For 'Hoos, It's Win or Go Home
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/10/2010
By Jeff White

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- UVa wrapped up its physical preparations for the ACC men's basketball tournament out of the public eye, in the cozy confines of Fleming Gymnasium.

That's the 2,320-seat home of the UNC Greensboro Spartans, and that's where Virginia practiced Wednesday afternoon. The Cavaliers will play on a much bigger stage Thursday: the 23,500-seat Greensboro Coliseum, site of the 57th annual ACC tourney.

In a first-round game that will end or extend Tony Bennett's turbulent first season as UVa's coach, his team meets Boston College at noon. The Wahoos (14-15) are seeded No. 8; the Eagles (15-15), No. 9.

Neither had to dust off an old scouting report to prepare for this game. They met March 3 in Chestnut Hill, Mass., where BC never trailed in a 68-55 romp over UVa.

"We were not tough at all," said freshman Jontel Evans, who'll start at point guard Thursday. "I don't know what was going on. Our defense wasn't physical at all. We just let them push us around the whole game."

Though little more than a week has passed since that game, much has changed for the 'Hoos. Senior guard Calvin Baker didn't play at BC's Conte Forum, but he was in uniform on the bench, giving Bennett another option in the backcourt.

Baker is no longer with the Cavs. He left the team Monday for personal reasons, meaning most of the point-guard responsibilities will fall on Evans and Sammy Zeglinski, who'll start at shooting guard against BC.

Of more significance, of course, is the absence of sophomore Sylven Landesberg.

Landesberg was ACC rookie of the year in 2008-09, and he was named second-team all-conference this week. That announcement came Monday, two days after Bennett suspended Landesberg for the rest of the season, citing the 6-6 swingman's failure to meet his academic obligations.

The 'Hoos went into their regular-season finale without Landesberg, and he missed the Feb. 28 game against Duke with a thigh injury, so they're used to playing shorthanded.

Their performance Saturday was their finest in three weeks. With no Landesberg, UVa battled then-No. 22 Maryland to the final minute before losing 74-68 at John Paul Jones Arena.

"When you lose a leading player, leading scorer, for whatever reason," Bennett said, "the other guys know there are going to be more opportunities for them, and they have to step up and be assertive and aggressive."

Against the Terrapins, three Cavaliers scored in double figures -- center Jerome Meyinsse (17) and guards Jeff Jones (16) and Zeglinski (14) -- and forward Will Sherrill and guard Mustapha Farrakhan added 9 and 8 points, respectively.

Virginia, which ranks 11th among ACC teams in field-goal percentage (42.9), shot 53.1 percent versus Maryland. The difference?

"Just the offense not being so stagnant," Farrakhan said Wednesday after UVa's shootaround at the Greensboro Coliseum. "I think we moved the ball well against Maryland. We showed a lot of fight. You could see it in everybody's eyes that we really wanted that game, and it showed."

When Landesberg was in a game, the ball often was in his hands. Against Maryland, UVa did "a good job of swinging the ball and playing together," Farrakhan said. "I think we got away from that a little in that losing streak."

The losing streak isn't over yet. It's up to nine games, the Cavaliers' longest skid since 1961-62. Still, this team feels better about itself than it did flying home from BC, the recent losses of Landesberg and Baker notwithstanding.

"Truthfully, it's been real positive," Jones said. "Nobody's looking backwards. Everything's moving forward."

Solomon Tat, a team captain, has helped keep the mood positive. Bennett marvels at the senior swingman's leadership qualities. Tat rarely plays, but he's a huge presence in the locker room and on the bench.

"I'm very proud," Tat said, "because at this point of the season, guys either give up or keep pushing, and I think the team actually came together and played together [against Maryland], shared the ball, and we were actually into it. I just love it. Coming in here I feel that we have a great chance."

If the Mike Scott who had 13 points and 9 rebounds at BC shows up Thursday, UVa's chances will improve considerably.

Scott, a 6-8 junior forward, is the team's top rebounder and second-leading scorer. In two of UVa's final four regular-season games, however, Scott failed to score, and he had only 2 points against Maryland.

"When Mike's consistent, that helps us," Bennett said. "We'll need his presence."

In all likelihood, the Cavaliers will need contributions from everyone in their rotation if they're to end their losing streak in the ACC tourney and advance to Friday's quarterfinals. UVa has dropped four straight in the tournament since beating Virginia Tech in a 2006 first-round game.

"Sylven's out, the leading scorer on this team," Jones said, "and I know it's going to be my responsibility, along with other guys on the team, to step it up."

Farrakhan said: "We definitely gotta pick up a little bit on the scoring, but it feels like we can do that."

Bennett is more concerned with his team's defense. BC coach Al Skinner likes to post up guards Corey Raji (6-6, 218 pounds) and Rakim Sanders (6-5, 228), and the Eagles were able to do so almost at will against UVa at Conte Forum.

"They were more physical than us," Jones said.

Boston College is bigger and stronger than UVa at most positions, especially in the backcourt. That's not a problem the Cavaliers can remedy with their current lineup.

"We just have to be tough," Evans said. "Be physical back and be tough with them back."

Jones said: "You just gotta have a lot of heart out there. Just go out there and be tough. Be mentally tough as well."

BC closed the regular season with a dispiriting loss at N.C. State, but Skinner's team has played better over the past three weeks than Virginia.

Given the way they handled a UVa team that included Landesberg, the Eagles have every reason to be confident heading into the rematch. That's fine with Virginia.

"I definitely think they'll underestimate us, which is good on our part, because we're coming out swinging," Evans said. "We're not going out without a fight."

Cavs’ high hopes face high odds today in ACC tourney
ACC tournament previews: Top four seeds
By Michael Phillips
Published: March 11, 2010
Updated: March 11, 2010
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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Virginia enters today's ACC tournament as the No. 9 seed, which in theory means that the Cavs will play in the day's most competitive game. That wasn't evident in the questions reporters were asking after yesterday's practice.

That seed is a tribute to better times, when U.Va. was tied for first in the conference. The current team is stuck in a nine-game losing streak, the longest since the early 1960s, and will face Boston College with a depleted roster.

"Our trainer said we got the taping done a lot quicker this morning," coach Tony Bennett said with a laugh. "Certainly they're smart and know there's going to be more opportunities for them."

Bennett's team drew the first practice time at the Greensboro Coliseum yesterday, the 10 a.m. slot. No fans were in attendance at the start of the session, but about two dozen had trickled in by the end. Later in the afternoon, the Cavs held a second, off-site workout.

