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Most of the year, this $2 cloth is destined to either be stowed away until next season or become a handy-dandy shop towel in dad’s garage. But what it lacks in Egyptian cotton, it makes up for in pride. If you have ever seen 80,000 of these waving at once in a churning sea of white, you know this towel is much more than a humble handkerchief—it helps 11 men play with the power of 12. By contributing scholarships and support for esteemed campus programs, donors to the Texas A&M Foundation give Aggie students, faculty and staff something to cheer about every day. Learn how you can help build a brighter future for Aggies today and tomorrow at txamfoundation.com.
It’s more than an ordinary towel.
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
— THE BATTALION 04 || A&M’S QB PROBLEM 03 || LETTER FROM SPORTS EDITOR JULIA ABELL FEATURE || 30 09 || FOOTBALL PREVIEW 11 || FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 12 || DEVON ACHANE FEATURE 14 || ANTONIO JOHNSON FEATURE BY ZOE MAY BY GRANT GASPARD BY ZOE MAY BY ISHIKA SAMANT BY JORDAN EPP BY JORDAN EPP BY JORDAN EPP 18 || VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW BY BRAD BENNETT 17 || LETTER FROM PHOTO CHIEF BY ROBERT O’BRIEN CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW || 29 BY SHANIELLE VEAZIE SOCCER PREVIEW || 26 BY NEOMI BROWN CIERA HECHT FEATURE || 23 BY MICHAELA RUSH 21 || VOLLEYBALL TRANSFERS BY LUKE WHITE
Photo Illustration by Robert O’Brien and Cameron Johnson Robert O’Brien
Sports
Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION
Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Miller, Editor-in-ChiefSummer Jordan Epp, Sports Editor
Grant Gaspard, Asst. Sports Editor
Zoe May, Asst. Sports Editor
Robert O’Brien, Photo Chief & Head Page Designer
Ishika Samant, Asst. Photo Chief & Design Editor Cameron Johnson, Asst. Photo Chief
I never expected I’d ever be in charge of putting together this Maroon Life magazine, but due to extenuating circumstances, I found myself in that situation midway through the summer of 2022. At first, it quickly became one of the most stressful scenarios I’ve ever found myself in during my career as a journalist.Iwasso preoccupied with the feeling that I had to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders that I forgot to turn to those around me for help. Once I finally did, and I began to collaborate with those in my circle, that’s when I discovered the magic of the community I had built around me. Thanks are in order to the talented Robert O’Brien who did the impossible task of keeping me grounded. As I felt myself flying off the rails, he managed to realign me right in time. I was focused on the idea that I couldn’t finish this by myself, but he reminded me that I didn’t haveHeto.and the talented tag team of Cameron Johnson and Ishika Samant made this magazine look as beautiful as it does. They managed to turn dreams, brainstorms and silly ideas into realities that are better than I could have done with infinitely more Furthermore,time.thecontents of this magazine would never have been possible without the diligent efforts and flexible cooperation of the amazing sports desk staff. I was able to count on Grant Gaspard to step up in a new role and help relieve some of the stress that weighed me down. I saw Zoe May and Luke White change their courses of action multiple times as we navigated rocky roads. I was able to trust Brad Bennett to be Mr. Reliable as he easily handled the tasks at hand. And, I was able to watch as Neomi Brown and Shanielle Veazie stepped up and took on challenges they had never faced before.
on
editors and contributors LETTER FROM THE SPORTSEDITOR
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 3
Kathryn Miller was there to help guide me along the way and keep me in check, while Michaela Rush acted as someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to hear my struggles and someone to count on to embrace a new role with a new desk when called to action. And lastly, my deepest appreciation goes out to Casey Stavenhagen who, despite not being able to be a part of this product, was instrumental in the process. I was taken under the wing, I was taught, listened to, believed in and given an opportunity for a job I never thought I’d want or be able to handle.
I learned through the process of creating this magazine what can be achieved when a group of people comes together to focus on a common goal. I will never take for granted what a strong community of people around me can achieve. I will also never take a magazine, newspaper or any piece of content for granted again, because I never know how much energy, stress and emotion may be poured into it. This edition of Maroon Life took a village to create, and learning to trust it made all the difference. editor Jordan Epp reflects creative process, thanks
Yancey assured Max’s intentions at A&M are to
On the field, Ben described Max as versatile — capable of both sitting in the pocket and delivering the throw or capable of escaping the pressure with his legs. Off the field, Ben described Max as a best friend, a guest at his upcoming wedding, a leader and a great teammate. “He’s someone you want on your team,” Ben said. “He never brings anyone down, he always brings them along with him. He’ll never talk bad about anyone, it doesn’t matter who it is. His worst enemy, he’ll build them up if they need it, and he’s always going to be there for you.” During his senior season, Max led Oconee County to the 2019-20 GHSA Class 4A State Football Championship game, where they played against Blessed Trinity who was coming off back-to-back titles. The Warriors fell short of their first title, but Max was recognized as the Georgia 4A Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts that season.
Robert O’Brien-— THE BATTALION
Max Johnson
The same goes for the story of the quarterback battle at Texas A&M. There are three quarterbacks — all different, not only in playstyle but in character — who all have the potential to start this year, next year or the year after that. But, only one can be the starter at a time. We are at the climax, but what are the stories behind the players and how do they all fit into coach Jimbo Fisher’s larger narrative?
compete and win, something he practices in his daily life. Yancey said whether it’s something simple such as video games or pickleball, a game they picked up over this last summer, it is always go-time for Max.
Junior quarterback Max Johnson (14) looks for an open receiver during the Maroon & White Game at Kyle Field on April 9, 2022.
“[The Johnsons are] very Christian-based,” Ben Noland said, who was teammates with Max and Jake at Oconee County. “They never want to brag about themselves or anybody. They always want to talk someone else up other than themselves. It’s never aboutRegardlessthem.”
By Jordan Epp
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 4 Jimbo’s Triple Option:
of his background and support structure, Max didn’t get where he is without hard work, Tate Yancey said, who backed up Max at Oconee County. What took him to his heights were intangible — work ethic, knowledge, leadership and character.“He’s extremely smart, and he’s just really sneaky athletic,” Yancey said. “Being able to throw with Jake and his dad, he just knows what’s going to happen. He can explain stuff to you. He’s a tall, lanky dude, but he can move just as well as anyone else I’ve seen.” Yancey recalled his memories with Max during the football season, a man he still calls a friend. During Max’s senior year, the Warriors would host team meetings in the school’s auditorium before games. Yancey couldn’t remember if it was Senior Night or if it was deep in the team’s playoff run, but he did remember Max’s“Ourspirit.coach started asking the seniors, ‘What do y’all want from this season?’” Yancey said. “And he got to Max, and Max was like, ‘I want to win a state championship. This is why we’re here. Nothing else matters. We’re here to win, and we’re here to do everything it takes to win.’ And that just kind of showed him as a competitor.”
@jepp_22 Three players compete for the chance to be A&M’s starting quarterback
Brad is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who played 17 years in the NFL, throwing for 29,054 yards and 166 touchdowns in his career. Brad’s wife, Nikki, was a standout athlete herself, playing volleyball at South Florida where she set multiple school records. With that much talent, it’s no surprise that their children would succeed in sports as well. Their youngest, Jake, was the No. 1 tight end in the Class of 2022, signing with A&M. Packaged alongside him was older brother Max, who spent two seasons with LSU before transferring to A&M to play with Jake. Max was a four-star recruit himself, rounding out an athletic powerhouse of a family.
A&M’s QB Problem
Our story begins in Watkinsville, Ga., a town of fewer than 3,000 people about 60 miles east of Atlanta. Beyond the edge of town sits a secondary school, Oconee County High School. The Oconee County Warriors have had a surprisingly solid track record of producing quarterbacking talent. Zach Mettenberger, Class of 2009, was a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He originally signed with Georgia before going to LSU and the NFL. Zeb Noland, son of the team’s head coach from 2014 to 2021, Travis Noland, was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2016 before attending Iowa State and ending his career in dramatic fashion with South Carolina, a story worth reading if you’re unfamiliar.Andyet, despite this, the most successful quarterback in the Watkinsville area might be a 53-year-old man named Brad Johnson.
Astory doesn’t begin at the climax. There’s exposition and character development that leads up to a breaking point. The buildup makes a story engaging, because if there wasn’t a compelling journey, why should anyone care about the outcome?
