2-10-2026

CAMPUS HEARTS

graduate class in spring 2023, Katelyn Hammack didn’t expect to find the love of her life, but someone caught her eye across the table.

Each year, The University Star asks couples to share how they met at Texas State University through answers on its Instagram post. The Star spoke with eight couples about their love stories and how their relationships have developed since.

Kale Hensley and Katelyn Hammack Sitting in her medieval pilgrimage

That person was Kale Hensley.

“I guess I just missed her name or something, and a couple of weeks went by, and the class had gotten moved to Zoom for a day, so I got her name from her little Zoom box,” Hammack said.”

and

By Charlsie Daniels News Contributor

Content warning: The following report contains descriptions of sexual violence, assault and abuse.

With holidays like Valentine’s Day around the corner, The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports an increase in domestic and dating violence cases due to heightened expectations, financial pressure, and alcohol consumption.

At least one in three Texans will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, according to a study by The Family Place.

Chaston Porter, an anthropology freshman, said he previously experienced dating violence but was unaware of Texas State’s support services.

Couples catch feelings through Texas State Athletics

By Adrian Ramirez Sports Editor

Sports and love go hand in hand on many occasions. The University Star interviewed three couples who met at Texas State that were involved in or currently surround their lives with Texas State Athletics.

Claudia and Joseph Hill

Claudia and Joseph Hill first met at Alkek Library in February 2020. On the same day the two met, they went on their first date to Panera and talked all night long.

Shortly after Claudia and Joseph’s first date, COVID-19 shut the world down, leading Claudia to move back home while Joseph stayed in San Marcos. The two made it work, however, as both took trips to see each other. Eventually, Joseph asked Claudia to be his girlfriend along the Blanco River and proposed in the same spot. According to Claudia, COVID-19 was a “teaser” for their relationship, as Joseph spends a lot of time with baseball as the director of baseball operations. It’s no bother to Claudia however, as she now spends a lot of time with and around the baseball program while also cherishing the time the two get together on days off. Claudia even remarked that she knows more about baseball than she thought she ever would.

“I’ve learned a lot about baseball in the five or six years [we’ve been together], some of our best friends are [the coaching staff]...we love it, it’s amazing.” Claudia said.

Even with Claudia still learning new things about baseball, one of the things Joseph has enjoyed learning about Claudia over the last five years was how much she already knew about the game.

“I didn’t know if she had any knowledge of baseball at all, and obviously it’s a big part of my life, but I shortly learned she actually did know a lot more than I thought she did.” Joseph said. [Outside of baseball] “I’ve learned how loving she is, how much

she loves family, God … I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

A lecturer is no longer teaching classes at Texas State after a doctor shared explicit Facebook messages from him earlier this week.

In those messages, Bret Bryon, who was a lecturer in the Department of Organization, Workforce and Leadership Studies, wrote that she was a “Leftist,” “whore” and should be deported, alongside other expletives.

Bryon sent the messages to Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Los Angeles with no affiliation to Texas State University. She shared the screenshots on Tuesday evening and reposted them on Wednesday, tagging Texas State after confirming he was employed with the university.

“I’m sure it was specific to a post, but I post daily, and more recently, it has been sort of political commentaries,” Srinivasa said in an interview with The Star. “I’m sure it’s in response to one of those, I just don’t know which one.” Texas State did not comment on whether Bryon was terminated or if he quit. Additionally, they did not comment on whether he’s only no longer teaching or if he’s completely removed from the university.

“As of Feb. 4, 2026, Bret Bryon is no longer teaching classes at Texas State University. Texas State University does not discuss personnel matters,” Jayme Blaschke, assistant director for

“Never be afraid because the longer you wait, the worse it’s going to get,” Porter said. “So just seek out help when you can and try to find someone to confide in.”

Under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, known as the Clery Act, colleges and universities that receive federal funding are required to report campus crime statistics and define the categories used in their reporting.

Texas State University’s Clery data from the past three years shows shifting patterns in reported incidents of rape, domestic violence, dating violence, fondling and stalking, illustrating the scope of interpersonal violence on campus.

According to Clery data from Texas State’s San Marcos campus, in 2024 there were 86 reported domestic violence cases, with 77 occurring in residential facilities and one happening off-campus. In 2023, there was a total of 39 cases of domestic violence.

The Texas Family Code includes dating violence in its definition of domestic violence. Roommates are a protected class in the code and are included in domestic violence statistics. Twenty-three of the reports of domestic violence in 2024 were between roommates, and 25 of them were intimidation/threats of violence, according to the Texas State Clery data.

According to the Clery Act, domestic violence is defined as a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner, a person with whom the victim shares a child, a

FROM FRONT LECTURER

That does not mean faculty are able to send messages that harass others or make true threats against others.”

Graham Piro, Faculty Legal Defense Fund fellow at FIRE.

the Office of Media Relations at Texas State, wrote in an email to The Star.

According to Graham Piro, faculty legal defense fund fellow at Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), faculty members at public institutions retain the First Amendment right to speak as private citizens on matters of public concern, meaning speech can be related to political, social or other concerns to a larger community.

“However, that does not mean faculty are able to send messages that harass others or make true threats against others. Those standards for those unprotected categories of speech is very high,” Piro wrote in an email to The Star.

Piro stated that faculty are also able to make general criticisms about

cohabitating partner or any individual protected under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred. Dating violence is defined as violence committed by a person who is or has been in a romantic or intimate social relationship with the victim.

Marisa Montelongo, Students Against Violence (SAV) peer education supervisor and health promotion specialist, said the organization’s outreach helps create a space for students to learn about dating violence, recognize warning signs and connect with support resources.

“We get a lot of people that we present to that are really appreciative that we’re here as an educational space and that we provide a space for people to be able to talk about this topic and their experiences,” Montelongo said.