The time at the Greensboro Coliseum was fairly subdued, beginning with 10 minutes of stretching drills and ending not with dunks, but a free throw contest. They left the court with three minutes remaining of their 55-minute allotment and faced reporters.

"It's not something we wanted to do, but it happened," Assane Sene said of the losing streak. "You've just got to go back and get ready, get your mind set and be ready for the next game."

Earlier this month in Boston, the Eagles had their way with the Cavs, and that game was played with U.Va. star Sylven Landesberg on the roster. He's suspended for academic reasons this weekend, and senior guard Calvin Baker didn't travel for personal reasons.

That means more time for players such as Mustapha Farrakhan, Jontel Evans, Jeff Jones and Sammy Zeglinski, who will have to pick up the minutes their two teammates were playing.

"Everybody's going to have to step up and make shots, obviously," Zeglinski said. "We're going to handle the adversity and compete."

It's unlikely, but certainly not impossible. Against co-ACC champs Maryland on Saturday, the Wahoos were shooting lights-out from the field in the second half and rallied to a point behind Maryland before a technical foul on Bennett marred the game's finish.

Bennett said he spoke earlier in the week with Landesberg, who is currently on spring break, but that no discussions have taken place regarding his future. The coach said that the door is open if he wishes to return for a junior season.

"I think whether there was a suspension or not he'd have a decision to make at the end of the year about his future," Bennett said. "That's where he's at now."

Next year is still in the future for the players in Greensboro, though, and they hope to extend their season by beating Boston College.

The pundits aren't giving them a chance, but the Cavs base their optimism on the fact that they were able to hold their own against Maryland, something that hadn't been happening recently.

"Against Maryland, we were playing together, and I think we had got away from that a little bit during the losing streak," Farrakhan said. "We just want to come in here and play together and play hard."

Even with what seems like half a roster, the Cavs are adamant they can give a full effort this afternoon.

ACC tourney: Roller coaster ride continues for Virginia
The up and down Cavaliers kick off the ACC tourney today minus two key players.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- In Tony Bennett's first season as Virginia men's basketball coach, the Cavaliers got what they always wanted: a team on a par with North Carolina's.

Unfortunately for both teams, UVa and UNC finished in a tie for ninth place in the ACC regular-season standings.

Virginia (14-15 overall, 5-11 ACC) captured the No. 9 seed by virtue of its 75-60 victory over the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill and will meet eight-seeded Boston College (15-15, 6-10) at noon today in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

"If somebody had told me that we would finish in a tie with Carolina, I would have thought we'd be pretty high up there," UVa junior Sammy Zeglinski said.

The Tar Heels, reigning ACC and NCAA champions, were picked second in the ACC before the season.

"I'd have taken that," Bennett said.

As late as the first week of February, the Cavaliers were contenders for the ACC regular-season title. They stood 14-6 overall and 5-2 in the ACC after a 59-47 victory over North Carolina State, then proceeded to lose their next nine games.

During one stretch, Virginia lost six straight games by double figures, including a 68-55 setback March 3 at Boston College.

Not much time has elapsed since that date, but a lot has changed. Boston College coach Al Skinner isn't sure how much can be gained from watching the first game.

"We've discussed that already amongst my staff," Skinner said. "It's a different team than we played nine days ago, missing two players that I think were part of the successes they had.

"We're not exactly sure what to expect."

He can expect not to see Sylven Landesberg, a second-team All-ACC selection and the Cavaliers' leading scorer, who was suspended for the remainder of the season after missing class.

Landesberg's teammates learned hours before their game Saturday with ACC co-leader Maryland that Landesberg would be unavailable and proceeded to play their best game in more than a month.

Maryland prevailed 74-68 after taking a one-point lead into the final minute.

"They had some stretches in the Maryland game when they played really well," Skinner said. "They were always within striking distance."

Senior post man Jerome Meyinsse made seven of eight shots from the field and finished with 17 points, his fourth consecutive game with double-figure points. Prior to that, Meyinsse boasted four double-figure scoring games in his career, no two in succession.

"The thing about it is, he knows he's going to get the ball now," Skinner said. "He's a senior. He's playing with a lot of confidence. They've got to give him the ball much more than they had in the past. He's demanding the basketball now."

Meyinsse has led the Cavaliers in dunks this season and had a pair of slams Saturday, but he also displayed a deadly half hook.

"It was kind of a go-to shot for me in high school," said Meyinsse, a three-time ACC All-Academic selection. "I really haven't had a chance to use it during my collegiate career. As I've gotten more confident and more aggressive, I've gone to it a lot. My teammates are definitely looking for me in the post."

The absence of Landesberg meant increased minutes for the trio of Mustapha Farrakhan (31 minutes), Sammy Zeglinski (30) and Jeff Jones (22). Landesberg was ninth in the ACC in playing time, with 33.2 minutes per game and those minutes had to come from somewhere.

Another perimeter player, Calvin Baker, had started 40 games in his career. Virginia announced earlier this week that Baker, who was averaging 16.3 minutes per game, had left the team to attend to an illness in the family.

"You think about it," Jones said. "Me, Sammy and [Farrakhan] all came in to be scorers. That's just in our blood. So, when there's a call for us to step up and score points, that's nothing new to us."

They combined to make 13 of 27 shots from the field against Maryland, and Zeglinski and Jones were a combined 8-of-14 on 3-pointers.

UVa shot 53.1 percent from the field and the 68 points represented the Cavaliers' highest scoring output in 10 games, and that was with second-leading scorer Mike Scott contributing one field goal, a dunk with 18:20 remaining in the first half.

"This is our last guaranteed game," said Scott, who has scored 15 points in the last four games, 13 of that coming at BC.

"We've got to be aggressive on both ends and leave it all out there."

