London calling
Matt Welsh, Cavalier Daily Columnist
Sports
March 4, 2010 0

Passion. Integrity. Humility. Respect. For decades, college football players, coaches and media have used these and other buzzwords to describe the ideal college athlete. When taken seriously, these members of the sports lexicon lay at the foundation of what collegiate competition is supposedly all about. Tragically, college football programs that honor these virtues have become an increasingly rare breed in recent years. Not so very long ago — before O.J. was accused, Canseco juiced, or Tiger cheated — college athletes played the game with hearts largely untainted by the greed, egotism and immorality that have corrupted contemporary sports. The crucial difference is coaching. Today, college coaches increasingly fail to embody personally and instill professionally the values of teamwork, character and academic achievement that are integral to a coach’s job of molding boys into men, on and off the football field.

Coach Mike London enters a program hungry for wins after the mediocrity of Al Groh’s final seasons, and he is a perfect fit because he coaches for something beyond the wins and losses. As Cavalier Daily columnist Andrew Seidman noted, “London is a passionate man, a man of high character, a guy who gets it.” In speaking about his message, expectations and the culture he hopes to create at Virginia, London revealed a vision markedly similar to that of the oldest, winningest and arguably the most venerated coach in college football history — Penn State’s Joe Paterno. Sure, it’s easy to look at the massive contrast in credentials between London and Paterno, a Hall-of-Famer with more years coaching at PSU (60) than London has been alive (49). But after comparing Seidman’s interview with London to a recent Sporting News conversation with Joe Pa, I believe that London’s same focus on life beyond the gridiron — the core of Paterno’s legacy — will bring the results every Virginia football fan wants to see.

It all starts with London’s recruiting philosophy. When asked about national signing day, Paterno dismissed the rankings and hype: “The whole business of recruiting has been so overblown by the media and so-called pundits who evaluate guys one way or another.” He spoke about the need to instead look “at the kids not only as athletes but as people who belong in a program such as ours. People say to me, ‘Boy, you’ve got a good recruiting class.’ I say, ‘How do you know? I haven’t seen one of them get punched in the nose yet.’” Likewise, London described his ideal player as “focused, committed, a guy who loves, loves the game and has a lot of energy and passion … You can win a lot of games with that.” Like Paterno, London goes beyond a shallow, purely athletic connection with his recruits, and this will undoubtedly yield players with the passion to compete hard and the character to be taught right.

With a half-dozen Penn State alums in my family, comparing the academic reputations of PSU and U.Va. may prove hazardous to my health. Suffice to say that both institutions pride themselves on the academic rigor demanded of their student-athletes. When asked about his message to new recruits, Paterno stressed, “It’s a great opportunity for a kid. Get a good education, understand what football can do for them, a sense of loyalty, commitment, how as a group you can get good things done. But, most of all, they better go to class … Where the football becomes more important than the whole educational experience, they’re picking the wrong spot. And I tell them that.” London similarly demands academic achievement from his players. Success is “not just on-the-field things,” London said. “Off-the-field things can take priority, which will lead to on-the-field success. Building young men of character: go to class, show class, and treat people with dignity and respect. I think the first part of this is to set those expectations back in motion again that you’re here to get an education. [If] you can take care of foundational things, I think what you’ll see on the field will speak for itself.”

With a 394-129-3 career record and two national championships, Paterno doesn’t have to be a role model — his lifelong success would be more than enough for any collegiate player. But he mentors his players anyway, and this is what distinguishes a great coach. When asked what many coaches fail to understand, Paterno replied, “We’ve got to be careful that we don’t lose sight of the fact that we’re supposed to be educators. We’ve lost what should be our mission, [to] take a bunch of young kids and make sure football is a meaningful experience for them that helps them 10, 15, 20 years from now.” London echoed the same sentiments about a coach’s responsibilities to the players. “In this profession,” London urged, “being a football coach [is being] more than that — a role model, a mentor, and having an awesome obligation to basically raise other people’s sons … You look a parent in the eye and say, ‘I’m gonna take care of your son,’ and mean it. In the end, the greatest accomplishment will be the development of that player and that person. And then, have fun and win games along the way.”

In today’s win-at-all-costs world of sports, college athletes who look up to their coaches as father figures are rarely guided in the right direction. Last season alone, then-Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly ditched his team before its BCS bowl game for a more prestigious and profitable coaching gig at Notre Dame, and Florida State vacated 12 football wins because of numerous players’ involvement in an academic fraud scandal. Today, it’s easy to lose hope and concede that the foundational principles of student-athleticism have been fundamentally, even irreversibly, compromised. One ol’ ball coach, however, gives you a reason not to. With his nasally Brooklyn accent, khaki pant legs rolled up high, and six decades of experience in coaching football the right way, Joe Paterno is nothing short of a living legend. With Mike London calling the shots, Virginia football is primed for a return to prominence, and — more importantly — is ready to show the country that the Joe Pa way of coaching will never become extinct.

Boston College extends Virginia's losing streak to eight games
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 4, 2010; D07

CHESTNUT HILL, MASS. -- Here's a way to cheer Virginia's Tony Bennett: Ask him about next season's recruiting class. Because anything involving next season allows the Cavaliers' first-year coach with the plan of building for the long haul envision something other than the collage of losses that have accumulated during the past month.

The latest was a 68-55 loss to Boston College, which marked Virginia's eighth consecutive defeat. The average margin of defeat in the Cavaliers' last six games is 17.3 points, evidence that Virginia (14-14, 5-10 ACC) has not even been competitive.

"I felt like we weren't ready to compete," said Bennett, who watched his team fall behind by 11 points in the game's first four minutes. "Then, we came back. But I don't know why we have to get in that spot."

