Cavs win ITA Indoor National title
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 19, 2008

The last time Virginia’s men’s tennis team played for the national indoor championship and lost, Coach Brian Boland handed over the duties of collecting the runners-up trophy to a team aide. Boland wanted no part of being No. 2.

On Monday afternoon in Seattle, Boland didn’t have to look for a substitute.

The Cavaliers, behind the nation’s No. 1 ranked singles player, a pair of sensational freshmen, and the grit of senior Treat Huey, captured the program’s first national team tennis title with a 4-1 triumph over Ohio State.

“I’m thrilled because there’s nothing like winning a national championship,” Boland told The Daily Progress. “I’m really proud of this team. This is one of the highlights of Virginia tennis history.”

After capturing the all important doubles point on the strength of freshmen Michael Shabaz and Sanam Singh, the singles clincher came down to Huey’s match with the Cavaliers leading 3-1.

Huey, ranked No. 12 nationally, had won the first set by a 7-5 count over the Buckeyes’ Bryan Koniecko (ranked No. 85). But Koniecko took the UVa co-captain to a tiebreaker in the second. The Alexandria native had a match point opportunity at 6-5 in the breaker but failed to convert. Still, he fought off Koniecko’s two set points at 7-6 and 8-7 in the breaker, and then knotted it at 8-8 when the Buckeye double-faulted.

Huey served for the match and the championship at 9-8 and sent the Cavalier team into delirium when Koniecko’s forehand sailed long.

After having come close to claiming crowns in both indoor and outdoor but coming up short, Boland was like a man possessed when he realized his Cavaliers were the champs.

“You would have to ask the people who watched the match what I did because I was so wrapped up in coaching Treat in the match that I have no idea what I did after it ended,” said an excited Boland. “I just don’t remember, but I have been told by several sources that I jumped on Treat. Somdev [Devvarman] told me it was the biggest jump he had ever seen.”

Witnesses said that Boland immediately sprinted to the middle of the court, hugging sophomore Houston Barrick, near the net, then Huey, then anyone else within reach.

Normally, Boland sticks by Devvarman’s match until it is completed, while associate head coach Tony Bresky roams through the other matches. Because Devvarman, the nation’s top-ranked singles player and defending national outdoors champion, had already won his match in straight sets over Ohio State’s Justin Kronauge, Boland moved over to coach Huey through his match.

“I wouldn’t have wanted anybody else in that moment to clinch the match for us other than Treat,” Boland said after watching Virginia become the first team in ACC history to win a national tennis championship. It was so fitting that it was Treat that clinched it for us because he had been struggling all weekend. He perservered and came through in the clutch. For Treat to pull that out, it tells you a lot about what kind of character he has and what kind of player he is.”

Huey had indeed struggled at the National Team Indoors played at Nordstrom Tennis Center on the University of Washington campus. He had lost his singles matches in both the quarterfinals to UCLA and in the semifinals against Mississippi.

“We talked to [Huey] about doing some things that had made him a great tennis player, about going back to the basics and not worrying about what his opponent was doing,” Boland said. “He was very crafty and focused on the things he does so well. He used his big serve and his hands to pull it out.”

With Devvarman having locked up his 13th consecutive singles win this season and his 18th straight going back to last season, and freshman Singh topping Shuhei Uzawa in straight sets at the No. 4 singles spot, the Cavs held a 3-0 lead before the Buckeyes bounced back. OSU’s Steven Moneke defeated UVa’s Dominic Inglot, 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 2 singles match.

Virginia’s Barrick was up 2-1 in his third set at No. 5, while Ted Angelinos was knotted at 6-6 in his second set after having taken the first set 6-4.

So, it was up to Huey to clinch the title.

Boland said the key to the match was winning the doubles point and that’s what his team did after losing it in the quarters to UCLA and struggling to win it in the semis over Ole Miss.

Devvarman and Huey, the nation’s top-ranked doubles team, bolted to a 6-2 lead and fought off a Buckeye rally for an 8-5 win in the No. 1 doubles match. Barrick and Inglot had a chance to clinch the doubles point in the No. 2 match, but lost 8-6 in a tiebreaker, leaving it up to the freshmen, Shabaz and Singh.

“The doubles point was critical and for the second day in a row these freshmen pulled out the No. 3 doubles match for us,” Boland said. “I have to give them a lot of credit. We need that, particularly today. We talked about it and I do believe it made a difference.”

Shabaz, from Fairfax, and Singh, of Chandigarh, India, battled OSU’s Steven Moneke and Bryan Koniecko to a 3-3 count at the changeover, but went up a mini-break at 4-3, then held on the next two points to hold a 6-3 advantage before clinching the doubles point.

The two have become accustomed to playing close matches with six of their 10 contests having gone to tiebreakers. The rookies are 3-3 in those matches.