Virginia looks to end slide
By Whitey Reid
Published: March 10, 2010
Updated: March 10, 2010
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GREENSBORO, N.C. — Virginia coach Tony Bennett says there has been at least one advantage in not having leading scorer Sylven Landesberg and senior captain Calvin Baker available for the ACC tournament.
“Ethan [Saliba] our trainer said we got the taping done a lot quicker,” Bennett quipped, “and we’re ready to practice sooner.”
These days, Bennett needs to find a silver lining anywhere he can. His team hasn’t won a game in over six weeks and his players are disappearing faster than “Band of Brothers” characters.
Today at noon, ninth-seeded Virginia (14-15, 5-11) will play eighth-seeded Boston College (15-15, 6-10) in a first-round matchup. If fan attendance at Wednesday’s practice sessions were any indication, good seats are likely still available.
UVa’s nine-game losing streak is the program’s longest since the 1961-62 season; BC has lost six of its last nine, including a 12-point loss on the road to N.C. State on Sunday.
On Wednesday, Bennett said he isn’t sure what the suspended Landesberg — who many figure is headed to the NBA — is planning on doing. He said the door remains open for a return, but is contingent on Landesberg attending classes following spring break.
“I think whether there was a suspension or not — or wherever he was — he would have had a decision to make at the end of this year what he wanted to do with his future,” Bennett said. “And I think that’s where he’s at now, and so we’ll see.”
Baker’s absence isn’t nearly as detrimental, but it does limit Bennett’s options against a physical BC squad that had its way with UVa in Chestnut Hill eight days ago.
Baker’s subtraction probably opens more minutes for freshman Jontel Evans and junior Mustapha Farrakhan.
Evans, who remembers watching the ACC tournament with his dad as a kid, can’t wait to take the court.
“I can’t believe I’m in it now,” Evans said. “It’s a dream come true.
“I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I know once I get out there the first couple of minutes, that nervousness will go away.”
Without Landesberg, Bennett is counting on the likes of Evans, Farrakhan and Jeff Jones to step up against the Eagles.
“Whenever you lose a leading player, scorer, the other guys who know there are going to be more opportunities for them, they have to step up and be aggressive,” Bennett said.
BC coach Al Skinner said his team’s preparation for Virginia has been very different this time around. Taking 17 points, five rebounds and three assists out of the lineup will do that.
“They become a different club,” said Skinner, when asked about not having to face Landesberg. “Individually, he just kind of rose above everyone else, but they also have some other people that can contribute.”
In Virginia’s closer-than-expected loss to Maryland in the regular-season finale last Saturday, Jones scored 16 points off the bench, Jerome Meyinsse gave an inside presence and Sammy Zeglinski showed signs of breaking out of his funk.
“It’s a new season,” Zeglinski said. “We’ve had a lot of adversity going on. We’re going to have to answer it and fight, and play with all we’ve got.”
Dunks
Skinner said junior forward Corey Raji (shoulder injury), averaging 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds, will likely play today. “He’s a warrior,” Skinner said. ... Virginia has an all-time record of 30-55 in the ACC Tournament, including a 12-21 mark in Greensboro. ... Last season, UVa lost to BC in the first round, 76-63.
 

Cavs need big game from slumping Scott
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: March 10, 2010
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GREENSBORO, N.C.—The Curious Case of Mike Scott will be under investigation at high noon today when Virginia opens ACC tournament play against Boston College.
Betcha Tony Bennett never imagined when the season began that the two biggest questions he would have to answer toward season’s end would be: 1) Why was Sylven Landesberg a no-show in the classroom, and, 2) Why was Mike Scott a no-show on the basketball court.
The Landesberg question has been answered. Bennett is still working on the Scott problem. Even the Cavaliers coach is a bit bewildered about why Scott has been so ineffective over most of the past two weeks.
In UVa’s last four outings, the tail end of a current nine-game losing streak, Scott has scored 15 points in 80 minutes (13 of those in a 31-minute span of the game at BC), and gone Oh-For in back-to-back contests against Miami and Duke. He played little against Maryland in the regular-season finale last Saturday, finishing with two points.
Those numbers are quite a contrast to his earlier performances when he assembled an eight-game streak of double-figures scoring and did likewise in 16 out of 17 games prior to his recent woes.
Bennett, like the rest of us, is trying to figure out exactly why his 6-foot-8 junior is mired in mediocrity.
Fans have wondered if Scott has hit the wall, lost his motivation or given up and mailed it in. Is he tired of losing, planning on transferring, or just in a bad mood?
After Wednesday’s shootaround at the Greensboro Coliseum, Scott answered “none of the above.”
“I ain’t going nowhere,” Scott said about transfer rumors, just to get that one out of the way.
Even he is a bit baffled by his lack of production of late.
“I don’t know what it is,” Scott said, searching for an answer. “I don’t know why, but in the Miami game, the Duke game, I think I tried to make plays instead of letting the game come to me. In the Maryland game, Assane and Will were playing better and, being a good teammate, I tried to cheer them on.”
While Bennett hasn’t exactly put his finger on the problem, he did take a stab at what has caused problems for Scott, considered the second-best player on the team.
“Mike works hard and I know he gets down on himself when things aren’t going well, but we have got to keep encouraging him, pushing him and trying to find the right opportunities for him,” Bennett said, noting that Scott has had good practices leading up to the tournament.
When everything was going smoothly, Scott showed some versatility in knocking down some mid-range jumpers to cleaning up on the boards. Since things have gone sour, Bennett wonders if his post player has made the best decisions with the ball and maybe lost some of his focus.
“I can’t pinpoint and say that when he’s not playing as well, what is it?” the coach said. “Is it focus? I’m certain he’s a marked man and other teams put some big bodies in there against him.”
When things aren’t going well on the scoring end, Bennett’s biggest issue with Scott is for him to make a positive impact in other phases of the game, rebounding, playing defense and the like.
“That’s part of maturing as a player,” Bennett said.
In the Maryland-Duke-Miami recent losses, he contributed a total of five rebounds, two assists and didn’t get to the free-throw line once.
It has been suggested that perhaps part of Scott’s problem is that UVa’s guards aren’t getting him the ball enough, or in the right places for him to be more effective. Scott didn’t deny the notion.
“It’s frustrating sometimes, but I have to fight through it and do other things and give the coach a reason to keep me in the game,” the Chesapeake native said.
Virginia needs Scott’s best today against a physical BC team or this game will be the Cavaliers’ last of the season.
 

Spurlock: ‘I love being a Cavalier’
By Whitey Reid
Published: March 10, 2010
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GREENSBORO, N.C.— For some time now, there has been a general assumption that Tristan Spurlock’s decision to stay or leave Virginia following this season will rest solely on what he wants to do.

On Wednesday in Greensboro, the freshman forward intimated that the ball will be in UVa coach Tony Bennett’s court more than this.

“I love being a Cavalier and being here at UVa,” Spurlock said. “The fans are beyond excellent. I mean I’m getting e-mails every day—tweets, Facebook messages, everything, [saying], ‘Stay, stay, don’t leave.’

“But it’s a business and I realize that. At this age, 19, you realize that it’s a business, everything’s a business. You want to do something. But if it’s not in coach Bennett’s idea to have me back, then, you know, that’s that. But I want to be here, and as long as they know that, I think I’ll be OK.”

Coming out of high school, the highly rated Spurlock was considered a lock for early playing time on a team that wasn’t exactly stacked to the brim with talent. However, Spurlock has played just 60 minutes this season. Almost all of it has come in mop-up duty.

