The Battalion — January 26, 2023

Opinion: Latin‘x’ isn’t an inclusive term LATINX ON PAGE

Aggie spirit burns brightly Applicants anxiously await answers

After two month delay, Student Bonfire 2022 burns

By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt

During a cold January night, thousands of people gathered around a four-story-high stack, standing in the mud, waiting to see it set ablaze. As a grand finale to months of hard work, Aggies set out to “Burn the Hell Outta” Student Bonfire on Saturday, Jan. 21.

The tradition of Bonfire at Texas A&M began in 1907, first as a celebration after the Aggies beat Tulane in a football game. Since then, the gathering has undergone a variety of

changes, developing a signature tiered shape, growing in size and changing locations various times.

The most notable change for Bonfire was the transition from being an on-campus, university-sponsored event, to an off-campus unofficial event following the Bonfire Collapse of 1999.

Typically, Burn is hosted in preparation for the Thanksgiving week game against LSU, but due to unsafe weather, Burn was rescheduled for January to prepare the site for a safe event. Presently, the organization is in the process of finding a new home for stack, following the sale of the current plot to land developers, which was announced Aug. 4, 2022.

Despite changing conditions, the spirit of Student Bonfire has remained strong off-cam-

pus since 2002, as students spend an entire year cutting, loading, stacking and, finally, burning Bonfire.

On Burn night, the typically empty field surrounding the stack is filled as a circle of cars, food trucks and music grows over the course of the day and into night.

On Saturday, hundreds of Aggies of all ages gathered to celebrate Burn, hosting barbecues, playing music and enjoying the cool weather. For members like engineering sophomore Callie Baker, a 2022 Neeley Hall crew chief, Burn is a time for celebration and reflection.

“It really is a culmination of the whole season,” Baker said. “We put hours and hours of work into this, and it’s cathartic to see it go up in flames.”

By Caroline Wilburn @carolinewilb BONFIRE

Almost 9,000 admissions files wait to be reviewed by the Office of Admissions, as many applicants anxiously anticipate a decision.

Texas A&M recieved a total of 59,647 applications for fall 2023, and there are 50,255 complete admissions files, according to the Office of Admissions. Director of Freshman Admissions Brandie Eneks, Class of 1993, said the university expects to have all decisions released by midMarch.

It’s important for students to stay patient as they await a decision, Eneks said in an email to The Battalion.

“Our holistic review of applicants is thorough and takes time,” Eneks said.

“We are working very hard and as quickly as possible to finalize admission decisions. There is nothing they need to do other than continue to monitor their admission status in the Applicant Information System.”

Once an applicant is admitted to A&M, Eneks said they should accept their offer and register for a New Student Conference, or NSC, as dates fill up quickly.

However, if a student is extended an offer other than full admission, Eneks said she recommends they research the offer, read the material provided in the admission packet and contact an admissions counselor with additional questions.

“Students who are denied admission may also consider speaking with an admission counselor about future opportunities to become an Aggie,” Eneks said.

“If [A&M] is ultimately where they want to be, there is a way to get here.”

Brazos Valley Admissions Advisor Irving Valdez said students should apply earlier rather than later.

“I’d recommend for students to take their time and review and double-check that everything is correct before hitting submit,” Valdez said. “It’s not a race, you shouldn’t feel hurried, but [students]

Tattoo gurus descend on Aggieland

Sixth annual competition to host famous tattoo artists

By John Chapa @JDChapaBatt

This weekend, over 100 tattoo artists will attend Bryan-College Station’s annual Tattoo Expo by Ink Masters Tattoo Show. The show, hosted from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, has garnered worldwide recognition for providing tattoo artists the opportunity to display their artistry and compete for awards.

Ink Masters will be host the week-

Kappa Sigma gives back

By John Chapa @JDChapaBatt

The Texas A&M chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity has partnered with College Hills Baptist Church to tutor kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. Entering its second semester with the church, the fraternity has raised $6,000 for the College Hills Scholarship Fund.

99tutors.com CEO Detrick Eaton said he reached out to Kappa Sigma about the opportunity to give back to the community in a unique way.

“This is a different kind of philanthropy

that the brothers are serving,” Eaton said. “With philanthropies like Big Event, groups serve one day out of the year. These young men are making a commitment to show up once a week, every week, to help these kids succeed academically. I reached out to Craig [Staples] and he was thrilled to accept.”

Kappa Sigma members tutor the students in the church’s parish hall on Thursdays for an hour from 6-7 p.m. Kappa Sigma President and finance senior Craig Staples said he was delighted to accept the philanthropy opportunity.

