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A small parking lot in front of The Commons was transformed into an interactive space Friday for Park(ing) Day. The event featured pop-up booths from student architecture organizations to educate passersby on its mission: reimagining cities with people in mind — not cars. The concept of the event began in 2005 when a design group based in San Francisco took the initiative to turn a parking space into a small public park. Following their example, cities around the world host Park(ing) Day annually. Organizations at the event offered a variety of activities, including large communal coloring pages and build-your-own keychain tables. Fresh elotes and Jarritos were available for purchase as well. Walkable Arlington, a student-led grassroots organization, set up a board where students could share their ideas for alternatives to parking spaces. Responses included proposals such as interactive art exhibits, more vibrant nightlife, and a call for more trees and native plants. “I just wanted to see people's imagination, see what they want to see more of,” said Kayli Nauls, sustainable urban design major and Walkable Arlington member. Hunter Lynch, landscape architecture graduate student and UTA Student American Society of Landscape Architects president, helped run the organization’s booth selling plants and distributing wildflower seeds. “I think it's been very successful,” he said. “The idea is that you catch people as they're walking, and their eyes are just drawn to ‘Hey, what's going on over here?'" The Interior Design Student Group provided visitors with the option to make fresh flower vases out of recycled cardboard. “A lot of students have come by and just been engaged and involved, and we're trying to make sure that people know what Park(ing) Day is,” said Jennifer Rojas, Interior Design Student Group external affairs president. Lynch said the biggest takeaway for those who came to the event is the reimagining of parking spaces. “They can be comfortable spaces like this where people are able to hang out, play music, have food and really just begin to start that conversation,” he said. @hud4qureshi news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Eighty-eight teams braved the mud-filled gauntlet of Oozeball, chasing the chance to be crowned the 2025 champion. But only one team conquered the sludge and etched its name in UTA history. In the final game, the hungry Caniac Combo took on the Kupari Bros, who were playing for a repeat title. With the score tied 10-10, tension filled the air as both teams needed one more point to clinch victory. Caniac Combo served, and after a short rally ended with a decisive block at the net, the final whistle blew. The crowd erupted — Caniac Combo had claimed the crown. Players from the team embraced each other in the mud, hugging and shouting in triumph. By the end of the celebration, they were nearly unrecognizable under the thick layer of sludge, but their smiles cut through it all. Ari Abramsky, business management sophomore and Caniac Combo team captain, said she’d been saying all day the team was going to win, but was still shocked when the final whistle blew. “It was so stressful because half our team was stuck in the mud. We couldn't move,” Abramsky said. “We were praying, ‘Help, help, we can't get it.’ But we came out with the win.” The Caniac Combo members first came together as freshmen, playing a pickup sand volleyball game outside their dorm. After hours on the court, a trip to Raising Cane's sealed their bond. Their love for the chicken chain gave them their name, and this year that name will be remembered as UTA’s Oozeball champion. Since 1989, Oozeball has been one of UTA’s most beloved traditions, drawing students, alumni, faculty and staff into a muddy battle for bragging rights. This year's 36th annual Oozeball tournament featured 88 teams playing 176 games, filling the courts with laughter, chaos and competition. Josh Hale, Campus Recreation assistant director of sports programs, said the tournament's unique nature is what makes it so special. “Courts are disgusting, they’re covered, filthy, so they are in prime Oozeball shape,” Hale said. Hale said Oozeball takes months of preparation, with planning starting before students even return to campus and collaboration to set up the courts. For Hale, the payoff is seeing the community come alive in the mud. “This is why we work here. It's to just provide meaningful opportunities to our students,” he said. “You can call it the Super Bowl. I like to call it Christmas Day.” Isaiah Joseph, a master's student in public administration and Freshman Leaders on Campus adviser, reflected on how the event has changed since he arrived on campus in 2019. “Oozeball, as we all know, it's a long-standing UTA tradition,” Joseph said. “But honestly, I'm loving to see how much it's grown,” Joseph said. “I was here in 2019. Pre-COVID, it was insane. Since then, we've been kind of trying to get back to what it is, and today I'm seeing the energy that I remember.” While