Spurlock says he can understand why most people are expecting him to transfer at season’s end.

“I would think the same thing, too,” he said. “I would say, ‘Top-100 kid, Virginia player of the year not playing—he’s out, he’s leaving.’”

In addition, Bennett has taken commitments from six high school players, but only has five scholarships at his disposal for next season. That means someone on the current roster will not be coming back

“If coach Bennett doesn’t want me back, then that’s him going in a different direction,” Spurlock continued. “I can accept that. But if they want me to come back, I would definitely love to come back.”

Meanwhile, Jontel Evans, Spurlock’s roommate, laid to rest the notion that Spurlock’s decision will have any effect on what he does. There has been speculation that if Spurlock transferred, Evans would follow his buddy.

“I would stay here if that ever happened,” Evans said, “but that’s not going to happen. We both love it here. We both love Charlottesville and we love the University of Virginia.”

Added Spurlock: “Jontel’s his own person. I feel like any decision I make, that’s a decision I make. Jontel will either support me or not support me, but he’ll still be my best friend at the end of the day.

“But Jontel’s situation is totally different from mine. We’re not a package [deal].”

 

Tristan Spurlock wants to stay, but it's Bennett's call as to whether he returns

I had a chance to catch up with freshman forward Tristan Spurlock on the day before what might be both Virginia's final game of the season and possibly the final game of Spurlock's Cavaliers career. Discussions of Spurlock's future have caused speculation in this space on Feb. 18 and March 3.

When Spurlock has discussed his future before, there were still opportunities to break into the rotation. Now the regular season is finished. He had 16 DNPs, 13 games played, 4.6 minutes per game, 2.4 points per game. So the obvious question is, will he stay at Virginia?

"Same thing I've felt: next year is next year, and I'm taking it day by day, like I always do," Spurlock said Wednesday. "I love being a Cavalier. I love being at U-Va. The fans are beyond excellent. I mean, I'm getting e-mails every day. E-mails, Tweets, Facebook messages -- everything about 'stay, stay! Don't leave!' But, you know, it's a business, and I realize that. At this age, at 19, you realize it's a business. Everything's a business. You want to do something, but you know, if it's not in Coach Bennett's idea to have me back, then that's that. But I want to be here. So long as they know that, I'll be okay."

Therefore, Spurlock essentially put the onus on Coach Tony Bennett, who has not inserted Spurlock into games in more than half of the games this season.

As a reminder, the Woodbridge native was the state's top high school player last year, according to the Roanoke Times. Spurlock has watched from the bench, wondering what could happen during the Cavaliers' nine-game losing streak had he played.

"All the time," Spurlock said. "Just 'cause, I watch film. Not of me, but I have games where I didn't even play. And I look at them and say, 'Maybe I could have done this, or done that.' I got that from Sylven [Landesberg], watching a lot of game tape. Even games I don't play. I watch mostly Sylven, his offensive game. See how he plays, how he moves, how he dribbles, how he penetrates. From the defensive standpoint, Jontel is my roommate. I look at a lot of the things he does, how he stays ahead of the ball. I mean, you really do want to be out there. It hurts. It's really like, 'Man, I wish I could get out there and make a difference. I wish I could do something.'

"But you know, the guys who are out there, they're out there for a reason, so you have to make sure you encourage them. I never single out one player and feel like I'm better than that one player. I'm supporting everyone. I'm so happy for Will Sherrill, his junior year, he finally gets to play. I feel like he's probably proving a lot of people wrong. Jeff Jones. Jontel, he's probably my best friend on the team. I'm always ecstatic to see him out there. He always points to me when he scores. So, I'm always happy for my team.

"...For me, I'm competitive. It hurts. You got to put that to the back burner a little bit when you're sitting on the bench. Because if you sit there and sulk, everyone's going to say he's a sore loser. Because if we win, and I'm not cheering, then I'm a sore loser. So I can't do that when we lose. I can't switch up and be like, when we lose, I need to play. Because I wasn't playing when we were winning. So, it's tough. But you just have to deal with it. And hopefully, when you get your chance, you do something with it."

By Zach Berman

Tony Bennett confirms door remains open for Sylven Landesberg's return

The prevailing belief is that Sylven Landesberg has played his final game in a Virginia uniform, but Coach Tony Bennett emphasized Wednesday that Landesberg would be welcomed back. Landesberg is currently suspended for academic reasons, apparently because of class attendance.

"The suspension was for just the remaining games this season," Bennett said. "Certainly, Sylven will have a decision to make for what he wants to do with his future, as far as going to the pros or come back."

Bennett said he's spoken to Landesberg, but not specifically about the sophomore's future. Virginia is currently on spring break. Bennett said this is a good time for Landesberg to gather his thoughts, but there's been no indication whether Landesberg will continue the semester.

"I don't know that yet," Bennett said. "I guess if he made a decision that he was going to go to the NBA or go professional, then he would have a decision to make. ... Obviously, if he plans on coming back, he has to be" in class.

Bennett said at the end of the season, he expects to have that discussion.

"As I've said, he's a good kid," Bennett said. "It's a hard thing. But certainly, whether there was a suspension or not, or wherever he was, he would have a decision to make at the end of the year about what he would do with his future. That's where he's at right now."

By Zach Berman

Virginia basketball tries to pinpoint where season went wrong
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 11, 2010

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Neither snow, nor most of its ACC opponents, could stop the Virginia men's basketball team in early February. Despite a blizzard that buried Charlottesville, 5,988 came to John Paul Jones Arena on Feb. 6 for the Cavaliers' game against Wake Forest. Virginia entered 5-2 in the ACC, and Athletic Director Craig Littlepage thanked the excited audience before the game.

"We need for you to be here for the next couple of weeks," Littlepage said that day, "because we're going to win the regular season of the ACC."

Virginia has not won a game since.

What transpired has been a nine-game losing streak entering Thursday's ACC tournament opener against Boston College. Included in the 35 days without a victory were six losses by double digits, the season-ending suspension of star Sylven Landesberg for academic reasons and the departure of senior captain Calvin Baker, who left the team for "personal family reasons." A season that once appeared promising has now been cast as a necessary step of Coach Tony Bennett's rebuilding process.

"It's a process with bumps in the road, and you're going to get frustrated when you go through hard times," Bennett said. "When we went through some adversity, I thought we weren't the team that we needed to be to compete in this league. That's not because the kids were, 'Ah, forget this!' It's because we struggled."
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Bennett is a defensive-minded coach, and he said the team's defensive problems were more of an issue than an anemic offense. The team had it "backwards," Bennett said, only playing sharp defense when it had momentum created by made shots on offense and the victories that followed.