“There is nothing more gratifying than this,” Boland said. “I have the same feeling as when Somdev won the [national outdoors singles] title last year. I’m so excited for the program and all the individuals. The guys executed when we needed them to. It’s not easy winning a national championship at this level with the incredible depth in the sport. These guys deserve tremendous credit.”

No sooner had the coach talked about clinching UVa’s first title than he begin focusing on the next, the outdoor crown.

“This is step one,” Boland said. “We have a lot of work to do. We can still improve so much during the rest of the season. Our schedule doesn’t necessarily get any easier with teams like Texas and Baylor, but we’re excited because we have a lot of momentum now and lots of time to improve.”

Fans can see the newly crowned champions this weekend when the Cavaliers host a doubleheader at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Club on Saturday, facing Old Dominion at 1 p.m. and Boston College in the ACC opener at 6 p.m. (free admission to both).

 

Soroye exploring redshirt option
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 19, 2008

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - For those who thought the days of “Tunji Time” were winding down…

Well, maybe not.

After Virginia’s 79-74 win over Boston College on Sunday, UVa senior Tunji Soroye told The Daily Progress that he has talked with the UVa coaching staff about the possibility of applying for a medical redshirt that would enable him to return to the team next year for a fifth season.

“I’m kind of leaning toward that now - to come back and get my master’s [degree],” Soroye said. “I think it would be a good idea.”

Soroye, an anthropology major, certainly hasn’t had the kind of senior year that he or Virginia fans envisioned. The 6-foot-11, 252-pounder has appeared in just two games due to knee and back problems.

Soroye, who has averaged nearly one swat per game in his career, is, if not much else, a defensive presence. His absence has had a noticeably adverse effect on Virginia’s interior defense. Currently, UVa is dead last in the ACC in shotblocking.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao has pooh-poohed the idea of Soroye redshirting, but if the Nigerian were to return next season, it would certainly put less pressure on incoming big men John Brandenburg and Assane Sene to produce immediately. In addition, Soroye could serve as a mentor to the freshmen duo.

Exactly how Virginia would go about freeing up a scholarship for Soroye is unclear. At the start of next season, UVa, with the addition of three freshmen, will be at the 13-scholarship maximum.

There may be a chance that Virginia could apply for a waiver. A call to the NCAA was not returned.

However, Soroye didn’t completely rule out a comeback this season. He’s scheduled to meet with doctors later this week.

“We’re still thinking about all that stuff,” Soroye said. “By Thursday, we will know for sure.”

Back to the bench

After starting the previous two games against Wake Forest and North Carolina, sophomore Jamil Tucker came off the bench in Sunday’s win over BC - and that was fine with Tucker.

“I came off the bench my whole first year and my whole first half of this year,” said the 6-foot-8 Tucker, “so it’s not really about coming off the bench or starting. It’s about what you can do for the team.

“I can’t be mad or anything. It was a great game.”

Tucker, who averaged 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in his two starts, finished with three points and a rebound in 11 minutes against the Eagles.

Tucker’s replacement, freshman Mike Scott, had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Lithuanian anthem?

Given Lars Mikalauskas’ production the last two games, a reporter asked whether maybe Virginia should consider playing the Lithuanian national anthem prior to games at John Paul Jones Arena.

“We should do that,” said Virginia junior Mamadi Diane. “We should. Maybe it will amp him up a little more and get him even more hyped for the game. Whenever he’s hyped, he’s all over the place, and that’s good.”

Mikalauskas had an ACC career-high 13 points versus BC.

Sean Singletary, however, wasn’t really digging the idea.

“He can put that on his headphones when he warms up,” said Singletary, smiling.

Lucky charm?

Virginia coach Dave Leitao may want to think about wearing a vest with his suit for the team’s last five ACC games. UVa is now 2-0 when Leitao wears a vest this season. Leitao has gone with the look in both of Virginia’s wins over BC.

“You should tell him that,” Diane said. “I think he’s kind of into that. When something’s going good - keep going with it.”

 

Howie's son eager to prove himself on NFL stage
Posted: Monday February 18, 2008 12:27AM; Updated: Monday February 18, 2008 5:47PM
Defenisve lineman Chris Long is trying to improve his already-high stock at the scouting combine this week.

RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- I've got opinions about Spygate, the best receiver you never appreciated enough and the ridiculously challenging schedule of Myron Cope's favorite team. All in due time. First, I take you to the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel here, a few long spirals from Giants Stadium, to meet a man you're going to get to know very well over the next few years.

He shuffles into the lobby of the hotel from the bank of elevators in gray sweatpants, blond curly hair, wire-rimmed glasses ... and a wide jaw. Distinctive jaw. A Howie Long kind of jaw. Which is something you'd expect from the 22-year-old son of Howie, Chris Long, the defensive end from Virginia who was here to work out at a north Jersey training center and speed school, Parisi's, to prepare for this week's National Football League Scouting Combine.

