Spring Commencement is a special time on college campuses as family and friends come to campus to celebrate a great milestone by the graduates. It was so nice to see so many student-athletes and their parents at Commencement Exercises and during the week. Please know that you are always a Temple Owl, and we look forward to following your life’s journey as Temple alums.

Congratulations to the nearly 9,000 students who had their degrees conferred in Temple University’s 137th annual Commencement on May 8. I would like to also congratulate our 105 student-athletes on this tremendous accomplishment. I am excited for each and every one of our graduating seniors. Navigating Covid challenges and the hard work invested during your collegiate career has paid off and prepared you for your future endeavors.

Eighteen Temple University student-athletes representing eight athletic programs are studying abroad in Japan this week. These student-athletes are taking the course Sport & Culture in Rome – led by Professor of Instruction & Executive Director of Industry Relations Rick Ridall. The students are detailing their trip and experience through this unique blog. Please follow along and share in their travels.

Congrats to Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director/Senior Women’s Administrator Jessica Reo on earning her Doctor of Education degree from Florida State. Jessica is one of the top administrators in college athletics and has done amazing work since joining the Temple University Athletics senior staff in 2019. She currently oversees sports medicine, strength and conditioning, mental health, nutrition services, and has sport supervisory duties for women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s rowing and men’s crew. In January of 2021, she was named one of the nation’s top assistant athletic directors by Silver Wave Media. She navigated the Temple athletics department through COVID and in May 2023 was tasked with leading the department in running the NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship. She was named to the NCAA Rowing Committee to a four-year term which began in September 2023.

Members of the Temple Athletics staff and Diamond Gems Dance Team recently visited Temple Hospital as part of Patient Experience Week. Everyone on site brought plenty of Temple spirit while promoting Football and Basketball ticket sales to TUHS employees and families of patients.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support our Annual Owl Club Golf Outing on Monday, May 6 at The 1912 Club. I enjoyed seeing everyone at the event and a special thanks to our golf coach, Brian Quinn, for graciously hosting the Outing at his wonderful club.

Speaking of The 1912 Club, the home of Temple Golf will once again host a very special Temple Athletics event as the Temple Takeover Tour will be held there on June 4. Stop by for a fun night and hear from Temple coaches Stan Drayton, Adam Fisher and Diane Richardson. I look forward to seeing you there!!

For our current men’s and women's basketball season ticket holders, you should have received a renewal notification via e-mail. We hope you enjoyed this past season with Coach Richardson's women's team earning a share of the AAC Regular Season title and the men's team, under first year head coach Adam Fisher, making a dramatic run to the AAC title game. We look forward to seeing you at the Liacouras Center next season as 2024-25 promises to be a great year for both programs!! To renew your seats or if you should have any questions, contact our Ticket Sales Office at 215-204-8499.

Men’s Crew had another successful run at the 85th Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta with the 2V8 defeating Drexel by 2.5 seconds to win gold. The Freshman Novice 4 earned a silver medal, finishing just 0.6 seconds behind Oklahoma City, while the 3V8 also took home a silver medal. The Varsity 8 earned a bronze medal, finishing a mere .080 seconds behind La Salle. As a team, Temple finished in second place in the men's point standings (83). The Owls next compete at the IRA National Championship in Princeton, N.J. May 31-June 2.

Men’s Golf freshman Ben Saggers was one of six golfers to advance to Final Qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Open in a local qualifier held at Union League Liberty Hill on May 7. Saggers, who redshirted the 2023-24 season, shot a two-under par 70 and earned one of the final two spots in a 6-for-2 playoff.

Women’s Lacrosse - Belle Mastropietro and Katie Shallow were named Honorable Mention All-America by USA Lacrosse. Mastropietro picked up her second career All-American honor while Shallow became the 43rd All-American in program history. On May 2, the Owls ended their season with a loss to #2-seed James Madison at the American Athletic Conference Championship. Mackenzie Roth had three assists in the game to increase her school career record total to 102.

Women’s Rowing scored 72 team points to place fourth overall at the American Athletic Conference Championship held on Lake Melton in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Cherry & White's top finish came in the 2nd Varsity 4, where Temple placed third. The program also had two boats compete at the Dad Vail Regatta with the Novice 8 placing fifth overall in the grand final while the 2V4 was runner-up in the second final. At the Eastern Women’s Sprints on May 5, the Owls saw victories in the third-level finals of both the Varsity 8 and 2nd Varsity 8 events.

Men’s Tennis closed its season with a loss to #6-seed Charlotte in the opening round of the American Athletic Conference Championship on April 18.

Women’s Tennis doubles team of Samantha Nanere and Maiko Uchijima earned an invitation to the NCAA Women's Tennis Doubles Championships, hosted by Oklahoma State University at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Okla. The Temple tandem is set to compete in the Round of 32 on May 21 at 9 a.m. This marks Temple's second consecutive year in the tournament.

Women’s Track concluded its season at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championship in San Antonio, Texas. Obiamaka Igwenagu highlighted the meet for the Owls, earning a bronze medal in the triple jump with a personal record jump of 12.83 meters. Cierra Crane and Aliza White Vega had two top-10 finishes in the pole vault. Crane led the way with a sixth-place finish at 3.88 meters while White Vega placed ninth at 3.58 meters. Amira Green also placed fifth in the high jump with a new personal-record height of 1.76 meters. As a team, Temple placed 13th overall.

Special shoutout to our student-athletes who earned honors since our last edition of From The Nest: Men’s Crew – 2nd Varsity 8 named OwlSports.com Athlete of the Week (5/13); Women’s Fencing - Lauren Johnson named USFCA Women’s Team Collegiate Newcomer of the Year; Women’s Lacrosse – Belle Mastropietro and Katie Shallow USA Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American; Mastropietro named OwlSports.com Athlete of the Month for April. Women’s Track Obiamaka Igwenagu earns All-American Athletic Conference.

Reminder that ESPN+ is the home of Temple Athletics. Watch Temple athletics events via an ESPN+ subscription.

Please come out and continue to support all our Temple Athletics teams. Below is a link to our composite schedule.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day weekend as it will be upon us before the next newsletter, and a wonderful summer. I hope to see you at the Temple Takeover Tour on June 4.

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