Around Aggieland (8/20)
During Friday's edition of TexAgs Radio, the fishbowl's own Richard Zane joined to share updates from the latest in Aggie Athletics as there is plenty to run down the football practice field to the pitch to the volleyball court and beyond.
Football
On Monday, the Associated Press released their preseason poll, and Texas A&M came in at No. 6.
- This is the highest preseason ranking for the Aggies since earning the No. 3 ranking prior to the 1995 season.
- A&M is also ranked No. 6 in the Coaches Poll.
On Tuesday, The Athletic released their 2021 Preseason All-American teams with three Aggies making the list.
- Offensive lineman Kenyon Green and defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal were first-team selections.
- Running back Isaiah Spiller was a second-team selection.
On Thursday, tight end Jalen Wydermyer was named an ESPN Preseason All-American.
Fall Camp is continuing to roll on in Aggieland.
- The Aggies held their first scrimmage on Wednesday, which was closed to the media.
- Thursday was practice #12 of the fall, and Friday is an off day.
On Friday afternoon, Jimbo Fisher, Devon Achane, Jaylon Jones and Nik Constantinou will speak to the media, and we’ll have coverage of that on TexAgs.com and @TexAgs on Twitter.
In recruiting news, Texas A&M received a verbal commitment from 2023 Swedish TE Theodor Melin Öhrström.
- The 6-4, 245-pounder chose the Aggies over Ohio State and LSU.
- Melin Öhrström became the fourth member of Texas A&M’s 2023 class.
- Playing the defending national runner-up, the Aggies played a more defensive brand of soccer and kept the match scoreless for 88 minutes.
- FSU’s Clara Robbins scored on a rebound chance in the 89th minute, giving the Seminoles a 1-0 lead. The home side would hold on for the final 90 seconds.
- A&M goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell made six saves on seven shots on goal.
- FSU had 14 total shots.
- A&M had two total shots, neither of which were on target.
The Aggies are back in action on Sunday night with another top-ten showdown as they face No. 8 TCU in Fort Worth.
- The match begins at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.
A&M’s first home match will be next weekend, Saturday, Aug. 28, vs. No. 7 Clemson.
Men’s Basketball
On Wednesday, Tyrece Radford announced he would be transferring from Virginia Tech to Texas A&M.
- The 6-2, 200-pound guard averages 10.9 PPG and 6.1 RPG for the Hokies over the last two season and shot just under 60 percent from the field.
- Radford comes to Aggieland with three years of eligibility remaining.
- Radford earned All-ACC honorable mention honors as a sophomore last season.
Volleyball
Bird Kuhn & the Aggies will face Baylor in an exhibition on Friday evening at Reed Arena.
- First serve is set for 6:00 p.m. CT.
- The match is the Aggies’ only exhibition match of the 2021 season.
The regular season officially begins on Aug. 27 in Hawaii as A&M faces Marquette, Fairfield and Hawaii in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic.
Baseball
On Thursday, Jim Schlossnagle & Co. received a verbal commitment from 2022 Lake Travis pitcher Luke Jackson.
- Jackson’s fastball has run up to 94 mph but typically sits in the 89-92 mph range to go along with a developing breaking ball that already shows signs of one day becoming a wipe-out strikeout pitch.
- Jackson picked the Aggies over Texas, Texas Tech and Arizona State.
Women’s Basketball
On Monday, former Texas A&M forward N’dea Jones signed with Russian professional club WBC Enisey.
- The club is based in Krasnoyarsk and is playing in the 2020-21 EuroCup, one of 48 teams playing in the competition.
- This comes off of Jones’ appearance with Team USA at the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series where she helped Team USA to a semifinal appearance.
Women’s Tennis
This week in Olso, Norway, Texas A&M alumnus Dorthea Faa-Hviding won the Norwegian Women’s Tennis National Championship.
- In the final match, Faa-Hviding upset No. 1-seed Astrid Olsen in straight sets (6-1, 6-2).
Track & Field
On Wednesday, Pat Henry announced the hiring of assistant coach Kurt Henry.
- Kurt Henry had served as an assistant coach at New Mexico for the last two seasons.
- This will be Kurt Henry’s second stint in Aggieland as he served as a volunteer assistant from 2014-17.
Incoming freshman and Canadian international Heather Abadie earned bronze in the pole vault at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
- The 18-year-old Ontario-native cleared 13-3.5/4.05m to get on the podium.