From the Desk of Ross Bjork

Howdy!

It is hard to believe that the academic year has already come to an end.This eventful year has flown by, and I am excited for where we are headed. However, before we start looking forward, it is important to point out the successes that our student-athletes achieved in the classroom!

On Monday, we honored the Class of 2021 at our annual Graduation Celebration, hosted by the Center for Student-Athlete Services. Nearly 100 student-athletes will be earning their degrees this May and August, and seven of those graduates will be receiving their master's degrees. It is our privilege to support these student-athletes in their journey to graduation, and we are proud of the grit and resiliency they displayed this year.

Several of our graduates were recently awarded very impressive individual awards. Volleyball's Camille Conner and Track & Field and Cross Country's Jon Bishop were named as Texas A&M's recipients of the SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship. They will each earn $10,000 towards their postgraduate education and are finalists for the SEC McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which provides the male and female overall conference winners with $20,000. SAAC President and Track and Field and Cross Country's Rachel Bernardo was honored by the Association of Former Students as a Buck Weirus Spirit Award winner, presented annually to students who demonstrate high involvement, create positive experiences throughout the Aggie community, impact student life at Texas A&M and enhance the Aggie Spirit. Rachel was also featured by the College of Liberal Arts for the lasting impression she has made on Texas A&M University.

I continue to be blown away by how remarkable our student-athletes are. They give all they have in workouts, practice and competitions, yet still dedicate themselves to their class assignments, projects and exams. They are the true representation of an Aggie and I wish them all the success in the future, now as Texas A&M Lettermen. Congratulations graduates!

We finished out this nontraditional year with some major NCAA Tournament accomplishments from our spring sports. Our soccer team finished out an incredible season with a trip to the Quarterfinals, and both men's and women's tennis and men's and women's golf are still competing in the NCAA Tournament.

It was great to see everyone at Kyle Field last month for the Maroon and White Game, presented by St. Joseph Health. The momentum from the spring game, sets the stage for an exciting fall football season where we will be back to full stadium capacity. It is not too late to purchase football season tickets and join us at Kyle Field.

Not only are we preparing for a full stadium at Kyle Field, but all of our athletic venues will be at full capacity starting with Aggie soccer at Ellis Field in August. Remember that you can always purchase tickets to our events at 12thman.com/tickets. I look forward to seeing the 12th Man in full force, at Yell Practice, tailgating, Ellis Field, Reed Arena or anywhere in between.

There are exciting things to come in Aggieland!

Gig 'Em!
Ross

Building Champions Awards

On Tuesday night we held our second "virtual" edition of the Building Champions Awards, presented by Opportune. Now in their eighth year, the BCAs celebrate our student-athletes' commitment to excellence on the fields of play, in the classrooms, in the community and in the area of leadership.

A special congratulations to Distinguished Letterman Award winners Rachel Bernardo and Bryce Deadmon of track & field and Ciera Johnson of women's basketball. The Distinguished Letterman Award is the highest award presented to a student-athlete once a year, and is given someone who displays extraordinary talents in the areas of athletics, scholarship, leadership and service--everything that being an Aggie is all about.

I encourage you to watch this year's BCAs here and join me in congratulating not only these winners but all of our student-athletes for an incredible 2020-21 season.

Notable Sport Updates

Football saw four student-athletes get selected in the NFL Draft, while five signed undrafted free agent deals. Kellen Mond was the first Aggie to be selected as he was taken 66th overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Bobby Brown was taken with the 12th pick in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Rams, before Dan Moore Jr., and Buddy Johnson were drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round. Jared Hocker was picked up by the Seattle Seahawks, and fellow offensive linemen Carson Green and Ryan McCollum signed with the Houston Texans. Jhamon Ausbon joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and Anthony Hines III will stay in Texas with the Dallas Cowboys. Best of luck to all of our NFL Aggies!

