Cavs, Hokies have different reasons for wanting to win
By Michael Phillips
Published: January 27, 2010
Updated: January 27, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Expectations are the difference between the two sides entering tomorrow's rivalry game between Virginia and Virginia Tech.

In Charlottesville, first-year coach Tony Bennett has the Cavs (3-1 ACC, 12-5) near the top of the ACC in what was touted as a rebuilding year. A victory against the rival Hokies (2-2, 15-3) would just be icing on the cake at this point.

In Blacksburg, the time is now for Seth Greenberg's Hokies, who will measure their next step of progress with an NCAA bid.

And while both teams are filled with youth and likely to be even better next year, the excitement is building for this year's installment.

"It becomes a bigger game because it's a league game and both teams are having some success," Greenberg said. "Both teams are fighting to stay alive and be relevant within the league."

The Hokies stayed afloat with a last-second victory against Boston College on Saturday. An intriguing subplot will also be a matchup of two of the ACC's most prolific scorers -- U.Va.'s Sylven Landesberg and Tech's Malcolm Delaney.

Bennett said that he's not going to try to shut down Delaney so much as contain him.

"He's very talented, and they use him in a lot of different ways," said Virginia's coach. "With players like that, you just have to do your best to make them earn the baskets.

"That's what was disappointing against Wake Forest. They did a nice job, but we didn't make them earn a lot of the baskets they had."

The loss to the Demon Deacons was the first for the Cavs in ACC play. Their 3-0 conference record out of the gate drew the attention of the national press, and earned them a spot in ESPN's projected NCAA tournament field.

Given a relatively weak non-conference schedule, that may turn out to be wishful thinking, but nobody was asking Bennett to make the tournament this year, and he's repeatedly said that the expectation is only to show improvement with each passing game.

For Greenberg, Landesberg isn't the only thing his team has to worry about.

"When you prepare for Virginia, you start with Sylven, for sure," he said. "But they have a lot of different guys that can score the basketball."

After succeeding in the non-conference portion of the schedule, the Hokies are looking to grind their way to success in the ACC -- and that's the true significance of tomorrow's game, according to their coach.

"We understand how big a game it is, just because they need to win their home games, and we need to find a way to break serve on the road," Greenberg said.

Cavs' Zeglinski improves at both ends of the floor under Bennett
By Dave Fairbank 247-4637
January 27, 2010

Tony Bennett arrived at Virginia with a well-deserved reputation as a defensive strategist, but one of the Cavaliers' notable improvements has been Sammy Zeglinski's offensive efficiency.

Zeglinski, the sophomore-eligible guard from Philly, leads the ACC in 3-point shooting and is one of the conference's most accurate backcourt shooters.

"I'm shooting with a lot more confidence," Zeglinski said, "and I've been taking better shots, within the flow of the offense. I've been able to get some good looks at the basket and knock them down."

Zeglinski and the Cavaliers (12-5, 3-1 ACC) attempt to bounce back from their first league loss Thursday when they host rival Virginia Tech at John Paul Jones Arena.

"A lot of students have come up to me, saying they're really excited about the game," Zeglinski said. "It's a lot of fun to be a part of it and play in the game because the atmosphere is on a whole different level."

Much like Zeglinski's accuracy. He has made almost 47 percent of his 3-point attempts (38-for-81), nearly 16 percentage points better than last season. He's shooting 45.2 percent from the field, up from 38.5 percent a year ago, which would be good enough to rank him in the top 10 in the conference if he attempted enough shots.

He leads the Cavs in 3-pointers made, assists and steals for the second consecutive season. In four ACC games, he has a 3-to-1 assist-turnover ratio.

"He's been pretty steady for us and has been, obviously, a threat from outside the arc," Bennett said. "I thought he brought a timeliness to him, in terms of making a big shot."

Bennett refers to Zeglinski as "a combo guard," meaning that he plays both the point and shooting guard in what's often a three-guard lineup.

The 6-foot Zeglinski also has led the Cavaliers in rebounding five times and averaged 5.6 rebounds in his past five games. His rebound numbers are more a function of a team emphasis on securing the ball than mad hops.

"Everybody has a role," Zeglinski said, "and I feel like my role is to be able to score when called upon and take care of the ball. Really, just control the tempo of the game when needed and keep everything under control when I have the ball."

Bennett's system begins with defense and valuing possessions. Opponents are scoring 11.6 fewer points per game this season than last, and the Cavs commit four fewer turnovers per game.

