Mace & Crown Fall 2023

MACE & CROWN CONTENTS

EDITORIAL BOARD 2023

Editor in Chief

Justice Menzel

Managing Editor

Leyda Rosario-Rivera

Copy Editor

Graphic Designer

Summer Markham Assistants

Art Neal

Ifrah Yousuf

Caleb Summers

Allie Metzger

Reagan Williams Contributors

Jada Gordon

Marjorie Cenese

Tara Tassone Advisors

Jeremy Saks

FALL 2023

News

6–9 Challenges and Triumphs: The Realities of Being an International Student at ODU

10–13 Decisions in Paradox: ODU’s Strategic Plan Contrasts Massive Expansions

Arts & Entertainment

14–17 How the Arts Are Involved In Blue Connections

18–19 Deborah Wallace: Reimagining Greek Mythology and Theatre at ODU

20–23 Norfolk’s Punk Past and how Not For The Weak Records is Bringing it Back

Sports

24–27 An Indomitable Reign Continues in ODU Women’s Basketball

28–31 ODU Women's Soccer Ties Together Talent and Determination

Technology

32–35 ODU's Golden Ale is More Than a Marketing Ploy

Creative Enclave

36 Your Living Memory

37 Clothing Store Mace

EDITOR’S NOTE

“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this sun of York.”

To my team, both fresh and experienced, thank you for trusting in my vision and supporting us through one of the publication’s most difficult periods. This is the Mace & Crown’s first winter issue of our bi-annual magazine, a product of multiple delays. Although I lament the demise of our fall magazine, it is my great pleasure to present our proverbial “rebirth.” As Editor in Chief, I am proud to uphold the legacy of our publication and eagerly anticipate its rise to new heights. Please, enjoy our work to its fullest extent.

Justice Menzel

Challenges and Triumphs

The Realities of Being an International Student at ODU

By Ifrah Yousuf

Elham Alijanpour decided to apply to a Kinesiology project hosted by ODU after seeing a post made by her current supervisor announcing an open position. She received her conditional admission offer pending on the results of her English Proficiency exam.

Once her admission was confirmed, the process of visa application began. Since the U.S. doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Iran, she had to travel to the Pakistani U.S. embassy for her interview. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all the flights were canceled, so she had to travel 14 hours by land to reach the U.S. Consulate, only for the interview to be canceled 5 days beforehand. On her return back to Iran, she and her husband ended up getting infected by COVID-19. On her second attempt at the visa interview, there weren’t any dates available until September, so she had to defer her admission by a semester.

On Dec. 18, 2021, Alijanpour arrived in the U.S. and right away was overwhelmed with the numerous processes she had to go through to start her life here. Even though she had rented out a place in Norfolk while in Iran, it wasn’t ready for her to move in. For 27 days, she stayed with a friend she made on an online forum. During that time, she had to set up her phone, create a bank account, learn new policies, and begin her classes and her assistantship. She also had to set up the place on her own with limited resources, as her husband was still struggling with receiving his visa to join her here.

Currently, ODU has 792 international students and out of those, 612 students are on an F-1 visa. 483 students are enrolled in science-related programs and 105 students

attend Strome College of Business. ODU has various departments to help these students transition to living in the U.S. and navigating campus, providing them with resources and assistance whenever needed to make the process as smooth as possible.

a Social Security number.

“I arrived in December because I had a delay with my visa and since orientation was in August, I had no clue about ODU policies. It was later through conversations with friends I learnt a lot about the different policies and departments I can reach out to for help.”

—Elham Alijanpour

The first interaction any international student has with any department is with International Admissions, who provides them with an I-20 document that is required to be submitted with a visa application. Once the student arrives in the U.S., they are required to check in with the Office of Visa and Immigration Service Advising. Here, they submit physical copies of their documents and sign papers of employment, as well as receive a new I-20 document with a physical signature in order to apply for

Zlatka Rebolledo Sanchez, who is from Venezuela, faced similar difficulties in acquiring a visa, which delayed her arrival on campus and caused her to miss orientation.

“After arriving in the States and going through the mandated quarantine, we (my husband and I) tried to look for a place around campus but since we arrived late, the affordable places in our budgets were occupied and the only one we could find was in Chesapeake. What we underestimated was the distance, as we were used to the metric system, and how hard the traveling will be. Thankfully, I had a colleague who lived nearby and was there to give me a ride,” she explained.

To promote diversity, inclusion and equality, ODU has established various initiatives with the help of the Office on Intercultural Relations (OIR). These include Black Initiatives, Latinx Initiatives, Asian American & Pacific Islands Initiatives, Native American Initiatives, and Interfaith Initiatives. Each initiative plans events centered on celebrations such as Diwali, New Lunar Year, Cinco De Mayo and various other occasions.

Under the banner of OIR, an International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) has been formed where international students are the

members of the board. Their personal experience helps them empathize with incoming students and help them set up a new life in the U.S. After her experience, Rebolledo Sanchez joined the board in 2022 as Housing and Public Safety Chair.

“In my time as the Chair, the common issues we receive are housing issues, especially requirements in what you would need to apply, public safety, and scams. Sometimes they receive no guidance in what to do and what not to do. They are usually worried about income, health insurance, cultural integrations, scholarships and grants restrictions, which leads to exclusions from discussions with the domestic students. More often than not, they have little information about their own rights and how to report if it’s being violated, ” Rebolledo Sanchez shared when asked about her time in ISAB.

“The assistantship during summer pays 3000 dollars, which is 2000 dollars less than the regular semester, even though the summer semester is for four months, from May to August. Our (my husband and I) rent was still the same, so the stipend only covered that, leaving little to no money for food. It was then I found out about ODU pantry and we were able to survive through

the summer. During the same time, some other international students of our community started to bully us. I wasn’t aware about the policy and the right to report them until later and until then, this was taking a mental toll on both of us,” Alijanpour recalled of her first summer in ODU.

The ODU shuttle bus shuts down during the summer and with many international students having no cars or having resources to purchase one, they are left to find different means to get groceries.

Over the years, policies have improved a bit to help students find this transition easier than the last. Jonas Bensah and Augustine Ofeh, who both joined ODU this year, mentioned that with the help of other international students who were working with International Admissions and other departments, they were able to find resources quickly and learn about the ODU policies.

Leaving your family and friends for an education is a terrifying commitment, but having the right resources to help makes all the difference.

“Our interaction with the international students only begins once they are here. Before that, their interaction is limited with International Admissions only. Due to which we can’t help them in obtaining a visa,” Alaisa Core, who works at the VISA and Immigration Office explained.

Besides this, they conduct workshops to help students apply for the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) visa and Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, and assist in receiving tax and travel signatures. In collaboration with International Admissions, they also plan orientation for international students through the Monarch International Newcomer Transition program (MINT).

MINT teaches students the policies of ODU and facilitates socialization with fellow peers. However, due to delays in obtaining visas, many of the international students are unable to attend the program.

“I arrived in December because I had a delay with my visa and since orientation was in August, I had no clue about ODU policies. It was later through conversations with friends I learnt a lot about the different policies and departments I can reach out to for help.” Alijanpour remarked.

ODU’s Strategic Plan Contrasts Massive Expansions

By Justice Menzel

Old Dominion University is the most affordable doctoral institution in Virginia, has an R1 Research classification, a soon-to-be-integrated medical school, and has continued to develop new programs in high-demand sectors such as cybersecurity and maritime.

From this bird’s eye view, ODU seems to be innovating, redeveloping, and expanding, but closer inspection reveals the University is starting to look inward. The 2023-2024 strategic plan tells a story of meticulous preparation, financial distress, and enrollment challenges – some of which are unavoidable.

An impending threat to all higher education grows ever closer.

Thanks to the Great Recession of 2008, the national college-age population will shrink beginning in 2025, resulting in what’s being called an “enrollment cliff” by higher educators.

