Cavs welcome Eagles
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 21, 2008

The thought of hosting an ACC game at Davenport Field, where Virginia has won 41 of its past 49 games, could have brought a smile to David Adams’ face.

But the stinging feeling of losing a series at Duke just a week after dropping another set at N.C. State left Virginia’s junior second baseman in a bitter mood.

Home, away or at a neutral site and regardless of the league opponent, the Cavaliers (16-4, 2-4 ACC) have to develop a killer instinct, according to Adams.

Virginia gets its first shot at testing that theory today as it hosts Boston College (8-8, 2-4) at 6 p.m.

“It is going to be exciting having a home atmosphere,” Adams said, “but it is just going to be another weekend. It is ACC ball. We have to come out ready to play.”

Boston College certainly did last weekend, taking the first two games to claim a weekend set at Clemson.

“To win a series on the road against Clemson obviously says something,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “That is not an easy place to play, so obviously I have a lot of respect for Boston College.”

O’Connor also cited the Eagles’ ability to open the season away from home - BC will not play its first home game until next week.

“They have proved that they can go on the road and overcome adversity,” O’Connor said.

In a way, Virginia proved the same at home Tuesday. Despite having a single game rolled into a doubleheader against Stony Brook on short notice, the Cavaliers outlasted their guest for a pair of victories without Adams, who was sidelined with flu-like symptoms.

In fact, the second win came after UVa trailed by three runs entering the bottom-half of the eighth.

“We hung in there and found a win to win a ballgame and with this year’s schedule, the reality is you are not going to be at your best every night,” O’Connor said. “But it is important to hang in there and find a way to win and we did.”

O’Connor said he would employ the same rotation as he did during the past two weekends. That will allow RHP Jacob Thompson the ability to shake off one of the worst starts of his career tonight.

Thompson, an All-American in 2007, allowed six earned runs and eight hits and retired only nine outs at Duke last Friday.

“I think what he proved was that he is human,” O’Connor said. “I am confident that he’ll bounce back.”

Eagles soar into Davenport for ACC battle
McAnaney leads pitching staff against much-improved Boston College squad in weekend series
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

At the end of the 2007 season, there were clear divisions between the elite, the middle of the pack and the bottom of the heap in the ACC. Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson and Virginia were at the top, each with more than 40 wins. At the bottom sat Virginia Tech, Duke, Maryland and Boston College, each with no more than 12 conference wins. Everyone else was somewhere in the middle.

Coming into this season, most did not expect too much to change. Miami was the only other squad to join the four "elite" teams of last year as squads ranked in the preseason.

George Mason basketball coach Jim Larranaga, speaking in a press conference yesterday, compared his current team with his team of two years ago that went to the Final Four. This gave us a keen reminder that, in college athletics, time changes everything.

"That was then," he told The Associated Press. "This is now."

Similarly, when Boston College, the same team that went 24-27 and 12-17 in the conference a year ago, comes to Charlottesville this weekend, Virginia should expect a new team. Though the Eagles sit at just 9-8 and 3-4 in the conference, a closer look at the team's schedule sheds more light on the danger the Eagles bring. Three of their losses came in a road series against No. 6 Miami, and two have come in extra innings. Most recently, the Eagles traveled to then-No. 24 Clemson and took two of three.

"It doesn't surprise me that Boston College beats Clemson two out of three in their ballpark, because they've got a good team," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "They know what it's like to play on the road."

Just last weekend, the Cavaliers experienced an ugly upset by a much-improved Duke squad that won only eight conference games in 2007. The Blue Devils took two of three from the Cavaliers, including game one in which they dinged highly touted junior starting pitcher Jacob Thompson for six runs in three innings on their way to a 9-8 win. Duke is now 18-3 and 3-3 in the conference.

The one win Virginia pulled out against Duke came courtesy of the Cavaliers' No. 2 starting pitcher, senior Pat McAnaney, who threw the first complete game of his career while giving up just one unearned run. In his first year in the weekend rotation, McAnaney has allowed just 18 hits in 28 innings and has worked his ERA down to a microscopic 1.29.

"The first couple outings, the pitch seems to be the change-up," said McAnaney, whose arsenal also includes a fastball, curveball and slider. "Last weekend against Duke, their lineup was all right-handers, and against a righty, a change-up is an effective pitch."

After being selected in the 28th round of the MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates coming out of high school, the southpaw elected to come to Virginia instead. McAnaney pitched more than 50 innings each of his first two seasons and was projected to finally compete for a spot in the weekend rotation last season. A broken finger on his throwing hand suffered right before the start of the 2007 season, however, put McAnaney out of the first month of the season, and he settled for a spot in the bullpen on the weekend while making four midweek starts. O'Connor's confidence in McAnaney slowly grew as the season went along, however; he rewarded his pitcher with a start against Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament. McAnaney responded by allowing just a single run in five innings; Virginia would eventually lose the game and the series, however, to the eventual College World Series champions.

"Last year was a tough year, because I was looking forward to coming in and getting one of those weekend spots," McAnaney said. "But, I'd say last year was more frustrating just by the way it ended. That kind of left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth all through the summer."

Now given the opportunity to start against conference opponents in his senior year, McAnaney has thus far been the most consistent of Virginia's three weekend starters. Among McAnaney, Thompson and Sunday starter junior Andrew Carraway, he is the only one to allow two runs or fewer in each of his starts.

"There's a confidence that he's carrying himself with, that he's not going to be denied," O'Connor said. "He's throwing with good velocity, he's mixing his pitches really well and he's just really confident that he can pitch himself out of any situation."

On a pitching staff loaded with youth, McAnaney's experience is huge for Virginia. The early departure of Sean Doolittle left a void in Virginia's weekend rotation, and other than Thompson and Carraway, McAnaney is the only other starter on staff with more than a year under his belt.