Zeglinski said that the Cavaliers' defensive system permits them to play shorter guards, such as himself and 5-11 Jontel Evans, at the same time.

"I feel like I'm always guarding somebody who's three or four inches taller than me," Zeglinski said. "But I don't think it has an effect on me, defensively, because we really do play team defense.

"It's not exactly a one-on-one type (of) defense. It's like everybody against the ball; it's not just one player against the person with the ball. It's a collective defensive effort that (negates) some of those height advantages that we lack."

Zeglinski was slowed a bit by an injury to his right hip during Saturday's loss to Wake Forest. Rest and treatment have eased the discomfort, and he said Tuesday that he should be close to 100 percent for Virginia Tech.

He received a medical redshirt after missing the final 24 games of his freshman year (2007-08) with an ankle injury, which gives him three full years under Bennett.

"I think, over time, I hope he'll become a real rock out there," Bennett said. "He doesn't have the athleticism of (Wake Forest's) Ish Smith or some of those guys, but he's deceptively fast. I think he's a tough kid, and if you've got toughs and smarts, as we like to say, you should be able to be a good defender."

And knock down a shot now and then, as well.
 

Tony Bennett Q & A, part 2
Aaron Perryman, Cavalier Daily Columnist
Men's Basketball / Sports
January 27, 2010 0

In part two of my interview with men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, he discusses the balance and depth his team has displayed, the UNC-Wilmington reality check, the defensive work ethic he has worked to instill within his players, some memorable moments from the year thus far and the ‘Hoo Crew’s new tradition of yelling during opponent free throws.

I think we can see some players growing up before our very eyes. Do you think [sophomore guard Sammy] Zeglinski in particular has benefited from your experiences as a guard?

He’s a third-year sophomore … I think he’s had a good offseason, working hard on his body with our strength coach Mike Curtis, who’s great. He’s played some one and some two for us this year … He’s responded well, and it seems like he’s improved and taken a step ahead. He’s a tough kid and he’s a team-first guy as these guys are, and I think that’s helped. The fact that I played at guard in college and had some NBA time, I don’t know if that helps him or not — hopefully it does, but I couldn’t say for sure.

Anyone else you want to point out? Obviously, you don’t want to short change anyone. The whole team’s playing well.

It’s been good that [sophomore forward] Sylven [Landesberg] has drawn so much attention as a player. We keep challenging him and he’s doing it — becoming a complete player with his passing, his rebounding and trying to defend. You see [senior center] Jerome {Meyinesse] stepping up, [junior forward] Mike Scott, [junior guards] Mustapha [Farrakhan] and Jeff Jones, I don’t want to leave anybody out because at different times, different guys have stepped up. Jontel [Evans] is giving us lifts. [Sophomore forward] Assane [Sene] has. That’s what unique about this team. What’s challenging as a coach is there’s balance, there’s some depth, there’s not a ton of separation. Sometimes it’s hard to settle on a consistent rotation. But at times, it’s also been a strength of ours because there’s been guys that hit big shots and have big games for us they maybe have in one game but didn’t in another. So hopefully we’ll keep becoming more consistent but using that balance to be as good as we can be.

It seems like one of the things that was missing a little bit against UNC-Wilmington was the bench production that you guys got against Georgia Tech, especially from Farrakhan and Jones.

I think that game is a realistic indication of who we are. Hopefully we’re a little better than that … When we’re focused and locked in, we can play with high-level teams and if we’re a little off our game or we’re not focused, we’re very susceptible. I think that comes down to knowing that about yourself and just trying your hardest to sure up the areas that you feel a little vulnerable in and keep being as good as you can be. That’s always a reality check. UNC-Wilmington was banking shots and we had a lot of breakdowns, but for their record, they were good.

You’ve been known for tight D and a deliberate offense that works for good shots. Is this team fitting your mold or are you adapting your Xs and Os a little bit?

You always adapt to each team. At times, we’ve touched it defensively — have been where we want to be — and defense takes a long time. I’m talking guys after their second, third year — it just becomes instinctual and it gets better over time … But with this year, that’s a work in progress. And that never rests; you always have to keep working at it. You never just arrive and say, ‘We’re there.’ Offensively, you certainly work for good shots, you give guys freedom to make plays, try to be as sound as you can and obviously be aggressive when you can … whatever gives us the best chance to be successful. I think, at times, we’ve been really aggressive and trying to get out and score, and at times, we’ve had to work for shots. I think you have to have a balance to be as good as you can be. I think a balance is important — you can’t be all one way or all the other unless it’s required for a certain game. You always look at your personnel and try to adapt to it.

