02-24-2026

City Council votes to deny Francis Harris Lane data center project

By Blake Leschber Editor-in-Chief

After an over 8-hour meeting with 130-plus public comments, San Marcos City Council voted to deny the rezoning request of the data center on Francis Harris Lane.

The motion to deny passed in a 5-2 vote, in the early morning of Feb. 18, with council members Matthew Mendoza and Lorenzo Gonzalez voting against. John Maberry, a managing partner at Highlander Real

BASEBALL

Cats v. Dogs: TXST takes series over future Pac-12 opponent

By Ayden Oredson Assistant Sports Editor

Coming off a thrashing defeat to the Baylor Bears in Waco last Tuesday, the Texas State Bobcats (5-2) returned home to get a glimpse of future Pac-12 action as the Gonzaga Bulldogs (2-4) came into San Marcos.

The Bobcats started the same weekend rotation as their opening series against Niagara, consisting of graduate student Kyle Froehlich on Friday, freshman Nolan Moore on Saturday and junior Jesus Tovar in the rubber match on Sunday.

Here’s how the weekend unfolded:

Friday: W, 8-6

Texas State continued to ride the hot hand of Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week recipient Froehlich, who started the game fine as the Bobcats struck the first blow in the first inning of action off a lead-off home run from senior utility player Rashawn Galloway and sophomore shortstop Dawson Park’s RBI single.

The Bulldogs, however, countered in the fourth with a five-run inning that chased Froehlich out and forced Texas State to utilize their bullpen.

While the Bobcats remained within reach, especially after another Park single and fellow sophomore second basemen Brady Boles’ double brought home two more runs to make it 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth, the bats didn’t fully awaken until the bottom of the eighth.

SEE SERIES PAGE 7

Estate Partners and leading agent on the data center, can refile an application to the city council in six months.

Before and during the council meeting, SMPD Police Chief Stan Standridge estimated at least 300 attendees at the meeting. Most of the attendees were there to demonstrate against the data center. Attendees played music on speakers while dancing around, and children played on the front lawn of City Hall. 125 people signed up for citizen comment with 96 speaking there and 42

speaking at the public hearing, going until 1 a.m. before council members spoke until after 2:30 a.m.

“I have never seen a group of people as fired up and moved on a single subject my entire career,” Randall Terrell, San Marcos resident, said. “I have been waiting for it for decades. We are at a moment of history that transcends this council meeting.”

By Ryan Claycamp News Editor

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office released a batch of internal files to The University Star about ongoing deliberations toward an agreement with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The deliberations for an agreement with ICE are legally mandated by SB 8, a 2025 law requiring sheriff’s offices in counties with more than 100,000 residents to sign a 287(g) agreement. Under the law, the Hays County Sheriff’s office has until Dec. 1, 2026 to reach a finalized agreement.

The county initially sent a letter to the Office of the Attorney General on Jan. 29 seeking to block the release of all files related to 287(g). However, the county retracted the letter on Feb. 4 after being asked to comment on their decision not to release any files.

Strutters to travel to Washington, D.C. for Independence Day parade

The Texas State Strutters perform at the halftime show during the I-35 Rivalry Game between Texas State and UTSA, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at the Alamodome. The Strutters first performed in 1960 and are set to perform in Washington, D.C. for the America 250 Celebration.

By Rae Knight Life and Arts Contributor

Each summer, invited bands, drill teams, military and specialty units and decorated floats march through the nation’s capital for the National Independence Day Parade. This summer, the TXST Strutters will join the celebration.

This year, the July 4 parade honors the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of

COUNTY

Independence and those who have fought for the country since.

The Strutters were selected to represent Texas in the parade, which will travel along the National Mall to the WWII Memorial, where they will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring veterans. The Strutters will then perform at the Lincoln Memorial at 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW.

Strutters’ Director Selena Lloyd said a company called Music

Celebrations contacted her to invite the Strutters to perform.

“It was really exciting to have someone reach out to us specifically to be able to represent Texas,” Lloyd said. “It was really ironic because I was about to go to D.C., so it was fun to be able to be in the city and just imagine the Strutters there.”