"That's meant a lot to us, to have a senior guy in Pat that's been through a lot of starts in his career and some ups and downs," O'Connor said. "Especially when you have a lot of youth on the team, to have a veteran guy on that mound on Saturdays in this league has proved to be very important."

This weekend, Virginia will feature the usual starting rotation of Thompson, McAnaney and Carraway against Boston College.


 

Virginia starts spring practice with questions
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 20, 2008

There were links to the past, present and future of the Virginia football program milling around outside the program’s locker room Tuesday.

As several former Cavaliers, including millionaire-in-waiting Chris Long, worked out for NFL scouts, a handful of current players watched the activities on the practice field intently.

On Friday, that process will be reversed. Many former players pledged to be in attendance when the returnees get their chance to showcase skills during the first spring practice session.

“The spring is going to be the biggest time for these guys; they understand that,” Long said. “They are mature kids. They will out there working hard and [fans should] come to some of these open practices and see what these guys got.

“I think they will be impressive for young guys. I think they’ll be able to play and carry the load next year.”

Thanks to graduation and some glaring absences related to academic matters for several other underclassmen, the spring will also offer a host of battles involving starting spots.

Virginia, which went 9-4 last season, is not in a unique position in that regard.

“That’s just part of the game,” said Virginia tight end Tom Santi. “There’s attrition and throughout the year somebody goes down with an injury, somebody gets kicked out of school, it is all the same. You have to keep your head down and keep working.

“These guys understand that stuff. They’ll miss the guys that aren’t on the team anymore, but that’s football. That’s part of it. You do the best with what you got.”

What does Virginia have?

New defensive coordinator Bob Pruett has depth at linebacker with Antonio Appleby, Jon Copper and Clint Sintim back in the fold. The three combined for 14.5 sacks.

Cornerbacks Ras-I Dowling and Vic Hall and safety Byron Glaspy - who ranked among the top tacklers on the team - are also back in the secondary, but glaring holes remain on the defensive line.

In addition to losing Long, the Cavaliers must replace nose tackle Allen Billyk, who completed his eligibility, and defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who left school and will transfer.

There are candidates at defensive end, including senior Alex Field and sophomore Sean Gottschalk, and Long has raved about Matt Conrath, who redshirted last season. And while nose tackle Nate Collins has started only one game in his career, the junior was on the field for 268 plays in the Cavaliers’ first 11 games.

The offense also returns several veterans, including running back Cedric Peerman, offensive linemen Will Barker and Eugene Monroe and tight end John Phillips.

Virginia should also have several pass-catching options for sophomore quarterback Peter Lalich, who inherits the job after former quarterback Jameel Sewell was given a two-semester academic-related suspension.

In fact, Lalich may have the deepest collection of wide receivers Virginia has had during coach Al Groh’s tenure. Kevin Ogletree, who headlines the group, missed the ‘07 season while recovering from ACL surgery after making a team-best 52 catches in 2006.

While Long was the poster child for the program, the former team captain said leaders remain inside the program.

“I think this team coming up has a chance for as much leadership as any team I have seen,” Long said.

“People gotta pick up the torch. That’s college football - there is a lot of turnover, people coming, going. Guys have to step up and pick up where we left off last year and I think they will.”

Santi, who was also a team captain, agreed.

“There is great leadership on this team and people don’t know it yet because the guys haven’t had a chance to show how they will lead, but they will,” Santi said. “That’s part of it. Every team has to go through it and I am excited to watch how those guys do.

“I have a lot of faith in them.”

UVa officials have not released the schedule for open practices, but the spring game is slated for April 12 at 2 p.m.

 

X's, O's, questions
Before 1st official snap, Cavs seek several answers
Friday, Mar 21, 2008 - 12:07 AM

SPRING GAME
When:April 12, 2 p.m., Scott Stadium
Open practices:March 30, April 6
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The University of Virginia football program has made news often in recent months, with players such as Branden Albert, Jameel Sewell, Jeffrey Fitzgerald, Chris Cook and Mike Brown in the headlines.

Little of the news, however, would seem to bode well for the Cavaliers' prospects this season.

Albert, an all-ACC offensive guard, left early for the NFL, with U.Va. coach Al Groh's blessing. Three other 2007 starters -- Sewell (quarterback), Fitzgerald (defensive end) and Cook (cornerback) -- have academic issues and are no longer enrolled at U.Va. Another potential starter, Brown (cornerback), is facing felony charges.

The Wahoos, coming off a 9-4 season, start spring practice today. The list of other standouts Groh must replace is led by All-America defensive end Chris Long, but also includes tight ends Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, center Jordy Lipsey, nose tackle Allen Billyk, punter Ryan Weigand and kicker Chris Gould.

The next generation has "to pick up the torch," Long said Tuesday. "That's college football. There's a lot of turnover, people coming and going. Guys have to step up and pick up where we left off last year, and I think they will."

U.Va. opens the season Aug. 30 at Scott Stadium against -- gulp -- Southern California. Between now and then, Groh and his staff have many questions to answer. Here are five of the most important:

Is Peter Lalich ready to run the offense in Sewell's absence?

As a true freshman in 2007, Lalich backed up Sewell, who has started U.Va.'s past 22 games. Lalich appeared in eight games and completed 35 of 61 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

The 6-5 Lalich isn't the runner that Sewell is, but he's shown a better touch on longer passes and should benefit from the return of wideout Kevin Ogletree, an all-ACC candidate who missed last season with a knee injury.

Who will start on the interior of the offensive line?

In veterans Eugene Monroe and Will Barker, Virginia has perhaps the ACC's best set of starting tackles. But guards Albert and Ian-Yates Cunningham and center Lipsey exhausted their eligibility, and none of their potential replacements has much experience.

Possibilities at guard include rising senior Zak Stair, who's spent most of his career at tackle, Patrick Slebonick, B.J. Cabbell and Billy Cuffee. Lipsey's successor at center is expected to be Jack Shields or Anthony Mihota.

Can the defensive line overcome the loss of all three starters?