the mud and traditions stay the same, the champions change. For Caniac Combo, victory meant more than just surviving — it meant a place in UTA history. “It means a lot. It feels like we’re going to be remembered for years and years after we’re gone, after we graduate and we’ll just be a part of the school forever,” Abramsky said. @diegocllazo news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Community members gathered Thursday at Levitt Pavilion for its Preparedness in the Park event as part of National Preparedness Month. The event featured educational booths, tours of a fire truck, speeches, presentations, a screening of “Twisters” and giveaways. The community also honored the Arlington Firefighters who responded to the Central Texas Hill Country floods. Attendees moved through the lawn, stopping by tables and listening to different preparedness tips. Arlington resident Sarah Isom, 43, said she came to learn about weather preparedness, and her son, Charlie Vassar, 9, said he attended the event to watch the movie. Isom said that if you are prepared for any event, it is easier to deal with it. “If it’s a tornado and you don’t know where to go in your house during a tornado, that can be dangerous and scary,” she said. “So it’s nice to know the plan.” Both had different things they enjoyed learning about at the event. Vassar’s was the tornadoes. He said he learned that they can be destructive and can happen at any time. To prepare, he said he’s going to wake everyone up and rush to the closet. City council member Rebecca Boxall said she hopes attendees start to think about and plan for how they will react to emergencies. Kwa heri Harris, director of emergency management at UTA, said she hopes attendees learn that preparedness is not just about the plan, but the mindset. “A lot of people have said ‘I have an emergency plan or I have a fire evacuation plan,’ but it’s much more than that,” Harris said. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The rhythmic beat of bachata and the smell of gorditas and salsa verde filled Brazos Park as UTA commenced its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Intercultural Student Engagement Center hosted the Hispanic Heritage Kickoff, one of seven events inviting UTA students to step into Hispanic culture by introducing them to Hispanic music, food and customs. As the event started, students waited in a line that stretched from Brazos Park to Arlington Hall so they could get free gorditas, a traditional Mexican dish made from dough that is typically stuffed with meat, cheese or other fillings, and an agua fresca to wash it all down. While waiting in the heat, music from Hispanic icons like Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma filled the air. Once attendees had the opportunity to fill their stomachs, it was time to move their hips. Nonprofit group Salsa at the Gardens was on stage offering free salsa and bachata lessons to anyone willing to give it a try. The music spilled into the crowd — bachata swaying smooth and romantic like a night under the stars, and salsa burning with a fiery bass of a street festival come alive. Together, they created an irresistible rhythm that pulled people to their feet. Alexander Leyva, assistant director for academic and cultural engagement for the Intercultural Student Engagement Center, said he wanted to celebrate Hispanic heritage with good food and music to bring the spirit of the event. “I'm hoping that folks enjoy the vibes that we’re bringing,” Leyva said. “We’re hoping that the food and music will just help folks feel in community with one another.” Hispanic/Latino students account for 32.6% of the student population at UTA, more than every other race and ethnicity, according to Data USA. Construction management junior Sergio Cantera, who's of Hispanic descent, said events like this make him feel welcomed and accepted and that he sees Hispanic culture represented at the university. “I see it being represented very well by everybody, the events. It’s pretty nice to see,” Cantera said. When asked what part of his heritage made him most proud, Cantera said the best thing is the food. He said his mother makes pozole, a traditional Mexican soup, during Mexico’s independence month in September. Cantera said events like this allow younger members of the community to experience who they are and where they come from. He said many first-generation students do not embrace their roots, so this can expose them to positive aspects of their culture. UTA will be hosting five more events for Hispanic Heritage Month: Loteria Night from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 25 on the sixth floor of the Central LibrarySalsa Night from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Maverick Activities Center Money Management Para La Cultura at 2 p.m. Oct. 1 at Bluebonnet BallroomGlobal Grounds Domino Tournament from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 9 at Palo Duro LoungeCara Mia from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 14 at Brazos Park