The Reveille 06-22-26

BECOMING A TIGER

Bengal Bound Orientation is many families’ first impression of LSU. Here’s a look at the students and faculty who make the event possible.

LEARNING LSU

Bengal Bound teaches incoming students how to succeed while in college

BY MADELYN LONG Staff Writer

Thousands of incoming students have visited campus over the past two months for LSU’s 16 orientation events known as Bengal Bound Orientation. From helping students with their transition to meeting new friends, event directors and students agree that Bengal Bound is key to first-year success.

The preparation work for Bengal Bound begins long before incoming Tigers arrive on campus. Directors and staff take no time after the previous year’s session to review feedback and decide which changes they would like to make to the program.

Meridia Walker, director of Transition and Student Success, stated that feedback from incoming students and family members who attended Bengal Bound is also an important factor in the decisions made to enhance how the program evolves the following year.

“We review all of the feedback that we receive through the surveys typically in September, and then we kind of hit the ground running from there,” said Walker.

Once the spring semester rolls around, Bengal Bound directors begin selecting orientation leaders. Becoming an orientation leader is one of the many ways that current LSU students can get involved in orientation. Students who are passionate about LSU, involved in organizations on campus and have been academically successful while at LSU are encouraged to apply by Walker.

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“When I think about the transition to college, attending Bengal Bound is really a primer for that experience,” said Walker.

“Going to Bengal Bound allows

All of the preparations for a successful Bengal Bound event create an atmosphere that allows for incoming students to get the most out of their visit to Baton Rouge.

students to start making connections with other students who are experiencing the same things.”

2025 LSU alumna Diamond Milanö agrees with Walker, explaining that her experience at Bengal Bound set her apart from her peers who did not attend.

“I met a lot of students from my state during Bengal Bound that made me feel safe and comfortable, although we didn’t know each other very well,” said Milanö. “When we met, we were able to feel comfortable knowing a familiar face [or] person was in the room.”

Looking back, those memories are ones that are very important to her LSU experience.

“I can comfortably say we all still talk about the time we met at Bengal Bound, and over the four years of schooling, we still all engage when we see each other and are still friends to this day,” said Milanö.

In addition to meeting new people, incoming students also hear about the resources that LSU has to offer, like the LSU Campus Life, Residential Life and Student Success offices. Connecting with these support systems gives students the feeling that

they are actually part of the LSU community, according to Walker.

“While it’s just a day, the orientation experience is really a collaborative effort across multiple departments, offices and units,” said Walker. “It’s really, truly what I think when we talk about LSU being three letters, two colors, one state.”

Walker explained that Bengal Bound serves as a big moment for incoming freshmen and is often more than just a regular day on campus.

“To me, it’s really that first step in the next four years,” said Walker. “This is the front door that they get to walk through, and it’s the excitement, the newness, you know, we see all of those things come up during the orientation.”

During the 16 events on campus, Walker explained that her favorite part of orientation is seeing the excitement of students and families as they start their journey at LSU.

“You see the same level of excitement; they’re nervous, but they’re also like, ‘I got this,’ and they’re just starting to figure themselves out and you see all of that happen in front of you, and that is incredible,” said Walker.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE

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FUTURE FORGED

LSU signs historic research agreement with Hyundai Steel, furthering in-state industry

LSU announced that it signed a Master Research Agreement with Hyundai Steel on Tuesday that will support one of the largest industrial investments in Louisiana’s history and create a pipeline between LSU’s graduate programs and Hyundai’s training resources and industrial expertise.

The MRA establishes a framework for sponsored research, jointly-developed technologies and projects between LSU and Hyundai Steel. These projects will advance research in fields such as metallurgy, materials science, energy, robotics and automation, and environmental engineering.

The agreement will strengthen the workforce pipeline between the two research partners, with skilled graduates coming out of LSU who can then move on to work for Hyundai Steel’s North American facility in Ascension Parish.

“By combining Hyundai Steel’s industrial expertise with LSU’s academic excellence, we can create strong synergies that lead to meaningful technological advancements,” Hyundai Steel Senior Vice President and R&D Division Head Yoo-dong Chung said.

“Beyond research, this collaboration will help build a robust talent and knowledge base for the steel industry in Louisiana,” Yoodong Chung continued, “supporting the long-term success of our new steel mill and contributing to the broader economic growth and vitality of the state.”