Much of U.Va.'s success on defense last season was due to the dominance up front of ends Long and Fitzgerald.

Nate Collins played regularly last season and should be a capable replacement for Billyk at nose tackle, but the loss of Fitzgerald created a major challenge for new defensive coordinator Bob Pruett.

Alex Field, a rising senior, the Cavaliers' No. 3 defensive end in 2006 and '07, could be ready for a breakout season. The starter at the other end is likely to be former Deep Run High star Sean Gottschalk or 6-7 Matt Conrath, who redshirted in 2007.

Who'll take Jermaine Dias' spot at outside linebacker?

Three of the starting'backers in U.Va.'s 3-4 scheme are back, and all will be seniors this fall: Jon Copper and Antonio Appleby inside and Clint Sintim outside. Candidates to replace Dias at the other outside spot include veterans Aaron Clark and Denzell Burrell, rising sophomore Jared Detrick and freshman Aaron Taliaferro, who redshirted last season.

Can U.Va. expect better play from its safeties?

An inability to make plays when the ball was in the air hurt the Cavaliers last season. Their top three safeties -- Byron Glaspy, Nate Lyles and Jamaal Jackson -- combined for only two interceptions and 10 pass breakups.

Lyles and Jackson were seniors, but Glaspy, an excellent tackler, is back. Brandon Woods was Virginia's fourth safety in 2007 but has yet to win the coaching staff's confidence. Don't be surprised if freshman Corey Mosley, a hard-hitting Henrico High graduate who redshirted last season, contends for a starting job.

 

10 questions for Virginia football
Because of unforeseen circumstances, spring brings more questions than usual for a team that won nine games.
By Melinda Waldrop | 247-4634
March 21, 2008
 

Every football team greets spring practice with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, as vacant roles are filled and new stars emerge. But after a turbulent offseason, Virginia may be more unsettled than most. A team that should be building on the success of a nine-win season and a Gator Bowl appearance instead has holes at key positions and questions everywhere. Three weeks of practice, which begin today and culminate in April 12's spring game, will go a long way toward providing the answers to 10 of the most pressing issues facing the 2008 Cavaliers.

1 With Jameel Sewell academically ineligible, how does Virginia's quarterback picture look?

Sewell threw for 2,176 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and rushed for another 279 yards and four scores. As his true freshman backup, Peter Lalich showed some capability and some jitters in the eight games he played, while Texas recruit Riko Smalls put up some big numbers in a football-frenzied state. But there's no doubt Virginia will miss Sewell if he doesn't return. He doesn't have the most accurate arm but is a proven leader with legs that can get him and his team out of trouble. It wouldn't hurt if Smalls and Marc Verica, who redshirted last season, provided Lalich with some spring competition.

2 Is Lalich ready to be the starting QB?

He certainly looked the part early last year against Duke, leading the Cavaliers on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive to secure a victory. But he also looked like a true freshman other times, running for his life when Sewell was hurt at N.C. State and losing a fumble with Sewell out again as the Cavaliers lost a late lead in the Gator Bowl. He ended up completing 35 of 61 passes for 321 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and, for his part, never seemed to lack confidence in his ability.

3 How will Virginia deal with a suddenly thin depth chart at defensive end?

Even with Chris Long NFL-bound, Virginia seemed stocked — until Jeffrey Fitzgerald became another academic casualty. Last season, Fitzgerald had 73 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions, but the Cavs' depth behind him is unsettlingly thin. Alex Field had 11 tackles in 13 games, while Sean Gottschalk had four stops in nine appearances. "People have got to pick up the torch," Long said. "That's college football. There's a lot of turnover, people coming and going. Guys have to step up and pick up where we left off last year, and I think they will."

4 Where will the Cavaliers' strength be on defense?

Linebacker, where experienced seniors abound. Jon Copper is back at inside backer after leading Virginia with 109 tackles and snaring two interceptions as a junior. He's joined by Antonio Appleby, who had 60 tackles last season, while Clint Sintim, who had 77 tackles and nine sacks, anchors the outside. Virginia coach Al Groh has a long history with linebackers, working with the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson during their NFL days with the New York Giants, and the position is a playmaking one in the 3-4 defensive scheme Groh has implemented at Virginia.

5 What about a bright spot on offense?

Virginia's backfield is a pleasantly crowded one going into spring ball. Cedric Peerman is back after surgery for a foot injury that short-circuited his 2007 season, in which he rushed for 585 yards and five touchdowns in six games. Mikell Simpson proved himself more than capable after Peerman went down, gaining 570 yards and rushing for eight TDs in 13 games, while Keith Payne grew into his role as a bruising short-yardage back. Promising fullback Rashawn Jackson is also back in a ground game that likely will once again carry a large load.

6 Will the Cavaliers have a go-to wide receiver?

Last season, Virginia's most prolific wide receiver spent most of his time lined up at running back (Simpson had a team-best 43 catches), and tight ends accounted for 970 receiving yards and seven of the Cavs' 14 touchdowns. With two of those tight ends — Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar — now gone, Virginia must find a wideout who is a consistent downfield threat. Kevin Ogletree, back from a knee injury that cost him the 2007 season, is the top early candidate to fill that position, while Dontrelle Inman showed some ability last season as a true freshman.

7 How will the offensive line fare without Branden Albert?

After earning unanimous all-ACC honors during a junior season when he played both left guard and tackle, Albert decided to turn pro. His rocketing NFL stock affirms that decision, but his absence — and the loss of seniors Ian-Yates Cunningham, Jordy Lipsey and Gordie Sammis — leaves some large holes. Senior left tackle Eugene Monroe should be a solid contributor if he can avoid the knee injuries he's suffered the past two seasons, and the Cavs will need his leadership on a line with precious little experience elsewhere.