Bennett also admitted that the close losses took a toll on the Cavaliers. The losing streak started after the Cavaliers lost to Wake Forest in overtime; that was followed by a six-point loss to rival Virginia Tech that was close until the game's final minute.

Another snowstorm postponed a game against Maryland and set up a stretch of five games in 11 days. Each was in a different venue, requiring travel that exhausted the team as its confidence eroded.

"We went through a stretch of Maryland, Florida State, Clemson, Miami, where we really weren't playing well, weren't having really good practices," junior forward Will Sherrill said. "It's hard to point to one particular thing that really kind of kicked off and say, 'Okay, that's where we started playing badly.' "

Junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan said the team has been playing below its capabilities, and that the quick start was not overachievement but instead what the Cavaliers were capable of achieving.

"That's why it's so frustrating," Farrakhan said. "When we do watch film or when we talk to each other about it, we definitely just let it slip. We knew if we didn't play defense, we're a below-average team. But if we play defense, that gets us where we want to be and we can play with anybody."

Before the losing streak, Virginia's players were celebrated for embracing Bennett and his system. When the staples of Bennett-coached teams disappeared, Bennett said it was a fair question to wonder whether the team still bought into what he's asking of them. He said Wednesday that "for the most part," the players have worked hard.

"When a team is winning, you say everyone has bought in," Sherrill said. "Definitely during the losing streak, there were some cracks that appeared at the surface. It's not one specific thing, but I think our team unity was a really big problem and a really big issue. And I think that caused us to play not as well as we should have. In light of kind of what's happened in the last week and a half with us losing Sylven, Calvin, we've kind of banded together a little bit."

Virginia has one final chance to prolong the season on Thursday, and it will come without Landesberg. More attrition might follow the final game.

When Bennett accepted the job last spring, he did not know the team's personnel or the ACC. Bennett said he will take stock after the season and has a clearer understanding of what he must do to build a successful program at Virginia.

"Now, I have something to really evaluate," Bennett said. "The personnel, our system, all those things. That's really important. That's very valuable. Even going through this stretch, there's a lot to take from it."

ACC: Not up to snuff
Analysts agree: The ACC has been below par this season.
By Mark Berman | The Roanoke Times

The ACC is usually one of the most highly regarded leagues in men's basketball.

Not this year.

Defending NCAA champ North Carolina might not finish with a winning record. Only one ACC team cracked the Associated Press Top 25 poll two weeks ago -- the first time that had happened in 33 years -- and just two are ranked this week. The league came out on the losing end of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge for the first time.

And the ACC does not boast one of the favorites to win the NCAA tournament

"I'm not in the ACC's corner this year," said Joe Lunardi, ESPN's "Bracketology" analyst. "Syracuse, Villanova, probably West Virginia would all win the ACC this year. I think they're all better than Duke. ... Duke is third or fourth in the Big East."

A number of ACC teams could find themselves with less-than-stellar seeds when they tune in to the NCAA pairings show Sunday.

"The perception this year is that the ACC is not as good as it has been in the past, and I think that's true," TV analyst Dan Bonner said. "That perception is going to hurt them on Selection Sunday."

In last year's NCAA tournament, the ACC boasted a No. 1 seed, a No. 2 seed, a No. 4 seed and a No. 5 seed, as well as a pair of No. 7 seeds and a No. 10 seed.

Lunardi had seven ACC teams in his bracket Wednesday. But he had Virginia Tech a No. 11, Georgia Tech a No. 11, Florida State a No. 9, Wake Forest a No. 9, Clemson a No. 9 and Maryland a No. 6. He had Duke a No. 1.

Lunardi predicts the ACC is in for its worst average seed in the last 10 years. The ACC's worst average seed the past decade was the No. 8 seed that was the average of its six NCAA teams in 2001.

Bonner said he doesn't think any ACC team has a "really good chance" to win the NCAA tournament -- not even Duke (26-5, 13-3).

"The ACC has not had any teams that have been in the discussion for potential national champions throughout the year. That's a great departure from normal," Bonner said. "That is an indication that the ACC is down a little.

"I think it's much better than people give it credit for. It's just always so good -- it's not quite that good this year."

Lunardi predicts the Big East will have more Sweet 16 teams than the ACC this year.

ESPN analyst Len Elmore envisions "maybe one" ACC team making the Elite Eight, and he isn't sure that any ACC team will reach the Final Four.

TV analyst and former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said Duke and Maryland (23-7, 13-3) might wind up in the Final Four, but he said the Big East, Big 12 and Big Ten all have more potential Elite Eight teams than the ACC.

The Blue Devils are in contention for a No. 1 seed, but if they don't win the ACC Tournament, this might be the first year since 2003 that the league does not have a No. 1 seed.

"I'm not sure they'll be able to get the No. 1 seed because it's going to be very difficult for them to win the ACC Tournament -- because there's so many other teams who could beat them," Bonner said.

Many in the media have touted the NCAA title potential of Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse -- but not the Blue Devils.

"Duke is not really a glamour team right now," said Clemson assistant Ron Bradley, a former Radford University coach.

"They're a blue-collar, outstanding team, but they're not a glamour team, and I think people lay too much stock into that glamour team."

Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg scoffs at the notion that the ACC is down, noting that last-place Miami went unbeaten in nonleague play.

But Bonner and Elmore don't consider the ACC to be as good as the Big 12 or the Big East this season.

In the RPI's conference ratings, the ACC is third, behind the Big 12 and the Big East. The ACC finished No. 1 the past three seasons.

Duke and Maryland are the only ACC teams among the top 25 squads in the RPI, compared to five teams from the Big East, four from the Big 12 and three from the Big Ten and the Atlantic 10.

One reason the ACC has been down this year is because North Carolina (16-15, 5-11) has been one of the league's worst teams.

"The ACC has ... over the years built Duke and North Carolina up to being their flagship programs, ... but the negative to that is when one of those two teams has a down year, then immediately everyone assumes that the league isn't as good as it once was," Bonner said.

UNC lost four starters from last year's national championship team.

"When they all left, they went from being an extremely experienced team to an extremely young team," Bradley said. "People read so much into McDonald's All-American this and Billy Bob's Recruiting Service that, but those kids have to grow up."

The Tar Heels, who have seven former McDonald's All-Americans, did beat Michigan State and Ohio State early in the season. But they have been hurt by injuries in the frontcourt and subpar play in the backcourt.

"I do not think the players that North Carolina has on its roster right now are the caliber of players that North Carolina has had in the past, and they're not the caliber of players that you're going to have success with in the ACC," Bonner said.

