Sports
At 76, 'Batman' is living his dream

Seventy-six-year-old Gene Chidester has experienced a lot in his life. He’s had two separate but equally successful careers, first in the tech industry with Hewlett-Packard, then in private business with a dietary supplements company. He’s lived in Oregon and Utah and spent three years in Uruguay as a Latter-day Saint mission president. He’s currently on the advisory board for the Center of Hope Food Pantry and serving on the Communications Committee (formerly Public Affairs) for the Church of Jesus Christ. He and his wife, Robyn, have raised five children and spoiled 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They have a vacation cabin outside of Heber City.
But until four years ago, there was one experience he hadn’t had.
He’d never been a batboy.
The idea of being one had been lodged in his mind for as long as he could remember — ever since he was a young boy and his dad took him to watch the Salt Lake Bees play at Derks Field in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Retrieving balls and bats, hanging out in the dugout, close enough to feel the whir of 90 mph fastballs, all of it looked like it would be a cool experience.
So in the summer of 2022 he decided to do something about it.
He was watching the Bees play at Smith’s Ballpark (the former Derks Field) with his family, sitting above the dugout on the first-base line, soaking in the atmosphere in one of America’s most scenic baseball fields, when he leaned over to his wife and said, “The time has come.”
To which she said: “The time for what?”
“To get a job as a batboy,” he replied.
That night he went online to the Bees website, “and lo and behold there was an opening for a dugout attendant.” AKA batboy.
Gene applied.
There was nothing in the application regarding age so he didn’t put his down.
He was 73.
Then, lo and behold, he got hired.
He met with Marc Amicone, then the Bees general manager, and Chris Simonsen, the clubhouse manager, neither of whom took issue with his age, or stared at his gray hair, or asked him what time he went to bed.
Like the ballplayers, if he could cut it on the field, he was in.
He’s been in ever since.
This year is his fourth season. A good indicator to how well it’s going, when the Bees switched their playing field from downtown Salt Lake to Herriman this year — turning what had been a 15-minute commute for Gene into an hour when the traffic is heavy (which it usually is) — he didn’t balk at the added time and distance.
“Hey, man, I’m up to $12 an hour,” he grins, noting that he started at $10 an hour.
The experience hasn’t met his expectations, it’s far exceeded them.
“I’ve always loved baseball,” he says, “I just love being a part of all this.”
Except for cleaning cleats after the game, a task Gene calls “the only sucky part.”
Everything else, if anything it’s made him younger.
His shift starts around 5 p.m. with Gene and the other batboy, usually a high school-aged kid, “mudding” the baseballs. It takes about an hour to lightly smear MLB-approved Delaware River mud on 15 dozen baseballs. (The mud improves the grip, Gene explains; it’s a ritual that takes place before every game in every professional baseball league in America.)
During the game, he gets in his 10,000 steps and then some — delivering balls to the umpire, collecting bats and helmets and various other duties. Mentally, he has to stay acutely aware of foul balls, broken bats and everything else that’s going on. “You cannot drift,” he says.
He’s struck up friendships with opposing managers and umpires. “The umpires are very cordial,” he says, “very respectful. I’ve gotten to know some of them because I keep coming back, and it’s fun, because these are young guys trying to build their careers too, just like the players.”
He and Robyn have had Bees players for dinner and hosted them at their cabin. The club has had several Latin ballplayers, “and I make a point to speak to them in Spanish, and they really like that,” says Gene.
His family has a nickname for him. They call him Dug, “short for Dugout Attendant.” Some of the managers and umpires call him “Mr. Gene.” But the name he hears most often, of course, is Batman.
A friend of his has gone so far as to make up a baseball card with “Gene Chidester, Batman.”
“All I need now is some bubblegum and I’ll be in business,” jokes Gene.
“I know I’m an anomaly,” says what might be the world’s oldest batboy. “But I love being around young people and I love being around baseball. I want to do this as long as I can do it, as long as they’ll have me. It’s funny, as each season goes on, the legs just seem to get stronger.”
Sports
Texas Outside Hitter Whitney Lauenstein Transfers To Penn State Women’s Volleyball
Texas outside hitter Whitney Lauenstein announced her commitment to Penn State women’s volleyball out of the transfer portal on Wednesday. Lauenstein posted her decision to transfer to Happy Valley on her Instagram.