ODU admitted that they are “not immune to the declining undergraduate applicant pool,” citing the dangers of competition between other regional universities in “attract[ing] first-generation and underrepresented students.”

Projections in the strategic plan generously note that enrollment will see losses of approximately 225 students between 2023 and 2028. According to the 2016 Higher Education Demand Index, regional universities are expected to lose 11% of their students by 2029.

In 2023, ODU experimented with lower enrollment and a more stringent acceptance rate, partially responding to a smaller applicant pool seemingly driven by the enrollment cliff. However, the class of 2027 contains the highest number of valedictorians and salutatorians in the institution’s history.

Beyond 2025, the administration

Photo by Chuck Thomas

expects a cliff-driven decrease in graduate student populations. To attract and retain students, they plan to develop “more creative marketing, particularly in the digital learning arena.”

In a different challenge, the administration at ODU projected its 2024 six-year graduation rate at 45% in some figures (Hemphill) and 50% in others (Strategic Plan), dropping from a high of 54% in 2018.

“It's hard for me to look you and your parents in the eye and say there's a 45% chance that you're going to graduate in six years,” said ODU President Brian O. Hemphill at a student forum, “We have to do a better job in that particular space– and that's something we're working on.”

Based on the strategic plan, Dr. Brandi Hephner LaBanc, Vice President for Student Engagement and Enrollment Services, along with “key campus constituents,” will be responsible for meeting a target of 82% for retention rates and 57% for graduation rates in 2028.

ODU Vice President for Administration and Finance, Chad A. Reed said that budget funds

military and international students, as well as the establishment of an “Associate Registrar for Enrollment Services to manage withdrawal[s] and stop-out[s.]”

“It’s hard for me to look you and your parents in the eye and say there’s a 45% chance that you’re going to graduate in six years,”

— ODU President Brian O. Hemphill

A stop-out is a designation given to students who withdraw from academics for longer than four months before re-enrolling, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. As a public university, Old Dominion receives approximately 67% of its operating budget from the state, making up the other 33% with donations, tuition, and student fees. The limitation of withdrawals and stop-outs is paramount to maintaining enrollment and thus, financial stability.

The strategic plan lays out several possible solutions to increase the institution’s graduation and one-year retention rates, the latter of which is projected to rise from 74% to 76% in 2024, though down from a crest of 82% in 2016.

will be directed towards “increased tutoring, success coaching, and peer success services, with a specific focus on first- and secondyear students and courses with especially high drop, fail, and withdrawal rates.”

Reed also mentioned investments in support services for online learners, freshman populations, and specialized groups such as

But even primary funding isn’t set in stone. “While state revenues look positive, the use of those revenues is always dependent on the Governor and General Assembly,” Reed said, “and there’s no guarantee that funding will continue at current levels. Reductions in state funding due to a drop in revenue or policy decisions would present large

challenges to University finances.”

ODU’s grandest maneuver as of late — the absorption of Eastern Virginia Medical School to create the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center —was only recently funded by Virginia legislators and approved by Gov. Glenn Youngkin after an amendment was passed, altering the state’s budget. Following the integration, Old Dominion will be the “largest academic health sciences center in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” according to Hemphill.

These gestures at expansion, which include the aforementioned merger, the construction of new schools of data science, maritime, and cybersecurity, and a new partnership with Jefferson Laboratories, are expected to “attract new students, [generating increased tuition,] increased state funding investments, and increased research dollars for ODU,” said Reed.

The research itself is under the microscope at ODU, with hopes of igniting the economy of Hampton Roads with proper designations. The strategic plan reads that “the university will need to be a catalyst in diversifying the regional economy from its labor-intensive roots to include more data-focused, high-tech sectors.” The development of the new maritime, cybersecurity, and data science schools provides evidence of the institution tapping into regional industry slated for national growth.

They aim to “reinforce existing research areas while also exploring those that are emerging” through the recruitment of “non-teaching faculty researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and Ph.D. students.” Listed as a five-year goal is the fostering of increased competition between researchers for a shot at grants.

At the 2023 State of the University Address, Jennifer Burdette, a transfer student from Tidewater Community College and medical researcher, was highlighted as the first undergraduate recipient in ODU’s history to be selected as a Barry Goldwater scholar. Her recognition at the event could be exemplative of a new push for undergraduate students to pursue prestige-earning research for the university.

Faculty loss was represented in a process the strategic plan called “hero culture.” Due to understaffing, faculty have taken it upon themselves to pick up heavier workloads, leading to higher instances of turnover. Additionally, a lack of state support has bled into

problematic pay raises disproportionate to other R1 and R2 research institutions.

The ‘value proposition’ of a college education is a hot topic being examined by Hemphill and his cabinet as students, parents, and legislators begin to question the value of a college education.

“Skyrocketing tuition across the nation is just a significant concern,” he said, “Beyond that, it's also just looking at what's going on with student loan debt, and the challenges that we have there. But then, you have to compound that [with] the enrollment cliff.”

Dominion’s Board of Visitors opted to raise tuition by a comprehensive 4.1% last spring, making up for disparities in enrollment, inflation, and a smaller operating budget. They were one of many in the Commonwealth to do so, with the University of Virginia raising theirs by 3.7% and George Mason University by 3%.

Though some maneuvers, such as EVMS’ integration, play brilliantly for the outward image and financial stability of the university, ODU is not an unstoppable force. It’s hard to say whether one of these upcoming challenges will prove an immovable object.

Old

Photo by Chuck Thomas

Photo by Chuck Thomas

Photo courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Perry Library

How the Arts Are Involved In Blue Connections

By Ash F.J. Thomas

Photos By McDuffie Images, LLC 2023 Works By Solomon Robert Nui Enos

Back in 2021, ODU launched the Annual Campus Theme (ACT), “a multi-disciplinary campus initiative that aims to encourage discovery, growth, and engagement in today's national and global conversations.”

The ACT seeks to combine academic courses with public events and invites students of all academic colleges to immerse themselves in the learning experience about a relevant issue.

“[The ACT] is a way to vertically align the curriculum and get students invested in issues that deal with the local community and community interests,” said Steffani Dambruch Bush, an English lecturer at ODU.

The ACT of 2023 is Blue Connections. It seeks to educate students about the ecosystems of the ocean and the unique maritime history of Norfolk. The largest naval base in the world is located in Norfolk, and many local museums and exhibits display local nautical history, such as the Nauticus Maritime Center and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.

As for the ODU campus itself, even the average student quickly becomes aware of how many “blue connections” it has, from the campus’s proximity to Whitehurst Beach and the waterfront, to the way the roads and walkways flood during rainstorms.

On the surface, Blue Connections appears to be a largely scientific and environmental theme, but as it is a campus-wide initiative, each department is contributing to the theme, including the College of Arts & Letters.

From art exhibits to concerts, let’s put a spotlight on how the humanities have been contributing to Blue Connections.

The Gordon Art Gallery hosted “Papahānaumoku,” a series of paintings by Hawaiian artist Solomon Robert Nui Enos named after and inspired by the Hawaiian goddess. According to the Hawaiian myths, also known as “mo’olelo,” Papahānaumoku is known as the Earth Mother and gave birth to the islands of Hawaii.

“These works speak to our collective challenge in addressing climate change issues, such as Norfolk’s sea-level rise [...] and to the University’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the ocean’s ecosystems,” reads the gallery’s display.

The gallery displays 81 unique paintings. Most are acrylic paintings on wooden box canvases, but some paintings and graphite drawings are done on bristol board. “Coral Singer” and

Gade, and “Suite from ‘The River’” by Duke Ellington.

“Navigator-Conductor” were painted on asphalt saturated roofing felt. Among the large and eye-catching paintings, Enos also created various series of smaller works displayed between them, such as “Studies of the Island - Machines” and “Aquatic Accoutrements.”

