AUSTIN, Texas – For a day, St. Edward's men's soccer traded in its familiar pitch for another place of beautiful greenery, volunteering at Zilker Botanical Garden, completing their annual preseason service project by pulling weeds, clearing pathways, and spreading mulch throughout the popular Austin destination.

Senior TIMMY HOLLENBECK organized this year's player-led service project, selecting the 28-acre botanical garden nestled inside Zilker Metropolitan Park.

"We have a lot of Austin-based players on the team who've spent a lot of time around Zilker," Hollenbeck said. "We do a lot of team-bonding activities around here and always enjoy it, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to give back to this beautiful area."

According to Zilker Botanical Garden, its mission is to "cultivate community and foster lifelong learning that inspires an appreciation of the botanical world."

The gardens feature a variety of themed landscapes, including the Taniguchi Japanese Garden, Riparian Streambed, Hartman Prehistoric Garden and Mabel Davis Rose Garden.

For the Hilltoppers, the service project has become more than just volunteer work. Organized entirely by the players, it marks the team's first opportunity to reunite after the summer while giving back to the Austin community.

"It's always fun to be with the guys. We haven't been together for three months, so it was good to be back together," junior IZAIAH GARZA said. "On the field, we're very focused and intense, but here we can have a good time, joke around, and give back to the community."

Fans interested in supporting Zilker Botanical Garden can do so by volunteering, becoming a member, making a donation, or purchasing an engraved brick through its Walk of Friends program.

The Hilltoppers officially turn their attention to the 2026 season this weekend with the St. Edward's Men's Soccer Media Day Show on Sunday, Aug. 9, at 11 a.m. St. Edward's hosts Southwestern in an exhibition match on Aug. 22 during the annual Party at the Pitch before opening the regular season at home against Texas A&M International on Aug. 27.