NFL Scouts Descend on UVa
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/18/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- There wasn't a Chris Long or a Branden Albert or a Eugene Monroe in the bunch: a player considered a lock to be a first-round NFL draft choice. Still, several intriguing prospects worked out on UVa's practice fields Thursday.

Their audience included current and former Virginia players, as well as Mike London and members of his staff. The most important eyes, though, belonged to stopwatch-wielding representatives from more than two dozen NFL teams.

The scouts were in town to evaluate players ahead of next month's draft.

"This is the biggest job interview for any of us guys that are out there," said defensive lineman Nate Collins, who as a UVa senior in 2009 made the all-ACC first team.

"That's how I approached it. It's one of those things where everyone after college picks a career they want to do, and for us this is the career we want to pursue. This is our job, so these type of things are business interviews. Hopefully all of us will get picked up and do great in the league."

Of the Cavaliers who were seniors last season, 10 auditioned Thursday for the assembled scouts: Collins, cornerback Chris Cook, offensive lineman Will Barker, linebackers Denzel Burrell and Darren Childs, running backs Rashawn Jackson and Mikell Simpson, quarterback Jameel Sewell, safety Brandon Woods and Vic Hall, who played quarterback, wide receiver, safety and cornerback and returned punts during a distinguished college career.

Cook and Jackson received invitations to -- and participated in -- the NFL Scouting Combine this winter, and they chose not to repeat some of the drills and tests they went through in Indianapolis.

The others, though, ran the 40-yard dash, bench-pressed 225 pounds as many times as they could, performed agility drills and had their standing broad and vertical jumps measured.

Asked if he felt pressure to perform well, Barker said, "I was more anxious than anything. I've been training for a long time, a couple months, and to finally get out here and show what I've been working hard on ... It was relieving when it was done. I'm glad to have it over with."

In recent years, offensive linemen Elton Brown, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Brad Butler, Albert and Monroe have been drafted out of UVa.

"It's nice that Virginia's on the map as a school that's put out a lot of good NFL linemen," said Barker, a four-year starter at tackle. "Hopefully I can continue that trend. I know there's a couple younger guys that will definitely do it later on, so hopefully I can just keep the line moving."

The former Wahoos most likely to be selected in the draft -- April 22, 23 and 24 -- are Cook, Jackson, Collins and Barker. But Hall impressed Thursday, too.

He's only 5-9, with a lean frame, but Hall bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times, only three fewer than Barker and Collins. Hall blazed though his second 40 in about 4.4 seconds.

"He did well," said Brandon Hourigan, Virginia's strength-and-conditioning coach for football.

In Indianapolis, Cook had one of the fastest 40 times -- 4.46 seconds -- of any cornerback. He had the longest broad jump (11 feet) at his position.

The combine "was tiring," Cook said. "Late nights, early mornings, but overall it was a good experience to meet a lot of different guys and to be able to have the opportunity to meet with all those coaches and GMs and all the player-personnel [directors]."

As for where he expects to go in the draft, Cook said, "I've heard a lot of different stuff: late first round, early second, third, fourth, I don't know. Who knows? Nobody knows but the people in the front offices of the teams. So I don't really listen to all those mock drafts and all those so-called experts."

"I feel like I handled my end of the bargain, and now it's just time for the people who make decisions to make a decision."

Collins was measured at 6-2 Thursday and weighed in at 290 pounds. He played nose tackle and end in the 3-4 defense favored by Al Groh, UVa's coach from 2001 and '09, and Collins believes his versatility is an asset.

"I feel like I can fit in in a 3-4 or in a 4-3, and I feel like I've proved that throughout this past year and down at the East-West game, with a good set of competition against those guys," Collins said. "Right now, I'm open for anything. Wherever anyone needs me, I'm ready to play and will try to do my best there."

He ran the 40-yard dash in about 4.9 seconds Thursday, an excellent time for a defensive lineman. More significant, Collins said, was his play for UVa.