Enos painted eight pieces titled “He Ki’i Moku” and the title piece, “Papahānaumoku” inside the Gordon Art Gallery days before the exhibit opened, leaving streaks of multicolored paint beside the paintings as a kind of signature. The gallery also has an interactive video exhibit that shows a timelapse of Enos completing “Papahānaumoku” and the “He Ki’i Moku” pieces.

Though paintings such as “Coral Singer,” “Navigator-Conductor,” “The Weather Decryptor,” the “Ceremonial Exposure Gear” series, and others show humanlike figures, many of these figures appear connected to the ocean and the landscape.

“Solomon rarely includes much in the way of human representations in his works, as he feels that somehow, we will become indistinguishable from the landscape,” reads the gallery display.

“Papahānaumoku” was freely available for public viewing from Sept. 15 through Dec. 16.

On Oct. 1, the ODU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paul Sahno Kim, performed the “Ice Becomes Water” concert, which featured songs with connections to water, including “Molly On The Shore” by Percy Aldridge Grainger, “Aquarelles, Op. 19” by Niels

In between the songs, ODU professors Peter Sedwick and Tom Allen gave short lectures about sea levels and flooding, as well as the research they are conducting related to the ocean. The concert also featured guest composer Judith Shatin, who composed “Ice Becomes Water,” a haunting piece that utilized hydrophone recordings of cracking glaciers. But those recordings were far from the only unique sound in the music.

“You may be surprised by some of the sounds that the stringed instruments make,” Shatin said before the performance. “Rather than having a separate stratum for the electronics and for the strings, I wanted them to interact. [...] I had to come up with new ways for the string instruments to make sense.

“One of my favorite things is collaborating with performers, and I collaborated with some of my colleagues in developing these,” she added.

When discussing the collaboration of the art and science departments, Dr. Sedwick said, “I think it’s fantastic. It’s a great way to get people aware of things. Sometimes science can be a little bit dry, so I think bringing art and communication into it is a fantastic way of getting the message across.”

Paul Sanho Kim, the conductor of the “Ice Becomes Water" concert, believes the concert’s message is one that applies to everyone.

“We all have a stake in the future of our community [...] all of us benefit from understanding a little bit about the science behind what’s going on with the climate, and this is just one way of helping to bridge the gap between people who know a lot about the issue and people who don’t,” he said.

Fashion Merchandising students have

contributed to Blue Connections with their sustainability project, “Plastics in the Water.” Students turned recycled materials such as plastic bags, plastic bottles, and even discarded masks into clothing and accessories. It was first featured in a booth during the Fantastic Planet Public Arts Festival on Oct. 13-15. Some of their works were featured in the U-Nite Fashion Show at the Barry Arts Museum on Nov. 10.

The academics are contributing to Blue Connections with specialized Annual Campus Theme courses. Some of the courses students took this past fall are “Print II - The Hybrid Print” with Professor Brendan Baylor, a history-focused senior seminar with Dr. Ingo Heidbrink, and “Inland Waterways & Intermodal Transportation” with Dr. Ricardo Ungo. The Office of Academic Affairs provided funding for research projects related to the theme. Projects from the Arts & Letters department include Brendan Baylor and Kelly Morse’s Sound Map for a Changing Landscape and Natalia Pilato and Elspeth McMahon’s Blue Connections Mural Initiative.

Even 100-level classes are including Blue Connections units, such as Steffani Dambruch Bush’s “Introduction to Literature” class. Her students are keeping

Blue Connections journals, writing entries reflecting on their relationships to the water, analyzing maritime literature, and even trying their hand at penning sea poems. Bush taught the local maritime history of Norfolk and had students read various poems and book chapters about oceans, seas, pirates, and nautical myths.

When asked what she wanted students to take away from the Blue Connections unit, and the campus theme at large, Bush said she wanted students to feel pride in the history of Hampton Roads and form a connection with Norfolk through their writing.

“Oftentimes, the way we engage with this area [is] community service activism or the study of history through nonfiction writing [...] there are few times when we can learn about history through imaginative fiction and literature,” she said. “So I hope that students are able to have that as an extra dimension that they might not get in their other classes, and can see themselves reflected in the experiences of those who wrote imaginatively about this area.”

Blue Connections will continue in the spring 2024 semester with more ACT-themed courses, such as the special topics course “Murals for Social Justice” with Dr. Natalia Pilato, “Maritime History of the Holocaust” with Dr. Annette Finley-Croswhite, and “Fashion Supply Chain Management” with Professor Joy Kelly. There have currently been no Blue Connections events announced for the spring semester.

The name Blue Connections was meant to evoke connections between the ODU community and the oceans, but the name can also refer to how art, science, and environmentalism connected in the fall 2023 semester to spread their messages through each other’s mediums, showing how creatives can harness their skills to bridge the gap between science and art.

Deborah Wallace

Reimagining Greek Mythology and Theatre at ODU

By Ash F.J. Thomas

When “The Women of Troy” was announced as ODURep’s second production of the fall 2023 theatre season, it was clearly a continuation of “Artemis, I,” produced in the spring of the same year. However, the initial announcement of the play also revealed that “The Women of Troy” is the third chapter of the Apollo & Artemis Trilogy and the continuation of a story started with “Niobe.”

The Apollo & Artemis trilogy consists of three Greek myth retellings centering on the eponymous gods written by Deborah Wallace, who has taught film at ODU since 2020. Since joining the department, she has directed a production of another one of her original plays, “Homesick,” as well as a production of the Greek play “The Bacchae.” Her latest directing works at ODU have been “Artemis, I” and “The Women of Troy.”

The Apollo & Artemis trilogy is an exploration of hubris, which Wallace noted was a common theme of Greek tragedies, along with the high prices that mortals pay when they offend the gods. The trilogy also explores the women of mythology, highlighting Niobe, the rare woman who grappled with hubris, and seeks to empower the Trojan women despite the horrors they faced.

“The Women of Troy” seeks to empower the women of the Trojan saga despite their grim situations, demonstrating the tough and brutal choices that the women made. Andromache kills her child to make sure the Greeks wouldn’t and Cassandra kills herself to prevent Agamemnon and Apollo from owning her.

seeing people doing big production numbers. I love singing, I love all that stuff. [...] there’s no real rule that says we can’t just reconfigure these stories as we want to.”

“Niobe,” the first play in the Apollo & Artemis trilogy, has never been produced by ODURep. The Core Theatre Ensemble staged a production in Norfolk in September 2017, which Wallace did not direct. The play tells the story of Niobe, the queen of Thebes. She compares her fourteen children to Artemis and Apollo and judges that her children are superior, and that Niobe herself is a better woman than the gods’ divine mother, Leto. This act of hubris leads to Artemis and Apollo killing all of her children in retribution.

When crafting “Niobe,” Wallace said she wanted to write a tragic play inspired by a story that had not been arranged as a play in the past.

“I also didn’t want the focal character to be male. I wanted to investigate the idea of hubris, which is thematically very common in Greek tragedies, but I wanted to see that from a female perspective. [...] the character of Niobe was one that really appealed to me,” she added.

Though the myth of Niobe seems largely disconnected from the saga of the Trojan War, which the latter two plays cover, Wallace noted that the characters of Artemis and Apollo connect these events. Niobe and Agamemnon are two mortals who anger Apollo and Artemis, and both are from the House of Atreus, which the gods have decided must end.

“Artemis, I” is the second play in the trilogy, which Wallace wrote at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. It was produced by ODURep in the spring of 2023, featuring local theatre actress Anna Sosa as Artemis and ODU student Joshua Moore as Apollo.

The play is primarily told from Artemis’ perspective. It is about her grief and rage and the high price Agamemnon had to pay for offending her.

