Good morning! It was a good weekend for a little spring cleaning, if you know what we mean. Old Dominion women’s tennis won the 2023 Sun Belt Championship, sweeping all three of their opponents over the weekend. Keep scrolling for more info on the latest hardware we can add to the trophy cabinet.

Here’s what we got steeping for you in today’s Brew:

🏈 A new record
🎾 Storybook ending
⚾ Looking to bounce back
👑 And a whole lot more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 We Are The Champions. Coming into the Sun Belt Championship Tournament, the Old Dominion women’s tennis team secured the No. 1 seed. Being on top could bring a lot of pressure, but sometimes that pressure can create diamonds. The Monarchs took down Texas State, Georgia Southern, and now James Madison to be crowned champions.

Talk about domination, the women’s tennis team swept all three opponents 4-0 in each matchup. After the men’s team won their own championship last week, it’s the first time since South Alabama in 2019 both teams take home some hardware.

🔼 New York Skyscraper. The moment tight end Zack Kuntz walks into training camp, everyone will be looking up at him. His 6’8” height will fit right in with the buildings of New York after becoming a member of the New York Jets. Two of his fellow Monarchs were drafted as well, with offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri going in the fourth round to the New Orleans Saints, and defensive back Tre Hawkins III drafted in the sixth round by the New York Giants.

Three Monarchs taken in the same draft are the most in program history, breaking the previous record set in 2019. Maybe New York becomes the landing spot for future Old Dominion players, with the Giants already drafting linebacker Oshane Ximines, the first player from the Monarchs ever selected in the draft in 2019.

🔼 Getting Better. From beginning to end, it was a competitive weekend of baseball for Old Dominion. After losing the opening game to the Texas State Bobcats, ODU came right back to win the first game of the Saturday double-header, 2-1. Even though they lost the final game in extra innings, 12-11, the Monarchs have the fight within them that should bode well for a championship push.

Here are some highlights from the weekend matchup.

• 💪 Mr. Armstrong: It was nothing short of spectacular for Sam Armstrong in Game 2 of the series. He pitched six innings, allowed four hits, one earned run, and struck out four Bobcats. His gem performance helped shut down an explosive offense and gave him the win, improving his record to 8-1 on the season.

• ⚾ Wheelin’ And Dealin’: When Game 2 became a one-score game in the bottom of the fifth inning, Thomas Wheeler hit a timely double to tie it up and eventually scored on a Chris Dengler bloop single. In Game 3, when the Monarchs were down by one with two outs and a full count, Tyler Wheeler crushed a solo shot to tie the game up that went into extra innings. What a weekend to remember for the Wheelers.

After some time off, the Monarchs travel to Virginia to face Liberty @ 6:00 pm on Wednesday, then a three-game matchup with Arkansas State.

🔼 Cloud Nine. After Danielle Dundas gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead, the No. 8 Florida Gators found a way to respond with four goals of their own and ended up winning the season finale for Old Dominion women’s lacrosse. However, it was still a special day for nine senior players as they were honored before the game for Senior Day, surrounded by their families. Congratulations on the season, and best of luck to all of our Seniors!

🤔 MONARCH TRIVIA

Paving the way. Oshane Ximines was the first player from Old Dominion drafted into the NFL in 2019, but he wasn’t alone that year…

Who was the other Monarch drafted the same year, and to what team?

Think you got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

👑 ONE BIG THING

Love of the game. It’s a special moment when a head coach sees their players make it to the professional level. For Old Dominion football coach Ricky Rahne, he got to see three of his player’s dreams become a reality. Here’s a video of him talking about offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri after he got drafted.

📬 STICK WITH US

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📅 THE DAY AHEAD

Monday 5/1

No scheduled events

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Travis Fulgham, Detroit Lions

Along with his teammate Oshane Ximines, the Detroit Lions drafted wide receiver Travis Fulgham in the sixth round. His most famous stint came with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, where he finished the year with over 500 yards receiving.

Have a great Monday, y’all!