Clarification: Marketing junior Eduardo Lerma, biomedical engineering senior Israel Gomez and computer science sophomore Erik Conejo were checking out bags sold by nursing junior Anna Mercado. @diegocllazo news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As fans eagerly lined College Park Center’s entrance gates ahead of the Dallas Wings’ final game of the 2025 season Thursday, some delivered a unique sentiment within the noise. Spreading the message of equality in professional sports, North Texas labor leaders rallied in support of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, the first labor union for professional women athletes. Their message: “Pay them what you owe them.” As the WNBA continues to grow and garner nationwide attention, so has the sentiment. Many players, fans and stakeholders have been pushing to lessen the gap in pay between the WNBA and the NBA, which is known for granting its star players substantially higher salaries. Texas Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, said during the rally that the Texas American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations were there supporting WNBA players across the league negotiating for a new contract to improve wages and working conditions. These contracts, known as collective bargaining agreements, are negotiated between the WNBA and the WNBPA to establish terms of employment for players, including salaries and benefits, travel standards, career development and elements of free agency. The WNBPA voted to opt out of the current agreement in October 2024, according to the Associated Press. With the 2025 season wrapping up, attention now shifts toward negotiating a new deal before the existing contracts expire. “They’re making all this wealth for a league that exploded in popularity and earnings,” said Tevita ‘Uhatafe, president of the Federation of North Texas Labor Unions, during the rally. “They’re making millions and millions of dollars, yet they’re stalling on contract negotiations with these workers.” The WNBA’s surge in popularity has driven a 23% increase in television ratings in the past year, a 13% rise in game attendance and a 26% boost in total ticket sales, according to NPR. These gains build on momentum from the 2024 season, when the league recorded a 170% increase in viewership from 2023 ratings across ESPN platforms. Rising viewership and attendance created an opening for players to push for change. During the WNBA All-Star Game in July at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the league’s biggest stars gathered, and players used the spotlight to amplify their message. Players from Team Clark and Team Collier wore black warm-up shirts that read, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” The message was the result of a behind-the-scenes meeting, as players aimed to deliver a concise but impactful statement to a global audience. Since the received message, unions and fans have added their voices in solidarity to the players, doing so at every venue, no matter what happens, ‘Utatafe said. The agreement deadline extends past the regular season, with the final decisions being made before the start of November. Having opted out, WNBA players could potentially be out of professional play if a new deal with the league is not met, according to ESPN. While awaiting a finalized agreement, Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA president, said the league seeks a fixed percentage in contracts, while players want salary growth tied to the league’s business, according to ESPN. Wings guard Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 draft pick and one of the biggest faces in the league, has helped propel the movement toward Wings fans, who have backed the players on and off the court. It’s a future the WNBA is betting on, as the league plans to expand into new markets with teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — beginning with Cleveland in 2028 — which are subject to change. Arlington resident Linda McQuay, a 50-year-old Wings fan, said it has been meaningful to have a WNBA team in her hometown. Noting the individuality of Bueckers, she said she’s happy to see cities have the opportunity to invest and have more teams introduced. @kaleivie_ news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA men’s golf will compete in the Gene Miranda Air Force Falcon Invitational at the Eisenhower Golf Course starting Saturday. The tournament, hosted by the United States Air Force Academy just north of Colorado Springs, Colorado, will consist of three rounds, with the first on Saturday, the second on Sunday and the final round Monday. The Mavericks will hope to improve on a ninth-place finish in their first tournament of the season, the Whirlwind Invitational. The tournament will allow UTA to compete for the first time this season against several Western Athletic Conference teams, including Southern Utah University, Utah Tech University, California Baptist University and Utah Valley University. In total, 23 schools will compete in the