“When Detrick [Eaton] reached out to me about the opportunity, I knew it would be something Kappa Sig[ma] could continue year after year,” Staples said. “It’s great getting to leave an impact on these kids and form con-

end-long event at the Brazos County Expo for its sixth consecutive year. The show has catered the event to audiences across military towns, college towns and cities near oil fields, with artists from across the country attending, Raymond Hernandez, owner and founder of Ink Masters Tattoo Show, said.

“All the [tattoo] artists attending are by invite only,” Hernandez said. “Each artist has to submit a portfolio of their work to [Ink Masters]. If they got approved then they get to attend and live tattoo. We have artists coming from New York, Miami and Hawaii to compete.”

The expo will feature various award competitions for categories such as best

cover-up, best color, best black-andgray, best of day, best of show and more. The entirety of the event will consist of tattoo artists live-tattooing attendees for the chance to win an award for being the best-of-the-best in their respective categories, Hernandez said.

“This year[‘s event] is different from past years because we are recognizing only the best-of-the-best,” Hernandez said. “For example, say one artist enters the black-and-gray category. Out of 20 other artists competing, only one will win for that category.”

The expo formerly offered first, second and third prizes in each category.

Aggies park their cars and gather at the Student Bonfire site off of Old Hearne Road on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

A customer receives her estrogen shaped tattoo from an artist at the Crooked Crows Tattoo Booth during the Tattoo Expo.

FILE

Kappa Sigma presented a $6,000 check to College Hills Baptist Church’s Scholarship Fund on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022.

John Chapa — THE BATTALION

Aggies hop into Year of the Rabbit

By Ruben Hernandez @battandmuse

Red envelopes, firecrackers and well wishes come to mind to those who celebrate Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year, which started on Jan. 22.

Deemed Year of the Rabbit, succeeding last year’s zodiac of the tiger, practicing Aggies look forward to the 16-daylong celebration and the new year to come. With festivities and events on the horizon, company and camaraderie are the priority in organizations such as the Chinese Students Association, or CSA, at Texas A&M.

Ali Yeh, member of CSA, recalled his experience with the annual traditions.

As Yeh expressed his recollections of the celebration, he mentioned his identity as an immigrant and said most of his Lunar New Year experiences were with immediate family.

“My parents are immigrants here,” Yeh said. “It’s difficult for us to have a proper, what we call it, X ῑ n Nián Kuài Lè, or ‘Happy New Year’ is what we say. It’s a bit difficult for me to have a proper Chinese New Year myself because when my parents immigrated here, we [didn’t have] a lot of our family [move] over.”

Yeh articulated the heavy meaning of family within the celebration of Lunar New Year and said a communal bond is a crucial factor to the success in the coming new year.

“I know Chinese New Year is a really big event for many Asians, including those immigrants that have more family

members come over here,” Yeh said. “You may have heard how we hand out what [are] called hóng ā bos [which] are red bags. [Those are used to] wish prosperity, good luck and good fortune to those going into the new year because it’s a fresh start for others.”

Biomedical sciences freshman Ronald Zheng, also a member of CSA, said the holiday does more than just uphold a tradition, but is also a time for reconnecting with family members far away. Zheng said modern technology, makes it possible for long-distance connection, or reconnection, and people around the world can make time for the celebration.

“It means family to me; every time it’s Chinese New Year my family would come over and make food together,” Zheng said. “Obviously, I’m not at home right now, so it’s a little bit of a change. Today I called my parents just to check in to see how I was doing. It’s also a time where I can call my grandparents [and] my cousins because they’re all off work [and] school and see how they’re doing.”

Even with an entire ocean in between, Zheng said he feels no dissonance when it comes to celebrating the new year, whether it be in China or in College Station.

“Basically, nothing really changed, I mean my grandparents don’t really come to the United States that often, but when they do it’s a big occasion,” Zheng said. “I wouldn’t say there is a big cultural

disconnect, it’s just more different now because I’m not at home.”

Both CSA members find connections in the communities they are in and have formed for other students alike, and Zheng said interested students can attend upcoming CSA events.

“If you’re interested in touching back into your culture, [could be] any Asian student or anyone interested in Chinese culture, make sure to check out CSA,” Zheng said. “We have an informational Jan. 26 at 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Psychology Building [Room] 338. We’re going to talk about what we do in our [organization] and talk about our Lunar New Year event which is this Saturday, Jan. 28. It will have fun, games, food [and more].”

The upcoming event will host a variety of foods and entertainment provided by the community, Yeh said, bringing the culture to a local booth near you.

