Maroon Life - Fall Sports 2019

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MAROON LIFE QB1 - Mond

Texas A&M opens 2019 season with a clear starting quarterback for the first time since 2013

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WELCOME TO

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Zachry Engineering Education Complex: It’s the newest—and

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biggest—building on Texas A&M’s campus. Drop in 24/7 to hit the books or enjoy a coffee from the largest Starbucks on campus.

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Don’t miss out on these campus must-sees! You can enjoy these amenities, and many more, thanks to the generosity of donors to the Texas A&M Foundation.

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The Quad: Renovated in recent years with the help of private gifts,

Memorial Student Center: Drop

don’t miss this mecca for all things

in to grab a bite to eat or listen to

Corps of Cadets! While you’re here,

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the soothing sounds of the piano in

remember to keep an eye out…you

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the Flag Room. Visit the Hall of

just might see Miss Rev.

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Honor to learn about eight

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outstanding Aggies or join one of

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the many MSC organizations focused on leadership, cultural awareness and arts programming.

The Leach Teaching Gardens: Enjoy the great outdoors at this seven-acre oasis on West Campus.

Donors contributed to create 21 themed gardens, an

John D. White ’70 – Robert L. Walker ’58 Music Activities Center: This building will be the

outdoor classroom, a pavilion and even a vineyard.

new home of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and all 14 of the university’s bands, choirs and orchestras

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following its completion in June.

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THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 || KELLEN MOND HANNAH UNDERWOOD

06 || JUSTIN MADUBUIKE ALEX MILLER

08 || KENDRICK ROGERS BRIAN BASS

SOCCER PREVIEW || 19 DYLAN POITEVINT

CIENNA ARRIETA || 20 JACK HOLMES

CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW || 23 ALEK CARO

09 || FOOTBALL PREVIEW BRIAN BASS

10 || 125 YEARS OF AGGIE FOOTBALL HANNAH UNDERWOOD & BRIAN BASS

12 || ROSS BJORK ALEX MILLER

15 || VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW JUDGE GWYN

16 || LONDON AUSTIN-ROARK CAROLINE GOODING

About the cover: Junior Kellen Mond is the starting quarterback for the 2019 football season.

Cover design by Brady Stone Cover photos by Jesse Everett, Cassie Stricker and Meredith Seaver Megan Cusick — THE BATTALION

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 3

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

The Texas A&M football team will open the 2019 season against Texas State on August 29.

LETTER FROM THE SPORTS EDITOR Expectations are high for all fall A&M athletics, says sports editor Hannah Underwood

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Howdy 12th Man, y name is Hannah Underwood, and I am a journalism studies junior and sports editor for The Battalion. I want to first thank you for picking up this copy of The Battalion’s Maroon Life Fall Sports Preview.

This will be an exciting fall semester for me, not only because of the upcoming sports schedule, but also because this is my first semester as sports editor. I am truly honored to be a part of this incredible staff of writers, and I hope you enjoy the stories we have to tell.

Now, moving on to what we’re all here for — the sports. There’s a certain sense of stability in Aggieland heading into this fall.

We have no head coaching changes to look out for, the quarterback situation is settled and there are no new sports venues under construction.

Starting at Kyle Field, Jimbo Fisher is beginning his second season as head football coach. After leading the Aggies to a 9-4 re-

cord last season, Fisher is looking to further that success, and the spotlight is on him and the team. Fans are expecting more from Fisher and Co. after the exciting games of last season — namely that seven-overtime win over LSU. With Kellen Mond beginning his junior season and second year as starting quarterback, the quarterback situation is mostly resolved; however, with the departure of 10 members from last year’s roster to the NFL, there are still questions to be answered.

Football isn’t the only weekend entertainment in Aggieland though. The fall sports schedule is also jam-packed with contests for the volleyball, soccer and cross country teams.

Volleyball is also in its second season under a new head coach. Laura “Bird” Kuhn led the Aggies to a 17-13 season record last year, and is looking for improvement this season. With an underclassmen-heavy team, it will be interesting to see how the season progresses at Reed Arena.

Across Tom Chandler Drive at Ellis Field, the A&M soccer team ended the 2018 season 17-5-1 with a loss in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. As head coach G Guerrieri enters his 26th year with the program, expectations are high for the 2019 season.

The cross country teams are also coming off successful seasons, with the men and women completing last season with third and fourth place finishes, respectively, in the NCAA South Central Regional meet last November.

It’s going to be a busy and exciting semester for sports, and I hope you enjoy this edition of the Maroon Life Fall Sports Preview. Come back to The Battalion and thebatt.com for more sports coverage throughout the fall.

Thanks and Gig ‘Em. Hannah Underwood is a journalism junior and sports editor for The Battalion

EDITORIAL STAFF Abigail Ochoa, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Brian Bass, Asst. Sports Editor Caroline Gooding, Asst. Sports Editor Meredith Seaver, Photo Chief Camryn Lang, Content Editor Khadeeja Umana, Content Editor Brady Stone, Page Designer

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 4

At the

HELM Meagan Cusick — THE BATTALION

Junior quarterback Kellen Mond is stepping up as a leader in his second year as a starter.

Kellen Mond reflects on last season, plans as 2019 starting quarterback

By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo For the first time since 2013, Texas A&M has found stability at the quarterback position.

This time last year, the Aggies’ quarterback situation remained unsettled, with junior Kellen Mond and former A&M quarterback Nick Starkel competing for the position. The tune is much different this summer as Mond is at the helm of the team going into the fall.

“Last year, I was not only in a competition, but making sure I was understanding a new playbook,” Mond said. “I feel like now I can focus on being a leader and elevating everybody else.”

Along with the title of starting quarterback comes more responsibility as a leader of the

team. Mond said he has focused more on his leadership skills since Starkel transferred to Arkansas over the offseason.

“I feel like I have more respect from the team because with two quarterbacks, the leadership and respect could be split a little bit,” Mond said. “Now, with me being the quarterback, I feel like I’ve developed a large respect for everybody on the team.”

Mond said he is also more comfortable with head coach Jimbo Fisher’s system, which has changed his approach to training this offseason.

“I know mostly what Jimbo wants of me, so now it’s just critiquing small details,” Mond said. “[He’s] constantly telling me to hold the ball a little higher, and that’s something he’s been telling me for a while, but I haven’t created that habit yet. Now, I get a full offseason with that, just trying to create that habit and making sure I’m getting my base right and my footwork right.”

At SEC Media Days in July, Fisher said he

credits Mond’s work ethic for his improvement in those areas.

“He understands he has to be a student of the game, and I think that’s the most fun we have,” Fisher said. “He works his tail off. Nobody works any harder, but he also works in the film room, too. You know from the conversations you had with him, the questions he asked you, it’s starting to be really fun.”

Mond spent part of the offseason in San Diego working with quarterback coach George Whitfield, who also trained former A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel prior to the 2014 NFL Draft. “[He’s] a phenomenal quarterback coach,” Mond said. “The same things that Coach Fisher sees, he was saying the same thing — just small detail things that we can work on.

