I think it’s a tremendous excitement because we’re playing a national brand who’s ranked seventh in the country in our home opener with a lot of eyes on the game.
By Mathias Cubillan Sports Writer
The Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M football came with lofty expectations and ended in a whimper with a 2023 midseason firing. Now, coach Mike Elko has returned to College Station to lead the Aggies into a new age.
No. 20 Texas A&M’s season opener versus No. 7 Notre Dame at Kyle Field on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. is a trial by fire for the Aggies’ new regime. Coming off a 7-6 season marred by injuries and dysfunction, the Maroon and White’s hopes of an improved 2024 campaign start with a competitive Fighting Irish team that went 10-3 a year ago. The matchup will mark the sixth-ever clash be-
tween the two college football giants, with Notre Dame leading the series 3-2.
“Having Notre Dame, definitely a big name, really good team, has kept people sharp,” junior offensive tackle Trey Zuhn III said. “Knowing you have that great team that’s coming in here [for the] first game [has] that little extra boost.”
The spotlight will be on the quarterback matchup between two talented signal callers. A&M sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman showed the 12th Man glimpses of what made him a top recruit in an abbreviated 2023 season that saw him feature in only four games before a foot injury ended his year.
Elko’s first test as a defensive mind will be against his former quarterback at Duke, senior Riley Leonard. The dual-threat passer also finished the year injured, but has accounted for 43 total touchdowns in his career.
“So, obviously, [I’ve] got a tremendous amount of respect for who [Leonard] is, not just as a player, but as a young man and his family and
all of that,” Elko said. “It’ll be three hours of competing against each other and the rest of the year rooting for him.”
Along with an overhaul of the coaching staff, A&M brought in a host of new players to be difference makers, headlined by junior defensive lineman Nic Scourton. The Bryan native led the Big Ten in sacks last year for Purdue with 10, before transferring to his hometown team. Scourton will add pass-rush juice to a front seven that already finished 13th in run defense in 2023.
Joining Weigman in the offensive huddle will be a cast of characters familiar to A&M fans. Senior wide receiver Jahdae Walker and junior WR Noah Thomas return to give the offense capable veterans in the receiver room, while junior running back Le’Veon Moss is likely to lead a rushing attack that gained 1,770 yards on the ground in 2023.
The defense also returns some key pieces from last season’s vaunted rushing defense. Sophomore linebacker Taurean York will anchor the heart of the Aggie’s defense,
while the tandem of junior DL Shemar Stewart and senior DL Shemar Turner generates pressure up front on the quarterback.
“I know that [Leonard] knows coach Elko’s stuff, so we have to throw different looks at him, keep our shell how we want to keep it and continue to play defense how we want to play it,” York said.
Elko won’t be the only new face on the sidelines for A&M, with newly-hired offensive coordinator Collin Klein coming off a 37.1-points-per-game season as Kansas State’s play-caller. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman also joined the staff aftera two-year stint as Florida’s inside linebackers coach.
The old cliche of the game being won and lost in the trenches holds true for this matchup. The Fighting Irish will roll out an offensive line with two new starting tackles after 2023 starters Joe Alt and Blake Fisher were drafted into the NFL. Notre Dame is expected to start three sophomores and two freshmen up front.
“We’ve got to be a team that es-
tablishes the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and I think, in this one, certainly, that will play a huge role in dictating the outcome of the game,” Elko said.
The Aggies reinforced defensive line and a raucous Kyle Field crowd need to rattle Leonard and keep the QB in the pocket to make him uncomfortable. If Weigman and A&M’s offense avoid mistakes and play complementary football, the Aggies could eke out a win.
“I think it’s a tremendous excitement because we’re playing a national brand who’s ranked seventh in the country in our home opener with a lot of eyes on the game,” Elko said.
With ESPN’s College GameDay rolling into College Station for the first time since 2018, the Aggies have a chance to make a statement. As only three-point favorites, it won’t be easy, but taking down a top-ten ranked team in Elko’s first game at the helm would send a simple but effective message to the rest of the country: Football in Aggieland is turning around.
New-look A&M offense seeks to conquer experienced Notre Dame SPORTS
Weigman
returns and Klein debuts
o ense
By Justin Chen Sports Writer
After about nine months, Texas A&M football is back and revamped.
The staff has been overhauled from the head coach to the offensive and defensive coordinators, and on Saturday, the 12th Man will be treated to a top-20 evening game against No. 7 Notre Dame. With a ranked clash in store, here’s a look at how the Aggies’ offense matches up against the Fighting Irish’s defense.
In the first order of business, A&M’s offense will be led by newly-minted offensive coordinator Collin Klein. The mastermind behind Kansas State’s No. 10 scoring offense in 2023 brings an all-around scheme and will look to replicate the utilization of multiple players in the offense. No one will benefit more from the mind of Klein than sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman.
downs to just two interceptions. With potential to finally break out barring injuries, Weigman and Klein will grow an offensive partnership that the Maroon and White haven’t seen in awhile.
Though A&M lost key players with the departure of receivers Ainias Smith to the big leagues and junior Evan Stewart to Oregon, the receiving corps is still a force to be reckoned with. Junior Noah Thomas and senior Jahdae Walker bring back both height and experience to help Weigman. However, one player everyone will be looking at is freshman Terry Bussey. The No. 1 athlete in the 2024 class comes in as a Travis Hunter-esque player, where he is almost positionless. Though his listed position is cornerback, don’t be surprised if Klein slots the talented freshman as a receiver or even a running back.
However, the biggest concern for the Cypress native and former five-star recruit is his health. Though Weigman’s previous year was cut short due to a season-ending foot injury, his production prior to the injury was a bright spot for the Aggies, throwing for 979 yards and eight touch-
With all the excitement and potential for A&M offensively, its first test is a mighty difficult one to pass. Led by defensive coordinator Al Golden, the Fighting Irish are essentially locksmiths with how airtight their defense is, and the numbers back it up. In the 2023-24 season, they ranked No. 4 in passing yards given up per game, No. 8 in total yards given up per game and No. 8 in points given up per game. Though its weakness is in stopping the run, Notre Dame can breathe a quick sigh of relief as A&M’s key soph-
omore running back Rueben Owens suffered a season-ending lower body injury on Aug. 11. Spearheading the monstrous defense is graduate safety Xavier Watts. Watts broke out last year, leading the NCAA with seven interceptions along with a career-high 52 combined tackles. He also had back-to-back weeks with a pair of picks, showing off his ability to be a ballhawk to opposing quarterbacks. After a breakout year, Watts won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player.
One more player vital in stopping the air attack is junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison. In many people’s lists he is a top-three cornerback
been named to the Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award Watch Lists, and has earned Preseason All-America nods from The AP, ESPN and Sporting News.
By D.J. Burton Sports Writer
Coach Mike Elko’s No. 20 Texas A&M football team kicks off its 2024 season against an unfamiliar foe: the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Aggies and the Fighting Irish last faced off in 2001, with A&M winning 24-3 at Kyle Field.
The victory came on the back of then-coach R.C. Slocum’s “Wrecking Crew” defense, with the front seven wreaking havoc all game.
“I can’t recall being hit that many times in one game,” former Notre Dame freshman quarterback Carlyle Holiday said after the game.
The consistent pressure forced errant throws, leading to A&M’s three interceptions in the contest.
The 2023 Aggie defensive line did nothing less than terrorize opposing quarterbacks, tallying 42 sacks and 99 tackles for loss.
Led by senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner, this season’s group features junior DL Shemar Stewart and Albert Regis taking on bigger roles as well as junior Purdue standout DL Nic Scourton joining the Maroon and White.
Scourton, a Bryan native, has
On the second level, the Aggies return standout sophomore linebacker Taurean York. As a freshman, York started all 13 games, recording 74 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss, which were the most by an SEC freshman.
Alongside York, junior Florida transfer Scooby Williams, senior Pitt transfer Solomon DeShields and sophomore Daymion Sanford all look to make a difference in the game at linebacker.