This new steel mill, a $5.8 billion project on a 1,800 acre plot of land in Ascension Parish, or about a half hour drive from campus, will be one of the first fully integrated, electric arc furnacebased steel plants of its kind. The mill is scheduled for completion in 2029 and is expected to create 1,300 jobs.

LSU President Wade Rousse believes that agreements like LSU and Hyundai Steel’s MRA boost the local economy and help create job opportunities within Louisiana.

“We believe a relationship with LSU will become the new competitive advantage for Hyundai Steel, shaping their next generation of technology and talent while creating a Louisiana career pathway for our talented graduates and elevating Louisiana’s role in global manufacturing,” Rousse said.

Hyundai Steel will work closely with a number of senior colleges across LSU’s research enterprise, including the College of Engineering, College of Science and research centers, institutes and core facilities under the Office of Research & Economic Development.

Two of LSU’s research facilities that Hyundai will now have access to are Louisiana Light Source, which has the South’s only synchrotron, and the multidisciplinary Advanced Microscopy and Analytical Core, which has a scanning transmission electron microscope to advance discoveries in materials science.

The move to partner with Hyundai Steel is in line with

LSU’s overarching goal of becoming a top research campus in the U.S., shifting state and national focus to LSU’s academic accomplishments along with its cultural presence.

“LSU has exceptional expertise in materials science and engineering, characterization, structural integrity, robotics, business process optimization, and energy economics, all of which Hyundai needs today,” LSU Chancellor James Dalton said. “Industry partnerships like this build a work-

force engine for Louisiana and propel us forward in our pursuit of becoming one of the top 50 research universities in America.”

Some of the proposed development areas for the Hyundai Steel and LSU partnership include challenges with the company’s clean energy roadmap; smart factory and robotic technologies; manufacturing process optimization; and the development of new engineered performance materials.

Overall, this agreement aims

to expand LSU’s research capabilities, strengthen the manufacturing industry in Louisiana and give Hyundai access to LSU’s extensive research facilities and resources.

“The most exciting aspect of this research partnership is longlasting, collaborative research opportunities for LSU students and faculty, alongside Hyundai Steel, to fortify manufacturing in Louisiana,” said Chris Marvel, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at LSU.

ENTERTAINMENT

Rev Rank: Horror movie ‘Leviticus’ has powerful message but weak execution

BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer

Indie Australian queer horror film “Leviticus” is important in its message and for representation; however, that does not make it a particularly good film.

From some of the earliest gothic writers being gay themselves to the metaphors for homosexuality appearing in the vampire myth, horror as a genre has always had its roots in queer themes.

Where it often lacks is in its representation; many supposed queer classics are often subtextual rather than textual. But in the modern era of horror, more studios are willing to bank on LGBTQ+ films, such as “I Saw the TV Glow.”

Australian director Adrian Chiarella’s debut feature “Leviticus” is another in this line. Premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in January, it garnered acclaim from the festival audience. Not long after, international distribution rights were picked up by American indie production company NEON.

Buzz grew among younger Gen Z filmgoers despite the film playing in only 1,075 theaters nationwide. Now that the film has come out, is it a new voice of a generation speaking to the fears and experiences of a gay audience?

Well, maybe. Whether or not this connects with the masses is neither here nor there. What this film does for people who see themselves in its narrative is important. I can think of very few coming-of-age gay horror films, or those about conversion therapy and its consequences.

The film follows two gay teenagers, Naim and Ryan, as their small Christian community hires a “deliverance healer” to curse

them with a demon who tries to kill them by taking the form of the person they most desire.

This seems like a powerful story on paper, and I for one was incredibly excited to see where it went. Unfortunately, it did not go very far. A strong premise can only get you so far, as the actual meat of this film is quite unsatisfying.

In the same vein as recent disappointing horror films like “Him” or “Together,” it takes what should be a compelling tale and tarnishes it with stock horror tropes and wears its influences on its sleeve.

“Leviticus” adopts the derivative form of better movies such as “It Follows” and takes away the good parts. Not only is the story formulaic, but the characters fall into this trap as well. Only the Wayans brothers’ “Scary Movie” parodies could come up with a more cliche and foolish main character.

Naim, our main perspective, is consistently making the poorest decisions for seemingly no reason. He understands the situation he is in with this demon, and yet he decides in the worst moments that maybe it does not work like that.