You already talked about JPJ a little bit and the students. I am part of the ‘Hoo Crew and one of the things that was on the first ‘Hoo Crew e-mail is that you wanted everyone to not yell until the end of an opponent’s free throw, right before they shoot. Somehow, we’ve had one of the best “free throw defenses” this year, which is odd.

Are we still doing that or not? I don’t even know? Is that not happening?

We’re kind of doing it. I think we kind of forgot when we came back from break.

I just remember, I spoke to the ‘Hoo Crew; they said, ‘Is there anything we can do?’ When I was at Washington State, they asked the same thing, I said, ‘Maybe it would be different if the opposing team’s getting ready to shoot a free throw, and everybody would be really quiet and right as they are in their shot motion for everybody to go, ‘Ah!’ Maybe that would be different than just the constant steady noise, like a spike [in noise].’ I said it like, that’s what we tried at Washington State. I didn’t even know that they took it seriously. At the game … I haven’t caught that. If it’s working, awesome.

We kind of are. I know the last couple of games the opponents have actually shot free throws pretty well. At first, we were at the top in the nation in free throw defense, which isn’t even a real stat.

No, but it’s a good stat. I think sometimes it’s who you’re fouling or if you’re putting them on the line a lot.

What’s been your most memorable win this year?

There’s a bunch of them. The comeback against Cleveland State was the first comeback win we had. That was great. Beating a ranked opponent here for the first time, UAB, was special. Being down on the road, down 10 at N.C. State and coming back and finishing that game out. The Georgia Tech game — every win you’re rejoicing because you know how challenging and hard it is to get a win. I like them all … But the comeback ones certainly are memorable and when you beat a quality opponent and the crowd’s going [wild]. That last play against UNC-Wilmington, we didn’t play great but coming up with a win — I can probably find something good in every win and something bad in every win and vice versa.

What challenges lie ahead for this team, and what do you still have to improve on?

We have to get better in a lot of areas. We have to become a better defensive team for the competition we’re going against. Teams are shooting a pretty high three-point percentage against us and we’ve got to try to make that come down a little bit. Just eliminate breakdowns when teams get easy looks and become a real good transition defensive team because everyone in this league can get down the floor so fast. We have to keep working on making them play against our set defense and that’s where we can settle in and become a better defensive team. But when they’re getting you in transition or you’re turning it over and they’re getting easy lay-ups, that’s something on the defensive end we need to work at. Make the opponent earn their scores on defense, get them to shoot as many contested shots [as possible] and offensively keep working to get as many good looks as possible, whether that’s early in the offense or whether we’ve got to work at it.

Is there anything you want to say to the students or alumni who are maybe trying to come to the next home game against Virginia Tech? It’s obviously a big game.

I’m pleasantly surprised at the passion — first of all, the numbers in which the students are showing up and second, how enthusiastic they are. I love it. They’re getting JPJ jumpin’. That’s cool. When you take a job — I’m here to try and rebuild a program that hasn’t had a lot of recent success — you sort of envision what it can be like and, sooner than I thought, the students and the fans are giving me a picture of what it can be like atmosphere-wise at this facility. It can be imposing. I had a friend of mine come from Washington State to the Georgia Tech game. They came and they were just like, ‘This is awesome. This place with the crowd in it — you can get something pretty special going here with this atmosphere.’ And as a coach, you know how important home-court advantage is. Through thick and thin, I hope they’ll stick with us because this is a long-range deal. Certainly we’re off to a great start, and we’re gonna keep fighting it, but that they’ll just keep seeing, hopefully, the effort put forth by the kids on the floor. And I hope our players will be the kind of student-athletes that they’ll see around Grounds that are just everyday guys that are real thankful for the opportunity they’re getting because I think that will turn people on to pulling for us and rooting for us.

Virginia Cavalier Guard Calvin Baker Seeks Redemption
Ben Gibson
Written on January 26, 2010

Watching the Virginia offense last Saturday was painful.

With the top two scorers on the team, Mike Scott and Sylven Landesberg, riding the pine with two fouls each, the Cavaliers needed other players to step up and keep them in the game against Wake Forest.