Really going out there, working on my footwork and being able to transfer my weight to create more velocity and power on the ball.”

Manziel reached out to Mond at the start of his sophomore year, and has been a mentor

and friend since, Mond said.

“Johnny’s a great player,” Mond said. “He’s one of my mentors that I talk to a lot. He’s trying to make sure I keep my head straight and understand what type of player I can be and the type of team that we can be. He’s had a large legacy here and it’s my job to carry that and do a lot greater things — win national championships, Heisman trophies.”

In his sophomore season, Mond became A&M’s first quarterback since Manziel to accumulate over 3,000 passing yards in a single season. With 3,107 passing yards, Mond ranked No. 6 in the Southeastern Conference, throwing 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Despite leading the Aggies to a 9-4 season — their best finish since 2013 — Mond said there were times in the middle of the season where he felt he wasn’t playing his best.

“It was a rollercoaster season — just had a lot of highs and lows,” Mond said. “In the middle of the season, I had to come back and

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 5

ATHLETE FEATURE: KELLEN MOND

2018 SEASON STATS TOUCHDOWNS — 7 RUSHING YDS — 474 PASSING YDS — 3,107

FILE

Junior quarterback Kellen Mond finished sixth in the SEC with 3,107 passing yards in 2018.

find my roots.”

In those moments of doubt, Mond said he just remembered one of Fisher’s sayings.

“Coach [Fisher] always says, ‘Go back to your fundamentals,’” Mond said. “There were certain days where, after practice for an hour, I would just go out and work on small detail stuff. Just go back and remind you that there’s a reason you’re here. That was always instilled by my receivers, Jhamon Ausbon and Kendrick Rogers.”

During those games, Ausbon said he would try to help Mond put things in perspective.

“Immediately after the fact I would tell him, ‘You can’t change anything about it and we have a game next week. Either you’re going to have two bad games or you’re going to have one,’” Ausbon said.

Mond’s mid-season slump came to a head in November against Ole Miss. With the Aggies behind 21-14 in the third quarter, Mond threw an interception that prompted Fisher to consider benching him.

“Last year, I was not only in a competition, but making sure I was understanding a new playbook. I feel like now I can focus on being a leader and elevating everybody else.”

Kellen Mond, junior quarterback

“You’re going to have those moments of, ‘Should I take him out? Should I not take him out?’” Fisher said during the postgame press conference. “[But I] have faith in him. He deserved the chance to go back in because I knew the look in his eye and the competitor he was. That’s what great players do. They’re able to respond to that adversity.”

After that game, Mond managed to turn things around and led A&M to four straight wins to end the season, including the team’s first bowl game win since 2014.

“I feel like we were at our strongest the last four or five games,” Mond said. “I feel like that’s why we were able to finish that season so strong. Even though I wasn’t playing my best, I was still trying to be the best leader I could be and when my game elevated, it kind of brought everybody with me.”

Even with a daunting schedule coming up this fall, Mond said the team is more confident than ever, and last season’s close game against Clemson was instrumental in cultivating that

confidence.

“We finally realized we could play with any team,” Mond said. “When we look at it, we’re kind of the same players as anybody else.

When we go play the top teams, we’re playing with great players across from us, but at the same time we’re great players too.”

Mond said the overtime wins over Kentucky and LSU cemented that confidence for the Aggies and gave them a new identity going into the 2019 season.

“After a full year, we understand we can play with any team in the country,” Mond said. “Especially with the LSU game and the way we finished in the bowl game, it’s kind of created a new identity and a new confidence for this whole team. I feel like everybody has a really strong mindset right now and we’re ready to get this thing started.”

The Silent Assassin

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 6

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Junior defensive lineman Justin Madubuike will step up as a leader on defense in 2019.

Justin Madubuike prepares to lead defense after losing key starters

By Alex Miller @AlexMill20 At first, Justin Madubuike seems quiet — until he opens up and speaks. Then, the redshirt junior defensive tackle is outgoing and loud. He may even let out his distinct laugh.

This demeanor could be said of Madubuike’s first three years at Texas A&M. As a freshman, Madubuike redshirted while recovering from injury. In 2017, he saw more time on the field, emerging as a key backup.

In his third year, he evolved into the team’s defensive MVP. Now, he’s primed to be one of the best defensive linemen in the nation.

“It was my first little splash in the SEC,”

Madubuike said of his 2018 season. “I believe I have so much more to work on. I made a lot of mistakes, but then I made some plays, too. It was 50-50. I just need to clean up and polish my game. The competition was fierce, but it was a great season.”

Madubuike’s mild-mannered personality stays outside the lines, though, fellow redshirt junior and center Ryan McCollum said.

“He’s not calm and quiet on the field,” McCollum said. “He’s pretty vocal leading the defense, leading the D-line, encouraging the guys.”

Last season, Madubuike recorded 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, helping anchor a defensive line that ranked third nationally in rushing defense. He was named a first team All-SEC defensive tackle at SEC Media Days in July and returns as the Aggies’ top tackler.

As optimistic as Madubuike’s 2019 outlook is, there are voids to be filled across the rest

of the defensive line as the Aggies lose three senior starters — Landis Durham, Kingsley Keke and Daylon Mack. However, Madubuike remains optimistic about the pieces A&M is filling its defensive puzzle with.

“Landis, Keke, Daylon — they were a big part of our defense last year, but we’ve got Bobby Brown. We’ve got Mike Clemons coming back. We’ve got Jayden Peevy and Tyree Johnson. I believe these guys will step into those shoes and fill them smoothly. They’re working so hard this summer,” Madubuike said. “When you mix talent with hard work and patience, I believe great things come from that.”

Having quality depth behind Madubuike is something head coach Jimbo Fisher believes drives his top returning defensive lineman.

Fisher said he and his staff have honed in on instilling a championship mentality in Madubuike.

“He knows if he even breathes wrong somebody’s going to pass him up,” Fisher said at SEC Media Days. “He’s learning to drive, work and learn the off-field things just like he is on the field. When he gets on the field, he plays his tail off.”

It was hard for McCollum, who played guard last season, to quantify Madubuike’s skill and rank compared to other top defensive linemen across the nation. McCollum and the Aggies faced seven defensive tackles in 2018 who were selected in this year’s NFL draft.

“Most guys are either powerful or they’re quick, they’re not really both,” McCollum said. “Going against him everyday is a challenge. I have to bring my A-game every snap or I’m going to get exposed.”

Adding even more power has been on Madubuike’s agenda this offseason. He said he hopes to play between 300 and 305 pounds in 2019.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 7

ATHLETE FEATURE: JUSTIN MADUBUIKE

2018 SEASON STATS SACKS — 5.5 FORCED FUMBLES — 3 TACKLES FOR LOSS — 10.5 Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

Junior defensive lineman Justin Madubuike was fourth on the team in total tackles with 40 in 2018.

