• The city is a popular destination for birdwatching, with over 300 species spotted.
• The new Harbor Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the United States.
• A statue of Selena Quintanilla-Perez stands on McGee Beach.

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS — If you pause for a moment on a bay-side deck of the Texas State Aquarium, you can look to your right and see across the water to the Art Museum of South Texas. To your left is anchored the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay. Just below is a long stretch of the well-kept North Beach, heavily used by visitors and locals alike and literally the backyard of the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel. The wind is blowing, the tide is roaring and the laughing gulls are the soundtrack one expects at the beach.

And that’s when you know you are on vacation.

Situated on Corpus Christi Bay, the city of Corpus Christi is the largest town in what’s known as the Texas Tropical Trail Region. The stretch along the Gulf includes such year-round tourist hot spots as Port Aransas, Mustang Island and South Padre Island. Corpus Christi is the most accessible by air, with service by Southwest, American and United airlines.

Another beauty spot in Corpus is McGee Beach, described by Visit Corpus Christi as “beachfront bliss in the middle of downtown.”

It’s hard to top the beach for convenience, with proximity to name-brand hotels, local and chain restaurants and the Corpus Christi Marina. The warm waters of the bay make the beach a great place to do absolutely nothing, but fishing and sand volleyball are also options.

It goes without saying that Mexican restaurants abound, and Frida’s in downtown Corpus Christi is a standout. If you go easy on the enchiladas and fajitas, you’ll have room for a heavenly slice of flan, artfully topped with sliced strawberries, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a luscious dollop of whipped cream.

There’s also a pilgrimage site on McGee Beach: a life-sized bronze statue of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, the famed Tejano singer-songwriter who spent most of her life in Corpus Christi and was shot to death there on March 31, 1995, at the age of 23. The Selena Museum at 5410 Leopard St. in Corpus Christi is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

The Port of Corpus Christi has been in operation since 1926 and is the nation’s largest energy export gateway and world’s third-largest export port for crude oil, boasting a 54-foot-deep ship channel that was recently widened.

The talk of the town these days is the new Harbor Bridge, which opened on June 28. The old Harbor Bridge’s 138 feet of navigational clearance across the channel, which met World War II standards when built, made the Port of Corpus Christi less competitive with other Gulf Coast deepwater ports because of today’s larger ship sizes.

The imposing new bridge, with 205 feet of clearance above the water, is designed to improve public safety and enhance economic development opportunities for the port. It’s now the longest cable-stayed bridge in the United States, with features such as a shared-use path, a community plaza, nighttime lighting and xeriscape landscaping.

Corpus Christi is justifiably proud of its distinction as the Birdiest City in America, a title it’s claimed every year since 2003. Birders in Corpus Christi have spotted upwards of 300 of the more than 600 species known to inhabit or migrate through the giant state of Texas.

The spring migration season is celebrated every April during “The Birdiest Festival in America,” at Southwest Botanical Gardens. The five-day event features field trips, workshops and keynote speakers who are renowned in the birding world.

Christopher Saenz, of Port Aransas, led this year’s field trip to Port Aransas birding hot spots. He said he started casually looking for birds during the COVID-19 pandemic, “and before I knew it, I had a camera and binoculars.”

Saenz said the Birdiest Festival welcomes birders in every stage of the hobby, with workshops geared toward beginners as well as field trips designed to help seasoned participants find species that have eluded them.

Kimberly Burk was a guest of Visit Corpus Christi

If You Go

Other places to visit in and around Corpus Christi:

• The USS Lexington, an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943, was decommissioned in 1991 and since 1992 has been a floating museum just off North Beach. You can start your tour by watching an excellent film featuring men and women who served on the ship during its 48-year U.S. Navy career.
• Water Street Oyster Bar and Blue Clove Seafood Bar and Grill offer authentic examples of Coastal cuisine.
• A colorful downtown mural titled “Wanderer” celebrates the visit of a rare South American bird known as a cattle tyrant. The yellow and red flycatcher was first spotted in November 2023, having never been seen north of Panama. Like many of the birds that unexpectedly drop in along the Coastal Bend, it’s believed it was blown off course by a hurricane.

From a UCLA email:

As many of you already know, our men’s and women’s water polo teams are currently representing the United States at the 2025 World University Games. Both teams have advanced to the Gold Medal match—marking the first time in history that both the USA men’s and women’s teams will medal at the same WUGs. This unprecedented achievement is even more significant when considering that all other teams are made up of the top athletes from their respective countries, while we are competing as a single college team.

Our women’s team will face the host country, Germany, at 8:00 AM PST. Immediately following, our men’s team will play Italy—the team we trained with for a week before the Games—at 9:45 AM PST.

https://www.fisu.tv/featured-category/events/water-polo-w-m-bronze-gold-medal

GCM Staff Report

Gulf Shores High School baseball has been recognized as one of nearly 750 programs nationwide to earn the 2024-25 ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award.

The award, announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association, honors high school and college programs that maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale throughout the academic year. Gulf Shores was one of more than 300 high school teams to receive the distinction, joining over 440 collegiate programs across the country.