County approves first water study in 15 years

By Madison Winzer News Contributor

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved a professional services agreement to launch a countywide water study to assess conditions and plan sustainability efforts.

HDR Engineering Inc. will

conduct the county’s first water analysis since 2011. The study began on Jan. 20 and is expected to take about 11 months to complete, costing up to $542,360. The study will evaluate water supply, wastewater management and flood risks.

Rapid population growth remains one of Hays County’s biggest water

challenges, with projections from the Texas Demographic Center showing the county’s population increasing from about 157,000 residents in 2015 to more than 255,000 in 2023 and is projected to surpass 400,000 by 2045. SEE WATER PAGE 3

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

FROM FRONT GOVERNMENT

The proposed $1.5 billion, 199.49acre data center would have been located at 904 Francis Harris Lane, adjacent to the Hays County Energy Power Plant. On Aug. 19, 2025, the PSA was denied as it didn’t have the required supermajority to overturn the previously-recommended denial by the Planning & Zoning Commission. On Jan. 13, Planning & Zoning approved the data center, turning it back to the city council.

The vote blocked the two ordinances on the first reading. These amendments would’ve shifted the designation of the land from a Conservation/Cluster Zone to Commercial/Employment Low and rezoned it to Light Industrial, allowing Highlander to continue with the data center. The campus would have consisted of five buildings, each with 76 megawatts of capacity plus a closed-loop water system requiring a one-time fill of 60,000 to 70,000 gallons of water.

“We might be back here eventually,” Blake Coe, a San Marcos resident, said. “The biggest thing is that we need to keep this momentum going, and we need people to keep coming out, staying strong, continuing the fight, because we’ve got more of them.”

Multiple council members said they didn’t have enough information to feel comfortable voting yes yet on the center. One large concern residents brought to the council was how the data center would impact water supply and usage.

“It’s not water usage of data centers of old, it’s the closed loop system,” San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson said. “… But it’s the water from the power generation. That’s a huge question, and there’s a lot that is really complex.”

Gonzalez wanted to postpone the first reading to the March 31 city council meeting to gain more information, but after close to a year of residents attending city council meetings to discuss the data center, Council Member Amanda Rodriguez said further delaying the vote would only string residents along.

“A postponement on insufficient grounds feels like we are torturing these people … We are playing with these people,” Rodriguez said.

The vote for postponement failed 3-4, with Hughson, Gonzalez and Council Member Shane Scott voting for the postponement.

Cheers filled the chamber and lobby after the denial vote was announced. For San Marcos Resident Zane Porterfield, it’s a win for government transparency.

“We’ve been told for the past year that we were supposed to make these decisions without having any real answers to any of the questions from the developers,” Porterfield said. “But it turns out the city is able to just say that that’s insufficient, you need to qualify to operate with us, and that means a lot.”

San Marcos Resident Gena Fleming said there were a lot of unanswered questions that did not get enough residential input and support. Additionally, she said some questions may not have clear answers, but it opens an opportunity to make a stronger vision on how to conduct business in the city.

“It was a turning point that I feel

I have more hope now that we’re going to have an opportunity to involve in more of a dialogue, because there was some indication, finally, that the council members were recognizing the complexity of it and that there were a lot of things left unanswered,” Fleming said.

Before the meeting started, residents lined up on the side of Hopkins Street waving signs to the cars passing by. One resident, Jessica Wolff, said she came out because the impact of data centers on the environment was of particular importance to her.

“San Marcos is one of the most sacred places in the whole world,” Wolff said. “People have been continuously gathering here for 14,000 years, and it’s because of the water. I want to be a good ancestor, and I want to leave this world better than I found it.”

The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1095 brought around 30 members to show their support of the data center, with eight speaking during citizen comment. Members said the data center would help bring jobs to individuals specializing in the trades.

“You have an opportunity to vote in favor of the data center, to generate revenue, to create good quality jobs on a construction project like this,” Matthew Gonzales, business manager of LIUNA Local 1095, said. “That could last up to five years, and it’s a kickstarter for a career.”