In the defensive backfield, junior safety Bryce Anderson returns to lead the room after a 54-tackle season. He is joined by senior cornerback Tyreek Chappell, graduate Florida transfer nickelback Jaydon Hill, freshman Alabama transfer defensive back Dezz Ricks, junior Kansas State transfer CB Will Lee III and graduate Central Michigan transfer DB Trey Jones III.
Elko’s defenses are consistently disruptive, and this year’s crew should be no different. With a lack of experience up front, Notre Dame’s offense is susceptible to the rush.
After losing tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher to the NFL Draft, the Irish have 29 combined appearances up front, with 23 of them coming
in the country, if not toptwo — and for good reason.
In his freshman year, he collected six interceptions, with half being against Boston College. Though his season was cut short due to injury, he led the team in passes defended and is projected to be one of the first cornerbacks to be taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Come Saturday, Kyle Field should be treated to a close showdown as A&M shows off its offense against one of the country’s best and most-proven defenses in Notre Dame.
Fighting the Irish: Elko’s revamped defense to face Notre Dame offense
from senior guards Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler. The group has just six combined starts.
The Aggies, who led the SEC in sacks last season, should be able to live in the backfield against the young bunch, especially in a rowdy Kyle Field.
Notre Dame bolstered its receiving corps this offseason, adding three key transfers in graduate Clemson transfer Beaux Collins, graduate Marshall transfer Jayden Harrison and graduate Florida International transfer Kris Mitchell. Returning sophomore Jaden Greathouse looks to make major contributions in 2024.
In the running back room, sophomore Jeremiyah Love and junior Jadarian Price will lead the charge for the Blue and Gold.
The Fighting Irish regain senior tight end Mitchell Evans, who had his junior campaign cut short by an injury. Before being sidelined, Evans recorded 29 receptions for 422 yards and a touchdown.
Notre Dame senior quarterback Riley Leonard reunites with his former Duke head coach, this time on the other side of the stripes.
“To be able to play against him — it’s awesome,” Leonard said.
“People say every game is the same, but this means a lot to me.”
Under Elko in 2023, Leonard completed 57.5% of passes for 1,102 yards and three touchdowns in just
seven games. In 2022, he was one of three FBS quarterbacks to throw for north of 2,900 yards and rush for 695 yards, joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
Having coached him for two seasons, Elko knows Leonard’s strengths and weaknesses like the back of his hand.
However, the same could be said for Leonard.
“He is probably a bit more familiar with this defense than most quarterbacks we play,” Elko said.
“Two years going against a version of this defense that is similar to what he will see Saturday night probably gives him a little bit more of an advantage than it does us.”
At the end of the day, fans are in for a hard-fought battle between competitors who have nothing but respect for each other.
Chris Swann — THE BATTALION Texas A&M DL Rylan Kennedy (15) hits tight end Shane Calhoun (82) while running a drill during the fifth day of fall football practice. Junior
‘The
last great ticket pull’
By Theresa Lozano Life & Arts Editor
As the new tent policy for ticket pull rolled out last Monday, the guidelines left some students not only frustrated and adjusting for the future — but worried for the already-existing community.
Braving the sweltering heat, “diehard” ticket pullers started camping out last Saturday, Aug. 17, two weeks before the opening football matchup between Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Biology senior Noah Franklin was the first to get a part of the action, setting up at 3 p.m., followed shortly by industrial engineering senior Jimmy Morefield.
“I had planned this a month prior to me actually doing it, and I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to start that Saturday before,’” Franklin said. “I didn’t realize that other people were playing chicken just like I was. If I had seen someone else’s tent out here I was going to go home — rush home. I would have skipped work to do it.”
The campers were informed the rules wouldn’t apply to this first game, so they persevered. A few students opened up a “little party square,” and throughout the tents, they set up TVs, fans, turf grass, the Guitar Hero video game and drums, as well as dehumidifiers and an inflatable couch that has been compared to the iconic “Friends” couch.
Hailey Spencer, Class of 2024 — and inhabitant of the tent with turf grass and Guitar Hero — is not new and certainly not over this tradition.
“I just come out here for the vibes,” Spencer said. “I like still feeling the Aggie spirit, even though I’ve already graduated. We all have a big ticket group with an Excel sheet, so I just come help out whenever I can.”
As a night shift nurse, she helps fill in for her party when others have class or need to take a shower.
“We all take trades,” Spencer said. “We’ll be like, ‘Okay, I’ve been out here, and I need to go shower.’”
Seeing a thing or two also applies to the lore behind the decades-long tradition, from the “list eater” to hot tubs. The new policy banning hot tubs and pools isn’t random — it’s because it’s already happened.
“I think it was like a 150-gallon inflatable hot tub,” Morefield said. “They brought a really big cooler in a truck and they used five-gallon buckets to move all of the water out of the truck into the hot tub.”
And the “list eater?” It’s true. It happened in 2004 when two people “cut in line,” back when students used to keep track of the line with a paper list.
“My understanding is people kind of looked out and saw that she was standing in line and they were like, ‘Does she not know how the list works?’” Morefield said. “The list leader for that window went up to talk to her and she took the list for that window, crumpled it up and put it in her mouth, and there’s a debate on whether she spit it out afterwards or swallowed the list.”
We love this, and it’s a tradition that we don’t want to end. Noah Franklin Camper “ “
And that’s exactly what Morefield did. When he drove by Kyle Field and saw Franklin pulling his tent out of his bag, he went back to his apartment and loaded up.
They began camping for days on end — soon enough, the “tent city” was growing. But after sleeping less than a foot from the ticket windows for days, the campers were met the following Monday with Student Affairs administrators telling them to unblock the fire lane and informing them of new rules. Tents must be free-standing, pools and cooking devices are no longer permitted and, most impactful of all, campouts can only begin at 6 a.m. the Sunday before ticket pull.
Although some go home to freshen up, others take advantage of the university facilities and use the Student Recreation Center, like Franklin.
“I’ve been sweating for the past 12 hours,” Franklin said. “What do I do to clean off and not be the musty guy in a class? Some people like myself and one of my other buddies will go to the rec and shower there.”
To campers like Franklin, committing to ticket pull means putting everything they have into it. He has a duffel bag of clothes and a vanity bag, staying prepared and quoting Farmers Insurance: “We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.”
According to a Good Bull Hunting article, she ate it.
“After that, because they lost a whole list for the window, I guess they lost all that information,” Morefield said. “The people kind of lost trust in the system, and then after that, it kind of just faded out.”
Fast forward to the present day, securing seats has only become more competitive. By the weekend before ticket pull, nightlife in the tent city was in full swing. Playing Spikeball and poker and crowded around TVs, most campers were eager for Monday morning’s arrival.
“Tickets are first come, first served,” Franklin said. “It’s not something that we’re just doing to own the whole ticket pull thing. We’re here because we want our tickets, and if they want to come and join us, there’s more than enough room in tent city. It’s a great place to build a community. It’s a great way to meet friends. We all sit around and have fun.”
Franklin maintains another tradition — he and a group of friends gather around the Reveille statue and do the War Hymn the midnight before ticket pull. The night before Aug. 26, other campers joined them from their own tents as they sang.
Though the campers band together to have fun, they’re all technically competing for tickets. That competitiveness showed Monday morning with “the cram” — a push for the ticket windows that lasted five hours after they opened. At 5 a.m., campers began clearing tents and pushing each other to their final goal. Some, like animal science senior Jaxson Zimmerman, wish the university had prepared better.
“Without the student body, football games would be much, much,
much different,” Zimmerman said.
“You can’t tout that you have the best student section in the country and not try your best to accommodate.”
Zimmerman and his group started camping out last Monday evening, a week before their classification ticket pull. He said he believes the recent rule change is one of the worst decisions administrators have made. Instead, Zimmerman says, they should integrate technology into the mix.
“There’s no reason why somebody that should start camping three days after I do should end up with better tickets than me just because of luck,” Zimmerman said. “If they’re really wanting to be fair, they would do it the right way… [That] we can’t implement [technology] here is kind of baffling to me.