John remembered being on the bus riding to the state championship game, tackling the 150-mile journey from Longview High School to the home of Texas’ high school championships—AT&T Stadium. Haynes always sat behind his father on the bus. The two had been there before, not necessarily in the stadium, but in this position. In 2008 and 2009, John coached the Lobos to consecutive championship appearances, both resulting in losses to Lake Travis High School from Austin. Haynes had been along for the ride, serving as the team’s ball boy back then. “I told [Haynes], ‘Boy, we’re going to realize this, but we may have to come home [without a title],’” John said. “And [Haynes] said, ‘We ain’t going to lose this one, daddy.’ And that’s just who he was. He loved playing for his with guys he grew up with. It meant something to him, and you don’t find that too often. Not in today’s world.” Haynes scored 50 total touchdowns in his championship-winning junior season, a testament to the hard work he put in. Haynes isn’t one to sit on his tail, he knows he’s imperfect, and he’ll always look to improve, John said. He can be quiet and to himself, but John referred to Haynes as a chameleon, being able to fit into his surroundings and with anybody, a skill that helps him in building relationships with those around him. But if there’s one character trait that is instilled in Haynes, it’s one he got from his father: work ethic. Haynes may be known for his foot speed, creativity with the football and ability to keep plays alive, but John attributes a lot of Haynes’ success to his knowledge of the game and his pursuit of that knowledge. John said Haynes doesn’t just try to learn his part of the offense, he studies the defense, the run game and the offensive line, a skill he learned from his father who had experience playing and coaching along the offensive line. “Being a coach’s kid, he was kind of a gym rat around here, studying film and watching older kids play and practice,” John said. Haynes’ love for the grind never ceased, even as he made his way to A&M. He was set to be the starter as a redshirt freshman, but a tibia fracture he suffered in Week 2 cut his season short. He earned the starting job in 2021 because of his efforts throughout 2020, his redshirt season. He was eager to learn and improve, exemplified ahead of the team’s 2020 bowl game against North Carolina, the Orange Bowl. Haynes had been exposed to COVID-19 and was forced to miss postseason practices as a result. “[Haynes] had to quarantine because he was exposed,” John said. “And, he was bored, so he pull[ed] his truck up to the back of the grass practice field and [sat] on the hood of his truck and watche[d] practice because that’s just what it meant to him. That’s who QB PROBLEM And2020.while seeing Haynes’ two losses as more memorable than his wins may seem very glass-half-empty, it makes sense in context: Haynes never lost a regular season game — and to the Kings, that’s for community, for his high schoolside-by-sideand he is.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 5
Haynes King That same season down in Texas, another quarterback ended his high school career with a playoff loss. During his senior year, Haynes King and the Longview High School Lobos faced off against Dallas Jesuit in the second round. The Lobos failed on their final three extra-point attempts en route to a 27-25 loss. “There’s a lot of great [memories],” John King said, recalling his time with Haynes at Longview. John served two major roles in Haynes’ life: father and coach. “And yet, I don’t remember them as much as I remember the few bad ones. The two losses we had, those stick with you more than the wins and the great moments. You think about what you could have done.” Haynes had a 37-2 record at Longview High School, a standout record for a player at a school that consistently produces NFL talent. He was a multi-sport athlete and ended his high school career as a four-star quarterback and the No. 131 prospect in the entire Class of 2020. it was always about winning it all. In Haynes’ junior year, he pulled it off: a perfect season. Longview achieved a perfect record of 16-0, winning the 2018-19 UIL Football Conference 6A D2 championship against West Brook High School while outscoring its opponents in the playoffs by a margin of 283 to 143 over six playoff games. Longview had won its first title since 1937. This was no accident, though. This was a story in the works.
ON PG. 14
Robert O’Brien-— THE BATTALION
Sophomore quarterback Haynes King (13) passes the ball to an open receiver during the Maroon & White Game at Kyle Field on April 9, 2022.
THE BATTALION
Robert O’Brien — that you’ll A&M.Weigman
“I gave him the sign that, if it’s there, if it’s your pitch, just take it,” Orlando said. “Go ahead and get after it. And, he hit one of the hardest balls that I’ve seen. He lost the ball out in left-center[field] and it was gone in about three seconds. It’s just one of those things where he has the ability to do things like that — you’d love to be able to coach a bunch of Conner [Weigmans].”TexasA&M has a quarterback problem, not because they don’t have one, but because they have three. All of them — Johnson, King and Weigman — have different skill sets, personalities and stories. Fisher has a plan for them, one we don’t yet know. One may be the present, one may be the future, but all are entangled in Fisher’s plans. One thing is true of all three though: they did everything they could to earn the right to be in this position. Now, Fisher has a quarterback problem, and it’s a pretty good problem to have.
serious about to to their being field to lead field. time or the a record season The He and the record, to Second a that see Bridgeland. losing “He has the ability to get teammates around him and raise up their level of play, which I know translates to him being successful on the football field as a quarterback.”
PAUL ORLANDO WEIGMAN’S FORMER COACH
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 6
“There are kids that come along every so often hear some people say they’re the ‘total package,’” Paul Orlando said, Weigman’s baseball coach at Bridgeland. “[Weigman] has all of that: the tools, the fundamentals, the heart [and] the personal drive to compete at the highest level possible.” Weigman was a standout at Bridgeland as a two-sport athlete, playing both football and baseball. He is set to play both sports during his time at Weigman was an early enrollee at A&M during the spring of 2022, forcing him to miss his senior season of baseball at Bridgeland. He had the opportunity to play for A&M’s baseball team during the spring season, but instead, he opted to sit out and focus on football, learning the new program and developing his skills as a quarterback. Weigman will wait until at least the spring of 2023 to start his collegiate baseball “[Weigman]’scareer.gota playful side, and he can relax, but he’s very serious about what he does. He’s just very driven to be good,” Orlando said. “His presence on a team, he’s naturally a leader. He has the ability to get teammates around him and raise up their level of play, which I know translates to him being successful on the football field as a quarterback. You have to step into the huddle and lead the team down the field. That’s the name of the game. In baseball, any time we had rallies or we needed anything or someone to step up and do things, he was always the center of that. He naturally has that Bridgelandability.”wasabrand new football program when Weigman stepped foot in Ken Pridgeon Stadium for the first time. During Bridgeland’s first season in 2018, the Bears were just 3-7 with a 2-6 record in district play. Joining the team as a sophomore, Weigman started the season splitting action with the team’s incumbent quarterback, then-junior Finn Nicholson. The two had nearly even splits between Weeks 1 and 2, but by Week 3, Weigman had taken over the job. He put up 3,230 total yards and 34 total touchdowns on the season, leading the team to an 8-3 record, 6-2 in district action. Weigman also won District 14-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Nicholson transferred to Second Baptist School to continue playing quarterback and now plays at the Colorado School of Mines as a wide receiver.
When it comes to the level of athlete Weigman exemplifies, Orlando can point to times when he would hit a ground ball and just narrowly make it safely to first base. He can point to times when, at shortstop, Weigman would make a play on a ball that no high school kid should have any business reaching. But, one way to exemplify just what kind of an athlete Weigman is, Orlando recalled a story.
“Sometimes athletes that are quick, fast, that get certain jumps and reads on balls, the game seems to slow down for them,” Orlando said. “You can see it.”
senior, the team was 11-3 and Weigman had 3,341 total yards and 38 total touchdowns. His senior season saw Weigman earn numerous awards including the District 16-6A Offensive MVP, Houston Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Year and National High School Quarterback of the Year by the National Quarterback Club. As a top-tier recruit, Weigman committed to A&M, and his high school teammate Andrew Maleski — a Class of 2022 wide receiver who caught 17 touchdowns from Weigman in their senior seasons — joined the Aggies as well as a priority walk-on athlete.
The team was in Brenham in the middle of a tournament. Weigman was a junior, his final season of high school baseball, unbeknownst to those in attendance. Weigman worked his way to a count of three balls and zero strikes. In baseball, batters typically do not swing at the next pitch, because if the pitcher throws another ball, the batter advances to first on a walk. If the pitcher throws a strike, the batter will resume action with a 3-1Weigmancount. stepped out of the box and looked down at Orlando. Orlando looked at Weigman. Orlando knew exactly what the kid wanted: he wanted to take the chance and swing at the next pitch.
As Weigman continued to improve, so did Bridgeland. In his junior season, the team went undefeated in conference action with a 12-1 record, losing to Rockwall-Heath High School in the third round. In his first full season as a starter, he accrued 4,382 total yards and 51 total touchdowns, winning the District 16-6A Offensive Player of the Year award. As a
Conner Weigman Two years younger than both Johnson and King is Conner Weigman. Coming out of Bridgeland High School, a new school in the Houston area built in 2017, Weigman was a higher-rated prospect than both of his new teammates, ranking as the No. 2 quarterback in the Class of 2022.
AGGIESEARCH.TAMU.EDU Your Aggieland off-campus housing search starts here. Find housing, roommates and resources. AggieSearch is Texas A&M University’s only official off-campus housing search website.
The offseason of the 2022 college football season marked a season of changes for Texas A&M. Head coach Jimbo Fisher reeled in an extensive recruiting class that beat out all others, scoring the No. 1 recruiting class of all-time.A&M secured a slew of young talent including the No. 1 defensive lineman and tight end, the No. 2 wide receiver, quarterback, safety and kicker and the No. 3 defensive lineman, wide receiver and interior offensive lineman, among many others. Fisher said the freshmen group has done a good job of adapting and understanding how the team practices and some players feel like they have been with the team for a long time with how strong the buy-in has been. “Their body types, the size, speed of these guys [is different than freshmen were five years ago],” Fisher said. “You still [have] to play the game. ‘Where my steps are, where my hat is, how tough am I, can I give effort, am I mentally focused on everything I do …’ That’s what we have to do now and develop these guys.”Afew spots across the depth chart could provide the young players, especially wide receivers, the chance to play early. Evan Stewart, a freshman from Frisco and the No. 2 wide receiver in the high school Class of 2022, has been able to impress early on in the process. “His speed, when you’re watching it on video or live on the field, it’s there,” James Coley said, A&M’s offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. “He’s explosive, he’s fast in short areas and fast with long speed. That all helps route runners get open … he’s a prideful kid who takes a lot of pride in being prepared and having his toolbox [and] his skillset ready to go for practice.”
