditions.”

According to Mathis, when he first heard the idea of curing dementia, he had his doubts. He said developments made in the last 10-15 years, such as improved diagnostics, have made him more hopeful.

“We now have a simple blood test, but before to find out if you had Alzheimer’s, it was done through a PET scan or spinal tap, or most times after death,” Mathis said. “There really wasn’t a good way to test if we even have a disease, a simple

blood test.”

One of the biggest challenges currently facing Alzheimer’s research at Texas State is the cost of testing with human subjects, according to Speed.

“Additional funding could help faculty researchers advance their research more quickly, because they’d be able to hire more people and take participants who take part in that carefully managed research,” Speed said.

Mathis said it’s his goal to see a cure for Alzheimer’s and dementia. He believes voters should support Prop 14 to speed up the search for a cure.

“We’re going to find a cure someday, but this proposition is going to go a long way to help us find a treatment, find better support for families dealing with it and find a cure for Alzheimer’s,” Mathis said. “It’s going to make it happen faster. So that’s why it’s so important to pass this, because there are families right now that don’t know they’re going to be faced with this disease.”

Critics of Flock Safety raised concerns about how ALPRs track data, who has access to that data and how the data is stored. One of the major concerns that critics of the contract raised was access to the data by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During the August open house, the Sheriff’s Office said ICE doesn’t have direct access to Hays County

Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Blake Leschber stareditor@txstate.edu

Managing Editor: Rhian Davis starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

News Editor: Ryan Claycamp starnews@txstate.edu

Life & Arts Editor: Carlene Ottah starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

Opinions Editor: Andrew Bencivengo staropinion@txstate.edu

ALPR data, but they can access it through their partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“We already know that it’s been used by ICE to track immigrants. It’s been used by cops to track people in Texas seeking abortions,” Benavides said. “We know it’s been used to target political dissenters, and as people who have been very outspoken against police abuse and the attacks on free speech ... It’s just not the time to expand these tools of mass surveillance.”

While critics of Flock, such as Benavides and organizations like Ground Game Texas, have celebrated the vote as a win, law enforcement groups have denounced the move.

“The Hays County Law Enforcement Association and Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) are deeply disappointed in the recent decision by the County Commissioners to yield to pressure from activist groups and move forward with eliminating the use of Flock Safety cameras in our communities,” CLEAT wrote in a statement on the vote.

Before the vote, Hipolito criticized Zwiener’s letter and critics of Flock, saying critics didn’t know how challenging his office’s job is and

Sports Editor: Adrian Ramirez starsports@txstate.edu

Multimedia Editor: Meg Boles starmultimedia@txstate.edu

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 3,300. Printing is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@txstate.edu

Bobcats will stumble in Pac-12 without change

By Andrew Bencivengo Opinions Editor

On Saturday Oct. 18, Texas State lost its third straight conference game, falling to Marshall in double overtime and effectively ending its conference title hopes just a week after a devastatingly close homecoming match-up.

Despite considerable hype in the preseason and early weeks, Texas State is floundering as the season progresses, highlighting key vulnerabilities in its program despite increased attention from the university administrators. The Bobcats are aiming to be a serious contender on the field, but without overhauls to its program, their competitiveness remains questionable.

Ahead of its planned entry into the Pac-12 Conference in July 2026, Texas State must seriously evaluate and adjust its football strategy or risk becoming ineffective.

Texas State has invested heavily in its football program, paying head coach G.J. Kinne over $1.5 million for the 2025 season and making significant investments since 2022. Despite these expenditures and the push to join a more competitive conference, Texas State’s football team has struggled immensely in the 2025 season.

Texas State has the pieces to be a key player, but it has critical issues to address before that can happen.

The Bobcats’ defense is holding the team back under defensive coordinator Dexter McCoil Sr., and without changes, they are likely to carry this losing record into the Pac-12.

The defense has played a meaningful role in all the Bobcats’ losses, namely in the secondary. Despite ranking among the top 25 teams in sacks, they sit at 102nd in total defense out of 134 teams, allowing 394.7 yards per game, and 109th nationally in creating turnovers.

When asked about the defenses poor performance last game at a press conference, Kinne seemingly brushed off the defensive shortcomings.