8 Will Virginia's secondary be any better this season?

The Cavs' cornerback corps, which gave up more than 225 passing yards per game last year, took a hit with Chris Cook's academic suspension, then another when Mike Brown was arrested on charges including grand larceny and marijuana possession. (Earlier this month, Groh said Brown was "not participating with the program.") Brown's return from an ankle injury was expected to boost the young secondary and U.Va.'s kickoff-return team, but Vic Hall likely will have to keep learning on the job at both positions. Sophomore corners Ras-I Dowling and Trey Womack, meanwhile, will have to play like veterans.

9 How will Bob Pruett fit in on Al Groh's staff?

Pruett, the former head coach at Marshall, and Groh are longtime friends. Pruett used to sleep on Groh's couch when both were at North Carolina in the 1970s, and their relationship culminated in Pruett replacing former Cavaliers defensive coordinator Mike London when London became the new head coach at Richmond in January. Pruett has coaching experience in spades and enough contacts to help offset the loss of London's recruiting prowess, but how his defensive philosophies mesh with a head coach who routinely calls the plays on that side of the ball remains to be seen.

10 How do the Cavaliers stand on special teams?

In his senior season, Chris Gould made 35 of his 37 field-goal attempts, including a career long of 51 yards, after changing his approach from a three-step drop to a two-step. Sophomore Chris Hinkebein, Gould's heir apparent, made the same change, and will see if that modification yields similar dividends this season. Signee Jimmy Howell, who also quarterbacked his West Florence (S.C.) High team, could challenge as a replacement for Ryan Weigand, who averaged 45 yards per punt as a senior.

 

Defending champs look to end skid at Virginia
2007 national champion Johns Hopkins battles Virginia at Klöckner Saturday
Megan McDonald, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The No. 2 Virginia men's lacrosse team goes head-to-head with Johns Hopkins tomorrow afternoon, as the Blue Jays look to break their losing streak with a win on the road.

The defending national champions dropped to sixth in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches Poll this week after their second straight overtime upset. Falling to 3-2 on the season, Hopkins' 14-13 overtime loss to Syracuse came just a week after the team fell 8-7 to Hofstra.

The Blue Jays may be down but they are certainly not out. Last season Hopkins dropped three straight before rallying to win its final nine games and secure the NCAA Championship title.

"They are a good team who have had a couple losses, but if anything that means they are going to come out firing at us," junior midfielder Mike Timms said. "We have to be ready to take their best shot after two weeks of losing and two weeks of their practicing pretty hard."

For only the second time this season, Virginia (8-0) takes the field Saturday a full week after its last game. The Cavaliers, using mid-week contests as an opportunity to work out personnel issues and give younger players extra experience, have already faced eight regular-season opponents, compared to Hopkins' five.

With the season more than half over, however, the Cavaliers do not want to wear themselves out before postseason play. Therefore, for the remainder of the regular season they are scheduled to face just one opponent per week.

"We had Monday off which allowed everyone to rest their legs," sophomore midfielder Brian Carroll said. "And it is good to have a full week to prepare for Hopkins so that we can really learn their offense and their personnel."

Containing the Blue Jay' midfield will be key for Virginia. The heart of the team lies in its first midfield line, comprised of sophomore Michael Kimmel and seniors Stephen Peyser and Paul Rabil. Coupling those three with a strong attack, Hopkins will challenge the Cavalier defense with a range of offensive weapons.

Controlling the tempo of tomorrow's game will also be critical for Virginia's success. The Cavaliers prefer to pick up the pace and capitalize during the transition from defense to offense, while traditionally Hopkins has focused on controlling the ball and maintaining possession. When Virginia watched the Blue Jays play Princeton at the Face-Off Classic in Baltimore, however, Carroll and others noticed Hopkins out-matched the Tigers in groundballs and in transition.

"They looked very athletic," Carroll said. "They definitely seem to be pushing it a lot, and that all goes back to their midfield being the heart of their team."

Against both Princeton and Towson, Virginia proved it can dominate the opposition in the second half. The priority this weekend is for the Cavaliers to come out at the start with the same energy and intensity with which they have been retaking the field after halftime.

"If we come out flat like we have been, we are going to have problems," Timms said. "I think that one thing having a whole week is going to help us with is being focused the whole time on this one game. I think we are going to be ready to go from the start."

 

Mind your manners
Team looks to carry momentum, maintain focus in road battle with No. 2 Princeton Saturday after convincing victory against North Carolina last weekend
Ryan Williams, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

Besides sharing a top-five ranking, the Virginia and Princeton women's lacrosse teams have both faced four ranked teams in their first seven games. After defeating then-No. 7 North Carolina 16-5 last weekend in ACC play, the No. 2 Cavaliers will look to hand the No. 4 Tigers (5-0) their first loss of the season Saturday in Princeton.

Virginia (6-1, 2-1 ACC) will look to maintain the same kind of debilitating defense and oppressive offense that has helped maintain its high ranking despite a tough schedule.

One of the keys of the game for Virginia will be to maintain its intensity after beating a strong ACC opponent in the Tar Heels. With a week off between the matches, focus will be a key factor in making that happen.

"We'll just keep practicing hard and keep trying to do the things that we did well," junior midfielder Blair Weymouth said. "I'm sure we'll watch film to pick out the good stuff we've been doing and try to keep it up."

Senior goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty also stressed moving on from the emotional high from the blowout win against the Tar Heels.

"We just need to make sure we come out in practice and forget Carolina," McBrearty said. "We have to make sure we prepare just like we did for them. It's a huge game."

Virginia coach Julie Myers and her assistants have been hard at work this week ensuring the team will be prepared.

"That's one of our jobs as coaches, to make sure that we relax when we can, but that we really push them hard," Myers said. "The better we do as coaches in breaking down an offensive set of our opponents, the more prepared our defense feels and that really feeds the fire for our team and energy. We need to make sure, as coaches, we stay focused, and we keep pushing forward."

