TGIF Monarch Nation. “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

An ODU legend is stepping aside, awards on the gridiron are piling in and our leader is honored by a local organization.

What else is stirring in today’s Friday edition of the Brew? Check it out yourself!

🏀 A Legend Steps Aside
🙌 Honoring Our Leader
🏈 Scouting Report Friday: Louisana
👑 And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 A True Legend. One of the best to do it on the court and one of the best to call it off the court.

That’s exactly how Dave Twardzik will be remembered by ODU fans as the color commentator for the past decade for the basketball program is hanging up the headphones.

Old Dominion men's basketball fans have been blessed the last decade to have one of the best radio broadcasts in college basketball.
 
Twardzik was a former All-American with the Monarchs, leading them to the 1971 Division II National Championship game and went on to have an eight-year pro career with the ABA’s Virginia Squires and the NBA’s Portland TrailBlazers.

🔼 Five Stars. Excitement is building around the 2023 season for the Monarchs and some of their leaders were honored this week.

Linebacker Jason Henderson and punter Ethan Duane were named preseason first-team All-Sun Belt selections by Phil Steele, while teammates Javon Harvey, Terry Jones and LaMareon James were named to the third team.

Henderson led the country last year with 186 tackles, setting a program and conference record, while also earning All-Conference and All-American honors.

Duane earned Sun Belt honorable mention honors in 2022, as he finished sixth in the league with a 42.9-yard average and led the league with 28 punts downed inside the 20.
 
Harvey is ODU's leading returning wide receiver from a season ago when he hauled in 30 passes for 558 yards and four touchdowns. Jones, who patrols the back end of the ODU defense, finished third on the team with 63 tackles. He added 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack and tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
 
James returned 20 kickoffs last season for a 21.3-yard average with a long of 38 yards against Georgia Southern. In 2021, James returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns, including the first Monarch to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown when he did it against Tulsa in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

🔼 Honoring Our Leader. Making an impact in the local community has always been a focus since Dr. Wood Selig took over in Norfolk back in 2010.

His work has not gone unnoticed as he will receive the 2023 Tom Fergusson Award at the upcoming 76th Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree next week.

In the nearly eight decades that the Norfolk Sports Club has presented the Tom Fergusson Memorial award, it has gone to people in many walks of life – athletes, coaches, mayors, team owners, business people and college presidents.
 
But rarely has one person won the award twice. Selig also won the award in 2013, three years after he arrived in his hometown of Norfolk to head ODU athletics.

✍️ Max with Minium: Selig Honored For Local Contributions

🏈 FRIDAY SCOUTING REPORT: LOUISIANA

Opponent #2: Louisiana
Date: Saturday, September 9th
Location: Ballard Stadium — Norfolk, Va.
Time: 6:00pm ET
Broadcast Coverage: ESPN+, ODU Sports Radio Network

Last Meeting: N/A
All-Time Series: N/A

The first-ever meeting between the two schools is set to commence this spring when the Ragin’ Cajuns visit Norfolk in the first Sun Belt conference game for both teams.

A perennial power since joining the Sun Belt in 2001, the Ragin’ Cajuns (formerly known as Louisiana-Lafayette) have appeared in four straight bowl games and have won the Sun Belt West four of the past five seasons.

Louisiana is in its second under former standout QB Michael Desormeaux, who took over for Billy Napier, who is at the reins of the Florida Gators.

The Ragin’ Cajuns lost all of their All-Sun Belt performers from last year’s team, but return a young, very talented roster led by sophomore QB Zeon Chriss, a dual-threat, three-star QB who stayed home to play for Louisiana.

🤔 MONARCH TRIVIA

First Timers. Louisiana is one of two schools that ODU will be playing for the very first time this upcoming fall.

Both of those teams will be visiting Ballard Stadium.

Can you name the other upcoming first-time opponent?

Think you’ve got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email and see if you had the right answer!

🏀 SUMMER SCHOOL

Both Monarch hoops team are hard at work preparing to make some noise in the Sun Belt this upcoming season. Check out some highlights from their summer so far!

📬 STICK WITH US

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Texas A&M University-Commerce

The Monarchs will host the Lions, an FCS opponent, on Saturday, Sept. 23rd at Ballard Stadium.

Stay tuned for a scouting report on the Lions in a few weeks here on the Brew!

Enjoy the weekend, Monarch Nation!