In a pivotal moment during the climax, when Naim has just seen the demon in his backyard, Not-Ryan shows up at his door, convincing him that he is not the demon. Naim ends up trusting him and, shockingly, he almost gets killed by Not-Ryan.

I am not usually one to fault movie characters for bad judgment, especially in horror. These are horrifying, tense situations in which anyone in real life is bound to make mistakes. However, it is worth pointing out and criticizing when it goes against every established rule and character trait

previously shown.

It also shows a constant tendency for this film to have completely manufactured scares. At one point, we even get the nightmare fake-out where the monster jump scares you for no reason other than to get a cheap, creepy moment.

A particularly egregious example of this happens when Naim sees the demon outside the bus when he and Ryan visit the hospital. Naturally, he hesitates, but then the bus driver closes the door as the demon advances. For some godawful reason, this nameless, faceless bus driver just does not open the door for a full minute while both Ryan and Naim beg them to do so.

The film lacks any cohesion or momentum behind most of its scenes, just trying to hit all of the right beats to make an elevated horror movie.

All of this is not to say that “Leviticus” is without its merits. Both Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen, who play Naim and Ryan, respectively, do a fantastic job in their roles, with great chemistry between them. The movie is at its best when it is exploring the coming-of-age aspect of their love stories.

Chiarella obviously has a decent eye for direction, still constructing some great shots and sequences. He has a good feature inside of him, and with his campaign for more gay representation in horror, I have a strong feeling we will get one in the next few years.

As for now, I am utterly underwhelmed by “Leviticus.” It never quite sticks the landing on being a captivating or all that scary horror film. Still, there are small things to appreciate.

Score: 5/10

Elisa’s Cuban Cuisine is bringing authentic flavors to Baton Rouge

BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer

Opened in 2022, Elisa’s Cuban Coffee and Kitchen food truck has been a Baton Rouge staple, providing fresh coffee, Cuban sandwiches and more to downtown residents. Just last month, the people behind Elisa’s decided to expand their services to 2627 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. with a full-service restaurant.

Taking over a former po’boy shop, the space is now home to beautiful Cuban murals, artificial grass ceilings and atmospheric Latin music. The interior is a comforting place, and the service is quite welcoming, with servers eager to help you out and offer you plenty of suggestions.

Before my meal, I was treated to a complimentary basket of pork rinds to get me started. After ordering, the food came out before I even had a chance to open my notepad.

For the main course, my excellent waiter recommended the chuleta de cerdo. This meal consists of grilled pork chops topped with grilled onions, moros y cristianos and a side of sweet plantains.

The pork chops had a good flavor to them, the seasoning wasn’t overwhelming and it worked especially well with the sweet yet sharp grilled onions. The meat was a bit overcooked for me, more chewy than tender. Yet, this did not take away too much from the umami experience.

On the side of the dish came a small cup of green sauce. I am always a huge fan of a green sauce; its use of tomatillos for a more tangy and bright flavor is unmatched. This one in particular caught me off guard, though.

While it still falls into the same flavor profile, Elisa’s green sauce goes all in on the zestier side of things. When I first tried the salsa, it sent a shock through my body, with the taste more like a sour candy than a salsa. This is not to say it is bad, however; it is just different. The sauce enhanced the richer and saltier flavors of the main parts of the dish.

It may sound weird, but the star of the show of this dish was undoubtedly the moros y cristianos. A recipe traditionally tied to Cuba, this side consists of white

rice prepared in the liquid leftover from cooking black beans. I would go back to the restaurant just to eat this dish; it was seasoned and cooked to perfection and so jampacked full of flavor. It was so good that my hand was loading up another bite before I even realized it.

You can’t go wrong with sweet plantains in a dish, and neither can Elisa’s. I like my plantains with a little bit of char on them, and they delivered on that front. Just the slightest bit of crispiness completes the rest of the delectable, melt-inyour-mouth experience.

I also decided to try one of Elisa’s Cuban tamales as well. What sets these tamales apart from others you might have had is that the fillings of the tamales are mixed into the corn dough rather than placed in the middle.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t as crazy about these. They have a good range of sweet and savory combined; however, the dough itself was almost gooey. As I chewed, instead of breaking apart, it would cling to the roof of my mouth. The mixing in of the meat also diminished its flavor, making it a

PAUL’ S PLATE

quite maize-forward encounter. Although, it was quite good combined with the same green salsa from earlier.

