SWIMMING

Numerous local swimmers are competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials, which start Saturday in a pool constructed inside Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

In the women’s 100-meter butterfly Saturday, two swimmers from Virginia Beach and Tide Swimming will compete. The University of Georgia’s Callie Dickinson is seeded 24th and Nikki Venema 36th, according to the “psych sheet.”

Dickinson, from Norfolk Academy, is in her third trials, while Venema, a former Kellam High and Princeton standout who will use her final year of eligibility with Northwestern, is in her second.

Stanford teammates Kayla Wilson and Samantha Tadder, Maddy Hartley, Sophia Knapp of national champion Virginia and Virginia Tech’s Emily Claesson are set to compete later in the week, as is the Florida Gators’ Bobby DiNunzio. Hartley has transferred from Arkansas to Kentucky. All are representing Tide Swimming.

LOCAL BASEBALL

Yard Gnomes knock Pilots out of East lead

The last-place Greenville Yard Gnomes cooled off the Peninsula Pilots on Thursday night, beating them 5-0 at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton.

Henry Garcia had two of the four hits by the Pilots (11-6), and Cam Pittman drew two walks. Their second consecutive loss dropped them into second place in the Coastal Plain League’s seven-team East Division, behind the Morehead City Marlins (10-5).

Greenville’s Matthew Jenkins pitched the first four innings, winner Charlie Horne threw the next 2 2/3, and Andrew Hanson, Cole Kenyon and Todd Kniebe completed the shutout. Greenville pitchers struck out 13.

Meanwhile, Yard Gnomes catcher Grayson Ashe was 3 for 3, needing only a triple for the cycle, and scored three runs for Greenville (4-13). Gage Griggs was 2 for 3 with two RBIs, and Jack Herring was 3 for 5 with a solo home run.

Longtime Pilot Trey Morgan, VMI’s all-time leader in games played, took the loss. He gave up seven hits and three runs (two earned) in 3 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.

The Pilots were to play Friday night in Colonial Heights against the Tri-City Chili Peppers.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

ODU LB Henderson named Preseason All-American

Old Dominion linebacker Jason Henderson was named a Preseason All-American in Phil Steele’s preview magazine.

Six Old Dominion players were named to the Athlon and Phil Steele preseason All-Sun Belt teams, the magazines recently announced.

Linebacker Jason Henderson earned first-team honors by both magazines and was named a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele. Defensive tackle Denzel Lowry earned first-team honors by Athlon and second-team from Phil Steele.

Tight end Jalen Butler was named to the fourth team by Phil Steele, while offensive lineman Santana Saunders earned fourth-team honors from both organizations. Isiah Paige earned fourth-team honors as a punt returner by Phil Steele and third-team by Athlon, and was a fourth-team wide receiver by Athlon. Incoming transfer Patrick Smith-Young received fourth-team honors from Athlon at defensive back.

Eleven James Madison players were named to Phil Steele’s selection, including first-team punter Ryan Hanson.

JMU’s second-team Phil Steele honorees were running back Ayo Adeyi, defensive lineman Eric O’Neill, linebacker Jacob Dobbs and cornerback Chauncey Logan.

The third-teamers were receiver Cam Ross, offensive linemen Cole Potts and Pat McMurtrie and long snapper Logan Ketcham, while Washington transfer quarterback Dylan Morris and linebacker Taurus Jones garnered fourth-team distinction.

COLLEGES

Tribe hires key staff member

William & Mary athletic director Brian Mann announced the hiring of Andy Rowdon as the Tribe’s executive associate athletics director for external operations, effective July 10.

Rowdon will oversee brand management, marketing, media relations, broadcasts and streaming, donor and fan experience, creative services, and ticketing and sales. He has spent the last seven years in a similar role at Eastern Michigan.

A Fredericksburg native who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2002, he was the assistant athletic director for marketing at Old Dominion in 2011-12.

Old Dominion’s athletic department finished ninth in the nation in community service hours (7,645), as announced by the organization Helper Helper.

COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL

Knee injury forces UVA guard to miss season

Virginia coach Tony Bennett announced that sophomore Elijah Gertrude will miss the 2024-25 season.

Gertrude injured his right knee in a scooter accident April 30. He underwent successful surgery to repair the knee May 17.

Gertrude, a 6-4, 185-pound guard, averaged 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 16 games last season.

W&M adds guard

Guard Luke Kinkade, a 6-foot-2 guard from Neuqua Valley, Illinois, has signed with William & Mary as a preferred walk-on, according to Verbal Commits. The left-hander averaged 14.3 points for the Breakaway team on the Under Armour circuit last summer and frequently takes 3-pointers.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Tribe’s Knowles makes A-A third team

William & Mary junior pitcher Nate Knowles’ latest honor was being chosen to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America third team. He compiled an 8-3 record while ranking ninth nationally with a 2.48 ERA.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER

ODU hires graduate assistant

Old Dominion coach Angie Hind completed her staff with the announcement of Hope Stacker as a graduate assistant coach.
Stacker will be the primary goalkeeper coach. She was a three-time NAIA All-American selection for Indiana Wesleyan, where she set a school record with a 0.879 goals-against average.