“The Women of Troy” was quickly written and produced after “Artemis, I” and ran from Oct. 12-22. It retells the aftermath of the Trojan War covered in Euripides’ “Trojan Women” and Aeschylus’s “Agamemnon.” Many principal cast members from “Artemis, I” returned for “The Women of Troy.”

“I wanted her (Cassandra) to have that degree of agency and I also wanted her to subvert the idea of prognostication [...] and whether or not you can subvert it,” said Wallace.

The play also ends with Artemis allowing Cassandra to stay dead when she has previously brought one of Niobe’s daughters and Iphigenia back to life at the ends of “Niobe” and “Artemis, I” respectively.

“I wanted it to feel as though that particular story was ending [...] that Artemis was allowing there to be an end to this,” said Wallace.

When asked what drew her to write about Artemis and Apollo, Wallace said they embodied the Dionysian and Apollonian ideals of the Nietzschean tragedy.

She later elaborated, “There’s this intellectual versus this really creative, dark force, [...] these two ideas, always in balance in some respects. So those were the two characters that I felt like could embody those two ideas.”

“Niobe,” “Artemis, I,” and “The Women of Troy” are not meant to be simple works of theatre. At their core, these plays are multidisciplinary works of art, which use song and dance alongside the spoken word performances to tell their stories.

“Niobe” featured dances by the children of the titular queen, including a segment that symbolizes the moment Artemis kills her daughters. “Artemis, I” featured several dance numbers from a Greek chorus of silverpainted goddesses of war, including one set to Rage Against the Machine’s song “Killing in the Name,” which symbolized the goddess’s commitment to helping Artemis enact her revenge. “The Women of Troy” had a full-cast dance sequence to Garbage’s cover of “Cities in Dust” that represented the capture of the Trojan women, as well as powerful vocal performances from Leila Bryant, who played Clytemnestra.

According to Wallace, she regularly incorporates music and dance into her works.

“I love seeing lots of bodies on stage. I love

Lighting and sound played a big role in crafting the world of Wallace’s trilogy. “Artemis, I” opened with the chirps and chatters of birds and other woodland creatures to create the ambience of a rustic temple. “The Women of Troy” opened with the sounds of helicopters flying overhead and a searchlight roaming the stage to transport the audience to the war-torn city of Troy.

A particularly striking moment of “Artemis, I” was created in collaboration with the costume and the lighting department. The Pythia, a priestess of Apollo, was transformed under a blacklight, which revealed

workers. The choreography in “Artemis, I” and “The Women of Troy” was largely created by students. Many actors who have worked with Wallace have said that she gave them creative freedom when deciding how to embody their characters.

“This is a conversation of collaboration between people, and between performers and director. And 99.9% of the time, their ideas are going to be more meaningful than mine are, and I have to trust that because they’re the ones that are connecting to these characters,” said Wallace.

“I like to give them the time to investigate and flesh out what they're thinking in terms of how they connect to these characters,” she added.

“I wanted her to have that degree of agency and I also wanted her to subvert the idea of prognostication [...] and whether or not you can subvert it.” — Deborah Wallace

patterns on her dress and in her makeup. The mortal characters in the show had all been wearing white, and the sudden burst of color demonstrated the Pythia’s tether to the divine characters.

Wallace is known for adding a degree of modernity to her Greek plays to connect to audiences.

“There's a degree of like preciousness to the theater that I want to just obliterate and invite new audiences in and [...] make these kinds of stories accessible to everyone. [...] I think that that’s on us as theatermakers.”

Wallace believes that collaboration between different art disciplines is important for theatre. When she casts actors, she looks at every artistic skill a potential actor has alongside their theatrical ability.

“Everything that happens [on stage] is a brushstroke. I ask actors to invest their performance with that. Everything your body is doing on stage should feel like a brushstroke on a canvas,” she said.

Wallace’s directorial works involve collaboration with both student performers and stage

At some point in the near future, Wallace hopes to direct productions of all three plays of the Apollo & Artemis trilogy chronologically so that audiences of ODURep can finally experience “Niobe” and see the progression of Artemis and Apollo from start to finish.

Photo by Elena Harris

Norfolk’s Punk Past and How Not For The Weak Records is Bringing it Back

The Band

Hardcore punk has always had a deep-seated history in Virginia. It doesn’t take much of a deep dive to see how the “Old Dominion” state has been a breeding ground for angry, high-octane music. From the old city of Richmond, home of Gwar, to Arlington, home of the Dischord House, or within the seven cities, Virginia keeps holding hands with counterculture.

But what is there to offer to the people who ended up stumbling into Norfolk by chance — the people who have already embraced the counterculture lifestyle?

I never really bothered asking myself the question as deeply as I should have. I was content with attending the more than occasional punk or metal concert at the Norva. However, I had a gut feeling there was more to the 757’s music scene than what I was seeing. So, I casually started scouring the internet for whatever I could find.

Not For The Weak Records (NFTW) caught my eye. It looked like a hidden gem tucked away inside the Freemason District of Norfolk; a spot I regularly drive past on my daily commute to ODU.

I decided to check the place out during a hot summer afternoon. Inside, a large banner hung above one of the counters declaring “NOT FOR THE WEAK!!!”. A plethora of posters and flags commemorating bands adorned the walls. If it wasn’t the decor that set the tone, the sheer cacophony of DRI’s debut release, “Dirty Rotten LP,” blasting through the air certainly did.

This is where I first interacted with Chris Taylor and Zach Carson, the respective vocalist and drummer of local hardcore band, Bato. I asked them for some tape recommendations, unaware of how involved they were in the local

scene. They pointed towards the wall of tapes and recommended some of the releases under their label. For a pair of staunch hardcore dudes, they were really welcoming toward someone who felt like an absolute poser for not knowing squat about the golden history of Norfolk’s punk scene.

Enough about personal discovery. Let’s take an inside look at what’s brewing in the heart of Norfolk.

The brains behind the entire operation is none other than Jordan “Greeno” Greenough, a punk rock musician, skater, producer, riff dealer, and more.

Greenough was raised in Hickory, a small community in Chesapeake, Virginia, and was exposed to punk music early on.

“I got into music through my older brother. He was really big into punk growing up. I would like…go into his room and steal his CDs and stuff.”

As a skater and sports enthusiast with a passion for the art scene, Greenough grew up in a nonexistent category within cliche high school cliques. However, it wasn’t until after high school that Greenough got exposed to the scene within Norfolk.

This translated to how Not For The Weak Records runs itself. On the locale’s official opening day, it simultaneously hosted a punk rock flea market for vendors of all kinds. In September 2023, it hosted the Norfolk Zine Fest, an event dedicated to people sharing their finished fanzine projects. Fanzines are popular in counterculture as amateur magazines made by people within a

scene, for the scene.

When Carson walked into the record store mid-interview, he was asked to chip in on what that scene was like. Unlike Greenough, Carson had been going to shows since high school.

“There was violence…but there were good bands,” Carson said. “This area has always had a violent reputation… A lot of that stuff, at a certain point, became bigger than the actual music.”

Hardcore punk has been known to have intense scenes ever since it first manifested in the U.S. According to Carson, several locals felt that violence had become a hindrance to the scene, to the point where it “practically ate itself.”

Before it comfortably sat on Monticello Avenue, the original NFTW Records was located at a place the hardcore folks refer to as Studio 239B on 25th Street and Llewelyn Avenue within the Park Place district of Norfolk.

This was the beginning of it all.

“If we didn’t find 239B, we would definitely not be anywhere we’re at today,” Greenough emphasized. This was their chance to curate a scene that could grow into something beyond its hostility-based reputation. Not only would they host concerts, but they’d also have cook-outs and a makeshift punk music distro featuring several underground releases.

This created massive progress for local concerts because 239B was established with the intention of sharing music with the community, punks or not. Part of this success was also owed to their landlord who, upon haphazardly walking in on one of their shows, ended up encouraging them to keep doing it.