The combine begins in Indianapolis on Thursday. And there won't be a bigger story in than the son of the Hall of Famer. Chris Long has progressed from being an intelligent college prospect when he entered Virginia to the kind of high-motor, edge-rushing force that has put him in competition for the top pick of the April draft. For Long, Indianapolis will be about continuing to prove he's so much more than someone the NFL is looking at prominently because he's Howie's kid.

It is hard to come away from a meeting with Chris Long and think he could have done any more to make a strong impression. In the same week we heard an icon say a friend "misremembered'' what he told him, I heard Long speak in complete, intelligible, thoughtful sentences. In this interview, he used the words malleable, tangible, pigeon-holed and debilitating. He seems relentlessly motivated to prove he can play well in the NFL, anywhere on the front seven. It's interesting that a kid born with such a silver spoon in his mouth could be this determined, this driven to be a success in the dog-eat-dog world of the NFL.

The combine's a big deal for Chris Long for a couple of reasons. It gives him the chance to work out, most notably, which many top picks often don't do because they don't feel they're in peak condition. It's a prima-donna move. They'd rather do the same drills in a more familiar environment of the home gym and home weight room, which, when you're the first or fourth or ninth player on the board, you can afford to do. Scouts are used to it by now, but to some veteran GM-types like Indy's Bill Polian, it leaves a bitter taste that they remember on draft day. Long will work out in Indianapolis, doing everything except possibly the bench-press reps of 225 pounds because of a sore thumb.

And it gives him a chance to disprove what he thinks some draftniks and NFL scouts are saying about him. "That I don't have top-end speed, and I can't play more than one position well, and I'm a high-motor, overachieving guy, but I'm not an athlete,'' he said. "When I lie in bed at night, those are the kinds of things I hear. I hear the negative things. People try to pigeon-hole me as a player, and that kind of drives me.''

This is a guy who motivates himself by cutting out quotes about himself, or about things opponents have said about his team, and taping them to the wall in his bedroom, so he can see them and feel their impact in the days before games. That's how he's treating some of the Long-is-limited stuff he's heard about himself entering the Indianapolis workouts.

Long has an interesting view of the combine. Many people in and out of the game -- including me -- have long decried the emphasis teams place on what they see at the annual meat market. Long takes this angle on it:

"You can very rarely get caught up in numbers in this game, because it's all about the team. But the combine gives me a unique opportunity to set tangible goals. The NFL is giving you a test, and they're giving you the answers. If you fail, either because you didn't prepare or for whatever reasons, it's all your fault, and it probably says something about you.

"I can look at what guys in the past have done in certain drills and aim for those numbers. I don't want to see what the average guy did last year. I want to know what the lead dog did. Tell me what Gaines Adams [drafted fourth overall by Tampa Bay] did last year. Tell me what Jarvis Moss [drafted 17th overall by Denver] did last year.''

Long is 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds. The experts say he'll run about a 4.8-second 40-yard dash. He smiles at what the experts say. Adams, 6-4 3/4 and 258 pounds, ran a 4.66-second electronically timed 40 in Indianapolis, the best time of the 50 defensive linemen at the combine last year. Moss, 6-6 1/2 and 250, ran a 4.78. Long won't say what he thinks he'll run, but if looks were confidence, he'd be as fast as Deion Sanders.

Ditto for the other speed-and-athlete drills, like the shuttle, the three-cone drill, the vertical jump and the broad jump. He looks at the best numbers on the 2007 combine sheet and has been working with former Olympic bobsledder Martin Rooney this offseason to try to beat them. It's a game. Why can't he win?

Long played right end in Al Groh's 3-4 scheme. Three of the top seven teams in the first round -- Miami, the Jets and New England -- are 3-4 teams and could put Long at the spot he's most comfortable playing. But some scouts say he'd be a perfectly fine three-technique (rush) tackle in the 4-3, and if he's as fast as he thinks, maybe even a 4-3 end. He had 14 sacks and 23 quarterback pressures last fall.

"This is the NFL I'm going into,'' he said. "How would I know where I'd fit best? Who am I to question coaches and general managers who have been in the league for so long. Wherever they put me, I'm fine with it. I'll play safety if that's what they tell me to do.''

Long surely knows where he thinks he'd fit best in both the 4-3 and the 3-4. He's been watching football since his dad was a Raider All-Pro defensive tackle. But this is part of the allure of the kid -- he knows he'd sound foolish opining on where he thinks he belongs. Just shut up, go to training camp, shut up some more, and do what you're told. In a couple of years, kid, we'll care what you think. Not now.

Three other things I wanted to know.