Bennett finished an explanation with a reality that he has become resigned to at this point of the season: "That's kind of where we're at," he said, repeating a statement that has been heard frequently during the losing streak.

Those losses have not just come against the conference's top teams such as Duke and Maryland, but also the teams that share the bottom of the standings, such as Boston College (15-14, 6-9) and Miami.

In recent weeks, the suspense in Virginia games has come before the game when the starting lineups are announced. The Cavaliers have started different lineups in each of the last seven games. The latest incarnation included the benching of forward Mike Scott, Virginia's second-leading scorer who missed a combined 13 field goals in the last two games.

"I wanted to see how he'd respond," Bennett said.

Coming off the bench jolted Scott, who finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. He scored both facing the basket and with his back to the basket, exhibiting the diverse repertoire that has made him a reliable options at times this season.

Scott said his confidence is affected by the way he plays, which explains why his inconsistency is often exemplified by extremes. Scott either has standout performances, or games in which he seldom provides any positive production.

"I told myself, starting or coming off the bench, I'm going to play hard tonight," Scott said. "I don't care what the circumstance is."

Guard Sylven Landesberg returned after missing the first game of his career with a right thigh bruise. Landesberg wore a brace on his knee and thigh. Landesberg scored 13 points in 36 minutes, although he missed 5 of 6 three-pointers and both of his free throw attempts. Landesberg said he continues to feel the effects of the injury, and that the misfired shots were the byproduct of missing almost a week of practice.

"That was definitely the result of not having my legs under me," Landesberg said. "I felt if it was a regular day, they definitely would have gone in. A lot of teams, jump shots were missing short. As soon as I come back 100 percent, it won't happen again."

When the Eagles jumped to the early lead, Bennett called a timeout and voiced his disapproval in the team's huddle. The ordinarily mild-mannered Bennett could be heard across the court on the other side -- partly a testimony to Bennett's frustration, but also an indication of the vapid environment in Conte Forum, with an announced attendance of 3,968.

The players responded, finding life with Scott and cutting the Eagles' lead to 22-18 with 11 minutes 32 seconds remaining in the first half. The run was short-lived, as the Cavaliers allowed Boston College to add to a lead that reached 14 points at halftime and 19 points in the second half.

At this point, each day is just one day closer to the conclusion of what has become a forgettable season. Hope is on the way with a recruiting class that has now become a six-player haul after Worcester (Mass.) Academy guard Billy Baron committed to the play for the Cavaliers on Tuesday. He is expected to help the team's struggles at point guard and both outside shooting, where it made 2 of 13 three-pointers on Wednesday.

"We've tried to address the needs in this class, and I think we've done a solid job of touching a number of areas that need to be touched," Bennett said.

Virginia currently has only five available scholarships, so Baron's commitment is an indication that there will be attrition at the end of the season -- whether it's a player transferring or Landesberg leaving early for the NBA draft.

Either way, the current group that just one month ago had aspirations of being a major player in the ACC now must win Saturday's season finale against scorching Maryland to finish the regular season with a winning record.

The Terrapins have lost in John Paul Jones Arena in the past two season finales, which were senior days for Virginia. Saturday is senior day for three scholarship seniors -- and figures to be the final home game of at least one more Virginia player on a team amid a slump that might not find its cure until next season.

Virginia can’t shake slump
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: March 4, 2010
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In Chestnut Hill, Mass., Virginia star Sylven Landesberg was back in action. Unfortunately, it didn’t make any difference for the spiraling Wahoos.

Virginia got down big early and never recovered, losing its eighth straight to Boston College, 68-55, in front of a crowd of 3,968 at the Conte Forum.

Landesberg, who had missed Sunday’s 18-point home loss to Duke with a deep thigh bruise, was 6 of 15 from the field (1 of 6 from 3-point range) for 13 points in 36 minutes of action.

Mike Scott added 13 points for Virginia, while Jerome Meyinsse chipped in with 12 points (on 6-of-6 shooting) and five rebounds.

“We talked about how physical Boston College would be running their offense and in tight, finishing the play with the rebounding effort,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett told the Virginia Sports Radio Network, “and [that] kind of knocked some our guys back. That hurt us.

“We got down big, then we came back. But I call them self-inflicted wounds, whether it’s forgetting to block out or a forced play where a guy is wide open — that really hurt this team from making any kind of comeback.”

BC (15-14, 6-9) was led by Corey Raji’s 18 points. Joe Trapani added 14.

Virginia (14-14-5-10) will close out its regular season on Saturday when it hosts Maryland at John Paul Jones Arena.

“I’m just looking for the guys who will fight and are proud to represent Virginia when they wear the uniforms,” Bennett said. “We’re trying to figure out those guys and battle with them, and see where we’re at.”

Bennett decided to shake things up with his starting lineup. He started Assane Sene and brought the struggling Scott off the bench. In addition, he inserted freshman Jontel Evans for senior Calvin Baker.

However, it didn’t make much difference.

Virginia picked right up where it left off against Duke. Before the first TV timeout of the game even came, UVa fell behind 13-2.

UVa briefly got back into the game. Scott, who was 0 for 13 from the field in his previous two games, scored six points during a 13-5 run to pull the Cavaliers to 22-18 with 11:26 remaining.

But Virginia went cold again, managing just two field goals the rest of the stanza. Only four UVa players scored during the half.

BC led 37-23 at the break.

Bennett juggled the lineup again to start the second half, going with a lineup of Solomon Tat, Mustapha Farrakhan, Sammy Zeglinski, Landesberg and Scott.