“I feel like I can get stronger, get that grown-man strength under me to play in this big-boy league,” Madubuike said. “Polishing things up that I’m already good at like technique, keeping my hands off the facemask. All these little essential things, I’m going to focus on this summer.”

In getting there, Madubuike has kept the approach simple — take things day-by-day.

“Before when people said, ‘Just take it one day at a time,’ I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’” Madubuike said. “I didn’t really understand what it was. You literally take it one day at a time and focus in on what you’re focusing on and when that time passes you move onto the next. Slowing things down to key into the little details you were missing from last year.”

Madubuike has seen tangible examples of this approach from the beginning of his A&M career.

As a freshman, his locker was next to Myles

Garrett’s. Madubuike didn’t play, but got to learn from one of the greatest A&M defenders as Garrett geared up to finish his time in College Station on his way to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

“It was nice to jive with him for a semester because he was out of here,” Madubuike said of Garrett. “You could just tell he was extremely focused and that was the big thing I really picked up on. He’s extremely focused.

He’s really powerful, strong guy.”

Learning from others, such as Daeshon Hall and Hardreck Walker, Madubuike was encouraged he could follow suit when his time came.

“Those guys really impacted me my freshman year when I wasn’t playing at all,” Madubuike said. “When you see your boys do it and the way they did it and they way they worked, you’re like, ‘Man, you can do it, too.’”

Carrying out his intentions has worked for Madubuike because he’s interested in doing so. He’s pursuing a degree in sports conditioning in hopes of becoming a physical therapist one day and has taken an interest in stretching and nutrition.

“Obviously, I have high expectations for myself over anybody else,” Madubuike said.

“I push myself to be the best I can be. All these little things, day by day, they add up. I believe those are the things I do to better myself.”

This approach isn’t just for Madubuike himself, but for his teammates to follow by example. Noting how easy the Aggies’ 2019 slate is, with a wink, Madubuike said embracing daily grinds and bringing together a new crop of defensive starters has been key this offseason. Whether it be 5 a.m. workouts with Director of Athletic Performance Jerry Schmidt or eating endless barbecue with defensive end coach Terry Price, Madubuike

wants himself and his teammates to be fully prepared when the season arrives knowing what lies ahead.

“When it’s fourth-&-1 or fourth-&-5 against LSU or Clemson and you’re looking to the left, you’re looking to the right and your boy gives you that look and you’re doggone tired, that look sparks a new energy and you’re ready to go,” Madubuike said. “LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State — those are big-time SEC schools and great teams every year. We know when we go against those guys, it will never be easy at all. They’re not going to hand it to you, and we’re not just going to hand it to them. It’s going to be a dog fight.”

And it all starts by taking it one day at a time.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 8

ATHLETE FEATURE: KENDRICK ROGERS

Making his mark Wide receiver Kendrick Rogers works to become best receiver in the SEC

By Brian Bass @brianbass4 On the bright Saturday afternoons in Frankston, Texas, Kendrick Rogers catches his uncle Quentily Harmon on the TV. A former wideout for Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Rogers looked on as Harmon accumulated 1,157 yards in his career for the Horned Frogs.

Coming from a town with only 1,225 people, Rogers played football for Frankston High School. Led by head coach Mike Owens, Rogers started playing varsity football as both a wide receiver and free safety in his freshman season. On offense he found the ball 18 times for 324 yards and four touchdowns, earning his first of four first-team all-district honors.

Following his first year in high school, Rogers more than doubled his receptions with 48 for 727 yards and seven touchdowns. As he got older and more experienced, Rogers began to play more positions. By his junior year, Division I scouts began to take notice of the wideout.

That year, Rogers exploded for 1,047 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns on 57 receptions, collecting offers from Houston, SMU, Memphis and North Texas. He was ranked on

247sports as a three-star safety, as well as the 109th best prospect in the state.

“I really didn’t realize it until my junior year,” Rogers said. “I started to get recruited

by A&M my junior year [along with] SMU and Mississippi State. I liked coach [Chad] Morris and the staff that he had [at SMU].”

However, Rogers was focused on going to TCU to follow in his uncle’s footsteps. But that offer never came. With A&M being his best offer, he signed his letter of intent on February 3, 2016 over North Texas, Houston, Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech and other schools.

After graduating from high school in 2016, Rogers enrolled in classes at A&M in the summer.

Despite hailing from a school with an enrollment of 250, Rogers said the size of A&M wasn’t the thing that shocked him the most.

“Really the only shock that I had when I came here was trying to find my classes,” Rogers said. “It was the hardest thing.”

Outside the classroom, however, was just as hard. With A&M’s receivers meeting room chock-full of talent including current NFL starters Josh Reynolds and Christian Kirk, Rogers redshirted his freshman season.

After being the best in his district for four years in high school and dominating opponents downfield, Rogers was forced to sit for the first time in his career. It was one of the most humbling things he had been through in his career, he said.

During his freshman season, the East Texas native was able to refine parts of his game through watching film, working on routes and studying Reynolds’ and Kirk’s game-changing plays.

Following a year of refinement and practice, Rogers appeared in his first collegiate football game against UCLA on the road, followed by his first game at Kyle Field where he recorded his first reception against FCS opponent Nicholls State.

“Honestly it was surreal,” Rogers said. “I can’t even explain it, it’s just like a kid on Christmas. You walk inside and it’s like, ‘I’m actually doing this.’”

In his redshirt freshman season, Rogers made an appearance in every game of 2017, collecting 11 passes for 99 yards. His best performance of the season came against Wake Forest in the Belk Bowl, where he posted three receptions for 43 yards.

However, fall of 2018 would be the biggest season of Rogers’ collegiate career. In week two against Clemson, Rogers was an integral part of the A&M offense, leading the team with seven receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns despite a 28-26 loss on primetime television. Rogers would then solidify himself as one of the Aggies’ best receivers against No. 8 Louisiana State at Kyle Field, making three receptions for 53 yards and two touchdowns to defeat the Tigers 74-72 in seven overtimes.

Both of the touchdowns were made in

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

overtime, in addition to a pair of athletic twopoint conversions in the final two overtime periods. Rogers’ last two-point conversion sealed the win for the Aggies, and was nominated as the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Catch of the Week.

“Honestly, nothing,” Rogers said about what turned it on for him against Clemson and LSU. “That’s just who I am, that’s what I can do. When I’m healthy it shows more, and in big games it shows more because people expect it more in those bigger games.”

Despite the massive performances in those two games, Rogers struggled with a foot injury for much of the season, recording only 27 receptions for 336 yards and five touchdowns in his 2018 campaign.

“You can never be satisfied with your numbers,” Rogers said. “You always wanna be better, you always have people that you’re competing against and you always want to be the best at your position, so I feel like I can do better this year and get better stats.”

With high hopes for A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher’s second year in College Station, Rogers said he also has goals for himself in 2019.

“My expectation for this year is to be the best receiver in the SEC,” Rogers said. “So whatever stat that is, that’s the stat it’s gonna be. I’m basically just going to improve my body and get it ready for this hard year that’s coming up, try to stay healthy and do everything I can to stay on the field this year.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 9

AUG 29 TEXAS ST.