“For CSA, one of the biggest things we do is we have our own Chinese New Year event,” Yeh said. “We will be providing food, we will let people play different games, [such as] Mahjong. We will have our own festival within the Chinese community, we will have food stalls [and] have the buzz of a night market. We’re trying to recreate that here at A&M.”

The Lunar New Year festival will be held at the College Station Chinese Church located at 708 Eisenhower St., open from 7-9 p.m.

Industrial distribution senior Mason

Students celebrate annual holiday through tradition

Ishika Samant - THE BATTALION

nections with them as a mentor.”

Staples will soon step down from his oneyear term as president after the fall 2022 semester. The fraternity is ready to pass off details and logistics of the partnership and fundraising to new leadership, Staples said.

“All exec[utive]s in Kappa Sig[ma] serve one-year terms,” Staples said. “I made sure to talk to the new leadership coming in and they’re ready to continue this partnership after

I step down as president. We are going to continue tutoring these kids every week during the school year.”

Eaton said he wanted to highlight the mentorship in addition to tutoring the brothers’ offer.

“Another way this partnership differs from other philanthropies is that the students are going to grow up alongside the guys,” Eaton said. “The guys offer lessons that stem not only from the classroom but from life too.”

Kappa Sigma endowed College Hills Bap-

tist Church with students who regularly attend College Hills church service, regularly attend weekly tutoring and plan to attend college are eligible to receive up to a $1,000 scholarship from the church’s scholarship fund, Eaton said.

“Seniors fill out an application to be considered for the scholarship,” Eaton said. “The application consists of a series of questions and essays. This money can make a serious difference in the lives of scholarship recipients who have been accepted into college. [Kappa Sigma] has made it much more possible for these

students to achieve success.”

Two Kappa Sigma brothers in particular have committed an outstanding commitment to the weekly tutoring service, Staples said.

“Brian Faske and Ben Gottfried, these are two guys that have shown up and shown out,” Staples said. “They’ve dedicated a tremendous amount of time to these kids each week, forming a connection with any student they tutor or mentor.”

But with that being said, students tend to rush through the application, put the wrong information, so we always tell them to take [their] time.”

Though originally a Texas resident, applicant Abigail Longo currently attends school in Germany. She chose to apply to A&M because she grew up knowing about the school, Longo said in an email to The Battalion.

“Both of my parents and various other family members attended and so it was a school that was always talked about,” Longo said. “I had also grown up going to the campus for football games, and as I got older, I just knew that the campus was the place for me and where I knew I would best fit in. I love the traditions and the spirit of Aggies which made it very appealing to me.”

Longo said the application was simple and ApplyTexas was available to provide her with all the resources to make the process run smoothly.

“While I didn’t talk to an admissions counselor during the application process, I did talk to one before to hear the whole process and how it worked, which was very helpful and definitely prepared me for the application process,” Longo said. “Overall, the process was very smooth and there was enough time to get everything submitted on time without having to rush.”

She was not qualified to apply as an Early Decision applicant, Longo said, and has not yet received an admissions decision.

“I am nervous about having not received a decision yet,” Longo said. “I know lots of people that applied around the same time I did, or even later, and have already heard back about their acceptance. It is definitely a mix of emotions because I am excited and hopeful of the decision to come, but because it has taken a while, it has made me nervous and anxious. Since A&M is the school I’ve always dreamed of, it would be very disappointing to get a rejection, but I am staying hopeful while I wait to hear back.”

The speed at which A&M is able to process applications sets the school apart from other universities, Valdez said.

“I guess the fact that we can process close to 60,000 applications, within the same amount of time that everyone else does, is pretty admirable, especially for our processing team,” Valdez said. “Just the sheer amount of majors and opportunities that Texas A&M has to offer; that makes us stand out against the competition.”

Because A&M does not offer interviews as part of the admissions process, Eneks said applicants should list every achievement, be thoughtful in their responses to short-answer questions and use the application and essay to tell their stories.

“Our freshman applicant pool continues to grow,” Eneks said. “We received more than 59,000 applications for fall 2023. Considering how many applications we receive, the fact that each applicant file in our holistic review is read by two individual reviewers is significant. In addition, the various admissions pathways we can extend [to] applicants is expansive compared to other universities. We have many different opportunities for freshman applicants to become Aggies.”

INKMASTER CONTINUED

The change in the competition format is more incentivizing for travel tattoo artists, Hernandez said.

“The best-of-the-best [award winner] wins a plaque for the client and themself,” Hernandez said. “It means a lot to the artists, which is why we have a lot more artists [attending] now.”