Danielle Arciniega, a mass communication senior, said she experienced emotional abuse in a previous relationship and struggled to leave.

”I just had a hard time leaving because of apologies,” Arciniega said.

“I’d go back, and nothing changed, but I was just used to having him around.”

To raise awareness ahead of

Valentine’s Day, SAV partnered with the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center to host a #WhyIStayed tabling event on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the LBJ Student Center to provide students with information about support services available both on and off campus. The event invited students to anonymously share personal experiences, which is now shown in LBJSC to promote awareness and understanding.

The #WhyIStayed movement is a social media campaign and advocacy movement started in 2014 by author and domestic violence survivor Beverly Gooden. The hashtag was created as a response to a Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s domestic violence scandal, where the public blamed his fiancée for staying with him after being assaulted. Survivors used the hashtag to promote understanding of fear, financial dependence and emotional manipulation inside relationships and gave survivors a platform to share their stories.

Arciniega said she now believes healthy relationships are based on trust and communication instead of control.

February is also recognized as Dating Violence Awareness Month to raise awareness and encourage people experiencing abuse to seek help.

University officials encourage students experiencing domestic or dating violence to seek help through campus resources or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, which offers confidential support 24 hours a day.

Bret Bryon’s old office, according to his now removed

2026, at the Pedernales Building.

their institutions on social media, even if that brings negative attention to their institutions.

According to his now removed faculty profile, Bryon is a retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commissioned officer with a Bachelor of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Education from Texas State. He is also listed as a co-principal on a $24,000 grant funded from Dec. 8, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2026.

“Is he still there in a research capacity?” Srinivasa said. “…The university knows, I expect them to take whatever action they feel is

Editorial Staff

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appropriate. I do think he should be fired, but whatever they decide, they decide.”

Lecturers are considered non-tenure-line faculty who are hired on a non-continuing basis while tenured faculty are hired on a more permanent basis with different sets of review and benefits.

According to syllabi from HB 2504, Bryon was teaching four classes this semester: Aerodynamics, Aviation Safety, Operations Risk Management and Aviation Weather. The website now states that these classes are taught by Donald Wimp, another lecturer in the Department of Organization,

Multimedia Editor: Meg Boles starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Engagement Editor: Tatum Pou starengagement@txstate.edu

PIR Director: Keely Florez starpr@txstate.edu

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Creative Service Director: Sophie Gerke starcreative@txstate.edu

TV News Director: Maci Gambrell startvnews@txstate.edu

Workforce and Leadership Studies.

In 2022, Manor ISD investigated Bryon for anti-vaccination and explicit tweets allegedly posted on his now-deleted X account.

Byron’s Facebook biography states that no one has asked him why he would send “such a rude” direct message to Srinivasa, however, Byron did not respond to mutiple requests for a comment from The University Star

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TXST utilizes wireless network for device tracking

By Ryan Claycamp News Editor

Texas State administrators confirmed that the university tracks any device connected to its wireless network at the Feb. 4 faculty senate meeting.

According to Matthew Hall, vice president for information technology, the tracking technology is part of a space management tool called Campus IQ. Hall said data from the technology is currently used to improve the wireless network access on campus.

“It’s really about wireless access planning for the IT shop, and then for [The Provost] and Eric [Algoe] to do capacity management in the buildings that are in question,” Hall said.

Hall said the technology works by tracking and mapping the number of devices connected to a wireless access point on a heatmap to show where more access points could be needed.

Members of the faculty senate expressed concern about whether the technology could be used to track individual people across campus.

Hall said it was not used that way, however he did say the university would turn over tracking information to law enforcement if it was subpoenaed or if presented with a warrant. Hall also mentioned an incident where he turned over data to the University Police Department after a carjacking in the Edward Gary Street Garage. He said Campus IQ keeps the tracking data for 180 days.

“We do track you as you sort of egress from [access point] to [access point], so we would be able to reconstruct that trail, if we had to,” Hall said. “We’re not actively [reconstructing the trail]. We don’t have an interest in that.”

Professor Noland Martin, elected senator for the College of Science and Engineering, said his department chair previously said the technology would be used to track whether faculty members were actually using their office space or not.

“It was said that they were going

to use this specifically to, and two examples were given, one to see if you really need your office, or are you utilizing your office for a sufficient amount of time such that maybe you need to have a shared office, or not an office at all,” Martin said. “And the second one, if [researchers] are assigned to labs, how often are individuals going into the labs that [they’re] assigned to?”

Provost Pranesh Aswath denied that the technology is currently being used that way, saying department chairs have much better ways of tracking office usage. However, Executive Vice President Eric Algoe said he hadn’t thought of that before and was interested in the possibility of using Campus IQ to track building usage more broadly.

“As the space manager for the university, I think it’s a valid thing. It’s not a decision-making tool, but it is something that can help us ask good questions,” Algoe said. “I wouldn’t say that it won’t ever be used for that,

ISABELLE CANTU | ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA

College of Science and Engineering Senator and Professor of Biology Noland Martin (center), questions the President’s Academic Advisory Group during the faculty senate meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in J.C. Kellam RM 811.

but that I’m now thinking of it for the first time.”

Hall also suggested the technology could be used to track classroom usage.

“The whole course catalog could be linked to it, and we could tie students to it in terms of the overall

patterns, and do classrooms, but it’s a massive amount of work to get to that level of understanding,” Hall said. According to Hall, Campus IQ is still being tested at Texas State and has not been fully implemented.

February 10, 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.

Not all relationships are created equally

By Levee Abbott Opinions Columnist

A college campus could be the perfect place to find love, but when relationships involve significant age gaps, it can be hard to differentiate between what’s right and wrong.

Because freshmen are navigating a new and freeing environment, they are at a higher risk of overlooking grooming behaviors that are disguised themselves as trustworthy mentorship and guidance. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, underclassmen are at a greater risk of victimization than upperclassmen.

