Credit to Thomas Dugger Dick | Assistant Communications Director – 12thman.com
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies start the 2023 regular season Thursday night as they clash with the No. 6 Florida State Seminoles at 7 p.m. on Ellis Field.
Since 1993, Texas A&M is 23-6-1 in the first year of the match. The Aggies are 16-4-1 in their last 21 openers with three of the losses coming to the preseason No. 1 team.
The Maroon & White showcase three players who were named to an All-SEC Team in 2022, including first-teamer Maile Hayes, second-teamer Mia Pante and all-freshman honoree Carolyn Calzada. Quinn Cornog made the SEC All-Freshman team during the 2021 season while at Vanderbilt. The Aggies feature some all-conference players with their additions from the transfer portal. All-ACC player Sammy Smith from Boston College, Pac-12 All-Freshman team member Jazmine Wilkinson from Arizona State, and NAIA All-American Grace McClellan from Keiser University.
Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri ranks among the leaders in winning percentage and victories among active Division I coaches. With a career record of 500-168-47 (.747), he ranks third in victories and eighth in winning percentage (minimum five years as a Division I head coach).
Guerrieri ranks fifth all-time among active NCAA Division I coaches in victories, trailing North Carolina’s Anson Dorrance (921), William Smith’s Aliceann Wilber (626), Santa Clara’s Jerry Smith (534), and Merrimack’s Gabe Mejail (507).
Florida State owns a 7-1-0 edge in the all-time series, including a 6-0-0 advantage in Tallahassee. Texas A&M’s lone win in the series came in the 1999 season debut with a 2-1 victory in College Station. The Seminoles won the most recent meeting, 1-0, in Tallahassee to open the 2021 campaign. FSU’s Clare Robbins scored the winning goal with 1:28 left in the second half.
The match airs on SEC Network with Michael Watts (play-by-play) and Jill Loyden (color analyst) on the call. It is available for streaming on WatchESPN and the ESPN app for subscribers to SEC Network.
A radio call of the game is available with the voices of David Ellis, Jeff Given and David Nuño will call the game on Gospel 97.3 FM in the Brazos Valley with the audio also available in the 12th Man Mobile app.
PROMOTIONS
12th Man Rewards Double Point Event
· Earn DOUBLE points when checking into the match within 12th Man Rewards.
· Login or create a 12th Man Rewards account within the 12th Man Mobile app (official app of Texas A&M Athletics).
Super Air Blaster Giveaway
· A&M soccer super air blasters (noisemakers) will be available for the first 500 fans that visit the Howdy Tent in the Northwest corner of Ellis Field.
50% Off Concessions Pregame
· All orders at the main concessions stand in the first 30 minutes of gates opening (6-6:30 p.m.) will be 50% off. Excludes alcohol and bottled water. Not valid at the portable concession locations.
12TH MAN REWARDS
12th Man Rewards is the free program that appreciates fans for standing with the 12th Man and attending Texas A&M athletics events in support of creating a homefield advantage for our student-athletes and coaches.
The more events you attend, your points will increase. Those points can be redeemed via the online Giveaway Store for a variety of items. Register within the 12th Man Mobile app to earn points at the match.
PARKING AND ENTRANCE
With construction surrounding much of Ellis Field, fans are asked to park at Reed Arena lots and enter the gates on the northeast and northwest corners.