"I feel like if anyone watched my tape, my tape speaks for itself," he said. "I feel that I'm a guy with a great motor. I feel like I can bring a lot to a team on the D-line, in a backup role or wherever they need me.

"All I want is a shot, and once I get that shot, I'm confident in myself and my abilities that I can turn a few heads and keep my name known, wherever I'm at."

Jackson's attitude is similar.

"I plan on preparing every day like I'm going to be the last pick, if even a pick," he said. "I feel like if I just make the team, my hard work will speak for everything else, and God willing I'll have that opportunity."

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Jackson as the top fullback in the draft. At UVa, Jackson played tailback for most of his senior season and led the team in rushing.

"I'm whatever you're going to pay me to be," Jackson said when asked about his position. "I think I'm a fullback. I met some guys at the Senior Bowl and at the combine who don't see me as just a fullback, and that's fine. I'm just trying to win.

"It's going to be a great opportunity for me to go out and be a part of an organization. I wish I could be here for a couple more years, but unfortunately college doesn't work that way. So it's time for me to go to the next level and measure myself there."

Told that he looked lean, the 6-1 Jackson smiled. He's heard that a lot recently.

"I didn't drop too much [weight]," he said. "I kind of just leaned up, lost some body fat, toned up in different areas. Everyone thinks I'm anorexic now, but I'm like, 'Dude, I'm still 240. I'm not that small.' But it's cool, man. I'm just happy to be back with the fellas. I haven't seen these guys in such a long time, and I love being around them, so it's good to be back."

Jackson, who's from Jersey City, N.J., earned his bachelor's in sociology in May 2009. He competed as a graduate student last season. Jackson is ready for the next phase of his career, though he admits he's not sure what to expect.

"Now your future isn't certain," he said. "In elementary school, I knew I was going to go to St. Peter's Prep and play football. At St. Peter's Prep, in high school, I knew I was going to come to [college], and it happened to be Virginia.

"And now, it's like, this is serious business. This is a process where you don't know what your future will be. You don't know if you'll be drafted. You don't know if you won't be drafted. You don't know if you'll be on a team. So it's important that you cherish every moment and prepare like it's your last, because it might as well be."

Cavs’ NFL hopefuls strut their stuff
By Jay Jenkins
Published: March 19, 2010
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It sounds excessive, but Nate Collins spent three months preparing to make a first impression.

Well, it is probably more accurate to say it was a cross-examination process that involved 32 would-be employers and lasted a few hours.

On Thursday, Collins and a host of former Virginia football players performed numerous drills and put their bodies on display for NFL scouts and a few assistant coaches during the program’s annual pro day as the first round of the draft nears on April 22.

For Collins and others, it was perhaps the most meaningful day to date during the calendar year.

“It’s the biggest job interview for any of us guys out here. That’s how I approached it,” Collins said. “Everyone, after college, picks a career they want to do, and for us, this is the career that we want to pursue, so this is our job.

“These types of things are business interviews and … hopefully, all of us will get picked up and we will do great in the league.”

Some players boosted their stock significantly — former two-way star Vic Hall dazzled in the 40-yard dash, running it in what one scout timed at 4.4 seconds.

Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell posted a 4.58 according to one stopwatch and Collins added another in 4.93, a good mark for a defensive lineman.

Others struggled to stand out — Mikell Simpson was timed unofficially at 4.69 and 4.60, numbers that do not compare well to running backs who were invited to the NFL combine.

Virginia had just two players invited to that premier event, but fullback Rashawn Jackson and cornerback Chris Cook were on hand to perform in a selected amount of drills in perfect conditions at the program’s practice field.

Cook, projected anywhere from a late first-round pick to a third-round selection, said he felt at ease at UVa after going through the process at the NFL combine.

“It was tiring — late nights and early mornings — but overall it was a good experience,” he said. “You meet a lot of the best players in the country and to be able to meet with all those coaches and GM’s and all the player personnel, it was a good experience.”

