Five Monarchs Named to Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, Henderson Named Preseason All-American

NORFOLK, Va. – Linebacker Jason Henderson and punter Ethan Duane were named preseason first-team All-Sun Belt selections by Phil Steele, while teammates Javon Harvey, Terry Jones and LaMareon James were named to the third team.
 
A first-team all-conference selection a season ago and a second-team All-American, Henderson led the country with 186 tackles, breaking the ODU single-season record as well as the Sun Belt record. He finished the year with 11 double-digit tackle games, including a school record 22 tackles against Georgia Southern.
 
Duane earned Sun Belt honorable mention honors in 2022, as he finished sixth in the league with a 42.9-yard average and led the league with 28 punts downed inside the 20.
 
Harvey is ODU's leading returning wide receiver from a season ago when he hauled in 30 passes for 558 yards and four touchdowns. He caught a career-high seven passes against Liberty and added a pair of 100-yard receiving games, with a four catch, 133-yard performance and two touchdowns at Georgia State.
 
A safety from Baltimore, Maryland, Jones finished third on the team with 63 tackles. He added 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack and tied for the team lead with two interceptions. He recorded a season-high 11 tackles against Georgia Southern.
 
James returned 20 kickoffs last season for a 21.3-yard average with a long of 38 yards against Georgia Southern. In 2021, James returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns, including the first Monarch to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown when he did it against Tulsa in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
 
ODU opens the 2023 season at Virginia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. on the ACC Network. The Monarchs host Louisiana the following week at S.B. Ballard Stadium at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.