We’ve been told for the past year that we were supposed to make these decisions without having any real answers to any of the questions from the developers,”

Zane Porterfield, San Marcos resident

Michael Martinez, who previously worked at a data center, said in his experience, the jobs the data center would create would most likely not actually go to trade-specialized individuals. Martinez further said that when he worked for the data center, he would only go in once or twice a year to check if equipment was working and worked the rest of the time remotely.

“If the equipment was connected differently than it was supposed to be I would make note of it and then I would drive back to my house in Austin, where I worked remotely and I would update it from my laptop,” Martinez said. “… If the equipment was working properly, the entire network would be remotely monitored and controlled by a senior engineer in a NASA-looking command center miles or cities away.”

Maberry said he believes the

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Blake Leschber stareditor@txstate.edu

Managing Editor: Rhian Davis starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

News Editor: Ryan Claycamp starnews@txstate.edu

project is doing everything it needs to in order to protect the environment.

“We’re working with the city to, first, cut water use in half, and then cut it in half again,” Maberry said. “Modern data centers employ such effective sound mitigation that we are able to commit to beating the city’s noise ordinance.”

According to the city council meeting packet, the water for the data center would have come from Crystal Clear CCN, not the city of San Marcos. Steve Ply resides in Guadalupe County and said the water coming from Crystal Clear will impact him even though he doesn’t live in San Marcos.

localizes to one area and hurts the agricultural land and livestock in the area.

History:

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Sports Editor: Adrian Ramirez starsports@txstate.edu

“I have horses, I cannot put water in my water troughs. If you have cattle, you can’t put water in your cattle troughs,” Ply said. “This is going to devastate the area around us.”

Mario Jimenez has lived on Francis Harris Lane with one property separating him from the data center site since 1992. He said he is nervous that the data center would create a “heat island effect” where heat

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“It is our home. When I was young, my father suffered a heart attack. To keep us afloat, my mother worked nights for years, rarely getting home until the sun’s up,” Jimenez said. “… The sacrifice didn’t just buy dirt, it bought a future. That land is where my children and I learned to fish, hunt, ride horses.”

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Robert Mace, executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, said limited local water supplies make rapid population growth challenging for the county.

“It wouldn’t be a challenge if we had lots of water, but we don’t have a lot of water locally,” Mace said. “As a county, we’ve already been bringing in water, and adding more people only increases the need to find and import additional water, which is costly and can be politically difficult.”

HDR Engineers’ study will be broad while focusing on forward looking areas like, water supply planning, wastewater effluent management, localized flood planning and existing water regulations, according to Community Impact.

Roughly 75% of the city’s water supply is derived from Canyon Lake, according to the city of San Marcos. City data also showed that the reservoir is at a level of 893.07 feet and is 70% below capacity due to extreme drought conditions, and provides an even larger share during drought as groundwater pumping limits help maintain river flow.

Jason Julian, a professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, said groundwater pumping restrictions are intended to help maintain river flow during drought.

“In terms of what’s happening to the river, those restrictions are used to help maintain flow in the river so that it doesn’t decline too much. I mean, during a drought like this, the flows in the river are going to continue to decline,” Julian said.

The study will also include the four county precincts undergoing flooding assessments, with a focused evaluation of centralized sewer options for the Hillside Terrace neighborhood, a density area facing flooding and aging septic system concerns, according to Community Impact.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said county officials are taking an unusual approach by pushing water

FROM FRONT IMMIGRATION

policy updates ahead of the county’s typical legal and policy review process because of the urgency of water resource concerns.

“It’s a very unconventional approach that I am taking,” Becerra said. “My aim is to convey the sense of urgency, the dire need for us to update our policies, to keep up with the assault of our resources, and I want my government to support it.”

Becerra said community involvement is key to moving policy forward in county government. He said public engagement can help bring attention to local issues beyond the county level and strengthen the judge’s influence on decisions when residents show strong support.

“I am going to challenge. I am going to pounce, and I need every single beating heart that will stand up with me so that we can create the biggest ripple possible so we can get that awareness all the way to the state level at the Capitol so that we can affect change, because without you, I’m just one loon,” Becerra said. “But with the community behind me, I am most impactful.”