One of the aspects that makes A&M’s 2022 football season so intriguing is the balance of the old and the new. While many of the team’s top performers departed for the pros, the Aggies still added a lot of young talent across the board. Even in-house, a lot of talent that had been waiting in the wings are finally getting their chance to fly. Across the offense, there is expected to be a quarterback battle between freshman Conner Weigman, redshirt sophomore Haynes King and junior LSU transfer Max Johnson. Catching passes, the aforementioned Smith leads a crew of Stewart, junior Chase Lane, redshirt sophomore Moose Muhammad III and redshirt senior Jalen Preston. The offensive line was also revamped with young talent. Redshirt junior Layden Robinson leads an inexperienced unit of redshirt freshman Trey Zuhn III, redshirt sophomore Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, sophomores Bryce Foster and Reuben Fatheree II. “We’ve got the weapons, we’ve got the skill, we’ve got the ability to be an outstanding offense,” offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Darrell Dickey said. “To be explosive, to be able to grind it out, to be able to do all the things coach Fisher wants to do from an offensive standpoint. We just got to figure out who’s going to be doing the bulk of it at each position and I think the competition is going to carry out throughout the season. The younger guys are hungrier.”
“He’s involved in every play,” Coley said. “He’s there chirping and talking, that’s the way he approaches the game. For him, it’s a mental edge … and he’s been huge for the young guys, he’s always talking to them. He’s huge for the older guys because he’s talking to them too. He’s got the right mindset.”
Among these roster veterans include a few stars from the 2021 season, senior safety Demani Richardson and Ainias Smith. Richardson was the first player named when Fisher was asked which older guys have stepped up so far. Smith also received praise from Coley for his involvement in practices.
A&M prepares for new season with a stacked schedule and young roster
Another major key to a potentially explosive A&M offense is junior running back Devon Achane. Having been playing behind now-Los Angeles Chargers running back Isaiah Spiller for the last couple of seasons, Achane got to show fans a glimpse of what he’s capable of doing. In 2021, Achane toted 130 carries for 910 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, adding on 24 catches for 261 yards and an extra touchdown. Spiller’s absence vacates 179 carries, some of which will likely be redirected to Achane as a potential workhorse back. However, Spiller never received more than 188 carries or 29 catches in a season, meaning the Aggies may look to incorporate sophomore Amari Daniels, redshirt freshman LJ Johnson and redshirt junior Earnest Crownover more than in the past. The change in Aggieland doesn’t stop with the players, however. Over the offseason, Mike Elko, who served as A&M’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, left for a head coaching opportunity at Duke. In his place, Fisher brought in D.J. Durkin from Ole Miss, known best for his time as Maryland’s head coach.“Ifeel like this program and coach Fisher’s vision, proven track record and things he does, I think everything lines up here to really be able to do something special,” Durkin said. “We acquired great talent, great players and now getting to meet everyone, we have great people most importantly. Talented team and talented staff, it’s a good place to be.”
New team ready to tackle season
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 9
Durkin said his defensive philosophy differs at every stop he’s made. Durkin has been a part of nine different organizations since 2001. His goal with A&M’s defense is to build his scheme around the players and create buy-in from the athletes. Coach Robinson, while not new to the team, is new to his position as assistant head coach. He came to A&M in 2018 after stints with Baylor, Temple and his alma mater Penn State.“I always passed [College Station] on my way to go recruit, and every time it grabbed my eyes,” Robinson said. “I always passed this barn that had white paint that said, ‘Gig ’em.’ I had no idea what that barn was. I always drove past and wondered what College Station was like. When I had the opportunity to work for coach Fisher and be in the SEC, that was something I couldn’t turn down.” As A&M enters the 2022 season, they currently sit with a ranking of No. 6 on the AP Poll, despite an 8-4 season in 2021 that ended with the Aggies being unranked. This season, with talent apparent across the roster, Fisher and the rest of his crew will have to put the pieces together to have a chance for a successful season in the SEC.
Another young group is the Aggies’ defensive line. With athletes like Jayden Peevy, DeMarvin Leal, Micheal Clemons and Tyree Johnson leaving for the NFL over the offseason, the path is paved for the next group of players to get their shot.
By Jordan Epp @jepp_22
“I think the most important thing when getting young guys is teaching them the small things, the ordinary things,” Elijah Robinson said, A&M’s assistant head coach, running game coordinator and defensive line coach. Robinson said the process of coaching up the young recruits often works indirectly through the veterans on the roster. Robinson said many of the team’s returning players along the defensive line — including juniors McKinnley Jackson and Isaiah Raikes and sophomore Shemar Turner — have been coaching up the younger players. Having played behind the departing talent and having the opportunity to watch them work, the new group of veterans can pass along that knowledge.
Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION
Though much attention has gone toward the new guys, Fisher said that more needs to go toward the older guys and their improvements as well. He said upperclassmen and experienced players need to set an example for the younger players while taking the proper steps to get to the next level.
SEPT. 3rd vs. Sam Houston 10th vs. Appalachian State 17th vs. Miami 24th vs. Arkansas OCT. 1st at Mississippi State 8th at Alabama 22nd at South Carolina 29th vs. Ole Miss NOV. 5th vs. Florida 12th at. Auburn 19th vs. UMass 26th vs. LSU 2022 Football Schedule Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 11
Photo Illustration by Ishika Samant & Cameron Johnson
He’s a running back, he’s a track star
Junior sprint runner Devon Achane: 2020 Gatorade Texas Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year, first male Aggie since 2014 to earn All-America honors in the 100m and 200m, 12th fastest performer in school histo ry at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, ran to a first place finish at the Don Kirby Open in New Mexico making him the No. 3 all time Aggie in the event. Since his freshman year at Texas A&M, Achane has been juggling being a dual-sport athlete as a member of the Aggie football and track and field teams. “I like being a two-sport athlete,” Achane said. “It’s a lot of work, but coach [Jimbo] Fisher and coach [Pat] Henry had a system for me. When I was in track, I was doing track, but I was still lifting a little so I wouldn’t lose myDuestrength.”tohis two sports requiring a focus on different aspects of athleticism — endurance versus durability — Achane has to ensure he maximizes the summer in between the spring track season and fall football season to get his body“Transitionready. [between sports] for me is ba sically trying not to lose as much weight as I do going into track,” Achane said. “[Track is] obviously a lot of running and sweating, I’m going to lose weight. Just trying to stay in the weight room and keep my body maintain[ed]. You take a lot of hits, so keeping my weight up, make sure when I come back that I’m still in shape and able to [run] and catch the football.”Contrary to what audiences may believe, while Achane’s experience as a sprinter as sists in his on-field performance, racing on the track and charging down the field require different styles of running. “My speed on the field and on track is too different,” Achane said. “If you see me run ning on the field you’re probably like ‘He’s
“I honestly do not know [how fast I would be if I trained track year round],” Achane said. “That would be a scary sight because I wasn’t even expecting to run 20.3 that early.” Leading into the fall 2022 season, Achane has high hopes for the team, not only because they excel in their respective positions, but because Achane and the other members of the backfield can switch positions depending on the“Iplay.believe we have the best backfield in the entire country because it’s all interchange able,” Achane said. “We all can do every thing. We can play full back, we can all go at that wideout … we all play everything. We all switch at different things; you’ll have me at receiver or I’ll probably be in the back field with Ainias [Smith].” With Isaiah Spiller’s draft into the NFL, Achane is set to become the starting running back for the maroon and white, a position both new and familiar to him.
THE
“[I want to do better] just playing,” Achane said. “Going out as a receiver, just focusing on running my routes better. I’ve been at practice catching a lot of drag [routes], just working on my hands and do[ing] what’s best for the team.”
Junior Devon Achane during a qualifying heat for the men’s 60m dash at the 2022 SEC Indoor Track & Field Championship on Feb. 25, 2022. By Zoe May
Once football season concluded, Achane shifted his focus towards training his body for sprints, however, unlike many runners who train their bodies year round, Achane has a limited amount of time to prepare. Despite this, in Achane’s first season with the track and field team, Achane reached a personal best of 20.31 at the Texas Relays earning him second place overall.
Robert O’Brien-— BATTALION
not running,’ but in track it’s totally different. My advantage is my speed so I try to take advantage of that.”
Touchdown Club of Houston Offensive Player of the Year, Orange Bowl MVP, SEC Freshman of the Year, 50th Aggie in history to rush 1000 yards in their career, Maxwell Award watch list member.
“When I started high school I was a sec ond string running back and my junior year I became a starter,” Achane said. “Same here [at A&M], I was a second string runner my freshman and sophomore year and now I am a starter my junior year. Taking on that role and being a leader for the team, it helps a lot that I am familiar with the position and phase that I am in because it’s the same from high school.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 13
Junior running back Devon Achane: 2019
@MayZoella Running back, sprinter Devon Achane balances dual sports, responsibilities
With the expectations of fans and analysts alike, Achane’s shoulders are heavy leading into the new season, but Achane’s vision is locked on self improvement and being the best teammate he can be.