The vast number of tattoo artists attending from across the country brings many individuals to the expo, especially in College Station, Hernandez said.

“The [tattoo expo] in College Station attracts everyone,” Hernandez said. “We’ve always received good support from everybody, [from] construction workers, students and parents. This is one of the cities that attracts mostly parents.”

While the event is welcome to all ages, children must be accompanied by an adult. Those who want to receive a tattoo must be over the age of 18 and bring a valid ID. Tickets can be bought only at the door. A day pass is $20 dollars and a three-day pass is $35. The expo will also be offering free raffle giveaways, Hernandez said.

“We give two free tattoo giveaways per day, as soon as you buy a ticket you qualify for an entry for a free tattoo,”Hernandez said.

To learn more about the tattoo expo, visit Ink Master Tattoo Show’s website.

SECRETARY

Ishika Samant— THE BATTALION

CLASS OF 2027 CONTINUED

Baker’s fellow Neeley crew chief, business administration sophomore Savannah Neal, agreed and said Burn is a time to celebrate, especially among her friends and crew.

“It’s a big release,” Neal said. “It’s really fun, because everyone’s here and you get to see everyone you’ve hung out with all season and meet their parents. It’s a really big event, and the flame is really cool too.”

Baker said joining Student Bonfire was as easy as eating lunch with current members and then showing up to help build. She said the family feeling is the main reason she recommends the organization to her peers.

“We lived on Northside near Neeley, and we would walk by it every day, because [the dorm] was between us and the parking garage,” Baker said. “One day, [Student Bonfire members] invited us to go eat with them and

then we were in [the org] … It’s really a family, I would recommend it to anybody. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

Neal also described a strong feeling of camaraderie, which she said makes the organization a welcoming environment.

“There’s a place for everyone here no matter who you are or where you come from, you can always find a group at Bonfire,” Neal said.

Student Bonfire currently stands 45-feet tall during construction. During the final stages of preparation, the center pole is cut to 37 feet and the outhouse — this year’s decorated with purple and gold — is placed on top. Once lit, the flames extend far past the highest point of the pole, sending ash and embers over a wide area.

High school senior Garrett Ridgeway attended Burn in support of his older brother,

and said the Bonfire’s spiral motion of collapse was what he was most excited about seeing.

“My brother loves Bonfire and he’s been doing this, cutting down trees, for two years now,” Ridgeway said. “I heard that there’s this thing when it twists [as it collapses] and I find that really cool.”

In addition to current members of Student Bonfire, many former students were in attendance, particularly those that helped build past Bonfires.

One former student, Dahniella Chavez, Class of 2017, said Student Bonfire was one of the most rewarding experiences of her college years, as she made long-lasting relationships. Chavez said attending Burn as a former student is a chance to reminisce and see old friends.

“I met my husband in Student Bonfire

when we were freshmen,” Chavez said. “A lot of our friends have done this and met their significant others. For us, this is like a family reunion. It’s more than just an event, it means a lot that we’re here and get to check in with each other.”

For interested current students, Chavez said to ask members about their experiences and to take a chance on Student Bonfire.

“Talk to someone who is passionate [about Student Bonfire] because they’re going to tell you all the good stuff, but also talk to someone who is casual, because they’ll be honest with you,” Chavez said. “It’s not for everyone; it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but whatever you put in, you get out … Give it a chance, because you’ll get dirty and be smelly, but it’s a lot of fun and you’ll make good memories.”

BONFIRE

Bridget Bristow— THE BATTALION

Opinion: Priority of passion

Sports editor Zoe May says do what you love, not what others would love for you

Zoe May @MayZoella

When I was 13 years old, I first considered the idea of being a journalist. I was an avid book reader who believed that I could write narratives and build worlds that would help people escape their reality. I wanted to be an author. So badly did I want to find my name among the ranks of Suzanne Collins, Sarah J. Maas and Rick Riordan alongside all the other notable authors who had influenced my childhood so deeply. However, my mother, always the loving realist, explained the hardships that come with a life tied to the fight to get published and suggested the next best thing: journalism. Still, a life of writing for the enjoyment of others and I could still make an impact on those who need an escape. So I signed up for my high school’s journalism class and as my toes dipped into the editorial, I slipped and allowed myself to be consumed by the world of journalism.

I spent my free time reading article after article, I learned about all the different editorial styles and avenues and before I knew it I was in the depths and I loved it. I joined the high school newspaper and worked to climb the

ranks to editor-in-chief. And as I sat atop my first flight of stairs on the climb to my dreams, I heard the first creak in the step.

“But you’re so smart?”

