The sports atmosphere in Aggieland is unlike any other. From the stadium noise to the 12th Man’s dedication, every aspect of Texas A&M sports just feels different ⸺ something Allison Lowrey could feel when she attended the Aggies’ baseball game against Oregon while on a visit to Texas A&M.
“The fans were wrapping their arms around us for the War Hymn, and there’s bubbles going everywhere,” Lowrey said. “It was crazy and a complete culture shock. The fans, the way they care and are a part of it. The whole 12th Man is so real.”
A&M soccer landed star transfers from the Big 12, the West Coast Conference and the Big Ten during the offseason. One Rutgers transfer in particular is looking to make a name for herself in Aggieland: graduate forward Allison Lowrey.
“I spent four years at Rutgers and lived 20 minutes away from home,” Lowrey said. “I felt that it was time for me to get out of my comfort zone. So I entered the portal and looked at some great schools. A&M was my last visit. I got on campus — and just something about it. I called my parents that night in the hotel. I was like, ‘We didn’t talk money. We didn’t talk about anything, but this is where I’m going.’”
The New Jersey native stayed close to home at Rutgers, scoring 21 goals and 15 assists in her four years in New Brunswick while securing a College Cup appearance in 2021
“They were my family away from home,” Lowrey said. “I learned a lot of lessons there and got to see a lot of parts of the game. I had great seasons. I had not-as-great of seasons. We went to the Final Four, won the Big 10. I was a starter, [and] I was not a starter. I kind of got to see the game from all aspects, and that’s something that I definitely use a lot to talk to girls who are younger on the teams I play for, because I’ve been where they are. I’ve worked my way up in the same way.”
After the Rutgers star realized she needed a change, she knew the transition wouldn’t be easy and thanked her new teammates for their support.
“The girls were so great to me,” Lowrey said. “Over the summer, I was kind of bouncing from place to place. I didn’t have a place to live until August, so they were all so good to me and just helped me get acclimated so well.”
Upon moving to Aggieland in the summer, Lowrey relied on her helpful new teammates for a temporary home while she waited for her lease to begin. She cited how kind and accommodating her new friends were, and how welcoming the culture of the university was.
Lowrey says A&M felt different from the other schools she considered. She fell in love with the history, culture, coaches and more — a “phenomenal and great first impression,” she said.
Playing four years of collegiate level soccer has given her many impactful memories with former teammates, and with the Aggies set to face SEC opponents housing some of her former teammates, Lowrey said more than a few matches will feel like a homecoming.
“I mean, it’s kind of crazy, transferring from Jersey to Texas,” Lowrey said. “A lot of the teams I’m playing against, I know girls on. Which is kind of crazy, like we had Fairfield come here I knew a player. When TCU came, there was a girl who transferred from Rutgers. So it’s cool to wrap up my last year, seeing all these girls that I’ve played with before and again, to play against them.”
While Lowrey cherished the time she spent at Rutgers, this year is different. Now in the SEC, expectations are high — and the time Lowrey has to accomplish her dreams is running short.
“Obviously, I want to be a part of this team and win an SEC championship,” Lowrey said. “I take this goal because I believe that is 100% something that we can achieve, and I’m really excited to be a part of it. I’ve seen the way these girls work and how they work with each other, and I think once we get into SEC play, we will be a different team.”