During his high school career, Johnson amassed 234 total tackles, 161 solo tackles and nine interceptions as a defensive back. On the offensive end, he accumulated a total of 1,531 receiving yards on 73 receptions with 16
By Grant Gaspard @grant_gaspard
‘Diamonds in the rough’
Left to right: A young Antonio Johnson poses for a youth football portrait; Antonio Johnson and his younger brother, Sael Reyes; Antonio Johnson and his family take a photo after a Texas A&M football game.
The story of Antonio Johnson from East St. Louis to College Station Photos courtesy of the Johnson Family
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 14 In a city just east of the Mississippi River and across from downtown St. Louis, Mo., sits the home and birthplace of junior Tex as A&M defensive back Antonio Johnson.
Now, the city that shares half of the Gate way Arch with St. Louis, has just below 17,000 residents and a poverty rate of 30%. “It’s a rough city,” Johnson said. “You see a lot at a young age, and you understand life a little differently, from a different point of view.”When looking at East St. Louis from John son’s perspective, you see valuable life lessons, a supportive community and a place to call home.“Ilike to say, you find a lot of diamonds in the rough in a city like that,” Johnson said. “It helped build character, and that’s why I stand by my city.” His childhood Born and raised by his mother Damika Rogers, Johnson was the oldest of four chil dren in a family that loves sports, his sec ond-oldest brother Sael Reyes said. “We played baseball, basketball and even volleyball,” Reyes said. “We just played ev erything to keep us in shape for football sea son.”
As for Johnson, sports was an escape from hardship and into something bigger than him self.“I played a lot of sports to help me stay out of trouble,” Johnson said. “I just played any sport so I didn’t have to go home after school.”Anygym or stadium he stepped foot into, he was likely to steal the show, Johnson’s step father Kewan Rogers said. “He always was a good kid, always delight ful to party with and had a good personality,” Kewan said. “When he was younger, he used to be the little kid dancing at halftime at every high school football game.”
Early career After spending most of his childhood playing multiple sports year-round, Johnson stepped foot on his high school campus and switched his focus to football. Johnson was a three-year varsity football player for the East St. Louis Flyers and, ironically, flew around on both sides of the ball.
Duringtouchdowns.hislast season at East St. Louis High, Johnson helped his team finish the season with a perfect 14-0 record and a 43-21 victory in the 2019 Illinois High School Association Class 6A state championship game. This moment secured a trophy that will stand in the halls of East St. Louis High for years, but more importantly displays a mem ory that will be shared among the teammates for a lifetime.
A town built by capitalists and businessmen like Andrew Carnegie and JP Morgan, East St. Louis, Ill., used to be a thriving industrial town that reached a peak population of over 82,000 in 1950.
Present day After a remarkable sophomore season, the name Antonio Johnson is being discussed throughout college football as a pre season nominee for the Bednarik Award, Jim Thorpe Award and the Nagurski Trophy watch list. Although he is grateful for the recognition, he believes he still has a lot of work to do, Johnson said. “Personally, I see it, I acknowledge it, but to me, it’s just half of it,” Johnson said. “I tell people all the time, ‘I still have to go out there and produce.’ However, I am grateful to be recognized for the hard work I put in.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 15
“There is nothing wrong with being a role player,” Johnson said. “Your role players are just as important as your stars.”
“We play the same position, so he sends me his workouts so I can do them here so I can be the best I can be,” Reyes said, who plays football in high school. “He tells me things that coach Durkin tells him. The little details and everything that I can use for my football season this fall.”
Photos courtesy of the Johnson Family
There is still one more accomplishment Johnson has on his mind that he has a chance to achieve at the end of the year.
“We were at the state basketball game that year and we got a call that our house was on fire,” Kewan said. “Our neighbor was burning leaves, and he went into his house and fell asleep.” Nothing was left of Johnson’s house but ashes and smoke, Kewan“Thesaid.fire had got under our patio and it burned the house down from there,” Kewan said. “We ended up losing every thing … and I mean everything.” Despite losing all their possessions, Johnson’s family was able to receive a helping hand from their community to help rebuild what was lost. “His classmates put together a car wash fundraiser for the weekend and donated all the proceeds to us,” Kewan said. “The whole city came together to try and do what they can to help us out.” As life seemed to be heading in a downward spiral, Johnson and his family made sure to keep their heads high and their arms wrapped around each other.
Johnson said the loss of his friend made a huge impact on him and brought a different perspective to his life.
An athlete with over 20 Division I offers at the time, in cluding defensive powerhouses like Alabama, Michigan and Georgia, the No. 1 ranked player in Illinois had finally received a one-way ticket to a successful future.
“That was a rough time for my family and I,” Johnson said. “We hit rock bottom, but we stayed together.” Decision time On July 26, 2019, Johnson took an unofficial visit to College Station a month after committing to Tennessee. He decom mitted from Tennessee two days later and committed to the maroon and white. His reason? Kyle Field. “When I first came here, the first thing I saw turning into campus was Kyle Field,” Johnson said. “When I first saw Kyle, I just felt low. You could see Kyle from anywhere in College Station. I knew it was going to be a different environment just based on that.” From the coaching staff down to the students, everyone played a big part in his commitment to the school.
“At the time, he was the top eighth grader in the country,” Johnson said. “It was very sad what happened.” McKenzie had been at a party when a fight broke out, McK enzie’s mother Sukeena Gunner said to CNN. When fleeing the scene, a stray bullet struck him and he was immediately taken to the hospital. McKenzie passed away just a short time after, at the age of 14.
He wasn’t alone during this time either. Johnson had the support from his family back home and his teammates in the locker“Myroom.mom kept me humbled and grinded throughout the whole offseason,” Johnson said. “My teammates stayed con fident with me and wanted me out there just as bad as I did.
Reyes is following in his brother’s footsteps as he begins his sophomore season at East St. Louis High, playing defensive back just like his brother before him.
Throughout Johnson’s journey, he reminds himself con stantly of the words his mother tells him that gives him the necessary confidence and motivation to push through the next play.“She has always told me to be myself and show the world who you really are,” Johnson said. “Everyone puts on their pants one leg at a time, and I feel like that just helped me with my confidence as a young man. Just looking at the world differently helped me understand every opportunity you get. Everybody gets 24 hours in a day, it’s just what you do with it. She helped me understand that my days are what I put into it.”
“I’m a firm believer that your time is your time, you can’t rush it and you got to stay with the code, and that’s what I did,” Johnson said. “Learning the playbook and understanding the ‘why’ instead of just doing it, I feel like that helped me a lot in my play because I was able to break down certain things before the play even happened.”
One year in After playing in four games his freshman year, Johnson end ed the season with 14 total tackles, eight solo tackles and only one pass Despitedeflection.hardlyseeing the field, he kept his head high and did what he could to help his team out.
Photos courtesy of the Johnson Family
“I play through him because he is no longer here with us, but he is always here with us,” Johnson said. “Everything I do, I play through him.” In the same year, another disaster struck in Johnson’s life, however, this time on his front porch.
“I have to give a lot of respect just for the sacrifice my whole family took for me,” Johnson said. “Whether it was to take me to practice or pick me up when needed or when I asked them to. They never hesitated to help. They did whatever they could to help me.” Behind the scenes
“Family,” Johnson said. “That’s the best way to put it.” Johnson still keeps up with his old teammates, no matter the“Tosituation.thisday, I call any of my teammates, and they call me,” Johnson said. “We just check up on each other when we’re at school or whatever we’re doing. It’s a brotherhood for sure.”
On May 6, 2019, tragedy struck in Johnson’s community after the death of a young boy — a friend who the athlete took under his wing, Kewan said. His name was Jaylon McKenzie. McKenzie was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Future Issue as one of six teenagers who will “rule the future” of sports.
After the 2020-21 season, Johnson made sure to stay pre pared and took advantage of every opportunity that came his way during the offseason.
“Overall, we’re trying to win a national championship,” Johnson said. “I feel like where my team goes, my individual self goes aligns with them as long as we meet the mark.”
Johnson with the 2019 Illinois 6A football state championship trophy.
“That hit me hard because I was with him that night,” John son said. “That just helped me open my eyes to the world and move a little differently now.” Whether on the field or back at home, not a day goes by that Johnson doesn’t think of McKenzie.
“People don’t understand that looking from the outside in,” Johnson said. “Once you’re on the inside, you understand the whole culture.”
Even during this time of training and preparation, Johnson made sure to keep in contact with the family he grew up with in East St. Louis, Reyes said.
Johnson with his mother, Damika Rogers, and his brother Sael Reyes in 2019.
When I finally got on the field, they were there for me, con fident in me to make plays, they expected me to make plays and that helped a lot.”