Once again, it didn’t have much of an effect.

BC hit its first four shots and wasn’t threatened the rest of the way. Virginia never got any closer than 12 points.
 

Cavs' skid matches longest in 48 years
Another miserable start sends Virginia to its eighth straight loss. UVa has lost six games in a row by double digits.

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The return of leading scorer Sylven Landesberg had little effect on a Virginia men's basketball team that has now matched its longest losing streak since 1962.

The Cavaliers fell behind early Wednesday night and never recovered in a 68-55 loss to a Boston College team that had lost 10 of its previous 15 games.

UVa's eighth straight loss also yielded the Cavaliers' sixth straight double-figure setback, which hadn't happened since 1961.

"We've got one more game left in the regular season and, hopefully, we'll come out and fight," said first-year UVa coach Tony Bennett, whose Cavaliers entertain Maryland at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. "We're looking for the guys who want to represent this program with the effort and toughness to go beyond where we're at."

The Cavaliers (14-14 overall, 5-10 ACC) dropped into a tie for ninth in the ACC with North Carolina. Boston College (15-13, 6-9) gained sole possession of eighth place.

For the second game in a row, Virginia got off to a miserable start. The Cavaliers, who quickly fell behind 20-4 in a 67-49 loss to Duke on Sunday, trailed 11-2 after the first 3:05 on Wednesday.

UVa subsequently hit six straight shots from the field in cutting the deficit to 22-16 and the Cavaliers got as close as 24-20 after Mustafa Farrakhan scored and was fouled with 9:11 to play before halftime.

Farrakhan missed the free throw and the Cavaliers went on to score three points over the remainder of the half, going 1-for-10 from the field.

Boston College pounded the offensive boards, twice scoring on their fourth shot of a possession.

"Some guys can play in that setting and some can't," Bennett said.

"It kind of knocked some of our guys back. I call them 'self-inflicted wounds,' whether it's forgetting to block out [or] a forced play when a guy's wide open."

UVa switched to a zone defense to start the second half and immediately gave up a stickback by Joey Trapani, who knocked down a 3-pointer on the next possession. BC scored on its first four possessions of the second half in extending its lead to 46-27.

The Cavaliers cut the deficit to 13 on three occasions, the last time at 60-47 before Landesberg missed both ends of a two-shot free-throw opportunity.

Landesberg had missed the Duke game with a bruised thigh that had left him doubtful for Wednesday night's game.

Virginia made only five of 11 free throws. The Eagles were 15-of-18.

Landesberg finished with 13 points to share team scoring honors with Scott, who hit six of eight shots after going scoreless in his previous two games. Jerome Meyinsse was 6-of-6 from the floor and scored 12 points, his third straight game in double figures.

UVa shot 58.2 percent from the field in the second half and 46.2 for the game, which was its high over the past nine games, but the Cavaliers were only 2-of-13 from 3-point range.

The Eagles, who were only 3-of-12 from beyond the arc, were led by Cory Raji with 18 points.

Have Virginia's players sold out...

...or whatever you would consider the opposite of "buying in"? When Virginia was 5-2 in the conference and tied for first place in the ACC last month, the Cavaliers' players were praised for "buying in" to Coach Tony Bennett and his system.

During the last six games of a seven-game losing streak, though, Virginia has looked like a confused team without direction on offense and without discipline on defense. The Cavaliers lost each of those games by double digits, and have seldom appeared competitive.

The question was posed to Bennett whether the players have still bought into what he's asking of them, and Bennett acknowledged it was a fair question to ask.

"I think when you go through a stretch like we are, a lot of things gets challenged," Bennett said. "Just to keep your heart, to keep your focus, to not just hang your head and get too discouraged. Those are things that are challenged. And any of those things that are off a little bit affect everything. The guys, in practice, they give you good effort, and I don't have any problems.

"I don't know what goes on exactly in their mind, and I know it's challenging when guys aren't playing. I see in their eyes -- and what team doesn't? -- but I see they want to do it right and they don't want it to happen the way it's happened before. I can see the look in their eyes. They try to stay with it on the bench even when they're not playing. Those are the things that I say, 'Okay, these guys still want it. They came back. They, for the most part, still want it. I know they're discouraged, but they fought hard.' I try to judge it that way. My hope is that they still are, but you can't take a test on it and know for sure. It appears they are, but we're off right now."

By Zach Berman

Tristan Spurlock speculation intensifies in final week

As much as coaches exist in a bubble, they're more aware of outside opinion than they often let on to the public. One of the most discussed subplots surrounding Virginia basketball in the past three weeks has been freshman Tristan Spurlock's lack of playing time and his future with the Cavaliers.

Coach Tony Bennett has been asked about Spurlock on a handful of occasions during this period, specifically regarding why Spurlock is not play and what he must do to earn more playing time.

When Bennett recently spoke about Spurlock, he subtly acknowledged a question some fans have asked, as evidenced by my e-mail inbox and multiple Virginia message boards.

"Tristan, he's got a nice upside, he is a work in progress," Bennett said. "I know everybody says, 'Why doesn't he just throw him in there and play him more?' I just got to keep watching and that's a decision I've made up to this point."

Spurlock has received more practice time against first-team players, and Bennett has been playing him more in the second half in the past few weeks. With two games to go, Spurlock's playing time -- or lackthereof -- is among the most intriguing subplots.

Spurlock said he'll take it "year-by-year" when considering his future, and the commitment of Billy Baron on Tuesday means someone on Virginia's current roster will leave the team before their eligibility expires.