“If they don’t think that — especially for the Texas game — that something’s not going to go wrong and somebody’s either going to get run over, somebody’s going to get in a fight, because there will be issues with that, they’re crazy,” Zimmerman continued.
The current system ensures fairness, Zimmerman said. The lengthy, hard-working process is a “part of it,” and while it’s stressful, students have found ways to accommodate themselves through methods like shifts.
“If it means something to you, you’ll go through, and you’ll take
all the actions necessary to be able to camp and have all types of effective communication and coordination,” Zimmerman said.
Morefield shared the sentiment, saying the new Sunday policy might encourage students to “wait in line for a line.”
“I don’t know if the university has really accounted for that,” Morefield said.
While diehard campers don’t want the — sometimes — lengthy tradition to change, they’re cooperating with the university’s wishes and waiting to watch the season play out.
“It’s just showing how redass we are,” Franklin said. “We love this, and it’s a tradition that we don’t want to end. I understand that the university is having to change the regulations, but it’s also something they don’t want to see ending as well because they enjoy seeing us out here.”
Recent ticket pull camps have created a community within a community that many don’t see dying off, no matter the regulations.
“There’s no one else in the United States or the world that does it like Texas A&M does, and nobody will ever understand that,” Zimmerman said. “It is entirely unique and as cliche as it sounds, ‘From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.’ That perfectly encapsulates what this is all about. You might not get it, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to respect it.”
Industrial engineering senior Jimmy Morefield stands at the entrance of his tent at the Kyle Field Plaza on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
Biology senior Noah Franklin sits in his tent in preparation of ticket pull for the football game vs. Notre Dame at the Kyle Field Plaza on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Mathematics senior Randy Arris and business honors sophomore Carson Arris play Guitar Hero under their tent while camping for ticket pull in preparation for the football game vs. Notre Dame at the Kyle Field Plaza on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Photos by Chris Swann —
By Matthew Seaver Asst. Sports Editor
SPORTS
No. 19 Miami at Florida
Saturday, Aug. 31 — 2:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN+ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Gainesville, Florida
to put on a show for NFL scouts. Florida coach Billy Napier comes into the season on the hot seat, just 11-14 in two seasons with the Gators. Miami
Colorado State at No. 4 Texas
Saturday, Aug. 31 — 2:30 p.m. on ESPN DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium — Austin
The Texas Longhorns are looking at a complete reload after losing 11 players to the 2024 NFL Draft. The Colorado State Rams enter year three under coach Jay Norvell hoping to be Mountain West title contenders. The Rams have a wide receiver corps headlined by graduate Tory Horton and senior Dylan Goffney. However, the Longhorns could
overwhelm a Colorado State defense that ranked 104th in the nation last season. Only one set of horns can walk away victorious, and Texas is looking to win its first game as a member of the SEC. Maybe there’s a sighting of redshirt freshman QB Arch Manning if the Longhorns pull away fast enough.
Prediction: Texas 38, Colorado State 14
looks to make a push for the ACC title this year. Meanwhile, Florida simply hopes for a winning season. It’s all about the U, and Napier’s seat gets even hotter as he loses another big game in front of the Gator faithful.
Prediction: Miami 28, Florida 17
No. 23 USC vs. No. 13 LSU
Saturday, Aug. 31 — 6:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN+ Allegiant Stadium — Las Vegas
These two teams are extremely similar. Both the Trojans and Tigers come into the game without their Heisman-winning quarterbacks, who went first and second overall, respectively, in the 2024 NFL Draft. This will also be both teams’ first outing with new defensive coor-
dinators after their programs were held back by lackluster defenses last season. A shootout in Las Vegas could see this duel come down to whichever team can get a stop on defense. Sin City shows us that the Tigers mean business and are not to be taken lightly this season.
Prediction: LSU 35, USC 34
Players to watch: No. 7 Notre Dame
Who to watch for in primetime as Aggie Football faces Notre Dame
By Kolton Becker Sports Writer
A highly-anticipated matchup featuring No. 7 Notre Dame traveling to Kyle Field to face No. 20 Texas A&M is right around the corner. Both teams are looking to add an early and impressive win to their resumes.
The College Football Playo landscape has changed. 12 teams now make the bracket, which puts more pressure on players to perform at their highest level. Here are a few players to watch in primetime this Saturday.
Conner Weigman, sophomore quarterback
After su ering a devastating foot injury in 2023, Weigman returned for his redshirt sophomore season, working under newly-hired coach Mike Elko and o ensive coordinator Collin Klein. In Weigman’s rst season as a freshman with the Maroon and White in 2022, he
started four games before earning the starting job in 2023.
In the air, Weigman has recorded 1,875 yards passing and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions in two years. Can college football fans expect another elite start by Weigman and witness his rst full season as a healthy starting quarterback?
Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, junior running backs
Unexpectedly, sophomore RB Rueben Owens likely su ered a season-ending foot injury during a fall scrimmage. Fortunately for the Aggies, they retained two experienced veteran running backs who did not enter the transfer portal in Moss and Daniels, who combined for over 1,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
With 96 carries, Moss was a boss on the ground with 484 rushing yards and ve touchdowns. Daniels led the team with 105 carries, producing 532 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Daniels, a four-star prospect from Miami, joined the Maroon and White in 2021. Before landing with the Aggies, Daniels was an All-American Bowl selection, the 16th best all-purpose back in the
country and 35th-best prospect out of Florida.
Both running backs will be heavily utilized in the run game, but the question remains: who will Elko elect to earn the starting job?
Riley Leonard, senior QB
yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for 1,224 yards and 19 scores. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder is highly capable of reading defenses and maneuvering through tra c.
Benjamin Morrison, junior cornerback
One of the biggest acquisitions of the o season for Notre Dame came when Leonard decided to transfer from Duke. There is one coach who is familiar with Leonard’s athleticism and ability to make big plays before his injuries kept him o the eld. His name is Mike Elko, former Duke head coach, who will be on the opposite sideline of Leonard for the rst time in the last two seasons.
While at Duke, Leonard started in 21 out of his 27 games played in three seasons with the Blue Devils. He racked up 4,450 passing
Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. on ABC
During his freshman season, the 6-foot, 190-pounder Morrison was awarded 2022 All-America honors by On3, College Football News, Pro Football Focus, The Athletic and 247Sports, accumulating 33 tackles and six interceptions with four pass breakups. His sophomore year consisted of 31 tackles, 3 1/2 for loss, and leading the Irish with 10 pass breakups. Considering the Fighting Irish nished 2023 as the top team in pass e ciency defense and fth in total defense, it should be fun to watch what Morrison can bring to the defensive side of
Volleyball enters its second season under coach Morrison
Aggies look to build off tournament appearance
By Andrew Paredes Sports Writer
Students have returned to campus, and the summer heat has slowly crept down into the low 90s, which means it’s time for Texas A&M volleyball.
The Aggies are entering year two of coach Jamie Morrison’s era in Aggieland. Year one was a fresh start for the program, as the Aggies nished with a 16-12 regular season record and made the NCAA Tournament for the rst time since 2019.
A&M will begin its season at the Jaguar Invitational, starting with South Alabama on Friday and McNeese on Saturday. Then, it will return to College Station for its home opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday.
Six new faces will be dawning for the Maroon and White this season, as Morrison has brought in ve players in the transfer portal and one incoming freshman.
The Aggies’ o ense will be adding junior outside hitter Taylor Humphrey from Rutgers, junior OH Emily Hellmuth from Pepperdine, freshman OH Amare Hernandez and sophomore setter Maddie Waak from LSU.
Humphrey, Hellmuth and Hernandez come in and add to A&M’s hitting group, which already includes junior opposite hitter Logan Lednicky, redshirt sophomore OPP Ital Lopuyo and junior OH Lexi Guinn. Lednicky was picked by SEC coaches to be a 2024 Preseason All-SEC member.