On the offensive end, Virginia will rely on its leading scorer, junior midfielder Ashley McCulloch, who has found the net 11 times and contributed 17 assists this season. Tied for second on the team in points with 18 apiece are sophomore midfielder Brittany Kalkstein, junior attacker Jenny Hauser and Weymouth. Despite playing in only one of the team's two games because of injury, Weymouth was named last week's ACC Player of the Week because of a four-goal, three-assist performance against the Tar Heels.

Weymouth said she will look to carry that momentum into tomorrow's matchup with Princeton.

"It's an ACC win," Weymouth said of the UNC victory, noting that Princeton is "going to be intimidated by us probably a little bit. They should be a little scared after seeing the score of this [North Carolina] game."

Leading Virginia on the defensive end will be McBrearty, who is only surrendering 7.43 goals a game and has tallied 54 saves on the season. The Cavaliers can also expect defensive and possession help from Kalkstein, who has 19 draw controls, and Hauser, who has caused eight turnovers. McBrearty leads Virginia with 17 ground balls and is followed by Kalkstein and sophomore midfielder Kaitlin Duff, who have 15 each.

Virginia will need to stop an efficient Tiger attack, which has scored on 60 of 118 shots this season. Princeton will be coming off a midweek victory at home against James Madison University 17-10 in which senior attacker Ashley Amo notched eight points on four goals and four assists.

Virginia and Princeton have a single common opponent thus far in the season, Penn State University. The Cavaliers won in Happy Valley by a score of 13-7, while the Tigers achieved the same result with a tally of 7-6.

Weymouth said the team is always excited to play a strong opponent and knows Princeton is exactly that.

"Princeton has always been a huge rival for us, going back to my first year when we lost to them in the first round of the playoffs," she said. "It'll be a gritty, intense, all-out, hustle type of game. It's going to be a good matchup and hopefully we come out on top."

 

Retire No. 44
Kevin Zdancewicz

I know I missed the praising Sean Singletary party last week following his final regular-season game, but there is still something bugging me about the end of his career that no one has talked about.

Prior to the Maryland game during the senior night celebration, Singletary became the second Wahoo to have his jersey retired, joining Curtis Staples on a banner draped from the JPJ rafters. While this is truly a great honor, when it was announced I began to wonder why his No. 44 was not going up on the next banner over.

There is a natural inclination to think a retired number is a more prestigious honor than a retired jersey. With the former, the basketball program thinks no one deserves to wear your number ever again. Curtis Staples was an excellent player at Virginia, but he wasn't Ralph Sampson or Bryant Stith, so that seems to be consistent as well. So what exactly is the distinction between the two tributes in terms of achievements and impact on the U.Va. program?

Executive Associate Athletics Director Jon Oliver was little help in answering that question.

"We do not publish our specific criteria for retiring numbers and jerseys," he explained. "But it is correct that retiring a number is a higher honor."

So in the case of Sean Singletary, we have the best Virginia basketball player of the last 15 years (by leaps and bounds) not receiving the program's highest honor. There is something wrong with that.

In 50 years, some kid is going to walk into JPJ and see that Sean's jersey has been retired. He'll think to himself, "That guy must have been a pretty good player, but not great enough to get his number retired." In fact, that kid probably won't even know what number Singletary wore during his time as a Hoo.

Well, maybe he will. It turns out that Singletary had his jersey retired because he met the criteria for that distinction, but according to Oliver, "Sean has reached the criteria for having his number retired with the exception of one category. His number will be retired in the future if the category requirement is satisfied."

If you're like me, at this point you are asking yourself what more Singletary can accomplish. He is fifth in school history in scoring with 2,040 points (and counting), plus ranks in the top five at U.Va. in steals, assists, 3-point field goals made and free throws made. He is only the second Wahoo to be a three-time team captain and third to be named to the All-ACC First Team three times. To top it off, Singletary is one of only three players in ACC history to record 2,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds.

In addition to all the offensive accomplishments and individual awards, Singletary's defense has been outstanding throughout his career. Opposing point guards dread facing Sean more than I dread walking through the South Lawn Project to class. And that's a lot. With all of those basketball feats plus being a team leader and the face of the program for most of his time here, I can't figure out what all of the players with retired numbers have that Singletary doesn't.

Oliver did say he is confident Sean will achieve the final criterion. That statement and the fact that Singletary's remaining games are numbered lead me to guess that the last piece to the puzzle is something off the court. It could be a postseason award, though not all of the other players with retired numbers received high-profile hardware. Keeping in mind that we are talking about the University, the last step could simply be that Singletary needs to graduate. But that would mean you don't have to graduate to have your jersey retired, just your number, which brings us full circle back to the question of what the distinction between the two honors really is.

The athletic department is free to do whatever it wants in terms of publishing or withholding the criteria for retiring numbers and jerseys. But I think some transparency would be appreciated so as to understand what a player needs to accomplish to be honored and to reassure fans that the truly special players who have inspired them will not be forgotten. I don't think there needs to be an air of secrecy in terms of determining who is worthy and who is not.

The athletic department counters that it is not about secrecy at all.

"The pursuit of ... championships and winning is our primary focus in terms of competitive achievement," Oliver said. "If in the course of pursuing our goals to win championships an individual stands out and has extraordinary achievements in his or her career, we maintain an internal guide for certain levels of achievement worthy of recognition. We, however, do not want individual student-athletes or fans focused on individual achievements over team achievements and thus we choose to keep this information confidential."

In the end that's a reasonable and understandable stance considering the athletic department's goals. While Oliver is reassuring in saying that Sean will eventually have his number retired, until we see it up on that banner, there are no guarantees. As it stands, instead of admiring the ultimate tribute to the best player of my time at U.Va. and of the last 15 years up in the rafters of JPJ, I am left trying to interpret cryptic answers from the athletic department and to fathom the idea that No. 44 may never make it up there.

 

U.VA. Notes: Cavs' win over Spiders a (small) crowd pleaser
Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 - 12:07 AM

Cavs' win over Spiders a (small) crowd pleaser
Opening night in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational was not a hit with fans.