Elmore said the ACC has been hurt this year by the early departures to the NBA of players such as Ty Lawson (UNC), Wayne Ellington (UNC), Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) and James Johnson (Wake Forest).

"There's a lot of talent that has been drained," Elmore said.

Even though many ACC teams might get stuck with poor seeds Sunday, that doesn't mean the league is doomed to have a poor showing in the NCAAs.

After all, good seeds don't always translate into good results. While No. 1 seed UNC won the national title last year, No. 2 seed Duke lost in the Sweet 16. No. 4 seed Wake, No. 5 seed FSU, No. 7 seed Clemson and No. 7 seed BC all fell in the first round. No. 10 seed Maryland, however, managed to win a first-round game.

So Bonner advises fans not to fret over seedings.

"The league is better than people think," he said. "The seeds that some of these teams are going to get is not really going to be the issue as to whether they can advance in the tournament or not.

"It's all going to be about matchups. ... I mean, both Wake Forest and Maryland lost home games to William and Mary."


 

Virginia Plays Boston College In Opening Game Of ACC Tournament
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/10/2010

GREENSBORO, N.C.--The Virginia men’s basketball team opens play in the 57th annual Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday (March 11) at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. The Cavaliers are seeded ninth in the tournament and play eighth-seeded Boston College in the tournament’s first game at noon. The game will be televised by Raycom and broadcast by the Virginia Sports Radio Network.
The winner of Thursday’s game will play top-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Friday (March 12) at noon.
UVa has an overall record of 30-55 in ACC Tournament play and won the tournament in 1976. Virginia has lost its last four ACC Tournament games. The Cavaliers last win was a 60-56 victory over Virginia Tech in the first round of the 2006 ACC Tournament.
Virginia enters the tournament with an overall record of 14-15 and the Cavaliers were 5-11 in the ACC during the regular season. UVa is coming off a 74-68 loss to Maryland at John Paul Jones Arena last Saturday (March 6). The Cavaliers have lost their last nine games, their longest losing streak since the 1961-62 season.
Senior forward/center Jerome Meyinsse led Virginia with 17 points in the loss to Maryland. Meyinsee was 7-8 from the field and 3-4 from the free-throw line in that game.
Junior guard Jeff Jones scored 16 points against the Terrapins. Jones was 4-7 from the field, including 4-6 from three-point range, and made all four of his free throws. Sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists against Maryland last Saturday.
Boston College enters the tournament with an overall record of 15-15 and a 6-10 record in the ACC during the regular season. The Eagles are coming off a 66-54 loss at NC State on Sunday (March 7).
UVa and Boston College met once during the regular season with the Eagles defeating the Cavaliers 68-55 on March 3 in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Cavaliers lead the series with Boston College 6-4, but the Eagles have won the last three games in the series. Boston College defeated Virginia 76-63 in the first round of last year’s ACC Tournament.
Virginia will be without sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg and senior guard Calvin Baker at the ACC Tournament. UVa head coach Tony Bennett announced last Saturday that Landesberg will not play in games for the remainder of the 2009-10 season for failure to live up to his academic obligations.
Landesberg leads Virginia in scoring, assists and minutes played this season. He averaged 17.3 points, 2.9 assists (77 assists) and 32.1 minutes played a game while playing in 27 of the team’s first 28 games. Landesberg averaged 4.9 rebounds a game and shot 81.0 percent (111-137) from the free-throw line.
Landesberg ranks fifth in the ACC in scoring, sixth in free throw percentage, eighth in field goal percentage (.443, 166-375) and ninth in minutes played. He earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District III Team this season.
It was announced on Monday (March 8) that Baker will miss the rest of the season for personal family reasons. He averaged 3.0 points, 1.9 assists and 1.2 rebounds a game in 25 games for the Cavaliers during the regular season. Baker started 10 games this season.
Without Landesberg, junior forward Mike Scott is the only Virginia player averaging double figures in scoring. Scott is averaging 11.9 points a game and leads the team with an average of 6.8 rebounds a game. He is third in the ACC in field goal percentage (.506, 132-261), 12th in rebounding and 20th in scoring.
Zeglinski is averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists a game. He leads the team in three-point field goals made (56) and in steals (34). Zeglinski ranks eighth in the ACC in three-point field goals made per game (1.9).
Meyinsse has scored in double figures in each of the last four games for the Cavaliers. He is averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds a game and is shooting 73.3 percent (22-30) from the field during that four-game stretch.
Boston College has four players averaging in double figures in scoring led by junior forward Joe Trapani. Trapani is averaging 14.6 points a game and also leads the team in rebounding with an average of 6.4 rebounds a game.
Sophomore guard Reggie Jackson is averaging 12.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a game and leads the Eagles in assists with an average of 4.5 assists a game. Junior forward Corey Raji is averaging 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds a game, and junior guard/forward Rakim Sanders is averaging 10.8 points a game.
As a team Boston College is scoring an average of 69.4 points a game and allowing an average of 66.0 points a game.
Al Skinner is in his 13th season as the head coach at Boston College. His Boston College teams have compiled an overall record of 247-164 and participated in the NCAA Tournament seven times.
 

No. 1 Cavaliers Score 12-6 Win Over William and Mary
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/10/2010