By Zach Berman

Virginia Basketball's Disappearing Centers: The Big Men Who Fall Short
Ben Gibson
Written on March 03, 2010

It seems like ages ago since Ralph Sampson took over the college basketball landscape and made the Virginia Cavaliers a household name.

Well, that's because it is.

Life post-Sampson has been pretty miserable for the Cavaliers and their fans. Despite some of the great players and great teams Virginia has fielded in the past, today's recruits are faced with these stern facts. In the 21st century, the Cavaliers have made the NCAA tournament twice.

Both times, they did not even make it out of the first round. Those teams were merely blips on a long road to mediocrity.

My partner in crime Allen did a good job of explaining that Virginia's success post-Sampson has been built around guard play. The only times the Cavaliers have made a run at respectability has been on the shoulders of a play-maker at point guard like Roger Mason Jr. or Sean Singletary.

Of course, when you look at the roster it makes sense. Cavalier coaches have had to rely on guards almost by default, for the Sampson shoes still loom large and have yet to be filled nearly 25 years later.

The Cavalier front-court is certainly the weakest in the ACC this season. Outside of power forward Mike Scott, Virginia does not have a legitimate scoring option in the paint. Senior captain Jerome Meyinnse is a tough kid but he is a former walk-on and a shell of an athlete compared to opposing player game in and game out.

Outside of that, Virginia has the tall but ineffective Assane Sene who is more likely to catch a cold than the basketball and Will Sherrill, a walk-on with a good mind but lackluster talent.

When you consider just how reliant the Cavaliers are on the outside shot, it is little surprise how woeful their offense truly is. With a make-shift front line, head coach Tony Bennett was lucky to gt out to a 5-2 ACC record against the dregs of a conference facing a down year.

Still, after a seven game losing streak, you would expect the Cavalier big men to be ready to try and turn things around. After all, they are getting opportunities, some of them are barely guarded.

Well Mike Scott's twitter page does not exactly bode well for the future of this program. Today he wrote that he had given up, hours before the Cavaliers tip off against Boston College.

Sure, he could have been talking about his basketball team or explaining that he had given up raw meat. However, if the quote fits, fans won't acquit.

Intentional or not, Mike Scott summarized his entire career in that tweet. He is a talented player who gets moody and unpredictable at times.

He also describes a team that has lost the mental and physical toughness necessary to compete. A team that has accepted failure and given in to what looked like such a promising season.

Scott is certainly the second best player on this team, but his inability to consistently produce has caused headaches for Bennett and the fans. Even with Sylven Landesberg out with an injury, Scott responded by going 0-6 from the floor against Duke in just 12 minutes.

When his team needed him the most, he was nowhere to be found. In the past two games, Scott is 0-13 and has as many rebounds as turnovers.

In truth though, Scott is far from the first big man to underwhelm at Virginia. He is simply walking in the footsteps of our 21st century forwards.

Take for instance, Elton Brown. Brown is perhaps one of the most hated Cavaliers of all time by the fans. Here was a kid with so much promise as a freshman, but his poor shot selection and bad attitude often led to booing from Virginia fans.

For me, his career will always be defined by the overtime game against Maryland where he went to the line with a chance to tie the score late. Brown proceeded to brick the first shot and then air ball the second one out of bounds.

Game, set, match.

Brown and his foolish Gator chop (maybe the orange and blue color scheme confused him) are complemented by other fallen stars.

Lars Mikalauskas was a fan favorite for his heart and hustle on the court, but that did not always translate to the practice facilities. He often got into minor spats with coach Leitao at the time and was ultimately kicked off the team.

Nick Vandeerlaan was a young man with a hockey player's mind attached to his body. He could have fouled out in eight minutes if he ever got the chance to play that long. His career was short lived at Virginia.

Ryan Pettinella had some post moves but he was horribly inconsistent and was perhaps the worst free throw shooter of all time.

Jason Clark was a "defensive specialist". In other words, he had zero offensive game and academics cut his career short as a big man for the Cavaliers.

John Brandenburg and Tristan Spurlock, despite these horrible front-courts, never even got a chance to play for the team. They were forced to sit on the bench and witness this big man debacle from the front row. Brandenburg transferred and Spurlock may be next in line, who could really blame him?

Then there was Tunji Soroye...need I say more Cavalier fans.

That means, in the past 10 years, the best big men Virginia can offer are Travis Watson and Jason Cain.

Now Travis Watson was a warrior, he led the ACC in rebounding for a couple of his seasons and had some shining moments. He deserves credit for playing center considering he was under-sized, but he too had some pretty boneheaded moments.

It was clear that by his senior year, things were not going well and he pretty much packed it in at points during the game. In a pre-Twitter world, I would not be surprised if he would not have tweeted the same thing if he had the chance.

The result was a souring of a rather strong reputation and the beginning of the end for coach Pete Gillen.

Jason Cain was the opposite. Here was a guy that people made a fan club for so that they could ridicule his complete obscurity his first few seasons.

Cain went from a punchline to a headline though his junior and senior season as his role on the team grew.

However, despite rocking a killer mustache, Jason Cain never averaged more than 8 points per game in a single season. He never became that consistent scoring option to complement Singletary and J.R. Reynolds in the back court.

We all had hope that Mike Scott could break this curse. With the right point guard and with the right attitude, Scott could emerge as a star and help rebuild the program.

Well, I think we all know now that was a pipe dream. Scott and this program, needs to be purged. Bennett needs to start fresh, he needs to eradicate every memory from the past decade and build his team from the ground up.

I don't know if Bennett will ever find the guy that can fill the shoes of Ralph Sampson, but, if he works hard, he can find something better. A program that can sustain success.

Hopefully the fans will give him the chance to do that.