Well, one of the likely candidates was not on the court, in fact he was not even in Winston-Salem. Senior guard and co-captain Calvin Baker was at home in Charlottesville, essentially banished from the game by Virginia coach Tony Bennett.

Baker has certainly not had the senior year he imagined—injuries and inconsistency have cost the William & Mary transfer his starting spot on the roster to true freshman, Jontel Evans.

Baker was clearly upset and according to reports was apparently a little too vocal with his disagreement over the roster decision. Coach Bennett sat Baker down, not even allowing the combo guard to practice last week, but has officially re-instated the young man back to the team as the Cavaliers prepare for their biggest game in the past few years when they take on Virginia Tech this Thursday.

Suffice it to say, Virginia will need contributions from Baker this season if the Cavaliers are going to continue to surprise people in the ACC. The truth is, "surprising" pretty much sums up Baker's entire career in the orange and blue.

Baker turned heads pretty quickly in Charlottesville, when former coach Dave Leitao announced the CAA Rookie of the Year was transferring to play at Virginia. The move was certainly unexpected and it forced Baker to sit out a year as he waited for his opportunity.

It turned out to be quite the season to be a spectator, behind the dynamic guard tandem of J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary, the Cavaliers went 11-5 in the ACC and made it to their first NCAA tournament since 2001. Baker watched and had to be excited about his chance to help build something special at Virginia.

Unfortunately, Baker's debut season saw the Cavaliers go from the top of the ACC to the cellar with close losses in seemingly every conference game. Baker averaged just over eight points per game but provided some clutch shots for Virginia when the situation called for it.

With Singletary triple covered, it was Baker who provided the dagger three-pointer to take down Georgia Tech on the road as part of a 10-point, seven-rebound, and four-steal performance. Against Boston College, Baker provided the final four free throws to seal the deal and secure the win.

In Virginia's five ACC victories that season, Baker provided some critical shots but he also brought headaches for Cavalier fans.

In his junior year, with an extremely young team around him, the pressure was on Baker to be a leader. After a meager 10-win campaign, it seemed that the guard was only leading Virginia to mediocrity.

For all the talent Baker possesses, he has yet to emerge as that heir apparent to Singletary's throne we all wished he could be. Despite his big shots, Baker's trigger-happy mentality has cost Virginia in the past, particularly on the fast break.

Guards have to have a strong sense of basketball IQ, they have to be able to see the floor, and Baker still tends to make three or four egregious errors per game. Last season, forced into the point guard position after Singletary's departure, Baker had 79 assists and 70 turnovers. Those numbers will not win you many games.

In truth, the combo guard simply cannot find prosperity at the one or the two. He is simply not a good enough of a decision maker and ball handler to be a true point guard and his awkward shot angle makes him an inconsistent shooting guard.

As a result, Baker has become symbolic of Virginia over these past few seasons. His brief moments of glory have been overshadowed by frustration and confusion in humbling losses.

Adding injury to insult, Baker suffered through knee troubles that limited his offseason and may have added to his sporadic shooting this season. Despite improving his assist-to-turnover ratio, Baker is shooting only 23 percent from behind the arc. Combine that with an athletic freshman who plays better defense and you have the ugly situation we're in now.

Certainly, Baker's senior year has not gone the way he imagined. The Cavaliers are doing surprisingly well in January, but that has been more of in spite of than because of Baker.

The best news for Baker, though, is that his final chapter has yet to be written. He has the chance to take this adversity head on and inspire himself to improve his defense and shooting.

Baker is an experienced veteran and his presence solidifies a backcourt that will have to produce to ease the load off of Landesberg and Scott. Without his help, Virginia's start will only be a flash in the pan.

Will his career end at Virginia in tragedy or redemption?

Can Baker make the Cavaliers season a storybook ending or will he leave the hallowed halls of John Paul Jones Arena with his head hung down with a career of missed opportunities intact?

McGee calls a reverse, follows London to U.Va.
By Michael Phillips
Published: January 27, 2010
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In the end, it couldn't have worked out much better for Jake McGee. The Collegiate quarterback will get to play for the coach he admires at the school he's always had his eye on.

He'll join Mike London this fall at the University of Virginia, a decision he'll make final next Wednesday on national signing day.

Originally recruited to Richmond as a two-sport athlete, he'll have to give up hoops at U.Va., but he will be able to remain at quarterback, at least to start his college career.

After London departed, McGee stuck with Richmond. But when London came calling again, this time with a new staff and a new address, it was an offer too good to refuse.

