Dr. Wendi Williams, the 2026 President of the American Psychological Association, visited OLLU on April 7 to meet with Psychology students and discuss the current and future field of psychology.
During the visit, Dr. Williams answered student-generated questions and held a conversation with students Kimberly Hawthorne, Abigail Zavala, and Star Sanchez. The discussion gave students the opportunity to engage directly with a national leader in the field and explore important topics shaping the future of psychology.
Jeni Brett, Coordinator for Student Programming in the Center for Student Involvement, has been selected to participate in the 2026 NASPA New Professionals Institute (NPI), a premier professional development experience co-sponsored by NASPA Region III and the Southern Association for College Student Affairs.
NPI is an intensive, week-long institute focused on leadership development, mentorship, and professional growth. Participants engage in interactive learning, small group mentorship, and collaborative dialogue designed to strengthen their effectiveness in the field. The experience also emphasizes meaningful networking, allowing participants to build lasting professional connections with peers and mentors across the region.
Jeni will attend the Institute in June 2026 in Arlington, Texas, joining a cohort of professionals committed to advancing student success in higher education. Through this experience, she will bring back new strategies, insights, and connections to further support student engagement, leadership development, and belonging at OLLU.
The OLLU Visual and New Media Arts program will present “Pain & Comfort,” a senior exhibition and capstone presentation by Dayanara Torres, also known as Dreamy Dulce.
In this new body of work, Torres explores personal experiences and pain through a multidisciplinary artistic approach while reflecting on the coping mechanisms that have shaped her journey.
The opening reception will be held on April 30 from 6-8 p.m. in the Library Community Room. Guests are invited to attend and experience this special presentation of Torres’ work. For more information, contact dtorres21sp61@ollusa.edu.
Our Lady of the Lake secured a 4–2 victory over Dillard University, using a strong doubles performance and key singles wins to come out on top in conference play.
The Saints established early momentum in doubles. Fukushima and Chiao dominated at No. 1 with a 6–0 win over Pisar and Chambon. While Muller and Guerrero fell 3–6 at No. 2 to Homma and Pereira, Laure and Peters delivered a 6–3 victory over Peres and Hatem at No. 3 to clinch the doubles point and give Our Lady of the Lake a 2–1 lead.
In singles, the Saints continued to build on that advantage. Guerrero earned an important win at No. 1, battling past Chiao in a competitive three-set match, 7–6, 7–6, 6–1. At No. 2, Pisar was awarded the victory after Fukushima was forced to retire, adding another point for Our Lady of the Lake.
Dillard responded with a win at No. 3, where Pereira defeated Peters, but the Saints answered at No. 4 as Laure secured a hard-fought three-set victory over Homma, 6–1, 0–6, 6–1, to keep the momentum on their side.
With the match already in hand, Muller added a strong comeback win at No. 5, rallying for a 3–6, 6–4, 6–1 victory over Peres, and Chambon closed out play with a 6–1, 6–4 win over Hatem at No. 6.
Our Lady of the Lake’s depth and resilience were on full display, as the team capitalized on doubles success and delivered in key singles moments to earn the 4–2 victory.
The Our Lady of the Lake Saints baseball team earned a doubleheader sweep over Huston-Tillotson, winning Game 1 by a score of 10-1 and Game 2 by a score of 11-4, behind consistent pitching performances and balanced offensive production across both contests.
In Game 1, the Saints took control early and never trailed, scoring in multiple innings while applying steady pressure throughout the lineup. Joshua Milton led the offense with three RBIs on two hits, while Diego Zuniga and Christian Martinez each contributed two RBIs. Additional run production came from Jacob Cueva, Aiden Gonzalez, and Brett Atkinson, as the Saints capitalized on 10 walks and limited defensive miscues by Huston-Tillotson.
Manuel Flores delivered a strong start on the mound, pitching seven innings and allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. His efficiency and ability to work ahead in counts kept Huston-Tillotson from generating sustained offensive momentum. The Rams lone run came on an RBI by Jacob Perez.
Game 2 featured a more competitive start before Our Lady of the Lake again pulled away for an 11-4 victory. Huston-Tillotson produced five hits and four runs, with RBI contributions from Joseph Brown, Kendall Brown, Jacob Perez, and Israel Brenes. The Rams also added stolen bases from Joseph Brown, Jeremiah Wiley, and Brenes, but were unable to sustain scoring opportunities against the Saints’ pitching staff.
Offensively, the Saints once again displayed depth and situational hitting. Benjamyn Hovda, Drew Saucedo, Joshua Milton, Christian Martinez, Juan Garcia, Brett Atkinson, and Alex Rodriguez all contributed to the scoring output. Saucedo and Alex Rodriguez each drove in multiple runs, while Martinez and Hovda provided key extra-base production and run support throughout the lineup. The Saints also benefited from aggressive baserunning and timely execution with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, Mason Ruiz started for the Saints, working 3.2 innings while striking out five. Xavior Salazar earned the win in relief, followed by effective appearances from Christian Perez and Nolan Nicholson, as the bullpen limited Huston-Tillotson over the final innings to secure the victory.