Jackson participated in more drills than Cook, something the fullback wanted to do for his former teammates.

“I didn’t want to do everything, and some things that I didn’t want to do, I still did — like the cone drill — but it was pretty cool,” Jackson said. “I am excited for the other guys and I didn’t have to do the position drills, but I knew [Simpson] was doing it and I entered with him, so I figured I would finish it with him.

“I am excited for his opportunity and for all the seniors. This is truly a blessing to be in this position. Everybody has an

opportunity.”

Marques Hagans and Deyon Williams, two Cavaliers trying to get a fresh start professionally, worked out in passing drills with Sewell.

While his accuracy on some short routes was sometimes shaky, Sewell showcased nice arm strength.

“He looked good on deep balls,” former Virginia wideout Fontel Mines said. “He just looked nervous, which is normal.”

Former right tackle Will Barker, the lone offensive lineman to work out, was paired with Collins in a number of head-to-head drills.

“It was kind of nice to get a one-on-one look from everybody,” Barker said. “It’s good that Nate got out there and helped me a little bit in some of the drills.

“I can’t really compare it to anything since it’s my one and only pro day.”

It remains uncertain if Barker will be a late-round selection or will look to latch on with a team as an invited free agent.

Barker does have Virginia’s recent track record working to his favor, as a number of former Cavaliers are starting at various offensive line spots in the professional ranks.

“It at least puts Virginia on the map for linemen,” Barker said. “There’s been a hell of a line of guys coming through here and that’s what Virginia is known for.

“Hopefully, I can continue that legacy. I know that there’s some younger guys that will continue to do that. I hope I can do the same.”
 

UVa Insider, the column - Doug Doughty | Roanoke Times

Normally, by this time, a wrap-up of the Virginia men’s basketball season would have been in order.

Those wrap-ups generally include a look-ahead to the next season, but what can you say about the 2010-2011 season until there is some closure to the Sylven Landesberg situation?

Hardly anybody thinks leading scorer Landesberg will be back for his junior season but he’s still listed as a registered student on UVa’s website. I just looked.

That doesn’t necessarily mean anything. There could be paperwork involved, but somebody did tell me today, “I hear he’s in school.”

Another person told me that Landesberg and his family are vacationing on an island.

Supposedly, the Landesbergs will be making a statement early next week. That’s the word from men’s basketball contact Rich Murray.

I’m surprised that some student hasn’t come forward and said Landesberg has been seen – or not seen – in class. Of course, if it’s the art class that he reportedly has not attended all semester, maybe none of the other students knows he’s in the class.

There was some discussion of Landesberg on Thursday at UVa’s Pro Timing Day for prospective NFL Draft picks and other free-agent candidates, but it looks like people are moving on.

The Cavaliers’ late-season performance in three games without Landesberg shows that the 2010-2011 season is not without hope. The future of the program is the recruiting class that coach Tony Bennett and his staff will be bringing in, not Landesberg and Co.

PRO TIMING DAY was largely uneventful but it was hard not to notice the absence of former head coach Al Groh.

Nobody who was at UVa’s Pro Timing Day in 2008 will forget Groh huffing and puffing and personally working out certain first-round draft pick Chris Long as the scouts looked on.

You always got the feeling that Pro Timing Day was one of Groh’s favorite days of the year. Successor Mike London was on hand for today’s festivities, as was assistant Anthony Poindexter, but their presence was understated.

The main reason I was there was the opportunity to interview the likes of cornerback Chris Cook and defensive end Nate Collins for pre-draft stories. They are the two ex-Cavaliers most likely to be drafted.

If anybody created a buzz, it was Vic Hall, who ended his UVa career as a wide receiver but also played quarterback, returned punts and started for two years at cornerback.