In this 16-team tournament, four first-round games were played Tuesday night. Houston at Nevada drew 4,252 fans; Richmond at Virginia drew 4,022; Rider at Old Dominion drew 2,036; and Brown at Ohio drew 1,169.

For U.Va., the crowd was the smallest for a men's game in John Paul Jones Arena's two-year history. The Cavaliers averaged about 12,800 at home games during the regular season.

Even so, as Virginia mounted a spirited comeback late in the game, the fans made more noise than many of the five-figure crowds that showed up during the regular season.

Junior swingman Mamadi Diane said he and his teammates noted the thousands of empty seats in the arena but didn't worry about the lack of support.

"We do appreciate those fans that did show up," said Diane, who had 15 points and five rebounds against UR.

The Cavaliers (16-15) will be home again Monday night, when they host ODU (18-15) at 7 p.m. in a CBI quarterfinal.

Like other host teams in the first round, U.Va. agreed to pay $60,000 to the CBI. Virginia officials estimated that the school needed to sell between 7,000 and 10,000 tickets to break even on the UR game. A figure wasn't available yesterday on how much U.Va. lost on the game.

Singletary adds to double-figure streak
In U.Va.'s 66-64 win over Richmond, senior guard Sean Singletary scored 18 points -- his 53rd consecutive game in double figures. That's the longest active streak in the ACC and the longest streak in school history.

Singletary raised his career total to 2,040 points, passing Wake Forest's Skip Brown (2,034 points) and moving into a tie for 32nd with former N.C. State great Julius Hodge on the ACC career scoring list.

Lyles has big showing in front of NFL scouts
Forty-nine representatives from NFL teams traveled to Charlottesville on Tuesday for U.Va.'s pro timing day. Cavaliers coach Al Groh said a player's body of work -- namely, how he played in college games -- is what NFL teams primarily base their evaluations on. Still, a player who performs well in testing can raise his stock, and safety Nate Lyles dazzled Tuesday.

At about 5-11, 200 pounds, Lyles is undersized for an NFL safety. But he was a three-year starter for the Cavaliers, and Tuesday he bench-pressed 225 pounds 22 times, posted a 36-inch vertical leap, was measured at 9-10 in the broad jump and sprinted 40 yards in about 4.45 seconds.

"That guy can run, man," Matt Balis, Virginia's strength coach for football, exclaimed after Lyles' second 40-yard dash.

Johns Hopkins to visit for lacrosse showdown
One of college lacrosse's storied rivalries will be renewed Saturday at Klockner Stadium, where Virginia will meet defending NCAA champion Johns Hopkins. ESPNU will televise the 4 p.m. game between second-ranked U.Va. (8-0) and No. 6 Hopkins (3-2).

Whether the Cavaliers' second-leading scorer will be available Saturday is unclear. Junior attackman Danny Glading pulled a hamstring in Virginia's win at Towson last weekend.

"I think he's felt better every day," U.Va. coach Dom Starsia said yesterday, but Glading isn't expected to test his hamstring in practice until today.

Glading, who has 16 goals and 18 assists, wants to play against Hopkins, but the medical staff will "make a cautious decision," Starsia said.

Groh plans coaching clinic March 28-29
Groh and his staff will hold a coaching clinic March 28 and 29 to which all high school and youth football coaches are invited.

The NCAA-required registration fee is $40. That will cover on-field drills, dinner March 28 at John Paul Jones Arena, a coaches' social, breakfast and lunch March 29 and a gift from the U.Va. football staff.

 

Backcourt a big question mark for 2008-2009 Cavaliers
Has Leitao jinxed another shooter?
By Doug Doughty

I wasn’t taking notes, but I believe that Dave Leitao said on his radio show Monday night that Sammy Zeglinski is a really good shooter.

Leitao must not be superstitious.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have wanted to jinx Zeglinski.

The last time Leitao had something to say about the shooting ability of one of his freshmen, it was preseason media day and Leitao was talking about Mustapha Farrakhan.

“What I've noticed from him is that he can really, really shoot the basketball,” Leitao said. “I mean really shoot the basketball.”

I’ve watched Farrakhan in pregame warmups and he can really shoot the basketball during warmups, but he hasn’t been able to transfer that to the court.

Farrakhan is 7-of-38 from the field (18.4 percent) this season and has made only two of 16 3-point attempts (12.5 percent).

Farrakhan is 0-for-9 from the field in his last six games, including a seven-minute stint Tuesday in a 66-64 victory over Richmond, when he did not attempt a shot.

Farrakhan and fellow freshman shooting guard Jeff Jones were on the floor for a combined 17 minutes. Between them, they didn’t even attempt a field goal or grab a rebound.

Jones hit one of two free throws and Farrakhan got an assist but they also had four turnovers, several of the hapless variety, and Farrakhan had two personal fouls.

When J.R. Reynolds completed his eligibility last March, there was reason to believe UVa would find a competent replacement from among four newcomers -- Farrakhan, Jones, Zeglinski and Calvin Baker, who became eligible this year after transferring from William and Mary.

The only one who has come close to delivering is Baker, although Zeglinski hasn’t had a chance. He suffered an ankle injury in the preseason; then, not long after his return, he reinjured the ankle and underwent surgery.

Zeglinski meets the criteria for a successful hardship appeal and almost certainly will get an extra season of eligibility. But, as good a shooter as Zeglinski might be, his floor leadership will be crucial.

When senior point guard Sean Singletary picked up his second foul with 4:30 left in the first half Tuesday, Virginia led 29-22. Leitao sat him down for the remainder of the half and Richmond went on an 11-2 run.

In Zeglinski’s absence, Baker is the only UVa player capable of subbing for Singletary at the point, but Baker isn’t really a point guard. On Tuesday night, he wasn’t much of a shooting guard either, going 2-for-6 from the field and missing two late free throws when he could have given UVa a two-possession lead.

