Sports Briefs

Lady Monarchs win national sailing championship
The women’s sailing squad led from start to finish and captured the 2002 ICSA Women’s North American Collegiate Sailing National Championship this spring at the University of Hawaii. It was Old Dominion’s 12th overall national title in sailing.

Ranked second nationally coming into the event, the Lady Monarchs held off a final-day rally by the defending-champion University of Hawaii Rainbows. ODU tallied 168 points, Hawaii was second with 177 and St. Mary’s took third with 95 in the 18-team event. This was the Lady Monarchs’ first national championship since 1987.

“The key was really in the depth, experience and determination of our sailors,” said coach Mitch Brindley.

ODU’s squad included A Division sailors Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.), Cara Gibbons-Neff (Annapolis, Md.), and Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.). They were first in the division, recording four firsts and seven seconds in 18 races.

Baseball’s Verlander named All-American
Freshman right-hander Justin Verlander of Goochland, Va., was a first-team Freshman All-America pick this summer by Baseball America. The CAA Rookie of the Year was selected for the same honor earlier by Collegiate Baseball News.

The 6-4, 195-pounder led the CAA with a 1.90 earned run average and ranked second with
137 strikeouts in 113.2 innings.

Verlander fanned 10 or more batters five times, including an ODU-record 17 in a 2-0 victory over James Madison. His season strikeout total is second highest in university history and third in CAA history. Opponents hit only .207 against him.

Pregame socials set for six basketball games
In addition to the tailgate parties for the men’s and women’s basketball opening-season games at the Ted Constant Convocation Center (see next item), the Alumni Association will sponsor pregame socials at six home and away games. The games and starting times are:

The socials will start two hours prior to tipoff. A nominal admission fee will be charged.
Details about the away-game socials will be mailed to alumni who live in the area where the games are played. For more information call 683-3097 or 888-ODU-3435.

Alumni Association hosting tailgate parties Nov. 22 & 24
Alumni and their families who attend the Lady Monarchs’ Nov. 22 home opener against UVa and the Monarchs’ first home game Nov. 24 with UNC are invited to tailgate parties sponsored by the Alumni Association. The fun begins two hours before the start of each game on Kaufman Mall in front of the Education Building.

The party preceding the women’s game gets underway at 5 p.m., while the men’s game tailgate will open at 11 a.m.

Admission, which includes game ticket, meal and an ODU fan towel, is $20 for each party. The
fare will consist of hot dogs, chips, soft drinks and beer. For those who have season tickets, the cost is $7.

A local DJ will be on hand to keep the atmosphere festive. Parking is available behind the Lions Child Study Center. (Both the parking area and the site for the parties are within easy walking distance of the Constant Center.)

Reservations are requested and may be made by calling the alumni office at 683-3097 or
888-ODU-3435.

Cross country out, women’s golf in
Old Dominion has added women’s golf and dropped women’s cross country, effective the start of the 2002-03 academic year.

“The availability of quality golf courses in Hampton Roads and the potential financial scholarship support were all strong factors supporting the addition of women’s golf,” said athletic director
Jim Jarrett.

Currently, 212 NCAA Division I schools compete in women’s golf, including four in the CAA: Hofstra, James Madison, UNC-Wilmington and William and Mary. The athletic department will utilize this academic year for recruitment of a coach and student-athletes. The program will conduct its first season of competition in fall 2003.

Old Dominion had fielded women’s cross country teams since 1984-85.