"It was tough because Richmond was so great, and they did so much for me," McGee said. "But I just felt that since Coach London was the coach I originally committed to, and Virginia is in the ACC, it was just something I couldn't pass up."

McGee is in the middle of another productive hoops season, and last night he scored 35 points as Collegiate defeated Fork Union.

Before the game, he called new Richmond coach Latrell Scott to inform him of his decision.

"They fought hard," McGee said of the Spiders. "But they were really supportive and understood. Coach Scott said that they'll be coming at us hard in the first game of the year."

London will open the season against his former team when the Spiders head to Charlottesville to take on the Cavs. The full 2010 schedule will be released in February.

McGee likely won't see any action in that game. He'll almost certainly take a redshirt year as he learns the intricacies of playing a college offense. London told McGee, a Times-Dispatch All-Metro player, that he would get a shot at quarterback.

"I'm just going up there to try to get on the field," McGee said. "He said I could start there and we'll see what's best for the team."

Coaches are not allowed to comment on potential recruits until their commitment is made final next Wednesday. When reached yesterday by telephone, Cougars football coach Mark Palyo said the opportunity to play for London played a large role in McGee's choice.

"I think that was probably as big a factor as anything," Palyo said. "I think Jake felt this was the right decision, given the opportunity."

London has been recruiting busily for the past few weeks. Scott, meanwhile, has been busy, too trying to protect the commitments the Spiders have received. A recruit is free to change his mind as often as he wants until he signs his national letter of intent as a high school senior.

UR won't be missing out too much at quarterback this year. The Spiders will rely on a transfer from Southern California, Aaron Corp.

Maury lineman says he'll play for U.Va.
Posted to: College Football High Schools Sports
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 27, 2010

Virginia gained two football commitments Tuesday, including one from Maury High: lineman Steve Lawe.

Lawe, a 6-foot-5, 285-pounder, was a second-team All-Tidewater selection as a senior and said he picked the Cavaliers over Old Dominion and Norfolk State. Lawe also had early recruiting interest from Memphis.

"I feel Virginia will be a good school for me, and I like the direction the program is headed," Lawe said. "They are recruiting me as an offensive tackle, but I might also play defensive tackle or defensive end."

Richmond Collegiate coach Mark Palyo said Tuesday that Jake McGee has reversed the oral commitment he made to the University of Richmond on Aug. 21 and is instead committing to Virginia. U.Va. coach Mike London was at Richmond until taking the Cavaliers job.

McGee, a 6-5, 205-pounder, was the Richmond Times Dispatch's first-team all-metro quarterback after accounting for 3,563 total yards as a senior.

McGee completed 212 of 348 passes for 3,007 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also rushed for 567 yards and nine touchdowns.

Record-setting U.Va. commitment Kevin Parks is chosen a Parade All-American

After finishing up a high school football career of historic proportions, U.Va. commitment Kevin Parks is starting to garner some attention on a national level. This Sunday, he'll be listed along with 57 other players from 24 states on the prestigious Parade Magazine All-America high school football team. Here's a link to the entire Parade All-America team that will also hit this weekend's print edition of the publication.

Parks, a 5-foot-7, 195-pound running back from West Rowan High in Mount Ulla, N.C., finished his career with his name beside two impressive national high school records.

He had 55 games of at least 100 rushing yards, topping the previous mark of 47 games set by Mike Hart of Onondaga High in Nedrow, N.Y. from 2000-03. Hart went on to star at Michigan.

Parks also had 1,370 career carries, more than any back in national high school history. From 1988-91, Brad Hocker of Archie, Mo. had 1,353 carries.

In addition to the records, Parks had 10,895 rushing yards, which is third in national high school history. He finished just 337 yards behind Ken Hall, who has held the national rushing yardage record for 57 years.

Parks, who scored 158 touchdowns in his career, led West Rowan to North Carolina's Class AAA state championship this past season. Back on Feb. 23, he became the first high school rising senior to commit to U.Va. for its 2010 recruiting class, and he never wavered on his commitment. He also had offers from East Carolina and Illinois.

"U.Va. stuck with me from day one," said Parks, who's considered by many recruiting analysts to be among the nation's top 75 running back prospects. "They didn't care about my height, my speed or what any of the critics were saying, like I was too slow to play at any other school. They didn't care about any of that. They took me for who I am and what I am. I feel like you've got to kind of pay them respect for that...I feel like coach (Mike) London coming in is going to change things around."

