From the Desk of Ross Bjork

Howdy!

Last month, we successfully kicked off Texas A&M Athletics for the 2021-22 season, a very special season as we celebrate 100 years of the 12th Man. I am beyond impressed with the hard work and dedication of the entire Athletics Department and University partners. Opening to full capacity at all of our venues is no small feat, so I want to thank everyone for all that you have done.

I also want to thank the 12th Man for showing up and supporting our student-athletes. Our Cross Country, Soccer, Volleyball, Men's & Women's Golf and Football teams all started off their seasons strong, so please make sure to get out to one of our incredible facilities and watch these teams compete at the highest levels. In the midst of this excitement, I had the opportunity to visit with many students last month at the soccer Fish Camp match, a Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Practice, Howdy Week events, Ticket Pull and Midnight Yell. The excitement and buzz around our athletic events was palpable, and I know that it will continue throughout the fall athletic season. Especially considering our students once again sold out the largest student section in all of college football!

For our first home football game, our University re-created the Red, White and Blue Out game to honor and remember the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the war on terror. It was an incredible game to be a part of, and I especially want to thank the student leadership groups who organized all of the t-shirt sales. Check out the full story below!

As the 12th Man prepares for many more sporting events, please take a moment to read this message from our Head Yell Leader Memo Salinas that was published last week. As Aggies, we strive to live out our Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. While we all want a great home field advantage at Kyle Field, yelling obscenities has no place. Our yells, spirit and Core Values should always be our home field advantage. Please follow our Yell Leaders and continue the tradition of good sportsmanship.

Thanks and Gig 'Em,
Ross

Sport Updates

The 15th-ranked soccer team enters SEC play and hit the midpoint of the regular season this weekend with a road match at Kentucky on Friday and their annual "Turn It Gold" Match at Ellis Field against No. 11 Pepperdine on Sunday. The Maroon & White are 4-2-1 on the season and enter the weekend's action on a five-match unbeaten string. Eleven different Aggies have scored goals in 2021, including five players with multiple goals. Freshman Maile Hayes leads the Aggies with four goals while sophomore Kate Colvin has chipped in with three. Texas A&M enters play with a 14-match home win streak dating back to the 2019 campaign. The last time the Aggies dropped a home match was a 3-1 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks on October 18, 2019. It marks Texas A&M's sixth-longest home win streak and their longest since winning 14 in a row between October 2014 and October 2015.

The volleyball team won the Texas A&M Invitational this past weekend at Reed Arena, while extending its win streak to five. Senior setter Camille Conner was voted the tournament's MVP, while senior middle blocker Mallory Talbert also earned a spot on the six-member all-tournament team. The Aggies, who are 6-2 on the year, return to Reed Arena on Friday and host nationally-ranked Texas at 6 p.m.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher and the football team are ranked No. 5 in the Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the Associated Press Poll after their 2-0 start, defeating Kent State, 41-10, and Colorado, 10-7. The team hosts New Mexico this Saturday at 11 a.m. before beginning SEC play against Arkansas in Arlington at 2:30 p.m. on CBS on Sept. 25.

The men's and women's cross country teams swept the Aggie Opener on Sept. 1, in one of the toughest fields the event has had. The women's team was led by Gemma Goddard, who won the individual title and was named the SEC Women's Freshman of the Week for her efforts. The women finished 1-3-5-6-9 to total 24 points, defeating runner-up SMU by 25 points. Eric Casarez won the men's title by 24 seconds and led wire-to-wire. Joseph Benn joined Casarez with a top five finish, the freshman crossed the finish line at 15:44.2 to place fourth. Victor Zuniga, Gavin Hoffpauir and Jonathan Chung each recorded top 10 finishes to help the Aggies claim the team title by 54 points. The Aggies are back in action Sept. 25 as they host the Texas A&M Invitational.

First-year head coach Gerrod Chadwell leads Aggie women's golf in its first tournament of the year at the Sam Golden Invitational in Denton, Texas, this week. The lineup features Amber Park, Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, Jennie Park, Zoe Slaughter and Adela Cernousek. The Aggies, who enter the final round in fifth, conclude the tournament later today. Garcia-Poggio tied the 36-hole program record, carding a 9-under 135.

Men's golf opened the season with team and individual titles at the Marquette Intercollegiate. Head coach Brian Kortan earned his third career victory as the Aggies shot 32-under, defeating South Florida by four strokes. Walker Lee won his fourth-career tournament, shooting 14-under. The Maroon & White are currently competing at the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational in Carrollton, Texas.

Men's basketball announced its full slate of games for the upcoming season which features an exciting eight-game non-conference home schedule, a trip to the Maui Invitational, a neutral site contest against TCU and an away game at Oregon State, who reached the Elite Eight last season. Additionally, head coach Buzz Williams and the team hosts Arkansas (Jan. 8), Ole Miss (Jan. 11), Kentucky (Jan. 19), South Carolina (Jan. 29), Missouri (Feb. 5), LSU (Feb. 8), Florida (Feb. 15), Georgia (Feb. 22) and Mississippi State (March 5) in conference play at Reed Arena.