“He was hugely important to us…letting us do all the stupid shit we wanted to do without batting an eye… All he said to me was, ‘Listen, I don’t care what you do. Just pay me the rent on time.’”

It’s fateful moments like these where a simple yes can start an impactful domino effect. However, not all good things last forever.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 239B regularly hosted small shows, with larger ones attracting up to 120 people. What originally started out as a small show with friends quickly became a hotspot for newbies and enthusiasts alike.

Once the lockdown hit, shows were indefinitely suspended. During the lockdown, Carson recalled bad omens.

“On that street, all these lofty whatever-gentrified apartments popped up… When I saw those little restaurants open up and those apartments built over COVID, I immediately thought this is not good for what we’re doing.”

Greenough nodded during this retelling and proceeded to speak about the straw that broke the camel’s back.

During a Mutant Strain headlined concert at 239B, cops were called to a big house party in the aforementioned apartments across the street, which prompted officers to be in the immediate area. The noise from 239B caught the law’s unwanted attention.

After an exchange, the officers asked the ever-dreaded question: “Alright well…do you have a permit?”

Greenough countered, “This is private property. It’s just a little get together.”

The officers informed him that they’d have to get the city involved, and they unfortunately did.

“[The city] got involved, the fire marshall got involved, and it turns out…” Carson stepped in, “The building just wasn’t up to code. He didn’t have his paperwork in order to be renting out that spot.”

“The loss of 239B really fucked us up,” said Carson—something a lot of folks

can agree on.

In February 2022, Not For The Weak Records migrated to a spot out in Lynnhaven in Virginia Beach; a long way from their home scene. While the crew tried to book shows, they discovered the reality of how difficult it is to start a scene

It’s important to note that Not For The Weak Records isn’t just a shop filled with physical releases for underground hardcore punk — it’s a recording studio and an event spot. With a loft upstairs in the new location, touring bands can now spend the night.

“If we didn’t find 239B, we would definitely not be anywhere we’re at today,”

—Jordan Greenough

without any venues available. The crew had to settle with West Beach Tavern, a bar out in Virginia Beach, which also ended up having permit issues.

However, it’s relatively agreed that do-it-yourself venues are something that keeps punk special, and continue to pop up in the scene. It’s not uncommon for bands to book a show at a dance studio, or something of the like, only to be barred from ever booking a show there again. One such spot, which is no longer in use, was underneath a 10-lane, highway exit overpass reminiscent of Hell's Door in Richmond.

Thankfully, Greenough found a property listed next to an antique store on Monticello Avenue. Still armed with the same determination that struck him at their first post-pandemic show, which was jam-packed with around 200 people, he started to work on making the local scene’s newest home in October 2022.

The moving process took a while, and it wasn’t until May 2023 when the record store portion of NFTW Records would be “soft opened” to the public exclusively on weekends.

Regardless, amazing progress has been made for the scene ever since NFTW Records returned to its rightful place in Norfolk. The Taphouse Grill, or Norfolk Taphouse, has become the de facto spot for hardcore concerts in the area. NFTW Records actively books these shows for touring and local bands alike.

Not For The Weak Records has established itself as a punk rock haven in Norfolk. These sorts of places, paired with like-minded individuals, are vital for any scene.

A good omen for the scene is the astounding amount of young people that are showing up to these concerts.

“I would say a majority of the people that come out are just younger. Whereas

back in the day it was all older. It was music created by kids, so it's cool to see kids playing the music,” Greenough said.

Carson added, “Yeah, it’s starting to make me feel old. But that's cool because this shit is pointless if it can't be passed off to the next group of kids to pick up… It's refreshing to see kids in high school getting into this because I see myself in that kid…I know that kid probably can't relate to a lot of kids at school and I know how much this music probably means to him.”

The Observer

What’s a music scene without its observers?

One such observer has been faithfully filming the scene’s various concerts, no matter the location: Walter “Walt” Valencia, popularly known as “The iPhone Archivist” on various media platforms.

“It’s my contribution to the scene,”

Valencia said, “I’m not in a band, I don’t play an instrument, I don’t put out

fanzines, or own a record label.”

While he isn’t the only one in the area recording shows, he certainly is the most consistent. If the man could bilocate to record two shows simultaneously, he would. Other hardcore scenes have notable channels that record shows, such as hate5six or Elizabeth Bathory Productions. These channels provide a huge service to the music because not only do they promote the band, but they engrave those concerts into musical history.

But what pushed Valencia to do this?

Valencia spoke about a person known as “Big Cat” in his high school. “Big Cat” would pick up a camcorder and, after receiving permission to film, go out to all the local punk shows. Outside of local hardcore artists, his films consisted of punk rock icons such as Bad Brains, 7 Seconds, and Fugazi. This videographer was nothing short of an original, and all originals inspire the next generation.

“I’m from Virginia Beach. My father is retired military; [Virginia Beach] was his

in Norfolk, and they're just pushing shows.”

Many of the venues that hosted punk shows back then are no longer present. However, the spots are well remembered by those who were in the scene during that time.

“The Tidewater scene was broken down into two things: it was the DIY stuff and then, the venues that were open.”

Violence is a part of the punk scene. However, violence isn’t the end goal. Hardcore’s aggression is meant as an outlet for pent up anger. Beneath all that anger lies a strong sense of community. It still is, at the very heart of it all, partaking in music as a family. Newcomers don’t see that at first, but it is an integral part of punk.

Seeing how this new wave of bands, with the help of NFTW Records, are contributing to the writing of the latest chapter in Virginia hardcore history is both inspiring and exciting.

final duty station. My father decided to stay here and that’s why I got into the hardcore scene during my teen years. I grew up watching [Big Cat’s] videos.”

Valencia has a strong passion for what he does. His goal isn’t just to support the scene and all the artists that stumble through it; he wants to capture the raw essence of the crowd.

“My goal is just to document local stuff; like it just so turns out that there are more punk shows than indie rock shows in the area.”

Valencia proceeded to touch on just how much traction the scene has started gaining not just in Norfolk, but in Virginia as a whole. Potential is evident in the increasing amount of shows and the quality of up-and-coming local bands.

“The hardcore kids…they're more energetic [and] ambitious in terms of wanting to play as many shows as possible to build on what's been here… I’d have to say this is probably the second or third generation that's pushing hardcore

Valencia reminisced about the Kings Head Inn, a venue that used to sit on Virginia Beach Boulevard that hosted several “all ages” hardcore shows. Within the Virginia Beach area, two venues known as Peppermint Beach Club and Atlantic Beach Club hosted a plethora of metal and hardcore artists. Closer to ODU, there used to be a venue called The Corner which sat a couple blocks away from 37th and Zen. Another great spot for shows was Cogan’s on Colonial Avenue, back when it used to be a dive bar that regularly featured hardcore bands. Now, Cogan’s is a bar and pizza joint popular among many ODU students.

As a military-centered city, Norfolk receives both civilians and those in service from all over the world. For mainstream audiences, Norfolk’s hardcore shows are their first exposure to one of the most extreme amalgamations to exist within counterculture.

“I think a lot of it was outsiders who just didn’t understand the culture…they just saw kids flailing their arms, two-stepping, and bumping into people thinking that it was an excuse to hit people without repercussions,” Valencia said regarding the violent history that was present within the local scenes.

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes. This misunderstanding of violence within the scene is a tale as old as time, plaguing places like Washington, D.C.’s hardcore scene during its heyday in the late ‘70s and ‘80s.

Part of what fueled fights was “scene envy,” as Valencia described it. There was a time where there was animosity between the folks in the Richmond scene and the Norfolk scene.

“I remember that there was a point in time where people in Richmond would go ‘Fuck Norfolk’, and people in Norfolk would go, ‘Fuck Richmond’...” Valencia reflected, “The irony of that is if they’re not local, half that scene is from here or from [Northern Virginia], and we moved to Richmond.”

