THURSDAY, MARCH 31 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA
Silver Taps
Anne Locker-Thaddeus Sept. 9, 1954 — July 30, 2021
Weston Miller Dec. 19, 2002 — March 5, 2022
Justin Magtubo April 11, 2000 — Feb. 1, 2022
TRIBUTES ON PAGES 5 & 7
Chasing the mark Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION
Junior outfielder Brett Minnich swinging at Olsen Field.
A&M baseball looks to ride wave of momentum Aggies flip ‘Horns, prepare to take on Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION
Sophomore Caden Norris ran the 800-meter race during the SEC Indoor Track Championships after recovering from heart issues.
Faith, challenging experiences, setbacks led to success for Caden Norris at A&M, on track for greater achievements By Michael Horton @mhhort
T
hree years ago, Caden Norris would say you were crazy if you told him he would be running alongside olympian Craig Engels. In high school, Norris painted a picture of Engels, and the painting still has a home in his college residence. Today, the sophomore sports Engels’ signature mullet and mustache combination. But, having the opportunity to compete with a track and field idol is just one of the boxes that Norris has checked off in his collegiate career — a
career that was anything but guaranteed. At Midland Christian, Norris was a jack of all trades, lettering all four years in cross country, track and basketball. He was decorated in each of these pursuits, but district and regional crowns in the 800-meter during his junior year were an indicator of his future in track. Texas A&M was always the ideal spot for Norris. His older brother is a member of the Corps of Cadets, and said he was sold on the environment after watching the Aggies’ dramatic seven-overtime victory against LSU in Kyle Field in 2018. Whether he was a member of the track team or not, he was dead set on being an Aggie. Regardless, Norris was resolute to earn a spot on the team. “I told myself, ‘no regrets,’” Norris said. “I just put my trust in the Lord. If he wants me at A&M, it’s going to happen.” Norris began constantly reaching out to the A&M track coaching staff, making his
By Jordan Epp @j_epp22
interactions with staff members a daily routine. Eventually, the high school senior was given a tangible goal: 1:53 in the 800-meter. This, he was told by A&M athletic assistant Chris Harrell, would earn him a tryout spot. Harrell interacts with many athletes in the offseason about joining the track team. Serving as the gatekeeper of the coveted maroon and white roster spots, Harrell is tasked with enforcing the team’s intense time requirements. While Norris’ times did not initially meet these hefty standards, Harrell recalls the Midland-native was notably determined to stay in contact with the program. “Most of the time, you never hear back from people again,” Harrell said. “Certain people, especially those that want to come to school here anyway, are more inquisitive and keep the conversation going. Anytime [Norris] emailed, I responded to him.” In the first meeting of his senior spring season, Norris clocked 1:56. Still three
With a somewhat unassuming record of 159, at first glance, one might take Texas A&M baseball’s record at face value. The team appears to be good enough to beat worse opponents, but struggles against better ones. But, inside that win-loss record is a statistic that shows what this A&M team is about: a 3-1 record against ranked teams, coincidentally, all coming versus teams ranked No. 8. Yet, on further inspection, another peculiar statistic appears. A&M is not only 12-8 versus unranked teams, but it has only won three of its five weekend series with 2-1 series losses against both Penn and Auburn. For a team that went 9-7 in March, there are two sides to the coin that is Aggie baseball — it’s just never a certainty which face the coin will land on. They’ll want to continue to ride the momentum in their three-game weekend series against the Alabama Crimson Tide on April 1-3. Fresh off a 15-9 win over in-state rival No. 8 Texas in Austin, A&M baseball is riding high. That game came just two weeks after A&M won its three-game series versus then-No. 8 LSU.
NORRIS ON PG. 3
BASEBALL ON PG. 3
How to stay safe at Chilifest 2022
Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION
Freshman leadership organizations paint their shacks to match different themes like the movie “Up.”
Habitating huts Alternative on-campus housing raises awareness of homelessness By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel The sidewalk outside Kyle Field may look a little different on campus this week with a few additions to the plaza. The Texas A&M Chapter of Habitat for Humanity is hosting its annual fundraiser to
raise awareness for homelessness across the community. During Shack-a-Thon, students spend five straight days, 24 hours a day in housing structures they build themselves to open a conversation about homelessness and raise money to support Habitat for Humanity. A&M Habitat for Humanity director of Public Relations and environmental design senior Hanah Lansford said this year, the event boasts 14 student organizations spendSHACK-A-THON ON PG. 2
FILE
Chilifest hosts booths that feature unique art like the longhorn with sawed off horns.
Safety tips, advice to have fun at this year’s Snook music festival By Kathryn Miller @KathrynMiller0 With Chilifest making its long-awaited return in Snook this weekend, attendees of previous years’ festivals share how to stay healthy during the festival’s long days of music and drinking. Chilifest is an annual two-day music festival, featuring performances from renowned country and rock artists, with its main purpose to give back to local charities in Brazos Valley. This year, the event is from Friday, April 1 through Saturday, April 2. The event has taken place annually since 2000,
with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Between the music, drinks and chili, here are tips to ensure one’s safety and health while attending: Stay hydrated and prepare for any circumstance Chilifest President Matthew King said, on top of wearing appropriate attire to regulate body temperature for being outside all day, staying hydrated is essential to maintaining one’s energy and health during the festival. “We have food and drinks out at the festival, so intend to stay hydrated,” King said. “It’s going to be hot, and you’re going to be drinking all day. Definitely bring a hat or sunglasses to keep sunburns to a minimum. CHILIFEST ON PG. 4