Soccer's 2020-21 campaign came to an end with a noble effort in an NCAA Quarterfinal loss to No. 2 North Carolina. Texas A&M posted a 12-4-1 mark, made their seventh trip to the Elite Eight and earned their third SEC regular-season title. The accolades continue to roll in for the Aggies. Jimena Lopez, Addie McCain, Barbara Olivieri and Karlina Sample were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region First Team. Jimena Lopez was also named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. The Aggies' coaches were named the USC Women's Southeast Region Staff of the Year and are finalists for the National Staff of the Year.

Track & field hosts the SEC Outdoor Championships beginning Thursday, May 13-15, at the beautiful E.B. Cushing Stadium, and we couldn't be more excited to show off our facility on one of the brightest stages in collegiate track. We also host the NCAA West Prelims on May, 26-29. The women are ranked No. 3 in the nation, while the men are No. 10. Tyra Gittens and Athing Mu each lead the country in their events, and in total Texas A&M has 29 marks in the top 25 nationally.

Baseball picked up a pivotal series win last weekend against No. 11 Ole Miss, winning Friday night's game, 9-8, before claiming the series with a 6-5 victory on Sunday. Will Frizzell was named the NCBWA National Player of the Week as well as SEC Player of the Week. Frizzell hit five home runs against the Rebels including a walkoff home run on Friday and a 7th-inning, game-winning grand slam on Sunday. Frizzell registered seven extra-base hits over four games last week, including two doubles and five home runs, while tallying eight runs and 11 RBI over the span. Coach Childress and the Aggies have two regular-season series remaining; at Auburn and at home against LSU.

In softball, three Aggies garnered All-SEC honors, headlined by junior Makinzy Herzog, who was named to the All-SEC First Team, the conference announced on Tuesday. Bre Warren and Rylen Wiggins were named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, with Warren also earning a spot on the All-SEC Second Team. Texas A&M opens play at the SEC Tournament on Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as the Aggies take on Tennessee at 4 p.m. The game will be televised on SEC Network with Beth Mowins and Michele Smith on the call.

Texas A&M tennis picked up four wins over the weekend to see both the men's and women's teams to the NCAA Round of 16 in Orlando beginning this Sunday. Coach Weaver and the women's team went on the road as the 10th seed in the women's bracket and defeated Drake and No. 21 Northwestern in Evanston and will take on No. 7 Florida State at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. Coach Denton and the men's team followed suit later on Saturday as they dominated New Mexico and Oklahoma at the Mitchell Tennis Center to advance to Monday's Round of 16 match against No. 16 Mississippi State at 6 p.m. in Orlando.

The Texas A&M men's golf team's journey to the 2021 NCAA Championship begins as the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional, which will be contested May 17-19 at the Championship Course at UNM. The top five teams at each of the NCAA's six regionals will advance to the following week's NCAA Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona. For the Aggies, ranked No. 14 by Golfstat.com, it was the program's 25th NCAA Regional appearance and the 17th in the last 18 NCAA postseasons. The Aggies have been victorious in their last two regional appearances, with victories at the Bryan (Texas) Regional in 2018 and the Pullman (Wash.) Regional in 2019. In both seasons, the Aggies advanced to match play at the NCAA final and posted fifth-place finishes.

Legends Game

The Lettermen's Association's 2021 Legends Game presented by the City of Bryan served as an electrifying halftime during the Maroon & White Game. Team Pickard, coached by Hall of Famers Jackie Sherrill and Kevin Smith with Offensive Coordinator Jerrod Johnson, faced off against Team Crow, coached by Hall of Famers Bubba Bean and Dante Hall. The teams were comprised of 23 Aggie legends, all of which were former NFL players, including Super Bowl participants, Athletics Hall of Famers, All-Americans, and conference champions. The Legends game also welcomed back 17 active roster NFL Aggies, including Von Miller, Trayveon Williams, and Super Bowl LV player Ricky Seals-Jones. The Legends Game became a "Battle of the Backflips" as Heisman winner and all-time QB Johnny Manziel helped both teams earn touchdown celebrations. Team Crow was victorious, 21-14, over Team Pickard, but it was a great day in Aggieland with Legends from all eras back on Kyle Field.

