TAMUK BREAKS INTO TOP 25 IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
After their victory over Simon Fraser, the Javelinas became a top 25 ranked team in the country. Sitting at the 20nd spot, this is the first time Kingsville has been ranked since 2012, when they were ranked 14th but ultimately fell out of the rankings as the season progressed. This season however looks to be even more promising than that season a decade ago.
The Javelinas have battled it out against conference opponents as well as defeating West Texas A&M, who were ranked 14th at the time, while continuing their amazing winning streak, sitting at 6-0 with an undefeated 4-0 record in the LSC.
Head Coach, Michael Salinas, has seen to the success of this team through toughness, discipline, and effort.
“You know being ranked is great and all for getting people excited and obviously it shows we are moving in the right direction,” Salinas said. “Rankings don’t win football games though, and our focus is on getting better every week and approaching each week with the mindset of being 1-0 and tuning out distractions.”
Coach Salinas has brought a winning mentality with him since he first came to Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is no doubt that Coach Salinas has made a tremendous impact on the football program as his record is now 11-7 at TAMUK. With this amazing accomplishment, it is not only what the players and coaches have done on the field but the athletic faculty who have done their best job to also see this program succeed the way it has.
One of the people responsible in bringing in coach Salinas is Athletic Director Steve Roach.
“Obviously getting Coach Salinas in was the first big step, and he’s done a tremendous job with the team getting them to where they are now,” Roach said. “Anytime any of our teams have success it’s good for our athletic program as a whole, and it’s great to see so much support from the other teams supporting one another which is a big thing for me.”
The Javelinas’ performance has put TAMUK on a lot of people’s radar in both potential future students and athletes as well as future opponents and possibly even new members of faculty. Along with this, the university faculty, staff and administration have relished in the football team’s recent success.
“A&I and now A&M have always had a rich history when it comes to football,” University Vice President Dr. Rito Silva said. “With the school being on a national stage it is great for the university, and this is mainly due to Coach Salinas and Steve Roach in doing their best at their jobs to help bring success to the program.”
Another thing that goes into effect is the side of academics. When it comes to being a student-athlete it is best to keep your grades up.
“Academic preparation and athletic performance go hand-in-hand,” Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance and Academics Hanna Lantz said. “Student-athletes are required to carry no less than 12 credit hours of course work to be eligible for participation in athletics each semester unless they meet pre-approved exception by the NCAA.”