At Texas State University, this freedom coincides with an intense party culture, allowing predators easier access to vulnerable students.

Grooming is layered and the signs of it are not easily recognizable during or after an abusive relationship. According to a review from Walden University, grooming is defined as the manipulation of someone to make an act or situation appear consensual, when it is actually harmful and exploitative. The term is typically associated with adultminor relationships, but it isn’t limited to children; it can happen in adult relationships, too.

One of the first signs of grooming, according to psychologist Grant

The Six Stages of Grooming

Source: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Sinnamon, is selecting the victim in a vulnerable setting, such as on campus or at The Square. Once in the relationship, the predator will isolate the victim from their friends, family or important events, claiming that the victim is more “mature” than their peers. This creates a power imbalance, where the relationship becomes mentor-protege rather than one of equality.

These manipulative tactics often exploit what freshmen are looking for:

social status and guidance. Predators can use their position as someone “wise” to create a dependency among the victim, making it a hard situation to get out of.

Daniela Mendoza, acting major, said she experienced this form of dependency in her relationship with someone over 20 years older than her.

“It took me a while to get out of that because I felt like I was trapped. You have so much influence, and it became a thing where maybe you

could help my career,” Mendoza said. It’s important for the younger party to take control of the situation before it becomes exploitative. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) being proactive can reduce risks and help individuals navigate challenging situations.

“Just because someone is older doesn’t mean they’re more powerful. You are the one who’s in control of the relationship,” Mendoza said.

Recognizing the signs of grooming is important when starting a relationship that involves a significant age gap. Student protection begins with acknowledging the risks that can exist within certain relationships.

-Levee Abbott is an English sophomore

Scan

Students can shape their shuttle experiences

By Shar Kiefer Opinions Columnist

The Bobcat shuttle often frustrates students, but the system is far more organized than they might think.

By understanding how the shuttle works, students can use it efficiently. The shuttle is bound to get stuck in traffic, but knowing the route and how much time is needed can help relieve stress. For many students, the shuttle is their first encounter with public transportation. In Texas, public transit is often underfunded and underused, making it difficult for students to adapt quickly.

According to PBS, public transit across the country has suffered significantly from inflation and funding cuts due to underutilization.

Rod Gonzales, manager of transit operations for the shuttle said the majority of students have only experienced ride-share programs or school buses prior to coming to campus.

“The only public transportation the majority of our people have done is Uber or Lyft,” Gonzales said. “The other half have only done the yellow school bus, where everybody must be seated and has seat belts.”

This can be confusing for students, especially freshmen. Navigating which routes to get on or issues with the shuttle app can be overwhelming.

The shuttle is meant to benefit students when it is used accordingly. It can be a huge advantage for students without a car and can bypass parking issues on campus already.

Incorrectly timing the shuttle is frustrating, but giving enough time to the shuttle makes the timing easier to course correct. Ideally, students should arrive at the bus stop at least 45 minutes before the start of class according to the shuttle system. This makes time for any traffic delays, which are also built into the schedules of high-trafficked routes by spacing multiple buses on a route at the same time.

Once timing is figured out, understanding proper bus etiquette ensures a positive experience for peers.

Gonzales said students often follow other students’ lead when room is still available due to misconceptions about standing room and general etiquette on buses.

“What happens is, I see people saying, no, I refuse to stand,” Gonzales said. “It’s pretty much following the leader, and they say I’ll just wait for the next bus. It causes a domino effect. When, in reality, in public transportation, it’s perfectly okay to stand. I also see a lot of people wearing their backpacks, so it takes up two spots.”

While it might not always seem ideal, standing allows more students to make it to campus on time. Standing passengers can keep their backpack on, but for sitting passengers removing backpacks and placing them on the floor underneath the seat or on the rider’s lap helps maximize room for others.

Letters to the Editor Policy

The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 300 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Writers must include their full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation (for students), phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is used to verify the identify of the letter writer. It is

However, some students might have disabilities, making standing difficult. The shuttle website states that all drivers are trained to assist anyone who is in need of extra assistance. Bus drivers may ask passengers to move to a different seat or stand if someone is in need of priority seating.

A full bus can seem daunting at first, but shuttles are meant to reach full capacity, using all available room. Handrails and straps located around the shuttle ensure that standing room is both safe and effective. If the bus is overcrowded, bus drivers communicate via radio, notifying other drivers on the route what to expect when they arrive at the stops.

Gonzales said routes with consistent high ridership are

not used for any commercial purpose.

accommodated with the 60-ft buses meant to hold more passengers.

“ Bobcat stadium was the through roof, and so we had to dedicate both 60-foot buses to that route,” Gonzales said. “That’s why we put five [buses] on Mill Street, because it was the number one highest hitting ridership.”

Navigating the shuttle isn’t always easy, but it can be a useful tool when used efficiently. Whether it’s leaving 45 minutes early, making room for a disabled peer or simply holding a backpack, students can make the shuttle a lot less frustrating and improve their experiences.

-Shar Kiefer is a political science junior

Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. An editor will contact the letter writer if their letter is a candidate for publication. The Star will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature.

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.

EVENT

Texas State celebrates Black voices through music, poetry and community

By Kosi Omenkeukwu Life and Arts Contributor

The lights at George’s in the LBJ Student Center were dim, casting a warm glow over the intimate crowd that gathered for “A Century of Creativity: Black Voices and Vision.”

Organized by Student Involvement, the Black History Month event brought students together on Feb. 3 to celebrate Black creativity through food, music and spoken word. Before performances began, guests were served a buffet that reflected Black culinary traditions, including jerk chicken, cornbread, deviled eggs, rice, gumbo and banana pudding.

