Following are the members of the 2026 Red River Athletic Conference Softball All-Conference Team and individual award-winners as voted by the conference’s coaches.
The Our Lady of the Lake Saints remain in the hunt for a Red River Athletic Conference Championship title despite a 15–1 setback against the Texas A&M–Victoria Jaguars, and will now prepare to face the loser of the matchup between the LSU–Shreveport Pilots and the Texas A&M–Texarkana Eagles in an elimination game.
While the final score did not reflect their potential, the Saints showed flashes of competitiveness against a high-powered Jaguars squad. Jack Kalisky led the way offensively with a strong 2-for-3 performance that included a double and a stolen base, consistently applying pressure when given opportunities. Brett Atkinson also contributed with the team’s lone RBI, while CaliEvan Billela-Barstow added the Saints run after entering as a pinch runner.
The Saints pitching staff faced a challenging task against one of the conference’s most productive lineups. Despite the outcome, reliever Manuel Flores provided a steady presence out of the bullpen, limiting damage during his outing and helping stabilize the game in the middle innings. The staff also recorded eight strikeouts, demonstrating the ability to compete and miss bats against a disciplined offense.
Defensively, Our Lady of the Lake executed a key double play, highlighting their ability to respond under pressure and maintain composure in difficult moments.
Texas A&M–Victoria capitalized on timely hitting and plate discipline, but the Saints now turn their focus forward with an opportunity to respond. Their next game carries significant weight, as they look to extend their postseason run against either LSU–Shreveport or Texas A&M–Texarkana.
With their season on the line, the Saints will aim to build on their strengths, tighten execution, and deliver a complete performance. Their resilience throughout the season positions them well to compete, and they will look to carry that determination into the next round of conference tournament play.
Sean Lin is majoring in Kinesiology and Health Professions with a minor in Psychology. At OLLU, he has combined academics with leadership and performance, earning recognition as a two-time Red River Athletics track and field conference champion, a 2024 third-place finisher at the NCA/NDA Game Day Championships, a 2025 first-place winner, and the 2026 Champion of Character.
His impact reaches across campus and the San Antonio community through his involvement in the OLLU Drumline program, track and field team, and Student Government. Sean says his participation has helped him connect with a wide range of people, use his voice to encourage others, and inspire involvement from those who might not otherwise engage.
After graduation, Sean plans to take a gap year to prepare for a Doctor of Physical Therapy program and eventually open his own clinic. His advice to others is simple: get involved, because being present can lead to opportunities you never expected.
Our Lady of the Lake University is opening a new door for student success with its No-Cost Master’s Program. This five-year pathway allows first-time incoming freshman students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree with little to no graduate tuition. The initiative is designed to reduce financial barriers, speed up degree completion, and help students transition into the workforce with advanced credentials.
The program will begin with five participating master’s degrees: business administration, cybersecurity, cybersecurity management, nonprofit management, and social work. OLLU says the effort is part of its broader commitment to making graduate education more accessible for students who demonstrate academic readiness and financial need.
The pilot will launch with 30 available seats for first-time incoming freshman students. To participate, students must complete one of the approved undergraduate degrees within four years, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and meet additional eligibility requirements. While students will still be responsible for books and some fees, the university is covering the bulk of graduate tuition through institutional support.
OLLU leaders say the program reflects the university’s mission to create opportunity, support student achievement, and prepare graduates for meaningful careers. By offering a streamlined and more affordable path to a master’s degree, the university hopes to open new possibilities for students and strengthen the future of the OLLU community.
Our Lady of the Lake University is proud to welcome Donald E. Graham, chairman of Graham Holdings Company, as the Spring 2026 commencement speaker. A respected business leader and champion for educational access, Graham brings decades of experience in leadership, innovation, and public service.
Beyond his success in the business sector, Graham has made a lasting impact in higher education and student opportunity. He is a co-founder of TheDream.US, the nation’s largest scholarship fund for DREAMers, and previously served as chairman of the District of Columbia College Access Program, where he continues to serve on the board. Through DC-CAP, more than 23,000 students in Washington, D.C. have been helped to enroll in college, with scholarships totaling more than $33 million.
His commitment to expanding access to education reflects OLLU’s own mission and holds special meaning where higher education can open doors, strengthen families, and transform communities. Graham’s experience is a powerful reminder that business success can go hand in hand with a deep investment in students and the future of our society.
Our Lady of the Lake University’s 5K Confetti Run/Walk was a vibrant success, bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters in a joyful celebration of Fiesta spirit and OLLU pride. The event raised a remarkable $27,369 in profit for scholarships, helping open more doors for students while strengthening the university community.
This year’s turnout showed exciting growth, with 85 more registrants than last year. That increase reflects the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of the OLLU family, whose support continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students. From the start of the race to the final confetti-filled moments, the event was filled with excitement, unity, and a shared purpose. See pictures of this fun-filled event here.
The spirit of OLLU was on full display throughout the day. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together not only to run or walk, but to celebrate one another and the university’s mission. The Fiesta atmosphere added to the joy of the event, creating a memorable experience that highlighted the strong sense of community that defines OLLU.
Thank you to all who volunteered and attended this special event!
Our Lady of the Lake University was honored by Northside Independent School District at its Annual Partnership Awards on April 15, 2026, in recognition of a partnership that has made a lasting difference for children and families. Since 2015, OLLU’s Psychology Department has worked with NISD to operate a Family Therapy Clinic at Driggers Elementary School, providing free services to NISD families every Wednesday evening during the fall and spring semesters.
The clinic was established by Dr. Deborah Healy following her retirement from NISD, where she served as Director of Guidance and Counseling Services. With Dr. Bernadette Solorzano and OLLU Marriage and Family Therapy graduate students offering direct support on site, the program has continued for 11 years and has served hundreds of families across the district.