To wash it all down, I supplemented my water with a guanavana milkshake. Guanavana, also known as a soursop, is a fruit native to the Americas that has a flavor similar to a creamy and citrusy pineapple. For this, it worked flawlessly in the milkshake setting, making the drink an all-around refreshing and smooth adventure.

For more information on its menu and hours, you can check out Elisa’s Cuban Cuisine on Instagram or Facebook.

Here are six beach reads to add to your summer TBR pile

BY GARRETT MCENTEE Managing Editor

Summer is in full swing, and now that students have more time to do the one thing that they all love most — read, obviously — I have plenty of seasonal reading recommendations for your next beach trip.

“Salty” by Kate Myers

Following the misadventures of estranged sisters Denise and Helen, this comedic mystery unfolds aboard a luxury yacht in a tropical marina. Denise, a seasoned captain, is a bit rough around the edges, and Helen is a “walking HR violation” whose latest firing sends her sailing back into her sister’s orbit.

The duo find themselves employed by the Falcons, shady real estate developers who demolished their childhood home, and old grudges resurface. But vengeance takes a back seat when a suspicious death and a collapsing real estate empire pull them into a page-turning investigation. Filled with larger-than-life characters, sharp humor and plenty of nautical chaos, this is the perfect novel to throw in your beach bag.

“We’re a Bad Idea, Right?” by K. L. Walther Audrey Barbour is sick of following the rules. A lifetime of being the perfect daughter with perfect grades, Ivy League admissions and a completely normal love life all has Barbour at her wit’s end. But what finally pushes her over the edge is when her parents won’t let her pursue her passion, glassblowing, on a prestigious fellowship. Barbour decides enough is enough, that it’s time to be adventurous and live life on her terms.

Thankfully, her friend Henry proposes a fake-dating scheme to win back his exgirlfriend, which completes step one of shaking up her life. Step two? Rent out her family’s Connecticut mansion online to pay for her fellowship. But when life comes aknockin’, Barbour has to reckon with what it means to make decisions for herself, a relatable experience for college students. This fake-dating, trope-ridden novel delivers everything one wants from a good old beach read. Perfect for if you’re finally ready to warm up from the hockey romance craze.

“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir

After the blockbuster movie starring Ryan Gosling, this science-fiction favorite is back on the charts. Ryland Grace wakes up alone aboard a spacecraft with no memory of who he is or what he’s supposed to be doing. As his memory slowly returns, Grace realizes that the salvation of Earth rests squarely on his shoulders: Or does it?

What follows is a thrilling adventure packed with humor and heart, featuring one of the most gripping friendships in literary history. “Project Hail Mary” is perfect for anyone who needs a little vacay into the great beyond to restore their faith in humanity.

“Pool House: A Novel” by Mary H.K. Choi Stevie Moon wants nothing more than to escape her mother. After abandoning college to pursue dead-end jobs, her days are nothing short of purgatory. You see, the Moon family is big in Hollywood, and she can’t wait to leave Los Angeles in the dust and start over on her own terms. The Moon matriarch, Delilah, is an out-of-work actress, a former alcoholic and a widow.

The mother-daughter duo, unable to pay for their home, rents it out and live in their glass pool house. But when Adam, Delilah’s on-screen son and Stevie’s crush, attends the funeral, the three are pulled into one another’s messy orbit. A contemplation on navigating class dynamics, familial conflicts, burgeoning sexuality and grief.

“He’s The Devil” by Tobi Coventry

With perhaps one of the most relatable premises known to humankind, this psychedelic horror novel is an unexpected but compelling summer read. Set in a lovely little flat in London, this novel follows Simon, a tidy, goody two-shoes whose new roommate might just be possessed by the devil. Strange noises from Massimo’s room, foul smells and generally disturbing events are all solid pieces of evidence. As a string of murders begins occurring across the city and Simon grapples with his own increasingly dark compulsions, this novel becomes an examination of obsession, desire, identity and devilish roommates. A particularly relatable tale for college kids everywhere. For fans of the perverse and disturbing, this book is perfect to cool off on a hot summer’s day.