In an email sent to students ahead of the event, the Division of Student Success noted that this year marks “100 years since the first national observance of Black History Month,” framing the celebration as part of a broader campus effort to honor Black history and culture.

The night opened with a performance by the Gospel Expression Association, a student choir invited by Student Involvement. AJ Saafi, music education senior and president of the Gospel Expression Association, said the group was eager to participate upon receiving the invitation.

“We wanted to be here for the culture and to share gospel music with everyone,” Saafi said.

The group performed “Emmanuel” by Norman Hutchins, drawing applause and nods from the audience. Later in the night, the choir returned to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which it referred to as the

Black national anthem.

Alexandria Ellison, vocal performance senior and the choir’s social media chair, said the song choices were intentional.

“The first song really speaks to the Black church experience,” Ellison said. “And with ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ it’s important that we keep singing it and passing it down just like our ancestors did.”

Following the choir’s opening performance, Janelle Lott, English senior and the event’s spoken word poet, performed an original poem titled “To Evolve or Repeat,” which explored themes of identity, generational cycles and self-definition.

Lott said the poem was inspired by Jason Reynolds’ novel “Long Way Down” and her own experiences as a biracial Black and Mexican woman.

“I kept asking myself, ‘Do I want to evolve or repeat the cycle?’” Lott said. “‘Do I want to keep doing what’s expected, or do I want to build something of my own?’ ... This felt like the right space to say that.”

For Lott, performing during Black History Month carried personal significance.

“Black History Month shouldn’t just be a month,” Lott said. “It’s about acknowledging Black people, Black culture and all the beauty that comes with it and honoring what came

before you so you can build what comes next.”

Throughout the night, the stage remained open to Black students who wanted to share their voices. Performances ranged from live music to poetry centered on Black identity, history and self-expression. Each performance was met with loud applause and affirmations from the audience.

Jordan Patton, accounting junior, was one of the students who spontaneously signed up to perform an original poem titled “I GIVE THANKS.” His poem reflected on gratitude for Black History and the generations who made it possible for him to pursue his goals.

“I’ve always written poetry, but it was just a matter of getting up there and doing it,” Patton said. “College feels like the easiest time to take that risk.”

Deshon Fields, film junior, also performed a poem titled “Still, We Rise in Every Shade,” which challenged the idea of limiting Black history to a single month.

“Black people have been doing great things all year round,” Fields said. “This event gives us space to show where things really came from the music, the food, the culture.”

Through music, poetry and food, “A Century of Creativity: Black Voices and Vision” transformed George’s into a space of reflection, celebration and community.

“So many people fought for me to be able to do this, especially in this space,” Patton said. “I’m thankful to them.”

Panel highlights Women in Sports Day

By Jackson Grettler Sports Contributor

To celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Texas State Athletics hosted a panel discussion on Feb. 4 featuring six women across different sports departments, including coaching, athletic administration and sports development.

The panel commenced in the Castro Club at the University Events Center before Texas State’s women’s basketball game against Georgia Southern.

Panelists shared experiences from different stages of their careers, challenges they faced in the sports world as women and how they persevered to get to where they are today.

Danielle DeCotis Holmes, sponsorship and development manager for San Antonio Sports, said the best advice she could give to young girls who want to pursue a career in sports is to have confidence and not be afraid of putting yourself out there.

“No situation is too big to put your name in the hat,” DeCotis said. “It matters to not think of yourself as being too small for any situation.”

DeCotis also said it’s important for women to pursue every opportunity they can, no matter how big or impossible it may seem.

Speakers also highlighted that progress in women’s sports takes more than just strong female leaders.

“It is also important for the men

in our department to be cognizant of sharing that space,” Texas State Associate Athletics Director Kelsey Solis said. “There are a lot of folks in here that, whether they recognize it or not, are intentional about pulling women and minorities into the room.”

Her comments highlight how intentional leadership at Texas State has and will continue to create pathways for women in sports here on campus. Other panelists spoke about how their mentors in the sports world

pushed them to pursue their goals, helping open doors for them in the future.

While there is still work to be done in women’s representation in sports, the panelists were optimistic about the progress that’s been made.

Suzanne Fox, a former women’s basketball head coach and current broadcast analyst at Texas State, mentioned the need to recognize the pioneers in women’s sports who built the foundation of what we know today.

“It’s important for this generation to understand what the folks before them did to lay the groundwork for the opportunities they have today,” Fox said. “The opportunities women have now are off the charts.”

The panel concluded with an emphasis on women speaking out and continuing to work hard toward their goals while inspiring the next generation of girls to follow in their footsteps.

Blend of old and new faces look to propel Bobcats back to the NCAA tournament

By Jack Lysaght Sports Reporter

Signs of spring are all around, especially during afternoons at Bobcat Ballpark, where the Texas State Baseball team prepares for another opportunity to make a run deep into the NCAA tournament.

Despite being ranked at six in the SBC preseason poll, the Bobcats say last season’s woes are forgotten and the focus is all on the 2026 season.

“We’re excited about getting back to where we were; a lot of things go into that,” Texas State head coach Steven Trout said. “It’s about how you handle adversity ... Last year we were dealt a ton of injuries. And different years, you get different personalities. So, I’m really excited about this group.”

Trout, now in his seventh season as Texas State’s coach, is coming off a year when his team notched road victories over Top-25 programs such as Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas. However, their overall record found them four games below .500. While the offense produced hits and flashed speed, the pitching and defense were suspect throughout their run.

Trout said his enthusiasm about this year’s roster stems from the teams mix of returning veterans and new faces.

“[We have] some key veterans coming back, some guys we got out of the [transfer] portal that have a lot of innings under their belt,” Trout said. “And this freshman class is really dynamic, really fired up for them to be on campus. We’re really excited about this team heading into opening day.”