A former media gadfly told me that he glanced at a scout’s watch and saw that Hall’s clocking for 40 yards was in the 4.4s. Most people would say that Hall’s height – somewhere in the 5-9 to 5-10 range – was the biggest handicap that he faced. But, I always wondered how fast he was.

Without an opening address from Groh, the workouts proceeded more quickly than usual. I wasn’t there when Hall ran, but eyewitnesses tell me that he was flying. He did enough interviews with scouts afterward to suggest that he had raised some eyebrows.

Obviously, this was serious business because everybody looked to be in great shape. In addition to Cook and Collins and maybe now Hall, offensive tackle Will Barker and fullback Rashawn Jackson would appear to have a chance of being drafted.

Jackson went to the NFL Combine and Barker played in the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star, where he played guard, increasing his marketability after four years as a starting tackle. Other 2009 UVa players on hand were quarterback Jameel Sewell, safety Brandon Woods, running back Mikell Simpson, linebacker Denzell Burrell and linebacker Darren Childs.

Past UVa teams were represented by wide receivers Maurice Covington and Fontel Mines, as well as ex-quarterback Marques Hagans. For some time, I’ve heard that UVa would like to bring Hagans back to Charlottesville as a graduate assistant but he has spent parts of three seasons in the NFL and isn’t giving up his dream yet.

It was strange watching Hagans throwing passes to Sewell.

Smooth Transition for Greer
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/19/2010
March 19, 2010
8:12 a.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Spring football practice is under way at UVa, and players on both sides of the ball are adjusting to new schemes.

The change on defense is more dramatic. After nine seasons in Al Groh's trademark 3-4 scheme, the Cavaliers are lining up in a 4-3. That's meant position changes for such players as Cam Johnson and Jeremiah Mathis, who moved from outside linebacker to end, and Ausar Walcott and LaRoy Reynolds, who shifted from safety to outside linebacker.

Steve Greer's responsibilities are a little different too, but the "fact that he's played inside is a tremendous advantage for him," Mike London said.

As a redshirt freshman in 2009, Greer started at inside linebacker and led the Wahoos in tackles in 92. He's now the No. 1 middle linebacker in UVa's 4-3.

"Hopefully it's going to be even better for him," London said, "because as an inside linebacker in the 3-4, with the guard uncovered, he had to take on [offensive] guards a lot.

"I think he's happy, because now he's got D-linemen that are going to keep linemen off him. He's running around out there pretty good. He's the quarterback of the defense. He knows the calls. So his experience and just his ability to know and react to where the ball's going to be has helped him tremendously."

Greer's backups are notable for their lack of experience. Connor McCartin appeared in five games as a true freshman last season. Aaron Taliaferro, who'll be a redshirt junior in the fall, played in two games last year.

"There will be maybe another name added to that mix [at middle linebacker]," London said. "We're in the evaluative stage right now. if another guy emerges, we'll give him a shot, too."

-- Jeff White

Cavaliers Tied for 10th After First Day of NCAA Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/18/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Seven Virginia wrestlers won matches Thursday to advance to the second day of competition at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb. After one day of action, Virginia stands in 10th place in the team competition with 17 points and is tied with Central Michigan, Lehigh and Penn State.
Only five schools have more wrestlers left in the championships than Virginia after day one. The double-elimination event is being hosted through Saturday at Qwest Center Omaha.

Virginia qualified a school-record eight competitors to the field this season. In day one, UVa wrestlers combined to win nine matches, matching their total number of wins from all of the 2009 championships.

Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.), the No. 3 national seed at 174 pounds, won both of his Thursday matches and next will wrestle sixth-seeded Mike Benefiel of Oklahoma State Friday morning, with the winner clinching All-America honors. The match will be part of ESPNU and ESPN360.com's coverage of championship-round matches beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Henrich, looking to become the first two-time All-American in UVa history, cruised to a pair of wins as he advanced to the quarterfinals. He opened with an 8-0 major decision over Dave Rella of Ohio State, then posted a 9-3 decision over Byron Sigmon of UNC Greensboro. Henrich is now 32-2 this season and needs two more wins to become the eighth wrestler in UVa history to reach the 100-win plateau.