I was a senior in high school when these words were first uttered to me, by a teacher no less, when they asked what I was considering going to school for. I remember being confused myself, I didn’t see where they saw the disconnect. I had sat through years of editorial training and I knew it was not the type of skill one just does. So, how did choosing to major in journalism have any correlation with a lack of intelligence? But all I did was smile and shrug, adding the first straw to my saddle.

Then the wood splintered — “But you’re so good at math?”

Yes, I got high A’s in most of my high school math courses. Yes, I was able to solve complex equations without breaking a sweat. No, I did not want to pursue any field of math. My whole life I was pushed to excel in math and science courses to one day be able to “balance” out the STEM careers. So, I did. I worked and studied hard to do well in those classes, but ultimately I held no affection for numbers and equations. And that should be fine. I wanted to ask, “Why should I be responsible for the gender imbalance in STEM career

fields?” “Why do I have to sacrifice my passions?” But all I did was smile and shrug, adding another straw to my saddle.

Then the stairs beneath my feet fell apart.

“You’re taking the easy way out.”

A friend, a fellow woman, spoke these words to my face and laughed when I became upset, like what she said was fact and I had no right to dispute it. My frustration, which I had put on the back burner and left to simmer, came to a boil. It was like my decision not to be an engineer, a doctor or a scientist had revoked my ability to consider myself a feminist. My career path and I had to be “breaking boundaries” for us to have any worth.

So I grimaced and left, saddle broken, eager to prove everyone wrong. To prove that a pencil can be mightier than a scalpel. That I can inspire young girls to pursue their dreams no matter the obstacle with words instead of numbers. That despite what the school system may tell you, your job is to do what you love — not what others would love for you.

I continued my path, choosing to attend Texas A&M to pursue a degree in journalism. Continuing to endure the eye rolls, laughter and scoffs from those around me who hear the words “communication” or “journalism” and write

me off. Go ahead, write us off.

We look at a dying industry right in the eyes and challenge it to a duel. We foster a belief that we alone will somehow revive an entire career. We listen to the quiet scoffs whenever someone hears our choice and simply smile and turn the other cheek. And yet, we persist.

We write. We learn.

We investigate. We speak. We fight. We love.

Because that’s the heart of it, we don’t join this profession because it is comfortable. We join it because we love it and we want to make a difference, to be the change. We make one of the hardest decisions there is, follow your heart instead of your head.

So, tell me, really, how can that possibly be an easy way out?

Sports editor Zoe May works on her computer in The Battalion newsroom on Sunday,

Ishika Samant - THE BATTALION

Zoe May is a journalism sophomore and sports editor for The Battalion.

The first time I heard the word “Latinx” was in 2017 during my lunch break in high school with my hyper-political speech and debate team. While they regurgitated an array of political jargon off their phones, Latinx managed to leap out like a jumpscare in a James Wan film.

At first, I thought we were taking a break from our pseudo-intellectual debates, and figured we were referring to a classmate’s SoundCloud pseudonym.

Spoiler: Latinx is not a SoundCloud rapper.

To my surprise, I learned through my friends that Latinx was a relatively new term that political progressives in the United States were using to refer to Latin Americans.

As someone who grew up in Laredo, a small border town with 95.5% of its population being Hispanic and Latino, I was even more surprised that I had never even heard of the word my entire life.

After realizing that Latinx was not a musical artist, my next thought was: Why the “X”?

Latinx purposely excludes the masculine “O” and feminine “A” replacing it with a gender-neutral “X” in order to dismantle Spanish’s gendered grammatical traditions.

It sounded dumb.

Just as quickly as the words were spoken, so was its impact on my life. I wouldn’t hear the term until years later in college.

Coming to Texas A&M, I decided to learn about my cultural identity as a minority and connect with the discourse surrounding my culture. Just as I began to explore what it means to be a Latina, the word Latinx popped out in emails, diversity statements and national television.

A sign from the universe?

It was time to reevaluate this Latinx word again. And I did, pouring blood, sweat and tears into this new moral quandary that plagued my consciousness. After traversing an arduous journey of knowledge, I came to an amazing discovery:

Latinx is still dumb.

To clarify, on an individual level everyone has the right to request how they want to identify themselves. We must all respect those who simply do not wish to be identified with certain labels.

But when I hear Latinx being used to identify an entire community, that’s when I question the merits of this change.

While the word Latinx is meant to improve the Latino community in America, ultimately, it is another form of disingenuous progressivism, a lack of understanding behind Latino culture and an ineffective means of trying to promote inclusivity.