One of those key veterans is senior third baseman Chase Mora, the only Bobcat named to the preseason All-SBC Team. Mora was one of only two Bobcats who started all 58 regular-season games in 2025 and led them in many offensive categories, including home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.

In addition to last season, Mora finds himself amongst the all-time greats from Texas State baseball history. In particular, his 31 career home runs places him third all-time, only six away from eclipsing former Major League Baseball MVP, Paul Goldschmidt.

“I’m very superstitious, so I don’t like to talk about things until they’re done,” Mora said. “So I just treat every day here as, I’m still the same guy as when I was a freshman.”

Mora is one of six returning starters who contributed heavily in the offensive production last spring, including a pair of sophomores in second baseman Dawson Park and outfielder Zachary Gingrich.

A question mark going into the season is where the pitching staff and bullpen stand.

Pitching coach Chad Massengale left the program last June while the Bobcats surrendered

Friday, Nov. 9, 2025, at

the most walks and fifth-most earned runs and home runs in the SBC. However, Trout said he is confident in his retooled staff and excited about new tech being employed to diagnose pitching issues and give his hurlers on the mound a boost.

“Coach [Josh] Blakely’s been with me since day one. He took over the pitching staff mid-way through last year and now has his first full year [with them] as well,” Trout said. “Coach [Austin] Wallace is new to the program, our pitching development and analytics guy. He does a really good job of helping [Blakely] on the pitching side with the technology piece as well as pitch design.”

Junior pitcher Jesus Tovar will come into the spring with over 60 innings pitched from the previous year. The Lefty from El Paso praised the work done with analytics and helping players like himself reach their full potential.

“It’s been awesome. I feel like there’s been a lot of development this year,” Tovar said. “With Wallace and [Blakely] helping us out with the numbers and pitch design, every single one of us has developed either one or two pitches, including myself. That really makes us feel more confident. We just attack now, every day.”

Tovar added that he feels good about the cutter and sinker he’s added to his pitch repertoire.

“Some of us, we almost reinvented ourselves with this new design that we have. Slow-mo cameras, trackman numbers, it’s been good,” Tovar said. “Things we never really considered. That has changed our pitching staff’s game.”

With new technology aiding the coaching staff, upgraded ballpark features, including a new video scoreboard, and more investments in the program, Trout is looking to close out his team’s SBC chapter and jettison the Bobcats into a new era.

“We want to go out one more time and leave our mark on the Sun Belt. That’s our mindset,” Trout said. “We want to leave winning the [Sun Belt] conference three out of the last seven seasons and head off into the Pac-12.”

Texas State will throw its first pitch of the 2026 season against Niagara University at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at Bobcat Ballpark. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

MATCHMAKER GAMES

LAUREN TOURISH | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

Texas State Jazz Ensemble vocalist performs during the Butch Miles Jazz Festival, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the Evans Auditorium. Texas State Jazz Ensemble is part of the Jazz Studies program.

THIS WEEK AT TXST

Texas State sophomore guard Mia Galbraith (11) celebrates a foul-andone against Georgia Southern, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, at Strahan Arena. The Eagles beat the Bobcats 61-57.

Texas State senior Ireland Simme faces off against the New Mexico State Aggies, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, at Bobcat Tennis Complex. Texas State defeated New Mexico State 4-3.

Texas State social work sophomore Calissa Hart colors a Black History Month page while listening to music at the Black Voices and Vision event, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at George’s in LBJSC.

Texas State strutters vice president Raelynn Espinoza performs during halftime at the women’s basketball game against Georgia Southern, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, at Strahan Arena. The game was themed Pink Out to raise funds for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Texas State assistant professor in School of Music Joel Frahm plays saxophone during the Butch Miles Jazz Festival, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Evans Auditorium. The event is named in honor of Butch Miles, a drummer and former faculty member.

Texas State exercise and sport science freshman David Alausa belts out “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding at the Black Voices and Vision event, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at George’s in LBJSC.

Being that Joseph and Claudia are on the younger side in comparison to other couples on the Bobcat baseball coaching staff, they both describe their relationship as the life of the party.

“[We] are very much outgoing and the life of the party…being the younger couple, we are always asking to go out for drinks and when we do get out, we keep [our friends] out for a while.” Claudia said.

While their friends see Claudia and Joseph for their outgoing personalities, the couple each have their own favorite things about each other.

“I think that [Joseph’s] patience is one of my favorite things,” Claudia said. “His optimism [is great too], when there are hard times in our life, he’s very optimistic and positive.

Joseph pointed to Claudia’s support as what stands out to him.

“She’s always there for me when I need it, whenever I come home from a long miserable day, she’s always there for me,” Joseph said. “She always has the right words to say … It’s nice knowing that I always have her in my corner.”

Jerika and Joe Holweger

“Love finds a way.”

Jerika and Joe Holweger met at Wurstfest in 2015 through a mutual friend. The pair had previously met a few months prior, but their connection didn’t click until Joe hitched a ride back from Wurstfest to San Marcos with Jerika’s group.

Joe played for the Texas State hockey team, and though Jerika didn’t know much about hockey, she bought tickets to a San Antonio Rampage game for their first date, along with two of their friends.

“We just really hit it off and had a great time, and then the four of us decided to take off to Colorado that same night after the hockey game for a ski trip,” Jerika said. “We always say that our first date was really in Colorado because it was an extended four days of us just hanging out.”

Joe graduated in May 2016 and had plans to move to China to teach

English before meeting Jerika, who was set to graduate in 2017. They planned to keep things casual, but that didn’t last long.

“It’s funny, like initially, whenever we first got together, and I knew that I was going to be moving, I was like ‘Oh, I probably shouldn’t take this too seriously. I’m about to move across the world for who knows how long,’” Joe said. “But you don’t exactly get to pick who you fall in love with.”