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Robert O’Brien—
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 17
Howdy Ags, My name is Robert O’Brien and I’m a redshirt fifth-year COVID senior, who is finally finishing his undergrad uate degree this December, but more importantly—to me at least—I have had the genuine pleasure of being photo chief of The Battalion for the last nine months.Mytime with The Batt has been brief when compared to a lot of other Photo Chiefs and Sports Editors, I only started as a photographer in July of 2021 and joined the editorial staff as assistant photo chief to Abbey Santoro in September of 2021. In that time a lot has happened in my life: I got to watch thousands of Aggies storm Kyle Field after upsetting Alabama, I got to sit on the court of Madison Square Garden to watch Aggie basketball, I got to experience the discomfort of having dirt from Charles Schwabb Field stuck in my sock for the entire trip back from Omaha and I made the decision to pursue a career in photography.I’mhonored to say that my photos from each of the aforementioned events are now a part of The Battalion’s—and thus—Texas A&M’s history. These experiences have been some of the most memorable in my life thus far, and yet I don’t remember which photos from those moments wound up in print. Even though I have a variety of newspaper clips above my desk, I know that they have been cropped unsatis factorily and they just aren’t the whole photo that was taken. In fact, there is only one photo that I can confidently recall making its way onto paper exactly how I wanted it, and it’s a photo of a student holding a beer on Kyle Field. Everything else though kind of blurs together.IfI’mbeing completely honest, I don’t even know if most of my favor ite photos have ever appeared in print. The one place I do know where my favorite photos are available, exactly how I want them to be displayed—for the most part— is on Instagram, which has enabled me to share my work with anyone who wants to enjoy it. You may have even seen a few of my photos of a certain baseball coach eating a certain canned potato chip. This freedom to share as many photos as we want, exactly how we as pho tographers want them to be displayed, is why The Battalion has started a new Instagram account specifically focused on sharing our best photos in the fastest and most convenient way with you, our audience.TheBattalion has made a signifi cant investment in photojournalism for this upcoming football season, we hope to share our best work of all the touchdowns, upsets and celebrations that we hope to capture over the next few months with you, dear reader. So please, take a minute of your time to open up Instagram and follow us @thebattphoto and continue picking up magazines like this one, as we hope to make a few more this year. Now, we aren’t doing this to dimin ish the significance of print journalism or because we are discontinuing print editions, quite the opposite. The mag azine that you’re reading right now, dear reader, will eventually be consid ered part of the historic record. When webpages on thebatt.com must inevi tably be archived and when Instagram will one day shut down, that photo of a fan holding his beer on Kyle Field will still exist in someone’s home. So enjoy the digital now, and keep print for the future.Thanks, Gig ‘em, and give us a fol low on Instagram @thebattphoto
Photo chief Robert O’Brien discusses the future of student photojournalism at The Battalion LETTER FROM THE PHOTO CHIEF
THE BATTALION
2021 Ishika
The team is looking at the summer as a time to improve and build team chemistry, junior middle blocker Madison Bowser said.
BATTALION
Set for success Ciera Hecht (17) hits the ball over the net in a game against Georgia in Reed Arena on Oct. 8, Samant — THE
By Brad Bennett @Brad_Bennett13 A&M volleyball poised to spike back after middling season
“The offseason is going well,” Bowser said. “With ten new people [coming into the program], it can be hard to mesh [together] and get everyone on the same page, but everyone came with a super positive attitude and was ready to work and get better.”
“It’s a blessing to have that kind of respect from your teammates [and coaches],” Fields said. “[The] belief and confidence that I am a leader [of this] team. It’s a lot of responsibility, but there’s more joy to it. It really allows me to see the bigger picture in life in general of how it’s not all about yourself. You’re living to make others around you better.”
“I think we just learned that it’s going to be a grind and the little things do matter,” Fields said. “I think we let the little things slide a little bit last season and so really harping in and focusing on little things and big things. Whether that’s sleep, getting into the training room with [athletic trainer Rebecca Hines] more, getting in more reps or simply your body language. It should always be positive no matter what.”
Last season was a forgetful one for the Texas A&M volleyball team. A&M finished with a 14-14 overall record and 7-11 in the SEC. Coming into this season, however, A&M’s roster looks a whole lot different. Ten new players will be donning the maroon and white in Reed Arena this fall under coach Laura “Bird”“WeKuhn.didhave eight seniors [last season], so we graduated a lot, and we have ten new faces: five freshmen and five transfers,” Kuhn said. “[The new players] are all here now [for] camp, and that’s huge for us, because they’ve been training together in the weight room. They’re doing open gyms and that chemistry is building now. It’ll be like a brand new squad, basically. We’re going to have a lot of new faces out there.” Kuhn said while it can be difficult to integrate so many players into the program, it helps to have leaders like libero Allison Fields.
Senior
Kuhn felt last season’s struggles were due to the team not bringing their A-game on a regular basis, a requirement for success in the SEC.“[It was a] lack of consistency,” Kuhn said. “I think we had [promising] moments earlier in the season, [such as a five-set victory] at Tennessee [despite] one of our players [getting] injured. We moved a lot of people around. It was a combination of injuries and building a [sense of consistency] in the lineup.”Fields said the players are learning to be more attentive to the tedious aspects of being a successful program.
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 18
“Fields, our fifth-year senior, is still here, and that is so huge for us,” Kuhn said. “She is just the core of what it means to be an Aggie volleyball player.” Fields said she relishes the opportunity to be a leader of the team this season.
Bowser’s message for the 12th Man is to be ready for a special season.
“[The new players] are all great team mates,” Fields said. “They’re fun, and it’s very much a blessing to be able to play on this team, especially with all of them being new. They bring so much not only to the court but [also] into the locker room. It’s genuinely something we kind of have been missing. I’m excited for these girls. I’m ex cited to see what they can bring and what they’re going to do here. They’re all great
people and I think a lot of Ag[gie]s are going to want to watch A&M volleyball because of the new people on our team.”
Kuhn’s expectation for this year’s team is to win championships. She hopes to accom plish this by routinely testing her players to get the best out of them.
SEPTEMBER 6 SAM HOUSTON SEPTEMBER 24 TENNESSEE SEPTEMBER 9 LOUISIANA OCTOBER 7 MS STATE SEPTEMBER 25 TENNESSEE OCTOBER 8 MS STATE NOVEMBER 2 ALABAMA NOVEMBER 16 LSU NOVEMBER 12 FLORIDA AUGUST 26 HAWAI’I TEXAS A&M INVITATIONALAUGUST27 SAN DIEGO TEXAS A&M INVITATIONALOCTOBER22 KENTUCKY OCTOBER 23 KENTUCKY SCHEDULEHOMEVOLLEYBALLA&MTEXAS2022AUGUST 28 PITT TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL Sophomore Brooke Frazier (3) dives to save the ball from going out of bounds during a game against Auburn in Reed Arena on Nov. 4, 2021 Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION
“Hold on tight, it’s going to be a great ride,” Bowser said. “We have a lot of new pieces, and we’re excited to show [the fans] what we’ve been working on.”
“[We want] to compete at the high est level, win championships. We always talk about it, our goal as a team is to win championships,” Kuhn said. “Our opening weekend is against Hawai’i, San Diego and Pitt[sburgh]. We’re going to challenge this group, we’re going to challenge our team all the time to compete at the highest level and become the best version of themselves. The outcome is winning championships. That’s what we want, but all we can control is that process and how to challenge them each day so they can compete and play at that level.”
Fields said the new players have already brought so much to the team in the short time they’ve been a part of the program.
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postseason.“[Brown’s] work ethic and drive to compete are two characteristics that immediately stood out to us as a coaching staff,” Kuhn said. “[Brown’s] positive demeanor and high-level training experience will add depth in the middle and provide an immediate impact.”
@lukewhite03 Five new transfers bring needed change to volleyball program
After a 2021 campaign in which Texas A&M volleyball finished just 7-11 in SEC play, the team welcomes five transfers to Aggieland as the maroon and white look to reclaim their role as conference title contenders. As the program was dealt heavy losses due to graduation and transfers following last season, head coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn hit the recruiting trail hard in the spring and summer of 2022. Entering her fifth year at the helm of the program, Kuhn targeted players from New York and Indiana while also venturing beyond the continental United States to Hawai’i.
A week later, junior defensive specialist Lauren Hogan announced her arrival in College Station. The Syracuse transfer was a member of the 2020-21 ACC All-Freshman team while leading the conference in digs per set with 4.75. Hogan amassed 490 digs and 86 assists over two seasons with the Orange, including a team-leading 280 digs her freshman“[Hogan’s]year. enthusiasm and competitive drive immediately captured our attention the first time we talked with her,” Kuhn said. “Her athleticism and discipline, combined with her knowledge and libero experience, will breed high-level competition in our gym.”
Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION “Her athleticism and discipline, combined with her knowledge and libero experience, will breed gym.”competitionhigh-levelinour
On June 2, Hogan’s teammate at Syracuse, graduate setter Elena Karakasi, followed her footsteps to Aggieland and joined the maroon
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The Aggies huddle on the court before the start of a game against Ole Miss in Reed Arena on Oct. 14, 2021.
and white. Coming from Marousi-Athens, Greece, she finished with 2,486 assists across four years with the Orange, good for ninth most in school history. She totaled 1,035 assists last season, the fifth most in program history. At the amateur level, Karakasi competed on the U17 and U19 Greek national teams, finishing third at the Balkan Volleyball Association Championship in 2016. “[Hogan’s] experience at both the collegiate and international level will add immense value to what she will bring to this team,” Kuhn said. “Her skill and ability to see the game will naturally elevate the daily competition.”TheAggies’ transfer class was capped off with the addition of native Texan and Hawai’i transfer sophomore outside hitter Mia Johnson. Hailing from League City, she faced A&M as a member of the Rainbow Wahine last season, collecting a career-high 14 kills in a 3-0 victory for the Aggies on August 29. The five transfers will pair with five true freshmen with a hope to propel the Aggies to their first conference title since 2015. The team isn’t short on experience either, as graduate libero Allison Fields, senior outside hitter Ciera Hecht and redshirt junior middle blocker Madison Bowser return after playing significant roles on the team last season.The Aggies open the upcoming season by hosting the A&M Invitational from Aug. 26-28, where they’re set to take on Hawai’i, No. 25 San Diego and No. 6 Pittsburgh. T he onset of each new volleyball season carries a fresh start for a team, and the same can be said for the players.
Announced on April 25, the Aggies’ first addition came in graduate outside hitter and Notre Dame transfer Caroline Meuth. The San Antonio native was twice named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team while also reaching the All-Freshman team in 2019 with the Fighting Irish. Additionally, Meuth guided the Irish to two NCAA Tournament appearances in her first two years in South Bend, Ind. “We are excited to add [Meuth] to our program and welcome her back home to the state of Texas,” Kuhn said. “She has proven that she knows how to compete at a high level in the collegiate game. [Meuth’s] high energy, passion for the game and personality makes her a great teammate, and we’re ready to have her in JuniorAggieland.”middleblocker Molly Brown was next to transfer to A&M, joining the Aggies on May 24. The former Purdue Boilermaker didn’t make any appearances last season but played a key role as a true freshman in the 2020-21 campaign, leading her team to an NCAA Regional Final and the Elite 8 in the
LAURA “BIRD” KUHN ON JUNIOR DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST LAUREN HOGAN
Passing the torch: Transfers reshape A&M volleyball
By Luke White
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Likening her to an older sister, Frazier said Hecht was an active participant in helping her adjust to college life, even before starting at A&M.“Ifirst met Ciera when I came up on an unofficial visit … when I was a junior in high school,” Frazier said. “I stayed with her, we went to dinner, and she was so welcoming and I knew we were going to be really close when Sets tied. The perfect hit. The stars aligned, the sniper struck. Ciera “Cici” Hecht, with her calm exterior, laser focus and sharp eye, takes the shot. These sudden bursts from a steady exterior have made Hecht the playmaker on dozens of occasions, and a reliable teammate. Graduate libero Allison Fields said these sneak attacks and air of confidence are a hallmark of Hecht’s style.“On the court, Cici is like a sniper, she can get up and hit the ball and put it down,” Fields said. “She has her toolbox of shots, she’ll be high up in the air and she’ll do a real shot and no one’s expecting it, she hides it very well. She’s a well-rounded attacker, and she’s on the shorter side of an attacker for volleyball, but she doesn’t act like it.” Even in times where sophomore libero Brooke Frazier had doubts on the court, it was Hecht’s confidence that helped bring her back to center, she said. “She’s always steady, she’s never going to be super obnoxious or super down,” Frazier said. “She’s a steady player and she makes everyone on the court feel calm. Last year, my freshman year, playing with Ciera made me feel calm because I knew she had my back and I trusted her on the court.”
LIBERO ALLISON
Ace Spadesof QueenHeartsof
Hecht’s stability was tested by being thrown into her freshman year as a Division I student athlete at one of the largest universities in the country, but she has turned that challenge into a mission to help others.
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 23
“I like to be a calming force, the person that everyone can come to, to be there for [my team],” Hecht said. “On and off the court, I want people to come to me with volleyball problems or anything outside, just to be there and give them advice, or just listen if they need that from me. It’s taken me some time to learn how to do that.”
By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt Steely gaze, soft interior of senior outside hitter Ciera Hecht
Underneath the intimidating game face lies a compassionate heart, with a focus on supporting her teammates. Fields said knowing both sides of Hecht has been a highlight of her time on the team.
“She’s a great person, such a bold human being, and gorgeous,” Fields said. “You’re kind of intimidated by her when you first meet her, but she has a great heart. It’s been a blessing to get to know her. She is the most stable and consistent person when it comes to her emotions and how she presents herself, she’s never high or low, she’s just Cici.” Hecht said she is proud to be known for her calm consistency, and the role she plays as a teammate and friend.
ON CIERA
“My freshman year was a bit of a shock,” Hecht said. “My first semester I came in and had a season right away in the fall, it was a lot for me balancing school and everything. I’ve grown a lot from that, and now we have a lot of new girls that have come in, and I want to help them not struggle as much.”
Michaela Rush— THE BATTALION “On the court, Cici is like a sniper, she can get up and hit the ball and put it down.” GRADUATE FIELDS HECHT’S PLAYSTYLE
“Off the court, she lives life very honestly,” Fields said. “She knows who she is, she knows what she wants, she lives boldly in that. She’s a very honest person, she’s not going to allow people to walk over her. This goes into volleyball too, because she’s going to go for it and she’s not going to allow anyone to tell her otherwise. She has a very good heart and is a very honest person with herself, and doesn’t allow anyone else to determine her greatness or define her.”
lot of changes over the past couple years, girls graduating and new players, and they’ve meshed well with our culture and standards… and our returners like Brooke [Frazier], Maddie [Bowser] and Allie [Fields] have grown so much as players, from when they’ve gotten here to now. I’ve seen growth on the court and as people.”
2021 SEASON STATS KILLS — 60 DIGS — 156 ASSISTS — 10 Michaela Rush— THE BATTALION
The achievement doesn’t stop after practice ends, as the 2020 and 2021 SEC Academic Honor Roll student is interested in attending law school following graduation. Because of her high standards, Hecht said she has to intentionally set aside time to care of herself, and believes this is especially important for any “Takestudent.timefor yourself, and [don’t] lose yourself,” Hecht said. “It’s really easy to get caught up, and being a student athlete is hard. It’s rewarding … you make lifelong friends, there are so many great things about it, but it’s very demanding. Mental health is such a big thing right now, and people need to be aware of that. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
Hecht’s big heart has gone beyond just freshmen, as she continually supports all her teammates, despite their age or relationship to her, Fields said. “Her and I have had some really good conversations just laying down in the training room,” Fields said. “She’s a very good listener and asks good questions and is a very caring person. Even though we’re not best friends or hang out 24/7, she’s someone who I’m not afraid to share things with, because I know she has my best interests at heart and really cares.” With her team behind her, the outside hitter has set her sights high for the upcoming year: a spot in the national tournament, like her freshman year, which she wants to live alongside her teammates. “I want to go back and have that experience with this new team, it’s something really special,” Hecht said. “We’ve had a
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 24
coming into college. People know you’re freshman or at a new school, there’s a lot of new things going on, it can be a lot of pressure and feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders. You don’t have to feel the pressure to be the best all the Eventime.”with a world’s worth of weight, Hecht doesn’t waver, as she shows that the only person who can determine her worth is herself. This seemingly impossible balance of self-worth and sharp honesty, is what sets Hecht apart, Fields said.
I came up here. She was one of the people in particular who made me feel like this is my home, because she was always checking in on me.”
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“This past spring, we were able to focus on individual[s] and focus on layering in different aspects of the way we want to play this fall,” Guerrieri said. “All but two of our players were already here because we had four of our freshmen step in and graduate early to be a part of what we’re doing in the spring.”
One of those freshmen who joined the squad in the offseason was freshman midfield er and Colleyville native Georgia Leb, who felt the spring was a time to go back to the basics.“In the spring, we were going off what last season was,” Leb said. “It was pretty strict, and I felt like we really focused on what we didn’t do well last season. As a freshman, I felt like we really tried to go back to the basics of making sure we’re all wearing the right cloth ing and making sure we’re on time or early. We were putting in the extra work. I think I really noticed that we were focusing on doing the little things well.”
By Neomi Brown @Neomib_03 Coach G Guerrieri has high hopes for 30th season as coach at A&M
G IS FOR GOALS
Despite the upsetting season, it didn’t wa ver the freshman when thinking about com mitting.“Even though they didn’t have their best season, I knew that the program was still a re ally good one and that the coaches have really good experience,” Leb said. “Even though it didn’t work out that season, we have good players on the team. I figured it’s just one bad season.”Hopes are high for the Aggies as they con tinue to look forward and only look back as needed to improve for the fall. “I’m going to use that feeling and disap pointment to fuel my excitement and the team’s excitement for this year,” Sample said.
