Friday, Friday, Friday. You’ve done it. You’ve got through the week. Now your reward? Scouting Report Friday, of course!

That’s right, we’re back with the sixth edition of Scouting Report Friday. This week, we’re taking a look at another conference rival, the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss.

No, Brett Favre won’t be under center, but we’ll preview who will be and the keys to the match-up.

We are jammed packed today, so fill up your coffee, relax the office chair and check out today’s edition of the Brew.

⚾️ Head Of State
🏀 Top Ten
🏈 Scouting Report Friday: Clipping the Eagles
👑 And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Top Ten. Looking for a fifth straight 20+ win season, the ODU women’s basketball program is reloaded and ready to roll.

The squad will have plenty of new faces for fans to get to know as DeLisha Milton-Jones and her staff welcome nine new signees to join Ivana Nikolova for the incoming 2023-24 class.

Coming to Norfolk this year will be De’Shawnti Thomas, En’Dya Buford, Maya Cunningham, Halima Salat, Jenny Nkem Womsi, Makiyah McCollister, Lanetta Williams, Ladajah Huguley and Nnenna Orji.

"This group of signees is a class of versatility, athleticism, and shooting the basketball," said Milton-Jones. "Being from the high major Division I programs and the top of JUCO ranks, this group has the ability to be special offensively and tenacious defensively. At the end of the day, the quest is to win a championship and we have filled this roster out with talented players to align us with that vision."

🔼 Head Of State. Coming off a fourth straight 30+ win season, the ODU baseball program has regained its form as one of the top programs in the state.

That status was honored this week as the Monarchs had four players earn All-State accolades, the second highest total by any school in the state (next to UVA’s nine).  

Sam Armstrong earned First Team honors, while Hunter Fitz-Gerald, Jake Ticer and Ben Moore were selected to the Second Team.

🔼 Pack An Extra Coat, Sam! Coming soon to the Bud will be deep dish pizza and Portino’s sausages.

Well, that might not be true, but it sure seems like it could be after the Chicago Cubs drafted their seventh Monarch since 2000 with the selection of right-hander Sam Armstrong in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. 

It’s the sixth time in the past nine years that the Cubs selected an ODU player and Armstong’s selection follow’s last year’s draft, which saw Chicago select outfielder Andy Garriola.
 
ODU's Saturday starter throughout the season, Armstrong went 9-4 with a 3.51 ERA through 15 starts. He allowed 33 runs (30 earned) on 69 hits and 28 walks while recording 72 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched. That effort earned him a spot on the All-Sun Belt Second Team. The Wangtage, New Jersey native finished fourth in the conference in wins and was also seventh in batting average against (.231).
 
In his two seasons as a Monarch, Armstrong went 12-6 with a 4.36 ERA.

⏰ WE’RE LIVE!

We’re Live!. The first batch of mini-plans and single game tickets are on sale NOW!

Our special VIP pre-sale started Wednesday for our ODAF Members and season ticket holders to have the chance to purchase mini plans and single game tickets.

The public will have a chance to jump on mini plans and single game tickets next Wednesday, July 19th.

Stay tuned to upcoming Monarch Brews and ODUSports.com for more details!

🦁 SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES

Opponent #6: Southern Miss
Date: Saturday, October 7th
Location: M.M. Roberts Stadium — Hattiesburg, Miss.
Time: TBA
Broadcast Coverage: ODU Sports Radio Network

Last Meeting: Old Dominion 51, Southern Miss 35 - Nov. 12, 2016
All-Time Series: Tied at 1-1

Famous Alumni Battle: 

ODU: Nancy Lieberman (Basketball Hall of Famer), Justin Verlander (MLB All-Star), Taylor Heinicke (NFL QB), Jay Harris (ESPN Anchor), Ben Bailey (host of Cash Cab), William Fallon (Four Star Navy Admiral)
Southern Miss: Brett Favre (NFL Hall of Famer), Jimmy Buffett (Musician), Ray Guy (NFL Hall of Famer), Mack Brown (College Football Head Coach), Robert L. Stewart (NASA Astronaut), Cat Cora (Iron Chef America).

In its third season under head coach Will Hall, Southern Miss will be looking to build on a 7-6 season last fall and a win in the LendingTree Bowl, the program’s first bowl win since 2016.

After back-to-back three win seasons, Hall ushered the Golden Eags back to a bowl game in just his second year after coaching both West Alabama and West Georgia to deep runs in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Three of the six losses last fall came by one score or less.

With questions at quarterback and Brett Favre’s eligibility up, Southern Miss will rely heavily on the All-Conference legs of Frank Gore, Jr. He is as hard of a runner as you’ll find in the country, piling up 2,839 yards in 35 collegiate games, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has scored 16 rushing TDs.

Defensively, All-American safety Jay Stanley leads a young, but talented defensive unit that struggled against the run last year. Stanley will anchor the backside of the defense after racking up 120 tackles and seven INTs over the past two seasons for the Golden Eagles.

🏀 FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

A Lasting Legacy. Nikki McCray-Penson was only in Norfolk for three seasons, one of which was cut short by COVID, but her impact will be felt forever at ODU.

Late last week, the former ODU head coach passed away.

"It's a challenge to put into words how devastating the news of Nikki McCray-Penson's death is for all of us associated with ODU. Nikki had a lasting impact on the game of basketball across the globe as she enjoyed the pinnacle of success on the world's biggest stages both as an athlete and a coach," ODU Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig said. "From the first day I met Nikki, I knew she would experience the same success as a coach that she experienced as an athlete. Her drive, passion, enthusiasm and love for the game made everyone around her better and motivated everyone to work harder to achieve the high standard of excellence that Nikki always expected. It is such a shame that the world and future student-athletes will never get to enjoy Coach McCray-Penson fulfilling her coaching career. Nikki's husband Thomas and son Thomas, Jr. are in all Monarch's thoughts and prayers at this time. The ODU women's basketball program is better today because of the many contributions made by Nikki and her family while they were here in Norfolk."

🤔 MONARCH TRIVIA

Earlier this week, the ODU women’s soccer program announced its full slate for this upcoming fall. 

The Monarchs will be searching for their third straight conference title and third straight NCAA Tournament berth.

Do you know when the last time the program reached three straight NCAA Tournaments?

Think you’ve got it?

Scroll down to the bottom of this email and see if you had the right answer!

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 50 DAYS

Who needs Brett Favre, when you have Taylor Heinicke, right?

Heinicke brought ODU’s offense to another level and that firepower has stayed true for the Monarchs.

In the 13 years of the program’s existence, ODU has put up 50 or more points 18 different times. Mr. Heinicke was under center for 11 of those contests.

📬 STICK WITH US

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Never! (Sorry for the trick question, y’all…)

Last year was actually the third conference title overall for the Monarchs’ women’s soccer program (2006, 2021, 2022).

This year, they go for, shall we say… the hat trick?

Finish the week strong, y’all!