One: How bad was it growing up, opponents thinking you got to the place you got because of your dad? "In high school, I remember playing a basketball game on the road and the fans behind one basket, every time we came down, were just chanting, 'HOW-eee! HOW-eee!' In football, I'd get things like, 'Is your rich dad paying the refs?' That pissed me off. But they didn't know the truth -- that it was helping motivate me. After a while, at Virginia, they weren't saying that stuff about me any more.''

Two: How'd he play so many snaps at Virginia, getting beat up and double-teamed so consistently? As a junior, he played 715 of 721 Virginia defensive plays. As a senior, he played 898 of the Cavs' 924 snaps --including 83 of 89 at Wyoming, on a 73-degree sunny day, on a field 1.3 miles above sea level.

"You don't want to let your teammates down,'' he said. "I had to sit six snaps that game, but I hated it. I kept hearing how much trouble we'd have playing a mile and a half up on some mountain, and we'd wilt in the elements. We didn't have a good game [Wyoming won 30-3] but that's, to me, where you learn about yourself.'' Long had seven tackles and two sacks. In all, he missed 32 defensive snaps in his final 25 college games.

Three: How'd he stay so hungry living the good life as a kid? "My parents did that,'' he said. "I think you can raise a kid in an affluent environment and keep him hungry. My dad used to tell me, 'You're no different from anyone else.' And he used to say with all the opportunities I had, it'd be a shame if I wasted them.''

It'll be interesting to see who falls in love with Long this week, and who finds the holes in him. Watching highlights of him, he's obviously got a Zach Thomas kind of motor with the ability to stunt inside and speed-rush some tackles outside.

I think he's got a chance to be this year's Russell Maryland. Remember the 1991 draft, when Dallas picked first and Jimmy Johnson preferred Maryland, a solid and unspectacular defensive tackle, over the flashy and fast Rocket Ismail? The reason was simple: Johnson knew Maryland would be a solid, above-average starter for seven or eight years, maybe a Pro Bowler once or twice, and fill an important cog on the defensive front that Johnson lacked.

He was right: Maryland started for four and a half years in Dallas, then moved to Oakland and started there for four years. He made one Pro Bowl.

Long's not the same kind of player as the 300-pound plugger Maryland, and Long could end up playing inside or outside, depending where he lands on draft day. But I got a very strong feeling the other day that wherever Chris Long goes, he's not going to waste his chance.

 

Cavs improving in second half?
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
February 19, 2008

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting how much Virginia has missed Lars Mikalauskas and Tunji Soroye this season …

Mikalauskas, the Lithuanian big man, has added not only size, but also an emotional spark to the Cavaliers since his return. If the two big men had been available all season along, we believe the Wahoos would be the bubble team that we thought they would be.

“It just confirms what I had been thinking to myself,” UVa coach Dave Leitao said during Monday’s ACC Coaches Teleconference.

He was referencing thoughts about how UVa has missed the two on what he calls the backside of the Cavaliers’ defense.

One has to wonder how many unopposed drives to the basket would have been slapped away or altered by Soroye or at least have been defensed by Mikalauskas.

The big Lithuanian’s emotions have added some zest to the team as well.

“When you talk about him, he provides the energy that we can see, something we have been trying to survive without,” Leitao said. “Whether it’s points, rebounds or just presence, it’s a positive presence.”

Leitao has also cut his rotation from 12 or 13 players to just nine in the last two games, the win at BC, and a close home loss to North Carolina.

“The nine guys we used was done consciously on my part,” Leitao said. “I don’t know how much effect it had on overall team performance, but for some individuals, it helped.”

Freshman Jeff Jones moved back into the starting off guard spot with Calvin Baker coming off the bench. Mike Scott returned as starter, but at his natural position as a power forward rather than the undersized 6-8 center.

“It was an unfair position to put [Scott] in at the five spot as a starter,” Leitao said. “He had to take on too many burdens, most of which is to learn and understand what you’re doing well and not doing well. His mind is in a better place because he doesn’t have the responsibilities of the position that we put him in.”

Valentine’s disaster

When Wake Forest beat Florida State in Tallahassee on Valentine’s Day it was only the second time since the Seminoles joined the ACC that the so-called “Big Four” (UNC, Duke, Wake, N.C. State) had swept FSU on its home court.

A lot of Seminoles fans are wondering what has happened to their basketball program. While FSU hasn’t really been a major player in the league (the Noles first two years were their most competitive), they have at least been competitive at home with .500 or better records on their own floor in 12 of the last 16 years.

But now, FSU is 1-4 at home heading into its home game tonight against Clemson. A loss would put the Noles on pace to suffer their worst record against ACC opponents in their 17 years in the league.

While the school administration has said that there’s no problem with a contract extension for Coach Leonard Hamilton, such a disturbing trend could cause support to fall off from Seminoles’ fans.