Click HERE to watch the 2021 Aggie Legends Game.

Football Reunion

Over two weeks in April, the Lettermen's Association welcomed an incredible 320 former football players, coaches, managers, and trainers back to Aggieland. The 2021 Aggie Football Reunion began with a cannon blast with the help of Parsons Mounted Cavalry to kick off a four-man scramble golf tournament. The following weekend, the group gathered for a tailgate and on-field recognition before the Maroon & White Game. The reunion cultivated fellowship and reunited teammates. For some, the event was their first time back to Aggieland in decades. Class years spanned from 1962 all the way to recent 2020 graduates. It was a great time to create memories with those who shared a locker room, a jersey number, or just a love for Aggie Football.

Fall Athletic Operations

As mentioned above, the Athletics Department is excited to be back to normal operations starting this Fall. Our fall sport programs will kick off their seasons to full capacity stadiums and both conference and non-conference opponents, with Aggie Soccer expected to ramp up competition first in August. Be on the lookout this summer for fall sports to announce their schedules.

While we got a slight glimpse of what the 2021 football season will look like from the Maroon & White Game in April, I cannot wait to see a FULL Kyle Field come September 4 as we host Kent State. Buy tickets for the upcoming football season by contacting the 12th Man Foundation and come ready to tailgate all fall!

Special Events at Reed Arena

Three hours of high-octane, unhinged, Mixed Martial Arts will take over Reed Arena on June 5th for the World Fighting Championships 125. Come see the stars of tomorrow step into the WFC cage to prove they have what it takes to be the future of MMA. Bringing Las Vegas style combat fighting to the Brazos Valley, the WFC production includes bright lights, great music, and of course the fights! World Fighting Championships 125 presented by The Ranch Harley-Davidson is truly a live event experience that you will not want to miss! Aggie alum and former A&M football standout Keith Ford returns to Aggieland to fight in the WFC.

For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, visit ReedArena.com.

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Texas A&M Athletics is excited to continue raising awareness about the importance of prioritizing our mental health and reducing the stigma of talking about and seeking help when experiencing difficulties. The global pandemic has been unprecedently difficult, and has fundamentally impacted the ways we view, manage, and maintain our mental and emotional well-being. Remember that it's okay to not be okay. You are not alone and there's no one-size-fits-all approach to caring for your mental health. However, a few small ways we can start include spending a few minutes engaging in calming deep breathing exercises, taking time to enjoy the great outdoors, or participating in meaningful physical or social activities.

Texas A&M Athletics Counseling & Sport Psychology Services want to remind you that prioritizing your mental health is a daily investment! Just as we need to care for our physical health even when we're not physically ill, it's important to be proactive in caring for ourselves mentally and emotionally as well. Our office offers individual, group, and performance psychology counseling to help facilitate the development of the whole person and foster the mental health and overall well-being of student-athletes as they pursue their personal, educational, and athletic goals.

If you'd like to learn more about Counseling & Sport Psychology Services, feel free to visit our website or follow us on Twitter at @AggieSportPsych.

Burge Honored by CSCCa

Congratulations to Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance Tanna Burge, who this week was named Master Strength & Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches association (CSCCa). It is the highest honor that can be achieved as a Strength & Conditioning Coach, representing professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise, as well as longevity in the field. Congrats, Tanna!

Sustainability

Why is sustainability so important? We cannot maintain our quality of life as human beings, the diversity of life on Earth, or Earth's ecosystems unless we embrace it. These three components--environmental conservation, social responsibility, and economic development are all very important to ensure a bright future. This month, I want to encourage everyone to get outside and gain a new perspective on sustainability. What is something that encourages you to be more sustainable?