As a redshirt senior this past season, Lauenstein logged 33 kills, 11 digs, and 14 total blocks across 20 sets for the Longhorns.
Lauenstein began her NCAA journey with two seasons at Nebraska. As a sophomore, she led the Cornhuskers in total points, earning AVCA All-Region Team and Academic All-Big Ten honors.
After the 2022 season, the Waverly, Nebraska, native stepped away from the team to focus on her family. Lauenstein then transferred to Texas in December of 2023, where she spent the last two seasons.
Lauenstein now joins setter Alexis Stucky and middle blocker Ryla Jones as transfer players who have committed to the Nittany Lions this cycle.
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Sports
Marquette volleyball All-American Natalie Ring transfers to Texas A&M
Updated Dec. 24, 2025, 10:22 a.m. CT
- Marquette volleyball All-American Natalie Ring is transferring to Texas A&M for her final season.
- Ring, a third-team All-American, ranked 25th in the nation with 497 kills this past season.
- She is the second key player to leave Marquette, following freshman setter Isabela Haggard’s transfer to Baylor.
- Marquette has added Ball State’s Carson Tyler, the Mid-American Conference player of the year.
A Marquette volleyball All-American is joining the national champions.
The Golden Eagles’ Natalie Ring announced on social media on Dec. 23 that she will use her final season of NCAA eligibility at Texas A&M.
Ring, a former Madison Edgewood High School standout, was a third-team All-American this season. She ranked 25th in the nation in kills with 497. Ring has 754 kills in her career.
“We are excited to add Natalie to our Aggie family here in Aggieland,” Texas A&M coach Jamie Morrison said in a statement. “She brings a wealth of experience as a well-rounded outside hitter and is a relentless competitor who consistently raised her level against the best competition.”
Ring helped lead the Golden Eagles to the second round of the NCAA tournament under first-year coach Tom Mendoza. MU lost in five sets to host Louisville.
Texas A&M went on a magical run to the national title as a No. 3 seed, beating three of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds, culminating in a sweep of Kentucky in the title game.
Ring is the second key player to leave MU’s team. Freshman setter Isabela Haggard announced a transfer to Baylor after recording 997 assists and 257 digs.
Mendoza has added Ball State’s Carson Tyler, the Mid-American Conference player of the year who will have two seasons of eligibility. She registered 506 kills, which was 18th in the country.
Sports
Izzy Starck transfers to Pitt volleyball from Penn State
Updated Dec. 24, 2025, 12:56 p.m. ET
Pitt volleyball’s fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament national semifinals ended with another heartbreak following an upset loss to the eventual champions, the Texas A&M Aggies. But the Panthers have reloaded for next season with one of the biggest names in the transfer portal.
The Panthers announced the signing of former Penn State setter Izzy Starck on Tuesday, pairing the 2024 AVCA National Freshman of the Year with Olivia Babcock, the two-time AVCA National Player of the Year.
“I’m so excited I cannot wait for next season to start,” Babcock wrote on Instagram. “WOOOOHHOOOO.”
Starck had a breakout freshman campaign at Penn State, recording 1,483 assists (10.89 per set), 342 digs, 112 kills and 99 blocks. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year led the Nittany Lions to a 35-2 overall record under head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley and the program’s eighth national championship.
The 6-foot-1 setter appeared in four games for Penn State before stepping away for the season to prioritize her mental health. Starck said her hiatus wasn’t a “goodbye forever,” but her time at Penn State officially came to an end when she entered the transfer portal earlier this month.
“I am very excited to announce that I will be entering the transfer portal this December. I look forward to finding a new home where I can grow in the next chapter of my career,” said Starck, who has three years of eligibility remaining after redshirting her sophomore season. “I am beyond grateful for the endless support I’ve received over the past months.”
Starck joins a championship contender looking to finally get over the national semifinal hump. Pitt advanced to the 2025 NCAA volleyball Final Four for the fifth consecutive year, but the No. 1 seed Panthers were swept 29-27, 25-21, 25-20 by No. 3 seed Texas A&M. It marked the first time Pitt had been swept all year and the Panthers’ fifth straight time falling short of a national championship berth.
