Welcome back to In the Lion’s Den! 🦁

In this episode, the fellas sit down with Head Coach Tennant McVea to talk about the Monarchs’ late-season push, defensive improvements, key matchups against ranked opponents, and what lies ahead in the fight for the Sun Belt Tournament.

Coach McVea opens up about locker room conversations that sparked the team’s turnaround, the tactical adjustments that stabilized their defense, and the leadership of ODU’s senior class. Plus, in a fun twist, the guys dive into soccer lingo for fans learning the game — from “brace” to “parking the bus.”

💙⚽ Don’t miss it — great insights, humor, and energy from Coach McVea as the Monarchs make their postseason push!

📺 Watch on ESPN+ this Friday as ODU faces JMU, and catch Senior Night next Tuesday at the ODU Soccer Complex vs. Kentucky!

👍 Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more ODU sports talk from The Monarchists Podcast.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Presented by The Pride of ODU

00:25 – Welcome back: Catching up with Coach Tennant McVea

01:00 – Coastal Carolina win sparks momentum

02:00 – Fixing the defense: Honest talks and tactical tweaks

04:00 – On the road at South Carolina: Lessons from a 1–1 draw

05:30 – Competing in the stacked Sun Belt Conference

07:00 – The gap between ODU and Top 25 programs

08:00 – Playing ranked teams: Marshall and West Virginia battles

09:30 – Tactical patience and defensive discipline

11:00 – Creating chances but needing the finishing touch

12:00 – Looking ahead: Huge week with JMU and Kentucky

13:00 – Scouting JMU and preparing for a rivalry matchup

15:00 – Staying composed under pressure and chasing consistency

17:00 – Senior Night spotlight: The leadership core of the team

19:00 – Reflecting on player growth and the ODU soccer culture

20:00 – Soccer vocabulary lesson: Brace, percentages & “parking the bus”

25:00 – Trends in soccer and football tactics

27:00 – Game-day energy and community support

29:00 – Why ODU soccer games are family-friendly fun

30:00 – Coach’s message to Monarch Nation

31:00 – Closing thoughts – “Go Monarchs!”