SEP 7

AT CLEMSON

SEP 14 LAMAR

SEP 21 AUBURN

SEP 28

VS ARKANSAS

OCT 12 ALABAMA

OCT 19

AT OLE MISS

OCT 26

MISS. STATE

NOV 2 UTSA

NOV 16

S. CAROLINA

NOV 23 AT GEORGIA

NOV 30 AT LSU

High expectations FILE

Texas A&M will face a tough road slate in 2019 with games at Clemson, Georgia and LSU.

All eyes are on A&M football with a stacked schedule and young roster

By Brian Bass @brianbass4 Following Texas A&M football’s first nine-win season since 2013, the Jimbo Fisher-led Aggies will have one of the most daunting schedules in 2019.

In his first year at the helm, Fisher led the Aggies to a second-place finish in the SEC West, including two overtime wins over AP top-25 programs. In the second game, A&M defeated LSU 74-72 in seven overtimes for the highest scoring game in college football history, subsequently being nominated for the Best Game ESPY award for the 2018-2019 season. The Aggies closed out the season with a 52-13 rout of North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl, their first bowl win since 2014.

However, A&M will have to move forward without some of its biggest playmakers from last season, including All-American selections in running back Trayveon Williams and tight end Jace Sternberger.

Despite a tough schedule in 2018, the Aggies will face an even bigger challenge in the fall, including a highly-anticipated rematch on the road with the defending national champi-

ons in Clemson, Alabama in College Station and another pair of road trips at Georgia and LSU to end the season.

All four programs have been the subject of national title implications throughout the offseason, and will surely be ranked inside the first six or seven spots of the preseason AP top-25 rankings. This doesn’t include a potentially-ranked Auburn team or an improved Arkansas and South Carolina program.

A&M’s 2019 schedule has been ranked by many college football experts to be one of the hardest in the country, with the Aggies set to face off against four of the top seven teams in the final rankings of the AP top-25.

Offensively, A&M will see plenty of familiar faces from last season, including starting quarterback Kellen Mond and wideouts Quartney Davis, Jhamon Ausbon and Kendrick Rogers. Along the offensive line, the Aggies boast one of the deepest and most talented positional groups in college football.

Three of last year’s starters are returning, along with highly-touted freshmen Marcus “Tank” Jenkins, Luke Matthews and the best-ranked offensive lineman in the 2019 class Kenyon Green.

“We’re gonna be downhill,” starting left tackle Dan Moore said. “We got a big front, that’s what we utilized last year and I think a big thing that’s on our side this year is expe-

rience. We had a lot of guys last year, it was their first year starting, including myself. So after having a full year starting, I think the offensive line is going to be a very experienced group this year.”

Despite the losses sustained in the backfield, tailback Jashaun Corbin saw his fair share of snaps as the team’s punt returner, and second string running back in his freshman season.

With the offensive line that afforded Williams 1,760 rushing yards last year having very little starting experience, Corbin is set to have a big season as well.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Mike Elko will be tasked with improving a secondary that finished 98th in FBS in passing yards allowed last season. The defensive front will also be pressured to reconstruct the rushing defense from last year, which finished third in the country in 2018.

“We were about 100th in pass defense last year,” defensive back Keldrick Carper said.

“That’s just not acceptable, especially for me as a safety returning. We’re shaping this group together this year and we’ll be a better defense altogether.”

Only four starters will return to the defensive side of the ball in 2019, but it will not be without talent. Defensive tackle Justin Maduibuike returns to the defensive line as a preseason second-team All-SEC selection,

and the rest of the A&M defensive front has been able to see some valuable action as quality depth.

As the season moves along, the defense will be tested as the Aggies make a road trip to No. 1 Clemson in week two and a top-25 ranked team in Auburn for the conference opener in week four.

The Aggies also return sophomore placekicker Seth Small, who made his debut in the third game of the season as a true freshman after kicker Daniel LaCamera went down with a season-ending injury against Clemson. Punter and Ray Guy award winner Braden Mann returns after spurning a chance at the NFL last year, and will go for another record-breaking season in 2019. With both returning with significant experience, the special teams unit is expected to be one of the best in the country.

As for Fisher’s expectations, just a few plays can make all the difference on any given Saturday.

“I don’t think that there’s an edge on anybody,” Fisher said at SEC Media Days about what kind of edge there is in the SEC West.

“I think the edge is going to find out what you do on Saturday afternoon and how you prepare to play and expect to play and embrace the challenges.”

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THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 10

E. King Gill - 12th Man

years of Aggie football

Compiled by Hannah Underwood, Brian Bass and Meredith Seaver Photos from The Aggieland and The Battalion archives

Big 12 Championship

1998

The Aggies scored a touchdown in second overtime to earn a 36-33 win over Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship game.

1922

In the Dixie Classic against Centre College, injuries forced A&M head coach Dana X. Bible to call practice squad player E. King Gill to the field as the last player on the bench. Gill wasn’t needed in the Aggies’ 22-14 win, but his loyalty and dedication inspired the tradition of the 12th Man.

Bonfire victory

1999

Just eight days after the bonfire collapse that killed 12 A&M students, the Aggies came up with a last-second forced fumble and recovery to upset No. 5 Texas 20-16.

Move to the SEC

2012

A&M became a member of the Southeastern Conference in a controversial move from the Big 12 prior to the 2012 season.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 11

National Championship

1939

John David Crow Heisman win

1957

The Wrecking Crew

1986

A&M’s 1939 season included an undefeated record, six shutouts and half of the season ranked as the top program in the country. The Aggies went on to win their first National Championship the same season.

John David Crow became the first Aggie to win the Heisman Trophy in 1957, despite missing games due to injury. In his senior season, Crow accumulated 562 yards on 129 carries.

The Wrecking Crew stuffed 1985 Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson four times in A&M’s 36-16 Cotton Bowl win over Auburn.

Johnny Manziel Heisman win

Myles Garrett No. 1 Draft Pick

74-72

2012

2017

Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy after accumulating 4,600 yards of total offense and 43 total touchdowns in the 2012 season. The key game in Manziel’s Heisman campaign came from the 29-24 win over Alabama.

Myles Garrett became the first Aggie to be drafted No. 1 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft when he was selected by the Cleveland Browns as a defensive end.

2018

A&M topped No. 7 LSU 74-72 after a seven-overtime thriller, which is the highest-scoring game in FBS history and is tied for the longest game in NCAA history. It was the Aggies’ first win over the Tigers since 1995.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 12

Howdy, Bjork Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork was hired from Ole Miss on May 23.

Ross Bjork finds place at A&M as new athletic director, replaces Woodward

By Alex Miller @AlexMill20 Ross Bjork visited Kyle Field for the first time in 1998 while on staff in the athletics department at Missouri.

Bjork, who was sitting in the press box, could feel the stadium shake like an earthquake.