Two Virginia Players Named To All-ACC Academic Team
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/03/2010

GREENSBORO, N.C.—Virginia senior forward/center Jerome Meyinsse (Baton Rouge, La.) and junior forward Will Sherrill (New York, N.Y.) were named to the 2010 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Men’s Basketball Team on Wednesday.
It’s the third consecutive year Meyinsse has been named to the team and the first time for Sherrill. Meyinsse and Sherrill are among 12 players named to the team.
To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.
Meyinsse, an economics major with a minor in math, has played in all 27 of Virginia’s games this season and has started 19. He is averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds a game and is shooting 55.1 percent (49-89) from the field.
Meyinsse is averaging 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game and is shooting 55.2 percent (32-58) from the field in ACC games. He scored a career-high 21 points and had seven rebounds to tie his high in an ACC game against Duke on Feb. 28.
Earlier this week Meyinsse was named a recipient of an ACC Weaver-James-Corrigan Post-Graduate Scholarship.
Sherrill, a double major in history and economics, has played in 26 games and started six this season. He is averaging 3.0 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. Sherrill had a career-high 18 points and tied his career high with six rebounds against Cleveland State on Nov. 25.

Joining Meyinsse and Sherrill on the team are Antoine Allen (Miami), Ben Boggs (Virginia Tech), C.J. Harris (Wake Forest), Luke Loucks (Florida State), Ryan Kelly (Duke), Glen Rice, Jr. (Georgia Tech), Tanner Smith (Clemson), Andre Young (Clemson), Tyler Zeller (North Carolina) and Brian Zoubek (Duke).

Men's Lax Syracuse Game Notes:  https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/676261.pdf?ATCLID=204900358&SPSID=88761&SPID=10601&DB_OEM_ID=17800

Virginia Heads To ACC Tournament as No. 3 Seed
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/03/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The 19th-ranked and third-seeded Virginia women's basketball team heads to Greensboro, N.C., for the 2010 ACC Tournament. The Cavaliers earned a first-round bye and will face the winner of sixth-seeded NC State vs. 11th-seeded Clemson on Friday, March 5, at 8 p.m.

The game will be streamed live on the Internet by ACC Select. Links to the webcast as well as live statistics can be found at VirginiaSports.com and theACC.com. Additionally, the game will be broadcast over the airwaves on WINA 1070 AM in the Charlottesville area with Jay James, Myron Ripley and Larry Johnson calling the action.

Virginia (21-8, 9-5 ACC) is coming off of a win in its regular season finale vs. Virginia Tech, 55-46, on Sunday (Feb. 28). Senior guard Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.), playing her final home game at John Paul Jones Arena, scored 27 points and had her jersey retired after the game.

Wright leads the team and the ACC by averaging 23.0 points per game. In ACC games only, she is averaging a league-best 25.7 points per game. Her illustrious career includes an Associated Press Preseason All-American nod and four All-ACC honors, including being selected a first team All-ACC member on Monday (March 1) and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday (March 3).

She became Virginia's all-time leading scorer on Jan. 11 vs. Maryland, breaking Dawn Staley's previous school record. Heading into Friday's game, she is third on the ACC's all-time scoring list with 2,474 points.

Virginia is 33-29 all-time at the conference tournament and has won three tournament titles (1990, 1992, 1993). UVa has not advanced to the title game since 1994. Last season, sixth-seeded UVa was defeated by third-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals.

NC State (17-12, 7-7 ACC) is coming off of win in its regular season finale, 54-46, over Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack earned the No. 6 seed.

Bonae Holston leads NC State by averaging 11.8 points per game, followed by Nikitta Gartrell at 10.8 and ACC Rookie of the Year Marissa Kastanek at 10.7.

Earlier this season, Virginia defeated NC State, 73-30, on Jan. 27 at John Paul Jones Arena. Monica Wright led four UVa scorers in double digits with 26 points.

UVa leads the all-time series with NC State, 35-30. In the ACC Tournament, Virginia and NC State have met four times, most recently a 66-56 UVa win in the 2003 quarterfinals. The series record in the conference tournament is 2-2.

Clemson (13-17, 4-10 ACC) won its regular-season finale, 67-62, against Wake Forest. The Tigers are the No. 11 seed. Lele Hardy leads the team by averaging 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Earlier this season, Virginia defeated Clemson, 82-60, on Feb. 4 at John Paul Jones Arena. Monica Wright scored 25 points.

Virginia leads the all-time series with Clemson, 36-28, including the victory earlier this season. In ACC Tournament games, the Tigers hold a 6-3 advantage in nine meetings. The last meeting in the 2007 first round, however, Virginia won by a score of 89-82.

Should UVa advance to Saturday's semifinal, its contest would begin at 3:30 p.m. and would be televised by Fox Sports Net.
 

Virginia Head Coach Debbie Ryan’s ACC Tournament Pregame Quotes
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/03/2010

Head coach Debbie Ryan and Ariana Moorer

Virginia women's basketball head coach and Hall of Famer Debbie Ryan recently answered questions on the Cavaliers' upcoming competition at the ACC Tournament. UVa is seeded No. 3 and earned a first-round bye. The Cavaliers will play the winner of sixth-seeded NC State vs. 11th-seeded Clemson on Friday, March 5, at 8 p.m.

Opening Statement:
"We're very proud and pleased to be entering the ACC Tournament as the third seed. I think the bye really helps in terms of getting a lot of rest before the tournament and being able to take a look at your opponent before you play. We play the winner of Clemson-NC State, both very good opponents and very tough teams. We're looking forward to getting back on the court and getting started."