Joe was in China for two years, and the distance was hard for the pair at times. Jerika said their schedules were completely opposite, and it was often difficult to find time for each other.

“It really takes dedication and true love,” Jerika said. “We had a few months where we just weren’t sure what was going to happen, but I think at the end of the day, we both knew that we loved each other. If we were meant to have a future, it would all work itself out.”

Rachel and Ethan Troxell

The pair both started their freshman year at Texas State in 2015 on completely separate paths, as Rachel danced with the Strutters while Ethan played on the ultimate frisbee team. Though they both lived in San Jacinto Hall, Rachel and Ethan didn’t formally meet until later in the year through a mutual friend.

This mutual friend, a teammate of Ethan’s, knew Rachel from high school. After finally meeting, they hung out with each other and started officially dating when they came back to San Marcos once summer ended.

The two haven’t split since.

“I think what’s great about our relationship is we don’t take life too seriously,” Rachel said. “We’re open to opportunities and adventures and we just love each other very deeply. We move through life with that love at the forefront, through anything.”

They both said that Texas State

The couple is now married with a baby girl on the way in March. They recently relocated from Texas to Florida due to an opportunity Joe had at work.

“Jerika’s never missed a beat and just works hard in everything that she does,” Joe said. “No matter how tired she is or whatever’s going on, she is always here to support me, and she’s decided to continue being with me across the U.S.”

While Jerika said it’s hard being away from family while getting ready to start a family, she is prepared for whatever is ahead as long as Joe is by her side.

“We obviously miss home, but it’s kind of like we’re each other’s home,” Jerika said. “Wherever we are together, we’re happy, and we make it work.”

played a massive role in their relationship. Ethan said that if they both hadn’t been at the right place at the right time, they would have never met.

The pair has been together since 2016, and tied the knot in 2025.

“Don’t lock in if you’re not 100% sure,” Ethan said. “We’ve changed tremendously throughout that time... make sure you’re making the right decision because you are making a commitment for life under God.”

During their time together, Rachel and Ethan learned just the amount of change there is between not just their own relationship, but also themselves as individuals as they change from college students into functioning adults.

“I never realized how much I would change in a relationship for the better,” Rachel said. “Realizing what you need to work on and how to love somebody and show up for them in a different way.”

After an Instagram follow and a bit of chatting, Hensley invited Hammack to a fairy house building party. The pair got coffee the next day and never stopped talking after that.

“I [followed] her [on Instagram] in a friend sort of way. I mean, I thought she was pretty and incredibly smart, so I was just wanting to keep up with her that way,” Hammack said. “Very quickly after our first couple of conversations, I was like ‘I’m interested in seeing where this goes.’”

Everything fit like puzzle pieces for Hensley

and Hammack. They made their relationship official in March 2023 and quickly moved in together in June.

After two years of dating, they got married in April 2025. Hammack proposed to Hensley in their backyard and a few days later, Hensley proposed to Hammack.

“We had talked about how we both wanted the experience of being proposed to,” Hammack said. “We’re not very flashy people. I think the more private and intimate we can make experiences like that, the better for us.”

Now, they live together in San Marcos and work as lecturers in the English department at Texas State. Hensley said it’s been wonderful to continue their story in the place it began and be close to the community that witnessed their story unfold.

“[Flowers Hall] has such a strong history, and it’s tied so intimately to both of us,” Hensley said. “I can’t go into the copy room without thinking about the first time we ran into each other in there, and she was so nervous.”

Now three years into their relationship, and one spent as newlyweds, they still find characteristics to admire about each other every day.

“In this first year of marriage, I feel like I’ve gained such a deeper understanding of who she is as a person, her heart, how she thinks,” Hammack said. “I feel like I’ve gained a deeper sense of admiration for her than I thought was possible before we got married.”

Lauren and T.J. Linahan

When some members of the Texas State rugby team crashed Lauren Linahan’s 20th birthday party in February 2004, she knew it was going to be a memorable night.

“T.J. showed up in his pink shirt with his rugby friends that lived in the dorm with me, and I turned to my friends and said, ‘That’s my birthday present right there,’ which is very unlike me,” Lauren said.

Lauren said she called her mom and sisters the next day and told them she met the man she was going to marry, which was again, uncharacteristic. She said she was drawn to his confidence, kind manners and bright pink shirt.

“My little sister bought it for me,” T.J. said. “She bought the shirt that set it all up!”

From the day they met, the pair was inseparable, but Lauren said they dated for a month before he ever kissed her, and she thought something was surely wrong.

“He was just taking it very seriously and being respectful,” Lauren said. “I think it wasn’t long after that before we said ‘I love you’ and made it official.”

They got engaged in 2008 at T.J.’s family ranch after carving their initials into an oak tree on the property, and were married in 2009. Now, they live outside of Austin with their two children. They often visit San Marcos for the river and to walk around the campus.

“[Our kids] just roll their eyes now when we drive them by. We’re like ‘Look, this is where we met!’ and they’re like ‘We know,’” T.J. said. “But I feel like that’s part of being a good dad.”

Now, they live by the rule of not keeping score because at the end of the day, it’s all about filling in for

each other. Over 20 years later, they work to look out for each other’s needs above their own. Above all else, they are grateful that their time as Bobcats brought them together.

“It really was love at first sight,” T.J. said. “I just knew this was supposed

Ethan Hervig and Mason Kratz

What started as a simple friendship between freshman year roommates blossomed into a relationship that now spans over a year.

Mason Kratz, public relations sophomore, stumbled across Ethan Hervig’s, sociology and graphic and urban regional planning junior, Instagram by chance after his initial roommate fell through. He decided to reach out, and the pair became fast friends. A few months later, they moved into Blanco Hall together.

“The time we first met, we weren’t nervous or anything … It was like we had known each other forever,” Kratz said. “In the coming months, there wasn’t really a time that we were separate, other than classes.