tournament, including three from the Big Sky Conference, five from the Big West Conference and seven from the Mountain West Conference. The Southland Conference, Summit League and West Coast Conference will also have participants present. Some of the best performances among the competing teams at the Eisenhower Golf Course in their most recent tournaments come from third-place finishes by Utah Tech University in the Ram Masters Invitational and the University of Nevada in the Golfweek Fall Challenge. Other recent performances include Weber State University and the University of California San Diego, who finished fourth and fifth respectively, in the Ram Masters Invitational. Boise State University also placed fifth in the 2025 Palouse Collegiate. UTA will hope for a repeat performance from freshman Arth Sinha, who finished fifth in the Whirlwind Invitational and was the only Maverick in the top 20. It will also want better final scores from its five other golfers who participated, who combined for an average finish at the Whirlwind Invitational of about 47th. @TyRoland sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

UTA volleyball wrapped up its co-hosted invitational and will set its sights on the last preseason tournament, the 2025 Roadrunner Classic starting Friday at the Convocation Center in San Antonio. In the UNT-UTA Invitational, the Mavericks fell short against the University of North Texas in five sets Sunday at College Park Center. The loss ended the team’s undefeated streak, putting it at 8-1 for the season. The Mavericks took a 2-1 lead in set three, rallying after a dropped second set. The team could not overcome and lost the two following sets, marking its first loss of the season, 3-2. The Mavericks were led by senior outside hitter Jalie Tritt, who recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs. Freshman middle blocker Sophia Krichev contributed 13 kills to round out the offensive end. Defensively, junior libero Samantha Glenn had 25 digs, and Alexis Bull, redshirt sophomore middle blocker, had five blocks in her performance. Despite the loss, Glenn received Western Athletic Conference Libero of the Week for her defensive prowess. She recorded 168 total digs and an average of 4.2 digs per set. UTA will open the 2025 Roadrunner Classic against host UT-San Antonio. The team will play two more games in the final preseason tournament, against Prairie View A&M University and the University of North Florida. Against UT-San Antonio, the Mavericks have an all-time record of 29-18, with their longest win streak being seven matches. In the most recent match against the Roadrunners, UTA took a five-set win in 2022. UTA volleyball will commence Western Athletic Conference play against Southern Utah University, serving as the home opener Sept. 27 at College Park Center. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+. @player_z0 sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Paige Bueckers has wrapped up her rookie season as a Dallas Wings guard, leaving a mark on the booming industry of women’s sports. Bueckers had an impressive basketball career at the University of Connecticut, having won a national championship and multiple national player of the year awards. She joined the Wings as the No. 1 pick of the WNBA 2025 draft and broke records along the way to the season finale. As a rookie, she recorded the highest points scored by a newcomer in a single game (44), became the fastest first-year in WNBA history to secure 500 points and 100 assists, won three rookie of the month awards and earned a starting position on the All-Star team. Throughout her college career and professional debut, Bueckers has consistently showcased her potential. Known for her humility and team-first mentality, she has already made a significant impact on the Wings franchise and women’s professional basketball. After her final game for the Wings in her rookie season, Bueckers reflected on storied memories, from both the locker room and moments on the court. She credited the people she trained with, including fellow rookies, for getting her where she is today. “To get these reps, for us as rookies especially, to just be with this group, I wouldn’t trade this rookie year for anything,” Bueckers said. Bueckers acknowledged critics who might question her optimism, saying, “People can look at the results and say, ‘How can you be so happy with a 10-win season?’” Still, she said she’ll look back on her rookie year with gratitude for the foundation it helped build. Her impact extends beyond the court. Her connections with teammates, fans and those around her inspired many. WNBA fans cherish her as a role model, and she brought increased attention to the league upon graduating from the University of Connecticut. “I’ve been through a lot of adversity at UConn,” Bueckers said. “You see the progression and the strength that it continues to build for you as an individual, but as a collective as well, and how much that does for you in the long run.” Sports reporter Tracy Sansom contributed to this article. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From the start of Fright Fest at Six Flags to a Lil Wayne concert, Dallas-Fort Worth residents have plenty of events to attend this week. Sports Grab a seat to watch the Dallas Cowboys play against the New York Giants in their 2025 home opener at noon Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Tickets start at $75 and doors open at 10 a.m. Watch North Texas Soccer Club take on Sporting Kansas City II in a soccer match at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Choctaw Stadium, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for general seating start at $24 and are available for purchase online. Entertainment The thrilling Fright Fest will be returning to Six Flags Over Texas starting Friday. It will recur weekly on Sunday, Friday and Saturday until Nov. 2. There will be haunted mazes, live shows and more. Tickets start at $30 to gain access to the haunted mazes, which does not include park admission, and cost $69 for access to both. Enjoy the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy “You Can’t Take It With You,” beginning its run at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Theatre Arlington. Tickets start at around $40 for adults. There is a $5 student discount on tickets, and if a student comes with a student ID 15 minutes before the play begins, they can purchase any remaining seats for $5. Music Experience PopCycles Pedals and Beats, an open-air bicycle and outdoor festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at 300 E. Division St. There will be live music provided by Truth Vinyl, and the event is open to anyone in the community and riders of all skill levels. There will be art, vendors and food for attendees to enjoy alongside the music. Lil Wayne is on tour to celebrate 20-plus years of his “Carter” album series and will be performing at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas. Admission to the concert starts at around $40, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. @hud4qureshi news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

As the sun set and the air cooled in Arlington, Jose “G-Bear” Gomez Jr. pedaled his glossy black cruiser along the city’s streets. Gomez and more than 60 cyclists motored through the UTA campus, and around the downtown area to the Entertainment District once a week — in a good-natured pack of whirling wheels. Zoom. “You get to see a lot of things that you never saw while you’re in the car,” said Gomez, a 43-year-old Dallas resident working in sales. Gomez is a member of the DFW BMX Cruisers group, established in 2018 to bike across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The group meets in Arlington on most Wednesdays. For many cyclists, riding with DFW BMX Cruisers provides mental and physical exercise along with a sense of community. Members from all walks of life say they’re looking out for each other — during and after the rides. Many are small business owners who trade services through the group, from plumbers and technicians to car dealers. “You can see anybody on our page, they’re all saying BMX family,” Midlothian resident Peter James said. “We all try to help each other out.” Grand Prairie resident Kriss Parra nodded, chiming in. “Someone gets a flat tire on the ride, everybody stops and helps out,” Parra said. At around 8 p.m. on a recent Wednesday, the group met at the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on East Abram Street where members readied themselves for the ride. For Dallas resident Joana Cornejo, the rides relieve stress from her job in the food industry. “I take it as therapy,” Cornejo said. “It helps me out to destress from everything going on in the world or at home and just go out and have a good time with all the guys, all the girls that come. Now it’s more of us girls, which is fun.” Calves tightened, helmets were balanced, wheels inched forward. Then they were off. Whoosh. On campus, a tide of riders poured across the University Center’s wide pavement. Neon bike rims flickered, casting a party glow as bass-heavy EDM music pulsed through portable speakers. Some performed wheelies, leaning back with a bent leg and balancing on the rear wheel. They made a steep ascent around UTA before heading out to the bright lights of Arlington. A 7-Eleven came into sight. Skrrrt. Members rested, grabbed a drink at the store and caught up with one another. Then they pedaled around the Globe Life Field area before circling back to Fuzzy’s — sometimes reaching about 10 miles per hour. On average, the group rides at least 10 to 12 miles every time they meet. Members keep the same route for peace of mind, Gomez said. Despite the familiar path, they are still learning new things. “We discover a lot of restaurants and a lot of new places,” Gomez said. Then they get back to their daily lives. “Ultimately, you know, that’s what we all have to do, get back to our everyday,” said Arlington resident Eddie Pineda, who leads the Wednesday rides. “But this is our escape from