After securing the 2024 Spirit Rally National Title, the Texans looked to go back-to-back but this time competing at the Division I level for the first time in program history after the Purple and White’s completion of the four-year transition.
“We are incredibly proud of this team,” said head coach Blaine Hamilton. “They worked hard all year and there is no better feeling to see it all pay off. Running into the ocean with that trophy is a feeling like no other.”
Tarleton State did just that as they brought home their third ship in three years and fourth overall. The Texans have become a powerhouse in recent years cementing their spot in the history books.
“Winning back-to-back titles is not easy by any means, so to win three in three years is amazing,” said assistant coach Madison Scott. “To see everything come to fruition and for them to leave everything they had on the mat and come out with the result we wanted makes it even sweeter.”
Things officially got underway on Thursday when the Texans took the stage for the first time this year in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2025 for prelims. The Purple and White gave it everything they had putting an incredible performance on the mat and the judges took notice. Following prelims, Tarleton State sat in the coveted No. 1 spot with a 93.0 as the Texans hit zero (no deductions). Saint Joseph’s sat second with an 89.6 (0.25 deduction). Niagara rounded out the top-three with an 87.9 as they hit zero.
The next five teams all hit zero as Texas Southern sat in fourth place with an 87.1 followed by Lamar in fifth with an 87.1. Sacramento State claimed the No. 6 spot with an 84.9 while Yale and Robert Morris rounded out the final two spots with an 82.1 and 80.4 respectively.
While sitting in first is nice, the Texans had more to prove and show the judges why they are the best. Coming into finals, everyone’s prelims score counts 25% of the final score tabulation after all final’s performances.
As the Texans held the No. 1 spot, that meant they were the last in the division to compete as the final’s performance order starts with last place and ends with the top team. Tarleton State took the stage looking to prove once again why they deserved to be named National Champions. The Purple and White gave it everything they had and turned in a raw score of 94.1. Following a 0.25 deduction and their prelim score calculated in, the Texans were named National Champions for the third year in a row this time with a 93.7125, 3.65 points ahead of the next closest team in Saint Joseph’s.