All Sports Schedule
by Pierce Yarberry

Volleyball Hosts Quest for the Crown to Open 2024 Season

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Quest for the Crown presented by Hilton Norfolk The Main

Tournament Info – Friday, Aug. 30 - Saturday, Aug. 31

LocationODU Volleyball Center (Norfolk, Va.)

Watch – ESPN+ (ODU vs. Marist | ODU vs. UTSA | ODU vs. Virginia)

Live StatsODU vs. Marist | ODU vs. UTSA | ODU vs. Virginia

TicketsClick Here

Full Schedule

Friday

11 a.m. – ODU (H) vs. Marist (A)

1:30 p.m. – UTSA (A) vs. William & Mary (H)

4:30 p.m. – Virginia (A) vs. Marist (H)

7 p.m. – ODU (H) vs. UTSA (A)

Saturday

10 a.m. – Marist (A) vs. UTSA (H)

1 p.m. – Virginia (H) vs. William & Mary (A)

7 p.m. – ODU (H) vs. Virginia (A)

NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion volleyball begins its 2024 campaign this weekend when the Monarchs host their fourth annual Quest for the Crown tournament, presented by Hilton Norfolk The Main, on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31 at the ODU Volleyball Center.

Day one of the tournament begins with ODU taking on Marist in an 11 a.m. tilt. UTSA and William & Mary will then follow with a 1:30 p.m. match before Marist and Virginia take the court at 4:30 p.m. Friday’s action will conclude with a 7 p.m. meeting between ODU and UTSA.

Marist and UTSA will open Saturday’s action starting at 10 a.m., and Virginia and W&M’s match will follow at 1 p.m. The tournament then concludes with a 7 p.m. contest between ODU and Virginia. Live stats will be available for each match and all three of ODU's matches will be streamed on ESPN+.

All Quest for the Crown matches where ODU is not competing will be free admission with doors opening 60 minutes before the start of the first match of the day. Single-game admission is $5 with discounts available for youth, seniors, military and ODU faculty and staff. Current ODU students are admitted free with a valid ODU ID. Tickets bought during the day will be valid throughout that day if shown to ticket staff at the entrance.

Fans can also purchase 2024 Old Dominion Fall Season voucher books online at odusports.com/tickets for a cost of $53. Each voucher book includes 25 tickets that are valid for any regular season home game at the ODU Volleyball Center or ODU Soccer Complex.

About ODU

The Monarchs set a new program record for wins in a season last year, finishing 14-17 overall with a 6-10 mark in the Sun Belt. Myah Conway garnered All-Conference First Team honors for the second-straight season and represented ODU on the Sun Belt’s Preseason All-Conference Team. The team was picked to finish fourth in the league’s East Division and is led by fifth-year head coach Fred Chao. ODU returns 10 players from last year’s squad and welcomes eight newcomers for 2024.

About Marist

Marist turned it around once Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play began last season as they went 12-6 in the league to finish 14-16 on the season. They were picked sixth in the MAAC Preseason Poll and will need to replace an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American in Sasha van der Merwe. Head coach Sean Byron is entering his sixth season leading the program.

About UTSA

Third-year head coach Carol Price-Torok guided the Roadrunners to a 15-15 mark in 2023 and an 8-11 mark in the American Athletic Conference. The 15 wins was the most for the program since 2019. UTSA led the AAC in aces per set (1.76) and was second in blocks per set (2.43) with both marks finishing in the top 50 nationally at the end of the regular season. Mia Sorensen was a second-team All-AAC pick last year and named to the preseason All-AAC squad after leading the team in kills with 337. 

About Virginia

The Cavaliers are under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Shannon Wells. Virginia has won the previous two meetings against ODU, including a five-set match on Sept. 5, 2023, in Charlottesville. This weekend will be the first meeting in Norfolk. Virginia returns 10 players from last year’s squad with seniors Abby Tadder (MB), Ashley Le (S), Brooklyn Borum (OH) and Heyli Velasquez (DS/L) leading them. That group of four have combined for 316 career matches and nearly 1,100 career sets. UVA was picked to finish 16th in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll.

About William & Mary

The Tribe finished 13-15 in 2023 with Ryan Adams at the helm. The second-year head coach led W&M to its winningest season, in both wins and winning percentage, since 2012 and most wins since 2009. Junior middle blocker Olivia Esposito was one of 10 players named to the Preseason All-CAA team after earning All-CAA Second Team honors in 2023. She was ranked 32nd nationally last season in blocks per set with 1.32. W&M was picked to finish ninth in the CAA’s Preseason Poll.

Up Next

ODU has its first road match of the season next Tuesday when the Monarchs will make the trip to Williamsburg for a 6 p.m. meeting with the Tribe.