Good Morning, FAU Family. 🚨 Attention, Owls fans! We are only 10 days out from the Florida Atlantic football season. You’ve probably waited longer to find your missing AirPod.

And in other Florida Atlantic football news, defensive tackles coach Devin Santana landed on 247Sports’ 30Under30 list recognizing the top college football coaches in the nation under the age of 30. Santana, 29, is part of Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley's inaugural staff, working with an overhauled defensive line.

The Owls kick off the season on the road against Maryland on Saturday, Aug. 30, at noon ET, airing on the Big Ten Network. They will open the 2025 home season the following weekend on Saturday, Sept. 6, versus Florida A&M, scheduled for 6 p.m. and airing on ESPN+.

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

🏈 Caden Veltkamp Makes Golden Arm Award Watch List
⚽️ Major Preseason Props For Men’s Soccer
🏐 Volleyball Captains Named
🦉 And much, much more

Number of the Day: 1️⃣0️⃣

We’re counting down the days to the return of Florida Atlantic football on August 30 at Maryland! The Florida Atlantic football team has produced 10 NFL Draft picks throughout its football history.

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🔼 His Arm? Well, It’s Gold. Florida Atlantic football's starting quarterback Caden Veltkamp has been selected to the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List.

This marks another preseason accolade for the redshirt junior QB, who is also on the Maxwell Award Watch List, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and has been named to preseason All-Conference teams by various national outlets, including Athlon and Phil Steele.

The Unitas Golden Arm Award honors the top collegiate upperclassman quarterback based on both their on-field performance as well as their off-the-field character.

🏈 : MOCK GAME WEEK IS ALSO UNDERWAY

🔼 Preseason Props From the Pitch. The American Conference announced its preseason all-conference teams for men's soccer. Leading the way for Florida Atlantic was graduate student Mamadou Diarra, who was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Diarra, senior midfielder Sebastian Zettl, and senior forward Aboubacar Traore were each named to the Preseason All-Conference team.

In his first season in Paradise in 2024, Diarra took the American Conference by storm, leading the league in goals with eight, three of which were game winners. Traore led the American Conference and tied the FAU single-season program record with 10 assists. Zettl returns for his fourth season with the Owls after tallying three goals and finishing second to Traore with nine assists.

The Owls open the 2025 campaign TOMORROW, Thursday, August 21, at home versus Creighton at 7 p.m. ET.

🔼 “Victoriaus.” Florida Atlantic Volleyball senior setter Victoria Hensley was named to the 2025 American Preseason All-Conference Team.

The Owls were also selected to finish fifth in the American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. FAU enters its third season in the American following a phenomenal 2024 campaign that saw the Owls have an 18+ win season and finish second in the American, securing their first conference championship appearance since 2005.

Hensley earns her first preseason honor after a career-best season in 2024. Heading into 2025, she ranks sixth in program history in career assists with 2,365.

🔼 Balmy Boca Basics. Both the Florida Atlantic men's and women's Track & Field teams completed their first practice of the season on a hot and sunny morning in Boca Raton.

The first race of the year for both the men's and women's teams is on Friday, Aug. 29, when Florida Atlantic will host the FAU XC Invitational at South County Regional Park, beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

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🤓 Florida Atlantic soccer player Mamadou Diarra became the first Owl to earn Offensive Player of the Year since which Owl did so in 2004 in the ASUN Conference?

Have a guess? Scroll to the bottom to find out!

🦉 ONE BIG THING

Aye Aye, Captains, Volleyball Edition. Florida Atlantic volleyball Head Coach Fernanda Nelson announced Victoria Hensley and Isabelle Northam as the team's captains for the 2025 season on Monday.

Hensley and Northam were instrumental to the Owls' success throughout the 2024 season, helping guide the program to its first conference tournament championship appearance since 2005.

🏐 MORE ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 🏆

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*All Times Are in ET

Wednesday, Aug. 20
(No Activities Scheduled)

Thursday, Aug. 21 
⚽️ Women’s Soccer @ Miami (Coral Gables, Florida) @ 7 p.m.
⚽️ Men’s Soccer vs. Creighton @ 7 p.m. | Watch | Live Stats

Friday, Aug. 22
(No Activities Scheduled)

Saturday, Aug. 23
🏐 Volleyball vs. Miami Dade - Season Opener @ 6 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 24
⚽️ Women’s Soccer @ FIU (Miami, Florida) @ 4 p.m.
⚽️ Men’s Soccer vs. Omaha @ 7 p.m. | Watch | Live Stats

Saturday, Aug. 30
🏈 Football @ Maryland - Season Opener @ Noon TV: Big Ten Network | Radio: Fox Sports 640 South Florida

🦉 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: Bjorn Totland!

FAU men’s soccer player Mamadou Diarra became the first Owl to earn Offensive Player of the Year since Bjorn Totland won the ASUN award in 2004.

🦉 Happy Wednesday, Owl Fam!