Haleigh and Mitchell Havlin

“I think I met my husband tonight,” are the words Haleigh Havlin said to her mom on the phone the night she met Mitchell.

Haleigh was right. She and Mitchell have now been together for four years, married for nine months and are expecting a baby boy in March.

It was May 2022 and Haleigh was celebrating her best friend’s 22nd birthday at The Porch. During the celebration, a mutual friend of the group walked in with Mitchell not far behind. The pair had no idea about the party but decided to join in on the fun.

Haleigh said her eyes went straight to Mitchell because he’s a six-foot-six-inch man and incredibly hard to miss. Haleigh wasn’t looking for a relationship, and Mitchell had heard her name before but thought she was already dating someone else. Despite all of this, Haleigh knew she had to talk to him.

“The third question he asked me was ‘What church do you go to?’” Haleigh said. “I just thought that was one of the most profound questions because what 23-year-old is interested in that kind of question?”

We did all of the first-year activities together, and we just became really close.”

Hervig said they didn’t immediately realize feelings were blossoming; they simply continued their daily tasks together. It wasn’t until a friend pointed out that they were acting a lot like a couple that they realized they should make it official. After winter break, they decided to take the jump in 2025.

“We made it official right when we came back because we found out we couldn’t live without each other,” Hervig said.

Now, over a year into their relationship, the couple lives together off campus, and they are rarely apart. They try to eat every meal together, they commute together and they work the same work-study job together in J.C. Kellam.

Kratz and Hervig said they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We’re kind of connected at the hip, but we love it,” Kratz said. “It seems like everything just falls into

Coincidentally, the couple had grown up near each other, but never met. While they didn’t attend school together, they had many life-long friends in common. Haleigh said they still find connections to this day.

“Our whole lives, we had just danced around each other,” Haleigh said.

Four years into their relationship, they still deeply admire one another. Mitchell said one quality of Haleigh’s that inspires him is how she cares for those around her.

“The way she elevates the needs of others over herself and [anticipates] other people’s needs, just making sure everyone is taken care of before she is,” Mitchell said.

From a first date that lasted six hours to a marriage that will last a lifetime, Haleigh and Mitchell are grateful to say their time at Texas State brought them together.

“It was one of those things where I was like, ‘I knew it! I knew he was going to be my husband forever!’” Haleigh said. “It was the best last-first date I’ve ever been on.”

place for us, which is really nice. We’re excited to see what the next year holds for our relationship, no matter what it is, together.”

Morella and Danny Maldonado

“Calm, connected and cats” are the words Morella and Danny Maldonado used to describe their relationship.

In fall 2019, Morella was in her first year of music studies when the salsa band needed a new saxophone player. She decided to join the rehearsal, where she ended up locking eyes with Danny, who was in his first year of his master’s in jazz performance, instantly connecting.

“At first I kind of thought he was a know-it-all,” Morella said. “But then, I don’t know, we started talking to each other and became best friends instantly, pretty much inseparable.”

At the height of the pandemic, Morella had to leave her dorm and ended up quarantining with Danny two months after meeting each other, and they have been living together

ever since. They are now married with six cats, which Danny said are a big part of their lives.

“My favorite times are just hanging out all at home, and all six cats are on the bed with us, and that’s just really cute,” Danny said.

Since meeting in 2019, Morella and Danny have kept their love of music alive by performing in bands together, such as the Aquarena Wind Ensemble in San Marcos.

“We play together in different groups that we can find,” Danny said. “It’s nice to do those kinds of things together.”

Danny is now the band director at Miller Middle School in San Marcos, and Morella is a clarinet private lesson teacher in the San Marcos and Hays school districts. They have continued to admire each other’s ability to grow and evolve as a family together.

Danielle and Luke Adamson

“When we met, he was a very, very different person, but I could see his heart,” Morella said. “He’s very kind and very patient. He’s an amazing teacher and has been an amazing cat dad. So, it’s been great to see

Danielle and Luke, two experienced two-steppers, met in fall 2014 when they were both cast as extras for a country western dancing scene in the Richard Linklater film “Everybody Wants Some!!” that was filmed in San Marcos and surrounding central Texas areas.

On the set, they were told to partner up, and Danielle and Luke chose each other. They spent 13 hours dancing together on set. On first impression, Luke noticed her curly hair and how much of a leader she was on the dance floor. Danielle said she thought he was a goofy guy and loved how he made her laugh.

Danielle and Luke were friends throughout college and did not start dating until she graduated in 2018. They dated for five years and got engaged in November 2023, when Luke proposed to her on the same set they met on. They got married six months later in May 2024.

“Luke, he proposed and took us back to the spot where we first met. So, it was like this small, little [dance hall] out in Manor. Just kind of very remote, and I almost didn’t recognize it at first because it’d been like 10 years,” Danielle said.

Luke said one of the moments he knew Danielle was “the one” was when they were on a boat together on a lake in Canada.

“She ripped the engine and just like flew, and this girl knew how to drive this boat,” Luke said. “I was like, ‘Dang, that is sick. I did not know you knew how to do that.’”

Danielle and Luke have been together for over eight years and married for two of those years. They still admire the qualities of each other that make them who they are.

“I’ve always noticed that Luke is a very selfless person,” Danielle said. “He will do anything and everything to go out of his way just to make something happen for me, his friends, our families.

Beside dancing, they like to cook, paddleboard, go on walks, build furniture and travel together. In the future, they are most excited to start a family together.

“We both come from very large families. She has three sisters; I have four brothers. So, we’re very familyoriented,” Luke said. “Having children together, that’s the next thing.”

Stephanie Rivas-Guevara and Rick Guevara

Stephanie and Rick were attending Southwest Texas State University when they met in 1994 while working at the H-E-B distribution warehouse in San Marcos.

“We found out we both lived at Comanche Hill [Apartments], and my roommate and I had thrown a little party, and obviously knowing that he went to Southwest, we invited him and his friends over,” Stephanie said. “So that was our first official meeting date,

Stephanie was a secondyear transfer from Eastern New Mexico University, and Rick returned

Karly and Maurice Jones

to Texas State after serving in the military for three years. The stars aligned perfectly for the pair to meet.

“I enjoyed the military so much that I contemplated [reenlisting],” Rick said. “Having continued to serve, reenlist, do 25 years, none of this would have ever happened.”

From the beginning, Stephanie said they had a genuine connection, and it was easy to become good friends. After their first date, they were inseparable. They moved in together and continued their time at Texas State before graduating in December 1997.

“Our whole Southwest experience was together as a couple,” Stephanie said. “It was a very quick and easy connection for that to turn from just friendship to loving each other and caring about each other and taking care of each other throughout the rest of our college career.”

After Stephanie graduated with a

“I was dancing with a chair, because I’m having fun or whatever. She’s like, ‘Hey, can I have this dance?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

This was the moment Maurice Jones met his future wife, Karly in May 2016 at the Marc during a Whiskey Wednesday night.

It was a moment that seemed to flow effortlessly.

degree in communication, she received a job offer to work in TV news in Midland, while Rick took additional classes. Rick joined her in Midland after they got married, and other than a two-and-a-half-year stint in San Antonio, they’ve been there ever since.

Their son is now a junior at Texas State, and Stephanie said it has been fun to continue to be a Bobcat family.“We loved the school and had such a great experience there ... and when he chose Texas State, we were very excited about that,” Stephanie said. “It makes us really proud that we’re a little Bobcat family.”

They hit it off and talked the rest of the night, and ended up exchanging numbers. For the next couple of weeks, they went to the Marc on Wednesday nights and were each other’s two-step partners, which slowly turned into visiting other places to hang out.

“It kind of turned into a ‘we’re not just at the Marc.’ [It turned into] ‘Let’s go to other places. Let’s go grab a bite to eat. Let’s go get [$1 margaritas Bobcat Nation],’” Maurice said.

Karly said she knew soon after meeting Maurice that he would be the man she would marry. She admires his humor and extroverted personality when they’re out together. A decade in, what makes their relationships so special is their constant closeness.

“We’re truly best friends, like we don’t dread being together,” Karly said. “Everyone always says, ‘Just wait till the honeymoon phase is over,’ and it’s never been over for us, because we truly just love to be around each other.”

Maurice said he admires Karly’s giving nature and that she is always willing to care for others.

“She is very much a giver and [has] a servant’s heart,” Maurice said.

“She is always taking care of other people, whether it’s our child, whether it’s family [or] friends, she’s always willing to take care of everybody else around her, and that’s just something that I love about her.” Maurice said one of his favorite memories with Karly was when they got married and did their first looks with each other.

“We did a first look, and I saw her in her wedding dress, and I sobbed uncontrollably, just because of how beautiful she was,” Maurice said. “I was like, ‘I could just spend the rest of my life with this woman’ type thing.” Karly and Maurice are most excited about their future in growing their family together. They have a second baby on

“I am excited just for the journey of just raising kids together,” Maurice said. “Seeing her be a mom and being a dad is so much fun, but we’re able to kind of navigate that relationship together, which is a huge blessing.”

Readers’ top five San Marcos date spots

By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Editor

The University Star conducted a poll between Feb. 2-4 on its Instagram, asking readers about their favorite date spots in San Marcos. Out of 138 individual responses, The Star highlighted the top five answers, exploring what each location has to offer.

E. Hopkins St., Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026,

Italian Garden

Blue Dahlia Bistro

Blue Dahlia Bistro is a European-style restaurant that combines communal areas and cozy patios within its off-white brick walls. Located at 107 E Hopkins St., it is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It has two menus: a brunch menu serving various eggs Benedicts and croissants and a main menu ranging from salads and tartines to meat platters and cheese boards. What makes the bistro stand out is its open-air courtyard, filled with abundant plants and tiny mural paintings.

Italian Garden aims to serve Italian cuisine at affordable prices. Located at 415 N LBJ Drive, it is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Its lunch specials contain homemade and imported pastas, and its dinner menu ranges in salads, pizzas, subs and chicken and shrimp entrées. Paired with checkered tablecloths and rounded arches, the restaurant’s warm and inviting atmosphere makes for a familiar setting to have an Italian meal.

Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard

Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard hand-crafts regional fusion cuisine from New Mexico to New Orleans among a scenery of fireplaces, paintings and courtyard views. Located at 218 Moore St., it is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for brunch, Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4-9 p.m. for dinner.

Its three menus change depending on the weekday and time, with each one also offering two-to-three categories between salad, pasta and sandwiches. The restaurant’s notable outdoor courtyard displays dozens of plant species, including those native to Texas, and garden tables and chairs surrounding a large, stone fountain.

Putt Pub

Putt Pub is a mini golf bar with a range of activities for many ages.

Located at 307 S LBJ Drive, it is open on Sundays from noon to 1 a.m., Mondays through Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m. It is for all ages until 8 p.m., when from then on it is for ages 21 and up until closing.

Other than its 18-hole miniature golf course that combines challenge and whimsy, the golf bar offers indoor and outdoor seating, two food trucks and a multitude of games within a neighborhood setting.

Sewell Park

Sewell Park is a part of Texas State’s campus recreation spots. Located at 601 University Drive, it is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the university’s Policy and Procedure Statements for Sewell Park.

Its recreational activities include playing in the sand volleyball courts, sunbathing or picnicking on the grass or under the trees or renting equipment from the Outdoor Center. The 72-degree San Marcos River flows through the park, with a dock a bit further from the main area that overlook the spring-fed, clear river.