Paradise Brew 4/29: All-Conference Owls

Plus: Welcome to Paradise.

April 29, 2026

Good Morning, FAU Fam. Florida Atlantic sophomores Nancy Cox and Maddie Rathjen earned American Conference All-Conference honors in women's golf. Rathjen locked up her spot with a fifth-place finish at last week's conference championship, the best individual result of her season.

Cox secured hers as the ninth-ranked player in the American, capping a breakout year that featured seven top-25 finishes and a team-leading 73.33 scoring average. The Owls tied for fourth as a team at the conference championship, the fourth top-four finish in five years under head coach Heather Bowie Young.

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

📣 On the National Stage
🌴 Welcome to Paradise
🦉 And much, much more

🔼 Midweek W. FAU baseball beat Florida Gulf Coast, 8-1, last night in Fort Myers. The Owls opened the scoring in the third, going up 3-0, before tacking on two more in the fifth, another in the seventh, and two in the eighth. Next up: FAU takes on USF in a three-game road trip beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.

🔼 On the National Stage. Florida Atlantic's spirit teams turned in a historic showing at the NCA & NDA College Nationals, highlighted by a bronze medal in the Game Day Division IA competition, a collaborative routine featuring the cheer and dance teams alongside FAU's drumline and mascot Owlsley. The dance team secured a top-five finish in Division IA Team Performance and a top-10 in Division IA Hip Hop, while the cheer team made program history by competing in the Advanced All-Girl Division IA for the first time and placing eighth nationally.

🔼 Welcome to Paradise. Florida Atlantic women's basketball added freshman guard Ke'Adriah Butler out of Indianapolis. She helped Lawrence North capture the 2025 Indiana state championship and then led Lawrence Central to the state semifinals this season. Butler poured in 20 points, eight rebounds, and two steals in that 2025 title game as a junior and finished her prep career with 947 points, 301 rebounds, and 143 steals across four seasons. Named the MVP of the Indiana All-Star Basketball Classic and a 2026 Miss Indiana Basketball candidate, Butler arrives as an explosive combo guard Coach LeAnn Freeland expects to make an immediate impact.

If a Florida Atlantic baseball player hits a grand slam in the 4th inning during one of the selected home games, one lucky fan will win $15,000 toward the lease or purchase of a brand new car from Phil Smith Acura or Phil Smith Kia.

Florida Atlantic Owls fans! Enter the 7th Inning Stretch Sweepstakes presented by Nozzle Nolen for a chance to win big at the ballpark! Four (4) lucky winners will receive four (4) baseball tickets to FAU’s May 16 Saturday home game, a $50 Owls Gear bookstore gift card, be introduced in-game as the Sweepstakes winner, and take center stage to lead the crowd in Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the 7th inning stretch.

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FAU women’s golfer Nancy Cox led the Owls with __ birdies this season.

Have a guess?

Scroll to the bottom to find out!

Florida Atlantic University Athletics is excited for Golf Tournaments in Paradise!

The Phil Smith '69 Invitational will be hosted at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, May 4, 2026. To view the tournament website, please click HERE.

The Captain's Cup Classic will be hosted at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton on Monday, May 18, 2026. To view the tournament website, please click HERE.

Season tickets for the upcoming 2026 Florida Atlantic Football season are now on sale through the Owls Ticket Office. Season tickets to support your Hometown Team start at just $75. Purchase 2026 season tickets and renew your season tickets now!

The Week Ahead is brought to you by our friends at Sage Dental, who are creating a modern, family-friendly approach to dentistry with one thing in mind—you. From pediatric dentistry and orthodontics to teeth cleanings and oral surgery, they work to provide you and your family with the best dental care all in one place.

*All Times Are in ET

Wednesday, April 29
⛳ Men’s Golf @ American Conference Championship (Bradenton, Fla.)

Thursday, April 30
🥎 Softball vs. UAB @ 6 p.m. | Watch: ESPN+ | Tickets

Friday, May 1
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. NCAA Championship (Gulf Shores, Ala.)
👟 Women’s Cross Country & Track & Field @ UNF Invitational (Jacksonville, Fla.)
🥎 Softball vs. UAB @ 6 p.m. | Watch: ESPN+ | Tickets
⚾ Baseball @ USF @ 6:30 p.m. (Tampa, Fla.)

Saturday, May 2
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. NCAA Championship (Gulf Shores, Ala.)
👟 Women’s Cross Country & Track & Field @ UNF Invitational (Jacksonville, Fla.)
🥎 Softball vs. UAB @ 12 p.m. | Watch: ESPN+ | Tickets
⚾ Baseball @ USF @ 2 p.m. (Tampa, Fla.)

Sunday, May 3
🏖️ Beach Volleyball vs. NCAA Championship (Gulf Shores, Ala.)
⚾ Baseball @ USF @ 1 p.m. (Tampa, Fla.)

Tuesday, May 5
⚾ Baseball vs. UCF @ 6:30 p.m. | Watch: ESPN+ | Tickets

Wednesday, May 6
🥎 Softball @ American Conference Tournament (Greenville, N.C.)

Thursday, May 7
🥎 Softball @ American Conference Tournament (Greenville, N.C.)

Friday, May 8
🥎 Softball @ American Conference Tournament (Greenville, N.C.)
⚾ Baseball @ Wichita State @ 7 p.m. (Wichita, Kan.)

Saturday, May 9
🥎 Softball @ American Conference Tournament (Greenville, N.C.)
⚾ Baseball @ Wichita State @ 3 p.m. (Wichita, Kan.)

Sunday, May 10
⚾ Baseball @ Wichita State @ 12 p.m. (Wichita, Kan.)

🦉 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.

Answer: 71.

🦉 Have a great Wednesday, Owl Fam!