Ross Gitomer (R-Sr., Flemington, N.J.) stayed alive Thursday after an opening loss to No. 4 seed Anthony Robles of Arizona State in the 125-pound weight class. Gitomer posted a 3-1 win in sudden-victory time against Edinboro's Eric Morrill and added an 11-1 major decision over Jonathan Childress of Liberty in his second wrestleback match. Gitomer (24-14) next will wrestle Joseph Langel of Rutgers on Friday; the two faced off earlier this year with Langel scoring an 8-4 win.

At 141 pounds, Derek Valenti (So., Newton, N.J.) won his NCAA debut against Ivan Lopouchanski of UNC Greensboro, 4-1, before dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 2 seed Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State in the Round of 16. Valenti (25-9) will wrestle No. 5 seed Zack Bailey of Oklahoma in the consolation bracket Friday morning; the two battled in January with Bailey prevailing, 3-1.

At 149 pounds, Shawn Harris (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio) fell 9-8 in his first NCAA match against No. 11 seed Desmond Green of Buffalo. Harris (20-13) rebounded to pin Brandon Butcher of George Mason in 6:59, and next will wrestle Nicholas Bertucci of Purdue Friday.

Danny Gonsor (R-So., Cleveland, Ohio), in his first NCAA appearance at 157 pounds, won 9-4 against Northern Iowa's Tyson Reiner. Gonsor (19-10) then fell 4-2 to No. 4 seed Cyler Sanderson of Penn State in the Round of 16 and will face Kurt Kinser of Indiana Friday.

At 197 Brent Jones (R-Sr., Burke, Va.) was pinned by No. 5 seed Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin in the first round but bounced back to record a pin of his own against Ohio's Erik Schuth in just 1:03. Jones (25-12) upped his UVa record for pins to 44 and now ranks fourth in career wins at Virginia (106). He also moved into second place in career matches at Virginia with 150. Jones is slated to wrestle Logan Brown of Purdue on Friday.

Jack Danilkowicz (R-Jr., Green Oaks, Ill.) fell 2-1 in his opening bout against Tucker Lane of Nebraska, but bounced back against Odie Delaney of The Citadel, scoring the winning takedown just before the final buzzer in sudden-victory time to earn a 5-3 triumph. Danilkowicz (19-13) next will wrestle Dominick Russo of Rutgers; the two faced off earlier this year, with Russo scoring a 7-3 win.

At 184 Mike Salopek (R-Fr., North Huntingdon, Pa.) received a tough draw and lost to a pair of seeded wrestlers. He dropped his opening match, 11-3 to No. 9 Phil Keddy of Iowa, and then fell 2-0 to No. 10 seed Mike Pucillo of Ohio State to end his season. Salopek finished his freshman campaign with a 28-10 record.

The ESPN family of networks will have coverage of the championships beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday with the quarterfinals, which will air on ESPNU and ESPN360.com. Semifinal action at 7 p.m. Friday will be on ESPNU. Wrestlebacks also will continue throughout the day, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Team Standings (through Session II)
1. Iowa, 34.5
2. Oklahoma State, 26.0
3. Iowa State, 24.0
4. Ohio State, 23.0
Oklahoma, 23.0
Wisconsin, 23.0
7. Cornell, 22.0
8. Minnesota, 20.0
9. Missouri, 18.5
10. Virginia, 17.0
Central Michigan, 17.0
Lehigh, 17.0
Penn State, 17.0

No. 1 Cavaliers Welcome Boston College for Weekend Series
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/18/2010

VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (14-3, 2-1 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. - LHP Danny Hultzen (3-1, 1.04 ERA)
Sat. - RHP Robert Morey (2-1, 4.03 ERA)
Sun. - RHP Cody Winiarski (1-0, 7.13 ERA)

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (7-9, 1-2 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. - RHP Kevin Moran (1-2, 10.54 ERA)
Sat. - RHP Mike Dennhardt (1-3, 10.91 ERA)
Sun. - TBA

CHARLOTTESVILLE Va. - The top-ranked Virginia baseball team begins its home ACC schedule this weekend as it entertains Boston College in a three-game series at Davenport Field. The teams open the series at 6 p.m. Friday, with 1 p.m. contests Saturday and Sunday set to follow.

