Jace LaViolette ’26
Staying true to his Aggie roots with unwavering loyalty
By Will Johnson ’01
When Jace LaViolette reflects on Texas A&M’s thrilling journey to the winner-take-all finale at the 2024 College World Series, he speaks with the wide-eyed wonder of a kid playing Little League.
“By far, the most fun I’ve ever had playing this game,” said the Aggies’ centerfielder.
The Katy, Texas native started swinging a bat as a young boy after his mother gave him an ultimatum: play baseball or join the Boy Scouts of America.
“At the moment, I was like, ‘Dude, Boy Scouts are awesome,’ but I think I chose the right path,” LaViolette said with a chuckle. “I obviously chose to play baseball, and I fell in love with the game at a really young age.”
Playing on college baseball’s biggest stage, he brought star power to the A&M program while holding on to the youthful joy of the game. His love for baseball and being part of a team was shaped, in part, by the place he chose to play.
“The fans — you can’t get much better than that,” LaViolette said while reminiscing about the 2024 season. “It was just different. Everyone was rallying behind us. It felt like we were just one big family.”
LaViolette understands what makes Aggieland special. Even as a rising star, he stays grounded and true to his roots. But make no mistake — his star is bright, and he made a commitment to letting it shine in College Station.
He led the charge that kept himself — and his teammates — at A&M during a time of transition.
“That’s how much this school means to us,” LaViolette said. “That’s how much this university has done for us. I believe that once you’re an Aggie, you’re always an Aggie.”
“I can’t thank the 12th Man and the 12th Man Foundation donors enough for what they have done for me and my family. It has been unbelievable.”
During that time of flux shortly after the 2024 College World Series, LaViolette was a steadying presence.
“Why try to go somewhere else when we can stay here, be a part of the best university in the nation and have the best fans in the nation,” he said.
LaViolette and the core group that came just one swing away from a national championship returned to Aggieland for another season in 2025.
Beyond the accolades, LaViolette is also known for his memorable nickname, “Lord Tubbington” — a title bestowed by his ever-humorous teammate Hayden Schott. But that nickname did not suffice for long. On March 29, 2025, LaViolette became A&M’s home run “king,” launching his 57th career homer to break a tie with Daylan Holt ’01, who hit 56 from 1998 to 2000.
“There’s two ways to look at it: you can be happy, or you can be sad,” Holt said lightheartedly about his record being on borrowed time. “For me and everything that Jace has done, I’m taking the happy route.”
Holt has a great appreciation for how LaViolette has represented the program.
“He is a great kid,” Holt said. “What he has been able to do and accomplish is absolutely crazy.”
LaViolette is part of a different era of college baseball than Holt and other Aggie record holders — one defined by the transfer portal and NIL. He bypassed opportunities to enter the portal, and NIL has only enhanced his appreciation for A&M and its faithful fanbase.
“It’s definitely put me in a position I never thought I would be in,” LaViolette said. “It’s put me in a position where I can better myself and do things that can help me for the long run.”
LaViolette knows what it means to be an Aggie — and just how special the support is for Aggie student-athletes.
“I can’t thank the 12th Man and the 12th Man Foundation donors enough for what they have done for me and my family,” he said. “It has been unbelievable.”
With a pro career on the horizon, LaViolette remains a star who has not forgotten the joy that first drew him to the game. Focused on what lies ahead, he has fully embraced his opportunities as an Aggie — and will leave behind a legacy rooted in pride, passion and a genuine love for Texas A&M.