COLLEGE FOOTBALL
William & Mary was ranked fourth in the American Football Coaches Association preseason FCS poll. That continued a pattern that has seen the Tribe ranked between third and seventh in various organizations’ surveys.
W&M returns most of its starters from a team that tied a school record with 11 victories and reached the NCAA quarterfinals.
Reigning champion South Dakota State got 24 first-place votes, and No. 2 North Dakota State received one. Montana State, which ended the Tribe’s season last year, was picked third.
Other CAA teams besides W&M to reach the top 25 were No. 12 New Hampshire, No. 16 Richmond, No. 21 Delaware and No. 23 Rhode Island. No. 19 North Carolina Central, coached by Tabb High graduate Trai Oliver, was the only MEAC team in the top 25.
NFL
Veteran safety from W&M signs with Ravens
Former William & Mary star DeAndre Houston-Carson, who spent his first NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears, signed with the Baltimore Ravens after working out Monday with them.
He will join the Ravens for this week’s joint practices and exhibition game with the Washington Commanders.
Last season, the former FCS All-American had 45 tackles and two for loss, playing in a 4-3 defense for the first time in his NFL career.
COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
Spartans go 2-1 on Puerto Rico trip
Norfolk State earned a 96-88 victory over the LBP Red All-Stars on Monday night at the Ruben Zayas Montanez Coliseum in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, finishing 2-1 in a trio of exhibition games against pro competition in Puerto Rico.
Tyrese Jenkins pushed the Spartans to a nearly wire-to-wire win Monday, knocking down four 3-pointers in a 20-point effort. Jamarii Thomas had 17 points and eight assists. Terrance Jones and Jaylani Darden added 14 points each.
The Spartans’ only loss of the trip came Saturday against the LBP White All-Stars, 72-61. Darden led NSU with 13 points, while Tyrel Bladen pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds. Bladen provided the Spartans with a slew of second-chance opportunities, recording seven rebounds on the offensive end.
Norfolk State bounced back from its opening loss with resilience, taking down the LBP Blue All-Stars 90-82 the next evening. A fiery first quarter fueled the Spartans to an early advantage, and they gained a 15-point halftime lead.
The Blue All-Stars chipped away in the third quarter, but NSU played with poise down the stretch to earn its first victory of the trip. The Spartans clicked on both ends of the floor, shooting 31 of 68 (45.6%) from the floor and holding their opponents to a 22-of-63 (34.9%) performance.
Jones led the Spartans with 16 points in Sunday’s win, making 6 of 8 shots and adding a pair of steals. Daryl Anderson added 15 points, accounting for four of Norfolk State’s 12 3-pointers on the night.
Bladen posted nine rebounds Sunday, including six on the offensive end. Thomas contributed 15 points and four assists, draining a pair of 3-pointers.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
ODU adds game Nov. 7
Old Dominion coach DeLisha Milton-Jones announced that the Monarchs added a home game against the NCAA Division II Lincoln Lions of Pennsylvania at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. It will be ODU’s season opener, though the Monarchs first will appear on the court in an Oct. 29 exhibition against Christopher Newport, last season’s Division III runner-up.
The Monarchs will now play 29 regular-season games, with 16 of those at Chartway Arena. ODU beat Lincoln 81-64 last season.
COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER
ODU predicted ninth in Sun Belt
Old Dominion was picked ninth in the 10-team Sun Belt coaches’ poll and didn’t have a player chosen to the 12-man all-conference preseason team.
Kentucky, with six first-place votes and 93 points, was named the favorite, followed by Marshall (two and 91) and West Virginia (one and 77).
James Madison, last year’s conference tournament runner-up, was chosen eighth. Dukes midfielder Alex Krakowiak made the preseason All-SBC team.
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
W&M tabbed third in CAA
William & Mary was predicted to finish third in the Coastal Athletic Association in a poll of CAA coaches.
Delaware, with 35 points and five first-place votes, was the favorite, followed by Monmouth, with 32 points and two first-place votes. Drexel and Northeastern shared fourth, while Hofstra was picked sixth and Towson seventh.
Four Tribe players earned recognition from the coaches: Senior Jayden Moon and junior Pyper Friedman, both midfielders, were among 12 players named to the Preseason All-CAA team, while senior goalkeeper Maddie George and graduate student Lauren Curran received honorable mention.
W&M was 9-8 last season and reached No. 16 in the national poll, its highest ranking in the last two decades.Delaware back Julia Duffhuis was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year.
GOLF
UVA sophomore shares second after one round of U.S. Amateur stroke play
Virginia sophomore Ben James of Milford, Connecticut, shot a 5-under-par 67 to finish the opening round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Championship tied for second place. James had six birdies one bogey during his round at Colorado Golf Club.
During his first year at UVA, James was the winner of the 2023 Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award, a first-team Ping All-American, ACC Freshman of the Year and a finalist for both the Haskins and Jack Nicklaus Awards. He finished sixth at the NCAA Championships and is currently the sixth-ranked amateur in the world.
The top 64 players in the 312-competitor field will advance to match play following Tuesday’s second round.
Not far behind James on the leaderboard is UVA junior Rui Chang. The Chinese Cavalier posted a round of 2-under 69 on the Cherry Hills Country Club course to stand tie for 15th after the first round. Chang will be on the UVA roster for the first time this fall after competing for the Virginia club program. Chang’s round featured two birdies, two bogeys and an eagle.
Incoming freshman Josh Duangmanee of Fairfax finished at 75 while playing the Cherry Hills course. He was tied for 124th place.
MORE COLLEGES
UVA names Dawkins to staff as liaison
Virginia named Armani Dawkins its Deputy Athletics Director for Competitive Excellence. She has had a similar role at Oklahoma for the last five years.
Dawkins will serve as a collaborative liaison to all areas of the athletics department, with a focus on student-athlete and sports program success. She will be responsible for day-to-day oversight of student development and departmental strategic planning, and will serve as the departmental Title IX coordinator.
MEDIA
Hatfield, Young join Podcast Network
Longtime area broadcaster, writer and editor Matt Hatfield and Nansemond River boys basketball coach Ed Young will join the Podcast Network for regular weekend shows, many of them held at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
Until the show’s recent cancellation, they often joined forces for chats and interviews on 94.1FM. Young gained his 500th career victory last season. The podcasts will be available on the Sportsplex’s YouTube channel.
TENNIS
Cavaliers’ Rodesch takes title in Mississippi
Virginia senior Chris Rodesch won the singles title at the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Tour 25K tournament in Southaven, Mississippi.
Rodesch won his quarterfinal over top-seeded Aidan McHough, a Brit who is ranked No. 388 in the world, 6-3, 6-3. Rodesch then won 7-5, 6-2 against No. 3 seed Andy Andrade before downing No. 2 seed Martin Damm 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-3 in the final.
This was Rodesch’s second ITF WTT singles title. He won the 15K in Vejle, Denmark, last year.
