A&M-Victoria caps off Homecoming with royal four
Over the past weekend, Texas A&M University-Victoria crowned its Homecoming King, Queen, Prince and Princess to cap off the inaugural fall Homecoming.
The university will now have the category of Homecoming King, Queen, Prince and Princess rather than the previous Royal Jaguars title.
Held on Saturday, Oct. 24, the event invited the university’s students, employees, community members, alumni and friends to the President’s Tailgate near The Cage to enjoy food, activities and reconnect with each other before the start of the Homecoming soccer games.
The winners of this year’s court were Homecoming Queen Kadence Hernandez, Homecoming King Noah Perez, Homecoming Princess Marlette Sandoval and Homecoming Prince Kyle Bias.
"It is always a joy and a delight to celebrate our outstanding Jaguars who make our university such a special place. These four students have officially earned their crowns, captured the spotlight and given us all another reason to show off our school pride," A&M-Victoria president Christian Hardigree said. "May their reign be filled with plenty of school spirit, unforgettable memories and just the right amount of royal treatment! Congratulations, Jaguars."
That afternoon, the men’s and women’s soccer teams took on Texas A&M University-San Antonio as part of the Battle of the Big Cats showdown. The women’s game began at noon while the men played at 3 p.m.
“I came here for golf, and I was recently named cheer captain, so I knew I wanted to be involved,” said Sandoval, A&M-Victoria’s Homecoming Princess. “It just means so much to be involved, and I am so grateful to be here at this university.”
In between the games, the men’s baseball players were celebrated with a ring ceremony to commemorate their big win in last year’s Red River Athletic Conference regular season championship, a first in program history.
“Even though I ran uncontested, I’m really excited because I put out the effort and went out to campaign for me and Marlette, and it just opened up so many opportunities,” said Bias, A&M-Victoria’s Homecoming Prince. “I love to be able to be active in the campus community.”
Additionally, that afternoon the Baseball/Softball Alumni Home Run Derby was held at 6 p.m. at Riverside Stadium. A slow-pitch softball game was held at 7 p.m.
“I am super excited for our A&M-Victoria King and Queen; both Noah and Kadence are great representations of Jaguar Spirit at the university,” said Freddie Cantu, director of Student Involvement. “Our Prince and Princess, Kyle and Marlette, are both rising stars, and I look forward to seeing them all grow as leaders and role models.”
When Kadence Hernandez arrived at A&M-Victoria, the senior biology major expected to focus on her education and make a few lasting friends. Although she had been homecoming queen in high school, she wasn’t initially planning to get deeply involved on campus, she said.
That changed after she took part in Jaguar Journey and began to feel like she was part of a community that reminded her of home.
Since then, she has embraced campus life and has taken on several leadership and service roles. She has served as secretary of the Performing Arts Club, was an orientation leader over the summer and now serves as chief justice of the Student Government Association. She has also worked as an office assistant in the Student Involvement office.
Being named Homecoming Queen was a meaningful and unexpected milestone, Hernandez said. With a graduation date projected for spring of next year, she plans to remain active on campus, maintain strong grades and look into applying for pharmacy school.
“I’ve met so many different types of people here in Victoria, and I think it’s amazing everyone has their own uniqueness,” Hernandez said. “Being a Jaguar to me means getting involved on campus, doing the best that you can while still staying true to yourself.”
For communications junior Noah Perez, being named Homecoming King was less about standing alone at the top and more about the community that has helped him get there.
“I can’t be anything but grateful,” Perez said. “A&M-Victoria has such a solid community, and I am so thankful to all those who have pushed me along the way.”
His commitment to campus life extends beyond Homecoming. In the past, he has served as mascot manager and is now Spirit and Traditions Chair to help fans stay engaged with the campus. He is also the vice president of the Rotaract Club, an organization focused on community service, leadership development and professional networking.
“Jaguar spirit is about showing up for one another,” Perez said. “And when we do that together, we create something bigger than ourselves.”
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.