For the defense, the transfer additions of junior libero Tatum Thomas from Grand Canyon and junior defensive specialist Ellie Stinson from Northwestern both
provide experienced defenders. The focal point of the Aggies’ defense is junior middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, who was picked as a Preseason All-SEC Team member.
Last year, the Aggies saw their season come to an end in the rst round of the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 loss against the Longhorns. A&M gets its chance to get revenge on Texas during its SEC opener on Sept. 27 in Reed Arena.
On Oct. 13, the Maroon and White go to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for their rst matchup against LSU. Despite LSU having a down year in 2023 with an 1117 score, the Aggies should expect a competitive matchup against the Tigers.
Afterwards, A&M sees Texas in a rematch. The second match between the Aggies and the Longhorns will take place on Oct. 23 in Austin.
The Maroon and White will continue to go through a gauntlet of talented teams going into November, as they face No. 9 Kentucky on Nov. 8 and No. 15 Tennessee on Nov. 10 in Lexington and Knoxville.
A&M’s nal home match of the year will be against LSU on Nov. 24 in Reed Arena.
Although last season was a step in the right direction for the Maroon and White, there are new expectations. SEC coaches predicted that A&M will nish seventh in the conference in the preseason coaches’ poll.
If there is a year for A&M to become one of the top volleyball programs in the SEC, it would be 2024. A feeling of continuity with nine returning players mixed with six exciting new additions under an acclimated coaching sta is a recipe for potential success.
Aug. 30 - South Alabama
Aug. 31 - McNeese State
Sept. 2 - A&M Corpus Christi
Sept. 6 - Texas State
Sept. 13 - Temple
Sept. 14 - New Hampshire
Sept. 15 - Louisiana
Sept. 19 - Northern Iowa
Sept. 21 - Wisconsin
Sept. 22 - Troy
Sept. 27 - Texas
Sept.
Sophomore MB Morgan Perkins (21) and freshman OPP Ital Lopuyo (2) celebrate with freshman S Margot Manning (10) after scoring during Texas A&M’s game vs. Auburn at Reed Arena on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023.
Who is the “Accordion Guy?”
A sophomore from the San Francisco Bay Area, he’s more commonly known as the “Accordion Guy” since more people know his music than his face.
By Amy Leigh Steward Editor-in-Chief
It’s a common sight in Academic Plaza: a man, dressed in semi-formal clothes, wanders between the buildings with an accordion in his hand. Music makes its way from the brick-red instrument and winds around Bolton and Nagle Hall, across the Academic Building, down Military Walk and out toward the old mess hall and beyond.
Some days he takes up residence on a bench, joined once in a while by passerbys. They sit for a second and talk about life and music and everything in between; then they move on while the man still plays. His name is Joshua Pattugalan.
“Sometimes I’ll sit down on Military Walk, or I’ll play in the Flag Room, and it’s a great way to meet people,” Pattugalan said.
“Of course, there’s a title thrown in with it. ‘Oh, you’re the Accordion Guy.’ I’m not on social media. I kind of live under a rock, but I do hear it from people.”
Learning the accordion was never his plan — originally, it was guitar. It felt right after playing piano all his life and singing in a Catholic choir with his sister as a child. A family road trip the summer before college, however, pulled him in another direction.
“But as I was falling asleep in the passenger seat of the car, listening to music, accordion comes on the YouTube autoplay,” Pattu-
galan said. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, that sounds really nice,’ as I doze o . We get home, and I throw eBay open — and I’m like, ‘That’s an accordion. I think I want that one.’ Spontaneously, I bought an accordion.”
A few short weeks after the accordion arrived, it was only natural for Pattugalan to bring the instrument along when he left for Aggieland.
“I dragged the accordion o with me to campus,” Pattugalan said. “And I gured I may as well just bring it with me everywhere I go. I started playing it, and that’s about it. It’s that there’s no really rhyme or reason to it. I like the way it sounds. I like music.”
The accordion goes everywhere he goes: all 22 pounds of it. A keyboard lines one side, and 120 buttons — each representing a different chord — line the other.The interior houses a marvel of analog
engineering that’s remained more or less unchanged since its invention 200 years ago.
“It’s all mechanical,” Pattugalan said. “Some people have approached me asking if I could turn it on for them to try. But it’s not about turning it on. It’s about pumping it. It’s air.”
Pattugalan said he’s been learning how to play as he goes; it wasn’t until mid-August this year that he even met another accordion player. A lot of his music is improvised or self-written, but he’s partial to covers as well.
Some songs, like ones he knows on the piano, are easy to transfer to the accordion. Others take time to master — he’s currently working his way through the Aggie War Hymn so he’ll be able to play it in time for the football game against Texas in November.
One of Pattugalan’s favorite songs to play, especially on a sunny
‘Our job is to love people’
Meet the Aggies bringing hope to combat zones across the globe
By Ian Curtis Features Editor
Nursing senior Sahale Eubank found her calling on the front line of the ght against the Islamic State.
The town of Al-Baghuz Fawqani, Syria — the last piece of land held by ISIS — was surrounded by Coalition forces. Civilians, including the wives and children of ISIS ghters, were eeing the front line after weeks of ghting with nothing but the clothes on their backs and what they could carry with them.
And as they ed across the desert, Sahale and the rest of her team were waiting to treat them.
“I saw a lot of amputations,” Sahale said. “I saw a lot of kids with really extreme wounds. And I found that it didn’t disgust me, it didn’t shock me, it didn’t terrify me. It actually made me very interested in medicine.”
Just before enrolling as a student at Texas A&M, Sahale found herself in Syria as part of a mission with Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid organization originally founded in 1997 by her father, David Eubank, Class of 1983. FBR aims to help those a ected by a nearly 80-year-long civil war in Myanmar.
Also known as Burma, the Southeast Asian country has seen ghting between the Burmese military and various ethnic resistance armies since the country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1948.
That’s where Sahale’s sister, Suuzanne Eubank — a Class of 2024 animal science graduate and fourth-generation Aggie — found her own calling in veterinary medicine. She’s currently applying to A&M’s veterinary medicine school.
As a child, one of her rst jobs working with the organization was taking care of pack mules and
Criticism: ‘Alien: Romulus’
Great VFX, OK plot, way too many sexual motifs
By Charis Adkins Opinion Editor
Rating: 6/10
Spoilers ahead for “Alien: Romulus”
What do you get when you combine weaponized autism, Bilbo Baggins and an obscene amount of sexual motifs? Apparently, “Alien: Romulus.”
Directed by Fede Álvarez, “Alien: Romulus” is the seventh movie in the “Alien” franchise. Set separately from earlier lms, it follows a group of young space colonists who attempt to scavenge materials from a deserted space station. Aliens appear, hijinks ensue, etc.
Let’s start with the good stu .
The visual e ects, or VFX, in this lm were spectacular. I especially loved how they played with sound design during these cinematic scenes.
For all its good qualities, the lm de nitely had its downsides.
Going back to weaponized autism, the whole “synthetic person” angle just didn’t seem fully eshed out. For a character that’s basically supposed to be an AI esh suit, Andy’s character wa ed between a complete lack of empathy and very human decision making.
horses used to deliver medical supplies, food and other aid to villages deep in the Burmese jungle that are only accessible on foot — and she quickly grew to love the animals.
But it was the all-too-common sight of water bu alo and elephants missing limbs after stepping on landmines that solidi ed the choice in her heart.
“Between landmines and air strikes, it really wounded and obliterated these animals,” Suuzanne said. “It was something that touched my heart in a place that I wanted to help. And so as I prayed about what my next steps were coming out of high school, I started pursuing being a veterinarian.”
Aid in the gap
The origins of what would become FBR can be traced back to 1993, when David — who was in seminary after just under a decade in the U.S. Army — received a plea of help from a tribe in Burma by way of his missionary parents in Thailand.
Fast forward three decades and FBR has grown from David, his wife Karen Eubank and a handful of medics into an organization of dozens of teams that have led relief
missions and documented human rights abuses in Burma, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Ukraine and Tajikistan helping refugees on the Afghan border.