For Dolphins baseball, the academic honor adds to a growing resume of achievement.

To be eligible, teams must be coached by a current ABCA member and submit a nomination by the July 18 deadline following the spring semester. The honor reflects a strong academic culture within programs that prioritize success in the classroom as well as on the field.

A full list of 2024-25 ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award recipients is available at ABCA.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Southern Arkansas University Department of Athletics announced it will add seven new individual members and two teams to its 2025 Sports Hall of Fame. It will be the 22nd class. This is the third in a series of those new nominees.

Former Southern Arkansas University baseball standout Logan Williams, track & field/football star Phil Trotter and Lady Mulerider volleyball/track star Lesa Ayers-Johnson are headed in the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Williams, a Modern Era nominee, arrived in Magnolia by way of the University of Mississippi, and it didn’t take long for the Damascus, Arkansas native to make his presence felt in a Mulerider uniform. Over the course of just two seasons, Williams established himself as one of the most productive and decorated players in Mulerider Baseball history.

Williams was also a highly decorated athlete during his time with the Muleriders. During the 2010 campaign, Williams was named to the All-Gulf South Conference (GSC) First Team (1B), Daktronics/D2CCA All-Region First Team (1B), NCBWA All-America honorable mention (1B), NCBWA All-Region First Team (1B), and Rawlings/ABCA All-Region first team (1B).

In his final campaign with SAU in 2011, Williams was named All-GSC first team (3B), Daktronics/D2CCA All-Region second team (3B), NCBWA All-Region first team (1B), NCBWA All-America second team (3B), Rawlings/ABCA All-Region first team (1B), and Rawlings/ABCA All-America third team (3B). Williams was also named the Auburn Smith Athlete of the Year for the Muleriders, the highest honor an athlete can receive while playing at SAU.

During his two-year stint with the Muleriders, Williams posted highly impressive stats, including 102 games played, 110 runs scored, 395 at-bats, 145 hits, 24 doubles, 29 home runs, 148 RBIs, and 41 walks.

Williams also ranks sixth highest slugging percentage all-time (.668), ninth all-time in home runs (29), tenth all-time in RBI’s (148), and fourth all-time in Sac Flies (16).

Golden Era nominee Trotter, a two-time NAIA Track & Field All-American from Le Marque, Texas, was a true standout for Southern State College, leaving his mark in both Mulerider Track & Field and Football. Known for his versatility and relentless drive, Trotter excelled in multiple arenas, making history and setting records that would stand the test of time.

On the track, he was part of record-breaking relay teams that set the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference on fire, contributing to back-to-back conference championships. Off the track, Trotter’s football skills as a talented tailback helped seal key victories.

Trotter’s involvement with the Mulerider Track & Field team is one for the books, as the relay athlete was part of record-setting teams for the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference. Trotter and his mile relay and 440-yard relay squads set both conference records in 1967, with Trotter being the first leg in both.

The relay team, which was composed of multiple SAU Sports Hall of Famers, recorded a time of 3:16.0 in the mile and 41.6 in the 440-yard relays. Both records ended up being reset the next season, but both by Southern State College teams, with Trotter on the 1968 440-yard relay squad. In that same season, Trotter and his 1600-meter medley relay teammates set the event’s record at 3:25.50, which still stands today as a program record.

Not only were records broken during Trotter’s years at SSC, but the Texas native was also a key part of the 1966 and 1967 Mulerider Track and Field squads that claimed the program’s first and second Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference titles with back-to-back years of dominance.

While Trotter was dominant on the track, he also proved to be a talented tailback for Head Coach Auburn Smith on the Mulerider Football team. The Mulerider halfback had a standout game himself during the 1967 campaign contest with the Livingston State Tigers, now the West Alabama Tigers. Trotter put the final nail in the coffin against the Tigers with the Muleriders’ final score of the evening coming on a 5-yard run for the score and the 25-0 lead. Southern State College went on to win that contest 25-7.

Hailing from Nacogdoches, Texas, Golden Era Ayers-Johnson made her mark at Southern Arkansas University as a standout athlete in both Volleyball and Women’s Track and Field. Throughout her four years as a student-athlete at SAU, she earned recognition for her contributions to both teams, solidifying her place as one of the university’s top athletes during her time on campus.

Her volleyball career was highlighted by All-District honors and an AIC Championship, while her track accomplishments included multiple individual championships and breaking conference records. Ayers-Johnson’s dedication to both sports made her a valuable member of the Mulerider athletic family, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and achievement.

In the 1987 and 1988 volleyball seasons, the Lone Star native was named to the NAIA’s All-District 17 team, as well as making her way onto the All-AIC team in the 1988 season. Both campaigns for Mulerider Volleyball ended with success, with the ’87 squad finishing in second place in the AIC after going 9-3 in conference and 27-9 overall. The following season, Mulerider Volleyball went on to claim its first AIC Championship as co-champs with Ouachita Baptist, with the pair going 11-1 in the league and the Muleriders finishing 23-8 overall. In the 1989 and 1990 volleyball seasons, Ayers-Johnson acted as a student assistant for SAU Sports Hall of Fame coaches, Dr. Ginger Hurst and Coach Michelle Shoppach, and as a graduate assistant under head coach Judy Bourne.