Check out the Daily Press next Thursday for all our post-Signing Day coverage, which will include a feature on Parks. Coverage of the week of Signing Day will begin Sunday in the Daily Press.

Parks is the second U.Va. commitment in as many years to be selected to the Parade All-America team. Last year, Morgan Moses, a 6-7, 345-pound offensive tackle from Meadowbrook High in Richmond, was named to the team. He spent this past fall at Fork Union Military Academy.

The only player from the state of Virginia on this year's Parade All-America team is Phillip Sims, a 6-2, 225-pound quarterback from Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake. Sims is committed to Alabama.

Posted by Norman Wood

U.Va. gets another quarterback commitment

If nothing else, U.Va. coach Mike London seems determined to corner the market on quarterback recruits. He's even raiding his old employer to get quarterbacks now.

Jake McGee, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound prospect from Collegiate in Richmond, has reneged on a commitment to Richmond and is now pledged to U.Va. As a senior, he passed for more than 3,000 yards and scored 40 touchdowns passing and rushing while leading Collegiate to its second straight Virginia Independent Schools Division I state football championship.

The Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association selected McGee first team all-state at both quarterback and defensive back. He's U.Va.'s 15th commitment for its 2010 recruiting class. Next Wednesday will be the first day recruits can sign a letter of intent.

Since taking over Dec. 7 at U.Va., London, a Bethel High graduate who was the coach at Richmond for two seasons before coming to Charlottesville, has picked up three commitments - all from quarterbacks who were previously committed to other schools.

Michael Strauss, a 6-3, 210-pound quarterback from Gulliver Prep in Miami, committed to U.Va. on the same day London was hired. Strauss, who originally committed to Tulane, is considered by many recruiting analysts to be among the nation's top 100 quarterback prospects. He's already enrolled at U.Va.

On Monday, U.Va. also gained a commitment from Miles Gooch, a 6-4, 220-pound quarterback from Towers High in Decatur, Ga. He was originally committed to Toledo.

Jeff Hanson, a U.Va. assistant coach who was also London's assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach at Richmond, has recruited McGee for both Richmond and U.Va. McGee is supposed to visit U.Va. this weekend.

While it may be a bit surprising to see U.Va. suddenly loading up on quarterbacks, there's no doubt it's a need area. U.Va. will enter the spring with rising senior Marc Verica as its most experienced option at quarterback. He started nine games in 2008, but was Jameel Sewell's backup this past season.

In addition to Verica, rising redshirt freshmen Ross Metheny and Riko Smalls will compete along with Strauss as scholarship quarterbacks on U.Va.'s roster. Smalls could eventually wind up at wide receiver, which is where he was moved early last season before switching back to quarterback.

If U.Va. can increase its depth at quarterback, there's also a chance McGee could end up at another position. In mid-January, he told the CavsCorner.com recruiting Web site Richmond might've been ready to look at him as a tight end or on the defensive side of the ball in addition to quarterback.

Posted by Norman Wood

Meeting Mike London, part 1 of 2
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Featured / Football / Sports
January 27, 2010 0

As I waited diligently outside Mike London’s office to begin what would become a 50-minute interview, I didn’t know what to expect. Who knows what sort of dark business is conducted deep inside the never-ending, labyrinthine corridors of the McCue Center, the football team’s practice facility?

Then, I was offered a Coke: immediate and necessary reassurance that today — last Friday, that is — would be a good day.

I twiddled my fingers for about half an hour until the man I had been waiting for approached me and asked, “Hey, are you Andrew?”

It took me roughly 10 seconds to realize that when Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said “One coach, just one, stood out among many excellent coaches,” he wasn’t lying.

I could tell immediately that Mike London is a passionate man. He doesn’t just say so — it’s written all over his office, inscribed in his history. Portraits of his seven children surround his desk. One image in particular caught my eye: his daughter, Ticynn, who needed a bone marrow transplant to survive.

Mike London was the donor.

And as I started talking with the man who will lead Virginia onto the football field in the fall, I knew Littlepage had selected a man of high character, whose infectious personality should generate excitement perhaps heretofore unseen in the University community.

With every word he spoke, I was reminded of Jim Valvano’s memorable speech at the 1993 ESPYs, when he said, “To me, there are three things we all should do everyday. Number one is laugh — you should laugh every day. Number two is think — you should spend some time in thought. And number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears — could be happiness or joy. But think about it, if you laugh, you think and you cry — that’s a full day, that’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re gonna have something special.”