The term’s shortcomings start to show when looking at its failure to gain traction in Hispanic communities.

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, only 23% of Latinos have ever heard of the word with only 3% actually using it. Even the demographic with the highest percentage of having heard the word Latinx, an overwhelming minority actually use the word, with only 7% doing so.

Another study conducted by the Democratic consulting firm Bendixen & Amondi even found that 40% of Latinos found Latinx either bothersome or offensive to some degree.

Fundamentally, Latinx is so unpopular because it is clearly not influenced by elements of Spanish, but rather English used by American internet forums, academia and politics. It’s a concoction devised by a chronically online and politically engaged minority. Unsurprisingly, the qualities of the Latino culture as a

whole have been ignored.

Take that diabolical “X”, for instance. It is hardly ever used in Spanish. Using it would imply that the proper way to refer to Latinos is to use a letter that is more popular in English and not really used in Spanish.

Got it.

While some Latino vie for the word Latine, to adhere to Spanish pronunciation, this still addresses a non-existent problem.

Besides being unpopular, borderline offensive and not adhering to Spanish, Latinx is also just redundant.

Latino is already a gender neutral term.

In Spanish, while the “O” usually denotes a masculine-gendered term, which also doesn’t necessarily relate to exclusively gender either since inanimate objects have feminine and masculine terms, when there are groups of objects or people, the word denoting them must end with a masculine term, regardless of the sex or gender.

This leads to another reason why some Latinos vie for the word Latine because it apparently strays away from the patriarchal origins behind Spanish. However, the entire Latin language family is structured with the masculine “O” involving groups, so this complaint would lead to

the entire Latin language family having to be restructured if people really want to be genuine with their complaint.

Another whole, time-consuming can of worms.

And while language is fluid, it is important to take into account the whole community this language affects, and data doesn’t indicate Latinos are too keen on using another word.

Just use Latinos.

Even in English, the phrase Latin American is a perfectly acceptable term that is very much gender-neutral when referring to Latinos.

All in all, Latinx is only another “solution” to a made up issue to boost the self esteem of the ‘Holier Than Thou’ community: aka those who love to keep up appearances but fail to act when the time comes to resolve real issues regarding the Latino community.

So when I see President Joe Biden using Latinx on public television instead of actually resolving issues regarding the border crisis, educational disparity and a plethora of other issues, I just want him and others using the word to know that they better be addressing a SoundCloud rapper instead of the Latino community.

Lilia Elizondo is an English senior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Lilia Elizondo

@LiliaElizondo5

Latinx is said to be an inclusive and progressive next step for Latinos, but if one looks closer is that really the case?

Ebba Turi — THE BATTALION

The mural outside the lower level Department of Multicultural Services office in the Memorial Student Center.

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001

Putting t.u. on thin ice

ward the end of the fall season, losing four of their last five, including being swept at home by East Texas Baptist to close out the season.

The Longhorns on the other hand won three of their last five to finish out fall, including their own sweep on the road in Stillwater, Okla. against Oklahoma State.

Only 106 miles and two hours apart, two universities that have had nothing but old-fashioned resentment since they first played each other in football in 1894.

Texas A&M and the University of Texas’ rivalry has long since expanded beyond the gridiron. The latest installment of their “Lone Star showdown” is coming on the ice, as the Aggies take on the Longhorns on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27 and 28. The events will occur at Chaparral Ice Arena in Austin and Spirit Ice Arena in College Station, respectively.

Saturday is not only a game between two schools with no love lost, it is also senior night for the many soon-to-be graduates that suit up for A&M hockey.

“Texas is always a big game,” graduate defenseman Jacob Norwood said. “It’s senior night and some guys are going to be suiting up for one of their last home games of the year. It’ll be an emotional game, but the team is ready and we’re excited for a packed crowd.”

The Aggies stumbled down the stretch to-

Since coming off of the winter break, both schools have been on opposite win-percentage trajectories.

A&M is currently 4-2 in the spring, with wins on the road against No. 8 University of Northern Colorado, No. 16 Colorado-Boulder and back-to-back wins this past weekend against in-state foe, TCU.

“I really think the break helped us,” Norwood said. “There were some frustrations in the team and some injuries so getting a break, having key players back in the lineup has definitely made a big impact.”

In the two games against TCU, the Aggies scored a combined 25 goals, and are averaging 7.2 goals per game in 2023.

“The team has had a really good last few weeks,” Norwood said. “After going to Colorado it definitely felt like we’ve settled into playing at the highest levels and I’m excited to see how we do against some of the higher-level Texas programs.”

