Patriot Brew 2/9: Batter Up!

Reigning A-10 Champs Set To Open 2024 Slate

TGIF Mason Nation. As the great philosopher Nelly, once said, “Batter Up!”

Not that we were counting or anything, but when first pitch happens in South Carolina this afternoon, we’d have waited 253 days, 17 hours and 21 minutes for the A-10 champs.

We’ve got all the details to prepare you for the season ahead and much more!

What all is stirring in today’s Brew? Check it out!

🥎 Batter Up
🏀 Bounce Back Time
🥍 Opening Act
​⭐ And much, much more!

📚 SIGN UP YOUR SUPER READER!

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Virginia529’s Super Reader program is available for all Mason super kids who read two books or more.

Two books = free hoops! Sign up now and your child can receive a ticket to the men’s basketball game on March 2nd when the Patriots host Duquesne.

📈 STOCK UP

🔺 Batter Up. Coming off the program’s first-ever conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth, the Mason softball program is ready to hit the Diamond in 2024.

This week, the Patriots received their highest preseason ranking in program history, sitting third in the A-10 Coaches Poll. Mason returns 14 from last year’s title-winning squad.

Kicking off a busy weekend, the Green & Gold are set to play five games at the Inaugural Terrier Invitational on the campus of Wofford University. Today, Mason opens up with Eastern Kentucky (12:30pm) and Robert Morris (3pm).

🔺 Opening Act. Now in her fourth season at the helm of the Patriots, Kara Mupo’s crew is ready to make some noise.

Today kicks off an exciting 2024 campaign in which Mason returns 10 of 11 starters from last year’s team, including every Patriot that scored a goal or assist.

Mason gets things started with a neutral site showdown against in-state rival, William & Mary this evening (6 pm), followed by a Sunday afternoon showdown (3 pm) in Fairfax with another in-state foe, Radford, coming to town.

🔺 Bounce Back Time. In a highly-touted matchup between the two of the top teams in the Atlantic 10, Mason delivered the first attack, but Saint Joe’s responded and held on as the Hawks picked up a 59-47 win in Fairfax on Thursday night.

The Patriots jumped out to a lead, but the defensive battle swung to the visiting Hawks in the second quarter and remained that way as both teams flexed their defensive prowess.

🤔 PATRIOT TRIVIA

Last season, the Patriots broke numerous single-season program records, such as strikeouts pitched (360), RBI (226), home runs (27), doubles (90), stolen bases (135), walks (191), slugging percentage (.408) and fielding percentage (.977).

With 135 stolen bases, where did the Green & Gold rank nationally in that category?

Got a guess?

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

Patriot Trivia is sponsored by our official Student Housing Partner,
The Main on University

📅 WHAT’S ON TAP?

Friday, February 9
👟 Track & Field at Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (Lynchburg, Va.)
🥎 Softball vs. Eastern Kentucky @ 12:30pm (Spartanburg, S.C.)
🥎 Softball vs. Robert Morris @ 3pm (Spartanburg, S.C.)
🥍 Women’s Lacrosse vs. William & Mary @ 6 pm (Springfield, Va.)

Saturday, February 10
👟 Track & Field at Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (Lynchburg, Va.)
🎾 Women’s Tennis at Mary Washington @ 11am
🥎 Softball at Wofford @ 12:30pm
🏀 Men’s Basketball at Davidson @ 2:30pm
🤼‍♂️ Wrestling at Virginia Tech @ 3pm
🥎 Softball vs. TBD @ 3 or 5:30pm (Spartanburg, S.C.)
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Loyola (Md.) @ 6:45pm

Sunday, February 11
🎾 Women’s Tennis at Navy @ 10am
🥎 Softball vs. TBD @ 11am (Spartanburg, S.C.)
🏀 Women’s Basketball at Dayton @ 12pm
🥍 Women’s Lacrosse vs. Radford @ 1pm

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 8th.

Only 10 schools in the country had 130+ steals in 2023 and the Patriots were one of them, ranking eighth nationally with a program record 135 stolen bases.

Patriot Trivia is sponsored by our official Student Housing Partner,
The Main on University

⭐️ Enjoy your weekend, y’all!