This columnist remembers several trips to Tallahasse late in the season when the FSU basketball game would be outdrawn by fans attending the FSU vs. Florida baseball game across the street, or even a boat show in the same Donald L. Tucker Center that hosted the hoops game.

Sam the man

No one on Clemson’s bench could believe that Sam Perry, besieged with knee problems the past two

seasons, would rise to snuff out N.C. State’s last chance in a close game over the weekend.

With less than 30 seconds to play, it appeared the Wolfpack would cut Clemson’s lead to three points when State freshman J.J. Hickson, who had already scored 13 points and grabbed an ACC freshman record 23 rebounds, went for a two-handed slam dunk.

But no, Perry rose in the air to block Hickson’s shot as the Tigers’ bench went bananas in amazement.

“It was the play of the year as far as this team is concerned,” said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell, whose team appears headed toward an NCAA berth.

A win tonight at FSU would give the Tigs at least eight ACC wins for the first time since 1997.

Stat of the week

Here’s one for you. At the end of Wake Forest’s upset win over Duke, all five Blue Devils starters watched from the bench. No, they weren’t pulled by Coach K, but rather all five had fouled out, marking only the fifth time in Duke history that all its starters had fouled out of a game.

Quote of the week

Looking back on Virginia Tech’s 92-53 loss at North Carolina last Saturday, Hokies coach Seth Greenberg summed up the day this way:

“We had a team meeting of ugly,” Greenberg said. “It wasn’t by invitation only. None of our guys played well.”

Streakers

No, not that kind, silly.

Don’t look now, but Gary Williams’ Terps have hit a milestone. Maryland has now won seven ACC games or more for 15 consecutive seasons, tying the third-longest streak in league history.

Here’s the top five such streaks by ACC teams: 1. North Carolina, 37 straight seasons (from 1965-2001); 2. Duke, 18 (1954-71); 3. Maryland, 15 (1994 to present); 4. Wake Forest, 15 (1991-2005); and Duke, 13 (1996-present).

Legendary

It has become a nice tradition for the ACC to honor a legendary player from each conference school at the annual tournament.

This year, it’s a Who’s Who of ACC hoops: coaches Dean Smith of North Carolina and Lefty Driesell of Maryland; Virginia point guard John Crotty, Duke’s Mike Gminski, Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson, Clemson’s Elden Campbell, Wake’s Len Chappell, N.C. State’s Lorenzo Charles, FSU’s Charlie Ward, Virginia Tech’s Glen Combs, Miami’s Tim James, and BC’s Bill Curley.

Crotty, who now resides in South Florida, still holds Wahoo records for career assists (683) and most assists in a season (214 in 1989-90).

Most of what this columist remembers about Crotty was his grit. He would sometimes will Virginia to win and refused to back down from anyone on the court.

Club Europa

Former Carolina great Phil Ford, now an NBA assistant, commented recently that Duke’s current squad resembled a European team in playing style.

When Tar Heels’ coach Roy Williams was asked about it during Monday’s ACC teleconference, he said he could see the similarities.

“They don’t have a true post guy on the block for 40 minutes, but they have give guys who can all put the ball on the floor, penetrate and put the ball in the basket,” Williams said. “They spread the floor, drive the ball as far as they can, and then can pitch it to an open teammate or finish the drive. They’ve done a nice job selecting this style of play. Plus, they pressure you defensively.

“They are similar to the European teams in that there’s a lot of penetrate and pitch.”

Lawson update

Looks like Carolina point guard Ty Lawson will not play in Wednesday night’s game at N.C. State, but the Heels keep rolling, 4-1 with senior Quintin Thomas in his place.

“He still has pain in the foot and doctors are being very cautious,” said UNC coach Roy Williams on Monday. “We would be making a huge mistake trying to rush to get somebody back. I’d rather him be healthier at the end of the year. I don’t think he’s trying to protect himself, but rather trying to help the Tar Heels.”

Meanwhile, Thomas, nicknamed “Q,” has 32 assists in the last five games, a healthy average of 6.4. He has 18 turnovers during that same span, but he has been more than serviceable.

Free throws …

… Cliff Hammonds will tie Greg Buckner’s school record at Clemson for consecutive games started on Tuesday night, which will be his 122nd straight start. …Sean Singletary’s league-leading streak of double figures games is now at 46 and his nearest pursuer is FSU’s Toney Douglas with 28 straight. …A total of 10 ACC games have gone into overtime thus far, the second-highest number of OTs in league history (the record is 11 during the ‘05-’06 regular season). …11 of Virginia Tech’s 25 games have been determined by five or fewer points, or in OT. …How tough is the ACC? Consider that now Duke has fallen, the longest winning streaks in the league are three in a row by both UNC and Wake. …Miami’s Jack McClinton is quietly putting together one heck of a season. He’s scored in double digits in 16 straight games, leads the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage (.434) and free throw percentage (.899). …Over the last eight seasons, there has been eight different coaches to win ACC Coach of the Year honors in basketball.