“Valley of the Moms: A Novel” by Hannah Selinger In the rich town of Hamilton, Massachusetts, Anna Plummer sits in her nice house, with her nice family, in her nice town. She is incredibly bored. After discovering that her daughter can’t attend a dance because Plummer didn’t pay a premium fee, Plummer sends out an email to the horrifying PTO president that sets off a chain reaction that shakes the entire community. A year later, Plummer is dead. And her husband, Denny Plummer, is the prime suspect. But he refuses to let the mystery of his wife’s death go unsolved. Told through the couples alternating perspectives a year apart, this gripping mystery has a sharp, witty voice that will have you turning pages long after your day of fun in the sun is done.

SPORTS

CAPTAIN IN QUEUE

Here’s who is most likely to inherit the No. 8 jersey in the 2027 LSU baseball season

BY RAMI BURKS Sports Editor

LSU baseball’s No. 8 jersey tradition dates back to the Paul Maneri era, and with the transfer portal active for the 2027 season, fans are beginning to wonder who the next Tigers’ team captain will be.

In 2025 and 2026, the Tigers’ team captain wearing the No. 8 jersey was Gavin Guidry, who is a draft-eligible junior. However, there are several other contenders whose performances suggest they could earn the role upon his departure.

Pitcher Gavin Guidry

Most LSU baseball players tend to play collegiate ball for three seasons, and Guidry has done that. Despite being a key player as a true freshman during LSU’s 2023 national championship run, he received a medical redshirt for the 2025 season, giving him an extra year of eligibility.

Since he has already played for three seasons, many LSU baseball players in his position would enter the MLB draft, which frees up the No. 8 jersey for another player. However, Guidry has said he is on the fence about leaving LSU after the 2026 season.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with the coach about seeing what we can do money-wise to come back and also chase another dream of winning a third national championship. Because that’ll put [me] in a completely different realm of LSU baseball players,” Guidry said on the Matt Mascona show after the 2026 season. “I definitely don’t have all my eggs in one basket yet.”

Even though Guidry is undecided on returning in 2027, discussions around the MLB draft have slid several other iconic Tigers into the conversation for next No. 8.

Shortstop Steven Milam

Steven Milam confirmed June 12 that he would be coming back to Baton Rouge for his senior year and has officially pulled his name from the MLB draft. With the announcement of his return and the possibility of Guidry’s departure, the No. 8 jersey would find a fitting home on the 5-foot-8 junior.

After starting for the first three years of his career, he has demonstrated the skills necessary to be an effective leader on the field. Anyone who watched this season could

tell that the Tigers didn’t gel, and that led to many of the problems on the field. Milam stepping in as an established veteran and leader in 2027 might be the key to returning to Omaha in 2027.

Giving the programs’ coveted jersey number to Milam will set a standard for the incoming freshmen and transfers that Guidry couldn’t bring from the bullpen in 2026. The combination of talent and responsibility makes him a strong contender if Guidry is drafted, but there are a few incoming juniors that also perfectly fit the ideal needs for the captain.

Catcher Cade Arrambide

Cade Arrambide is one of the top contenders for the No. 8 jersey

because of his defensive position, skill set and personality. Arrambide’s role as a catcher demonstrates his ability to handle tough situations with his teammates, making him a great option for the role of captain.

Catchers are typically natural leaders on the field as they have to handle the entire pitching staff from 60 feet away while communicating any issues back to the dugout, and Arrambide does just this by handling different pitchers in different situations, all while reading his other teammates to lead them on the field

Traditionally, a recipient of the No. 8 jersey is someone who has been at LSU since his freshman

year and has dominated in all aspects of the game.

His hot bat during SEC play has shown his growth in his position, and the leadership expectations that come with being a catcher make him one of the better choices for the No. 8 jersey in 2027.

Pitcher Casan Evans

Much like Guidry, Casan Evans came to LSU to pitch, and he has had success in both his freshman and sophomore years. Evans has grown from where he started in 2025 to where he finished the 2026 season. This growth puts him in the perfect position for the No. 8 jersey in 2027 if Guidry gets drafted.

While it has proven to be difficult to lead the Tigers from the bullpen, Evans’ role as a starting pitcher would allow him to have a much more active role as a team leader during the Tigers’ games. Because of this, he could have a much more productive role on the field and in the dugout, which makes him another standout player.

Evans’ progression of skill on the field as a Friday night starter makes him a strong contender to lead the team in 2027, as his role as a premier starter is to set the tone for the weekend series.

Nonetheless, the No. 8 jersey recipient won’t be named until the final roster is released. Any of the guys that have grown into the role will showcase what head coach Jay Johnson wants for the future of his team.

