Paradise Brew 2/21: Line Drives 'N' High Fives

Good morning, Owls Family. Every Sunday home game throughout the regular season for FAU baseball is Family Day, with this Sunday's game versus Connecticut offering just a bit more in the Berman Zone for the young Owl fans. The game begins at 12 p.m. ET, with the Berman Zone opening at 11:30 a.m. and remaining open until the game's conclusion or 3:30 p.m.

The Berman Zone down the third baseline will feature an interactive "Speed Pitch" inflatable game and a "Beach Party" bounce house, along with other yard games and activities for kids of all ages to enjoy. Family Sundays at FAU baseball also feature kids getting to run the bases, player trading cards (Trey Beard is Sunday's card), and postgame autographs.

⚾️ Check out the preview/scouting report for this Sunday’s game against Connecticut.

What else do we have mixed into today’s Brew? Check it out below!

🥎 FAU Softball defeats FIU in midweek matchup; Squad now heads to Georgia
🎾 Women’s Tennis remains perfect after road victory over Stetson
🦉 And much, much more

🔼 Doling Out Donuts. The Florida Atlantic women's tennis team, who broke into the ITA national rankings today at No. 50, captured a 4-0 road victory over host Stetson.
 
The Owls remained perfect with the win and moved to 5-0 on the year while the Hatters fell to 6-3. FAU will return home to play host to UCF, ranked No. 20 nationally, at 5 p.m. this evening.
 
🎾 : FULL RUNDOWN

🔼 It’s a Bunt Time. The No. 25 Florida Atlantic softball team defeated FIU in their first midweek game of the season, securing a 5-1 victory on Wednesday evening. 
 
In the bottom of the second inning, the 10-2 Owls' offense ignited to load the bases and score four runs. FAU then played the short game, choosing to advance runners on a season-high four sacrifice bunts, to seal the win over the 6-5 Panthers.

🔼 Linking Up in Daytona Beach. Florida Atlantic men's golf (+10) finished 16th at "The Prestige," hosted by UC-Davis on Wednesday. San Diego ran away with the team title, finishing at -29.

The Owls' next event is the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate, beginning March 3 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

🔼 ‘Runners (Are) Up. The Florida Atlantic men's tennis team fell to Rice 4-0 on Thursday afternoon in an outdoor match that was move inside due to weather. The FAU Owls surrendered the doubles point and then moved to singles play. Rice earned wins on courts two, three and four to clinch the match.

The Owls will continue their two-match Texas road swing with an 11 a.m. ET match this morning at UTSA.

We can’t wait to see you for yoga on the FAU Football Field! Save the date.

🔼 Mac … the TV Critic? Our 121st all-time episode recaps the Owls’ perfect start to the season and some spring training talk, including robo empires and how to handle a player’s playing time concerns. We also talk TV shows (Seinfeld and Severance) and USA vs. Canada in hockey.

👂🏼 : Listen on Spotify

🔼 Beach, Please. Frank Forte visited with Florida Atlantic beach volleyball head coach Steve Grotowski, seniors Julie Honzovicova, Marketa Svozilova, and Kate McLaughlin, as well as juniors Ashleigh Adams, Kate Stoughton, and Klaire VanDeusen to preview the Sandy Owls upcoming 2025 season, which kicks off today (Friday, Feb. 21) and tomorrow at the Tampa Invite. FAU takes on No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, Tampa, and No. 13 Georgia State.

The squad kicks off the season as the No. 16 team in the nation in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Poll.

🔼 Did Someone Say Road Trip!? The No. 25 Florida Atlantic Softball team hits the road for the first time in the 2025 campaign, heading to DeLand, Florida, to compete in the Stetson Invitational today (Friday, Feb. 21) to Sunday, Feb. 23.
 
Fresh off a 5-1 victory over FIU, the 10-2 Owls will play five games over the three-day stretch, taking on host Stetson (8-3) as well as Marist (7-2) and LIU (1-8). 

🥎 : SCOUTING REPORTS

🔼 Spring + Football Go Together Like … Just Go With It. Florida Atlantic has announced that its 2025 football spring game is set for Friday night, April 11, on campus at Flagler Credit Union Stadium.