“There’s only three rules in FBR,” David said. “Do this for love because teams aren’t paid.You can’t run if people can’t run away, so that’s spiritual, moral and physical courage. And last is reading or writing in any language because to do the medicine and do the reporting, you have to be literate.”
FBR works in the “humanitarian gap,” as David puts it — the space between the front lines of con ict zones where civilians and combatants are wounded and the larger, well-equipped humanitarian aid organizations that work away from active combat zones.
“There’s the front line where people are getting killed, bullets are smacking into your head, or your buddy’s head, or the wall behind you,” David said. “And there’s a gun ght, and there aren’t non-governmental organizations there. There’s no humanitarian groups there because there’s a kill zone. So there’s always a gap between the place where people get wounded and shot — whether they’re soldiers or civilians — all the way back to refugee camps
and hospitals.”
The organization doesn’t claim to be neutral — “free the oppressed” is an often-repeated mantra, and FBR has worked directly with ethnic armies in Burma and Kurdish forces in Iraq, among others. While some Rangers do carry weapons to defend themselves and those they serve, they are not a group of ghters, soldiers or mercenaries.
“Our job is to love people,” Sahale said. “We’re not there to be hostile to the Burmese military. We’re not paci sts, so we’ll defend ourselves if need be. But our job is not a militant job. We’re not there to go and take a village or go take a camp. We’re there to help people and show love.”
Frontline faith
While FBR itself is not a religious organization — its members consist of atheists, agnostics, animists, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and others — the Eubanks themselves are devoutly Christian and hope that it is evident in their work.
“One thing that I hope is very visible that sets us apart, I hope, is
While I enjoyed David Jonsson’s acting, Andy came across more as low-functional autistic than synthetic human. This changed the vibe of the lm for me and ruined the immersion in some parts, just because the writers couldn’t seem to decide how human to make him.
The entire Rook character was weak. He was just a glori ed narrative data dump to catch the audience up. They even slapped him on the intercom so he could keep popping up like a video game narrator to explain away plot holes or push the action forward.
Aside from the characters, my chief complaint with the lm lies in the heavy sexual undertones. Good God, the amount of sexual motifs a orded to the Aliens was ridiculous. I know, I know, the movie’s whole deal is extraterrestrial impregnation; the Alien’s heads are phallic in shape, and I don’t even want to talk about the freaky little tubes inside their double mouths.
But to put a whole ass alienussy on screen and have a character literally — how do I put this? — penetrate it with a zappy stick was a bit much, at least when you consider that they didn’t intend for the scene to be funny. Big laughs from my group in the theater, to say the least.
The same misplaced humor could be found in the “o spring.” Why, tell me why was his neck so thick? Every time they did a closeup he looked goo er. Out here looking like a whole thumb and they’re trying to pass him o as the end-all and the be-all of horror. I don’t think so.
Overall, it was alright. Great VFX, OK plot. Way funnier than I expected, and very possibly way funnier than they intended — perfect for a movie night with friends.
Charis Adkins is an English senior and opinion editor for The Battalion
ACCORDION ON B3
Chris Swann — THE BATTALION
Photos courtesy of 20th Century Studios
David Eubank prays over wounded civilians during a Free Burma Rangers mission in Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of David Eubank)
SILVER TAPS Thomas R. Connolly
March 4, 2005 — June 24, 2024
Ceremony: Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 10:30 p.m.
To read more about Silver Taps honorees, scan the QR code or visit thebatt.com/traditions
Afriend to everyone he ever met throughout his whole life.
Thomas Connolly, from the town of Keller, grew up with a passion for football and was known for being joyful and outgoing. Thomas exempli ed the Aggie Value of Sel ess Service; he was always helping out others and had a strong moral compass.
Janette Connolly, Thomas’ mother, said Thomas was interested in the world and in the ways everything worked. These attributes led to him growing into an
empathetic and service-oriented young man.
“He would make sure everyone was included,” Janette said. “He would sit on the buddy bench, to make sure nobody was alone and had a friend. That’s the kind of person he was.”
Thomas was very close with his friends, having grown up with them and played football together for many years. He attended Westlake Academy in Keller and was dedicated to his team and the friendships he developed over the years spent in athletics.
“He was the team captain his senior year,” Janette said. “... when
he got into Texas A&M, he called all his friends to make sure they would all go to A&M together.”
Having known the same friends for years, Janette said they grew up together and still remained close at A&M. Through his time in football, Thomas led by example and committed himself to his values and his community.
Thomas was diagnosed with cancer on the rst day of classes his freshman year and was unable to return to classes.
“Thomas was very positive, from the moment of his diagnosis. He was very brave and such a tough kid,” Janette said.
Having been known for being intelligent and witty,Thomas’ kind and extroverted personality shone through in everything he did. Through his service to the community and others around him, his legacy and dedication to selfless service will continue to be a bright light for future Aggies.
“Over 400 people showed up for his funeral,” Janette said. “He had a strong faith and was always optimistic. He lived for his family and friends.”
By J.M. Wise News Editor
October 13, 2003 — June 18, 2024
Elshadai Bekele Getnet
An officer, husband, father and friend devoted to his community.
Kevin was raised by his mother, stepfather and father, Stacey Linn Morris, Randy Morris and Gary Palmer, respectively. He grew up with two step-siblings, Billy Garza and Clara Hustad. He was raised in McAllen and later lived in North Ridge and Fort Worth.
Kevin recently celebrated his 20-year anniversary at the North Richland Hills Police Department, where, according to his wife, Kelli Palmer, he rose from being a police o cer to being the assistant chief of police in a large city.
“Kevin was a very respected member of the police department, and others looked up to him a great deal because of the way he
Joyful in academics, and athletics. Dedicated to friends and family.
Elshadai Bekele Getnet, known by friends and family as Elsh, grew up in Cypress. He was the beloved son of Getnet Bekele and Alemnesh Sileshi and the loving brother of Mieraf Getnet.
Elsh graduated cum laude from
Cy-Fair Senior High School in 2022, embodying what it means to be an avid academic. He went on to study industrial distribution engineering at Texas A&M University.
Elsh was dedicated to sports, starting in elementary school and continuing throughout his time in high school. He was recognized for his achievements, including being the CFSA Basketball Spring Season in 2015 U12 Metro Di-
October 11, 1979 — May 1, 2024
vision Champion and the CFSA Baseball U12 Metro 2015 Champion.
On top of being an award-winning athlete, Elsh was known for being empathetic and joyful.
Elsh’s obituary calls him “a phenomenal Son, Brother and Friend who brought immense joy and light into our lives with his kind heart, quick wit and infectious laughter. Though his time with us was brief, the depth of love and
Kevin Linn Palmer
carried himself and how fair he was,” Palmer said.
Not only was Kevin a well-respected member of the police department, but he was also a well-respected husband, father and friend.
“His life goal was to work hard, be a good husband, father and friend and just make sure that everybody around him could laugh,”
Kelli said. “Kevin would always say that if you’re not laughing at yourself, then you’re doing life wrong.”
Kevin and his family were active members of their community through the church.
“Kevin always saw the good and potential in other people, and the people around him knew he valued them,” Kelli said.
Kevin was also a devoted and caring father to twin boys, Gavin and Mason Palmer. According to
their mother, Gavin would say “that he inherited Kevin’s want and drive for understanding how things work, building things and being very hands-on.”
Mason would say he “most enjoyed being around Kevin, telling stories and having deep conversations with each other,” Kelli said.
“Mason especially loved driving around in Kevin’s truck and listening to music together.”
Kevin had almost nished earning his master’s degree from Texas A&M in public service and administration. Before attending A&M, he was “a rst-generation graduate,” Kelli said.
Kevin’s upbringing and desire to pursue higher education is what interested him in A&M.
“Kevin always … had a passion for public service, which is why he became a part of the Corps
July 24, 2001 — March 9, 2024
of Cadets … and lived in the Air Force reserve,” Kelli said. “Kevin was drawn to A&M because of the traditions.”
His desire to be part of such a well-respected institution also drew him to the university. “A&M was the only college that he ever actually pursued,” Kelli said.
“The A&M tradition and spirit is very strong with Kevin and our family and we hope that his life inspires others to pursue big, set goals and work hard to achieve them,” Kelli said. “But do so in a way that honors other people and lets everyone around you know how much you care.”
By Stacy Cox Senior News Reporter
Kylee Elizabeth Piersol
aithful, aspiring nurse who never backed down from a challenge.
“She was the type of person that you’d meet her and you feel like you’ve known her forever,” is how Mitzi Piersol described her daughter, Kylee.
Kylee’s happy place was the beach and when on vacation, she would always wake her family before the crack of dawn on at least one of the days to watch the sun rise, Mitzi said.
She was passionate and genuine. Kylee was a baseball fanatic, an immense bookworm, a devoted dog mom to Finley and loving Auntie KyKy to two nephews.
Her parents describe Kylee as an old soul — a recracker who was also meticulous. She loved coming home to a fresh house and always washed the laundry and dishes before heading home for the weekends.
“Everything was in order,” Drew, her dad, said. “All the pil-
lows were u ed. We see what she’s like when she’s here, but we’ve never been in her apartment without her. And so when you walk in, you’re like, ‘Man, that’s just not normal.’ But that’s how she was. She was very, very detailed. She was with it.”
Being an Aggie runs in the family. Her dad graduated in the Class of 1990, and her oldest brother was Class of 2019. Her fun fact when introducing herself is that she was named after Kyle Field.
The youngest of three siblings, Kylee was set to graduate with honors from Texas A&M this December and was planning on heading to Round Rock for her second degree. More than committed to her studies, she was always focused and waited until going home on weekends to let her hair down, her dad said.
“She would come home Thursday, she would get a glass of wine and then she would start opening up her medical books and start reading at the table,” Drew said. “She just wanted so much to learn
and soak up everything to be the best nurse that she could be. I’m convinced she would have been one of the best.”
“She was just hell or high water,” he said. “She was going to get it. And I can’t tell you how pissed o she was when she got her only B.”
After discovering her love for health, Kylee became intrigued with nursing and majored in allied health, aspiring to become a labor and delivery nurse.
“She was really starting to grow into a woman and gure out what she wanted to do with life,” Drew said. “She’s wicked smart.”
Kylee passed a month before receiving her Aggie Ring. Mitzi now wears it in hopes that somebody will ask if she graduated from A&M, giving her an opportunity to talk about her daughter.
About a year ago, Kylee became active studying the Bible. Her dad admired how people around her leaned on her for direction in such a short time.
“Her faith, I think, is really what
happiness he shared will forever remain in our hearts.”
Elsh was an academically-minded young man who was de ned by his determination and optimistic personality. He lived every day with virtue and honor and will be remembered by his family and community.
By Mikayla Martinez News Editor
we want her to be remembered by,” Drew said. “She was changing lives outside … To have so many people come up to us and just share stories and Bible study and all the things that she was doing for them to help them through whatever they were dealing with … Genuinely, if I’m looking at this and I’m trying to gure out why it happened, I think the why for me is that God wanted us to become closer to him, and through her, we are.”
The blessing at the end of the road, Drew says, is that he and Mitzi will see their daughter again.
“We all want to be together again … eternity is eternity,” Drew said. “Heaven’s a lot better than the alternative. So that’s what we’re trying to really refocus our lives on that. But she was a blessing. She was so gifted, so witty. She’s a lot like me.”
By Theresa Lozano Life & Arts Editor
afternoon when he has no place to be, is “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. He said it was one of his grandfather’s favorites; the two of them were close, and his grandfather’s passing when Pattugalan was in seventh grade threw him in a “slump.” Playing his favorite song is one of the ways Pattugalan remembers him.
To Pattugalan, music is as much an emotional experience as an auditory experience — and he’s not the only one.
“I started sitting down on Military Walk because sometimes people would join me,” Pattugalan said. “What I heard is that not a lot of people will be asked, ‘How are you doing?’ or, ‘How are you feeling?’ And of course, the rst answer is, ‘I’m ne.’ But recently I learned that, statistically, that’s one of the largest lies that are told. And so I want to make sure — ‘Are you actually ne?’ Because some people are going through a lot of stu that not everyone will get to hear about.”
Pattugalan is trying to x a problem he too is a victim of: the attention he receives is never deeper than surface-level.
“Sometimes it bothers me a little bit that I’m just the Accordion Guy, and people aren’t willing to get to know me more than that,” Pattugalan said. “It’s not the worst. It’s not bad at all, but it does make me wish that I spent more time showing them that I was, you know, Joshua, not Accordion Guy.”
Sometimes, Pattugalan said, he wonders if becoming Accordion Guy was the right path for him. A few weeks ago he was asked
our desire and pursuance to follow God and his structure of things and his path to doing things,” Suuzanne said. “And I’m not trying to say other organizations don’t, but I really hope that when people see the Free Burma Rangers, they see that we’re marked with God’s love and his pursuance of people in very terrible situations.”
David says there are multiple reasons why the family goes on the missions that they do, but the biggest, and the rst priority, is their faith.
“People say, ‘Why do you do what you do?’” David said. “I say, ‘Well, there’s four reasons. One, spiritual. This is where God has us. Second is intellectual. Oppression is wrong. We want to stop it.Third is emotional. We love these people. They love us. We want to stand with them. Fourth is physical. We like action. We like challenges.’”
LIFE & ARTS
for the rst time if he liked being Accordion Guy. He had to think about it. Being that kind of person was nothing new to him; growing up, he said he wound up making a name for himself some way or another.
“I had a huge insecurity that I wouldn’t be worth anything if I had nothing to bring to the table,” Pattugalan said. “So I always brought something to the table, whether I was the Accordion Guy or the harmonica kid, or the art kid, or the smart guy in math class, or the funny one who developed an odd sense of humor at an early age. But now that doesn’t really matter too much to me, and it kind of became a detriment building all those up, because I want people to see, not the labels, because who cares what I bring to the table?”
Pattugalan goes back and forth about whether he’s using his accordion to get close to people or if he’s just falling back into those same habits. Either way, he said being Accordion Guy has allowed him to connect with people in a way he never had before. So who is Joshua? Who really is the face behind the music?
“I’m a very family- rst kind of person,” Pattugalan said. “I don’t really aspire for anything huge, just, you know, God willing, wife, kids. Put them through school, hopefully, be a good husband, be a good father. I like gardening. I like cooking and baking. I tend to be more on the artistic side, much to my STEM-wanting father’s disappointment, but not really … I like to bike. I love sunsets more than sunrise. Love photography. I photograph sunsets. I used to paint
learning that occurs here but also the high standard of love,” David said. “When I see that they’ve got all these things in this school, I think, ‘Well, I’m really glad that they came here. And that they learned not just the technical aspects of nursing and veterinary care, but they learned how to love.’ They learned a bigger picture.”
The sisters quickly acclimated to Aggieland, competing on the Aggies’ rugby and polo teams in addition to their studies — but that doesn’t mean the move to A&M was smooth sailing.
Half a world away from the rest of their family and friends, Sahale
them too.”
Originally, Pattugalan came to A&M to work towards an engineering degree, but his love for the humanities won out. With a new goal of law school on the horizon, Pattugalan has focused on e ective communication in his own life — and during his time as Accordion Guy as well.
“One thing I encourage for most of the people that I talk to is that, well, two things: You need to be able to communicate, and you need to be able to be honest,” Pattugalan said. “If you’re honest with yourself, then you can’t re-
and knowing that God has you in College Station where there’s no bullets ying and mortars landing, and that’s his purpose,” Suuzanne said. “And that it’s good, and that God still is going to take care of the people you love and the people you want to sometimes be with.”
Being on a college campus, especially after so many Burmese college students joined the war in Myanmar after a 2021 military coup, put things in perspective for Sahale.
To pursue the good things that God has for you — I think that’s what our purpose is in life. Suuzanne Eubank Free Burma Rangers “ “
Both Sahale and Suuzanne credit God with leading them to A&M — much to the joy of David, who credits his time in the Corps of Cadets with molding him and his family into what they are today.
“They’ve learned a lot and really appreciated the high standard of
and Suuzanne could only keep up with FBR’s activities from a distance.
“The hardest part of that transition was seeing all of the reports and being a part of all the group chats and emails that went back and forth about what was going on in Burma and Iraq and Syria,
“Some of them had psych degrees or were right in the middle of their degrees,” Sahale said. “They are from the city as well as from the jungle. But they all wanted the same things: a good education, a family at the end of their education, as well as a good life afterwards. And realizing that that was taken away from them, but there’s something that can be done about it.”
Doing something about it, as Sahale calls it, looks di erent for di erent people. For the sisters, that’s been anything from driving ambulances during the Battle of Mosul in Iraq to running kids’ programs and handling nancial reports for FBR’s operations in Burma. Others’ calling can be more mundane — but it all
gret living your life because you’re living your truth. And if you’re living your truth, then you have nothing to hide. So if you can live a life where you’re open, where you’re not hiding anything about yourself, or you’ve become content with who you are — even if you’re not quite there, even if you’re working towards that — just telling yourself every day that ‘I’m enough’ is enough.”
What is Pattugalan’s truth? He’s not sure, but from all his interactions with the people he meets, he believes he’s starting to learn.
“The more people talk to you,
the more you can learn,” Pattugalan said. “You can get their wisdom. You can learn from them. Maybe, if you’re the right person at the right time, maybe you can help them with what they’re going through. Or, if anything, be a shoulder for them to lean on, catch their breath on, before they head back out. What I learned a lot from being this way is that for a lot of people’s problems, they already know what they have to do, but they just don’t know how to get there — which is really o topic from accordion, but that’s what this is about.”
starts with a heart to serve.
“As you’re serving God, to live is Christ and to die is gain,” Suuzanne said. “I know that’s kind of dramatic, but it is actually something I walk in on missions and truly everywhere I go because
there’s car crashes everywhere. You can get hit by an A&M bus. So you never really know, but to pursue the good things that God has for you — I think that’s what our purpose is in life.”
A breath of fresh air from campus facilities services
Department of Environmental Health and Safety collaborates with Facilities and Energy Services to promote well-being of students
By Mikayla Martinez News Editor
With campus going from ghost town in the summer to swarms of students, Texas A&M has to ensure that uneven sidewalks do not trip bike riders on their way to class, re extinguishers do not spew water more extravagantly than the fountains and classrooms are not muggy on the rst days of school — which can climb above 100 degrees. The Environmental Health and Safety Department oversees waste management and inspections of campus facilities and promotes industrial hygiene throughout campus. Working hand-in-hand with Environmental Health and Safety, or EHS, Facilities and Energy Services manages vendors and sta to maintain the well-being of the university grounds. From regular-
ly cleaning commonly-touched areas to ensuring dorms are comfortable for students, Facilities and Energy Services oversee the task of promoting safe and sterile spaces for the campus.
They provide students with resources to request maintenance and communicate with professionals if they spot a potential hazard. Assistant Vice President for EHS Christina Robertson, Class of 1989, said they communicate with sta and other departments to care for A&M students.
and director of Facilities Management, works as a liaison for outside vendors such as SSC Services For Education, Creating Clean, Safe Learning Environments.
“Taking personal responsibility for your safety, following the guidelines that are expressed and adhering to those guidelines — I think that’s the best you can do,” Robertson said. “Reporting things if something seems out of the ordinary. If you feel like a safety hazard has gone unmitigated. It may be that nobody has reported it to us, or we haven’t observed it, and so taking the initiative to communicate that to us is very helpful.” Heather Quiram, Class of 1995
“Our primary goal is to work with our outside vendor SSC and all of our partners on campus, environmental health and safety, utilities and energy services and all the other groups on campus, to ensure and maintain a safe and comfortable built environment,” Quiram said. “If [Robertson’s] team nds a failure at one of the points from the health and safety perspective, then it’s our responsibility to ensure that either SSC or another vendor makes the appropriate repairs to mitigate whatever the failure is.”
A&M is cleaned by custodial sta and ready to go each day for students to remain comfortable and enjoy a clean environment, they said. Despite the campus’s e ort to maintain the commonly-touched areas, Quiram recommends students do their part to prevent disease.
“We have a phenomenal custodial crew across campus,” Quiram said. “They work diligently to ensure there are paper products in the restrooms and that the commonly-touched areas stay as clean as possible, but [we] ask people if you are ill: Stay home [and] do the very best you can to mitigate your exposure to your peers because there’s so much tra c moving through a lot of these spaces.”
Students can submit a request for maintenance on the website AggieWorks, which allows onand o -campus students to communicate with facilities management to x any issues promptly.
“Through this site, anyone with
a UIN can submit a work request for a repair,” Quiram said. “A door handle doesn’t turn well, a sink continues to drip, an interior or exterior light is out, et cetera. Please call 979-845-4311 for facility-related emergencies.”
With an expected in ux of illnesses and the peak of Texas heat as the semester starts, air quality is also a priority. In addition to the complex systems designed to maintain air quality, faculty lends a helping hand to ensure students are comfortable.
“Air lters get changed regularly so the air handlers work appropriately,” Quiram said. “We inspect those periodically and ensure that they’re in there appropriately so they can function as they should … You tend to see either uncomfortable temperatures or uncomfortable humidity levels in the space, and nine times out of ten … those can get addressed within a couple of hours.”
Spotting something out of the norm is an opportunity to report it and help others. Even something as small as an uneven brick on the sidewalk or broken door handles are handled by these departments.
“We very much want to keep, … establish and maintain this safe environment for everyone, for, quite literally, everyone, to live and learn and work in,” Robertson said.
A.P. Beutel Health Center on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2022.
General studies sophomore Joshua Pattugalan plays his accordion at the Academic Plaza on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. Sophie Villareal — THE BATTALION
Suuzanne Eubank hugs a woman wounded by an airstrike at a refugee camp in AlHawl, Syria. (Photo courtesy of Suuzanne Eubank)
File photo by Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION
Families sue professor after mold discovered
By Mikayla Martinez News Editor
Lawsuit alleges medical issues arose as result of toxic mold in rental house
A multi-million-dollar lawsuit has been led against a Texas A&M engineering professor after the former tenants of his rental property alleged that mold exposure within the house caused them substantial illnesses and debt from medical treatments.
Walter Orlate, a multidisciplinary engineering professor, is being sued by two families who lived in his rental home in the College Station neighborhood Castlegate. Orlate did not respond to requests for an interview.
The plainti s are Andrew and Leasa DeCuir and their four children along with Billy and Heather Strawn. Both families allegedly experienced expensive medical treatments, struggled to relocate their families and continued to have lasting e ects from their experiences being exposed to toxic mold. The DeCuirs’ son allegedly began having seizure episodes at school, and the plainti s received frequent medical problems due to their unknown source of illness — mold.
Both families allege that exposure to “mold, fungi and other microbe spores … cause[d] physical harm … insomnia, brain fog, muscle pain, joint in ammation, night sweats, rashes, headaches, depression, anxiety, panic-attacks [sic] and ulcers,” according to the 22-page lawsuit led in Brazos County in April.
“We felt worse being at home,” Leasa said. “We were having a lot of congestion, fatigue, rashes, like fungal-type rashes … ear infections, eye infections.”
According to Leasa, she noticed something strange under the home’s sink while doing dishes one day. Upon looking, she found an outlet with water damage and what appeared to be mold. She took pictures of the mold and sent it to the homeowner.
“At this point, I was like, ‘Oh my, this is a huge re hazard,’” Leasa said. “I was not going to panic.
Even if we had mold, surely it was not toxic. There is just no way that we are living this nightmare.”