Becerra said he plans to convene a water summit in the coming weeks to

In a statement emailed to The Star on Feb. 4, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office wrote it wasn’t granting any interviews about 287(g) and had not yet reached an agreement.

“... We are still exploring operational considerations of complying with this statute,” the sheriff’s office wrote in its email. “We would anticipate a press conference to be held once the decision has been finalized.”

Under the 287(g) program, the sheriff’s office can choose one of three models: the Jail Enforcement Model, which would allow sheriff’s offices to identify individuals for deportation and process their removals, the Taskforce Model, which allows limited immigration authority and requires communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and the Warrant Service Officer Program, which would have ICE train local law enforcement on how to execute immigration warrants.

According to the documents obtained by The Star, Paul A. Landsaw II, supervisory detention and deportation officer, fugitive operations for ICE,

bring together major water providers.

The summit will assess current customer bases, capacity and longterm water needs over the next 5, 10 and 20 years to create a countywide roadmap for sustainable water use. He said a small number of large industrial users consume tens of millions of gallons of water each, which he argues puts pressure on limited local supplies.

“Six large industrial users are each using 10’s of millions of gallons of water each, we can’t hold it. It’s

wrote to the sheriff’s office on July 15 to discuss 287(g) agreements.

“Given the recent changes with regard to 287(g) in Texas, I am reaching out to see if there is any renewed interest in any of the models we previously discussed,” Landsaw wrote. “Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is any additional information I can provide. I am happy to discuss how we can move forward with any of these models to enhance public safety in our community.”

The Aug. 6 response from the sheriff’s office indicates that the sheriff’s office was interested in the Jail Enforcement Model. However, according to the email, the sheriff’s office was in a “heavy transition period” and wasn’t ready to move forward, but that it should hold meetings with ICE.

“We have discussed the options and are all in agreement the best option for us right now is the warrant officer in the jail,” Hays County Chief Deputy Brett Bailey wrote in an email to Landsaw.

“Speaking only for myself, I know I have additional questions now that we have determined which

going to be them, or it’s going to be us. As your county judge, I’ll make sure I fight to the end to make sure we are the ones that are left standing,” Becerra said. When the water study collects the updated data, it will combine it with the previous data to help guide county officials to support growth and maintain a sustainable water resources.

direction we are going to go. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet again and discuss the process for how we move forward.”

The sheriff’s office continued discussions with ICE after the Aug. 6 email, including an exchange on Nov. 19. However, the Nov. 19 email was partially redacted, and the rest of the email chain was totally redacted before release.

The only other documents released by the sheriff’s office were unsigned agreements and form templates for asking to participate in the 287(g) program.

ICE responded to a Freedom of Information Act request by The Star for communications with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office by saying it had no records related to the request that were releasable under federal law.

This is a developing story. The University Star will update as information becomes available.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

Community can drive change through action

By Andrew Bencivengo Opinion Editor

A major data center project came to town, and residents put a stop to it: for now.

Over the course of the city council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, more than 130 public comments stretched it into the early hours of the morning, putting serious pressure on council members. The result was a resounding “no” from city council, delivered in a 5–2 vote. While the application can be refiled in six months, the public outcry showcased something important: community action still matters.

In an era of widespread political disillusionment, citizens often see using their voices as futile, their apathy fueled by an expectation of defeat. But as fewer people turn to protests or mobilization, unfavorable policies slip through the cracks, some of which may have required only minimal resistance to block.

This trend has become especially evident among Gen Z citizens, who make up much of the San Marcos population. According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

(CIRCLE), nearly one-third of young people express lower support for core democratic principles. Go to a protest or march, and young people’s representation is noticeably lacking. However, there is still hope for sparking change, and the greatest barrier to it is apathy. When a community bands together, reaches across the political aisle and makes its voice heard, meaningful change becomes possible. San Marcos residents showed up in droves, with SMPD Police Chief Stan Standridge

estimating at least 300 attendees, not including events before the vote. But, this turnout brought an outcome the community had hoped for.