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Trailing 5-1 in the sixth inning, the No. 1 Virginia baseball team exploded for 11 runs over its final four at bats in rolling a 12-6 victory over William and Mary Wednesday at a sold-out Plumeri Park in Williamsburg, Va. Steven Proscia (So., Suffern, N.Y.) and Jarrett Parker (Jr., Stafford, Va.) each homered and drove in four runs for the Cavaliers.
The Tribe jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning on a three-run double by Tadd Bower, but the first four Cavaliers in the sixth inning recorded hits, capped by a long home run by Parker to tie the game. After William and Mary tied the game in its half of the sixth, Proscia led off the seventh with a home run and Virginia (10-2) led the rest of the way.
Proscia also doubled twice in addition to his home run. He finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI. Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) scored three times and went 2-for-3 for UVa. Bower went 2-for-4 with four RBI for William and Mary (6-5).
Tyler Wilson (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) shut William and Mary down for 2.1 innings after the Tribe tied the score at six in the bottom of the sixth. He improved 2-0 with the win after blanking the Tribe during his stint on the mound. Kevin Arico (Jr., Flemington, N.J.) tossed a perfect ninth to close the game.
Branden Kline (Fr., Frederick, Md.) made his first college start for the Cavaliers and worked four-plus innings, allowing three earned runs, four hits and three walks while striking out three.
William and Mary reliever Jay McCarthy (1-1) took the loss after allowing two earned runs, three hits and a walk over two innings. Tribe starting pitcher Brett Koehler tossed five strong innings, allowing one unearned run, three hits and a walk while striking out six.
Virginia jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Cannon doubled to deep left-center. He advanced on a passed ball and scored when Dan Grovatt (Jr., Tabernacle, N.J.) flew out to the warning track in right-center field.
William and Mary bounced back with two runs in its first trip to the plate. Ryan Brown drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double down the left-field line by Derrick Osteen. One out later, Chris Forsten grounded out to score a run, and Bower followed with a single up the middle to give the Tribe a 2-1 lead.
The Tribe got a timely hit in the fifth inning to up its lead to 5-1. Derek Lowe led off with a single against Kline, who then was replaced by Neal Davis (Sr., Baltimore, Md.). After a sacrifice bunt, Lowe stole third as Osteen walked. Arcure grounded to third to move Osteen to third, and Forsten walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Bower worked the count full before ripping a double up the left-center field gap to clear the bases and push the Tribe advantage to 5-1.
William and Mary brought its weekend ace, Logan Billbrough, on to start the sixth, but Virginia quickly responded with four consecutive hits to tie the game. Cannon led off with a single to center. Grovatt then singled to right, and Proscia ripped a double to right-center to score Cannon as Grovatt moved to third. Parker then went opposite field for his first home run of 2010, a three-run shot the clanged off the top of the scoreboard.
William and Mary inserted Jay McCarthy on the mound and he promptly hit John Hicks (So., Sandy Hook, Va.) with a pitch. Hicks stole second and moved to third on a Danny Hultzen (So., Bethesda, Md.) groundout to first. Reed Gragnani (Fr., Richmond, Va.) then singled through the drawn-in infield and into right field to score Hicks and give UVa the 6-5 lead.
The Tribe knotted the score in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run to left-center field by Ryan Williams.
UVa quickly got the lead back in the seventh when Proscia cranked a leadoff home run to left field. It was his third long ball of the season.
Virginia tacked on four insurance runs in the eighth inning. Gragnani led off with a single off reliever R.J. Archer, the Tribe's former starting quarterback. Corey Hunt (R-Jr., Charlottesville, Va.) pinch-ran for Gragnani and advanced when Keith Werman (so., Vienna, Va.) laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an Archer error. One out later, Cannon walked to load the bases. Grovatt then walked against new pitcher John Farrell to force in a run. Proscia ripped a double just inside third base and down the line to score two more, and Parker added a sacrifice fly to deep left to increase the UVa lead to 11-6.
The Cavaliers added one final run in the ninth when pinch hitter John Barr (Jr., Ivyland, Pa.) led off with a single, moved to second on a Werman groundout and then scored after a pair of Matt Wainman wild pitches.
The Cavaliers travel to Florida State this weekend for an ACC-opening three-game series. FSU is the ACC's preseason favorite in the Atlantic Division, while UVa is the preseason favorite in the Coastal Division. Both teams are ranked among the top five nationally in the national polls.
 

Brackets Announced For 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/10/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The brackets for the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships were announced Wednesday night. The 2010 competition will be contested March 18-20 at Qwest Center Omaha in Omaha, Neb. A school-record eight Virginia wrestlers automatically qualified for the championships by virtue of their finishes at the ACC Championships last Saturday. Five Cavaliers will be making their NCAA debuts.
All first-round matches will be held Thursday morning, March 18. The second round and first round of wrestlebacks will be on Thursday night. Quarterfinal action begins Friday morning, while the semifinals will be held Friday evening. Wrestlebacks will be contested through Saturday morning, with the championship matches slated for Saturday evening.

Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.), making his third NCAA appearance, earned the No. 3 national seed at 174 pounds - the highest UVa seed at the national championships since Scott Moore was tabbed as the No. 1 seed at 141 pounds in 2004. Henrich finished seventh at 174 pounds last year to earn All-America honors and is aiming to become the first two-time All-American in Virginia history. He will wrestle David Rella of Ohio State in the first round on Thursday, March 18.
Ross Gitomer (R-Sr., Flemington, N.J.), in his second NCAA Championships, opens against No. 4 seed Anthony Robles of Arizona State in the 125-pound weight class.
At 141 pounds, Derek Valenti (So., Newton, N.J.) will make his NCAA debut against Ivan Lopouchanski of UNC Greensboro.
At 149 pounds, Shawn Harris (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) starts his first NCAA Championships against No. 11 seed Desmond Green of Buffalo.
At 157, Danny Gonsor (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) also will be making his first NCAA appearance. He starts the championships against Northern Iowa's Tyson Reiner.
At 184 Mike Salopek (R-Fr., North Huntingdon, Pa.) becomes the first Cavalier freshman since Henrich in 2008 to compete at the NCAA Championships. Salopek will wrestle the No. 9 seed, Philip Keddy of Iowa, in the opening round.
Brent Jones (R-Sr., Burke, Va.) will make his second-consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. He is slated to wrestle No. 5 seed Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin in the first round.
Heavyweight Jack Danilkowicz (R-Jr., Green Oaks, Ill.) also is making his first NCAA appearance. He will wrestle Tucker Lane of Nebraska in the first round.
Virginia will be looking to build upon its ACC Championship performance from last Saturday. It was UVa's first ACC crown since 1977.

In the 757, recruits better get used to London calling
Bob Molinaro
Virginian-Pilot sports columnist
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 11, 2010
NORFOLK

The Mike London charm offensive made its way to the Marriott Hotel on Wednesday.

The new Virginia football coach was downtown to speak at the annual Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree luncheon.

"We haven't been as visible, available and accessible as a state school should be," he said a few minutes before taking the dais to deliver his remarks.

London immediately set out to change attitudes after taking over the Cavaliers in December. Recently, he brought his staff to Virginia Beach for a meet-and-greet with U.Va. alumni, an exercise repeated in Richmond, Roanoke, Lynchburg and Northern Virginia.

"When there's an absence of a relationship, you have to repair it," he said.

One of his primary goals is to "replenish the fan base." As part of that effort, U.Va. will be holding an intra-squad scrimmage at Old Dominion's Foreman Field on March 27. It's an unusual move, but a small step toward halting the erosion of grass-roots interest in U.Va. athletics in Hampton Roads.

"We want to re-engage the state of Virginia again," London said, "particularly down here."

London's persistence and personality can go a long way toward repairing damages before he starts being judged by how often U.Va. wins.

"You want it all to be done right now," he said, "but it doesn't happen that way."

