A&M-Victoria prepare to roar into Homecoming week
Texas A&M University-Victoria is gearing up for a weeklong celebration of school spirit as Homecoming returns this March with a roster of events designed to engage students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community.
The theme for this year’s festivities, “Decades of Roar,” frames a milestone year for A&M-Victoria as this is the university’s first Homecoming held under The Texas A&M System and the 10th anniversary of the campus’ Homecoming tradition which began in 2016.
“I am excited to see these Homecoming events flourish with student engagement,” said Freddie Cantu, A&M-Victoria director of Student Involvement. “I hope students have fun, that’s what it’s all about, but also I hope they get a sense of school spirit and pride in the university.”
Homecoming will be held from Monday, March 23 to Saturday, March 28.
The official opening features Homecoming Welcome Stations, which will be available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. March 23-26. An additional station will be on March 27 from 8 a.m.-noon. The locations of the Welcome Stations will be inside University West, University Commons and Jaguar Hall. They will be distributing Homecoming schedules, pamphlets and information about Sprit Day challenges, a treasure hunt and general information about Homecoming.
Later on Monday, March 23, the Homecoming Kickoff will be held from 6-9 p.m. on the parking lot and lawn of the Health & Wellness Center. The kickoff will include free food, T-shirts for students, a live DJ, vendor booths, lawn games and onstage announcements from A&M-Victoria athletes, the Homecoming Court, the Cheer Team, performers and more, Cantu said.
On Tuesday, March 24, the day will kick off with the Homecoming Court Meet & Greet from noon to 2 p.m. in the lobby of University South. During the event, the court will be presented so students, faculty and staff can meet candidates before voting opens.
Later that day, the Alumni Career Panel will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. over Microsoft Teams, where alumni from different career fields are invited to speak to attendees on their work and give advice to those who wish to pursue similar fields.
The final event for Tuesday will be the Students vs. Staff/Faculty Kickball game from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Intramural Field.
Kicking off Wednesday, March 25, the Spirit Cup Showcase will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. campus-wide. During that time, students will be walking around campus to judge the decorated offices and departments around campus. The winner will be announced on Friday, Cantu said.
Additionally for Wednesday, the Retired Faculty/Staff Lunch will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room of University Commons. To RSVP for the event, please contact Kelsey Norgard, director of alumni relations and annual giving, at 361-570-4869 or norgardkn@tamuv.edu.
Later that evening, Team Trivia Night will be held from 7-9 p.m. in the University Commons Multi-Purpose Room. The event will feature a professional host from San Antonio who will moderate a six-round trivia competition geared toward student teams, Cantu said.
On Thursday, March 26, the day will begin with the Staff/Faculty Breakaway event from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. inside Galvan Hall at University North. The new daytime event organized by Faculty Senate and Staff Council will offer free food and games specifically for campus employees.
Later, the Arcade Battle event will be held from 4-6 p.m. inside University Commons, jaX’s Game Hub, where students are invited to participate in various games.
The last event for March 26 is the 1973 Block Party scheduled from 7-10 p.m. inside the Multi-Purpose Room and lobby of University Commons. The festival-style event will feature free food, yard games, karaoke and more.
On Friday, March 27, the Alumni Banquet will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. at Power Avenue Warehouse. The 9th annual Alunni Banquet will feature a catered dinner and a special event program to honor 2026 Distinguished Alumnus Ernie Zunigia and 2026 Young Alumnus of the Year Jake Truss. The deadline for registration is March 20, and the registration link can be found at https://tamuvalumni.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2028136.
“Our distinguished alumni are examples of what is possible when talent, determination and education come together,” Norgard said. “Their accomplishments reflect the excellence of our community and inspire our students to reach toward meaningful lives of leadership, dedication and service.”
Later that evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Athletics will feature a “white out” baseball game against Louisiana State University-Shreveport at Riverside Stadium, where attendees are encouraged to wear white as they cheer on the Jaguars. This event will be open to the public.
Additionally, the Sand Volleyball Tournament will be held from 8:30-10:30 p.m. in the sand volleyball courts at Riverside Park.
Kicking off Saturday, March 28, the President’s Tailgate will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Riverside Stadium, offering free food, giveaways, activity booths and more. At noon, the Jaguars will take on LSU Shreveport in a “red out” game. Attendees are encouraged to wear red, and both of these events are open to the public.
In the same day, the Alunni Soccer Games will be held at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at The Cage, where alumni are invited to play the current soccer team. The women’s game will be held at 1 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 3:30 p.m. The event is free and will be open to the public.
The final event to conclude this year’s Homecoming will be the SGA Foam Party scheduled from 8-10 p.m. in the parking lot of Jaguar Court. The highly anticipated event will feature a DJ, dancing and snacks, Cantu said.
“I encourage anybody and everybody to attend,” Cantu said. “Bring your family and friends. We can’t wait for them to see what we have in store.”
For more information about this year’s Homecoming events, go to https://www.tamuv.edu/homecoming/.
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.