Good Friday Morning Patriots. “Commitment is finishing what you started, even when you don’t feel like doing it anymore.”

Best way to get you through a Friday? Give you a little bit of motivation that’ll pump you up and fly into the weekend.

A legend is returning to Fairfax, the Patriots continue to dominate the classroom, and much more!

What all is stirring in today’s Brew? You don’t want to miss!

⚾️ A Legend Returns
🥍 Head Of Their Class
⏱ Patriot Countdown
​⭐ And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 A Legend Returns. For years, Justin Bour launched balls all over Fairfax.

He took that talent into a six-year MLB career. A career that could easily carry him into post-athlete life.

However, his commitment to a degree hold strong and he’s returned to Mason to finish what he started.

You don’t want to miss this feature on Bour’s return.

🔼 Head Of Their Class. Mason’s women’s lacrosse team is truly putting the word “student” in student-athlete.

This week, the Patriots were named an Academic Honor Squad and six individual student-athletes have earned a spot on the IWLCA Honor Roll.
 
The IWLCA has named 287 schools across Division I, II, III, and NAIA as IWLCA Academic Honor Squads for the 2023-24 academic year. To qualify for this prestigious honor, the women's lacrosse team must have posted a 3.2 or higher team GPA for the academic year.

The Patriots have earned the Academic Honor Squad accolade for the seventh time in the last eight seasons after posting a 3.50 cumulative GPA, and the six individual honors mark the eighth time in the last eight years that five student-athletes have been recognized.

🔼 Movin’ On Up. After a historic spring, rewards and promotions can follow.

And this week, that’s exactly what happened for George Mason softball assistant coach Campbell Hutcherson, who has been promoted to associate head coach.

The North Carolina native was first brought on as an assistant coach over the offseason last year in preparation for the 2023 season, a season that later went on to be Patriots' best in program history. Among the numerous awards and accolades collected, Mason won its first Atlantic 10 title, won 35 games, the most since 2002, and reached their first-ever NCAA Regional.

Last month, Hutcherson and the Mason softball coaching staff was also awarded with the ATEC/NFCA Division I Regional Coaching Staff of the Year award. This was the first time George Mason had won the award.

🔼 Raising The Bar. During her college career, Alyssa Whitehead at one point led the entire country in goals against average and save percentage.

It’s safe to say she knows a little bit about defending and the goalkeeper position.

In just one season at Mason, her impact was tremendous. Now? The world is getting to see it.

Whitehead was on the sideline and part of the coaching staff as her home country of Jamaica earned its first-ever Women’s World Cup point on Sunday with a 0-0 draw against perennial contender France.

Next up for Whitehead and the Jamaicans? Showdowns against Panama (Sat., July 29th at 8:30 a.m.) and Brazil (Wed., Aug. 2nd at 6 a.m.).

🔼 An Unforgettable Experience. Rising senior Milan Pierre-Jerome is having one heck of a summer “break”.

She and her Haitian teammates are turning heads at the 2023 Women’s World Cup after battling one of the tournament favorites, England, to a close fought, 1-0 loss.

Next up for Pierre-Jerome and Haiti is China (Fri., July 28th at 7 a.m.) and Denmark (Tues., Aug. 1st at 7 a.m.).

With Pierre-Jermone and Whitehead both part of one of the world’s biggest sporting events, this is the first time George Mason will have both a player and a coach participating in a World Cup.

Games can be viewed on Fox Sports or Telemundo.

🔼 Irish Impact. No matter how many advertisements or great commercials we may see, we all know that recommendations from friends or others are the best way to peak our interest.

Grace Furlong was a two-year standout for the women’s track & field squad, earning silver medal status at the A10 Indoor and Outdoor Championship meets this past year. Her silver medal in the triple jump was a part of Mason’s 2023 Women’s Track & Field Atlantic 10 Championship victory.

This past week, Furlong reflected back to her journey to the US from Ireland and what it’s been like.

‘Every aspect of life in the US has been beyond anything I could have hoped for’

🔼 Now That’s a Power Trio. We love seeing these three faces together at EagleBank Arena!

The future of the Patriots is BRIGHT 😎😎

🌠 THE LEWIS ERA

The Dawn Of A New Era. July 1st officially started a new era of George Mason Athletics.

That was the day that Marvin Lewis, a former star collegiate student-athlete himself, officially took over the reins as the Athletic Director.

Energy, excitement and hard work are just some of what Marvin brings to the table. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store!

⭐️ PATRIOT COUNTDOWN: 20 DAYS

We are counting down the days to start of the 2023-2024 athletic calendar with some of the best moments, stars, and much more from Mason history.

Rollin’ On Dubs. No, we’re not talking about a Nelly song from back in the early 2000s, we’re talking about 20 days away from the start of Patriots athletics again!

Today, we’re honoring #20 Camille Larkin of the Mason women’s volleyball team.

The rising junior played in every match last season, appearing in all but one set all fall.

Hailing from Carson City, Nev., Larkin finished fifth on the team with 137 kills, second in hitting percentage (.282) and fourth in service aces (13).She also chipped in 34 digs and four assists.

She’s majoring in environmental science and if she’s not on the volleyball court, she’s probably on the snowboarding slopes somewhere.

🤔 PATRIOT TRIVIA

Golden Girl. Earlier this month, Annabelle Eastman was chosen as one of the Atlantic 10 nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.

Eastman put together an All-American career for the Patriots, including the first individual cross country title for a Mason runner since 2013.

That was one of how many total golds that Eastman took home during her career in Fairfax?

Got a guess?

Scroll on down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

📬 STICK WITH US

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Three.

In addition to the victory at the 2021 Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship meet, Eastman won two golds in the 3000m steeplechase at the A10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Let’s finish the week strong Patriots!