everyday.” @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Margaret Monostory Crowley leaned back in her chair and set the scene. The year was 1969, and the 4-year-old had just lost her blue stuffed elephant made by her grandmother at a party for her father’s new colleague in UTA’s foreign language department. She later spotted it in the arms of that colleague’s daughter, a little girl named Lolín Martins-Crane, who fell asleep clutching it. “I was ready to walk over there and shake her and say, ‘Yo, little new girl, give me my elephant back,” said Monostory Crowley, assistant professor of practice in theater arts and dance. Martins-Crane, director at the Career Development Center, laughed as she recalled that moment. “I loved it,” she said. “I wasn’t going to give it back.” For the next 56 years, they grew into each other’s worlds. They had sleepovers. They went to school together, sometimes spent holidays together and took vacations together. Then they stepped back for a time to grow on their own. Yet through every milestone — weddings, babies, or, more painfully, the deaths of their parents — they showed up for one another. No one else could fully understand. Except the other. “She's the only one that has my history memories from a sisterhood perspective. I have no one else. It was just her in those moments,” Martins-Crane said before bursting into tears. Their friendship has gone through multiple facets — in sickness and in health. Their childhood was filled with days exploring the creek behind Monostory Crowley’s house, riding bikes and inventing adventures. They also had to deal with Martins-Crane’s asthma, when Monostory Crowley was the only person allowed to come over and hang out with her friend. In college, Monostory Crowley discovered theater. Martins-Crane, who studied psychology, remembered a sudden feeling that she wasn’t sure she had ever shared aloud. “I was so jealous, because I had not found my tribe yet. I had not found my community,” she said. The pair still traded letters and phone calls, but they became “two siblings trying to find their own identity and falling apart from each other,” Martins-Crane said. Monostory Crowley said the separation didn’t matter. It didn’t make any difference whether they talked to each other once a week or once a year. They knew the relationship was always there. Looking back, Martins-Crane called that process necessary. “We weren't the team discovering together anymore. We were apart discovering,” she said. “I think it was healthy thing. I think it was a good thing. It's made us who we are obviously today, and I just think it's the beauty of the separation.” Soon after, she found her own community at the Dry Gulch — the campus bar once tucked in the University Center basement where The Shorthorn's offices now stand — where her future husband, alumnus Martin Crane, was DJing. Somewhere between Martins-Crane meeting Crane and marrying him, she and Monostory Crowley went through one of their first tough tests. ‘I always felt like I didn't do enough’ Martins-Crane felt “schizophrenic” when her mother died in 1990, she said. One minute, she was crying. The next, she was planning table tents for her wedding the following year. Monostory Crowley also remembered that period for a different reason. “I always felt like I didn't do enough,” she said. At that moment, she was juggling graduate school and living in Austin. “I didn't feel like I was keeping this ball in the air, you know, while I was trying to keep all the other ones in the air,” she said. “I love you,” Martins-Crane responded back, almost immediately. In the years following, Monostory Crowley lost her father in 2003, and Martins-Crane lost hers in 2007. A decade later, in 2017, Monostory Crowley’s mother died. Each loss felt doubled. They mourned their own parent while watching the other grieve. When they were physically there for each other, one would sit at the hospital to give the other a break. And when distance kept them apart, they leaned on many five-hour calls. “I feel like I lost a second set of parents, you know, with yours,” Martins-Crane said. Crane said that with each loss, his wife and Monostory Crowley leaned on each other. Their different personalities made for a deep friendship. “It’s just a long-term friendship,” he said. “So few people get to keep friends that they had when they were 5 years, 6 years old.” ‘She loves me no matter what happens’ Their bonds have grown deeper in recent years. After 25 years of trying, in 2018, Monostory Crowley joined Martins-Crane in working at UTA, their alma mater. She chased the opportunity for decades and credited Martins-Crane for her getting the position. It was Martins-Crane who approached the chairman of the theater arts and dance department, asking him to consider her friend. Even then, Martins-Crane was the one more anxious about the interview. She had a long list of questions when Monostory Crowley called her after: What happened? What did her friend answer? Was she comfortable? Did she have good examples? Is there something Martins-Crane herself