Sometimes it takes a large outpouring, for or against, to remind politicians how much people care. Or, to remind them how at risk their office may be if they vote unfavorably.

Josh Paselk, City Council Place 2, said the large amount of public opposition changed his mind, with him previously being in support of the data center rezoning.

“I really think the thing that changed my vote the most is just consensus, I have different ideas, you know, and my background comes from an economic background because I was a small business [owner],” Paselk said Politics can seem unfair, they are challenging and often frustrating. Sometimes, the ideas that almost nobody seems to support take precedence over what we are all in agreement on. However, an organized opposition to something, like those against the data center, can break this trend.

The data center brings real concerns to the San Marcos community, already threatened by drought, and they are right to be concerned and demand action.

While the fight is not over, and likely won’t be for years to come, San Marcos should feel a sense of pride and leave this moment with renewed resolve, and perhaps greater faith in their voice. The lessons learned can be applied to other movements, to other things deserving of change, and maybe, with more organization, the community can accomplish even more.

-Andrew Bencivengo is a business management junior

Student media is necessary despite pushbacks

By Editorial Board

Texas State may be restricting access to public records requested by The University Star. Access to information is vital for The Star to publish fair and accurate reporting, while holding institutions accountable.

On Feb. 4, The University Star learned that the Vice President for Marketing and Communications contacted the director of the journalism program, regarding a public records request filed by a student staff member. We believe this phone call was an unethical and potentially illegal attempt to pressure our reporter into dropping the records request.

Attempting to deny access to records undermines the ability of our audience to be informed and form well-educated opinions on various policies. For the last 115 years, The University Star has been a place for students, staff and faculty of Texas State to stay informed on local and university events. Any attempt to undermine our access to information prevents us from doing so.

Under the Texas Public Information Act, government institutions, such as Texas State, are required to release records to the public upon request or ask the Attorney General’s Office to block records requests. The government institution is prohibited from asking why the records are being requested, or treating any requester differently based on being part of the media, or for any other reason. By communicating about this request and our reporter’s employment at The Star, we believe that Texas State officials did both of those things.

Instead of complying with the law, the university tried to strong-arm

The Star into dropping is part of a months-long investigation into communications between members of the university cabinet and government officials. So far, the university has maintained that the records we are seeking do not exist, despite The Star having evidence that they do.

The University Star firmly rejects any attempts by Texas State or any other entity to interfere with our constitutionally protected rights to a free press. We view this not just as an attack on our rights as journalists, but on your rights as members of the Texas State community to be well informed about the institution you depend on for education, housing or employment.

By attempting to suppress our ability to access documents that should be public, the university is impacting your ability to stay wellinformed on how decisions are made surrounding personnel, curriculum, growth and more.

This attempt to deny access to records from the university is also undermining the ability of our audience to make a well-educated vote at the local, state and federal level, for who they think is best for the university.

We have an obligation to you, our readers, and ethical obligations under The Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) Code of Ethics. The SPJ Code of Ethics contains four principles.

The first is to “seek truth and report it.” This is the most foundational principle of journalism. The university wants to stop us seeking the truth and reporting it to you. We assure you that will never happen. The Star is committed to upholding this pillar by pursuing stories that matter to our community despite any adverse efforts.

Letters to the Editor Policy

The second principle is to “minimize harm.” We use this principle to inform our coverage on controversial topics, when covering groups that may be impacted by specific policies and more. The Star is committed to minimizing harm by shining a light on issues harming members of our community.

The third principle is to “act independently.” We stick to the principle by not letting subjects of stories review them before publication, resisting editorial input by advertisers or from powerful individuals. The Star is committed to maintaining our editorial independence from Texas State and any other entity that seeks to influence us, so that we may continue bringing you the coverage you rely on.

The fourth principle is to “be accountable and transparent.” We are being transparent right now by informing our audience of what has recently occurred and redoubling our commitment to provide you with the same content we always have and always will. The Star is committed to

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being accountable and transparent by answering to you, our audience, and not to anyone else.