“I think I’ll use my experience to be more real and give more tough love this year, just in terms of how we fell off last year and how everyone is looking at us now in the SEC,” Sample said. “We’ll use that chip on our shoulder, and the experience that I have, be cause we do have a fairly young team to our best advantage to encourage, to support and to bring confidence where it’s needed.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 26
“Last season was difficult for our players and coaching staff as it was the first losing season I’ve ever had,” A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. “There was a lot of factors that went into that, like having all seven of our forwards not available to play because of injury and illness. It could limit your team just a little bit.” One of those players happened to be the team’s leading scorer, sophomore forward Maile Hayes, who logged six goals before her injury.“Sadly, I had to deal with a lot of injuries, and I think that’s just the type of player I am,” Hayes said. “I go really hard, so that comes with the game.” Due to the amount of injuries on the team, there was a sense of urgency and newfound importance surrounding the team’s health.
In addition to Sample, senior defender Ka tie Smith is set to be another major leader on the team in the back of the field.
“During the spring, the team focused on a lot of possession because last year it was hard to find our rhythm throughout the game,” Hayes said. “Another main thing was pressur ing the ball right after we lose it. Not taking a deep breath, but right when we lose it, we go straight to the ball as a team, collectively, and not just one person doing the work.”
According to Guerrieri, the fact that the spring was a time to focus solely on getting better helped the team feel more prepared than past years.
The Texas A&M soccer team has had many triumphs over the years. Three SEC champi onships, three SEC regular season champion ships, seven Big 12 regular season champion ships, five Big 12 tournament championships and numerous NCAA tournament appearanc es highlight the success of the team. All cards were stacked in the Aggies’ favor. However, following the worst season in program histo ry, a new outlook on the game and strategy quickly became a priority.
“Katie [Smith] and Karlina [Sample] are both natural leaders,” Guerrieri said. “They lead in different ways, and one way is not wrong; they’re both good at being themselves and leading in a way that the rest of their team mates respond to. The fact that they’re both in the back with [senior goalkeeper] Kenna Caldwell, I think there’s stability that comes from the back of the team going forward, and knowing that we got these players behind us means players feel they can take more risks because they’re there.” Leadership played a big role in the spring campaign, which for the first time since 2020 was a valuable time for growth and develop ment for the squad going into the fall season.
“Health is our most important issue because health is what we didn’t have last year,” Guer rieri said. “We lost so many players in op portune times against a really good schedule. We can’t go to the transfer wire and bring in another player in the middle of the season, and we can’t go sign a free agent.” Despite the injuries, it allowed other long time leaders, like graduate defender Karlina Sample, a chance to step up to encourage the team throughout the difficult season.
Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION
For fans following the team, last season shouldn’t define the attitude of the team or bring up whether or not the team will fight this fall to improve. “I think everyone who’s followed our program knows of the lightning bolts we had to deal with last year and they’re one-off,” Guerreri said. “We will still have the best gameday atmosphere in the country, and we have a team that’s hungry and focused on winning. We’ll be one of the favorites to win the SEC and one of
the favorites to be vying for a national championship. I hope that people understand that coming to Ellis Field, it’s a participation sport. It’s one of the things that we want the 12th Man to be involved in helping us to win another championship.”
“I think we’re all recognizing that we’re way better than how we performed last year and using that as motivation. I love being an underdog and people doubting me just because I love being able to prove them wrong.”
Freshman defender Carolyn Calzada (16) moves down the field during an exhibition game against SFA on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2022.
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 27 SCHEDULEHOMESOCCERA&MTEXAS2022AUGUST 21 MCNEESE SEPTEMBER 16 GEORGIA SEPTEMBER 11 S. ALABAMA OCTOBER 2 RICE SEPTEMBER 22 MS STATE OCTOBER 23 MISSOURI SEPTEMBER 8 TCU AUGUST 25 SHSU OCTOBER 6 LSU OCTOBER 14 AUBURN AUGUST 27 NM STATE
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A&M cross country works to refine team culture and improve results
ERIC CASAREZ HEAD COACH
By Shanielle Veazie @shanielleveazie
The Aggies will open the 2022 season in Oklahoma at the Cowboy Preview on Thursday, Sept. 1. The team has been training and preparing for the upcoming season and keeping team culture as the mainAbbellfocus.said the summer break is still all about continuing to build confidence and getting tougher for the season. “Summer offseason is short. We have one to two weeks off and then it’s back to building a good base of mileage, getting stronger and adding some speed elements to run well,” Abbell said. Runners need to prepare and “stack up to the challenge,” coach McRaven said of the summer offseason. “As a coach, I have to be sure that our athletes continue to evolve and gain con fidence,” McRaven said. “It’s important to grow individually but also as a team. Team culture is very important.”
The Texas A&M cross country team is gearing up for the upcoming season after a middling previous season. The Aggies had a great start to the 2021 season but were unable to close it out the way the teamA&Mimagined.assistant coach Wendel McRa ven is entering his 12th season with the program and said the team’s approach for this season is to build upon the culture of doing things right. McRaven said last season was not the team’s best, but important lessons were learned.“Results at the end of the season did not match the progress that the team was making,” McRaven said. “Our approach for this upcoming season is to contin ue to build on progress made from the regular season and take the next steps to perform when it matters.”
2022’s competition schedule looks different for the Aggies compared to previous years. McRaven said he predicts the busy agenda will be beneficial to the team.“Our schedule will force us to com pete and challenge ourselves during the regular season. We want to expose our athletes to different competition,” McRaven said. For some returning athletes, the goal for the 2022 season is to perform at the highest level and aim for nationals as a team. Julia Abell is returning for her fifth year with the Aggies and has been work ing hard in the off season. Abbell said the summer has been all about “getting a great reset.” She has dedicated herself to “loving the sport, running happy, running relaxed and get ting ready for the season.” She said her and her team are ecstatic about A&M hosting the South Central Regional. During Abell’s freshman year, the South Central Regional was hosted in “WeAggieland.arevery excited. It’s amazing that for my freshman year and now my fifth year we are hosting,” Abell said. “The approach and excitement is going to be different, we are looking forward to it and this year could be the year for us.”Junior Eric Casarez is preparing to run his fourth season with A&M. Casarez became ill shortly after breaking the Dale Watts Cross Country Course record to win the A&M Invitational last year. He struggled throughout the SEC meets that followed and did not perform as well as he “Itplanned.wasa learning experience that made me stronger,’’ Casarez said. “I am looking forward to trying to get to the national stage especially after previous seasons being interrupted by COVID-19 and, for me, last season running really well then getting sick.” Casarez said this season is about build ing upon the culture from last season as a team.“We didn’t finish the way we want ed to last season, so our approach is to continue to build culture as a team,” CasarezDespitesaid.these obstacles, the team still accomplished its goals last season. Sweeping the Aggie Opener, A&M claimed both women’s and men’s titles along with individual titles by Casarez and sophomore Gemma Goddard. Later in the season, U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Associa tion South Central All-Region honors were earned by Abell and senior Abbey Santoro. However, the Aggies took a step back during the latter part of the season, with the men placing ninth and the women placing 11th in the SEC Championships. Both men and women placed sixth at the NCAA South Central Regional to conclude the season.
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 29
Getting back on course
“We didn’t finish the way we wanted to last season, so our approach is to continue to build culture as a team.”
Joseph Benn and Johnathan Chung run side by side during the 2021 Aggie Invitational cross country meet on Sept. 25, 2021. Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION
Cymbals crashed. Horns blared. The crowd stood proud, yelling until their voices ran out. As cross country runner Julia Abell, formerly Julia Black, looked around the stadium with her boyfriend and best friend beside her, she felt content. At that moment, Abell said she knew she had made the right decision to at tend Texas A&M and join the Aggie family.
@MayZoella Abell’s story as a cross country runner at A&M is a tale of friendship
“I’d go sit on the bench with the team and watch because my mom was the coach,” Abell said. “I would wear my brother’s replica foot ball jersey to school on game days to match him, and he’d come read to my fifth-grade class. The whole family was involved in sports, but we were involved in each other’s sports.” Abell said from the age she could speak, she could recall all her sibling’s teammates by name and number.When Abell herself began to play sports, her siblings would come to sup port her. Rather than sleeping in or spending time with their friends, Abell said, her siblings were at her games. The entire family placed their focus on supporting one another. “My whole family traveled to Portland, [Ore.], for nationals my senior year of high school,” Abell said. “They have traveled all over watching me. It makes it all the more sweet growing up with me watching them and then them watching me [now]. My par ents don’t miss meets, which I realize is not the norm. My mom missed one meet and she was devastated, but I know parents don’t al ways make it to their kids’ stuff, so I’ve been really lucky my parents are able to come to a lot of Raisedit.”
“I chose to [run] in college, but once I made that choice, then it wasn’t a daily choice any more,” Abell said. “Some days it’s grueling, some days I’d rather not wake up at 6 [a.m.] and some days I’m at practice and I don’t know how I’m going to make it through, but
By Zoe May
“I realized I had a lot more potential to do really well in cross country than soccer,” Abell said. “My [soccer] club team coach was amaz ing and let me still be on his team and play while I lived out my dreams of running cross country. He knew I wasn’t going to college for soccer, but he didn’t give up on me, he didn’t cut me and he let me start. I never lost my starting spot. If it wasn’t for him, I would not have been able to do both. I know another soccer coach would have dropped me as soon as I picked cross country, but he never did.”
