OP / ED
Sometimes it is hard to gather everything that happened in the past week, covering 24 sports teams in San Marcos.
Between the spring showcase, softball senior weekend, baseball and the new Pac-12 conference all making some news over the past week, I decided to open up my notebook to relay my thoughts and observations on everything sports-related in San Marcos.
NEW PAC-12 LOGO
Over the weekend, Pac-12 soft-launched their new logo as the conference takes its new shape in July.
To the casual fan, there are not that many differences between the old and new logo that immediately jump out. In fact one of the more common reactions was ‘They changed the logo?’ But overall, the changes to the logo are fine.
The Pac-12 is in a unique position where, despite the changes in membership, their branding is more recognizable to the casual fan than say the American or the Sun Belt.
The change in the logo is a step forward for a conference that was gutted by conference realignment only to rise from the ashes and make their mark in this new era of college athletics.
SPRING SHOWCASE OBSERVATIONS
Watching the spring showcase on Saturday turned into seeing the future of what the Bobcat football program could be.
Everyone knows about the famous trio of Brad Jackson, Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks, which is why they and the majority of the starters didn’t see any action on Saturday.
The spring showcase was really an opportunity for the young players to make their mark and possibly earn a starting role.
What stood out to me the most was the fact so many of the big plays that were made were all done by underclassmen. Jordan Martin who made several big catches including an amazing touchdown catch? Redshirt sophomore. Taji Atkins who broke a big run up the middle to jumpstart the offense? Redshirt sophomore. Jayden Bradley and Cordian Powell who made two key interceptions at the beginning of showcase? Redshirt freshman. La’keyleon Graves who made two spectacular catches in the endzone? A true freshman.
The cupboard is full of exciting talent waiting to make their name for this upcoming season.
SENIOR WEEKEND
Bobcat softball honored their graduating seniors last weekend and their impact on the program itself.
A mix of four-year players and transfers, this year’s senior class had the daunting task of following up and maintaining the standard of what the 2024 team left, advancing to the program’s third-ever regional final in the NCAA Tournament.
But instead of being overwhelmed by the insane expectations, the group picked up the baton and ran with it, capturing the 2025 regular season conference title and are now on the verge of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons [2020 season not included].
It’s an unbelievable job that seniors Karmyn Bass, Aiyana Coleman, Sidney Harvey, Sami Hood, Megan Kelnar, Analisa Soliz, Emma Strood and Keely Williams have accomplished here at Texas State, and a larger testament of the work Head Coach Ricci Woodard and her staff have accomplished.
BASEBALL WOES
Texas State hit another low this week as the Bobcats fell to the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders 7-2.
Flirting with an at-large bid, the Bobcats are now in danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament, needing the automatic bid to clinch a berth in the gauntlet that is the Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament.
Despite the Bobcats seeing some improvements in their pitching following the switch up of their starting rotation, the offense has hit a massive slump, having not scored more than four runs in eight of their last nine games.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bobcats who likely need to win or sweep their next three conference series against South Alabama, Arkansas State and Marshall, then win their midweek games against Baylor and UTSA.
Though the task isn’t impossible, the Bobcats need to turn things around or face the reality of sitting at home in June.