Pitt is in search of its first national championship appearance and first national title.
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Sports
Texas A&M volleyball’s sweep of Kentucky attracts record viewership
Dec. 24, 2025, 10:30 a.m. CT
Texas A&M’s first-ever NCAA Championship win over the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday was one of the most-watched title games in college volleyball history.
The 2025 campaign has featured many first-time achievements for Jamie Morrison’s squad in just his third year as head coach in Bryan-College Station, Texas, including a victory in the No. 2-most-watched NCAA title game ever. Texas A&M’s match against Kentucky attracted a peak of 1.7 million viewers, as part of the most-consumed NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament in the history of the sport.
The Aggies have much to be proud of following their historic run on the court this season. Still, the Maroon and White faithful have also played their own crucial roles in supporting the program as it ventured to some of the most hostile road environments in volleyball. One of those rowdy atmospheres occurred in the Lincoln Regional, where Morrison’s squad dethroned No. 1 seed Nebraska in an instant classic that advanced the Aggies to their first-ever appearance in the Final Four.
Texas A&M’s outstanding season, capped off by a sweep of the Wildcats in the NCAA Championship, played a massive role in etching their name into the viewership history books.
The wheels never stop turning, however. Morrison went straight to work and immediately made a splash in the transfer portal by landing commitments from Ohio State middle blocker Kaia Castle and Marquette outside hitter Natalie Ring. While it hasn’t even been one week since Texas A&M brought the national title to College Station, Morrison and company are already turning their heads to focus on building another stacked roster eager to make more history in 2026.
That approach to recruiting and rebuilding is a massive reason for the Aggies’ recent success on the court under Morrison’s watchful eye. The talented athletes like Logan Lednicky, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and the NCAA MVP Kyndal Stowers have molded this winning culture, which the stars of the future in the Maroon and White will look to build upon and surpass moving forward.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
Sports
K-State Hires Jeremiah Johnson to Serve as Defensive Backs Coach
Johnson comes to Manhattan after serving one season as the defensive coordinator at Coastal Carolina in addition to being the Chanticleers’ interim head coach for the Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech, which will be played next Tuesday.
“When Coach Klein called about joining his staff, it was a no brainer,” said Johnson, who worked with Klein during the 2016 season at Northern Iowa. “Having the opportunity to help him execute his vision for this program is exciting, and I am humbled and honored to work alongside one of the best coaches, leaders and humans in this business. It’s an added bonus that I am able to return to my home state. Nicki, Lane, Drew and I are so grateful to Collin and Shalin for bringing us on their journey and making us a part of their Wildcat Family. Team Johnson is fired up to get to Manhattan and get to work. Go Cats!”
Johnson has also served as a defensive coordinator at Northern Iowa (2014-2021, 2023), Kent State (2022) and Louisiana Tech (2024).
“Jeremiah is one of the best teachers of the game of football I have been around,” said Klein. “He is a relentless recruiter and a program builder. I am very excited to have him on our staff.”
This season, Johnson has helped Coastal advance to its sixth-straight bowl game as the Chanticleers rank 16th nationally and second in the Sun Belt in fourth down defense (40.0%) and 31st in fumble recoveries (8). He has helped Xamarion Gordon to a No. 2 national ranking in fumble recoveries (3) and a No. 5 ranking in the conference in interceptions (3). Myles Woods also had three interceptions on the year, while Johnson has coached Ezekiel Durham-Campbell to a No. 7 ranking in the conference in sacks (0.46 per game).
The Johnson-led Louisiana Tech defense in 2024 ranked 12th nationally in total defense, surrendering only 308.4 yards per game. It was a 98-spot improvement over where the Bulldogs finished in 2023, while his unit also produced a 91-place improvement in scoring defense (21.0 points per game) as they finished at No. 26. Additionally, Johnson led La Tech to an 88-place bump in rushing defense (135.5 yards per game) to rank 44th.
Outside of a one-year hiatus in which he served the 2022 season as Kent State’s defensive coordinator, Johnson coached for 16 seasons at Northern Iowa, spending the 2007 through 2021 seasons – in addition to the 2023 campaign – in Cedar Falls. While at UNI, Johnson coached Panther defenders to a combined 32 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) First Team honors, five MVFC Defensive Players of the Year, one Buck Buchanan Award winner, 15 Associated Press FCS All-America honors and seven American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American accolades.