The Saturday game will be broadcast by the Regional Sports Network, with Mike Hogewood and Scott Pose on the call. WINA Radio (1070-AM) will air the Friday and Saturday games live; those broadcasts also will be available at VirginiaSports.com with a V Pass subscription.

Virginia is ranked No. 1 nationally in the Baseball America, NCBWA and Rivals.com polls and No. 2 in the Collegiate Baseball and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. The Cavaliers are 14-3 overall and 2-1 in the ACC entering play this weekend. UVa started ACC action with a 2-1 series win at Florida State last weekend, then scored midweek wins over William and Mary (9-1) and James Madison (6-3) this week.

Friday, the first 750 fans will receive the first set of Virginia baseball cards. Sunday is Family Day
, as fans can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $32. It also is Little League Day, with $4 general admission tickets for the Cove Creek, Northside and Albemarle Little Leagues. Coaches must call 800-542-UVA1 to purchase their team's tickets.

Virginia starts the weekend with a .359 team batting average, which ranks second in the ACC. Dan Grovatt (Jr., Tabernacle, N.J.), the reigning ACC Player of the Week, is batting a team-high .424, which ranks eighth in the conference. Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) is currently on a nine-game hitting streak to raise his average to .385, which is 20th in the ACC.

After two strong team performances on the mound this week, UVa sports a 3.75 team ERA. Danny Hultzen (So., Bethesda, Md.), the scheduled UVa starter for Friday, is tied for third in the ACC with a 1.04 ERA, to go along with his 3-1 record. Since allowing two runs, two hits and two walks in the first inning of the season opener at East Carolina, Hultzen has surrendered just two runs (one earned), 11 hits and one walk, while striking out 31, in 25 innings.

Boston College is 7-9 this season, with all 16 games coming on the road. The Eagles will play their first home game of the year on Tuesday against Hartford. BC dropped two of three games at Miami last weekend to kick off ACC play, then split a pair of midweek games, falling at Connecticut (8-4) and defeating Bryant (8-2).

Robbie Anston leads the Eagles with a .397 batting average and is one of five BC regulars with an average of .300 or better. On the mound, junior southpaw Pat Dean is the reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week after firing eight shutout innings in a win at Miami last Friday. BC hits .290 as a team and has a 7.27 team ERA.

Virginia is 10-1 all-time against Boston College, with all the meetings coming since BC started ACC play in 2006. BC won its first game against UVa last year in Chestnut Hill, although the Cavaliers won two of three in the series.

UVa continues its homestand at 5 p.m. Tuesday when it plays host to Marshall.




 

UVa’s 400 Medley Relay Places Fifth at NCAA Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 03/18/2010

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Both the Virginia 400 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay picked up All-America honors as the first night of finals was held Thursday at the 2010 NCAA Championships. The meet, which runs through Saturday, is being held at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on the campus of Purdue University.

Through six events, Virginia stands in a tie eighth place with 64 points. Stanford currently leads the meet (142.5) followed by Georgia (134) and defending champion California (122).

"We were aggressive all night long," Bernardino said. "We need to stay focused and stay intense. We need to be mindful of everything happing around us. We have done the work: September, October, November. That prepares us for now and I think we are one of the better-prepared teams because of what we did six months ago."

The 200 free relay team tallied a fifth-place finish, two spots higher than its seventh-place performance in the prelims. Mei Christensen, Katherine McDonnell, Lauren Smart and Lauren Perdue teamed up to finish in 3:33.28.