Texas, on the other hand, is 2-3 this year, scoring only one goal in three games to start January against Arizona State, Northern Arizona and Grand Canyon University. Similarly to the Aggies, however, they are coming off of a two-game sweep of an in-state opponent in Baylor.

A&M has dominated the series against the Longhorns as of late, going 5-0 in its last five matchups dating back to last season.

“Our top lines are producing where they

need to be and our power play has been finding success throughout the past few games,” Norwood said. “I would say going into these games, we are expecting t.u. to have a strong defense and the production of our top lines is going to be key to the success of the team.”

In only 24 hours, Spirit Ice Arena has sold out for A&M’s Saturday matchup against Texas. Spirit is still offering standing-room for Saturday’s game.

“The crowd is what separates us from every other program in Texas,” Norwood said. “The 12th Man has been a huge advantage all season. We expect big hits, tons of energy and a loud 12th Man giving the other team hell.”

Start time for the Friday, Jan. 27 game in Austin is 8 p.m., and the Saturday, Jan. 28, game in College Station at Spirit Ice Arena is set to start at 7:30 p.m.

Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief

Kyle McClenagan, Managing Editor

Caroline Wilburn, News Editor

Kenzie Finch, News Editor

Ana Renfroe, Asst. News Editor

Ishika Samant, Photo Chief

Jonathan Taffet, Asst. Photo Chief

Ruben Hernandez, Life & Arts Editor

Emma Lawson, Asst. L&A Editor

Emma Moser, Business Manager

Dan Hung, Business Manager

Caleb Elizondo, Opinion Editor

Ryan Lindner Asst. Opinion Editor

Zoe May, Sports Editor

Grant Gaspard, Sports Editor

Luke White, Asst. Sports Editor

Skylar Cheek, Social Media Editor

THE BATTALION is published Thursdays in the 2023 spring semester (except during university holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

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Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Aggies to take on Longhorns in an icy double showdown

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Freshman F. Nicolas Leone blocks the puck from a Texas gaurd on Sept. 30, 2023.

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Aggies bounce in first SEC win

By Cade Harris @cadeharris_

For the first time since accepting the head coaching job at Texas A&M, Joni Taylor faced off against her former squad, Georgia, after spending seven years as head coach of the Lady Bulldogs.

Coach Taylor could not ask for a better way to face her former team for the first time as the Aggies snapped their eight-game losing skid, seven in SEC play, with a 75-73 victory at Reed Arena on Jan. 22.

Throughout the week, Taylor preached to the Aggies that despite facing her former team, it was just another game.

“I love the University of Georgia,” Taylor said. “I was there for 11 years. In some ways I feel like part of me went to school there. The bond that I have with former players there and alumni is real. That’s a special place, but it’s the next game on our schedule just like when I went to Alabama last week.”

Taylor played basketball and also worked at the University of Alabama.

After not playing since the Aggies’ Nov. 30 matchup at Kansas due to a right wrist injury, freshman forward Janiah Barker saw her first action with 5:48 left to play in the first quarter, bringing a loud cheer from the fans in Reed Arena. Barker, ranked nationally as the No. 3 recruit in the 2022 class by ESPN, scored eight of the Aggies 16 first quarter points capped off by a 3-point basket, bringing an even louder cheer from the fans in Reed.

Barker did not know until this morning at shootaround that she would be able to play in this matchup. It is important for A&M that she did as she led the team in scoring with 23 points off the bench.

“It just feels good to be back,” Barker said. “My hand is fine, actually feeling better.”

Sophomore guard, and Georgia transfer, Tineya Hylton also saw her first action coming off of injury. Hylton had not played since the Aggies’ Dec. 6 matchup at Little Rock.

In the past five games, A&M has played with only seven players. With Barker and Hylton back and healthy, the Aggies received much needed depth for SEC play.

“Playing in the SEC with seven people is tough,” graduate forward Aaliyah Patty said. “It’s tough physically and it’s tough mentally, so we’re glad to have bodies back giving us a breather, helping us through mental fatigue, and then also to help us with scoring.”

The game was back and forth from the start

with the biggest lead coming from A&M mid-way through the 4th quarter, 65-56. Georgia proceeded to go on a 11-2 run to tie the game at 67-67 with just over two minutes left to play.

Barker made her presence known again in the game, knocking down a jump shot then going onefor-two at the free throw line to put the Aggies out in front 72-69 with 24 seconds left to play.

After both teams went to the free throw line and knocked down both shots, Georgia senior guard Alisha Lewis knocked down a 3-point basket from the top of the key, decreasing the Aggie lead to 74-73.