Our motto, “Defending the First Amendment since 1911,” is not an empty slogan, but a promise to our audience that we are renewing. Going forward, The Star will keep defending our First Amendment rights, so that we may continue to keep you, our audience, aware of the actions of the university and how they impact you.

This year’s Student Press Freedom Day theme is Resilience in Action, celebrating the way student media responds in the face of widespread censorship and intimidation. Student Press Freedom states student journalism plays a critical role in shining a light on the truth and telling important stories that no one else is.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, The Star will be at The Stallions beginning at 11 distributing buttons and flyers for Student Press Freedom Day. This is one of the many behind the scenes actions The University Star takes to keep our audience informed.

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Letters can be submitted to staropinion@txstate.edu or by mail to Attn: Opinion Editor, The University Star, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666.

Exhibit shines light on TXST’s Black history

By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Editor

Over 40 frames decorate the entrance to the third floor of Alkek Library, each one showcasing photos, articles and memorabilia highlighting several decades of Black history at Texas State.

“63 Years of TXST Black History” is a collaborative exhibit with Student Involvement & Engagement and the Special Collections & Archives department to display the growth of the Black community and culture at Texas State. It also celebrates 63 years since the integration of Black students to then Southwest Texas State College.

Deion Robbins, former coordinator for student organization development and administration, started planning the exhibit last November. He said his vision was to create an event he had not seen during his time working at the university.

“Typically, when we host event-to-campus activities, most of them are super large-scale and active events, and for Black History Month, I wanted to do something more passive that had an educational purpose and a meaning to it,” Robbins said.

Robbins discussed the idea with a planning committee composed of students, faculty and staff to clarify ideas. Brandon Vannatta, coordinator for campus programming, was part of the committee. He said he liked the idea of having a meaningful month-long exhibit that focused on the Black history of Texas State.

“When [Robbins] brought that idea to us, it was a perfect encapsulation of something that students can just come and enjoy on their free time, as well as get to the point of the hundred years [since Black History Month’s origins] and all the Texas State history together,” Vannatta said.

The committee focused on what they could find that related to students and faculty who went to the

FROM FRONT STRUTTERS

The Strutters have a long history of national performances since its founding in 1960, beginning 50 years ago when it performed in a Coca-Cola commercial during the bicentennial celebration. The Strutters have performed at three presidential inaugurations, including at alumnus President Lyndon B. Johnson’s inauguration. This is its first performance for the National Independence Day Parade.

“There are few things more quintessential to Texas State than the Strutters,” Texas State President Kelly Damphousse said. “They have been representing the university, not just in town [or] at athletics events, but in public events like this for decades. I couldn’t be more proud of the leadership of Lloyd but also the [past] leadership of the Strutters, who have made events like this such a priority for our Strutters.”

Performing groups are chosen by the Parade National Selection Committee with the goal of having bands, drill teams and drum corps from all 50 states. The Strutters are the only representatives for Texas as of Feb. 23. Carla Romo, Strutters’ head captain, said she and the team are working to best represent Texas State on the national stage.

“It is truly an honor to lead the team in an event as meaningful as this,” Romo said. “Opportunities like this are once in a lifetime, and being trusted to represent the Strutters

university. This required contacting The Wittliff for Elvin Holt’s, the first Black tenured English professor, theater and literature pieces. They also contacted Special Collections & Archives for old yearbooks to look for the first of different feats and for Black students who made an impact.

While searching the archives, Vannatta said it was interesting learning how quickly Black students made a name for themselves, as most Black fraternities and sororities were present on campus by the late 1970s. Robbins said he enjoyed flipping through the yearbooks and viewing the journey from the 1960s to the current day.

“It was nice to see how far the Black culture and Black community have come at Texas State University, and just in general, the campus climate as a whole, seeing Texas State then versus what it is now,” Robbins said. “It was very enlightening. I learned a lot going through all those yearbooks and archives about the university that I didn’t know.”

Robbins and Vannatta searched for students who were the first of their kind and those who had accomplishments after their time at Texas State. Vannatta said it was important to show current

during such a significant milestone is incredibly humbling. I’m proud that our organization gets to be part of a moment that celebrates history while also allowing us to represent Texas State University, our community and our state on a national stage.”