"We wanted to do better and we moved up," Smart said. "Getting into the top-8 is the biggest thing; once you get there you just need to race against the people in the pool with you. Time doesn't really matter at that point. Mei did great to start and that helped us a lot. It was an exciting race."

Perdue earned her first career individual All-America honors after a fifth-place finish in the 50 free, her second of three events on the night. The Greenville, N.C., native clocked a time of 22.27, just .01 off from her school record-setting prelim time of 22.26 she set this morning.

"Lauren Perdue had a tremendous performance; she is the fastest freshman in the country in the 50 free," Bernardino said. "She is in a wonderful position to grow and learn. She is maturing as a swimmer and this is an experience she will be able to look back on and use as her career goes on."

"It was an extremely busy day; I've never swam that many events in one day before," Perdue said. "Coming into this morning I was a little nervous about it and wasn't sure how my body would hold up. But I'm really happy with how I did."

Virginia's 200 free relay team of Christensen, Perdue, Kelly Flynn and Hannah Davis also earned All-America honors with an eighth-place showing. The Cavaliers finished in 1:29.51.

Day two of the NCAA Championships continues Friday morning with preliminaries in the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 200 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 800 free relay.

"Obviously the goal of every program is to win a national championship," Bernardino said. "That is the type of goal we have as well but you have to crawl before you walk. Our goal all year has been to improve on our standing from a year ago, which was 12th. We just have to keep marching forward."

2010 Women's NCAA Championships
Team Standings - Top 10
Through event 6

1. Stanford 142.5
2. Georgia 134
3. California 122
4. Florida 107
5. Texas A&M 106
5. Arizona 106
7. Auburn 67
8. VIRGINIA 64
8. Southern California 64
10. Texas 38



 

Prelims: Day One at Women’s NCAAs
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/18/2010

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Both relays earned spots in the finals as the Virginia women's swimming team began competition Thursday at the 2010 NCAA Championships. Preliminaries were held in the 200 freestyle relay, 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle and 400 medley relay. The meet, which runs through Saturday, is being held at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on the campus of Purdue University.
In addition to the two relays making the finals, freshman Lauren Perdue earned a spot in the finals of the 50 free.
Live coverage of the 2010 Women's NCAA Championships can be found by clicking here. Finals begin at 7 p.m. this evening.
"What a great way to start day one," Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino said. "We really hoped we could get both these relays into the finals. Both got in and we topped it off with a first-year athlete making into the finals, a huge performance and a wonderful swim by her."
In the very first event, the 200 freestyle relay, Virginia was able to swim its way into the finals. The team of Mei Christensen, Lauren Perdue, Kelly Flynn and Hannah Davis finished in 1:29.23, besting its winning time from the ACC championships by .02 seconds.
Perdue, a freshman from Greenville, N.C., then became UVa's first individual swimmer to earn a spot in the finals after she tied for fourth in the 50 free. Perdue broke her own school record with a time of 22.26; she set the record at the conference championships with a winning finish in 22.29.
The 400 medley relay team of Christensen, Katherine McDonnell, Lauren Smart and Perdue then capped the morning session earning a spot in the finals. The Cavalier quartet finished in 3:33.45 to place seventh overall.
"We have to stay clean on our exchanges tonight," Bernardino said. "It was a solid morning. Hannah Davis broke 22 (seconds) for the first time ever on her relay split and that was gigantic to help that relay get in. We have a good start and now we have to maintain our focus and see if we can keep pushing forward."
Junior Katya Bachrouche, competing in her first NCAA Championships, led the Cavaliers with a 20th-place finish in the 500 freestyle. She touched in 4:42.88 while teammates Jenna Harris (4:44.85) and Jen Narum (4:45.09) placed 33rd and 34th, respectively. Anne Summer Myers touched in 4:47.76 to finish 47th overall.
Junior Amanda Faulkner, who won the ACC crown in the 200 IM, paced a trio of Virginia swimmers in the event with a 21st-place performance (1:58.92). Classmates Liz Shaw (1:59.30) and Claire Crippen (1:59.67) were 24th and 27th, respectively.
Hannah Davis (23.01) was 43rd in the 50 free and Kelly Flynn (23.04) finished 46th.
 