For her time on the Mulerider Women’s Track and Field squad, Ayers-Johnson was a top performer for the group in the 1990 Arkansas Intercollege Conference Championship Meet, as the Nacogdoches native placed first in four respective events, which included a first-place finish in the 400-meter relay. The multi-event athlete also set new standards for the conference at the time, breaking the then 100-meter hurdles record with a time of 15.09. The 1990 All-AIC member also claimed individual championships for the long jump (18′ 2″) and the 400-meter hurdles (1:08.16). That 1990 season marked the first season for the Women’s Track and Field program at Southern Arkansas University, and the team did not disappoint as the squad finished in second with just a 10-point deficit (144 points scored).

LONG BEACH, Calif. – New Long Beach State Softball Head Coach Kendall Fearn has immediately addressed the vacant roster spots for her program, adding two infielders, two pitchers, and a catcher from the transfer portal for the 2026 roster.
 
Isabella Alonso | Pitcher | Cypress, Calif. | CSUN
 
A familiar foe will be coming to Long Beach State, as the Beach adds a pitcher with plenty of Big West experience in Isabella Alonso from CSUN. Part of the rotation for CSUN in each of the last three seasons, Alonso has thrown over 100 innings in all three seasons, posting a career ERA of 3.54 while striking out 168 batters with just 118 walks. An Honorable Mention All-Big West selection after her first season with the Matadors, Alonso was named to the All-Tournament Team at last season’s Big West Championship after recording a pair of saves as CSUN advanced to the finals in Fullerton.
 
Kendall Fearn on Alonso:
“Bella is on a mission in her senior season, and representing her hometown at Long Beach State means everything! Her poise, maturity, and robust experience in the circle will be a major asset to our pitching staff. I can’t wait to see her rock this opportunity, lead with conviction, and make that statement she is driven to make.”
 
Jailynn Banda | Pitcher | Norwalk, Calif. | St. John’s
 
Jailynn Banda returns to Southern California after one season at St. John’s. Banda made 12 appearances, including three starts, as a true freshman for the Red Storm, posting a 3.46 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning during her time in New York. Banda threw a complete game while tying a career high with five strikeouts against Penn State in a standout performance in her first collegiate season in the circle.
 
Kendall Fearn on Banda:
“We’re excited to welcome Jailynn back to Southern California. She brings incredible fire and passion to the game, and her competitive spirit, character, and team-first mindset make her a perfect fit for the culture. I’m looking forward to the impact she will make at Long Beach State, both right away and throughout her career.”
 
Jiselle Hernandez | Infield | Riverside, Calif. | Penn State
 
A tremendous all-around athlete, Jiselle Hernandez has spent the last two seasons at Penn State where she played in 38 games as a true freshman and made 20 appearances in the circle as a sophomore for the Nittany Lions. Recruited to the Beach as an infielder, Hernandez had a pair of doubles and a home run as a true freshman while only making six errors across 34 starts.
 
Kendall Fearn on Hernandez:
“Jiselle is poised to make a big impact in the Big West Conference as a skilled defender, clutch hitter, and brings a competitive edge that will elevate our program. She’s a selfless teammate who proved her team-first mentality by transitioning from shortstop to pitcher in the Big Ten last season. I’m excited to welcome Jiselle and her family to The Beach as we begin this new chapter together.”
 
Audree Mendoza | Catcher | San Diego, Calif. | Penn State
 
Also coming to the Beach from Penn State, Mendoza redshirted last season after a strong freshman campaign. Hitting .250 while playing in 35 games as a true freshman, Mendoza got off to a great start in her college career with five hits in her first six games and saved some of her best for a big moment, hitting a home run with a career-high three RBI in an NCAA Regional appearance with Penn State.
 
Kendall Fearn on Mendoza:
“Audree is a dynamic leader and talented student-athlete with valuable postseason experience. We’re thrilled to welcome her back home to Southern California and excited for the impact she’ll make both offensively and behind the plate. Long Beach State Softball fans are going to enjoy her presence, confidence, and leadership on the field.”
 
Brooke Subia | Infield | Covina, Calif. | Portland State
 
Brooke Subia returns to Southern California after two years at Portland State. A two-time All-CIF selection at Charter Oak High School, Subia played in 27 games, starting 16 as a true freshman with the Vikings. She started the first three games of 2025 before missing the rest of the season.
 
Kendall Fearn on Subia:
“Brooke is a fiery, fun, and competitive student-athlete who brings an exciting style of play to The Beach. She’s a true competitor in everything she does, and I can’t wait to see her blossom on the college softball stage. We’re thrilled to welcome her back home and for her to have the opportunity to play in front of her family, which is deeply important to her.”
 
Those four players join five high school signees who remained committed to the program in Elissa Guerrero, Audrey Lopetegui, Pricilla Ramirez, Nina Sepulveda and Kali Su’e. Read more about those additions here.