If Guidry leaves LSU for the MLB, then Johnson’s next choice of captain will reveal a great deal about what fans can expect in 2027.

LSU baseball adds three more transfers, loses JUCO commit

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

LSU baseball remains busy in the transfer portal as it looks to rebuild its roster for 2027. Head coach Jay Johnson and staff had a productive week on the recruiting trail, picking up three transfers to add to Wednesday’s commitment of top transfer Bino Watters. On the other side of the coin, no Tigers on the 2026 roster departed, but the team lost a junior college transfer’s commitment.

Outfielder Jason Wachs transfers from Tulane News broke of the former Tulane outfielder moving an hour west on Sunday. Jason Wachs will enter LSU as a junior who has demonstrated plenty of growth in his first two seasons.

Wachs built on a strong freshman year with his 2026 campaign. He generated the same amount of hits as in his freshman year, but

OPSed 1.027 — a dramatic bump from his .936 freshman mark. With the uptick in that critical run-creating metric, it’s no surprise that he doubled his freshman RBI total in 2026, finishing the year with 54.

Reservations about Wachs’ exact role on LSU’s 2027 roster will have to be held until the fall at the earliest. He enters the program just days after the Tigers landed Watters, the top portal target and fellow outfielder, and weeks after initial rumors began to swirl about the potential return of outfield cornerstone Derek Curiel.

In any event, Wachs’ addition is vital for continuing the restock of what started out as a paltrylooking 2027 outfield corps at the offseason’s start.

Infielder Cade Kurland transfers, exits draft

The former Florida middle infielder, Cade Kurland, is a name that might ring a bell for LSU

fans. As a freshman in 2023, he played in all but three games in the Gators’ run to the College World Series final where Florida was ultimately defeated by LSU.

In that season, he took home Freshman All-American honors from numerous outlets and drove in 50 runs. He took a slight step back in his sophomore year and has been held back by injuries since. His third season resulted in a medical redshirt, and his 2026 campaign was limited to 49 games as he dealt with an oblique injury.

Still, Kurland’s numbers remained strong throughout the difficulties. The talent is absolutely there, so the biggest question will be if his health allows him to piece together those numbers over the full course of LSU’s season. Injury luck, or a lack thereof, played a critical part in LSU’s 2026 underperformance.

JUCO

pitcher Hayden Morris re-enters portal

Hayden Morris committed to LSU while at junior college program Blinn College in the fall of 2025, and he was set to join the Tigers in time for the 2027 season. At the time, he was coming off of a brilliant freshman year where he pitched at an ERA clip of 4.17 over 86.1 innings, striking out 106 batters in the process.

That success did not carry into the right-handed pitcher’s sophomore year. He took a step back in most statistics and carried an eyewatering ERA of 6.59. Morris made the announcement on Tuesday that he was re-entering the transfer portal and rescinding his commitment to LSU on social media.

Even though the results in his second season were far from grand, pitching depth remains a question for the Tigers in 2027. LSU now has only one JUCO commit set to be a Tiger next spring:

The former USC product was announced as committed by Johnson on Tuesday night. Diego Velazquez transfers out after spending only his freshman season in Southern California. Velazquez made the Freshman All-Big Ten team after throwing 31.2 innings for USC with an ERA of 4.26. Most promisingly, he limited issues with control in that time, a major concern with the pitching style of LSU in 2026.

The right-handed pitcher also made appearances as a position player, but will likely be limited to just the mound in Baton Rouge.

Velazquez certainly quells any hurt that may come about from the Morris decommitment, filling the hole with a player who came out of high school as a top-100 prospect and has delivered so far.

Track and field sets NCAA record, leads LSU to dual top-10s

BY ALEX SHEESLEY Staff Writer

LSU track and field’s Jaiden Reid stole the show at the NCAA Track and Field Championships, raking in several medals and setting a new NCAA record in the 200-meter event. The historysetting mark was part of a very strong weekend for LSU. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished within the top 10 in the team standings.

The first Tiger to claim a medal in Eugene, Oregon, was Jack Larriviere. The junior from New Orleans claimed the bronze medal in Javelin on Wednesday, the first day of competition.

Larriviere posted a 77.91-meter throw in his final attempt of the competition. It was his highest mark of the night, and moved him into the podium places. The result is the cap to an incredible comeback for Larriviere: His 2026 outdoor season is the first time he has competed in two years after a host of injuries.