Regardless if it was homescene resentment or just irritation at the influx of new people, it’s safe to say that the hardcore scene was not always at its best. While remnants of those sentiments may still exist today, the current generation of hardcore has been overwhelmingly positive throughout the state.

Punk has always evolved over time. Every location with an active scene has its own eras throughout the years, and Norfolk is no exception. Within the state of Virginia, there are two styles of punk currently dominating the scene: D-beat and Youth Crew. The former is the most prominent one in Norfolk.

“Now there is a resurgence of American D-beat that Not For The Weak Records is riding on...like Bato, Self Inflict, Reckoning Force…”

D-beat is a style of punk that originated in the UK with bands like Discharge, Anti Cimex, Doom, and more. It operates on a darker, faster, and heavier sound that other forms of punk, when viewed collectively, might not have at all.

“That's the hallmark of a scene. it's not just a band. We've got a record store. We've got a record label, and we've got a studio to go along with it, and then we've got a venue that openly is cool with hardcore…” Valencia said, “Virginia is not New York. We're not California. We're not like Chicago, or like Seattle, but we have a good strong history, or contribution [to the scene].”

Valencia has but one message to the people interested in the scene: “Show up! Have fun! If you’re new and you don’t know what’s going on, then just ask questions so we don’t have to deal with fights. But overall, just have fun.”

Conclusion

Anyone embedded in counterculture would be doing themselves a disservice by not paying Not For The Weak Records a visit. If it wasn’t for the tremendous work done here by various invested individuals, it’s likely that the scene would not have been as lively as it is today.

Whether you’re an angsty suburbanite, a jaded member of the working class, or none of the above, punk rock has something for you. You don’t have to venture far — there’s a home for this culture in Norfolk, and it’s here to stay.

Zach and Greeno have but one final message to all the counterculture kids of the 757: “Hey, anybody reading this. If you got a house or a basement in Norfolk we can play at, hit us up! Especially in the ODU area.”

By Ben Draper Photos Courtesy of ODU Athletics

After falling to James Madison in the Sun Belt Conference tournament semifinals in March, the ODU’s women’s basketball program set out on the road to building a new team surrounding their core players. This growing powerhouse has improved year by year under head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones since she took over in 2020. As Milton-Jones heads into her fourth season, there was no question for the Director of Athletics, Dr. Wood Selig,

to extend the contract of Milton-Jones through the 2027-28 season.

Dr. Selig praised Milton-Jones, stating that she is a phenomenal leader of young women and an exceptional role model. He believes that Milton-Jones’ experience as a champion at every level —college, pro, and the Olympics — makes her the perfect fit to lead the ODU women's basketball program.

In Milton-Jones’ three seasons at Old

goes beyond just win-loss records.

Old Dominion has had a fantastic start to the 2023-24 season, winning all eight of the games they’ve played so far. They are determined to maintain their winning streak throughout the regular season and surpass their previous postseason achievements. Their ultimate goal is to compete for the Sun Belt Championship and potentially secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The future looks bright for this talented team.

Before the start of the regular season, the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for this year, in which the league’s 14 head coaches cast their votes, was released in mid-October. Old Dominion was picked to finish fourth in the conference. When asked about the poll results, Milton-Jones simply put it as "motivation" for her and the team.

Heading into the 2023 season, the Lady Monarchs had five players returning from last year's squad that finished 22-12 overall and 12-6 against Sun Belt opponents. Graduate guard Kaye Clark and senior guard Jordan McLaughlin are the two starters back for ODU. Others who have returned include senior guard Joy Campbell, sophomore center Mikayla Brown, and junior forward Brenda Fontana.

game 72-50.

In their next game, Old Dominion faced Buffalo as part of the opening round of the new MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Although ODU held the lead for over 37 minutes and led by as many as 15 points, Buffalo fought back to within three points midway through the fourth quarter. However, with some late defensive stops and consistent shooting at the free-throw line, Old Dominion secured a 59-48 victory.

Old Dominion then faced Xavier at home, whom they lost to 65-49 the previous year. Despite shooting poorly, the Lady Monarchs utilized their superior depth and a swarming defense to wear down Xavier and claim a 55-43 victory. Buford led ODU with 12 points, while Makayla Brown had 11 points and seven rebounds.

In their next game, Old Dominion played Texas Southern in a morning Education

Day contest with over 2,500 Norfolk Public School students in attendance. Old Dominion won the game 57-38, with Budford leading the team with 10 points, five rebounds, and four steals. Fontana and McCollister followed with eight points each, while Cunningham and Clark had seven points each.

This win marked the fourth win in a row for Old Dominion, which is the first time they have started a season 4-0 since 2012-13.

In their next game, ODU faced Elon, a team they lost to in the 2022-23 season after giving up a ten-point lead in the second half. However, this season was different. Although they were leading by just two points after the first quarter, ODU outscored Elon 37-9 in the second and third quarters, securing a 60-29 victory thanks to efforts from veteran guard Clark, who led ODU with 15 points and was the only Monarch in double figures.

Dominion, the Lady Monarchs have achieved an impressive overall record of 59-33 (.641), with a 31-21 (.596) mark in league play. Under her leadership, the team reached the conference tournament semifinals twice (Conference USA in 2021 and Sun Belt in 2023) and made it to the second round of the Women’s NIT in 2022. Milton-Jones has not only secured her position at the helm through the extension of her contract but has also established a legacy that

The team has ten newcomers for 2023-24 that include guards La'Dajah Huguley, Halima Salat, Mimi McCollister, and En'Dya Buford; guards/ forwards Simone Cunningham and Ivi Nikolova; forwards De'Shawnti Thomas, Nnenna Orji, and Lanetta Williams; and forward/center Jenny Nkem Womsi.

The Lady Monarchs began their 2023 season at home with a game against Lincoln (PA). Buford, one of the newcomers on the team, played impressively in the home opener, scoring 14 points and adding six assists and two steals. Old Dominion won the

With their record now at 5-0, they traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia to play against William & Mary. The game was competitive throughout, but it came down to the wire. Tied at 68-68 with just under three minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the Old Dominion women's basketball team used a 6-for-7 effort at the free-throw line to close out a 72-66 road win over William & Mary.

McLaughlin started the late charge by capitalizing on an and-one opportunity, putting ODU ahead 67-64 with 35 seconds remaining in the game. After Clark grabbed the rebound on a missed three-pointer by the Tribe, Buford earned a trip to the line with 16 seconds to go and converted both of her attempts. W&M made a jumper to trim the ODU lead to 69-66.

Buford then got to the line again with 12 seconds on the clock. She made her first shot and missed her second, but McLaughlin chased down the rebound and was fouled. Both of her free-throw attempts found the mark, and ODU went on to win.

After a hard-fought win in Williamsburg, the Lady Monarchs returned home and earned a 55-42 statement victory over a tough Florida Gulf Coast team. The undefeated Old Dominion women's basketball team improved their record to 7-0, marking the program's best start since the 1997-98 season.

Old Dominion has a busy schedule ahead of them, with two non-conference matchups left and a long road through league play. Their next game will be against VCU in Richmond, Virginia, followed by a huge matchup against the fifth-ranked team in the country, NC State, which could be a game between unbeaten programs.

After that, ODU begins conference play on the road at South Alabama, followed by two home games at Chartway Arena against Louisiana and Southern Mississippi. In January, the Lady Monarchs

will be on the road for a four-game trip, starting in South Carolina at Coastal Carolina University, then traveling to Georgia to face Georgia Southern. They'll then take the road up north to West Virginia to face off with Marshall before making the trip down to Harrisonburg, Virginia to compete in the 'Royal Rivalry' against in-state foe James Madison.

In the latter part of January, the Lady Monarchs will host a pair of Sun Belt games against App. State and Georgia State. ODU will then travel to Texas and Arkansas to meet Texas State and Arkansas State in Sun Belt contests.