And I can tell Mike London is a man who laughs. He is remarkably insightful. And I know that he cries.

Because that’s what happens when you save a life. When you almost lose your own. I know Mike London is a guy who gets it.

Here’s proof:

In Al Groh’s final press conference, he read a poem entitled “The Guy in the Glass.” Afterward, he said, ‘When I visited the guy in the glass, I saw that he’s a guy of commitment, of integrity, of dependability and accountability. He’s loyal, his spirit is indomitable, and he’s caring and loving.’ If you were to follow Groh’s advice, what would you see in the glass?

I would see a guy that’s very committed to his faith, his family and football. I’d see a guy who’s had the opportunity to be involved in life-changing events that have put a different perspective on how I view life. Goes back to being released by the Dallas Cowboys shortly after I arrived in camp — how devastating that was as a young man in college, thinking the world is gonna come to an end. But you know what, there is a next day — the sun always rises. Being a police officer who stared down the barrel of a gun — the gun was pulled and didn’t go off. Being thankful to see another day. Being a young parent in college and having to be responsible academically, as a husband, as a father and all its challenges that come with being a young parent. Being a bone marrow donor to my daughter, saving her life, when doctors tell you there’s 10,000-to-1 odds.

So I think — just kind of a culmination of just — you know, just living life. We’re all sum totals of our own experiences. And in this position, in this profession, being a football coach — more than that — a role model, a mentor. Unlike what Charles Barkley says, ‘I’m not a role model’ — you are, Sir Charles. But having an awesome obligation to basically raise other people’s sons and being part of an extended family … I’m a servant, I’m a coach but my job is to serve other people — help develop other people. So that’s what I’m excited about.

What made you want to be a police officer and can you talk about that experience?

I wanted to be a U.S. Marshal, secret service agent, FBI, so I kind of went that route. And the only way to do it after I got cut from the Cowboys was you had to get, at that time, law enforcement experience. So I did that — went to the Richmond Bureau Police Academy for six months, down there in downtown Richmond next to VCU.

Shortly thereafter, I was promoted to detective, called the Street Crimes Unit. Basically I got a chance to grow a beard, man, wear earrings, drive around in an unmarked car — all that stuff. And we used to target career repeat offenders. We used to go after the worst of the worst. Spending a couple years doing that, you see the worst human beings do to each other and environments sometimes people live in. And what I learned from that whole process — when I talk about to the team, going to class, show class, treat people with dignity and respect, as far as those rules — what you learn is communication is so, so big. And the lack thereof can cause a lot of issues.

You’re one of four African-American coaches in the BCS. You said in your press conference that you don’t think about stuff like that during games. But now that you’ve had the job for more than a month, have you had time to reflect on this fact? How much significance do you attach to it?

When I’m on the sideline, I’m thinking about being a football coach. And I’d like to think that my things I’ve accomplished over the years, particularly here, every job that coach Groh gave me, I think I excelled in doing. It takes a long time to build a reputation as a communicator, as a recruiter, as a family guy, a good person, honorable. I like to think the accumulation of all those things has led to this one moment.

And then the big pink elephant in the room is — actually, oh, I am African-American. But very proud of the fact that opportunities have not been afforded traditionally, but it appears now — just recently as we talk now — at East Carolina, they just hired the former defensive coordinator at Texas Tech, Ruffin McNeil. But again, because you qualify, because you have documented proof of success of doing things along the way.

Note: In part two of this interview with coach London, he will discuss his plan to convert Virginia to a 4-3 defense, what he will do differently from Al Groh, the recruiting process and his expectations for next year’s team.

Garland puts Virginia matmen on national radar
Squad climbs to new heights in coach’s fourth year at helm; Virginia’s 13 victories already ties for second all-time in program history
William Hrachovina, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Sports / Wrestling
January 27, 2010 0

Not every varsity sport at Virginia is known for consistently fielding great teams. Though some squads are expected to perform well all the time, others often go overlooked until they have an outstanding season.

The Virginia wrestling team has not always been among the best programs in the country, but this season has proved to be a departure from the past. The Cavaliers’ 13 wins already is tied for second-most in school history, and the team’s No. 16 national ranking marks its highest ever.

The path to success has not been easy, however, as a tremendous amount of time and patience, not to mention hard work, are required to become a winning program.

“When I first got here, I wanted to change the world in a day,” coach Steve Garland said. “It doesn’t work that way. It takes time, and I think that now we are starting to see the fruits of our labor.”

