FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Atlantic Shores edge rusher commits to W&M
Rising Atlantic Shores senior Nathaniel McDonald revealed his commitment to William & Mary on Twitter on Sunday night.
McDonald is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound edge rusher who had 95 tackles, 47 for losses, and 24 sacks last season for the Seahawks. He was a first-team all-state selection in Division II of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association.
100% Committed! Thank you God, Family and Coaches who have helped me through the process! #GoTribe @WMTribeFootball @ShoresFootball @CoachWayneLance @DLRunStoppers @CoachMikeLondon @CoachDowl pic.twitter.com/PSfHbaHoVs
— Nathaniel McDonald (@Nathaniel_M55) June 18, 2023
TENNIS
Ex-ODU star earns $60K title
Former Old Dominion star Yuliia Starodubtseva beat five opponents to win the championship of a $60,000 International Tennis Federation hard-court tournament in Sumter, South Carolina.
Coming into the tournament ranked 385th on the Women’s Tennis Association computer and seeded eighth, she defeated 283rd-ranked and second-seeded Karman Kaur Tjhandi 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4 Sunday in 3 hours, 32 minutes, for the title.
Starodubtseva, who will play for Texas next season as a graduate transfer, is expected to move into the world’s top 300. Karman is expected to rise to 234th.
Congratulations former monarch, Yuliia Starodubtseva, on your first ITF 60k singles title and your second @ITFprocircuit singles title! #ReignOn pic.twitter.com/WD73l8jyiw
— ODU Women’s Tennis (@ODUWomensTennis) June 18, 2023
LOCAL SOCCER
Local foes play to tie
Virginia Beach United and Olé Sporting played to a 1-1 tie Sunday afternoon at Virginia Beach Sportsplex in a clash of Hampton Roads clubs.
Olé took the lead in the 31st minute in the non-league match. VBU’s Matt Fitzer, a former Menchville High star, netted the equalizer into the net’s top right corner in the 39th minute.
Virginia Beach United next will go to Baltimore to face USL League Two opponent Christos FC at 7 p.m. Saturday.
TRACK AND FIELD
Johnson breaks his own UVA record
The Virginia Cavaliers’ Derek Johnson competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Saturday at the Elliott Denman New Jersey International meet, breaking his school record.
Johnson, from Leesburg, placed second at the meet in West Long Branch by running a personal-best 8 minutes, 25.23 seconds. He met the qualifying standard for the USATF Outdoor Championships, which will be contested from July 6-9. Johnson placed eighth in that event at the recent NCAA Championships.
