Good Morning ODU Fam. What better to kickoff a Monday than a little Bon Jovi throwback?

What all do we have stirring in today’s Brew? Check it out below!

⚾️ Oooo, We’re Halfway There
⏱️ Countdown To Kickoff
🗓️ Setting The Slate
​🦁 And much more!

⏱️ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 4️⃣7️⃣ DAYS

In honor of the 47 days until ODU football season….

Sometimes, the old adage is correct… good things do come to those who wait.

Coach Ricky Rahne had to wait 651 days to make his debut at Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, but that debut was a big one as the Monarchs rolled past Hampton, 4️⃣7️⃣-7 back on September 11, 2021.

The Monarchs had been sidelined for nearly two years by the pandemic, but returned to the delight of the home crowd in dominating fashion.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Ooooo, We’re Halfway There. As Major League Baseball hits the All-Star break, five former Monarchs are set to enjoy a few days away and rest up for the stretch run of the 2025 season.

Lefty reliever Jared Koenig finished the first half with seven straight scoreless outings, holding a 3-1 record with a 3.69 ERA in 45 appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Vinnie Pasquantino continues to be one of the most productive first baseman in the league with .272 batting average, 15 HRs and 56 RBIs. Journeyman Jared Young has played in a career-high 18 games already this year, while hitting three HRs for the Mets.

Ryan Yarbrough was in the midst of a career year for the Yankees before suffering an injury in the final weeks of June. He is 3-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 16 games, including eight starts and hopes to return in late July for the playoff push.

ODU legend Justin Verlander has battled injuries throughout the first half with his new Giants squad. He has made 15 starts, striking out 67 in 76.2 innings of work and now sits just 17 strikeouts away from reaching 4,000 in his career.

🔼 What’s In A Number. With a slew of talented newcomers and a plenty of experienced returners, expectations are trending up for the ODU women’s basketball squad.

Over the weekend, the Lady Monarchs unveiled the full roster of numbers for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

🔼 Setting The Slate. Get out those calendars, we’ve got some dates to save.

Late last week, ODU Swimming Head Coach Jess Livsey announced the 2025-26 schedule as the Monarchs host a pair of meets on the year.

To kick things off, ODU hosts the annual Blue/Gray invitational on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 8 a.m. at the JC Scrap Chandler pool.

🗓️ Check Out The Full Schedule

🦁 MONARCH TRIVIA

In that home opening victory over Hampton in 2021, the Monarchs rumbled to a school record of 358 yards on the ground.

That record has since been broken. When did ODU break that one-time record?

Got a guess?

Scroll to the bottom to find the answer!

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: The 2024 season finale against Arkansas State when ODU piled up 406 yards on the ground.

🦁 Have a great week, y’all!