 

Pitchers impress as opener draws near
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 19, 2008

Kyle Werman could only shake his head in disbelief.

During an intrasquad scrimmage Friday, Virginia’s new first-base coach watched as Davenport Field’s dimensions lost a battle to a towering fly ball.

Virginia junior David Adams deposited a home run into the pine trees beyond the left-center wall.

In just three days, Adams will be asked to provide similar offensive production in a new spot in the lineup when Virginia opens the season at 4 p.m. Friday against Lehigh.

With the departure of Sean Doolittle, a first-round draft pick last summer by the Oakland A’s, Adams will slide up two spots in the batting order and into the third spot, two spots behind speedster Greg Miclat and two spots ahead of fellow slugger Jeremy Farrell.

As usual in college baseball, players such as Adams annually assume new roles.

Virginia’s pitching staff is no exception - the Cavaliers must replace Casey Lambert, the program’s all-time saves leader, and Doolittle, who pitched on the weekend during the past three years.

Luckily for Adams, he knows he will man second base every Friday with All-American candidate Jacob Thompson, who went 11-0 last year, toeing the rubber.

“With a guy like that … he comes from a totally different arm angle,” Adams said. “He is 6-foot-7 and straight over the top and he hides the ball so well. You basically have to be ready for anything and hope like heck that you get a pitch to hit, and you don’t get many pitches to hit.

“He’s not going to make many mistakes, and that’s something special to have, especially in the ACC.”

After Thompson’s start Friday against Lehigh in the season opener, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor plans to start senior LHP Pat McAnaney and junior RHP Andrew Carraway in respective games in Saturday’s doubleheader.

Adams raved about both.

“[McAnaney’s] stuff is moving like crazy,” Adams said. “He has great command. He has even added a couple of pitches to his repertoire.”

The lefty that spurned the Pittsburgh Pirates to return for his senior season won both of his decisions last year after a broken hand delayed his debut. McAnaney finished the season strong, allowing one run over five innings in a start against Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament.

“I think in the past Pat was just hit, unfortunately, with a couple of injury bugs, a couple of unfortunate instances,” Adams said. “He has been working hard and we are excited to see him get out there and shine.”

Carraway has also been biding his time with hopes of landing a spot in the weekend rotation. Last year, however, the Georgia native was too valuable out of the bullpen, finishing 5-0 with 43 strikeouts in 45 innings.

“[Carraway] has always had great stuff and he has always had that Greg Maddux pinpoint accuracy,” Adams said. “I think it is going to be clutch to have him in that third, fourth starter role, helping us out.

“He has some nasty stuff working for him and he has gained a couple of miles per hour on his velocity. I think he is going to be something to look out for and he might even get drafted pretty high this year.”

O’Connor said competition for the two spots alongside Thompson on weekend would linger into the season, citing impressive performances in practice by senior Robert Poutier, sophomores Jeff Lorick and Matt Packer and freshman Jake Cowan.

Packer could be the X-factor. As a rookie, Packer impressed the coaching staff with his poise in 13 starts, including 5.1 scoreless innings at Clemson.

Battles in the bullpen will also be decided based upon results, O’Connor said.

While junior Jake Rule and senior Michael Schwimer combined for 80 innings and 10 wins last year, several new faces are in contention to push for pivotal roles.

Robert Morey, a rookie from Virginia Beach, and New Jersey native Kevin Arico were among the players singled out by O’Connor.

“[Competition] will prove well to us in the mid-week games with the different options that we’re going to have with guys that start,” O’Connor said, “and guys that we have coming out of the bullpen for us.”
 

Sitting atop Jacob's Ladder
Junior Jacob Thompson has climbed his way up to being one of the premierpitchers in NCAA as season begins
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
 

You know Chris Long and Sean Singletary. And maybe even Somdev Devvarman.

They are Virginia's elite. The best of the best. The athletes who dominate their positions more than anyone else in the nation.

Meet junior Jacob Thompson. The 6-foot-6 righty from Danville, Va. has already established himself as one of the tallest orders for hitters in the NCAA. Going 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA, Thompson was a unanimous first-team All-American and a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award, given to the nation's top pitcher, in 2007.

And, according to Rivals.com, it will take a major surprise for anyone besides Thompson to win the award in 2008.

But is he really the best?

Virginia coach Brian O'Connor? doesn't exactly see things in those terms.

"I never thought of anybody being the best in the country," O'Connor said. "What separates him from other people is consistency," he noted, adding that Thompson's statistics display the kind of consistency a player needs to give his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound.