This recognition highlights the strength of the OLLU-NISD partnership and the university’s commitment to community care, student training, and accessible mental health support. Through this enduring collaboration, OLLU continues to live out its mission by serving families and strengthening the well-being of the broader San Antonio community.
Northside Independent School DistrictDr. John M. Craft; Dr. Deborah Healy
We are delighted to recognize our graduating López Scholars: Annika Litterio, who earned a B.A. in Psychology (Pre-Counseling); Adeliy Vargas, who earned a B.S.W. in Social Work; and Alessandra, a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Psychology. As the first graduates of the Hector and Gloria Lopez Scholars Cohort, they have helped mark a meaningful milestone for a program made possible by the generous Hector and Gloria López Foundation gift to Our Lady of the Lake University in 2024.
Through their hard work, leadership, and commitment to excellence, these scholars have made a lasting impact. Alessandra proudly represents El Paso, TX, while Adeliy and Annika continue to represent San Antonio with pride.
We celebrate their achievements and the bright futures ahead of them.
This past Saturday, April 25, saw the fruition of a year-long collaborative project. On a patch of land between the softball field and Elmendorf Lake, OLLU students and employees, along with community partners, erected a 16-foot-tall chimney swift tower. Chimney swifts are for birds whose numbers are in severe decline in San Antonio due to a lack of nesting sites. Traditionally, birds nest within chimneys, but with more metal chimneys these days, birds can’t find safe places to roost. The chimney swift towers are essentially tall, wooden boxes with textured perches built inside to satisfy the birds’ needs.
OLLU’s new campus chimney swift tower was born out of a collaboration with the Bexar County Audubon Society. Last Fall, the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism partnered with faculty from the Department of Mathematics and Sciences to write an Audubon community mini-grant to fund birdhouses and educational materials on campus.
The grant request included the tower on our campus and also traditional nestboxes for OLLU and our neighbors’ campuses: Rodriguez Montessori Elementary School, Little Flower School, and the Las Palmas public library. In addition, the grant allowed for binoculars and educational materials developed in our biology laboratory classes for the children and the public. The new OLLU Audubon student club was involved with the planning and logistics of this project every step of the way.
The construction of the tower took many hands as lots of partners lined up for the project. The cutting of the wood and pre-assembly of different tower modules was completed at Sidney Lanier High School by students in the Career and Technical Education program with their teacher, Mr. Benjamin Rodrigues. The outer skin of the tower was then painted with a colorful mural depicting a rosary, chimney swifts, flowers and the word “OLLU” in a collaborative event last week by students in the Art Ink and Alliance clubs along with faculty from the Visual & New Media Arts program. Also last week, students from the TExAS FAST Scholars program stepped up to help lay the foundation in time for it to properly cure for Saturday.
All of this came together with the final assembly of the tower this past weekend which included OLLU students involved in the vOLLUnteer Unity Council, faculty from Environmental Science and Sustainability, and high school students. All of it came together not just physically but on a deeper level when the participants were joined by Sisters Rose and Anita from the Congregation of Divine Providence who helped bless the tower and recognize its importance as a tool for rebuilding and caring for fragile landscapes.
Everyone is invited to walk down the path on Elmendorf Lake Park or cross 24th Street across from the Chapel and stroll down the road to take a look at how OLLU is helping the environment.
San Antonio, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake baseball closed out a three-game Red River Athletic Conference series against Louisiana State University–Alexandria with a mix of resilience, offensive flashes, and hard-fought moments, ultimately dropping two of the three contests to the Generals.
The Saints opened the series with one of their strongest performances, rallying for a 5–3 victory behind a composed outing from Donovan Gamez. After LSU-A struck early with a three-run second inning, OLLU responded with poise rather than urgency. Diego Zuniga delivered a key two-RBI single in the third, capitalizing on defensive miscues to cut the deficit. The Saints continued to apply pressure in the middle innings, tying the game in the fifth on Jacob Cueva‘s RBI single before taking the lead on an aggressive sequence that saw Alex Rodriguez steal home. Brett Atkinson added insurance in the sixth, and Gamez closed the door, scattering six hits across seven innings to secure the win.
LSU-A answered in Game 2 with an offensive surge that proved difficult to contain. The Generals plated seven runs in the first three innings, taking advantage of early opportunities and consistent contact at the plate. Despite the deficit, OLLU showed persistence offensively, matching LSU-A with 10 hits. Jack Kalisky led the way with three hits and an RBI, while Juan Garcia added a run-scoring double. Aiden Gonzalez and Christian Martinez also contributed multi-hit efforts, but the early gap proved too much to overcome in an 8–2 loss.
The series finale offered a competitive back-and-forth battle that remained within reach into the late innings. OLLU generated timely offense, including extra-base hits from Drew Saucedo and Christian Martinez, while Aiden Gonzalez added a triple to spark scoring opportunities. The Saints built momentum early, but LSU-A responded with steady production and patience at the plate, drawing key walks and capitalizing on scoring chances. Entering the final innings, the game remained tight before the Generals edged ahead, ultimately handing OLLU a 7–5 defeat.
Across the series, OLLU demonstrated its ability to compete offensively, recording double-digit hits in two of the three games and consistently finding ways to respond under pressure. Kalisky highlighted the weekend by becoming the all-time Our Lady Of The Lake University Baseball Hits leader. The Saints Game 1 comeback highlighted their composure and opportunistic play, while the final game underscored their competitiveness against a conference opponent capable of sustaining offensive pressure.
Though the series ended in a 1–2 result, OLLU’s performance reflected a team that continued to battle across all nine innings, showing depth in the lineup and determination on the mound against one of the conference’s top contenders.