“It kind of blows you away the first time you walk in,” Bjork said of Kyle Field. “You see everyone standing up. You see the students, the band. I think I made the comment in my press conference, the first time I visited in 1998, the stadium was shaking in the press

box and I was like, ‘OK, this is special place.’”

Almost 21 years later, Bjork looked out of his new office window on his first day at his new job. He had a perfect view of Kyle Field — a view reserved for A&M’s athletic director.

A&M hired Bjork from Ole Miss to become its new director of athletics on May 23, introducing him in College Station on June 3. On July 8, Bjork officially began his tenure leading Aggie athletics, and took a good look at his new home from his office window inside Reed Arena.

“You have that emotion [of leaving Ole Miss], and then you have the excitement and intrigue of a brand-new opportunity at a magnificent, tremendous, big-time flagship universities in the country. One of the best brands,” Bjork said.

When news caught wind that Scott Woodward would be leaving to return home as LSU’s athletic director in mid-April, Bjork sent him a text message congratulating him on returning to his alma mater. A week later, Bjork called R.C. Slocum when A&M selected him as interim AD, offering help if needed.

The potential of Bjork being on A&M’s list of AD candidates didn’t cross Bjork’s mind.

Then, Bjork received a phone call informing him A&M would be calling. Soon, he met with A&M President Michael Young and was sold on Aggieland.

“When you have a chance to go to a place that’s top-5 in many areas currently as an athletic program or resources or competitiveness, that’s intriguing and exciting,” Bjork said.

“And then you see the potential that exists.

That was really the main attraction. I thought,

‘Man, this place has many things already in place, but then it has room to grow.’”

There were almost 50 days between Bjork being named AD and officially taking over in College Station full-time. During that time, Bjork had several priorities.

Step one: Leave Ole Miss in the best shape possible.

“You invest seven years in a place and you have relationships,” Bjork said. “You need to leave it the right way.”

Step two: Meet people at A&M. Upon being named athletic director, Slocum said Bjork was given a list of top A&M donors and top 12th Man Foundation members and trustees, and made personal phone calls to each of them. Bjork’s effort to reach out to key A&M figures impressed Slocum.

“Ahead of coming to A&M, he’s already

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 13

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FEATURE: ROSS BJORK

Photos by Paul Burke — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork received a maroon jacket from interim AD R. C. Slocum and A&M President Michael K. Young.

been in contact with all of those people,” Slocum said. “I think that was meaningful to them that he would reach out and tell them he was looking forward to meeting them in person. I thought it was a real nice way to reach out to those people he will be directly involved with.”

Furthermore, Bjork was able to meet with every A&M coach in some capacity — in person or over the phone — before starting full-time in College Station. He plans to meet with each coach one-on-one to get an assessment of each program.

“I don’t think you can ever really get back your first 100 days, your first six months, your first year,” Bjork said. “And from those conversations, you really start to formulate, ‘OK, I know we need to do this. I know we need

to change this.’”

Bjork already has some items on his agenda.

During one of his visits to College Station in June, Bjork toured Reed Arena with new men’s basketball head coach Buzz Williams.

Bjork noted there’s a need for player-development and fan-experience enhancements.

He knows A&M’s missing an indoor tennis complex and has spoken with Jimbo Fisher about football components. Bjork added he wants to understand all of A&M’s sponsorship contracts from concessions to apparel.

Bjork’s proactive approach during his transition from Ole Miss to A&M AD is one that has left Slocum encouraged for Bjork’s future.

“I think he’ll be an instant success at A&M,” Slocum said. “I think he’ll be someone our people take to. I think he’s a very reasonable

guy. He’s a listener. I think he brings a whole lot to the table.”

Slocum added how vital Bjork’s SEC experience will be in him taking over at A&M, noting Bjork is already familiar with key conference figures and the league’s legislation.

“That is a huge step for him coming in that he’s not coming into a new school in a new league,” Slocum said. “He knows the league.

That’s a real positive.”

Having been in the SEC since 2012, Bjork has admired A&M from afar for years. He said everything he thought about the school from the outside looking in was affirmed for him now as a member from the inside. Bjork knows the platform A&M holds and hopes to maximize the resources found in Texas, such as fan support, facilities and recruiting.

“We’re an anchor, I believe, in the SEC because we’re the furthest west program, but we’re in the most densely populated state in the SEC footprint,” Bjork said. “We have all the commitment, vision and resources and the right people to do it. The ingredients are all there. It’s our job to stir those ingredients and turn on the power that is Texas A&M athletics.”

Now in office at A&M, Bjork hopes to become engaged with the foremost people who gave him the job — students.

“Our job will be to help inspire every A&M student to be their best,” Bjork said.

“If we can do that through athletics, have fun along the way, then that makes a great experience for everyone.”

LIVE ONYELL MORE Convenience Community Academic Support Security On-Campus Apartments | Residence Halls | Corps Housing | Living Learning Programs | Conference Housing

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THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 15

BAYLOR

SEPTEMBER 12

TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL

SEPTEMBER 13

NORTHWESTERN ST.

TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL

T E X A S

TEXAS STATE

2 0 1 9

Moving forward

AUGUST 24

SEPTEMBER 13

SEPTEMBER 17

A&M volleyball preps for season with main focus on teamwork

By Judge Gwyn @GwynJudge

OCTOBER 11

SOUTH CAROLINA OCTOBER 13

FLORIDA OCTOBER 27

GEORGIA NOVEMBER 3

MISSOURI NOVEMBER 8

ARKANSAS

NOVEMBER 13

AUBURN NOVEMBER 22

MISSISSIPPI ST.

NOVEMBER 24

OLE MISS

S C H E D U L E

opposed to years past.

“Not so much the big picture, just the little things,” Hans said. “We’ve been really working on that as a team, hopefully [it] will pay off.”

Heading into the fall, she says the biggest improvement to her game is the mental aspect.

“Mental toughness, [it is] a huge thing, especially [since] it is a pretty long season,” Hans said. “[Just] being able to maintain that same mentality throughout the whole season.”

After a decorated high school career, Slocum did not see action at A&M until her sophomore season. Now, as she heads into her final run, she is one of the leaders on the team.

Slocum noted the youth of the 2019 team, but said she has also seen a shift in its mentality.

“My teammates [have all] bought in, [and] the biggest thing is that our team chemistry is strong,” Slocum said. “Whether we are at a high moment or a low moment, it carries us through that. We worked on [that] a lot in the spring and I think it will definitely pay off in the fall.”

The Aggies will open the 2019 fall season with an exhibition match against former conference rival Baylor on Saturday, August 24 at Reed Arena.

H O M E

After two rebuilding seasons, the Texas A&M volleyball team is poised to make a run for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2016 season.

A&M finished the 2018 season with a 17-13 overall record, while faring 10-8 in conference play. The Aggies were a young squad with 11 of their 18 roster spots being held by underclassman. Despite its youth, A&M remained competitive as it played the conference’s top teams — Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee — down to the wire by losing each of those matches by one set.

