Roger Hanagriff, Ph.D., knows he will have big shoes — or rather boots — to fill.

Hanagriff will be the new Texas Aggie Rodeo team coach in the fall, replacing longtime coach Al Wagner, Ph.D.

Wagner, a food technologist in the Department of Horticultural Sciences, volunteered for 30 years coaching Texas Aggie Rodeo and shaping it into the successful program it is today — a legacy he will soon entrust to Hanagriff.

A woman and three men sitting atop horses. The woman is wearing a multi-colored dress. The men all have on blue shirts with blue jeans and a black cowboy hat.
The new Texas Aggie Rodeo coach Roger Hanagriff, his wife Gena, and sons Boyd and Samuel all share a love of rodeo. (Photo by Kristi Lee Bracewell photography)

For the first time in the program’s 75-year history, the coach position will change from a volunteer role to a full-time, paid position. It was a move Wagner thought was crucial for the ever-expanding team and he was determined not to retire until he knew the program was in good hands.

“This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Hanagriff said. “Dr. Wagner took the program from a handful of students to a team of 50-plus athletes, and I’m excited to be a part of continuing that legacy.”

Hanagriff will be inheriting the recognized competitive team under the Department of Animal Science in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Howdy Hanagriff

“We are very excited about the hiring of Dr. Hanagriff,” Wagner said. “He is very dedicated to the Texas A&M rodeo team, and I know will grow the program immensely. I could not be more pleased with the hiring of Dr. Hanagriff.”

Hanagriff’s passion for rodeo runs deep. During his undergraduate years at Sam Houston State University, he was a rodeo athlete himself. Rodeo isn’t just a hobby for him; it’s a family affair. His wife, Gena, shares his love for the sport, and together they’ve passed down this cherished tradition to their children. Their eldest son, Boyd, is already making waves as a member of the Aggie Rodeo team, and it’s anticipated that his brother Samuel will follow in his footsteps in the future.

Hanagriff is happy to return to Texas A&M where he earned his master’s degree in the Department of Agricultural Economics in 1992 and his doctorate in philosophy in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication in 2002.

A cowboy on horseback hazing for a young steer wrestler.
Roger Hanagriff hazing at a rodeo for his son Boyd who is on the Texas Aggie Rodeo team. (Photo courtesy Roger Hanagriff)

In addition to coaching the team, Hanagriff will serve as an instructional associate professor in the Department of Animal Science come fall.

“We’ve got a really strong team that represents the university at a competitively high level,” Hanagriff said. “But academics come first, and I think that is what is so great about this coaching position. I get to be involved in academics and focused on the team. It’s a cool combination.”

Hanagriff is currently an associate professor of agricultural business and agricultural education at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He was a continuing education associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications at Texas A&M from 2012-2017. Hanagriff was an associate professor in agricultural business and coached the Sam Houston State University rodeo team from 1998-2012.

An endowment to secure the future of Texas Aggie Rodeo

A cowboy gives a penning demonstration on horseback with cattle in a river in France.
Roger Hanagriff outside of Marseille, France, crossing cattle through a canal as part of a competition the local ranching community holds. Hanagriff has taught roping clinics for over a decade all over the U.S. and abroad. (Photo courtesy Roger Hanagriff)

Hanagriff’s hire was made possible by the  Dr. Al Wagner ’69 Rodeo Coach Endowment Fund, a testament to the commitment to preserving and expanding the program that Wagner has worked tirelessly to grow. This endowment secures a full-time paid coaching position, essential for the ongoing success and development of the team. Additionally, ambitious future plans include providing team members with a dedicated full-time facility for practicing and stabling their horses, further enhancing their training and competitive edge.

“It was just two years ago that we launched the $1 million capital campaign to fund the endowment,” said Bret Richards ’01, Texas Aggie Rodeo Alumni Board president and a past rodeo team member under Wagner. “Enough has been raised since 2022 that we could fund a full-time coaching position.”

Richards said the endowment was established to ensure the rodeo program’s continued success beyond Wagner’s retirement and “for the next 100 years,” knowing that a full-time coaching position was in place.

“The department is thankful to the many supporters of the Aggie Rodeo team who had the vision and drive to secure a future for the team,” said Clay Mathis, Ph.D., professor and head of the Department of Animal Science, Bryan-College Station. “We are excited about the new chapter and the chance to work with Dr. Hanagriff as a coach and a faculty member within the department.”

“We would like to thank Al Wagner for his many years of dedicated service to the rodeo team,” Mathis said. “He set a strong foundation that will help future teams successfully represent the university, college and the department.” 

Friends, family, fans and students have the opportunity to come to the Texas A&M College Rodeo March 8-9 in Bryan and support Aggie Rodeo and Wagner as their outstanding season continues.

How to support Texas Aggie Rodeo

The Texas A&M Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works with former students, corporations and other Texas A&M supporters to match their charitable interests with the university’s priorities.

The A&M Foundation oversees capital campaign gifts for the Dr. Al Wagner ’69 Rodeo Coach Endowment Fund. Contributions at any level are welcome by contacting Scott Jarvis ’00 at 979.777.0309 or [email protected], or by making an immediate donation in the amount of your choosing online at Texas Aggie Rodeo.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email