“I thought we played well enough on defense this past week to win,” Kinne said, “We got to do better ... to put these guys in better positions on offense and special teams to go win

the game.”

Kinne’s focus on the offense raises eyebrows, especially after freshman quarterback Brad Jackson’s best game of the season, and ignores the defense’s pitfalls. Marshall was able to put 40 points on the board with little push-back, and Texas State needs to take decisive action to remedy this.

This doesn’t mean Texas State is entirely ineffective; the team has made significant strides in its offensive game. The Bobcats are 14th nationally in total offense, averaging 476.2 yards per game; 17th in third-down conversion percentage, converting 51% of the time; seventh in rushing offense with 250 yards per game; and 24th in passing efficiency.

The stats paint the Bobcats as an aggressive contender, and show considerable improvements in the offensive game since Kinne

came on board in 2022. Standout players, like wide receiver Beau Sparks, are helping the Bobcats, but the team’s record shows it needs improvement elsewhere to truly become competitive.

Ahead of entering Pac-12, several teams in the conference are making notable staff changes. Colorado State fired head coach Jay Norvell, and Oregon State dismissed head coach Trent Bray, with similar moves occurring across other programs. Texas State must undergo similar changes, specifically on defense, to remain competitive against teams willing to overhaul their programs where Texas State has not.

The teams future could improve further with new talent, Texas State is poised for its best recruiting class in years. The top four highest-rated commits in program history are all part of the 2026 class, but all remain verbal commitments, and the team’s performance could affect recruiting as these recruits aren’t obligated to take the field next season.

At this point in the season, Texas State must go beyond simply regrouping and take a top-down look at where these shortcomings are coming from. The Bobcats need to lean into their strengths offensively, with more adaptive play calling that goes beyond just the book and develop a more disciplined plan defensively ahead of challengers. Without these changes, Texas State risks falling flat in the face of a more competitive conference.

-Andrew Bencivengo is a business management junior

Dismissing POC voices makes room for inequality

By Syghlas Morales Opinions Contributor

Students of color are calling for their voices to be heard, but with no direct action taken, Texas State is continuing to dismiss them. Without proper advocacy, social division and mental health struggles will rise among students of color. Texas State has an obligation to protect its minority students, who make up 63% of the student population.

“This work is embedded in our university and reflects our broader mission to create an environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed,” according to the Texas State website.

Elyse Hebert, psychology sophomore, said she has experienced mental repercussions due to racism following the withdrawal of Devion Canty, who withdrew from the university after a video of him “mocking” Charlie Kirk’s death went viral.

“I was so worried [after what happened with Devion Canty] about not only my safety, but my friend’s safety,” Hebert said. “I’m stressing myself to the point where I’m not getting my physical needs met. I’m not eating, I’m not sleeping, I’m not doing what I need to sustain myself as a human.”

On Sept. 25, Texas State students marched from First Five Freedom Hall

to The Stallions, holding signs reading “Our voices matter” and “Protect Black students.” The Unity Protest took place after several threatening calls, messages and texts were sent to Black student organizations.

Texas State President Kelly Damphousse attended the Unity Protest, which could have been a symbol of what administrative work with students should aspire to be. However, without direct policies to protect students of color, these symbolic gestures seem performative.

If threats and racist remarks go unaddressed, the community of Texas State risks becoming divided.

According to the International Journal of Intercultural Relations, communities that experience stress due to racial injustice are more likely to separate into groups where they feel most safe.

In addition to events on campus, minority students are being targeted by the state and federal government.

Recent cuts to Minority Serving institutions (MSIs) by the Department of Education (DOE) have greatly limited resources for students. This affects the 42% of first-generation students at Texas State, many of who are minorities..

With a lack of proper resources to navigate college life, these students are set to face challenges like delayed graduation rates and socioeconomic inequalities. Inequalities like financial hardships can become prevalent obstacles leading to difficulty entering the workforce post graduation. Without protection and service from the government, it is up to institutions to protect their students of color.

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

“I think the university has great policies in place ... I just think that it needs to be consistent,” Herbert said. “They really need to stay by their word and really think about what is happening and how they should handle it.”