The team has preset choreography for parades since they are often invited to events throughout the year. According to Lloyd, the Strutters will modify their prepared set to make it more patriotic.

“We have lots of different routines that we can incorporate,” Lloyd said. “We have a lot of different movements and choreography, and we adapt what we typically do and make sure that it is patriotic and fits with the vibe.”

The Strutters are a self-funded group, meaning that for every trip, the girls are responsible for paying their way. The team previously hosted a fundraising campaign and plan to do more fundraising in April.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to do this historical land piece,” Lloyd said. “The Strutters have always been a pillar in the community and the state, and it is just very special to us when we get to go outside and represent that to the whole country.”

A recording of the Independence Day Parade will be available on the parade’s YouTube page at @July4thparadedc.

students that what they are doing now is important and can reflect on their future success in life.

“It’s very important to show both [those who made a name for themselves while at Texas State and after], because I think a lot of students either focus on one or the other, so we really wanted to show that you can do a lot while you’re at college, but also you can do a lot after, and they both hold the same amount of weight, because it all just depends on what makes you proud in the end,” Vannatta said.

The committee wanted to focus on Black student involvement by including Black Greek life and student organizations.

Kendall Wyatt, chapter president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, said she visited the exhibit multiple times. She said she appreciated how close-knit the Black population was at Texas State, especially in the Greek world, and learned new information due to the exhibit’s existence.

“I really did see something about Greek life [that stuck out to me], and obviously, as a member of a Greek organization here on campus, I felt it very admirational just to see my organization back in the day and see the moments they were able to have here together,” Wyatt said.

Based on the feedback, Robbins said he believes future heritage months or cultural celebrations could run this type of event.

“I have a feeling that this is something that we probably will keep, moving forward, and I have a feeling it may trickle its way down into our other cultural celebrations, like Women’s History Month [and] Hispanic Heritage Month, and since we are a Hispanic-serving Institution, that may play into it as well,” Robbins said.

The “63 Years of TXST Black History” exhibit will run until Feb. 28 on the third floor of Alkek Library.

TRACK & FIELD

‘Cats to compete for indoor championship

By Luke Landa Sports Reporter

The Texas State Track and Field team will head to the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. for the 2026 Sunbelt Indoor Championships, Feb. 23-24, with goals of building on one of the strongest seasons in recent program history.

Steady improvement over the past few seasons has heightened expectations for both the men and women.

The women’s squad arrives as the reigning champions after winning their first indoor title since 2019 last season. The men posted a third-place finish last year, which was their best mark since placing second in 2022.

Across the board, the women look built to win another indoor title. A major contributor the Bobcats will rely on is distance runner Abigail Parra, who broke the school record in the 3000-meter and one mile events this season. She will look to provide the Bobcats with points that could sway the team standings by the end of the meet.

Texas State will also bring top-tier strength in its efforts to repeat as champions. Melanie Duron, Sophia Harberer, Hannah Kemele and Stephanie Williams represent the women’s shot put group that sits third in the nation with a collective average throw of 15.25 meters, only behind Nebraska (18.05 meters) and Michigan (16.04 meters).

Depth in the sprinting events will be tested, but the Bobcats seem to be peaking at the right time. Paige Archer, who ran a personal best in the 60-meter with a time of 7.47 in her last track meet, ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with a time of 23.98 in the 200-meter event.

On the men’s side, Texas State has a roster more complete than in seasons past. Freshman Ja’Shaun Lloyd has played a big part in the new depth, entering the championships top ranked in multiple events. Lloyd, the conference leader in both the 60-meter and 60-meter hurdles, can potentially

FROM FRONT SERIES

Down 6-4, Texas State rallied with a four-run inning that ultimately secured them a victory for their first win against Gonzaga in program history.

“I thought it was a really gutsy performance all the way around,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. “We were right in the middle of the battle, and our guys did a phenomenal job of stepping up.”

Saturday: L, 5-1

Compared to Friday night’s slugfest, Saturday afternoon was a cold and windy pitching duel between Moore and Gonzaga senior Erik Hoffberg.