It wasn’t one of his best nights, but Baker is the kind of combo guard that Leitao likes. He has made more than 40 3-pointers for the season, including a game-winner at Georgia Tech, and he has 75 assists.

His 75-54 assist-turnover ratio is not what you’d want from an ACC-caliber point guard and he’s a little shaky at the free-throw line (66.0) but he works well as a third guard.

If Baker doesn’t start next year, who does? Zeglinski hasn’t played enough for people to know whether he’s an ACC-caliber point guard and his fellow freshmen, Jones and Farrakhan, have been a bust this season at shooting guard.

In ACC play, Jones is shooting 25.1 percent from the field, including 14.3 percent (2-for-14) on 3-pointers. He was 5-for-7 on 3-pointers in a 75-72 victory at Arizona that seems more shocking by the day, but he’s been 3-for-31 on 3’s the rest of the season.

Jones was the leading scorer in the history of the Philadelphia Catholic League and was at least as highly regarded by recruiters as Virginia Tech freshman Malcolm Delaney.

Compare their numbers: Delaney is averaging 9.2 points, with 41 3-point field goals and 98 assists. Jones is averaging 4.0 points, with eight 3-pointers, and 17 assists.

You could say that Delaney, averaging 27.1 minutes, has been given more of an opportunity. He’s also earned that opportunity. Jones has more starts than Delaney, 23-22, and you can believe they’d be leaving him out there if he were producing.

So, who’s the shooting guard next year? As of now, you’d have to pick Baker over Jones or Farrakhan, but what if Baker has to be the point guard? The “X” factor is high-scoring fall signee Sylven Landesberg, recently named a McDonald’s All-American.

When he committed to Virginia, Landesberg spoke about the possibility of playing point guard for the Cavaliers. At 6 foot 6, he would appear better-suited for the wing but who knows? None of the backcourt returnees has earned a starting job.
 

Cavs focusing in on UCSB
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 20, 2008

Debbie Ryan had reason to complain.

The possibility of playing a higher-seeded team at their facility and placement in a bracket with both top-seeded Connecticut and Rutgers would give any coach that justification.

Yet as daunting as the task may be, the Virginia coach relished in the moment Monday night after her program officially earned its ticket to the tournament that crowns the best women’s basketball team.

The Cavaliers, the fourth seed in the Greensboro Regional, will play UC Santa Barbara on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) in Norfolk.

With an opening-round win, Virginia (23-9) could be forced to play fifth-seeded Old Dominion at the Ted Constant Center, the Monarchs’ home court.

ODU, which plays

12th-seeded Liberty in the first round Sunday at 7 p.m., owns the nation’s longest home winning streak at 24 games.

For now, Ryan is not debating what a contest with ODU on Tuesday, a showdown with UConn in the Sweet Sixteen or a clash with Rutgers in the Elite Eight would entail.

“You can’t look any further than one game,” Ryan said. “That’s all you can do. There’s absolutely no guarantee in the NCAA tournament. I don’t care whether you are playing at home, away, upside down or inside out. It doesn’t matter.

“You can only go one team at a time and you have to take your time and be ready to play.”

Ryan has an easy way to get the attention of her players for the opener with the Gauchos. She needed only to play a copy of the game tape of 13th-seeded UCSB’s contest with ACC foe Maryland.

The Terrapins, which beat Virginia twice, upended Santa Barbara on the road by just four points.

“That score definitely got my attention,” Littles said Monday night. “I am anxious to check that game out.”

UCSB (23-7) is in a comparable situation to Virginia, having been overlooked by the NCAA tournament selection committee in each of the past two seasons.

“I have a lot of respect for UC Santa Barbara,” Ryan said. “They are always a well-coached, strong team.”

“They play a different style and we will have to adjust to it. They have a lot of 3-point shooters and we are really going to have to get ready for them because they are a talented team.”

 

One Last Ride for Zoll
ACC's all-time assists leader attempting to lead Virginia to NCAA championship
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.

Sharnee Zoll has worn a No. 5 jersey since arriving at Virginia four years ago. Her shoes have a different number on them: 729.

One of Zoll’s goals was to break the ACC women’s assists record set more than 10 years ago by the Cavaliers’ Dawn Staley. Writing the number on her shoes was Zoll’s way of taking aim at her idol’s achievement.

Zoll broke the record Feb. 21 when she zipped a pass to Monica Wright, who caught it and scored to complete the record-setting play. Zoll breathed a sigh of relief, finally breaking the mark and allowing her to focus on a more pressing goal: the NCAA Tournament.

The Cavaliers (23-9) are in all right, and will play UC Santa Barbara on Sunday night in Norfolk, Va. Zoll played in the tournament as a freshman, and she’s happy to be back after a two-year absence.

“It’s my last go-round. Simple as that,” she said.

And the message to her teammates is simple.

“Every possession is going to matter because if you lose, you’re done,” she said. “There is no tomorrow. That is the main thing I will preach. There has to be a sense of urgency. I have been feeling like that all year. You never know what day is going to be your last.

“Every game is the last of something. I don’t want this to be my last game.”

While pursuing the assist record set by the woman she patterned her game after, Zoll’s basketball experience at Virginia has been vastly different.

Staley, who like Zoll is a Philadelphia native, was the nation’s premier point guard on one of the top teams. Staley, a three-time All-America, twice won the Naismith Award as the nation’s best player and three times led Virginia to the Final Four.

Zoll will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the second time. But she’s enjoying a final season in which the Cavaliers stayed injury free, unlike the past two years.

“That’s the sweetest part of this season for me,” said Zoll, who has 772 assists and is averaging 6.3 a game this season. “We’re getting some national attention, we’re playing the Dukes, the Marylands, the North Carolinas, and it’s not blowouts or it’s not, ‘Oh, Maryland had a bad game so Virginia was in it.’

“These games are down to the wire, every single game.”