On what Monica Wright means to her team:
"Monica has been everything to us. She scores, defends, rebounds, steals the ball. She's one of the most complete players I've ever coached. She is an amazing physical specimen. She is a fast, gifted athlete who is as good of a leader as she is a player. She's an amazing package and I'm very, very fortunate to have her on my team.

On the advantage of the first-round bye in terms of rest for the team:
"You get to this point in the year and when you have a young team, they can't see the end yet. This week gives us a week to practice a couple of times but focus on us for a change rather than jumping into a scouting report. It gives us time to relax and rest and get our legs back and not put as much stress on our players. We have been going and going and have not given them adequate time to get their legs back."

On how Monica Wright's leadership style has evolved over the years:
"Monica is a very much a people person, just like Sharneé Zoll was. Except Monica has a different way about her. She is very relational and has developed an ability to say what needs to be said during the tough times. Now she has gotten to be a better enforcer as well as an encourager. She's a great encourager, but she has now put her own stamp on what leadership is. It's hard to quantify or define, she has a way of loving you and still being able to express when she is not happy about things. With her teammates, first she establishes a relationship with them then she leads them."

On what winning the ACC Tournament would mean to her:
"This is the greatest spectacle of all time if you ask me. I think it's better than the men's tournament and I think it's better than any other tournament in the United States. Greensboro has embraced it and every player, every former player, every player that's about to be a player. They make every single team and every single fan feel special. It's an incredible event and it would mean everything to us. We would covet the chance to be in a championship game. I can't say enough about Greensboro in general and the way that this tournament is done."
 

Wright is U.Va. women's shining star
By Kyle Tucker
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 4, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Before she wrote her name all over it, Monica Wright became a buff of women's basketball history at the University of Virginia. So she knows as well as anyone that a star of her caliber coming to play for the Cavaliers would've been much more likely, say, 15 years ago.

Back then, it was not unusual for a McDonald's High School All-American such as Wright to sign with legendary Virginia coach Debbie Ryan, a Hall of Famer who has guided the Cavaliers to 23 NCAA tournaments - more than all but six programs. There was a long, glorious stretch during which U.Va. women's basketball was thought of much the same way Tennessee and Connecticut are today.

Ryan's teams reached three consecutive Final Fours from 1990-92, including an overtime loss to the Lady Vols in the 1991 national final. Virginia made the Elite Eight seven times in nine years and was in the Sweet 16 from 1987-97.

But at the turn of the century, the flood of success turned to a trickle and then a drip.

One last Elite Eight in 2000 was followed by three consecutive first-round NCAA exits. In 2004, for the first time in 20 years, the Cavaliers had a losing record. They missed the field again in 2006 and 2007.

Along the way, though, a remarkable thing happened.

In the midst of those dark days for a proud program, Wright chose Virginia. After leading Forest Park High to a second Group AAA state title in 2006, with almost every big-time program beating down her door, she went with the relative underdog.

In doing so, she began authoring one of the brightest chapters in Cavaliers history.

"She took a chance on us," Ryan said, "and really brought this program back into the national spotlight, put it back on the national map."

As a senior this season, Wright has shattered the school's career scoring record previously held by national Player of the Year and three-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Staley.

Wright's 2,474 points are the third-most in ACC history. She also has 748 career rebounds and 361 steals - both top 10 on Virginia's lists - as well as 343 assists. A four-time All-ACC selection, she is a veritable lock for All-America honors this year.

"She is the best player in the country, absolutely," Ryan said, meaning no disrespect to Connecticut's Maya Moore, who is more likely to win all the national awards despite inferior statistics and a superior supporting cast. "I'm so thankful for Monica. She has pushed, pulled and dragged us. And it has been a great ride."

With Wright leading the way, Virginia won 24 games each of the past two seasons. Heading into this weekend's ACC tournament, the third-seeded Cavaliers are 21-8 overall, 9-5 in the league and ranked 24th in the country.

A lone senior, surrounded by nine freshmen and sophomores, Wright has Virginia dreaming its own impossible dreams. She was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday and is expected to be named Player of the Year in the league when that award is announced today.

The two other McDonald's All-Americans on the Cavaliers' roster - their presence is another sign the tide has turned - are both rookies who went down with early-season injuries. Wright also lost her co-stars from last season - Lyndra Littles (19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds) and Aisha Mohammed (12.8 points, 10.1 rebounds - to graduation.

"They were so much help," Wright said. "If I didn't have a good scoring night, I didn't have to worry. We were OK. Now I have to accept that if we're going to win games, I have to score every night."

She responded by increasing her average from 20.5 last season to 23 a game this season - the highest output in the ACC by a wide margin and eighth-best in the nation. Wright has dropped 30-plus six times.

Many nights, though, getting points is a chore.

"Everybody we play knows that I'm going to have to be the one to score," Wright said. "So I have to out-think these players who are guarding me. Getting to the free-throw line is the main thing I had to do better."

She has. She's shooting two more per game and hitting 80 percent from the line, compared to 75 percent in the first three years.

She has begun using pump-fakes to get defenders in the air and has learned to read opponents to tell when they're off-balance and susceptible to a whistle.

"I didn't have to worry about that stuff before this year," Wright said. "I just blew by everybody. I had one speed, and it was fast.

"That's why I'm taking it as such a blessing that I've had to produce so much this year, because it's forcing me to think more and forcing me to be a player I probably wouldn't have been."

She said assistant coach Wendy Palmer, a former U.Va. All-American, taught her nuances of the game that have not only helped her team but prepared Wright for the WNBA career she hopes is coming.

One of the biggest lessons, for a hyperactive young woman with an entire team on her back each night, was how to conserve energy.