The Aggies were solid at home, posting a 7-5 record at Reed Arena, but their road play left something to be desired as they were 5-8 on the road and 5-0 in neutral site games.

The culmination of the 2018 fall season was a positive sight for the program moving forward as A&M was able to end the season on a four-game winning streak. Two of those wins came on the road and only one of the four was pushed to five sets. The 2019 schedule will certainly be a challenge for the young Aggies, as they will face off against Baylor, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Ten-

nessee and Texas, with each school ending 2018 ranked inside the top-25.

Heading into August, the Aggies are gaining respect from the rest of the league after being picked to finish sixth overall in the SEC. Although the team completed last season in sixth-place, it is certainly an improvement as A&M was slated to finish in the bottom half of the SEC last fall at eighth overall.

Keeping conference play at the front of the team’s focus will be key for this season, senior hitter Hollann Hans said.

“We have to focus on [the] SEC first,” Hans said. “We want to be super competitive in the SEC and just continue to be a tough team where [other] teams really don’t want to play us.”

The Aggies will return the majority of their 2018 roster, and while the bulk is still underclassmen, the team looks to be ready for an NCAA Tournament run led by seniors Haley Slocum and Hans.

Hans finished her junior year by earning an honorable mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-America team. The outside hitter set school records in aces (64), aces per set (0.53), kills (528), kills per set (4.4), points (624) and points per set (5.2). Hans is also one of the 10 players voted by coaches to be named to the preseason All-SEC team.

Hans said the team is taking a different approach in their mentality this season as

SEPTEMBER 24

ALABAMA

Texas A&M volleyball will open the 2019 season August 24 against Baylor.

V O L L E Y B A L L

OKLAHOMA Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

A & M

UTRGV

TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 16

A lasting legacy Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

Sophomore middle blocker London Austin-Roark completed her freshman season with .

London Austin-Roark enters her sophomore season ready to lead

By Caroline Gooding @goodasitgets19 One visit — that’s all it took for London Austin-Roark to know that Aggieland was going to be her home for the next four years.

While the decision to attend Texas A&M was an easy one for the Weatherford, Texas native, the road to becoming a Division I collegiate volleyball player was not always clear.

For Austin-Roark, volleyball started off as a

creative outlet to make friends in a tight knit community. Her natural athleticism and aptitude for the sport quickly made it clear to her coaches that Austin-Roark was a special talent capable of playing at the next level. In high school, Austin-Roark’s fast and aggressive style of play earned her a variety of district and state awards and caught the attention of the A&M coaching staff.

With family ties to the Aggies and a great appreciation for the traditions that make A&M unique, Austin-Roark said playing in College Station seemed like the natural choice.

“It just always felt like home,” Austin-Roark said. “I had such a tight knit team for all of my life and that’s what it felt like

here.”

Her freshman year coincided with A&M head coach Laura Kuhn’s first season at the team’s helm. While coaching changes can be fraught with uncertainty and frustration, especially for young players, Austin-Roark said the teams’ two week trip to Europe played a huge part in helping establish team bonds. Holding true to Kuhn’s philosophy of personal relationships laying the foundation of good teams, the players and new coaching staff were able to get away from distractions and establish a rapport that carried over into the season.

While all new students experience challenges as they transition to college life, the change is especially pronounced for student

athletes who experience changes on and off the court. During this period of adjustment, she came to rely on volleyball to help her navigate freshman year.

“Whenever I got on the court and started playing volleyball, it came pretty naturally,” Austin-Roark said. “It kind of guided me through the rest of it, because I didn’t have [many problems] on the court. But... I was struggling in the weight room, struggling being away from home and so volleyball really carried that.”

Austin-Roark also credits close teammate relationships with helping her transition to college and playing volleyball at such a high level. The support of her teammates helped

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 17

ATHLETE FEATURE: LONDON AUSTIN-ROARK 2018 SEASON STATS KILLS — 201 POINTS — 250.5 ATTACK % — .276 BLOCKS — 93

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Sophomore middle blocker London Austin-Roark led the team in blocks and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2018.

her to be less timid and come into her own, both in the weight room and on the court.

The culture of encouragement showed Austin-Roark that her teammates were there to cheer her on and made her feel a part of a family.

Saying that volleyball came pretty naturally to Austin-Roark is an understatement. In her freshman season, she dominated on the court. Despite the demanding schedule, Austin-Roark started every match for A&M last season, a feat only one other Aggie teammate, sophomore setter Camille Conner, accomplished last year. Austin-Roark led the team in blocks and finished second in kills behind

standout and then-junior Hollann Hans.

Exceptional performances in victories over SEC rivals Auburn and Georgia earned her a nod as SEC Freshman of the Week in October. Austin-Roark was one of eight players to be selected for the All-SEC freshman team honors at the conclusion of the season. Her teammates also recognized her for a breakout season, voting her the Most Improved Player.

Despite a standout rookie season, the pressure to duplicate her impressive performance does not seem to bother Austin-Roark. She sees it as motivation instead, helping her to focus on what’s ahead for her and the team.

The middle blocker hopes to be an even

bigger asset for her team this season, contributing more in the middle in her sophomore effort. Looking to this season, the offensively talented squad has shifted their focus to strengthening their defense, a strategic move that Austin-Roark hopes to play an instrumental part in. The move should help to boost the team’s spot in the SEC rankings, Austin-Roark said.

In addition to her goals on the court, Austin-Roark said she is looking forward to embracing a more mature role on the team.

“This time I want to be more of a leader and follow after Camille [Conner] and Hollann [Hans],” Austin-Roark said. “I also

would like to be there for the new girls because I know the older girls helped me a lot when I came in. I know it’s hard and I want to help them get through that.”

When her playing days are through, Austin-Roark hopes to coach at the collegiate level, taking the legacies of trust and leadership instilled in her in Aggieland with her.

In the meantime, Austin-Roark is focused on her team and building a legacy at A&M that lasts beyond her time here.

“I want my face on the wall and my name shown,” Austin-Roark said. “...I want the team to have made an impact for the future. I want trust to be our legacy.”

2020 AGGIELAND Don’t forget to also preorder your copy of the

2020 Aggieland yearbook. The 118th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook.

Distribution will be the Fall 2021.

Go Online to aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613 to make your purchase. $75.00 + Tax (Includes Mail Fee) Come by office L400 of the MSC and skip the mail fee charge.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 19

CSUN

2 0 1 9

AUGUST 30

SEPTEMBER 1

SEPTEMBER 6

OHIO STATE

SEPTEMBER 15

UNLV

Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M soccer will open the 2019 season August 17 at TCU.

With key players returning, the Aggies hope to bring home a national title

By Dylan Poitevint @Poitite

UTRGV SEPTEMBER 26

KENTUCKY OCTOBER 10

ALABAMA OCTOBER 18

ARKANSAS

OCTOBER 27

MISSOURI OCTOBER 31

OLE MISS

S C H E D U L E

A&M averaged 5.87 points a game last season and were 31st nationally in points. However, the Aggies struggled in penalty kicks, ranking 143rd in the nation. Guerrieri said he would like to see this aspect of the game improve, citing his program’s reputation for free kicks and opportunities.