Still, Thompson's name doesn't casually roll off the lips of Wahoos like the names Long and Singletary, but that won't last long as the scouts hone in on Thompson's talents, O'Connor said -- especially when a major surprise is the only thing between him and pitcher-of-the-year honors.

That's why the big leagues already have him on their radar. Whenever Thompson chooses to enter the draft, whether this year or next, Thompson could go higher than Chris Long. (Keep in mind that Chris Long is only the second-best prospect heading in to the NFL this season.)

"I know there's a lot of professional scouts running in to see him for a good reason," O'Connor said.

When asked if Thompson would garner the same attention as Long if college baseball had the same appeal as football, O'Connor said, "Yeah, I'd probably say he would. He's one of the best in the game at his position and he's earned that."

Thompson will have to be a constant for his team like Long was for his team -- a reliable go-to guy no matter the circumstances.

"I know a lot of guys are depending on me to set the tone in the first game," Thompson said.

As a result of the graduation of veteran Sean Doolittle, who left for the draft after the 2007 season, Thompson will be the sole anchor to the rotation. Last season, after Thompson pitched Friday nights, Doolittle, who was 8-3 with a 2.40 ERA, supplanted Thompson Saturday or Sunday.

This year, sophomore Matt Packer and senior Pat McAnaney, both lefties, figure to fill most of the time behind Thompson. Packer was 3-3 with a 4.22 ERA in 2007, but lost his spot in the rotation late in the season to Casey Lambert.

McAnaney was 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA. Coming off a winter injury, he was limited to only 12 appearances on the year.

The responsibility of leading the younger pitchers will most likely fall on all three in the rotation and veteran bullpen.

"All of the veteran pitchers are definitely role models to the younger guys, and hopefully they'll pick up from us how things are supposed to be done," Thompson said.

And with a young lineup in 2008, Thompson will have to be the cinch in a sure-thing pitching staff if the Cavaliers hope to make it to Omaha.

It all starts Friday, when Thompson will toe the rubber against Lehigh, and a smattering of fans will gather to watch what could be a pitcher's greatest season yet unfold.

By June, the name Jacob Thompson will likely flood blogs and be on the lips of every sports fan in Charlottesville.

By then, most people will know what all the buzz around this Jacob Thompson fellow is for.
 

He's baaaack
Mikalauskas announces return to court with strong showings against North Carolina, Boston College after being injured for several games
David Moltz, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor
 

After watching junior forward Laurynas Mikalauskas nurse an injured shoulder for most of the season, Cavalier fans might not have known what to expect upon his return to the hardwood.

Mikalauskas' first game back, however, was not just any game for Virginia. The Cavaliers played their highest-ranked opponent in No. 5-ranked North Carolina, and the 6-foot-8 Lithuanian was matched up against Tar Heel All-American forward Tyler Hansbrough, the ACC's leading scorer and rebounder.

Though the Cavaliers lost a hard-fought battle 74-75? at home last Tuesday, Mikalauskas chalked up a strong performance against one of the best players in the nation. Aggressively guarding Hansbrough, Mikalauskas took a charge only minutes after first checking into the game. In his 13 minutes of play, he scored on a tip and even shook Hansbrough's defense for a baseline layup.

Mikalauskas said it was both exciting and gratifying to get back into the action and contribute immediately, especially in light of the team's recent losing streak.

"It feels great to be back," he added. "From being injured, it's really hard to see [the team] losing and see all this negativity going on, on and off the court."

While Mikalauskas said he always tried to generate as much energy as he could while injured on the bench, he was able to be much more expressive back out on the court. Those around him claim it is this raw emotion that makes him such a fan favorite among the Cavalier faithful at home.

"He's always been a crowd favorite," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "When he does something, he pumps his fists and gets everybody a little bit more excited."

With Mikalauskas' return and the team's increased energy, both on and off the court, Virginia added another win to its on-the-road record Sunday against conference foe Boston College to end a seven-game skid. Mikalauskas proved to be a factor in the victory and, with 13 points, was one of four Virginia players in double figures.

During Mikalauskas' time on the bench, freshman forward Mike Scott usually started at center to fill in for still-injured senior Tunji Soroye. With Mikalauskas now healthy and available to play center, however, Scott has returned to his natural position of power forward. This new-found ability to alter the lineup freed Scott to score 11 points against the Eagles, his highest total against an ACC opponent.

"I guess he's a little more comfortable against bigger and slower guys, and he can shoot the three-ball a little bit," Mikalauskas said. "It works out pretty well."

Coming off a solid defensive performance against Hansbrough, Mikalauskas was again a major factor in the post against the Eagles' offense. Even though his aggressive play led him to foul out of the game with 14 seconds remaining, Mikalauskas finished with four rebounds and a block.