Julia
Abell said she didn’t find her passion for cross country until middle school when she encountered the school’s record board. With encouragement from her mother and expe rience from her other sports, Abell became determined to get her name on the board as a record holder in long-distance running.
The one where she’s a kid Abell grew up in a sports-centered family with both her elder siblings being multi-sport athletes. Abell recalled weekend mornings highlighted by a series of questions as to which sibling, which sport and what season they would be attending that day. There was no use in tracking winter, spring, summer or fall, Abell said. The only seasons worth minding were soccer, basketball, football and baseball.
“I started training for distance events in middle school,” Abell said. “[I] ended up get ting on the record board for the mile and a half by my eighth-grade year.” When Abell reached high school, she nar rowed her focus on soccer and cross country, intending to do both throughout all four years. However, due to a scheduling conflict, instead of switching halfway through her freshman year, Abell remained in cross country. Abell said she quickly discovered that, although she loved both soccer and cross country, she loved running more.
“I played soccer, volleyball, basketball, swim team and cross country,” Abell said. “I would do 5Ks growing up. Then, I got into middle school, and I really wanted to do every sport. That was one thing that was really ex citing to me about middle school. You didn’t really have to pick or specialize, you could do everything. At the point when I left eighth grade, I think I was the only girl in my middle school that had ever done all six sports.”
Jack Gipson coached Abell’s select team in the Classic League in Lake Highlands. Gipson said they got up to the Division 2 level, but it was mostly just a group of friends playing together, so the decision to let Abell continue to play while running was an easy one. “It was more of a family soccer team,” Gipson said. “We all knew each other, we had all been playing with each other for eight years. Also, with most of the teams we played against, you had to pay two or three thousand, we just paid league fees. I coached the team for free so she could afford to play.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 30
‘I’ll be there for you’
The one where she makes a decision Abell did not grow up supporting a big state school. Her father went to trade school and her mother went to Oral Roberts Universi ty, a small private university in Oklahoma, so Abell said her family began attending games at A&M, and it quickly became their family school. Despite the enrollment of her siblings, Abell said she was reluctant to join the 12th Man.“When I was going through the recruiting process, I really tried to keep an open mind when it came to other schools,” Abell said. “I went through a phase where I didn’t want to go to A&M because everyone expected me to. My sophomore year of high school, my brother was at one of my meets, and he showed me a picture from this A&M girl who was on the team who just posted a picture from a meet, and I remember saying to him, ‘Wow, that would be so cool to run at A&M, if only I was good enough.’” In Abell’s junior year of high school, she began getting calls from coaches wanting to recruit her. A&M’s cross country and distance running coach Wendel McRaven was the first to reach out. Abell said despite her attempts to keep an open mind, she could not help her self from referring to A&M as “we” and other universities as “they” even weeks away from her decision day. “I felt if I didn’t go to A&M, I was always going to [ask], ‘Why didn’t I go there?’” Abell said. “I realized a lot of people have their dream school or the school they can do their sport at. Not a lot of people get their dream school and the place that wants them to do theirAbellsport.”recalled returning home from her fi nal school visit before the commitment dead line, the pressure and anxiety of making a de cision hitting full force. All she could think about for 24 hours a day was the recruitment process, Abell said. “Looking back, I wish I had been a little more relaxed with [recruitment], but I got really stressed out,” Abell said. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m just going to go to sleep be cause at least whenever I’m asleep I can’t think about it.’ I remember praying for a clear-cut sign I can’t argue with like in a dream because I was going to keep arguing with it and delay ing my decision and second-guessing myself.” Abell said she woke the next morning and remembered her dream in which future team mate Carrie Fish — with whom she had no strong connection with at the time — told Abell she had committed to A&M and Abell should too. However, Abell said when she called Fish that morning to ask if she made a decision, Fish relayed that she did in fac tchoose to attend A&M but told no one of her“Thatdecision.was exactly what I asked for,” Abell said. “So, [my decision] was a mix of, grow ing up, [A&M] felt like home, and [the dream] was just the nail in the coffin. So, I told [Fish], ‘Guess I’m going to be your teammate.’”
The one where she joins the Aggie family Abell said that choosing a sport like run ning, especially long distance, comes with many people asking “Why?” On the days when it is hard to get up for practice and run, Abell said the choice being out of her hands keeps her moving.
in a multi-sport family, Abell said she did not shy away from playing as many sports as she could.
because I don’t have the choice of not do ing it, it keeps [me] in it.” When the COVID-19 pandemic was in full force, Abell said there weren’t many days when she was excited to practice. She was overwhelmed with balancing the team and COVID-19 and lost confidence in her running ability. Abell said it was brutal to go to practice and not want to be there, but by putting on a happy face, pushing through the workouts and focusing on being a good team mate, she pulled herself out of her rut. “If I had a choice whether I’m [at practice] or not, then who knows if I would’ve made it through that time,” Abell said. “Who knows if I would be running, but because of the fact that I had to be there and I couldn’t let my team down, my coaches down, everybody down, then I got through. You have those days where you’re not feeling it, but you have a lot of days where you’re on a high. You’re with all your best friends at practice, you get to do the thing you love, you think about how you’re at your dream school doing what you love and getting to live out the dream of 16-year-old me thinking, ‘Wow, if only I was goodAbellenough.’”saidanother aspect of her internal motivation stems from a message her older brother taught her while she was still playing soccer: never ask for a substitution. Abell said she never wants to finish a season with any regrets.“Idon’t want to look back and [think], ‘Man, if only I tried harder at practice or raced harder in that race,’” Abell said. “Don’t take any moment for granted. I wouldn’t ask coach to sit a meet out; if he asks me if I want to take the week off, I always say, ‘Whatever you want me to do,’ because if he wants me to take it off, that’s his call, but I’ll never be the one to say yes because I don’t ever want to look back and wish I could have ran that race.”
The one where she builds her Aggie family “The Aggie family is real, and the Ag gie network is real,” Abell said. “I was very thankful that I did go to A&M because I’ve known my husband since the fifth grade. We went to school together, but if we went to different schools then who knows. If I had gone to another school, I would have been back racing against Abbey [Santoro], and that was something I never wanted to do again.” Abell reunited with her future husband, Jacob Abell, after running into him after class during her sophomore year. Julia said it al lowed them to restart their friendship after they moved away to college and eventually lead to their relationship. Jacob was the Corps of Cadets Band Commander, in charge of the whole band. Julia said the two of them were as into all things maroon and white as they could have been. “The Band and Corps are keepers of tra dition, so they are the center of A&M,” Julia said. “As someone who grew up with A&M, it was really awesome to be dating someone who was that involved with everything. I was just hanging out with him, but in turn I was at Midnight Yell, Muster, Bonfire [and] Sil ver Taps. I went to those things before, but it became so much of [my] daily routine. If you’re an Aggie through and through, dating someone in the Corps is great.” Growing up, Julia and Santoro raced for different middle schools. Both at the top of their respective teams, Julia said they were forced to be rivals. When they went to high school, the pair got to race on the same team and began developing a close bond with one another. Upon their arrival at A&M and ad dition to the cross country team, Santoro and Julia became roommates and now consider each other best friends. “[Our friendship has] meant a lot over the years,” Santoro said. “We never planned to go to the same college when we were looking at schools, so it was a good surprise to find out that we were going to go to college and spend the next four years together as team mates. Our bond from high school translated over into college, especially with racing and training because I know I have another person right there pushing me.” The last addition to their group of friends was Santoro’s boyfriend and Jacob’s best friend, Will Toronjo, who at the time was Ja cob’s right hand man and the Corps of Cadets’ Drum Major. Julia said the two of them intro duced Santoro and Toronjo and they became a group of four attending banquets, dances, events and games altogether. At the Abells’ wedding, Santoro and Toronjo served as the maid of honor and the best man. “Being at A&M is literally a dream come true,” Julia said. “I’m with my boyfriend, now husband, my best friend at a school doing what I love, getting a degree. It does not get better than this, and I truly believe it would not be better than that at any other school. I don’t know a better place where you’re going to surround yourself with people who support you and push you to be where you want to be, and not just my friends and Jacob, but the academic staff, the coaching staff, the profes sors, the donors, the fans, it’s everybody in the Aggie family. I can’t imagine going to another school.”
THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 31
Throughout Abell’s time at A&M, she was able to go to events with the cross country donors. Abell said hearing the donors speak about how many season tickets they hold and their excitement for upcoming seasons amazed her because donors work hard for their money and they are donating it so she can attend practice and have a uniform. Abell recalled meeting their kids at events and rac es and hearing stories of them spending the whole drive talking about meeting her. “It makes you realize it’s not about you, it’s about everybody else,” Abell said. “It’s about the donors, your teammates, the fans. [Push ing through pressure] is a mix of internal and external [motivation]. You want to be here, and you do it because you want to, but when you get to college it’s no longer, ‘I don’t want to do it today,’ you need to get out there and put on a uniform because a whole lot of peo ple want to see you race. Of course, it’s not as many as football, basketball and baseball, but I’ve realized recently it doesn’t really matter how many people are in the stands, it matters that just one person, one little kid is there that was talking about you on the drive there. That gets you through the hard days.”
Ishika Samant-— THE BATTALION
Robert O’Brien-— THE BATTALION
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