In 11 seasons as the UNI defensive coordinator, Johnson’s defenses ranked in the top 10 nationally in statistical categories 29 times, which included turnovers gained on six occasions (highest ranking of No. 2 in 2019 with 34), defensive touchdowns four times (highest ranking of No. 5 in 2016 and 2019 with 4) and scoring defense three times (best ranking of No. 6 at 15.3 points per game in the Spring of 2021). During his first run as defensive coordinator from 2014 through 2021, UNI ranked sixth in the FCS by allowing 19.9 points per game over a 99-game span. He was also named a finalist for the 2019 FootballScoop FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year award.
The Panthers won four conference championships during Johnson’s time at UNI. Additionally, they made 10 FCS Playoff appearances and advanced past the first round in eight of 10 seasons, which included a semifinal showing in 2008 and quarterfinal appearances in 2015 and 2019.
Before being promoted to coordinator, Johnson coached the Northern Iowa defensive backs and served as the recruiting coordinator from 2009 through 2012. In 2007 and 2008, he was the video coordinator and assistant defensive backs coach.
Johnson went to UNI after working the 2003 through 2006 seasons at Loras College, serving on the same staff as former K-State head coach Chris Klieman. Johnson worked with the Duhawk defensive backs in 2003, 2004 and 2006, while he coached the wide receivers in 2005. Prior to his time at Loras, he was a graduate assistant and video coordinator at Wyoming in 2002.
A native of Scandia, Kansas, Johnson obtained his undergraduate degree in sports science from Kansas in 2000, while he earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Loras in 2005.
Johnson and his five, Nicki, have a son, Lane, and a daughter, Drew.
THE JEREMIAH JOHNSON FILE
Hometown: Scandia, Kansas
College: Kansas – Bachelor’s degree in sports science (2000); Loras College – Master’s degree in athletic administration (2005)
Family: Wife: Nicki; Children: Lane, Drew
JEREMIAH JOHNSON’S COACHING CAREER
2002, Wyoming (Graduate Assistant/Video Coordinator)
2003-04, Loras College (Defensive Backs)
2005, Loras College (Wide Receivers)
2006, Loras College (Defensive Backs)
2007-08, Northern Iowa (Video Coordinator/Assistant Defensive Backs Coach)
2009-12, Northern Iowa (Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator)
2013-16, Northern Iowa (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2017-21, Northern Iowa (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2022, Kent State (Defensive Coordinator)
2023, Northern Iowa (Defensive Coordinator)
2024, Louisiana Tech (Defensive Coordinator)
2025, Coastal Carolina (Defensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach)
2026, K-State (Defensive Backs)
Sports
Texas A&M Volleyball adds another productive player from the portal
Dec. 24, 2025, 5:40 p.m. CT
Winning championships is always the top goal for any athletic program. However, when you go deep into the postseason, especially in volleyball, it can interfere with the staff’s ability to recruit. That’s a good problem to have when you’re bringing home hardware, and Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison is already getting work done in the NCAA transfer portal.
Needing to reload a roster that’s losing nine seniors, including four All-Americans and two future professional players, Coach Morrison received some major news on Tuesday. It was announced that former Boise State middle blocker Eliza Sharp has committed to Texas A&M. This gives A&M another young talent to develop and brings some elite production.
Originally, Coach Morrison had a five-year plan to reach a national title, which meant he understood that the roster he had now would be a crucial part of turning the Aggie volleyball program into a national powerhouse. With him now ahead of schedule by two years, it gives him a significant advantage in recruiting and positions Texas A&M for a quick turnaround to make another championship run in the near future.
Below is key information on the third commit joining the 2026 Texas A&M volleyball team.
Eliza Sharp – Middle Blocker
- Former School: Boise State
- Class: RS Freshman
- Eligibility: Three years remaining
- Stats: 250 career kills, 2.21 kills per set, .323 hitting percentage, 140 career blocks, 1.2 blocks per set, Mountain West Freshman of the Year, All-Mountain West
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
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