The special start to the week continued on Friday. Both of LSU’s relay teams closed out their seasons with silver medals; the 4x100 team was a beneficiary of a dropped relay by then-leading

Auburn, and the 4x400 team suffered heartbreak after being tracked down out of the lead by Georgia.

Reid, having taken part in the 4x100 already, logged his second medal of the afternoon by taking home silver in the 100-meter final.

Reid posted a 9.82-second time to be second fastest in the race.

Then, he pulled through in his third and final event of the evening to claim LSU’s lone gold of the week to mark his stake in history. In the 200-meter final, Reid exploded to set a 19.63 without wind assistance. Along with crowning him national champion, the time was good enough to take down Walter Dix’s NCAA record time of 19.69 in the event, which was set in 2007.

Thanks in large part to Reid’s heroics, the LSU men finished fourth in the team-wide standings at the championships with 42 points. Podium places belonged to Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee with 56, 49 and 46 points respectively.

The women’s squad had its share of success a day later. It finished 10th as a team on Saturday with 24 points, headlined by a trio of medals for Shawnti Jackson.

The first of three medals for

LSU on the day came from the 4x100 team. Athaleyha Hinckson, Tima Godbless, Aniyah Bigam and Jackson came together to post a 41.74 to claim silver in a much less exciting event than their male teammates had a day before.

Jackson would continue to ride the momentum off of the relay medal to claim a pair of individual medals.

The first medal won bronze in the 100-meter final. She capped a strong week in the event. She posted an 11.01 after getting off the blocks strong and found an extra gear in the closing meters to secure the final step on the podium.

Then, she placed second in the 200-meter final. She once again finished strong to ward off the field in the final 100 meters to take home silver and set a personal-best 22.12 mark behind a staggering NCAA-record mark from Georgia freshman Adaejah Hodge.

The 10th and fourth place team finishes are a high note for the Tigers to finish on in 2026. Most importantly, those marks display improvement for both of head coach Dennis Shaver’s squads. which finished in 13th and 28th in Eugene a year ago.

Column: NIL deals may hurt softball despite recent growth

BY RAMI BURKS Sports Editor

LSU has one of the biggest NIL markets in the SEC when it comes to football, baseball and basketball. With the movement in the transfer portal for LSU softball, fans are speculating that it may

have something to do with the funds the Tigers’ softball team is receiving after yet another player enters the portal.

On Wednesday, LSU infielder Kylee Edwards took to X, formerly Twitter, to announce that she would be leaving the Bayou. The former Tiger shortstop posted on

social media that she’s entering the portal after much thought and consideration.

This post came as a shock to many LSU fans, as she posted weeks prior that coming to LSU was the best decision she’d ever made. This post has since been removed from her X profile.

LSU softball and volleyball news outlet Daily LSU News took to X to suggest that two things could be true at once: Edwards could have been the happiest she’d ever been, but she could also have gotten an offer that was too good to pass up.

The point this post makes has set LSU softball apart from other schools, and it may have to do with the practice of NILSU.

NILSU associate athletic director Taylor Jacobs has reiterated to the Reveille that the most important part of an athlete utilizing their NIL opportunities is creating a personal brand if they choose to do so.

The approach to NIL has put LSU on top in other sports as well. Jacobs and her team provide resources that help athletes capitalize on their marketability.

“The reality is businesses are still looking for that return on investment for them, and they are still really making sure that whoever they do work with will be, one, a good representation of their brand, and two, somebody that would be valuable for them to actually utilize in marketing services,” Jacobs told the Reveille in the fall.

However, there is one thing the

NCAA softball world is experiencing that other sports aren’t: the approach Texas Tech softball has been taking to recruiting from the portal.

Texas Tech head coach Gerry Glasco has built a team of pure talent by buying athletes from other teams. LSU ace pitcher Jayden Heavener just announced she will be joining the Red Raiders for the 2027 season, and many fans are speculating that Edwards will follow suit after another star shortstop committed to Texas over Texas Tech on Tuesday.

Buying teams and losing the loyalty of players will hurt LSU softball right now, but it can also harm the growth of softball as a whole in the long run.

The fastest growing pro softball league in the U.S., the AUSL, is in its second season, and NIL money has already caused some hesitation from one of the star NCAA athletes in signing with the league.

