Happy Friday Monarchs! Scouting Report Friday is back!

We’ve got a brand new opponent to feature this week, a former Monarch goes yard, and more fall schedules being set.

Make sure to check out what else is stirring it today’s Brew!

⚽️ Mark Those Calendars
🏈 Countdown to Kickoff
🏀 On This Day…
👑 And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Deposits Being Made. Our squads are in full preparation mode for next year, looking to make a big splash. Daily deposits are being made on the court, in the weight room, on the field, and everywhere in between.

We can’t wait for next year!

🔼 Back For Four. The fourth season of ODU volleyball will commence this fall with the Monarchs taking on another challenging slate of games.

ODU will play in three tournaments this fall, facing off against nine opponents for the very first time in program history. The Monarchs will face teams from the A10, ACC, ASUN, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, CAA, Horizon League, MEAC, Patriot League, Summit League and the WAC.

Sun Belt Conference play will feature two matches each weekend as the Monarchs will play all six of their East Division rivals.

The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament will be held at the Foley Events Center in Foley, Alabama on November 15-19. Seeding for the tournament will be determined by winning percentage against divisional foes only.

The Monarchs return a loaded, young and very talented roster that will look to make some noise this fall.

🔼 We Want That Baseball! Big congrats to former ODU Monarch Jared Young for launching his first major league HR for the Cubbies last night at Wrigley!

Young, a 2017 ODU graduate, was playing in his seventh career MLB game after receiving a call-up earlier this week.

He has 61 career HRs in the minors, but last night was his first at the big league level.

Young is the sixth former Monarch to ever hit a home run at the major league level.

🔼 First Impressions. You only get one chance to make a first impression, might as well make it last, right?

That’s exactly what Cosme Rolland De Ravel did this past spring with the ODU men’s tennis program and his efforts were recognized this week as he was named Virginia State Rookie of the Year and was a second team All-State selection in singles. Teammates Brandon Perez and Younes Lalami were first-team doubles honors, while Jakob Cadonau joined De Ravel on the Second Team singles squad.
 
Rolland De Ravel had an impressive rookie season as he was 25-10 in singles and a combined 25-8 in doubles. He earned Second Team All-Sun Belt singles honors after going 7-1 in conference action. Rolland De Ravel had a season best winning streak of seven matches and ended the year winning 10 of his last 13. He was named the ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year earlier this month and is up for the national award.
 
A transfer from Ole Miss, Cadonau compiled an 18-12 record this spring and went 6-1 in Sun Belt Conference play in singles. Perez and Lalami qualified for the ITA Fall Nationals after making a run to the semifinals in the Atlantic Regional. They finished the year 18-11 overall and nationally-ranked.

🦁 TEXAS A&M - COMMERCE

Opponent #4: Texas A&M - Commerce
Date: Saturday, September 23rd
Location: Ballard Stadium — Norfolk, Va.
Time: 3:30 p.m..
Broadcast Coverage: ODU Sports Radio Network

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

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)
Texas A&M-Commerce: Colleen Hoover (Best-Selling Author), Duane Allen (Lead Singer - Oak Ridge Boys), Jon Gilliam (former KC Chiefs player - played in Super Bowl I), John Carlos (US Olympian - 1968), Gary Panter (set designer for Pee Wee’s Playhouse), Chad Brown (NFL ref - reffed to Super Bowls)

This is one of two opponents that ODU will be playing for the first time in 2023 when the Lions of Texas A&M-Commerce visit.

After spending the past 20 years at the Division II level, the Lions moved to the FCS level last season, competing in the Southland Conference. They are under the tutelage of first year head coach Clint Dolezel, an alum who spent 10 years as a head coach in Arena League.

The Lions bring an offense that scored over 27 points per game and return a three-headed rushing attack with three guys (Reggie Branch, Eric Rodriguez and Spencer Long) who all carried the ball 50+ times last fall.

Rodriguez is a dual-threat QB who returns for his junior season after tossing for 1500+ yards and running for 227 yards in just seven games for the Lions last season.

Defensively, Texas A&M-Commerce is a stifling bunch, holding the opposition to under 20 points per game last year, however, the Lions lost three of their top three tacklers to graduation.

Historically, the Lions have been a force, winning the 1972 NAIA National Championship and the 2017 Division II National Championship. The program has churned out over 30+ NFL players in its history.

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 64 DAYS

From Warshaw, N.C., big ole #64, Nick Saldiveri. Was there anywhere else for us to go but here for this Countdown to Kickoff?

Saldiveri was a part of history this past April when he was part of a program record three Monarchs selected in the NFL Draft. He was the the 103rd selection by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round.

He was the third player in program history to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl and the sixth player to compete at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was the first ODU offensive lineman to participate in both the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

A two-time all-conference honoree, Saldiveri was a three-year starter up front for ODU, starting 35 games during his career.
 
In 2021, he helped lead the way for Blake Watson, who became the second player in ODU history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. In 2022, Saldiveri helped Watson to a single-game ODU record 259 rushing yards in a 49-21 win over Coastal Carolina.

🤔 MONARCH TRIVIA

As we mentioned above, the Monarchs set a program record this past April with three selections in the 2023 NFL Draft.

#64 Nick Saldiveri was the first ODU player taken in the fourth round by the Saints.

Can you name the other two selections and which team picked them?

Come on guys, we know you know this one!

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

🏠 HOME HAPPENS HERE

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Tre Hawkins III and Zack Kuntz, of course!

Now - did you have the teams that picked them?

Hawkins was taken in the sixth round by the New York Giants, while Kuntz was a seventh round selection by the NY Jets.

Have a great weekend, y’all!