“Texas A&M has always been known as a team that’s very dangerous on set piece opportunities and free kicks, and I don’t feel we were as dangerous last year,” Guerrieri said. “We need to keep clean sheets too, and keep teams off the board.”

Guerrieri saw plenty of potential in the team last season with the Aggies historic start in the beginning of the season, earning a No. 1 overall ranking midway through 2018. He feels that there is plenty to build on leading into 2019 and has many goals for this season.

“We went through the first half of last season ranked No. 1 in the nation, so I think we’ve proven to ourselves that we can play at that level when we’re playing on all cylinders,” Guerrieri said.

A&M will kick off the 2019 season against Texas Christian University at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium in Forth Worth on August 17. The Aggies will have their home opener against Cal State Northridge at Ellis Field on August 30.

H O M E

Texas A&M ended the 2018 soccer season with a 17-5-1 record and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance. In 2019, the Aggies look to build upon that success in hopes of bringing a National Championship to College Station.

A&M returns several key starters, including senior All-American Ally Watt, who led the Aggies in scoring last season with 15 goals.

Watt, who has been on the team since 2015, is looking forward to her final year in Aggieland. She said she feels the program develops talent well, and is excited to see that for new players.

“I just feel that the last four years have really changed me as a player,” Watt said. “This program has just really developed me, and I can’t wait to see how the program has developed the new talent on our team as well.”

Head coach G Guerrieri said he is excited about returning talent and new faces that he thinks will help to improve the team.

“We return eight or nine starters from our team last year, so we’re not in any rebuilding

phase,” Guerrieri said. “With key returners coming back, we can build around all of those pieces. We bring in some special incoming players as well.”

One of the biggest changes that the team faces going into the fall will be at the goalkeeper position.

A&M featured Cosette Morche at goalkeeper in 2018 and she played all 2,118 minutes at the position. She recorded 72 saves and was tied for fourth nationally in shutouts. Now, the Aggies must fill that open spot, and Guerrieri said they are weighing their options.

“That’ll be the big question mark going into the preseason as far as who’s going to win the goalkeeper battle,” Guerrieri said. “We have four excellent candidates, so it will just be a matter of who’s playing the best when it comes time for the first game to find out who grabs that title.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Ausmus gave some insight into the position battle, noting that all candidates are strong choices, but consistency will be the major factor in who gets the job.

“I think going into this fall it’s going to be a big competition,” Ausmus said. “We’re all fully capable of holding that position. It’s my goal to be as consistent as possible so that when that decision comes down it’s not a question of who’s good, but who’s good all the time.”

SEPTEMBER 22

S O C C E R

‘Playing on all cylinders’

BROWN

A & M

SEPTEMBER 8

T E X A S

ACU

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 20

‘I’m here for a reason’ Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Senior midfielder Cienna Arrieta is entering the 2019 season confidently after what she considers a rocky 2018 season.

Midfielder Cienna Arrieta determined to come back stronger in 2019 season

By Jack Holmes @Jack_Holmes98 For Cienna Arrieta, every morning of her childhood featured a race to the car between her and her three brothers. Everything was a competition.

It was this competition that Arrieta said provided a springboard into the rest of her life. Now playing soccer at Texas A&M, the midfielder has come a long way from her childhood in El Paso. Arrieta has become an integral part of Aggie soccer and said she believes this team is capable of almost anything.

“Having brothers, I always wanted to be doing all the things they were doing,” Arrieta said. “I think that gave me the footing for getting into athletics and being serious about it. Any game we played, whether it was Uno or just going out to throw a baseball around, it was the most competitive game in the world.”

At the center of that competition was soccer, something that has always been a big part of the Arrieta family.

“Growing up we were always around soccer,” Isaac, Cienna’s older brother said. “The first time we were able to stand, our dad put a ball at our feet and our mom would always take us to games.”

Arrieta said she began playing the game at three years old and went on to play at a high level for teams around El Paso as she got old-

er. While competing at a state tournament, Arrieta said she was noticed by Texas Rush 98 ECNL, a club based in the Woodlands near Houston, who offered her a place on the team. Arrieta accepted.

Joining the new club meant Arrieta had to fly to the Woodlands every weekend. Because of her allegiance to another club, Arrieta said that no team in El Paso would train her, so while she was at home, Arrieta competed on her high school track and field team as a way to condition herself.

It was a considerable sacrifice, but it was also a chance for the Eastwood high schooler to be noticed by college coaches.

“We don’t get to El Paso very often as far as recruiting,” A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. “[ECNL is] when we first noticed her.

She was the X-factor player for that particular team … That fury of never giving up and always going was something that our eye was constantly drawn to.”

Arrieta said it was not long before emails came flooding in from colleges all over the country, but there was a reason that A&M stood out to her. “[Coach Guerrieri] used this word that kind of swayed me into committing to Texas A&M,” Arrieta said. “He said that I had this ‘relentless fury’ that he wanted on his team.

I had never really described myself in such a way … He made me think about myself as a player and how I would progress at the collegiate level.”

Arrieta said visiting Aggieland made her decision even easier.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 21

ATHLETE FEATURE: CIENNA ARRIETA

2018 SEASON STATS ASSISTS — 3 SHOTS — 23 MINUTES — 871

Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

Senior midfielder Cienna Arrieta has lofty goals for the Aggies in 2019, including a National Championship.

“It was like nothing I had ever seen before,” Arrieta said. “Just to hear the type of tradition and history behind everything, it gave me goosebumps … It was almost electric … I still feel that same electricity walking onto Ellis Field today.”

Arrieta had a bright beginning to her career at A&M, scoring in her collegiate debut against Rice and adding five more over the course of her first two seasons, while making 29 starts. Her junior year did not go as smoothly, as Arrieta started only one game.

“My junior season was a rough one,” Arrieta said. “I didn’t do the things that I wanted necessarily. I didn’t have the type of tenacity that I wanted.”

Even so, Arrieta said she has found positives from last season and understands that her

struggles in 2018 have helped teach her about dealing with adversity.

“I’m here for a reason, and I do believe in myself,” Arrieta said. “It’s a different mindset to separate a bad game from the player you know you are. I think going into this season it’s going to be my best one simply because I believe that it’s going to be.”

Despite feeling that she had a down year, Arrieta earned last season’s 12th Man Award for her contributions to the team. The recipients of the end-of-season awards are chosen by their teammates, Guerrieri said, which he believes makes them special. Arrieta said she considers herself the type of leader that does not need recognition, but receiving the award meant the world to her.

“The 12th Man Award, as you would ex-

pect, is the person who is ready to step up in any situation and be there for her teammates,” Guerrieri said. “That describes Cienna to a tee.”

Guerrieri said he sees Arrieta as one of the leaders of the team. He always notices the joy that she plays with on the pitch and her willingness to compete.