For Huston-Tillotson, Bryce Sanchez started and was followed by Anthony Larzabal and Cullen Lee. The staff combined for seven strikeouts but struggled with command, issuing eight walks and allowing 11 runs in the contest.
Across both games, Our Lady of the Lake combined strong pitching performances with disciplined offensive execution, outscoring Huston-Tillotson 21-5 over the doubleheader to secure the sweep.
The return to NCA/NDA Nationals in Daytona Beach marked another significant chapter for OLLU Dance and Cheer, a program that has established itself as a consistent presence among the nation’s top collegiate teams. Competing in an event that brought together over 1,500 teams, 75,000 athletes, and representation from 45 states across three days, the level of competition remained exceptionally high, demanding precision, consistency, and composure at every stage.
Following a national championship the previous year, OLLU Cheer entered the NAIA Game Day division with a clear understanding of the expectations associated with their program. Their performance reflected strong dedication, effective crowd-leading ability, and a disciplined approach throughout. Earning a score of 80.0875, they secured a second-place finish behind Texas Wesleyan. The result highlights both the competitive nature of the division and OLLU’s continued position among its top programs.
OLLU Dance also demonstrated a solid performance at the national level, finishing 7th overall with a score of 73.95 in the NAIA Team Performance Division. In a field characterized by technical difficulty and creative choreography, the team maintained a high standard of execution and synchronization. Their placement reflects both the depth of talent within the division and the program’s ongoing commitment to growth and refinement.
Overall, OLLU Dance and Cheer once again performed at a level consistent with a nationally competitive program. Their results at Daytona reinforce a strong foundation and position them well for continued success in future national competitions.
The top eight teams remained unchanged in the latest NAIA Women’s Tennis Top 25, with Keiser (Fla.) continuing to lead the way at No. 1 with 300 points and 11 first-place votes. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Tennessee Wesleyan held steady at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, as the top tier of the poll remained intact.
Outside of that group, St. Thomas (Fla.) delivered the most notable climb, jumping from No. 13 into the top 10 at No. 9. Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) also moved up one spot to No. 15, while Indiana Wesleyan inched back into the top 20 at No. 20 after sitting at No. 21 in the previous poll.
Further down the rankings, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) entered the poll at No. 21 after previously receiving votes, marking the largest overall jump this week. Coastal Georgia also continued its upward movement, climbing from No. 25 to No. 22.
The final poll will be released on Wednesday, April 22.
RRAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week – Willis Thibeaux – Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)
OLLU freshman Willis Thibeaux participated in the Cactus Cup hosted by Texas A&M-Kingsville. He placed first among NCAA D2 schools and set an OLLU record in the long jump with a mark of 7.61m among a field of 15. He finished second in the triple jump with a 14.09m mark. Six men participated in this event.
Our Lady of the Lake University has earned Silver-level recognition from the Exercise is Medicine on Campus Committee, an initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine. The recognition honors OLLU’s commitment to educating students, faculty and staff about the benefits of physical activity and to fostering a culture of wellness on campus. The certificate below identifies OLLU as a “2026–27 Silver Campus.”
OLLU’s Exercise is Medicine on Campus (EIM-OC) program began in fall 2024 and has included initiatives such as the President’s Walk, the SAINTS Challenge, a blood pressure monitoring program and educational sessions. OLLU is the only campus in San Antonio to be recognized as an EIM-OC campus.
OLLU leadership will be recognized at a ceremony in May during ACSM’s Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The OLLU EIM-OC leadership team is led by Dr. Emily Sauers, Professor in Kinesiology, and includes Karen D’Amata, Director of Counseling and Wellness Services, Prof. Michael Maspero, Instructor in Kinesiology, and Kinesiology students Isai Moran and Isabella Maldonado-Esparza.
Julian S. Garcia, a 1975 graduate of Our Lady of the Lake College, has published his first novel, When VIAztlan Was the Rage. Garcia studied sociology and bilingual education at OLLU and is now adding fiction to a long record of published writing.
Garcia is a regular Op-Ed contributor for the San Antonio Express-News, San Francisco Chronicle and other Hearst publications. His work has also appeared on the Texas State Historical Association website.
The ebook edition of When VIAztlan Was the Rage has been published by Tiltwood Press, with a paperback edition expected in summer 2026. The book cover describes the novel as “a novel of writers, rebellion, and literary awakening.”
A literary novel exploring the vibrant history of the ViAztlan International journal in the 1980s, captures the creative energy, cultural rivalries, and artistic voices that shaped San Antonio’s West Side and connected local writers to an international literary movement.
This accomplishment highlights the continued impact of OLLU alumni in literature, journalism and public thought.