Texas State has antidiscrimination policies, prohibiting discrimination and retaliation, that have the power to protect its students; however, these policies fail if they are not being upheld properly. The withdrawal of Canty is a prime example of the university’s failure to protect its students.

Organizations like The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter at Texas State, Black Men United and the Hispanic Student Association have been established as safe spaces for the advocacy of students of color. Now it is the university’s turn to put words

not used for any commercial purpose.

into action and protect its students of color.

By implementing a set of disciplinary actions for discrimination and hate speech, students would be better protected. Only then can Texas State be a school where students of color are heard, understood and protected.

“They should be giving everyone the same fair trial and treatment when it comes to whatever instances that occur on campus,” Hebert said. “At the end of the day, you have policies that are set in place from however many years ago, made by the university to protect us. So you have to make sure to uphold those policies correctly and fairly across everyone.”

-Syghlas Morales is a wildlife biology freshman

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.

CAROLINE TRANG | STAR ILLUSTRATOR

Eastern Michigan graduate running back Dontae McMillian (28) breaks a tackle attempt from Texas State junior cornerback Khamari Terrell (4), Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at UFCU Stadium. The Bobcats would won 52-27.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AYDEN OREDSON AND MEG BOLES

TXST Alumna performs in Broadway musical comedy’s fourth anniversary

Gianna Yanelli, musical theatre alumna, plays Anne Boleyn in the fourth anniversary Broadway show of “SIX.” She steps onto a dark stage lit in purple, dressed in green-and-black pop band attire. Inspired by artists like Avril Lavigne and Lily Allen, her sections of “SIX” give a unique pop-rock sound that she calls “empowering” in Boleyn’s biographical story.

Prior to landing her role as Boleyn, Yanelli graduated from Texas State in 2014. She said she appreciated her time at the university, noting a sense of community and teaching of practical skills needed to succeed in the industry. Her experience helped shaped her as an artist, something she said is unique to Texas State.

Yanelli was part of the first recruited class for the bachelor’s degree in musical theatre program brought in by Katlin Hopkins, founder and former head of the program. Hopkins recalled Yanelli entering the room and being the most incredible energy force with a strong personality and incredible voice.

“I knew right away I wanted her in the program, and I knew she was going to have a huge career if we could just focus that energy of hers,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins and the faculty called it the “forever program” during recruiting, as Hopkins maintained a friendly relationship with the students even beyond graduation. She said it’s important in creative industries to have connections with other talent and to view fellow students not as competition but rather as teammates.

“We weren’t just taught the mechanics of acting,

FROM FRONT CITY

“We’re so fortunate because we have over 300 businesses downtown and almost all of them are small, locally owned businesses.”

The Downtown San Marcos team emphasized a portion of its success to the businesses that make up San Marcos. It estimates around 70% of downtown businesses are small and locally owned.

“[Smart business owners] are the ones who are donating to local nonprofits,” Falletta said. “When you spend your dollars locally, more of that money stays local because they’re buying supplies from local vendors when they can and are supporting each other.”

According to Falletta, San Marcos continues to blend history preservation and growth with over $150 million reinvested back into the city across 40 years through public and private reinvestment. Being named as a semifinalist ranks San Marcos as one of the top ten main streets nationwide, and it’s the only city from Texas.

The GAMSA recognizes communities that used the Main Street Approach, which offers community-based revitalization initiatives to transform downtown areas. Falletta said every main street program has four broad areas of transformation strategies it focuses on — design, promotion, economic vitality and organization — with the goal of improving the experience of downtown visitors.

At the state level, five of the highest performing main street managers from different areas of the state work together on a leadership council. These cities provide insight to groups like the Texas Main Street

singing and dancing,” Yanelli said. “We were taught how to have a work-life balance, to appreciate all different sides of theater, to get to know the people who run the theaters ... and that everyone has an important role in the entertainment industry.”

In addition to Hopkins’ classes, Yanelli took a class with Laura Lane, professor at Texas State’s School of Theatre, Dance and Film. According to Lane, the class required the students to transcend self-consciousness to access deeper creativity and had a heavy emphasis on collaboration. Lane said Yanelli’s success is a testament to her mastery of those two concepts.

“I remember Gianna as an extremely creative, driven actress as well as a good human,” Lane said. “She worked hard to develop skills involving self-discipline and generosity to her class ensemble. Gianna always excelled. I am so glad to have been part of her professional development.”

Yanelli said her time at Texas State helped her with “SIX,” describing how she stays connected with the team and attends dinners with the backstage crew. In addition, her training helped her use different stage techniques such as full body commitment, a technique Yanelli describes as “allowing yourself to inhabit a character, within characterization and physicality.”

“I feel like I’ve become a better artist in person because of my training,” Yanelli said. “Obviously, the program itself is unbelievable ... and it’s amazing to see how much it’s grown and how much recognition it’s gotten.”

Yanelli was first brought to the cast of “SIX” on Sept. 22, 2024, after auditioning many times for Boleyn. She said she was excited to bring a more accurate portrayal of Boleyn to the stage.

“A lot of people like to think she was this witch who cheated on the king and was like [expletive] and all this stuff, and it actually turns out none of that was true. It was all fabricated,” Yanelli said. “So, for me, it’s being able to reclaim a story that was wrong for all these years and living in her story.”

Every rendition of the musical comedy has included a Texas State alumna, including Anna Uzele in 2021-22’s “SIX” and Adriana Scalice in 2024’s North American “Boleyn” Tour as Catherine Parr, Bella Coppola in 2022-23’s “SIX” as Jane Seymour, and Emma Elizabeth Smith in 202526’s North American “Boleyn” Tour as Catherine of Aragon.

Created by authors Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, “SIX” is a musical comedy that revolves around the six wives of King Henry VIII, who each share their experiences with him in the form of comedic and educational pop melodies that take inspiration from different pop icons such as Beyoncé and Britney Spears.

The six queens of the musical comedy were all wronged by Henry VIII in some way, with each of their struggles getting swept under the rug. Yanelli drew a comparison between how these women were treated to the treatment of the modern woman, citing the continuing discrimination women face.

“I feel like a part of me feels healed in being able to tell these stories that the women did not get to do at the time,” Yanelli said. “It feels like we’ve given back to them, which is why I feel like it’s definitely such a cultural phenomenon because it is still happening today.”

“SIX” on Broadway will run until July 2026 in New York City’s Lena Horne Theater.

The “Greetings from 78666” mural located along the wall of Kissing Alley, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in downtown San Marcos. Kissing Alley is set for renovations this year as part of the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.

Program, which addresses the challenges facing historic downtown commercial districts, within the Texas Historical Commission to influence decisions that improve main streets across the state.

According to Main Street America, it recognized Downtown San Marcos’ 40 years transforming the area through multiple infrastructure improvements and placemaking initiatives, resulting in the reinvestment that brought new residents and historically low vacancy rates to the district.

“We’re using places like San Marcos,” Amy Hammons, the state coordinator for the Texas Main Street program, said. “These are the places that have seen an incredible and

encouraging movement by applying the Main Street Approach, and [the Texas Main Street program] wants to use them as an example as we grow our network. With this award, they’re obviously a national example as well.”

Program projects like “Downtown Alley Reconstruction” are a part of the “10 Year Capital Improvements Plan” and show Downtown San Marcos’ further investment into creating a city that visitors are proud to show off. The current pilot project has plans of implementing green alleys with permeable pavers that filter water as it gets collected before going into stormwater. The project’s second phase, which covers the remaining Kissing Alley area between North LBJ Drive and North Guadalupe Street from East

Hutchinson Street to East Hopkins Street, will be constructed in 2027, closing vehicular traffic and becoming an alley of public art and landscaping.

Susan Hanson, a retired English senior lecturer, said while the downtown area has not changed much in the past 40 years, she has noticed the increase in bars, restaurants, murals and community activities.

“[Falletta]’s brought a lot of stuff, like concerts on The Square, that we had last summer about this past year and farmers markets,” Hanson said.

Downtown San Marcos continues to create new initiatives and ideas to improve the image of San Marcos and set precedents for further investment and funding projects on how main streets can be treated across the state.

With multiple events happening almost every day from live music to comedy shows to open mic-nights, Downtown San Marcos makes it its mission to become a center of knowledge of what’s happening downtown. Its next major event, Spirit Squared, will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 25. It will be filled with Halloween related activities like community markets, face painting and a showing of “Coco.”

“[San Marcos’ exponential growth over the past 40 years] is really important, especially in a college town when you have so many people who are not going to be here forever,” Hammons said. “[Downtown San Marcos works] with that environment to show people the importance of involving yourself locally, whether it’s coming downtown and joining in a community event or it’s spending your money on a local business so that money stays downtown.”

Anaiya Brannon Life and Arts Contributor

Musical theatre alumna Gianna Yanelli (center) performs in the Broadway production of “SIX” as Anne Boleyn, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, at the Lena Horne Theatre in New York.

JOAN MARCUS | COURTESY PHOTO

STAR FILE PHOTO

FOOTBALL

Third time’s not the charm: Cats lose once again

By Ryan Keilman Sports Contributor

The Bobcats hopes of exiting the Sun Belt with a title took a massive hit as Texas State lost another heartbreaker, this time against last season’s conference champion, the Marshall Thundering Herd, 40-37 in double overtime at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, W.Va.

Despite another stellar performance from freshman quarterback Brad Jackson and the offense, the Bobcats came up short once again and find themselves having lost three straight games.

Jackson completed 26 of 38 pass attempts for 444 yards, two passing touchdowns and one interception along with 48 yards and a score on the ground with a lost fumble.

The Bobcats started fast with a four-play, 29-second touchdown drive on the opening possession of the game that was ignited by a 66-yard pass to junior wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. and capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Jackson.

Dawn Jr. led the Bobcats with 180 yards receiving, a career high.

On the Bobcats’ next drive, Marshall sophomore defensive linemen Braydin Ward blew by the left side of the Bobcats’ offensive line, blindsiding Jackson, forcing a fumble and recovering it. The Thundering Herd capitalized on the turnover and scored a touchdown three plays later to even the score.

On the following drive, head coach G.J. Kinne elected to go for it on fourth-and-three instead of letting sophomore kicker Tyler Robles attempt a 45-yard field goal. The Bobcats didn’t convert and left the field with no points, a play that loomed large at the end of the game, as three points would’ve been the difference between overtime and ending in regulation.

With Marshall up 13-10, TXST marched the ball down the field on a five-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to senior tight end Titus Lyons to give the Bobcats a 17-13 lead going into halftime.

The Thundering Herd started

FROM FRONT RECOVERY

the second half with a long-sustained drive that would get them all the way to the Bobcats’ nine-yard line. The Bobcat defense didn’t break, however, and held strong on a four-down stop.

After the Bobcat defense made a stand, Jackson and the offense drove the ball down the field and ended up facing a fourth-and-2 on the sevenyard line. Kinne elected to go for it again and ended up getting stuffed.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jackson found junior wide receiver Beau Sparks for a 76-yard touchdown to steal the momentum back and give the Bobcats a 24-16 lead.

Sparks had 168 yards receiving and the touchdown gave him his sixth on the year.

On the Bobcats’ next offensive drive, up 24-16 with just nine minutes remaining in the game, Kinne sent out the punting unit, but had no intentions of playing it safe. It was a fake.

Senior punter David Nunez picked up five yards on the ground from the fake punt, enough for the first down, but the ball was punched out and the Thundering Herd recovered.

Lindblom had surgery in fall 2024, causing her to miss the spring season. She attended rehab for seven months and slowly but surely, Lindblom was able to work back up to playing golf again.

In March, Lindblom started working on putting and short game. Throughout the summer, she worked herself up to full swings.

“It’s both hard physically, like you can’t just bounce right back into it, but it’s also a mental part of it,” Lindblom said. “You need to learn to trust your body again and everything, so for me it was kind of a slow comeback.”

A labrum tear can cause pain in the hip after walking or sitting for a long period of time, according to Mayo Clinic. The tear can also impact the hip joint, causing locking or stiffness.

Throughout the recovery process, Lindblom

Marshall capitalized on the field position and kicked a field goal to make it a five-point game.

On the next Marshall drive, Del-Rio Wilson connected with junior wide receiver Adrian Norton for a 21-yard touchdown and senior wide receiver Demarcus Lacey converted the two-point conversion to give the Thundering Herd a 27-24 lead with less than two minutes remaining.

