COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wednesday will be a jam-packed day for Old Dominion football and basketball fans.
In between the football team playing in the Cure Bowl at 5 p.m., the Monarchs’ women’s basketball team will play its annual Education Day game at 11 a.m. against Troy at Chartway Arena and the men’s basketball team will take on archrival James Madison in a Royal Rivalry matchup at 8 p.m. at Chartway Arena.
It will be the Sun Belt Conference openers for both ODU teams.
The ODU women are 7-3 and have won two straight since losses to Oregon and Texas Tech in a tournament in Frisco, Texas. Troy is 9-1, has won six straight and is coming off a 132-62 rout of NAIA team Oakwood.
Simaru Fields leads the Monarchs with 11.8 points a game.
The Monarchs men are off to a rough start at 3-8 and have lost five straight. James Madison, the Sun Belt preseason favorite, is 7-4 after a narrow 68-67 home victory over Norfolk State in its last game.
Ketron Shaw leads ODU with 14.6 points a game.
Both basketball games will be streamed on ESPN+.
- Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas has been named the ACC’s Rookie of the Week. He scored 30 points against Western Carolina and 16 against Maryland Eastern Shore.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Two W&M stars earn AP honors
William & Mary offensive lineman Ryan McKenna and linebacker Luke Banbury have received honorable mention on The Associated Press FCS All-America Team.
McKenna, a graduate student from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, is a team captain and three-time All-CAA selection. The former walk-on earned a scholarship in 2022.
Banbury, a graduate student Pittsburgh, led the Tribe with 137 tackles — ranking fourth in the FCS — and added two sacks and a fumble recovery.
- Danny Rocco announced his resignation as VMI’s football coach on Tuesday after three seasons.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
W&M trio earn academic honors
William & Mary volleyball players Kaitlyn Dunnigan, Katherine Arnason and Audrey Brcka have been selected to the College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-District Team.
Brcka led the Tribe with 268 kills and 309 points this season, while Arnason totaled 250 kills and Dunnigan collected 120 digs.
- Two Virginia Wesleyan volleyball players have been selected to the All-ECAC first team: Hannah Smith and Niya Nash. Smith, the ODAC Player of the Year, led the Marlins with 460 kills. Nash collected 1,234 assists.
- Christopher Newport’s Alyssa Dozier and Avery Hanly have made the CSC Academic All-District Team.
- Four Virginia volleyball players made the CSC Academic All-District Team: Zoey Dood, Teagan Hogan, Kate Johnson and Hannah Scott.
Briefly
- Virginia Wesleyan women’s soccer player Victoria Mills has been named an All-ECAC second-team selection. The freshman from Lorton was a key part of the Marlins’ defense, contributing to the 0.68 opponent goal average.
- Four Christopher Newport field hockey players earned All-America accolades from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association: Caroline Hughlett, Courtney Hughlett, Lily Kerr and Lindsey Loar. Both Hughletts and Kerr made the first team, while Loar was on the third team.
- Virginia senior midfielder Umberto Pelà has been named to the Academic All-America men’s soccer third team by the College Sports Communicators. The two-year captain posted single-season career highs with four goals and five assists this season.
- Six Virginia women’s soccer players made the College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-District Team: Ella Carter, Maya Carter, Lia Godfrey, Allie Ross, Laney Rouse and Victoria Safradin.
- Virginia field hockey players Suze Leemans and Nilou Lempers have earned NFHCA first-team All-America honors.