The DeCuir family asked their landlord to do a professional inspection for mold on several occasions afterward. Orlate allegedly insisted on paying for help from a handyman.
“That was the rst time we had seen a shift in Walter’s behavior towards us,” Leasa said. “Prior to that … it just seemed like he was a nice guy. Right o the bat, he was like, ‘That does not look like mold. I don’t think there is actually mold, but I agree this is not good. Let's get that taken care of.’”
After discussing what to do about the issue, the family made a compromise with the landlord and decided to call a remediator to inspect the observed mold. They were worried about ripping it out
or messing with it, Leasa said, so they waited. But Orlate continued to allegedly recommend alternate methods, such as removing and replacing the wet boards.
Going nowhere with the professor, Leasa moved to hire a re-
Leasa DeCuir Home Renter
mediation specialist and get a second opinion on the hazard. They removed the cabinet entirely as well as boards, nding swaths of mold that were now exposed to the DeCuir family.
“And so our kids had inhaled
and encountered so much mold that their bodies were desperately trying to detox it,” Leasa said.
“In the middle of the night, they woke up with swollen faces and just feeling bad. All of them felt like they had the u.”
The family’s health conditions allegedly continued to escalate, with one of their children developing absence seizures and Leasa experiencing facial paralysis. They removed all impacted belongings, from clothes to stu ed animals, in an attempt to dispose of the alleged mold spores.
“[Orlate] was like, ‘I'm not paying,’” Leasa said. “It doesn't matter to me whether it's toxic or not. It doesn't matter because it's gone. We've taken it all out.We just need a new board. That was his story … ‘We took out all the moisture. We xed the sink.We put a new
board. Like, there's not more we need to do here.’”
The specialist sent a quote to remove the hazard the proper way.
“This is a licensed professional explaining how this has to be done,” Leasa said. “And he also said to [Orlate]: if you choose to have your handyman do this, it is illegal. It is illegal in the state of Texas for a handyman to remediate mold. He told Walter that point blank.” Orlate allegedly told the family he had not received the quote to remediate the house. Leasa took matters into her own hands to hire a pathologist to test the mold to see if it was toxic to the family.
“We can't live with this,” Leasa said. “We're getting sicker and sicker and sicker by the day, and we can't nd another place to live.”
The mold came back as toxic, so Leasa reached out to the professor.
“I'm like, ‘Walter, it is a neurotoxic mold. Will you please now consider professionally remediating, please, for our sake? For the sake of any other family that comes behind us, this has to be taken seriously. And this, all I want is this just to be taken care of.’”
With back-and-forth disagreements between the landlord, the DeCuir family and the remediation company, Orlate asked the family to move out of the house. Soon after, the house was leased to the Strawns, the second family in the lawsuit.
“I'm like, please just safely x this,” Leasa said. “I have a kid having seizures. I'm petri ed and I have nowhere to go.”
Both families are suing for damages related to the loss of their belongings, the cost of their medical treatments and emotional damages. According to the lawsuit, the total amount is more than one million dollars but under 20 million.
“Our story didn’t have to be this,” Leasa said. “This could’ve been taken care of … It should have been disclosed.”
Abdurahman Azeez — THE BATTALION
The house, shown above on Aug. 23, 2024, was rented to two families. Mold complaints began the lawsuit against the professor in April.
‘What do you wish you knew freshman year?’
Charis Adkins
Opinion Editor
We asked 10 Aggies what advice they’d give their freshmen selves — here’s what they had to say
Isabella Garcia Asst. Opinion Editor
Start looking for apartments early. If you want to live in an apartment near campus, you need to sign your lease before your rst winter break for the best rates. Apartments charge more as they ll up, so if you wait until the spring semester to start looking, rates will already be sky-high. Find your roommates and get that lease signed stat! - Charis
Carry an umbrella in your bag at all times. Even if it’s completely sunny without a cloud in the sky, even if the weather channel said no rain for two weeks, carry an umbrella in your bag. College Station has a funny way of springing storms on you when you least expect it — it’s best to be prepared, especially with thousands of dollars of tech in your backpack. And if you’re here from up north: get ready for the fattest, wettest raindrops you’ve ever seen. - Charis
It’s okay to say no. At least for me, freshman year was all about getting as much of the college experience as possible. I joined far too many clubs, hung out with people I didn’t really like and got barely any sleep all while killing myself striving for that 4.0 GPA. Let me tell you something now, to save you some time later: It’s okay to say no. - Charis
There is no “right” way to do college. My university experience has de nitely not looked anything like the movies. Starting from day one, my rst semester at A&M was in the spring. That meant no Fish Camp, no joining FLOs, women’s organizations or other popular clubs that only recruit in the fall, no friends from my New Student Conference because they were all junior transfer students and no apartments unless I subleased.
I tried going to parties to make new friends, but it turns out introverted bookworms like me don’t really go to parties. I tried going to Northgate, but it turns out if you don’t drink there’s not too much to do at bars. I tried rushing, but it turns out being reduced to how your Instagram looks and what shoes or jewelry you wear isn’t worth your self-esteem. Instead, I’ve spent my Friday nights volunteering with the sweetest foster kids, adopted crosswords into my personality, read more books in the past couple of years than in my whole
in the newsroom.
“Establish
stu on time.”
Justin Sterlin Engineering Sophomore
“Study, do all your homework — in advance, it will pile up — go over late work policies. Life happens. You’re not always going to get your work in on time. Don’t just sit there and take the zero. Talk to your teachers … go to SI sessions. Talk to your peer tutors. Do what you need to do to succeed.”
you
like
“You don’t have to gure everything out right now. You can gure out who you are with time.You don’t need to gure out everything about yourself in freshman year.”
Kyler Fife Communication Junior
“Go sit next to that person who’s sitting by themself in class or at lunch. They want to know you as much as you want to know them. Make friends, get involved and then go to things like Muster and Silver Taps that make Texas A&M feel bigger than yourself.”
“My advice is to join all the weird clubs, too. I joined Aggie KCAM, a knitting club. I didn’t think I would enjoy it, but I super enjoyed it.”
Madhav Narayanan Mechanical Engineering Senior
“I wish I put myself out there more as a freshman. I feel like I was really scared, thinking, ‘I’m not gonna do anything, I’m just going to study as much as possible, make good grades.’ As a freshman, you shouldn’t worry about that too much.”
“Go to study sessions because I went to none last year and it really helps. Go to o ce hours! I didn’t go to o ce hours and I almost failed math.”
Annaliesa Mangan Visualization Senior
"There are going to be some immature people, and you have to be willing to not let those people affect you. Remember that they are going to grow up eventually — be focused on a goal, in the long run, of where you want to end up and don’t get caught up in the little things.”
“Go up to anyone and say, ‘Howdy!’ It might be a little embarrassing to just go up to a random stranger and meet them, but at the end of the day, it can be the beginning of a great friendship.”
Zach Miller International Studies Senior
“Ask for help. It’s really easy to forget that. We’re such an enormous campus. There’s so many people here and there’s so many services, and even outside of the official services there’s a giant wellspring of wisdom from those who’ve come before you [and] those who are here now …
We’re all the 12th Man. We’re all in it together.”
exist, in MATH 142
28 Su x meaning the act of doing something
30 Romantic interest you might have blocked on Instagram
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
Aug. 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina makes landfall close to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Aug. 30, 1967 Thurgood Marshall is con rmed as the rst Black Supreme Court justice.
Aug. 31, 1997 Princess Diana dies after an automobile accident. Sept. 2, 1945 Japan surrenders on board the USS Missouri, formally ending World War II.
Sept. 3, 1783 The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolution and solidi es the United States as an independent country.
Sept. 4, 1957 The "Little Rock Nine" are blocked from entering Central High School by the National Guard.
Sept. 4, 2002 Kelly Clarkson becomes the rst winner of "American Idol."
what study methods work for you. Setting aside time, trying to take away distractions — struggle through it, and over time you’ll build a habit of doing your