"You play smarter by not moving as much," Wright said. "I'm just trying to understand the game at a more mental level. It's about playing under control and not just hustle here, hustle there without knowing why. Take it one notch down and let your mind move faster than your body."

That is easier said than done. Ryan said she still sometimes has to make Wright leave practice because she is clearly exhausting herself. The Cavs need her fresh when it counts.

"You want her champing at the bit on game night, not saying, 'God, I'm tired,'" Ryan said. "But she gets credit for coming and being the same player every day, the hardest-working player on this team, bar none.

"Each player has gotten better because of Monica Wright."

To Wright, the history buff, she is simply doing what so many great Cavaliers did before her. When she was a freshman, she did only what she saw the veterans doing.

Should she slack now, she figures, so might her younger teammates.

"They're very impressionable," Wright said. "I know I have to bring it every day or it's not going to be a good day. I try to be consistent in that aspect of my leadership."

She doesn't want to be remembered for records, but as someone who stoked a fire that was barely smoldering when she arrived.

"I didn't start this," Wright said. "The seniors when I got here showed me. And they got it from the seniors before them. And all the way back. We're all a reflection of each other."

She said women's basketball players at the University of Virginia all share a common thread that traces back to those good, old days. That thread is the reason she came. The reason she never saw it as taking a chance. The reason she's not at Maryland or North Carolina or Oklahoma.

"At some schools, I felt like it was all about basketball, that they didn't care as much about me as a woman," Wright said. "Players here, for a long time, have shared a personality trait, an integrity. It's being able to see basketball as more than just a game, seeing ourselves as role models, women who are setting the tone for younger girls about what is possible."

She remembers looking at players like Palmer and Staley and thinking: That's who I want to be. After breaking the scoring record, Wright called Staley to clear something up.

"No matter what I do," said a budding legend to an old one, "you are my role model."

On Jan. 11, the night she broke the record, the Cavaliers lost by a point at home to Maryland. Wright had scored 34 points, she was miserable.

With Virginia 0-2 in ACC play, she wanted no part of celebrating individual achievement.

" She wants to win," said Gary Wright, her father and former AAU coach. "It has always been that way. She likes to see her teammates do well. It is more meaningful to accomplish something together."

After that night, the Cavs won nine of 10 games and were contending for the league title before a last-second loss to eighth-ranked Florida State.

Now the road to this weekend's ACC title game, a place Virginia hasn't been since 1994, likely runs through the Seminoles in the semifinals. A championship and a deep NCAA tournament run are the only things missing from Wright's resume.

Wright, whose No. 22 jersey is already retired and hanging in the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena, said she would trade Staley the scoring record for just one of her Final Fours.

"That says it all about her," teammate and roommate Chelsea Shine said. "To hear someone say they would trade a record for a banner, something personal for something that all 12 of us would share forever, says a lot about her. She's so good that you look for flaws, but you don't find any.

"You just want to be around her and follow her and be like her."

This is how Monica Wright is changing Virginia history, pushing and pulling and dragging her team along, tugging the past into the present. She said her back is strong, ready to carry the Cavaliers just a few steps farther before she goes.

"This time of year, it is all I think about," she said. "There is only one thing I haven't done, and it's what I'm training to do every day. I'm ready."

U.Va.'s Wright winds down marvelous career
By Dave Fairbank 247-4637
11:18 p.m. EST, March 3, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE - While those around her fought back tears and battled their emotions, Monica Wright played her usual role as the rock, the leader, the steady face and voice of Virginia's basketball team.

The occasion was senior day, Wright's final home game for the Cavaliers before postseason tournaments and professional basketball beckon.

The Cavaliers had just put the finishing touches on a 55-46 win over rival Virginia Tech — a game in which Wright scored nearly half of her team's points — when it was time to honor one of the best players in ACC history.

Wright watched a video tribute on the overhead screens at John Paul Jones Arena, in which her teammates praised her. She listened to longtime Virginia coach Debbie Ryan glowingly commend her over the arena public-address system, complete with recited lyrics from Rascal Flatts' "My Wish."

She watched a banner unfurl from the rafters that put her name alongside former Cavaliers greats such as Dawn Staley, Wendy Palmer and Donna Holt as players with their numbers retired.

Wright then took the mic herself and delivered a heartfelt speech. She thanked her parents, teammates, coaches and the fans who watched her become the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer — all without a single tear or a crack in her voice.

"I tried not to look at the coaches because they were all tearing up, and I didn't want to cry," Wright said afterward. "I was in my head going through all the people I wanted to thank. Just trying to make sure my speech was intact."

Wright appreciated the magnitude of the day and was humbled by the tribute. But going all emotional and reflective: not her style.

"I'm not a big drama person," Wright said. "If someone starts crying, then I will. But other than that, I'm hardcore."

Then she added playfully, "I'm a gangster."

If by "gangster" Wright meant someone who coolly and efficiently takes care of business, then she more than qualifies.

Wright, who leads Virginia (21-8, 9-5 ACC) into the ACC tournament beginning today in Greensboro, N.C., broke Staley's career scoring record in January. She is at 2,474 points and counting, and presently is the No. 3 scorer in ACC history, behind only Clemson's Barbara Kennedy (3,113) and Duke's Alana Beard (2,687).

She was first-team All-ACC for the second consecutive year, was named Defensive Player of the Year Wednesday and is the favorite to be Player of the Year. She was named preseason All-American and is on all of the national Player of the Year watch lists.

"If you were to paint a picture of a basketball player," Ryan said, "this is the person that you would paint. You would paint Monica Wright because she just has all the right stuff on both sides of the ledger. You're just not lucky enough to have someone like this very often in your career, and I've been fortunate to have several."