Like an ocean liner, a college football program takes a long time to turn around. Fortunately, London, 49, is relatively young. And he arrives at U.Va. after a brilliant, if brief, run at the University of Richmond, where his team won the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title.

You can see why London was considered a natural to take over at Virginia, where he served as an assistant under Al Groh. He's a good combination of youth and experience.

Part of London's appeal, as is generally known, is that he grew up on the Peninsula and makes no secret of his desire to recruit the talent-rich 757 area code. He called recruiting Hampton Roads, as well as the rest of the commonwealth, "a mission of mine."

It clearly wasn't for Groh, who sometimes suggested that the 757's best players don't fit the U.Va. profile. Translation: They aren't prepared - academically and otherwise - for what U.Va. throws at them.

Don't be too quick to criticize Groh's assessment. London acknowledged that there's some truth to the perceptions. He's willing to concede that, even going forward, U.Va. might not be the obvious choice for the "four- or five-star recruit" from Hampton Roads.

But that still leaves a lot of good players from the 757 who London would like to be in on. Players "who don't come with all the glitz and glamour," but would contribute to the all-around health of the program.

"If you develop them, they can turn out to be really good football players," he said.

How many really good players will U.Va. suit up for the 2010 season? With spring practice starting Monday, not even London knows.

The staff is introducing a few twists on offense and a switch to a 4-3 defense, but London inherits a team that is coming off a 3-9 season and has lost its four leading rushers and starting quarterback.

It's no wonder London would rather talk about the renewed spirit he sees among the players.

"They've got a new lease on life," he said, "with new schemes and systems."

And a new head coach who promises he won't be a stranger to Hampton Roads.

For another day, London was very visible and available to the 757. Like all good repairmen, he's willing to make house calls.
 

Mike McGinty Named Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Saint Louis
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/10/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Mike McGinty has been named head coach of the Saint Louis University men's soccer program, as announced Wednesday by SLU director of athletics Chris May. McGinty has spent the past 11 seasons as an assistant at Virginia, including the past two as associate head coach. During his tenure at UVa, he helped the Cavaliers to the 2009 NCAA Championship and three Atlantic Coast Conference crowns.

"I want to thank Craig Littlepage and George Gelnovatch for every opportunity to develop as a coach," McGinty said. "I'd also like to give a special thanks to my fellow UVa coaches throughout the years and the current and former student-athletes. It has been my privilege and honor to be a soccer coach at the University of Virginia."

"It's an exciting time for Mike, and Saint Louis is a storied program," UVa head coach George Gelnovatch said. "They have an excellent coach in Mike. He has been a big part of our success for more than 10 years - including an NCAA Championship, two College Cups and three ACC Championships. We will miss him for sure, but wish him the very best."

McGinty, the sixth head coach in Billiken soccer history, began his stint at Virginia in 1999 under Gelnovatch. A chief recruiter for the Cavaliers, McGinty helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament every year. The Cavs claimed ACC championships in 2003, 2004 and 2009. In 2006, McGinty was an assistant coach when Virginia participated in the NCAA Men's College Cup at Robert R. Hermann Stadium in St. Louis.

This past season, McGinty's second as associate head coach, Virginia rolled to a 19-3-3 record and entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Cavaliers advanced to the College Cup and knocked off previously unbeaten Akron to claim their first NCAA title since 1994.

Prior to his stint in Charlottesville, McGinty served as the goalkeeper director for the FC Richmond club team from 1997 to 1998. He also was the goalkeeper director for the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville at the onset of his tenure at Virginia.

McGinty began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Wake Forest University, in 1995. He spent two seasons coaching the Demon Deacons, then was the goalkeeper coach with the Virginia Commonwealth University men's and women's soccer squads for one season.

McGinty also has experience as a goalkeeper staff coach with U.S. Soccer. He served as an assistant with the U17 National Team in 2001 and worked with the U18 National Team in 2002. This past season, he was assigned as a scout in Virginia by U.S. Soccer.

An accomplished goalkeeper, McGinty played four seasons at Wake Forest beginning in 1991. An All-ACC selection in 1992, McGinty is among the WFU career leaders in saves and save percentage. Following his collegiate career, he enjoyed an eight-year professional career beginning with the Greensboro Dynamo (1995-96). McGinty then played five seasons (1997-2001) with the Richmond Kickers. He wrapped up his professional career with DC United in Major League Soccer in 2002 before entering full-time coaching status at Virginia.

McGinty graduated cum laude from Wake Forest in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He and his wife, Jasmin, have a son, Sean, and a daughter, Arin.

McGinty's official start date at SLU will be March 22. He will be introduced to the media in a formal press conference that week.

"I am honored to be given the opportunity to become a part of the Saint Louis University community," McGinty said. "The only way I would leave a position as associate head coach of the national champions is to go somewhere and have an opportunity to compete for a national championship as a head coach. Saint Louis has the pieces in place to compete on a national level. I am so looking forward to getting to know my student-athletes and to move ahead with the spring season."

"Mike McGinty brings a winner's pedigree from the University of Virginia, where as associate head coach he helped lead the Cavaliers to the 2009 NCAA championship," May said. "Mike understands and embodies the goals of educating young men, competing for championships and building community. We fully believe in his ability to move our program forward so that the Billikens not only continue winning Atlantic 10 Conference championships, but also compete for national championships.

"Mike is plugged into the national recruiting scene and has a plan to bring talent into this program that will allow the Billikens to compete at the highest level," May continued. "His personality, work ethic, enthusiasm and attention to detail are impressive. He connects with young people and believes in developing young men academically and athletically in the Jesuit tradition.

"We are thrilled to welcome Mike and his family to the Saint Louis University community," May said. "I would like to thank Father Biondi, the University community, the review committee and the St. Louis soccer community for their support during this search. All are passionate about Billiken soccer, and there is no doubt in my mind that Mike will carry on that commitment."

The Mike McGinty File
Collegiate Coaching History
2008-09 - Associate Head Coach, University of Virginia
1999-2007 - Assistant Coach, University of Virginia
1997 - Goalkeeper Coach, Virginia Commonwealth University (men's and women's soccer)
1995-96 - Assistant Coach, Wake Forest University

Club Team Coaching History
1999-2001 - Goalkeeper Director for the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville
1997-98 - Goalkeeper Director for FC Richmond

U.S. Soccer Coaching History
2002 - Staff Assistant Coach with the U18 National Team
2001 - Staff Assistant Coach with the U17 National Team

Playing History
2002 - DC United
1997-2001 - Richmond Kickers
1995-96 - Greensboro Dynamo
1991-94 - Wake Forest University