“It was phenomenal … That’s big-time stuff for any age,” Texas State head coach Steven Trout said. “Definitely a start wasted there, but that’s a huge mark for [Nolan Moore].”

Once more, Texas State opened the scoring with a successful bunt from junior outfielder Samson Pugh to bring home a run.

The wind factor kept the ball in the park and turned the game into a staring contest as both offenses were silenced due to the conditions.

deliver the Bobcats’ crucial points in two of the fastest races at the meet.

The jumpers group, led by Tshephang Dankuru and Aiden Hayes, adds another layer of upside. Dankuru, in his freshman year, ranks first in the Sun Belt with a mark of 2.19 meters in the high jump. Hayes ranks third in the conference with a mark of 2.15 meters, and gives the Bobcats a real shot at a 1-2 finish in the high jump event.

Overall, Texas State will look to deliver a complete performance. If the Bobcats execute at the high level they have shown they’re capable of, a championship trophy is in reach for both the men and women.

The Indoor Championships began Monday, Feb. 23, and will continue until Tuesday evening when all events conclude

“We’ve been pretty good so far in six games offensively,” Trout said. “This is the first time we’ve played in weather this brutal right in front of us.”

In the top of the seventh, the Bobcats took out the freshman starter; the Bulldogs immediately capitalized and took a 4-1 lead that they never relinquished, evening the series.

Sunday: W, 5-0

In the series finale, the tandem of freshmen Jackson Cotton and Tanner Carson delivered the much-needed offense for Texas State, along with Tovar earning his first win of the season off an eight-inning performance, relinquishing just three hits while striking out six Bulldogs.

Cotton started the scoring with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the third, followed by a three-run inning where Carson contributed a two RBI single.

“It’s awesome to see ... our whole freshman class is very professional,” Carson said. “[Cotton]’s very mature in the box and in the field ... I think he deserves all the success he’s getting.”

BASEBALL TXST set to host UTSA

By Jack Lysaght Sports Reporter

Texas State (5-2) is riding high off its series win against Gonzaga this past weekend. However, Tuesday brings in-state opponent UTSA in an I-35 rivalry showdown under the lights at Bobcat Ballpark.

Coming off a dominating 2025 season that saw UTSA just two wins away from an appearance in the College World Series in Omaha, the Roadrunners carried last year’s success into 2026 by showcasing their high-slugging offensive weekend in a sweep of Dallas Baptist. Their visit to San Marcos will be the first road test of the season.

“It’s definitely a game we’ve talked about in our meetings and everything,” freshman infielder Tanner Carson said. “We’ve prepared really well, and we’re excited to get back after it on Tuesday.”

Texas State owns the overall record over UTSA, with 63 wins against 42 losses. However, the Roadrunners have gotten the best of the Bobcats recently, winning three of the last four matchups dating back to 2024, all four being slugfests.

UTSA delivers at the plate, but they often allow a considerable amount of runs. The Roadrunners gave up 19 runs alone this past weekend against Dallas Baptist, which sets up well for Bobcat hitters, who are sporting a massive .491 slugging percentage.

Texas State has pitchers getting the job done to start off the young season, with the third-best team ERA in the Sun Belt, as well as giving up the third least amount of hits in 2026, along with a tight defense that leads the SBC with a .985 fielding percentage.

On the flip side, UTSA’s pitching staff currently boats a 4.29 ERA, giving up 30 earned runs in 63.0 innings throughout its first seven games.

While UTSA might be below average on the mound, the Roadrunners make up for it at the plate, swinging a collective .374 as a team, a mark placing them in the top-10

nationwide.

The Roadrunners are also slugging a massive .551, meaning over half of their hits go for extra bases.

Both the Bobcat and Roadrunner offenses have what it takes again this year to turn the game into a slugfest once again. If both sides come out hot, fans could be in for some major in-game fireworks.

“We are gonna pack [Bobcat Ballpark] out this year,” head coach Steven Trout said. “They’ve got a really good team, so we look forward to [the matchup].”

The latest chapter of the I-35 Showdown is slated for Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 6:05 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

THIS WEEK AT TXST