Women's basketball released its 2021-22 schedule that features a home game against in-state rival Texas on Dec. 5. The reigning regular season SEC Champions have 17 home games this year. Last season the team went a perfect 13-0 at Reed Arena, claimed the SEC title and made their third-straight Sweet 16 appearance.

To purchase season tickets for both men's and women's basketball, you can do so by visiting 12thMan.com/tickets.

Reed Arena is bringing back World Fighting Championships on Oct. 22 for three hours of Mixed Martial Arts. Some of the toughest up and coming MMA stars are back by popular demand for WFC 128 and tickets are available now at ReedArena.com, starting at $12.

Red, White and Blue Out Game

The Spirit of the 12th Man was in full effect for the season-opener against Kent State as 20 years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, we once again were Standing for America.

Texas A&M student body leadership from Student Government Association, Traditions Council and Maroon Out led the way to recreate the RWB Game at Kyle Field that followed the tragic events that we will never forget.

Whether 100 years or 20 years, this remembrance moment is a true testament of the power and spirit of the 12th Man standing both for gameday and for our country.

Centennial Celebration

All season long we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the most famous and revered tradition in all of sports, the 12th Man.

The 12th Man Centennial celebrates fans of the Aggies--past and present, and will be recognized by all 20 varsity programs at Texas A&M in 2021-22.

Following soccer's thrilling 3-1 victory over No. 9 Clemson and football's 41-10 win over Kent State, we had amazing firework shows to cap off the games.

Additionally, we hosted the 12th Jam Music Festival, a collaboration between Athletics and MSC Town Hall which featured a full day of live music, food and entertainment right outside Kyle Field.

Throughout the rest of the season, we will continue to celebrate this honored tradition. Collectables and extensive line of 12th Man Centennial items are available for purchase where Aggie gear is sold in stores and online at www.12thManShop.com. Centennial items include: 12th Man Statues designed by renowned sculptor Bob Hogan, special edition 12th Man Towels, 12th Man Centennial Challenge Coins, 12th Man Centennial Tervis tumblers, Aggie War Hymn volleyball t-shirts, soccer vuvuzelas, commemorative track and field batons, replica #12 basketball jerseys and commemorative baseballs and softballs.

An extensive product line of 12th Man Centennial items is available for purchase at 12thManShop.com.

Aggie Commitment Year in Review

Last month marked one year since the start of The Aggie Commitment. In alignment with the Core Values at Texas A&M University, The Aggie Commitment is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative within Aggie Athletics. It aims to develop and implement plans and strategies to increase equity and maintain an environment of inclusiveness, while focused on promoting unity, education and engagement through five primary objectives. Check out everything the department accomplished in its inaugural year.

AD Honor Roll

During the Kent State game, I was joined by most of the 356 student-athletes who made the AD Honor Roll for the Spring 2021 semester. AD Honor Roll recipients earn a semester grade point average of 3.0 and above. Baseball led all men's teams with a 3.233 GPA last spring, while the Equestrian team captured the women's top honor with a 3.508 GPA.

Aggie student-athletes produced the highest recorded cumulative GPA in athletics department history with a 3.079 and the second highest Spring semester GPA with a 3.133. Sixty-five outstanding student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA while 12 teams achieved a 3.0 or higher team GPA.

Twenty-four student-athletes were on the Dean's Honor Roll, and 23 student-athletes were honored as Distinguished Students.

Congratulations to all of our student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom!

Fanatics Partnership

Texas A&M University and Fanatics, a leading licensed sports merchandiser, signed an exclusive, 10-year partnership that will significantly elevate the selection and assortment of licensed Aggie products.

As part of the deal, Fanatics gains exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute Aggie products to students, fans and former students across select retail channels. The assortment, which begins a rollout this fall, will include men's, women's and kids' fan apparel. Fanatics' on-demand manufacturing capabilities will allow the university to also feature unique product lines capitalizing on trends and graphics special to College Station and the Aggie fanbase.

Under the new arrangement, Texas A&M will retain its partnership with adidas as the provider of performance products and specific fan merchandise for the Aggies' athletics programs. The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) negotiated the licensing elements of this deal on the university's behalf.

A key aspect of the partnership is Fanatics' commitment to student development and engagement at Texas A&M, including in the classrooms and presentations from company executives. The Mays Business School Center for Retailing Studies named Fanatics as its 2020 "Retailer of the Year" and hosted Fanatics Global Co-President Jack Boyle, who spoke to students.

Sustainability

12th Man Sustainability Tips & Tricks: Texas A&M is working to achieve zero waste to landfill by increasing our recycling efforts at events. We've added recycling bins throughout the concourses--look for the blue stickers--to collect your plastic cups and aluminum cans only. Cardboard food boxes and paper products, along with utensils and food, should be placed in the landfill bins. Greasy or wet paper cannot be recycled. Make #goodbullforthegame happen by recycling correctly when you're at an A&M Athletics event!