"The back line of your defense is a little bit better protected, because you have a bigger, stronger body in there, as opposed to what we've been faced with," Leitao said, referring to the substitution of Mikalauskas for Scott at center.

While this lineup switch made an impact on the defensive end, Leitao said it also improved offensive play in the post.

"One of the things that we have not done as good a job is to get the ball below the free-throw line," Leitao said, adding that getting to the basket either with a pass or the dribble has been unsuccessful. "We did do a better job [against Boston College]. Even if it didn't amount to a score by a post player, it created action, it created something that, two or three passes later may have been a benefit to us, so it's something that we've got to continue to look at to do better," he said.

If Mikalauskas' 85.7 percent field-goal average against the Eagles is any indication, the Cavaliers may just benefit from his return.

"Lars finished down low, and what more can you ask for?" senior guard Sean Singletary asked, referring to Mikalauskas' performance Sunday. "I think he's what we've been missing."

 

UVa gave Shula a start 50 years ago
Six years before his first NFL head coaching job, the longtime Miami coach spent a season with the Cavs.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Don Shula didn't know that Monday marked his 50th anniversary.

He didn't object to the reminder.

On Feb. 18, 1958, Virginia announced that Shula had joined the staff of new Cavaliers' football coach Dick Voris.

"It was my first coaching job," said Shula, contacted Tuesday through Shula's Steakhouse in Miami Lakes, Fla. "How could I forget?"

Shula was an assistant at UVa for one year before moving to Kentucky, where he joined one of his former NFL coaches, Blanton Collier. After one year at Kentucky, he took a job as a defensive assistant with the Detroit Lions and began an NFL career that ended with a record 347 regular-season victories.

"I was a player for seven years in the NFL," Shula, 78, said. "My last year was with the Redskins in '57 and, after the season, I went to a coaching convention. I saw this guy who used to coach me, Frank Lauterbur.

"He said he was good friends with a guy who had just gotten the job at Virginia, Dick Voris, who was looking to put together a staff. I was near the end of my playing career, so he said, 'I'll have Dick call you.' Dick called me and I took the job over the phone."

Shula was single at the time, but, by the time preseason practice had started, he had married his first wife, Dorothy, with whom he remained until her death in 1991.

"We got married that summer and had everything we owned in a '57 Mercury," Shula said. "Honeymooned, and then went down and moved into a furnished apartment right around the corner from the old [Memorial] gym."

Shula, who had gone to John Carroll University in his native Cleveland, was on the sidelines when Virginia embarked on a 28-game losing streak that lasted from 1958 until 1960.

"We were what, 1-9 [or] 1-10?" said Shula, hailed by associates for his keen memory. "We beat Duke. I remember that. Don't lay a winless season on me."

One of the most memorable players for Virginia during that era was Sonny Randle, a wide receiver who later spent 11 seasons in the NFL and was the head coach at Virginia from 1974-75.

"Now, Sonny," Shula said. "He was my guy."

That's not exactly how Randle remembers it.

"Don was the secondary coach," said Randle, who lives outside Staunton "He couldn't make me a defensive back because I wouldn't hit anybody, but he was the best thing to happen to me. I remember telling people, 'Boy, he'll be a short-timer here.'"

It took one game for Shula to get Randle's attention -- the opening game of the 1958 season, when the Cavaliers lost 20-15 at Clemson.

"They used 100-some players and we used about 15," Randle said. "I was all beat up on Monday and they called for the first team out at practice. I stayed on the sideline because I had a lot of things wrong with me.

"Shula said, 'Where's Randle?' They said, 'He's over there on the sideline.' He yelled over there and said, 'Get your [butt] out there,' and, right in front of everybody, he said, 'What's wrong with you?'

"I thought he wanted me to tell him what was wrong with me and I did. I had an ankle, had a damned knee, had a thigh, had an ankle bruise. I was telling him all that was wrong with me.

"He looked at me and said, 'I'm going to tell you something, son. Anybody can play when there's nothing wrong with them, but you separate the good ones from the bad ones when you can play hurt.' Damned if I didn't get a whole lot better in a hurry."

Shula chuckled at the retelling of his exchange with Randle about playing hurt.

"I used that one a few times over the years," Shula said.

At the time of his departure for Kentucky after the 1958 season, Shula had not decided if his future would be in college or pro football. He had a meteoric rise in the profession and was named head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1963, when he was 33.

"I just wanted to coach and teach," Shula said. "As a player, I was always interested in the overall scheme, why we were being asked what we were asked to do."

Shula said he's never been back to Charlottesville -- "It's a little bit out of the way," he said -- but he remembers a well-groomed golf course (Farmington Country Club) on the outskirts of town.

"We never got to play there," he said. "The only place we played was a little course with sand greens."

He probably could get a tee time at Farmington now.