The Cavaliers won 20 regular-season games for the first time since 1999-2000.

They climbed to No. 24 in the final AP Top 25, and are 13-5 since January - with two losses each to No. 2 North Carolina and No. 5 Maryland and a loss to No. 10 Duke.

Zoll said that what makes this year’s success special is getting Coach Debbie Ryan - a Hall of Famer whose presence presuaded Zoll to attend Virginia - back to the elite level she had occupied for so long.

Before the 2003-04 season, before Zoll arrived, Virginia had been to 20 consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

Since then, they’ve been to just one in four seasons, and the point guard who can now finish her coach’s sentences feels partly responsible.

Not because it’s her fault, but because point guards think that way.

“I came here for Coach Ryan. Everything else was gravy to me,” Zoll said, the gravy items including the new, 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena that opened last season.

“There are a lot of other schools in the country that are great schools. Nobody else had Coach Ryan. There are a lot of other great arenas being built. Nobody else had Coach Ryan. There are other ACC basketball programs. They didn’t have Coach Ryan.”

In the Cavaliers’ locker room, Zoll’s determination is the constant.

“I don’t think we could play without it,” said Lyndra Littles, the team’s second-leading scorer. “Nobody else has the drive, passion and overall leadership on the court. She keeps us all organized and focused. We couldn’t play without her.”

As she did with Staley, Ryan sees Zoll as an extension of herself.

“She’s kind of everything you want in a point guard,” said Ryan, a former point guard herself. “She’s articulate. She’s intelligent. She’s verbal on the court, vocal.

“When you have a point guard like that, it just makes your life a lot easier.”

Better than anyone else, Ryan knows the past few seasons have been hard on Zoll.

Virginia was 19-15 last year, 20-12 the previous year. Both ended with losses in the Women’s NIT.

From the beginning, though, Ryan loved the “Philly” in her leader.

“Sharnee would come to me as a freshman and say ‘Yell at me. Yell at me about anything that goes wrong out there. Nobody else can handle it. Yell at me.’ And I would do that,” Ryan said. “I would yell at her about everything, and she would take it.”

Four years later, Ryan is wrapping up her 31st year at Virginia, and she hopes Zoll’s loyalty to the program is rewarded in the coming weeks.

“She could have bolted,” Ryan said. “She could have said, “I would like more success than this,’ but she didn’t. She stayed and she wanted to get this program back to where it belonged, and I really, really appreciate that.”

As a No. 4 seed, the Cavaliers are favored over UC Santa Barbara, and maybe even knock off host Old Dominion or Liberty on Tuesday night.

All the while, Zoll will be finishing her coach’s sentences for her, calling the same plays a few seconds earlier and trying to will her team to play another day.

Ryan would love it, and not just for herself.

“I want it,” she said, “as much for her as for the team.”
 

Gauchos await Cavs in NCAA Tournament
Focus, leadership key points for four-seed Virginia in first round matchup with 13-seed UC Santa Barbara Sunday night
Sean Bielawski, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

When the Virginia women's basketball team returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005 this weekend, it will be fortunate enough to play in its own backyard. The Cavaliers earned a four-seed in the Greensboro Region and will face 13-seed University of California Santa Barbara Sunday night at 9:30? at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va.

Selection Monday was very good to Virginia (23-9, 10-4 ACC), as the Cavaliers were projected as a six-seed by ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme in his final field before the selections were announced. Not only did the Cavaliers receive a surprise in their seeding, but they are also playing only a short bus trip away from Charlottesville.

"I thought it was a great draw for us simply because of location and the fact that we get to stay fairly close," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "I am just really proud of the team and what we accomplished."

Leading the Cavaliers into the Big Dance will be senior point guard and captain Sharneé Zoll. Zoll and fellow senior guard and captain Tara McKnight are the lone Cavaliers left from the 2005 Virginia team that advanced to the second round before falling to Minnesota.

"We can't take possessions off," Zoll said. "Every possession is going to matter because if you lose, you're done. There is no tomorrow."

The scoring effort will be led by sophomore guard and second-team All-ACC member Monica Wright, whose 18.2 points per game scoring average tops the ACC. Wright enters the tournament playing perhaps the best basketball of her young career. In the team's last three games, Wright is averaging 25.3 points per game and has twice set a new career-high in scoring, the most recent occasion being a 31-point performance against ACC champion North Carolina.

If Virginia is to make a run, the front court of junior forward Lyndra Littles and junior center Aisha Mohammed must also figure prominently in the Cavaliers' offense. Littles is second on the team in scoring, with 16.3 points per game, and is coming off two straight double-double performances at the ACC Tournament. Mohammed goes to Norfolk averaging 12.9 points and a team-high 9.1 rebounds per contest.

UC Santa Barbara (23-7, 15-1 Big West) has won 19 of its last 20 games and has played a more than formidable non-conference schedule. The Gauchos defeated Southern California in overtime earlier in the year and nearly took down Maryland, the top seed in the Spokane Region, at home in a 75-71 loss. Virginia is certainly in for a fight in its opening round contest.

Leading the way for the Gauchos is Big West Player of the Year Jessica Wilson. The senior guard leads the team in scoring with 12.8 points per game and in rebounds with 4.8 boards per contest. Junior center Kat Suderman, a second-team All-Big West selection, is the only other player averaging double figures, adding 10.6 points per game.

With a possible second-round matchup against in-state rival Old Dominion looming, Virginia cannot afford to overlook a dangerous UC Santa Barbara team. Just four years ago, the Gauchos made a run into the Sweet 16.

"You can't look any farther than one game," Ryan said. "There is absolutely no guarantee in the NCAA Tournament. I don't care whether you are playing at home, away, upside down, or inside out ... You have to take your time and be ready to play."

The game, televised nationally on ESPN2 , will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the contest that will decide Virginia's possible second-round opponent, between No. 5 seed Old Dominion and No. 12 seed Liberty.