Wright led the Cavaliers and the ACC in scoring for the second consecutive season, averaging 22.9 points per game. In conference games, she averaged 25.6 points per game.

Notably, she did so as the Cavaliers' only consistent offensive threat. She is the only double-figure scorer and the lone senior on a team with nine freshmen and sophomores.

She also led the team in rebounds (6.2), assists (77), steals (102) and minutes played (31.9). In short, she led the team.

"She's definitely an X factor," Virginia Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger said after Sunday's game. "I know she dropped 27 on us again, but she's dropped 27 on everybody in the league. She's that good. So let's have a big party and welcome her to the WNBA and level off that playing field."

Wright, a 5-foot-11 guard from Woodbridge, possesses remarkable athletic gifts. She is at her best in transition, though she is capable of creating her own shot and getting anywhere on the floor she wants.

"I think the difference between Monica and everybody else is that she's got speed and she's got strength," Dunkenberger said. "She's got one of the most explosive first steps, and where she uses that most is on the defensive end.

"If she can rip a lane or somebody can get a hand on the ball, her first two steps are faster than everybody else's, and that's how she gets out in transition and is so doggone explosive."

Hokies sophomore guard Shanel Harrison also grew up in the Washington, D.C., metro area and crossed paths periodically with Wright.

"I played against her in high school, and she's always been a fabulous player," Harrison said. "I hadn't seen her play in a while, but then coming to college and having to play her again, she's improved in so many ways.

"She can attack, she can pull up, shoot the 3, you name it. She probably can dunk if she wanted to. But she's a great player. It's hard to contain a player like that."

While Wright's athletic gifts and productivity are obvious, Ryan and those closest to her say that her greatest assets are off the court.

"When Monica came in, she had goals and had an incredible upbringing, and she led this team in the right direction from the very beginning. She stayed back, behind Sharnee (Zoll) for the first two years, and then she developed her own leadership style when it was her turn to lead. She took everything in that we do to try to develop leaders. But I'll be honest with you, she came in here with all the right stuff.

"She's taught everyone here about what character really is. She always makes the right decision. It's a lot of pressure for someone, a young person to have. I'm sure she has her moments, away from us, but I'm sure they're few and far between."

Wright's arrival and career in Charlottesville coincides with Virginia's return to the national scene. After 20 consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament, which included regular Final Four and Final Eight appearances, the program experienced a competitive dip.

Ryan, a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, had just her second losing record, in 2003-04. There were two appearances in the WNIT, sub-standard for the program.

One of those WNIT appearances was Wright's freshman year. The Cavaliers, the No. 3 seed in Greensboro, are locks to make the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season. They aim to advance further than the second round, where they stumbled each of the past two years.

"It's something that we need to get this program back to," Wright said. "This is a legendary program, and it's where it used to be. We're going to start with the ACC tournament, and from there we're going to move on and definitely work our hardest to get this program back to a championship mentality."

Virginia Opens ACC Slate Against No. 2 Maryland
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/03/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 12 Virginia women’s lacrosse team will open its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule this weekend, heading to No. 2 Maryland for a game on Friday at 7 p.m. Live statistics will be available on VirginiaSports.com.

The Cavaliers (2-1) are coming off an upset win over No. 6 Syracuse, 14-13, this past weekend. Sophomore Charlie Finnigan scored the game-winning goal with 1:33 remaining in the contest, while senior All-American Brittany Kalkstein dished out the game-winning helper and won nine draw controls to lead Virginia to a 20-9 edge over the Orange in the category. Kalkstein was named the WomensLax.com and Nike/Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week for her play throughout the week.

Maryland (3-0) is coming off a dominating victory over No. 5 Duke, 17-4, last weekend. The Terrapins were led by Katie Schwarzmann, Amanda Spinnenweber and Sarah Mollison in the contest – who each tallied hat tricks. Caitlyn McFadden leads Maryland in points this season, as she has recorded 10 goals and five assists. In goal, Brittany Dipper has seen the most time between the pipes and is stopping .500 percent of shots faced, while allowing just 6.83 goals per game.

Friday’s contest will mark the 50th all-time meeting between the Cavaliers and the Terrapins. Maryland, Virginia’s most frequent opponent, holds the edge in the series at 32-17 and won both of last season’s meetings. The Cavaliers have won nine of the last 11 contests though.

During regular season meetings, Maryland holds an 18-10 advantage against Virginia and when playing in College Park, the Terrapins are 12-4.

The Cavaliers will continue their road swing following the game, heading to State College, Pa., on Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest against No. 13 Penn State.
 

Cavaliers Dominate ITA Rankings
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/03/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia men’s tennis team remained No. 1 in this week’s ITA rankings and had a historic showing in the new singles rankings released this week. The Cavaliers had a school-record eight players ranked, including the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players.

The Cavaliers have the top-two singles players in this week’s rankings in No. 1 Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) and No. 2 Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.). It marks the first time since at least 2000 that one school has had the top two players. Singh’s rise to No. 1 makes him the second Virginia player to reach No. 1, joining Somdev Devvarman. Joining Singh and Shabaz in the rankings are No. 27 Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga.), No. 45 Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.), No. 64 Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.), No. 102 Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.), No. 112 Steven Eelkman Rooda (Amersfoort, The Netherlands), and Philippe Oudshoorn (The Apeldoorn, The Netherlands).

Virginia’s previous record for player ranked in singles was seven, which was originally set in 2005-06 and matched several times in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

This weekend, Virginia hosts Georgetown and Old Dominion on Friday March 5 and No. 4 Texas on Sunday, March 7.