“My favorite thing is the way that she can adapt,” Guerrieri said. “She’s very athletic.

Now, she’s not a world-class sprinter, she’s not a world-class leaper, but she is a worldclass competitor.”

When it comes to life after college, Arrieta has big plans. The kinesiology senior is on track to receive her coaching licenses, but coaching is not necessarily something she wants to do for a living.

“My end goal is to have my own sports facility specific to soccer that young players can go through and understand the whys before being on a main stage,” Arrieta said.

The Aggie star has not ruled out playing at the professional level, saying she would love to continue playing and is thinking about taking her game overseas.

With that in mind, Arrieta said her focus remains on the season ahead. The El Paso native has not lost her competitive spirit and has set some high expectations for her final season.

“My goal really is the national championship,” Arrieta said. “I think all of us are ready to put it all on the line … An SEC Championship isn’t enough … If we’re on the same page and all put in the effort to do that, I think it’s definitely something that can be achieved.”

Other Events

OTHER EVENTS 756 Houston Street, College Station, TX 77843 Regarded as one of the nation's most intimidating road venues, Texas A&M's Kyle Field has been the home of the Aggie football team since 1905. The Aggies have always been tough to beat at Kyle Field with an all-time record of 402-161-19 (70.7 winning percentage) on their home field. Kyle Field was named for Edwin Jackson Kyle, who served as Texas A&M's dean of agriculture and athletic council president. Kyle donated a 400 x 400-foot area of the southern edge of campus that had been assigned to him for horticultural experiments.

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Texas A&M will host both a class day and a gameday on Thursday, August 29.

Visit footballthursday.tamu.edu and download the Destination Aggieland mobile app to ďŹ nd your best transportation options to and from campus!

Running the SEC

By Alek Caro @orackela

AUGUST 30

AGGIE OPENER

WATTS CROSS COUNTRY COURSE

SEPTEMBER 13

TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL WATTS CROSS COUNTRY COURSE

SEPTEMBER 27

MISSOURI INVITATIONAL A.L. GUSTIN GOLF COURSE

OCTOBER 19

ARTURO BARRIOS INVITATIONAL WATTS CROSS COUNTRY COURSE

NOVEMBER 1

SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS MASTERSON STATION PARK

A & M C R O S S S C H E D U L E

As the fall season rolls around, the Texas A&M cross country team looks to build around a returning core of runners with a proven track record.

During the 2018 season, the team fell a bit short of their goals, but still accomplished recognizable feats. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished in the top 30 during regional meets and were fourth and second in the SEC Championship.

A&M assistant cross country coach Wendel McRaven said the goal for this team is to reach its highest potential when it matters most. McRaven said he and the team believe the sky is the limit in regards to what they’re capable of.

For some returning players, the 2019 season is all about making a comeback.

Last year’s top male runner and 2017 nationals finalist Jon Bishop suffered a staph infection that put him out halfway through the season.

“Jon Bishop is a great runner with national qualifying potential and actually do something there,” McRaven said. “He just wants to get better every single day and that is contagious to the rest of the team, he’s a natural-born leader.”

Kelsie Warren, the 2018 women’s regional top finisher, had a strong fall season. Warren achieved first place finishes at three separate invitationals and finished

eighth in the SEC Championship’s 10,000 meter race. McRaven said Warren has fully come into her own as a runner.

“She’s had such a good track season after a quality offseason and she’s just built from there,” McRaven said. “It’s clear to see the confidence she’s developed as she’s continued to improve and perform well.”

The 2019 season will also see returning runners like Brandt Preston and Zephyr Seagraves. Both Preston and Seagraves had top 30 finishes in the regional meet and are returning with the 2018 top performing freshman,Wes McPhail.

The women have their own returning stars as well. Ashton Hutcherson returns after falling half a second short of setting the all-time Aggie record in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 2018.

Going into her second year, Rachel Bernando hopes to build off her freshman season. As a freshman, Bernando finished as the second runner for the Aggies at their regional meet.

“She finished strong and I truly believe she can be a top 15 runner at regionals,” McRaven said.

With the team’s Aggie Opener scheduled for August 30 in College Station, McRaven said he’s excited about the potential of the team this season.

“Cross country is amazing because it turns the individual sport of running entirely into a team sport. You can’t have just one star you need an entire team,” McRaven said. “We have strong runners across the board, this team might have the most potential out of any we have ever had.”

2 0 1 9 T E X A S C O U N T R Y

A&M cross country looks to build off of a successful 2018 season

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 23

Redshirt junior runner Kelsie Warren had a strong 2018 season, including an eighth place finish at the SEC Championships.

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

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What can I do at T H E

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JOIN US DURING HOWDY WEEK AT:

INTRAMURAL SPORTS

SPORT CLUBS

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

GROUP FITNESS CLASSES

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

INDOOR CLIMBING

This interactive, FREE event provides an opportunity for the Texas A&M community to explore ways to help create and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Various activities will highlight each area within the Department of Recreational Sports. Along with our partners, we will be providing food and swag on a first come, first-served basis.

AQUATICS CLASSES

DROP-IN RECREATION

Rec Sports

DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

RecSports recsports.tamu.edu

5 TIPS

TO HELP STUDENTS THRIVE IN COLLEGE STATION When you choose to attend a university, you’re also choosing a home for the next four (okay, five+) years of your life. It’s important to learn about your new hometown and how to be a good neighbor. To make the transition easier, here are five tips to thriving in our community (in addition to going to class):

1. NO MORE THAN FOUR

Living off campus? Since at least 1972, the city does not allow for more than four unrelated individuals to occupy a dwelling unit. As an example, four friends living together in a home are complying with the ordinance. Four siblings living together are also complying with the ordinance, but if an unrelated friend moved in, it would be a code violation.

2. KEEP THE NOISE DOWN

That includes barking dogs. It's unlawful for anyone to willfully make or allow continued loud noise, especially from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. If you can hear the noise at the end of your property line, then it's too loud and everyone on your lease risks receiving a citation.

4. MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

Introduce yourself and exchange contact information in case of emergencies or other problems. If an issue arises, would you rather they call you or the police?

5. AVOID CODE VIOLATIONS

Many people don't think about city codes until they receive an unwelcome citation. Familiarize yourself with our city codes by visiting cstx.gov/CodeEnforcement.

3. STAY INFORMED Keep up with city events, programs, emergencies, notices and more by following us on social media. We'd love to hear from you too!

@CityofCS /cityofcollegestation

APPLY ONLINE @ AMERICANCAMPUS.COM/COLLEGESTATION You’ve never lived like this. · Walk or bike to class · Private bedrooms available Reed Arena

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

· Fully furnished apartments, suites and townhomes · Amenities for a fit and healthy lifestyle

Student Recreation Center

Memorial Student Center Zachry Engineering Education Complex

Kyle Field

· Academically-oriented environments · Individual liability leases · Roommate matching available

Amenities subject to change. Limited time only. See office for details.