Sophomore forward Jada Malone proceeded to go one-for-two from the free throw line on the ensuing possession to put the Aggies up 75-73 with six seconds to go. Malone missed the second shot forcing Georgia to go the length of the court to try and win or force overtime but the 3-point shot from Lewis came up short and the Aggies celebrated their first conference win of the season.

The victory marked the first victory for the Aggies since their 57-49 win over SMU on Dec. 18. The Aggies improved to 6-12 on the season and 1-7 in SEC play as Georgia dropped to 13-8 and 2-5 in SEC play.

A&M will look to build off of this game as they will get right back to SEC play Sunday, Jan. 29, on the road against Vanderbilt.

Women’s Tennis looks to ace Florida Gators

Maroon and white to host weekend-long regional tournament

By Kylie Stoner @sportsbystoner

Fresh off a No. 4 ranking, Texas A&M women’s tennis is hosting the Texas A&M Regional for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff this weekend with a match on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. against Florida Atlantic. If the Aggies defeat the Owls, they will play the winner of the match between Arizona and Florida on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m.

The blue, red and silver are coming to College Station with a 2-1 record so far this season while

the maroon and white remain undefeated with a 3-0 record. Should the Aggies move on to the second and final match of the weekend, they will face off against an undefeated team as both Florida and Arizona have not yet lost this season.

Owl redshirt senior Martina Kudelova is on a three match winning streak as well as holding a 6-4 record thus far this season. Kudelova holds the title of FAU’s most singles matches played. She started her career with Florida Atlantic in January of 2019. The Czech-born player has redshirted her previous two seasons with the Owls.

Aggie senior Carson Branstine has not lost in the 2023 season. Branstine won her first and only singles match, and has been victorious in both of her doubles matches so far this season. The second-year A&M student-athlete transferred from University of Southern California to the University of Virginia to A&M. At USC and Virginia, Branstine was

a redshirt freshman and sophomore due to injuries requiring surgery to her knees and hips.

Florida Gators’ sophomore Emily de Oliveira had the highest singles win-to-loss differential on her team last fall season with a 12-1 finish. So far, the Florida native has won her first and only singles match of the spring season in the only match the Gators have rallied in this season.

Arizona has a season record of 3-0. Freshman Tanvi Narendran has the highest win streak for the Wildcats with four-straight matches unbeaten. The Tucson, Ariz. native’s overall record for the 20222023 season is 4-1.

The Fightin’ Farmers have had a home-court advantage the entirety of this season. A&M looks to keep the at-home winning streak alive this weekend. Fans can watch the guaranteed match at the Mitchell Tennis Center at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Aggies to take on Commodores

By Neomi Brown @neomib_03

The Texas A&M men’s basketball team faces off against Vanderbilt as it looks to improve its 6-1 conference-play record on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 10-6, against A&M with the last matchup taking place on Feb. 19, 2022 as the Aggies lost 72-67. Saturday’s game will mark the first time in four years that the Commodores will travel to College Station to play against the maroon and white.

Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV continues to lead the Aggies with an average of 14.8 points and 3.8 assists per game. However, senior guard Tyrece Radford remains close behind Taylor with an average of 12.7 points per game. During the loss to Kentucky, Radford’s talents shined through as he finished the game with 22 points and only missed six out of his 21 shots.

A&M’s defense showed out during the first half against the Wildcats as they held the team to shoot just 30% from the field. However, the ability of Kentucky to turn a deficit into a lead in less than a minute after halftime showed that there is still work to be done before the season ends.

The Commodores are led by their very own, Liam Robbins, who averages 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. In addition, junior guard Tyrin

Lawrence is second on the squad with an average of 11.2 points a game.

The Aggies welcome the Commodores into their home arena after an away matchup against No. 15 Auburn on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The Commodores’ most recent loss came against Kentucky as the Wildcats rolled over Vanderbilt with a 69-53 score.

With the NCAA Tournament in sight, the Aggies are looking to finish out the rest of conference play undefeated as they work on putting their best foot forward towards Selection Sunday on March 12.

The matchup will be televised on the SEC Network on Saturday, Jan. 28 with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. inside Reed Arena.

Aggies pull through in matchup against coach Joni Taylor’s former team

Sophomore G Tineya Hylton (3) and Sophomore G Eriny Kindred (21) celebrate thier win against Florida at Reed Arena on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2022.

Jonathan Taffet— THE BATTALION

Graduate G Dexter Dennis (0) and freshman F Solomon Washington (13) reach for the ball at Reed Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.

Aggies hope to regain momentum after win-streak stumble, revival

Ishika Samant— THE BATTALION