Jackson connected with Sparks and senior running back Lincoln Pare and in just six plays, the Bobcats were at the Thundering Herd 23-yard line.

A Marshall sack of Jackson all the way back to the 32-yard line looked to take the Bobcats out of field goal range.

Jackson spiked the ball to stop the clock with six seconds left to give Robles a chance to tie the game. As Robles attempted the kick, Marshall head coach Tony Gibson took a timeout to ice Robles, with his first attempt at the kick going wide.

Because of the timeout, Robles got another chance and didn’t miss, sending the Bobcats back to overtime.

Marshall got the ball first and

stayed around her teammates to continue her involvement in the team.

“I was trying to stay around the team as much as I possibly could, because I think that brought a lot of energy for me,” Lindblom said. “Like seeing them, what they were doing, and kind of still being involved in a

Lindblom joined the Bobcats at the Sam Golden Invitational, the team’s first outing of the 2025-26 season. At the second tournament, Lindblom experienced an injury flare-up, causing her to miss out on the event.

Lindblom said she worked with both the team’s physical therapist, Dr. Tiffany Constantino and assistant athletic trainer Taylor Lippert, to get back into the basics of rehab.

“I’m not used to playing as much as we have been playing,” Lindblom said. “I think that was what was going on a little bit, but it’s always kind of expected coming back from injury.”

Throughout tournaments and practices, head coach Par Nilsson worked with Lindblom on patience after coming back from the injury. At the third tournament of the season, Nilsson walked three rounds with Lindblom in Denver, Colo.

“I saw basically every hole she played,” Nilsson said. “I was mostly there to keep her patient and hit one shot at a time and not try to do everything at once.”

quickly scored a touchdown. TXST answered with a touchdown of their own on a Pare run up the middle.

Texas State started the second overtime with the ball and was held to a field goal. The Thundering Herd scored a touchdown on a run up the middle.

Multiple skirmishes after the final whistle, fireworks shooting off in the stadium and Marshall players celebrating all occurred in the stadium while officials were trying to announce that the game was not over as the play was under review. The touchdown was upheld, and Marshall secured a victory on its homecoming night.

Texas State will return home to host its next game against the current top team in the Sun Belt Conference, the James Madison Dukes. Kickoff is set for 7 pm. on Tuesday, Oct 28 at UFCU Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

In Denver, Lindblom posted a top-10 finish, placing ninth, carding 2-under 214 (70-77-67).

At the end of the fall season, leading up to spring, the team has continued to motivate Lindblom in practices and tournaments. Assistant coach Maria Jose Martinez said when the team is playing well and practicing, Lindblom wants to go out and do all of the right things that will help her perform strongly.

“The team’s been able to motivate her by working hard so that she wants to work hard as well,” Martinez said. “Since we have a lot of good players this year, it’s been kind of pushing her to also become a better her.”

Texas State sophomore golfer Fia Lindblom watches her drive at the Jim West Challenge, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, at the Kissing Tree Golf Course.

GRACE

Texas State senior running back Lincoln Pare (7) is tackled by his Troy defender, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at UFCU Stadium. The Bobcats lost to the Trojans 48-41 in overtime.

ABEL BARCENAS | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

THIS WEEK IN SMTX

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Blushed performs at the Halloween Bash, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at The Porch. Blushed is an El Paso based band, and their second EP “Is this what’s left” was released Oct. 9.

Jackie and Angelina Romero prepare their dog, Bruno (left) for the PALS Pet Fest costume contest, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at Plaza Park. Romero and Bruno’s Shrek and Fiona costumes won first place in the pet costume contest.

Saturday, Oct.

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LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

Lucille the Chow Chow wears a 70’s flower power outfit for the PALS Pet Fest costume contest

18, 2025, at Plaza Park. PALS’ Pet Fest collected donations of pet food for pets in need.

True Status performs at the Halloween Bash, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 at The Porch. True Status is a rock band based in San Marcos.

LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

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LESLIE BELLO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

The F1 Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 replica car sits outside Alkek Library, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Texas State. Aston Martin was invited to campus by Ingram School of Engineering and brought a driver team to meet with students.