could do? Her friend was more brief in her reply, “I think they’re going to hire me.” Kim LaFontaine, retired theater arts and dance professor and chair emeritus, said in a text that Monostory Crowley was a great hire for the department because of her expertise in costume design and set construction. “Kudos to all the people who convinced her to take the position as the department was in desperate need of her talent at the time,” LaFontaine said. Pete Smith, professor of modern languages and UTA’s chief analytics and data officer, said the pair’s friendship reflects the legacy of their fathers, who were once his colleagues. “It's the perfect example of tradition, right?” Smith said. These days, they get together around every week or two, with many texts in between, Martins-Crane said. The family traditions they grew up with continue through their children. Both said they believe they would have been different people without the other — they’re now not just better friends but also better mothers. “I just know that she loves me no matter what happens,” Martins-Crane said. “I can share anything and every single thing with her. There's no judgment, there’s nothing. I feel so at home and so at ease, and it's such a comfort.” As the conversation stretched past an hour, they sat across from one another, eyes brimming as they went through past, present and future. More than once, they finished each other’s sentences. “I have so many things,” Martins-Crane responded when asked about what else they appreciated about the other. “How much longer do you want?” Monostory Crowley asked. Monostory Crowley still keeps the original blue elephant at her bedside. Martins-Crane’s red twin, also stitched by her friend’s grandmother, went to her daughter. Martins-Crane gave a loving look toward her best friend of 56 years, their eyes red from crying. “She’s my elephant in my life,” Martins-Crane said. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Behind the curtains at College Park Center during the 2025 MavsMeet Kickoff, the furry character that represents UTA’s Maverick identity couldn’t help but break out into a spontaneous dance, hyping himself up before stepping into the spotlight. The bass of the music thumps through the floor as he waits, a burst of energy waiting to erupt. Then — he’s off. It’s all in a day’s work for Blaze, UTA’s mascot. But Blaze wasn’t always the face of UTA. UTA has had many mascots over the years, according to a UTA Magazine article, including the short-lived Grubbers from 1917-21, the Junior Aggies from 1923-49, the controversial Rebels from 1951-71, Sam Maverick and finally, Blaze. Blaze, the energetic white horse with a bold blue mohawk, galloped onto the scene in 2007, born from a student vote to reimagine the university’s logo and mascot, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. The horse can be spotted at various outings throughout the school year, such as basketball and volleyball games, and at campus and community events. Each event during the first week of classes revealed a different layer of the mascot's personality. A handler said Blaze represents the inclusivity and diversity at the university. “I think everybody can relate to him in variety of ways regardless on what major you are,” the handler said. He can flip tires, drift go-karts and act out skits with different organizations. “Blaze isn’t afraid to try new things,” the handler said. Not every moment is loud and over-the-top. At this year's Rec Fest, Blaze calmly approached a student and her service dog, crouching down after taking a photo to give the dog a quick pet. He also has less graceful moments. At another event, psychology sophomore Aerial McCaskill said she saw the horse fall down a few stairs while dancing. “Everyone loved it, though,” McCaskill said. “Everyone was laughing with him, tried to help him up. It wasn’t very many stairs, he was okay.” Wondering what the mascot does when he’s out of the public eye, some students have developed their own theories about Blaze, like what classes he would take if he attended college. Public health junior Vanessa Solis, a member of the UTA Wranglers spirit group, said she thinks Blaze would major in kinesiology or sports management. “He’s around the sports all the time. He’s always there,” she said. “So maybe he has an interest in it.” Blaze's impact goes beyond entertainment. When Blaze isn’t there, Solis said it’s noticed. “When people think of UTA, they automatically think of Blaze,” she said. “So when Blaze comes out, there’s a lot more energy than when Blaze isn’t there.” Architecture senior Benjamin Bernardino said he feels a sense of pride knowing Blaze is UTA’s mascot. “He’s the embodiment of school spirit. He represents who we are, us Mavericks,” he said. “They don’t call us Mavericks for no reason.” And maybe that’s why, at the end of the MavsMeet Kickoff, when students had begun filling out, Blaze was still under the lights dancing. Because for this Maverick, the show never truly ends. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu