Cavs become triple threat
By Whitey Reid
Published: January 20, 2010
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When coach Tony Bennett took the job at Virginia, several statistical trends were expected to follow him east. They included low field-goal percentages and point totals from the opposition, and an extremely limited number of turnovers from his own team.
Never was anyone counting on Bennett’s first-year UVa squad being potent from 3-point range.
However, a little more than halfway into the season, Virginia, shockingly, is leading the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage.
That feat is one of the big reasons why UVa (12-4, 3-0) is riding an eight-game winning streak after staving off UNC Wilmington on Monday night at John Paul Jones Arena.
Through 16 games, Virginia is shooting 41.5 percent (102 of 246) from behind the arc. The Cavaliers are the only team in the ACC shooting above 40 percent, easily ahead of Duke (39.2) and Maryland (39.0), the next closest schools.
But on the flip side, UVa is last in the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage defense — the Cavaliers allowed the Seahawks to shoot 45.8 percent (11 of 24) on Monday.
Funny thing is, when Bennett was at Washington State last season, those statistical categories were inversed. The Cougars were second-to-last in the Pac-10 in 3-point shooting and second-best in 3-point shooting defense.
So what gives?
According to Bennett, his team’s prowess shooting the ball has all stemmed from its shot selection.
“I know that I want us to get good looks,” said Bennett, prior to his team’s 69-67 win over UNCW. “I think the key to shooting the ball from the perimeter is, ‘Are you getting quality looks? Are we getting guys the looks that they can make?’
“I think when you’re not forcing shots and guys are getting open and getting good looks, that’s when you shoot them with confidence.”
Virginia’s top 3-point shooter this season has easily been Sammy Zeglinski. The sophomore is hitting at a gaudy 48.6-percent clip (36 of 74). Zeglinski, who is shooting better from 3-point range then from 2, has already made three more treys than all of last season.
He’s far from alone in his proficiency, though. Junior Jeff Jones, who has almost been like a Vinny “The Microwave” Johnson off the bench, has shot 46.8 percent; Fellow third-year Mustapha Farrakhan is hitting 40.5 percent of his triples, while sophomore Sylven Landesberg is draining a respectable 38.1 percent of his bombs.
“We have some guys who can stretch the defense and have proved that percentage-wise, and with the timely shots that they are making,” Bennett said. “That has certainly helped and I think the right guys are shooting them at the right times, so that has probably led to a solid outside and perimeter attack.”
Now, Bennett’s bunch just has to figure out how to do a better job of defending the 3-ball. Bennett’s “pack-line” defense is designed to force teams to beat them from the
outside. On Monday, UNCW nearly did.
“They certainly out-executed us,” said Bennett, when asked about UNCW’s comeback, which was spurred by 3-point shooting, “and we were casual. I think we just kind of lost our way.”
On Saturday, Virginia plays at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons also employ the “pack-line” approach, which should make for an interesting duel.
 

Meyinsse's Impact Continues to Grow
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 01/19/2010
Jan. 19, 2010
7:48 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Here's another example of how far Jerome Meyinsse has come as a basketball player this season:

When the 6-9, 233-pound center went to the line Monday night for two shots, with 2:32 left and UVa trailing UNC Wilmington 64-60, I thought there were a good chance he'd make both. I felt certain he'd make at least one.

He hasn't always inspired such confidence. As a freshman in 2006-07, Meyinsse hit 9 of 13 free throws (69.2). But he was 4 for 12 (33.3 percent) as a sophomore and 13 for 22 (59.1 percent) as a junior.

In his first season under Tony Bennett, however, Meyinsse is 22 for 29 (75.9 percent) from the line.

In UVa's 69-67 win over UNCW, Meyinsse attempted a career-best nine free throws. He made eight, also a career high. He was 4 for 4 in the final 6:35.

"You just gotta knock down those clutch free throws," Meyinsse said. "We shoot hundreds of them during the week, during the season, and those are the ones that count. So you gotta take your time and make them."

In his third straight start, Meyinsse scored a career-best 14 points and, as usual, played rugged defense.

"His play was significant, no doubt," Bennett said after the game.

Assistant coach Jason Williford, filling in for his boss, was asked about Meyinsse on Bennett's weekly radio show Tuesday night.

"We're going to miss him," Williford said. "I wish we could have him for three more years."

-- Jeff White

 

Cavaliers' early success comes with qualifiers
By Dave Fairbank 247-4637
January 20, 2010

The man least impressed by Virginia's fast start and spot atop the ACC standings, predictably, is the man whose opinion carries the most weight.

First-year head coach Tony Bennett is encouraged by the Cavaliers' success, but he emphasizes daily progress rather than standings and records.

"I know how fine of a line we're on," Bennett said, "so I understand. I'm grateful that we're in the spot we're in, so I don't get too carried away. I tell our guys, 'Don't get so focused on if you win or you lose. Let's be about quality and keep an even keel.' "

The Cavaliers (12-4, 3-0 ACC) already surpassed last season's win total and presently ride an eight-game win streak, the program's longest since the start of the 2003-04 season, the next-to-last of the Pete Gillen regime.

Virginia's current success is a combination of collective effort and a favorable schedule. Seven of eight wins during the streak have come at home, and the players not only have embraced Bennett's system, but several of them have accepted new roles within that system.

Start with shooting. The Cavs lead the ACC in 3-point field-goal percentage (.415) and are second in free-throw percentage (.763). Both marks are in the top 10 nationally.

Before Monday night's 69-67 win versus UNC Wilmington, they were third nationally in fewest turnovers (10.2). They committed only one in the first half against the Seahawks before a sloppy 10 in the second half contributed to a UNCW comeback.

"We try to emphasize it throughout the year," Bennett said of players valuing possessions. "At times we've done it well, at times we haven't. But I think it has been one of the important factors in us having a bit of success."

Though the Cavaliers are nowhere near as defensively efficient as Bennett's Washington State teams, their 60.4 points per game allowed are 12 points fewer than last season.

The fact that Virginia is last in the ACC in both field-goal-percentage defense (.425) and 3-point field-goal-percentage defense (.352) gives Bennett the shakes, but the Cavaliers' perimeter shooting — Sammy Zeglinski is making 48 percent of his 3-pointers — and improved decision-making have helped offset defensive lapses.

"You're always quick to point out that it's an ongoing thing," Bennett said, "and you never assume too much. I hope they'll just keep trying, every practice out, every game, can we get better? Can we improve? There's breakdowns and there's areas that certainly we have to address."

Individually, the presence of Sylven Landesberg helps greatly, particularly in close games. The 6-foot-6 sophomore, last year's ACC Rookie of the Year, is averaging 17.5 points per game — 21 in three ACC games — and is a matchup problem for most opponents because of his length and versatility.

Junior Mike Scott (13.2 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game) has been the most consistently productive post player, but career backups Jerome Meyinsse and Will Sherrill, a walk-on, provide valuable minutes in ways that don't always show up in box scores.

Guards Mustapha Farrakhan and Jeff Jones, starters at times this season and in the past, have been willing and productive reserves in recent games as Bennett tweaked lineup combinations.

"If they understand who they are as a team," Bennett said, "and not try to become someone different, regardless of who you're playing, that'll give us the best chance as a team to be competitive and successful."

Virginia's schedule lent itself to the chance for success, given last season's struggles and the initial prospects for a team picked to finish 11th in the ACC.

The Cavs' strength of schedule, according to CollegeRPI.com, is rated 175th. Their non-conference strength of schedule is rated 292nd out of 347 teams. Their three wins against ranked teams — UAB, Georgia Tech and Miami — were all at home.

On the conference front, the Cavaliers were able to steal a road win at N.C. State, picked to finish last in the conference.

They got Georgia Tech at home, catching the Yellow Jackets between games against Duke and North Carolina, and outscored Tech 23-3 from the free-throw line in an 82-75 win.

Virginia blew out a suddenly suspect Miami team that also was dusted at Virginia Tech days earlier and seemed more interested in getting home than competing.

Then came Monday's victory against UNCW, followed by four days to prepare for Saturday's game at Wake Forest.

"We're just trying to focus on what we can do and (take) sort of a moment-by-moment approach," Bennett said, "as opposed to getting caught up in a start of 3-0. I think our guys, in the last couple years, haven't been in this spot, but it's so early that it's going to be more about quality for us."
 

ACC likely will pay for poor non-conference scheduling
David Teel
January 20, 2010

This is an ACC basketball season Newton would love. Not Greg Newton, the former Duke center. Sir Isaac Newton, the 17th- and 18th-century brainiac.

'Twas Newton who theorized that every action prompts an equal and opposite reaction, which pretty much describes how the ACC has fared against non-conference competition.

Question is: How will the NCAA tournament selection committee evaluate these decidedly mixed results?

No, ACC teams are not a combined .500 against outside opponents. Far from it. The league is 134-30 versus foreigners, a winning percentage second only to the Big 12.

But a great majority of those victories are against teams that can be described most charitably as poor. South Dakota State, New Jersey Institute of Technology, North Carolina Central, Alabama A&M and Maryland-Baltimore County to name a handful.

The preponderance of such opponents leaves the ACC ranked third among conferences this season, behind the Big 12 and Big East. This according to the Rating Percentage Index available at collegerpi.com, which mirrors that used by the NCAA panel.

Most troubling: The ACC's non-conference schedule is No. 23 overall and the worst among the top eight leagues. That may bode ill come Selection Sunday.

Sure, the ACC can cite encouraging victories. But for each, there is an equally discouraging defeat. To wit:

The conference is 6-7 against teams that were ranked by the Associated Press at tip-off. Duke defeated Connecticut and Gonzaga, Clemson bested Butler, North Carolina beat Ohio State, Virginia upset Alabama Birmingham, and Wake Forest won at Gonzaga.

But Boston College lost at home to Harvard and Maine, Virginia stumbled against Penn State, Georgia Tech fell at Georgia, and Wake Forest and Maryland lost at home to William and Mary.

Indeed, this basketball season resembles a typical football year in the ACC, with several quality teams but no more than one elite.

Duke, No. 2 in the RPI, is the conference's sole top-25 representative, with Clemson, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech also among the top 50 — defending national champion North Carolina is 54th.

The Big 12 has eight teams in the top 50, three of the top six. The Big East has nine in the top 50, five of the top 12.

Even the Newport News-based Atlantic 10 — motto: a Mike's Place "Big O" beats a Pat's Philly cheesesteak any day — has more top-shelf teams than the ACC. Five A-10 squads, including Richmond, are among the RPI's top 35.

That said, the ACC is the only league without a team rated below No. 115 — Boston College at 112th is the league's bottom-feeder.

Scheduling is undeniably a crapshoot — few forecast Penn State to be this bad or William and Mary to be this improved. But that doesn't excuse the ACC's collective lack of ambition.

Some league coaches say the cannibalism of conference play precludes more adventurous scheduling. But is the ACC all that different from the Big East or Big 12?

Duke, North Carolina and Maryland are the only ACC teams with non-conference schedules among the top 100. Conversely, Florida State, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami are below 240th.

Virginia gets a pass after firing Dave Leitao and hiring Tony Bennett to revive a program that finished 11th in the ACC last season. The others have no defense and likely will need at least a 9-7 conference finish to make the NCAA field.

That's especially true of Virginia Tech and Miami. Among the 73 teams from the six major conferences, those with automatic Bowl Championship Series access, the Hokies (323rd) and Hurricanes (343rd) have played the worst outside schedules.

Nine of Virginia Tech's victories are against teams below 200. None are against the top 80, let alone top 50.

The perils were evident Monday when Virginia Tech defeated North Carolina Central 72-30. Making the transition from Division II to I, the Eagles are No. 344 on the RPI and without a Division I victory this season.

The rout dropped the Hokies' rating from No. 64 to 78. In the last 15 years, the NCAA tournament committee has chosen one team below 70th: No. 74 New Mexico in 1995.

With wins like that, who needs losses?

Men's Basketball: A closer look at Bennett's substitution patterns

One of the more underrated -- and seldom-discussed -- parts of basketball coaching is substitution patterns. All coaches have different theories about when to put a player in, whom a player replaces and how many players substitute in the game at a given time.

In Monday's win over North Carolina Wilmington, Virginia was playing parts of the first half without a starter on the court. The Cavaliers have used a 10-player rotation throughout the season, but it's rare that all five starters have been on the bench at the same time. Don't expect that to continue to happen, either.

"Tonight, it wasn't working," Bennett said. "I, perhaps, put in too many guys at a time. I said before, there's not a ton of separation, and I have to look at maybe just one or two at a time with a starter. That was disappointing. I know those guys are disappointed. But we'll learn from it, certainly."

As Virginia fans well know, this team has depth at guard and lacks depth inside. You'll continue to see Will Sherrill and Assane Sene fill in for Mike Scott and Jerome Meyinsse when the situation warrants a substitution, with the Cavaliers also playing a four-guard lineup at times.

The back court substitutions are more intriguing. Sylven Landesberg and Sammy Zeglinski have played at a high level this season and will continue playing among the most minutes on the team. Mustapha Farrakhan has come on of late, providing athleticism and slashing ability. His man-to-man defense was not stellar on Monday, although he was active in the passing lanes.

Jontel Evans is a starter now, and it's well deserved. He provides defensive intensity that the Cavaliers simply cannot find elsewhere on the roster. Jeff Jones is very effective when he's hitting outside shots, but he does not bring much else. However, Jones has clearly defined his role as a shooter off the bench.

Pay attention to the way Bennett uses Calvin Baker. Evans's emergence could come at Baker's expense. Virginia has other players who can do what Baker does, but Baker does not play with the same defensive intensity as Evans or with the offensive versatility as Farrakhan. He's a senior who Bennett has lauded for leadership purposes, but the other players on the roster have more experience than the beginning of the season.

By Zach Berman

Virginia Basketball Fans Need To Make Their Voices Heard
Ben Gibson
Featured Columnist
Written on January 19, 2010

With an eight-game winning streak and a 3-0 record in the ACC, it makes sense that a featured columnist for the Virginia Cavaliers should be cranking out articles every hour in honor of this new development.

Believe me, I am truly elated over the current happenings with Tony Bennett and the men's basketball program. I just don't know what to say. In truth, I am almost afraid to jinx it.

Let's face it: the sky is not as sunny as everyone makes it out to be. Our three ACC wins have been against a team predicted to finish last in the conference, a team that did finish last in the conference in 2008-09, and a team predicted to finish 10th this season in the conference.

However, Virginia has posted some notable accomplishments already this season. Three times they have battled back from double-digit deficits for victories. They had more games in the first two months with 10 or fewer turnovers than they had all of last season. They have two more wins than all of last year!

Considering where we were a month ago, it's hard to believe that this is the same team.

As a result, Virginia has some impressive streaks and although the conference knows better than to buy them as ACC championship contenders, you have to applaud what they have accomplished so far.

Which leads me to the only real commentary I can have on these recent and shocking developments.

It's time, Virginia fans.

The apathy in the major sports programs has gone on long enough. We have been subjected to terrible performances over the past two years in both football and basketball. We have demanded to have a team that competes and plays at a high level with passion and determination.

It has arrived. The Cavaliers are a scrappy team that does not hang their head when things go bad. Instead, they have buckled down and fought through every screen, ran down each loose ball, and even learned a few inbound plays along the way.

They stress fundamentals and, even though they cannot compete on talent with most of the ACC teams, they have just enough hustle and heart to grind out victories.

It is time to do our part in turning around the program.

There is nothing like college basketball in the pantheon of sports. Last week I was watching the HBO special on Tobacco Road that chronicled the intense rivalry between Duke and North Carolina. Granted, parts of it made me physically ill as Virginia fan, but I was struck by the Duke players' comments on the Cameron Crazies.

Yes, yes, I know what all you Duke haters are thinking, Duke fans are usually painted up nerds that use cheer sheets and their parents' trust-funds to root for their team. I also know that it translates into victories.

To hear Duke players say that the Cameron Crazies got them about 10-15 points per home game really struck me. Those points could be the difference for the Cavaliers this season.

My favorite memories as a student at Virginia were watching the 2006-07 basketball season, the inaugural season at the John Paul Jones Arena. Due to its novelty, people actually showed up to view the palatial building, and the team's victories soon brought passion and hunger to the place. The atmosphere was like nothing I had ever seen before.

I know Virginia fans have a reputation as Zima-drinking wimps, as Colin Cowherd would tell you. However, if you were there or ever listened to those home games that season, you would think you had stepped into a mad house.

The acoustics are such that sound amplifies at the John Paul Jones Arena. It doesn't take a packed house to make it sound like one, but when everyone is up and screaming, the other team never really knows what hit them.

Case in point, the very first game ever at JPJA against the Arizona Wildcats proved what a hostile environment Virginia could have. The talented Pac-10 team raced out to a 16-point lead, dampening the pomp and circumstance surrounding the opening ceremonies.

However, thanks to Mamadi Diane's shooting and Sean Singletary's leadership, the team turned things around. They got some stops and their offense lit up to grab a victory and open things off with a bang.

Listening to the players afterwards, they gave credit to the fans. Adrian Joseph, Jason Cain, and former head coach Dave Leitao all had quotes that stressed the involvement of the fans and how they helped spur the team to victory.

That trend continued in games over Gonzaga and Virginia Tech . Once again, the crowd was mentioned in post-game interviews, and the attendance continued to grow.

However, no other game signifies the impact of the John Paul Jones Arena than the 2007 duel against Duke . Sure, everyone remembers the circus shot Singletary hit to win the game in overtime, but it is the reaction afterwards I will remember the rest of my life.

I always had trouble understanding phrases like "too loud to think" or deafening. However, deafening perfectly describes what happened after that ball dropped. It was like an invisible wave pushed me to the ground and, in that clamor, I could hear nothing.

My friend who worked the cameras at the time told me later on that the walls literally were shaking in overtime. I guess that's more than just poor $121 million construction.

In its first season, the Cavaliers lost one game at the John Paul Jones Arena. A team that was knocked out early in the NIT just a season ago was a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Well, things certainly did not stay rosy at Virginia. I remember the night the Cavaliers lost their cloak of invincibility at home, losing to Syracuse when Singletary had one of the worst performances of his career. Then the lights went out of the place the next month when Deron Washington's game-winning basket at the buzzer tore the hearts out of Virginia fans.

The losses led to cynicism and soon, the rocking crowd became a sea of empty seats. The mad house in Charlottesville had been replaced by a library.

Attendance numbers have suffered since, but with the latest winning streak, the fans are coming back.

Last Monday, the Cavaliers were able to bring over 10,000 people to see Virginia take on UNC-Wilmington. By comparison, in a nationally televised game during the fall semester against Penn State, Virginia could only muster 8,898 people to make the two-hour commitment to cheer on their team.

Last year, just over 9,000 fans showed up to watch the Cavaliers take on the Miami Hurricanes. This year, the attendance was 11,413, many of whom were rowdy students returning from their winter break.

Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot rest on our laurels. The road for Virginia is not going to get easier; in fact, it is going to get much more difficult. The important thing for the fans will be to stay true to their team. I promise you that there will be more bumps on the road this season. We cannot give up easily.

Tony Bennett's team is full of young guys still learning how to win. For many, this is their first exposure to success at Virginia. They need our support. Even when they stumble, even when they miss a rebound or a free throw, we have to keep cheering them on and help keep their heads up.

We may not know how far Virginia can go this year, but we do know one thing: With a raucous arena once more, they can go much further than if they don't. Instead of complaining about a lack of success, it is time to do something to change it.

Hope to see you at the Virginia Tech game!

Ocean Lakes High wide receiver Justin Hunter de-commits from LSU, could be looking at U.Va.

One of the most interesting developing stories in area football recruiting news that had been rumored for a few weeks has come to fruition. Justin Hunter, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound wide receiver from Ocean Lakes High in Virginia Beach, has changed his mind regarding his commitment to Louisiana State and he's opening up his recruiting options.

Now, how long Hunter is a viable recruiting option for some programs remains to be seen. His coach, Chris Scott, told the Rivals.com recruiting Web site Hunter appears to be leaning to Tennessee and could commit this week to the Volunteers. Scott added new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is supposed to be in the area tonight to meet with Hunter after an Ocean Lakes basketball game.

Of course, all of this Tennessee talk could ruin U.Va. coach Mike London and Co.'s chances of swooping in and grabbing Hunter, who is considered by most recruiting analysts to be among the nation's top 25 receiver prospects. He's the No. 3 player on the Daily Press' Fab 15 state recruiting rankings for the class of 2010. This past season, he had 43 catches for 714 yards and eight touchdowns, and returned two punts for touchdowns. He also participated Jan. 2 in the Under Armour All-America game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

He's supposed to be in Charlottesville this weekend to visit U.Va.'s campus, but there obviously wouldn't be much need for a trip to U.Va. if he goes ahead and commits to Tennessee. In November, he visited Tennessee.

If Hunter does visit U.Va, he'll be the centerpiece of what could be a busy weekend. U.Va. is also trying to secure a visit from Louis Young, a 6-foot-0, 185-pound cornerback from Good Counsel High in Olney, Md. Young, who is considered by many recruiting analysts to be among the nation's top 20 cornerback prospects, is committed to Stanford, but he could be looking at other options. U.Va., which has no more than four scholarships left for its '10 class, is also hoping to get visits this weekend from all 13 of its current commitments.

Hunter's future could certainly be affected by his track and field pursuits. Last year, he had the second-best high school high jump (7-foot-2) and long jump (25-3 3/4) efforts in the nation. LSU, which finished fourth in the nation last year in the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, seemed to be a logical choice for Hunter. By comparison, Tennessee and U.Va. finished tied for 48th in the outdoor track and field championships, but U.Va. did share the ACC outdoor title with Florida State.

Though there's plenty of buzz and excitement right now about Hunter being back on the market, keep in mind the window of opportunity for U.Va. to get him might not really be open. It sounds like Tennessee could bring the situation to an abrupt conclusion as early as tonight.

Posted by Norman Wood

Virginia Duo to Team Up Again in 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/19/2010

Mobile, AL -- A couple of University of Virginia Cavaliers will close out their collegiate careers at the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl. Cornerback Chris Cook and running back Rashawn Jackson have both officially accepted invitations to the senior showcase event, game officials announced today. Kickoff for the January 30th event is set for 3pm (CT) in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game is officially sold out but will be televised by the NFL Network.

Cook led the Cavaliers with four interceptions this season and was a key part of a defensive unit that ranked fourth in the ACC and 21st in the country in pass defense. The Lynchburg native started all 12 games for the Cavaliers in 2009, finishing the season with 10 passes defended-ninth best in the ACC. For his career, Cook tallied 143 total tackles, seven interceptions and 19 pass breakups.

Jackson rushed for 461 yards and two touchdowns his senior season. He finished the year averaging 4.6 yards per carry and was named the team's offensive player of the week four different times throughout the season. His best outing of the year came in a win over Maryland in which he rushed for a career-high 90 yards and a touchdown. Jackson finished his career with 595 yards on 132 carries.

"We're excited about adding Chris and Rashawn to our roster," Senior Bowl President and CEO Steve Hale said. "Both are outstanding players and we look forward to watching them perform in front of the top NFL decision makers next week here at the Senior Bowl."

The Under Armour Senior Bowl is college football's premier pre-draft event, annually featuring the nation's best senior collegiate football stars and top NFL draft prospects on teams coached by NFL coaching staffs. Senior Bowl practices and game week festivities are attended by more than 800 general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, scouts and other front office personnel from all 32 National Football League teams, making Mobile and the Under Armour Senior Bowl the week-long host to a one-of-a-kind NFL Coaches Convention. For more information on the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl please visit the bowl's website at www.seniorbowl.com.

The NFL Network will air more than 20 hours of programming during Senior Bowl week, including live coverage of practices and recap shows. For more information on the NFL Network please visit www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.
 

Celebration Event Set for UVa NCAA/ACC Championship Men’s Soccer Team
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/19/2010

Charlottesville, VA - A celebration to honor the 2009 Virginia men's soccer team, which won the NCAA and ACC Championships, will take place Saturday, Jan. 23 in the main concourse of John Paul Jones Arena. The activities will start at 6 p.m. and are scheduled to last 90 minutes.
The event will feature the Cavalier players, head coach George Gelnovatch and his staff. Fans in attendance will receive a special poster commemorating the season. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive a free commemorative men's soccer t-shirt.
Both players and coaches will be available for autographs and photos and the NCAA and ACC Championship trophies will be on display for fans to see.
"We are excited about this event and thrilled to be able to celebrate our NCAA and ACC Championships in Charlottesville," Gelnovatch said. "Our fans provided an unbelievable atmosphere both at home and on the road during the entire season, but because of the holidays and exam break immediately after the NCAA Tournament, we have not been able to celebrate with them. We encourage everyone to come out for this great event."
Virginia won the program's sixth NCAA title on Dec. 13, defeating No. 1 ranked Akron 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 19-3-3 record. After starting the season 6-3, the Cavaliers did not lose in their final 16 matches and allowed just three goals during that stretch. UVa downed NC State 1-0 to claim the program's 10th ACC Championship and the fourth during Gelnovatch's tenure.
At the College Cup Jonathan Villanueva was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player while keeper Diego Restrepo was the Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Following the conclusion of the season, Soccer America named Gelnovatch its Men's Coach of the Year and forward Will Bates was tabbed its Freshman of the Year. Tony Tchani was named a first-team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was joined by Restrepo on the College Soccer News' All-America team. The duo were also named Soccer America MVPs.
Parking at JPJA will be free. Fans should enter the arena through the main concourse entrance on the west side of the building.
Fans will also have an opportunity to meet the team at John Paul Jones Arena prior to the men's basketball game against Virginia Tech on Jan. 28. The Cavaliers will be recognized at halftime of this game as well.
 

House honors UVa soccer team for championship win
From staff reports
Published: January 20, 2010
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The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday praising the University of Virginia men’s soccer team for its victory in the 2009 national championship.

“I am proud that my colleagues in the House have recognized the hard work and dedication of the University of Virginia men’s soccer team,” Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, who introduced the resolution, said in a news release. “With outstanding defense and the remarkable performance of goaltender Diego Restrepo, the underdog Cavaliers pulled off a great upset over the University of Akron. I would especially like to recognize Coach Gelnovatch for his great leadership in guiding the Cavaliers to the championship. Congratulations to the team, and with many players returning, I look forward to passing a similar resolution next year.”

The team won the Division I NCAAA championship in a penalty-kick shootout after the game ended in a scoreless tie.

White: For Winfield, It's Been a Wonderful Life in Baseball
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 01/18/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Dave Winfield, who went straight from the University of Minnesota to the major leagues, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility.

Most of UVa's players will never make it to the majors, let alone be enshrined at Cooperstown. But the Cavaliers' veterans share a special bond with Winfield: They too have played in the College World Series.

Virginia's first trip to Omaha, Neb., came last season. Winfield played in the CWS in 1973, his senior year at Minnesota.

"It's just something we'll always remember," Winfield said by phone from California.

Likewise, CWS historians will never forget the 6-6, 220-pound Winfield's feats in Omaha. He played outfield in the majors, but in college he was strictly a pitcher until his senior year, when his coaches started him in the outfield when he wasn't on the mound.

In Minnesota's CWS opener, Winfield struck out 14 batters in a 1-0 win over Oklahoma. In the semifinals against three-time defending champion Southern California, he fanned 15.

The Gophers didn't win the title -- USC retained its crown -- but Winfield was named the tournament's MVP.

Former Orioles second baseman Rich Dauer was a USC infielder when he faced Winfield in Omaha.

"When Dave let go of the ball, it was three feet in front of your face, and it seemed like it was going 110 miles an hour," Dauer told ESPN.com.

"In my whole career, even facing the big boys in the majors, I have never seen anything like [him]."

Winfield will touch on his experience in Omaha and other topics Friday night at John Paul Jones Arena. He's the guest speaker at the eighth annual Step Up to the Plate event, the main fundraiser for the UVa baseball program. (Tickets are still available. For information, click here.)

Winfield's predecessors in that role include Cal Ripken Jr., Terry Francona, Tony LaRussa and Brooks Robinson.

"I'm as excited about Dave Winfield as I have been about anybody who's been in here to talk," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "Not only is he a legend in the game of baseball, but nobody in the game has higher character than Dave Winfield. He's what you want your players to be."

