COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
Old Dominion was predicted second among eight teams in the Big East coaches’ poll, and Monarchs senior forward Marlon de Bruijne was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Two-time defending champion Liberty received six first-place votes and 48 voting points, while ODU had no firsts and 41 points. Third-place Connecticut had 40 points but six first-place votes.
Predicted fourth through eighth were Temple, Providence, Villanova, Quinnipiac and Georgetown, in that order.
Nicole Fredericks joined de Bruijne as the Monarchs among the 13 selections to the Preseason All-Big East teams.
Liberty graduate back Bethany Dykema of Newport News was named the Preseason Big East Defensive Player of the Year. She and three fellow Flames, including Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Azul Iritxity Irigoyen and Preseason Co-Midfielder of the Year Reagan Underwood, made the preseason all-conference team.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
UVA lineman on watch list for Polynesian award
For the second consecutive season, Virginia defensive lineman Aaron Faumui was among the 85 players featured on the watch list for the 2023 Polynesian Player of the Year Award, presented by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. The winner will be announced Dec. 14.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER
UVA, JMU, Liberty players on Hermann watch list
Virginia senior midfielder Lia Godfrey, a semifinalist last season, James Madison redshirt senior goalkeeper Alexandra Blom and Liberty defender Bridie Herman were among 56 players named to the women’s Hermann Trophy watch list.
Blom posted a 0.60 goals-against average last season and was the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
COLLEGE SWIMMING AND DIVING
ODU women will get to compete in Sun Belt
The Old Dominion women’s swimming program will compete in the Sun Belt Conference beginning with the 2023-24 season, Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill announced Thursday. Old Dominion competed in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association last season.
The current membership of four will include ODU, Georgia Southern, James Madison and Marshall. The Sun Belt previously sponsored women’s swimming and diving from 2001-2013, sending more than 30 athletes to the NCAA championships.
The Sun Belt championships are set for Feb. 14-17 at the Rosen Aquatics Center in Orlando, Florida.
The ODU men’s swimming team this season will compete in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN).
COLLEGE WOMEN’S TENNIS
ODU reveals fall schedule
Old Dominion announced its fall schedule of individual events, starting with the Sept. 15-17 Kitty Harrison Invitational at reigning national champion North Carolina.
The Monarchs also will compete Sept. 30-Oct. 8 at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships in Cary, North Carolin, and the ITA Atlantic Regional Oct. 19-23 in Lynchburg. Some Monarchs also will compete in International Tennis Federation tournaments.
“Having a professional tennis career is important to our players during their college experience. We want our players to feel like ODU is a professional training center,” coach Dominic Manilla said in a release.
MORE COLLEGES
W&M gymnasts, ODU golfers honored for academics
Seventeen William & Mary students were honored as Scholastic All-Americans by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association.
The Tribe gymnasts honored include: Catherine Bare, Avery Bernier, Caroline Blatchford, Sarah Brownstein, Abby Carpenter, Sophie Chandler, Sofia Huang, Amanda Jackson, Anne Marie Kuebler, Sarah Kuper, Katelyn Nels, Michelle Ngo, Keaghan Schafer, Brynn Vetrano, Lily Walker, Emma Wiley and Sarah Wozniak.
W&M’s team posted a 3.73 grade-point average during the 2022-23 academic year, which ranked 12th in the nation.After Old Dominion men’s golfers Jakob Chicoyne, Jacob Gunther and Philip Minnehan were named 2022-23 All-America Scholars, the Golf Coaches Association of America announced the Monarchs were among its recipients of the 2022-23 Outstanding Team Academic Award.
ODU was one of 266 programs across six divisions to earn the award. The Monarchs combined for a 3.18 grade-point average for the 2022-23 academic year.
COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD
UVA names assistant to coach throwers
Virginia’s director of track and field and cross country, Vin Lananna, has appointed Brandon Amo to work with the UVA throwers. Amo was a Harvard assistant coach last season, and he led Kenneth Ikeji and Stephanie Ratcliffe to a sweep of the NCAA hammer throw titles. Amo was a standout thrower for Rhode Island from 2016-18.