Returning home, Old Dominion will play against the University of Troy before playing the second game of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge with a MAC opponent yet to be determined. The Lady Monarchs' next two games are back in Norfolk as Marshall and Coastal Carolina are in town.

From there, Old Dominion will embark on their last road trip of the season that begins in North Carolina at App. State and concludes in Georgia at Georgia State University. In the latter part of February, Old Dominion will play their final two games of the regular season at home with Georgia State on Feb. 27 and the second iteration of the 'Royal Rivalry' in the home finale.

As the regular season progresses, the ultimate goal for the Old Dominion University basketball team is to win the Sun Belt Conference and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This is something the program hasn't achieved in a long time. The last time ODU won a conference tournament championship was in 2008 when they were part of the Colonial Athletic Association. The last time they made it to the NCAA Tournament was also in 2008.

Despite the long road ahead, the team has high expectations and believes

they can achieve great success. This is a team that can make a significant impact. Regardless of the outcome for the rest of the 2023-24 season, this Old Dominion team has already made a lasting impression.

ODU Women’s �occer Ties Together Talent and Determination

By Art Neal

Photos By McDuffie Images, LLC 2023

Under the guidance of head coach

Angie Hind, the women’s soccer team has dominated the field these past three years, gaining a threepeat as NCAA conference champions.

Conversely, the Lady Monarchs have suffered a first-round exit in their last several tournament appearances. Outcomes have progressively evolved from having to play a one-seed team, Duke, in 2021, losing 1-0 to North Carolina in 2022, to finally losing 3-0 and playing three-seed Georgetown, where they unfortunately suffered an overtime 2-1 loss.

In their last year in the Conference USA tournament, the 2021 women’s soccer campaign set a precedent of excellence for the 757. That year, the Lady Monarchs finished the season with a respectable record of 13-5-1. In Conference USA play, they tallied a record of 6-1-1, making them the number one overall seed in the tournament. This seeding was appropriate as ODU defeated UTSA in overtime, along with Middle Tennessee and then Southern Miss in the regular 90 minutes to take home the hardware.

This was the second conference title in ODU women's soccer history, in addition to a CAA title in 2006. For Hind, this

dominant performance in the States. In the domain of accolades, Turkoglu was named to the All-C-USA first team and received all-tournament honors for her astounding play. Striker Carla Morich and keeper Kasey Perry also came home with awards. Morich was selected to the All C-USA third team and was named the tournament’s offensive MVP. Conversely, Perry earned C-USA goalkeeper of the year, tallying nine shutouts and possessing a nationally-ranked goals-against average.

With this impressive performance, the Lady Monarchs looked forward to a conference change going into the Sun Belt in 2022. When asked about the upcoming schedule over that year’s summer, Hind cited it as a welcome challenge.

“Our mindset is always to schedule tough, and I think this shows in our non-conference games. There are some great programs in the state of Virginia and every year we try to put ourselves against some of the best.”

achievement provided the momentum she needed to cultivate the program.

“[This] has been a journey we started eight years ago,” said Hind in 2021. “Every player who has helped take this program forward year after year to build a platform to get us to this stage today, well, this trophy is for all of them too.”

Various Monarchs brought home awards. Defender Emily Roberts earned herself the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, as well as tournament MVP for astounding play on the back line. Ece Turkoglu, a former midfielder for Turkey’s national team, continued a

This tough scheduling forced the Lady Monarchs to fight hard early on, resulting in a rough 0-4 season start. The ODU team was in an immense need of a turnaround in order to reach the NCAA tournament again. The Lady Monarchs were able to thrash and claw their way to a 9-9-3 record that season and seize a berth in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Coming into the tournament, ODU was ranked on the lower end of the table and needed notable wins to prevail. Despite the pressure, they were able to beat Arkansas State 1-0 and South Alabama 4-3 through penalty kicks. Turkoglu's name came up again in this contest, as her game-winning penalty kick sent the Lady Monarchs to their first Sun Belt Conference final.

The Sun Belt title game was fiercely contested as ODU took on

in-state rival JMU, a team who had bested the Lady Monarchs 1-0 earlier in the season. The team was neither phased nor discouraged by the earlier result and took home the title 4-3 in double overtime. Morich’s performance during the final was one for the books, as she scored a hat trick for the winning goal on the way to an All-Conference first-team, tournament MVP, and scholar third-team All-American honors.

The fight and grit of the Lady Monarchs was evident, as they were able to run the table as the six-seed and build a solid campaign before being toppled by powerhouse North Carolina 5-0.

The 2023 season for the Lady Monarchs came with much momentum as leading scorer Morich left, but gained returner Turkolgu, who was on the All-Conference first team for the Sun Belt. Gry Boe Thyrsǿe returned to shore up the midfield

after suffering an injury in the preseason of 2022. In her freshman campaign, she gained recognition after being selected for the C-USA All-Freshman team and the C-USA All-Conference third team.

Emily Bredek, who started 10 matches in 2022 after an injury to Perry, also returned and tallied two clean sheets in the conference tournament.

In addition, the Lady Monarchs 2023 recruiting class featured a plethora of strikers to help offset Morich, along with Ashlynn Kulha, heir apparent to take the place of recently graduated center back Riley Kennett.

With this, ODU was perfectly poised to make a splash in their second-year

“Every player who has helped take this program forward year after year to build a platform to get us to this stage today, well, this trophy is for all of them too." — Head coach Angie Hind

campaign in the Sun Belt Conference. The Lady Monarchs did just that, going 13-3-5 overall and 6-2-3 in conference.

The Monarchs’ defense was on a whole new level, only giving up a total of 11 goals on the season and tallying 0.513 goals against average. This astounding stat ranked the Monarchs’ defense seventh in the category nationally.

ODU’s great defensive performance helped them become a two-seed in the women's Sun Belt tournament. With this seeding, the Monarchs gained a bye and then played Georgia State, who they took down 1-0. Following this, Hind and crew were able to topple James Madison 2-1 in the semifinal before taking them on again in postseason play in the conference championship final. Like the year before, this game was an absolute thriller, as ODU freshman Sydney Somers provided the game-winning goal in the second overtime. With this, the Lady Monarchs won 2-1 and brought their second Sun Belt title home in two years.

After the tournament win, the ODU lineup was full of accolades. Five Monarchs found their names on the All-Conference team and Turkoglu was awarded the most outstanding player during the tournament.

Bredek and Turkoglu also found themselves on the All-Conference first team, where Bredek earned the distinction of goalkeeper of the year in her junior campaign.

Following this, ODU drew the Georgetown Hoyas, who were slated as the three-seed. The Lady Monarchs showed impressive grit, forcing overtime before unfortunately falling to the Hoyas 2-1.

Despite this loss, the Lady Monarchs’ season culminated on a high note, as Turkoglu made history in her final season in the 757. The Istanbul native earned the distinction of being named as a third-team All-American — the first in ODU’s history. Turkoglu’s performance as a defensive midfielder was stunning, as she tallied five goals to complement stellar defensive play.

When asked about Turkoglu, Hind had immense praise for her on and off the field.

“Ece has been part of this program for five years and her impact has been just immense. I am thrilled for her that she gets this

recognition as she is without doubt one of the very, very best players I have had the chance to coach, in both Europe and the US. She is that good,” Hind said. “I'm even more thrilled for her because she is such a great human being…I can say confidently I speak for our staff and all the players at ODU that we are thrilled for her and just so proud.”

With so much talent returning next year and coach Hind’s continued leadership, the Lady Monarchs are poised to keep striking goals, saving shots, and winning the hearts of fans.