As the Owls prepare for the program's 25th anniversary season in 2025, the team is playing a prime-time spring game for the first time. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and admission is free.

The spring game gives fans the first opportunity to see first-year head coach Zach Kittley's team in action. Complete event festivities will be announced at a later date.

🔼 Georgia On Their Minds. Florida Atlantic women's golf will compete in the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational this weekend in Greensboro, Georgia, just east of Atlanta. Mercer University is the tournament host. The competition will begin today and conclude on Sunday with 18 holes per day.

⛳️ : LINEUP, COURSE & FIELD

🔼 No Charity From the Charity Stripe. Florida Atlantic's men's basketball team came up short in a 75-68 loss to Wichita State on Thursday night at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
 
The Owls (15-11, 8-5 AAC) battled back from a 14-point deficit and made timely three-pointers to keep the matchup against the Shockers (16-10, 6-7 AAC) within reach before being put away by the free throw game.

⇢⇢⇢ What member of the Florida Atlantic men's swimming & diving teams became a conference champion in the 500 free on Wednesday night?

Have a guess?

Scroll to the bottom to find out!

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Friday, Feb. 21
🌊 Swimming & Diving @ American Athletic Conference Championships in Dallas, Texas
🌊 Swimming & Diving @ Atlantic Sun Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee
⛳️ Women’s Golf @ Reynolds Lake Oconee Invite - Eatonton, Georgia / Great Waters GC
🥎 Softball vs. LIU - Stetson Invitational in Deland, Florida @ 9:30 a.m. ET
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. Washington @ Tampa Invite @ 11 a.m. ET
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. FIU @ Tampa Invite @ 3 p.m. ET
🥎 Softball vs. Stetson @ Stetson Invitational in Deland, Florida @ 3 p.m. ET
🎾 Men’s Tennis @ UTSA @ 3 p.m. ET
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. UCF @ 5 p.m. ET | Live Stats
⚽️ Women’s Soccer vs. Eastern Florida @ 6 p.m. ET
⚾️ Baseball vs. UCONN @ 6:30 p.m. FAUSports.com | Live Video | Live Stats | Tickets

Saturday, Feb. 22
🌊 Swimming & Diving @ American Athletic Conference Championships in Dallas, Texas | Preview
🌊 Swimming & Diving @ Atlantic Sun Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee | Preview
⛳️ Women’s Golf @ Reynolds Lake Oconee Invite - Eatonton, Ga. / Great Waters GC | Live Scoring
🥎 Softball vs. LIU @ Stetson Invitational in Deland, Florida @ 9:30 a.m. ET
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. Tampa @ Tampa Invite @ 10 a.m. ET
🏐 Volleyball vs. Miami Dade @ 12 p.m. ET
🥎 Softball vs. Marist @ Stetson Invitational in Deland, Florida @ 12 p.m. ET
🏀 Women’s Basketball @ Charlotte @ 2 p.m. ET ESPN+ | Watch Live | Live Stats 
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. Georgia State @ Tampa Invite @ 2 p.m. ET
⚾️ Baseball vs. UCONN @ 4 p.m. FAUSports.com | Live Video | Live Stats | Tickets

Sunday, Feb. 23
⛳️ Women’s Golf @ Reynolds Lake Oconee Invite - Eatonton, Ga. / Great Waters GC | Live Scoring
⚾️ Baseball vs. UCONN @ 12 p.m. FAUSports.com | Live Video | Live Stats | Tickets
🥎 Softball vs. Stetson @ Stetson Invitational in Deland, Florida @ 12:30 p.m. ET
🏀 Men’s Basketball @ Memphis @ 2 p.m. ET ESPN2 Fox Sports 640 South Florida | Watch Live | Live Audio | Live Stats | Preview

🦉 Go here for the complete Florida Atlantic University Athletics Calendar

Paradise Trivia is brought to you by Choice Mortgage Group, the Official Mortgage Lender of Florida Atlantic Athletics.

The Answer: Daniel Laureyssens!

The Florida Atlantic men's and women's swimming & diving teams completed day one of their split conference championships on Wednesday night. The Owls started off hot with a conference champion in Daniel Laureyssens in the 500 free (4:20.72)

🦉 Have an awesome weekend, Owl Fam!