Texas Tech bought star pitcher NiJaree Canady from Stanford for $1 million in the hopes of bringing home a national title. When she graduated, she was drafted to the Texas Volts but was the last player in the league to sign her contract.

Canady’s agent, Lindsay Colas, said they were waiting to come to a “fair and equitable agreement.”

Softball is one of the fastestgrowing women’s sports, and if fans want to see the professional league grow, then athletes who are after the money will be the cause of the collapse.

If more players continue to play

home

out their eligibility and hope to make the same money in a league that is still establishing itself, the league won’t last, and the growth the sport has seen won’t either. It all starts now with one loyal LSU softball player entering the portal after saying she was happy in Baton Rouge, and in a few years it could be the AUSL dissolving just as its becoming its most popular.

OPINION

Consumer culture is missing the point of reusable water bottles

WARREN’S WAY

JEANNE

WARREN Columnist

The thirst for reusable water bottles needs to stop. Something initially marketed as a helpful solution to mitigate plastic waste has now become a harmful contradiction to its original environmental purpose. In fact, it has become a symbol of consumer culture.

The sole purpose of reusable water bottles was to preserve the planet. With approximately 8 million tons of plastic bottles entering oceans annually, something needed to change. Over the past decade, reusable water bottles have surged in popularity.

The production of the S’well water bottle in 2015 marked the first true trend of reusable water bottles. S’well bottles were colorful with a wide variety of designs. In 2020, the S’well was

overshadowed by the Hydro Flask.

Hydro Flasks became a staple, going hand in hand with the VSCO aesthetic. YETI, which was already a well-known brand prior to S’well, regained popularity after the Hydro Flask. Then it was Stanley. Now, it seems Owala is making the biggest splash. Smaller microtrends such as limited-edition Starbucks cups have also made waves.

Behind all of these fun colors and designs, there is a serious issue: overconsumption. This shift from plastic water bottles to reusable water bottles has largely been driven by companies seeking to maximize profits. As a result, these water bottles have become fashion accessories and status symbols instead of practical, waste-minimizing tools.

Brands continuously release new colors, exclusive designs and limited edition collaborations that create a sense of urgency among consumers. In 2024, a limited-edition release of

a Valentine’s Day Stanley cup at Target caused people to queue in hours-long lines that wrapped around the entire building. When the store opened, there were stampedes and even fights. This level of urgency over a cup isn’t normal.

Social media platforms have further amplified this trend by turning these reusable water bottles into symbols of personal style. Influencers frequently have brand deals with these companies and encourage their followers to buy them, too.

It puts a pressure on consumers to fit in so they aren’t seen with a dented or “outdated” water bottle. The entire point of sustainability is for the product to last long enough to become outdated.

The irony is that this behavior undermines the original purpose of reusable water bottles. Their value is supposed to come from repeated use over a long period of time. The environmental benefits decrease when consumers

constantly replace bottles that are still functional. Manufacturing reusable water bottles requires resources such as stainless steel, plastic components and energy.

There is a high environmental cost, which initially creates a larger carbon footprint. This footprint has to be offset by at least 10 to 30 uses for stainless steel bottles and 30 to 90 uses for insulated bottles. Unfortunately, the average number of uses before replacement tends to be around 50 to150 uses, which is barely enough to close that gap.

The popularity of brands such as Owala and YETI demonstrates perfectly how consumer culture can transform anything environmentally friendly into a weapon of overconsumption. Capitalism encourages businesses to increase sales and generate profits, no matter the true cost that it comes with.

Companies are incentivized to sell as many bottles as pos -

sible and manipulate morals instead of encouraging consumers to keep and use the same bottle for years. The success of these brands depends solely on manipulating the public enough to convince them that they need, not want, the newest product.

This does not mean reusable water bottles are extremely harmful. When used as intended, they still remain a much better alternative to single-use plastic bottles. The problem lies in the culture that has developed around them. When bottle after bottle is purchased, the original goal of protecting the environment is lost.

Until we as consumers learn to resist these trends, the market for reusable water bottles will continue to flow in the wrong direction. The true meaning of sustainability is being drowned out, and it’s up to us to keep it afloat.

Jeanne Warren is a 20-year-old mass communications major from Baton Rouge, La.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Laura Allen Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor Garrett McEntee

Rami Burks

Sports Editor

Emily Boudreaux Production Editor

Editorial Policies and Procedures

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Quote of the Week

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”