ODU’s Golden Ale is More Than a Marketing Ploy

By Gabriel Cabello-Torres

Photos Courtesy of Old Dominion University and New Realm Brewing Company

Behind the Scenes

Within the first 24 hours, ODU’s official Instagram post announcing the launch of their new signature beer, created in collaboration with New Realm Brewing Co. (NRB), reached thousands of views. At first glance, it appeared to be the university equivalent of an arms race—many thought of Virginia Tech’s Fightin’ Hokies Lager, but the creation of a branded beer isn’t an overnight process.

Beyond the press release, there wasn’t much in-depth information to find. However, Brian Eubank, ODU’s Executive Director of Licensing, provided a deeper insight about this project. While Eubank’s tenure with ODU only started in April 2023, he’s worked with universities of varying sizes since 2009 and most recently finished working on another beer project at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

After a brief chat with Eubank, we dove right into business about the bubbly brew that was released this past summer.

Despite Eubank’s relatively short time at ODU, he isn’t a rookie when it comes to university beers. He’s worked with universities of varying sizes since 2009 and just came from working on a beer project at University of North Carolina Wilmington.

The main drive behind the Monarch Golden Ale was to expand the university’s brand outreach into the consumable market. Eubank explained that there are always trends when it comes to university merchandise. You could find an example of this when

flat brim caps and snapbacks were the craze, then eventually faded away from popularity. Nowadays, the trend has taken more of a dive into consumables —specifically, the alcohol category, which includes spirits, beers, and wines.

“We would not be having this conversation back in 2009. Not even back really…maybe even 2015.”

He had a point. Celebrity alcohol brands have experienced a surge in popularity, and even bands have started dedicating funds to making their signature beers. “Alcohol is here to stay,” stated Eubank.

Eubank also addressed the elephant in the room once we began discussing the brewer in question. For context, New Realm Brewery is not a local company. Their flagship brewery resides in Georgia, and their 757 location is in Virginia Beach.

Eubank said he was aware they weren’t local but that they have been amazing to the community. They’ve helped with the launch and hosted an event for the ODU vs VT football game at the brewery. The effort they’ve put into community outreach shows how much they appreciate Old Dominion and its people.

Yet, even if their community work was so grand, why were they chosen over a Norfolk brewery?

Old Dominion University sent out requests for proposals (RFPs) to local breweries so they could come up with an idea for the beverage. New Realm Brewing Co. not only pitched the beer, but they also pitched the

“Alcohol is here to stay,”

— Brian Eubank, ODU’s Executive Director of Licensing

design. Eubank deduced that while three finalists were close, New Realm had an edge in sheer production power.

Regarding sales and marketing, ODU’s Monarch Golden Ale has been incredibly successful. In fact, New Realm confirmed with Eubank and his team that the Monarch Golden Ale launch was their most successful in sales and outreach, especially for a university beverage.

However, outside of the community aspect that emerged from the RFP process, the university is contributing to its students with the Golden Ale. Eubank said that royalties are acquired from each sale the university makes with merchandise, including the beer.

“A lot of schools…their licensing revenue might just benefit athletics. It might just benefit new facilities or whatnot. Some schools — it just goes into a marketing fund to help push the brand. I like what we have set up. We are putting this money into a scholarship fund to benefit, hopefully, future students that want to come to ODU.”

There wasn’t a tankard of doubt that Eubank took pride in sharing that lesser known fact to me. Royalties being placed into a fund is more noble than what’s depicted on the surface.

What looked like a simple cash grab from another educational institution turned out to be an opportunity to expand the ODU community. The Monarch Golden Ale isn’t just meant for alumni or 21+ year old students — it’s meant to link the people of the seven cities, and what is arguably Hampton Roads’ most iconic university, by fostering connections through one of mankind’s oldest traditions: having a drink.

The Review

Coonsidering how successful the Golden Ale launch was, one can’t help but wonder how good it is. However, before the review, it’s important to note that Old Dominion University went a different route when choosing a type of beer.

For those who aren’t beer savvy, there are several species on the market right now with most falling into two main categories: ales and lagers. Lagers, which are subdivided into lagers and pilsners, are the most common type of beer in the world. While taste varies throughout every brand, PBR and Stella Artois both fall into the “lager" category. Ales

have plenty of subdivisions, from the infamous IPA, to the German Ale, and so on and so forth.

Since lagers are the most popular, it would be the safest bet to make the university’s beer a lager. However, the team at New Realm thought that taking the safe route would be, in my own terms, rather lame. It’s better to go against the grain with a project that stands out.

An ODU team was given a set of samples by New Realm to blind taste test, and overall, the team opted for the Golden Ale. Golden Ales, also known as blonde ales, are meant to have a crisp and light taste. This was considered fitting for ODU, as Hampton Roads is known for its proximity to beaches. If you were drinking on a hot summer day on the Oceanfront at Virginia Beach, then you’d want a crisp beverage.

I purchased a six pack of ODU Golden Ale at a local store and was pleased with the design choices. The can features Old Dominion’s signature lion crest, while the rest follows ODU’s updated branding. One interesting feature is the QR code, which leads the buyer to a website where, after a zip code is inputted, a list of all the places that sell ODU Golden Ale in the near vicinity are shown on a map. The beer boasts a 4.5% ABV, which is close to the average of beer alcohol content.

Enough about the looks — let’s get to more pressing matters.

There are several ways to drink beer but we’ll be covering three that are applicable to a canned beverage. Traditionally, beers are drunk from their container or from a particular glass. For Golden Ales, a pint glass is the optimal container of choice. The third method is a rite of passage for juvenile behavior: the shotgun.

mistakenly added more hops than intended to the first batch of ODU Golden Ale that hit the market. Following batches will be corrected, and this will be taken into account for the review.

I left the six pack of ODU Golden Ale in the fridge and forgot about it until the following day. I pulled one can out effortlessly and proceeded to crack it open for a spritzy sip.

beer that has a strong acidic and tart taste which tends to be fruitier than other beers. The aftertaste was neither overbearing nor bitter. If the original recipe has less hops, then you can expect future stock to be a more pleasant experience.

The beer wasn’t dry but left more of a refreshing taste in your mouth, which is aided by its light carbonation.

My first impressions weren’t negative at all. Though, I can see how the first batch could’ve been too hoppy.

For those unaware, shotgunning is an age-old tradition where one makes a puncture near the bottom of a beer can, opens the tab on the top, and proceeds to drink through the puncture hole. All the air and gasses will leave through the top, allowing the drinker to down the beer in record time.

The bottomline for these beers? They’re incredibly complicated to shotgun. These cans are sturdy and it goes to show that New Realm Brewing takes pride in their work which manifests itself to the overall quality of these brews and their containers. However, making a puncture was a chore, even with a sharp pocket knife.

As soon as the hole was made, I popped the can open and let it rip. The taste was not bad at all.

Granted, the last thing you’re focused on while shotgunning is the taste, but the ale went down easy. It didn’t have harsh carbonation that makes you regret your life choices like other beer brands.

Disclaimer: Eubank did inform me that NRB

The New Realm website advertises the ale as piney and citrusy. I couldn’t taste the “pine” notes but some light citrus tones were noticeable. Take note, citrus doesn’t necessarily mean the beer is a “sour.” A sour is a

Plans for more types of beers to be released under the ODU lineup are currently in the works. If the Golden Ale wasn’t your style, then hopefully the new releases will be. To reiterate what Eubank mentioned in our interview: enjoy the beer and, as always, drink responsibly.

Your Living Memory

By Marjorie Cenese

If I could remember the sound of your voice, I'd feel the spark of thousands of fireworks prickling against my wet cheeks.

Where are you now? I wonder what it'll take for me to see you againknowing that it's impossible.

Had you been there, I knew your smile would ignite the crowd - your applause sending waves.

Time has been so cruel, but you know better. You always knew how to make me remember, and now I'll never forget.

I wish I could see you one last time, so I could repeat the words you never got to hear, masqued by my stutters and cries:

Thank you.

I love you.

Goodbye.

Clothing �tore

By Jada Gordan