Winfield, 58, also will talk privately with Virginia's players. Previous speakers at Step Up to the Plate, O'Connor noted, haven't always had a strong connection to college sports.

Winfield is different, even if most fans associate him with a storied major-league career in which he was a 12-time All-Star and a seven-time Gold Glove Award winner.

At Minnesota, Winfield starred in baseball and basketball. In 1973, the San Diego Padres picked him fourth overall in the major-league draft, but that wasn't his only option. He was also drafted by the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, the ABA's Utah Stars and the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.

"The fact that he played college baseball and played in the College World Series is another reason why he's great here," O'Connor said. "It's like the perfect fit for us. I've dreamed of having Dave Winfield here, and we were finally able to get it done."

Winfield, an executive vice president/senior advisor with the Padres, also is an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight show. He's an author, too, and has written several books on baseball.

He's never has been to Charlottesville, "but I hear a lot about it, read a lot about it," said Winfield, who lives in Los Angeles.

He's familiar with Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds, alumni of O'Connor's program, and he caught part of ESPN2's recent broadcast of the UVa-Maryland women's basketball game.

"Did the young lady break the record?" Winfield asked, referring to Monica Wright, who indeed became the Wahoos' all-time leading scorer that night.

Growing up in St. Paul, Minn., Winfield dreamed of playing professional baseball. But college, especially the University of Minnesota, where he had family ties, also appealed to him.

The Orioles made his decision easy. In 1969, they selected Winfield in the 40th round.

"They said, 'We got a deal for you,'" Winfield recalled. "It would have been a little money and a trip to Bluefield, West Virginia, [versus] a college scholarship and a chance to advance my education.

"So the four years were very good for me at Minnesota. Of course, I ended up being a first-round draft pick. But I grew as a young man, getting an education, traveling the country and the world. It was an exceptional experience for me. And then we went to the College World Series."

The climate in the Twin Cities notwithstanding, Winfield's alma mater has a rich tradition in baseball. Minnesota won CWS titles in 1956, 1960 and 1964. The Gophers occasionally practiced indoors when Winfield was in school, but they played their home games outside, weather permitting.

"We had a field house where we would do a lot of infield work, do some hitting," he said. "But it's nowhere close to being outside. It just isn't.

"When we finally came outside, we would go usually to Texas for spring break and play Texas, Texas A&M, a variety of schools. It would seem like we'd be so far behind for the first three or four games, because everyone else had played maybe 15, 20 games, and we were trying to just catch up. But it would seem to even out after awhile.

"But now that I live out West, where it's warm and people play baseball almost all year-round, you really look at how the people in the southern belt of the United States have a huge advantage over the kids that play where it's cold."

Winfield, who's a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, played for six teams in the majors: the Padres, the Yankees, the Angels, the Blue Jays, the Twins and the Indians.

In 22 seasons, he had 3,110 hits, including 465 home runs, and 1,833 RBI. Perhaps his most memorable hit came in the decisive Game 6 of the 1992 World Series.

In the top of the 11th, Winfield's two-run double gave Toronto a 4-2 lead over Atlanta. The game ended 4-3, and the Blue Jays were world champions.

"The good parts of baseball I always take with me, and that's why I hope to continue to be a good ambassador for the game," Winfield said. "I promote it all the time, and I coach the young kids still.

"The life lessons I learned with baseball, the people that I've met, the places in the world that I've gone, I wouldn't trade this life for anything. It's the best."

To think he might have worn shoulder pads instead. Despite the fact that Winfield didn't play football in high school or college, his hometown team selected him in the 17th round of the 1973 NFL draft.

"The Vikings said, 'Fran Tarkenton needs a tight end,' and that's what they wanted me to do. I said, 'Nah,'" Winfield recalled with a laugh.

"I always say, the smart people, they play baseball. In football, you've got an ambulance waiting for you every game."

Clearly, Winfield's passion for baseball hasn't faded since his retirement in 1995. The crowd at Step Up to the Plate will learn that first-hand.

"I enjoy being around it, teaching it and carrying the message," Winfield said. "So that's why I look forward to coming and meeting everybody there and having a good time on Friday."