“Every year is just building upon the last year,” said senior Brent Jones, who was recently dubbed the ACC’s Wrestler of the Week. “I have been here five years now, and every year just gets better and better. We have a solid foundation that we created a couple years ago, and we are really a bunch of family.”

Teamwork is always a necessary component of success, but there are other, more critical elements that can make or break a team. Injuries, for instance, are a serious concern in any sport, and perhaps more so in wrestling. Any time a team loses a player — even for just one match — its ramifications can dramatically alter the course of a season.

Virginia has been notoriously snakebitten in recent years but has somehow escaped the injury bug this season, allowing the Cavaliers to spend more time in the weight room than the training room.
“This year, a key for us has been staying healthy,” Garland said. “We have made a lot of adjustments in the wrestling room, tailing back on some things and working on our strength and conditioning program … No matter how much depth you have, when you lose your top guys, you will struggle, and that was what happened last year. We have been able to stay healthy this year, allowing us to stay focused.”

In college sports, recruiting is another one of the most important factors in building a winning tradition. Having underclassmen blend in well with the existing system is crucial to maintaining the cohesion of the present team.

“The sky is the limit for our talent,” Jones said. “Our coaches bring in some of the best recruits every year and they can fit right in with our family. They have the same goals that all of us do, and you can just build on each year.”

It is never easy to build a great team, and being able to maintain greatness can be even tougher. The strategy of “slow and steady wins the race” has thus far paid off for the Virginia wrestling team and should prove to bring continued success well into the future.

Cavs thrive in first dual match
Virginia edges Illini with key doubles point; freshmen deliver strong performances
Will Van Wazer, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
Sports / Women's Tennis
January 26, 2010 1

The Virginia women’s tennis team entered Sunday unsure of how it would perform in its first dual match, especially against a more experienced Illinois squad, which boasted six upperclassmen. The No. 26 Cavaliers, however, managed to defeat both No. 33 Illinois 4-3 and followed that victory with a 7-0 win against Richmond during an impressive display at the Boyd Tinsley Courts.

For five Cavaliers, it was their first dual meet. Virginia (2-0) started the day against Illinois (0-2), who last year finished only a few precious points shy from making the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament.

“I don’t think there is a team with two sophomores and three freshmen who are experiencing their first dual match … playing and achieving at [such a] level on its first day out like this team did,” Virginia coach Mark Guilbeau said.

Embracing their inexperience, several freshmen stepped up to the challenge, finishing undefeated. The Cavaliers set the tone from the beginning, taking two of three doubles matches for the doubles point. This victory proved crucial to the Virginia win, as the Cavaliers then split the singles matches to achieve their hard-fought 4-3 win.

But the day hadn’t ended yet for Virginia. The squad still had to face last year’s A-10 conference champion, Richmond (0-1). Motivated from its win against Illinois, the Cavaliers secured two of three doubles matches and every singles match in straight sets.

Sophomore Lindsey Hardenbergh, who entered Sunday’s contests as the No. 72 player in the country, contributed heavily to both of Virginia’s wins. She began the day by defeating No. 33 Rachel White from Illinois in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2,and added another win in her singles match against Richmond. She also contributed to two doubles victories.

Coaches “Mark [Guilbeau] and Troy [Porco], I have to hand it to their coaching and just their belief and confidence in me,” Hardenbergh said. “They had the game styles, we had been working on it all week, very specific to Rachel White. I was just really ready. I knew I could play at that level, and it was just a matter of being consistent.”

Another Virginia player who went undefeated was freshman Erin Vierra, who won her singles matches 6-2, 6-1 against Illinois and 6-1, 6-2 against Richmond, while adding two doubles victories with teammate Hardenbergh.

Freshman Hana Tomljanovic, meanwhile, came through in the clutch, clinching a Virginia win against Illinois with her 6-4, 6-2 singles victory, and then built upon a 5-4 lead in the match against Richmond, winning the next seven games in a row to win 6-4, 6-0.

Hoping to carry the momentum from Sunday’s victories, the Cavaliers will head to the outdoor courts at the ITA Kickoff Weekend next weekend in Fresno, Calif. to face off against conference foe No. 15 Florida State.

“Obviously this was a very strong tournament for us as a team,” Hardenbergh said. “We’ve grown a lot and we still have a lot of room for improvement. I just could not be more pumped and ready to get after it.”