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2010
Women's Lacrosse Contact: Amanda McClure
No. 6 Cavaliers Face Quick Turn Around, Head to No. 13 Princeton Saturday Virginia ready to challenge sixth-straight nationally ranked opponent this season

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 6 Virginia women’s lacrosse team will face a quick turnaround and head north to Princeton, N.J., to play the No. 13 Tigers on Saturday at noon. The game will be played at Princeton Stadium with live statistics and a live web stream available at VirginiaSports.com.

The Cavaliers (5-2) are coming off a 14-7 win over in-state rival No. 18 William & Mary Wednesday night. Virginia had a season-high 10 Cavaliers contribute to the offense, led by redshirt sophomore Ainsley Baker and sophomore Charlie Finnigan – who each notched three scores. Freshman Caroline McTiernan recorded her first collegiate goal in the contest, while classmate Erin Laschinger dished out her first career assist.

Senior All-American Kaitlin Duff leads seven Cavaliers in double-digit scoring this season with a team-high 15 goals and 25 points. Sophomore Josie Owen has distributed a team-best 11 assists.

Senior All-American Brittany Kalkstein leads the defense, collecting 15 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. She has also won 39 draw controls, ranking second nationally.

Redshirt junior Lauren Benner has earned three-straight wins in cage for the Cavaliers and has stopped .514 percent of shots faced, while giving up 8.64 goals per game.

The Tigers (2-3) are coming off a double overtime loss, 13-12, to James Madison on Wednesday night. The Tigers are led by Lizzy Drumm, who has tallied 18 goals this season. Kristen Morrison has notched nine goals and five assists, while collecting a team-high 10 ground balls.

In goal, Erin Tochihara has stopped .467 percent of shots faced, but is allowing 11.20 goals per game.

Princeton knotted the all-time series at 14 with a narrow 8-7 win over the Cavaliers last season. The one-goal margin marked the second-straight season the Tigers escaped with a one-point win, and the 13th time in series history that the game has been decided by one goal.

This season, the Cavaliers head to Princeton, N.J., where they hold an overall record of 4-7 against the Tigers, and will look to break a two-game losing skid against Princeton. The last time Virginia won at Princeton was in 2006, when the Cavaliers used a lopsided 16-3 victory to defeat the Tigers.

Following the contest, Virginia will return home to host James Madison in a midweek game. Opening draw is slated for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.
 

Kohles Climbs into Top 10 of College Golf Rankings
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/18/2010

Charlottesville, VA - Coming off a three-shot victory at the Cleveland Golf/Palmetto Invitational, Virginia sophomore golfer Ben Kohles (Cary, N.C.) has moved into the top 10 of the individual rankings of both major college golf polls. Kohles is ranked No. 5 in the latest Golfstat standings and is ninth in the Golfweek poll.
In addition to his win at the Palmetto, Kohles opened the season by finishing first at the Maryland Intercollegiate. He has finished in the top-10 in five of six tournaments this year and leads the Cavaliers with a 70.39 stroke average. His 63 during the second round of the Palmetto tied the UVa single-round scoring record. He is the first Cavalier golfer to win two tournaments in the same season since current PGA Tour member Steve Marino did it in 2001-02.
This week Kohles and the No. 20 Cavaliers return to the links at the 31st annual Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational in Statesboro, Ga., at the Forest Heights Country Club. The 54-hole event runs Friday, March 19 through Sunday, March 21. Six previous champions will return as part of a 15-team field competing for the coveted title over three days. Teams tee off at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday for the final round.

Comprising the 2010 field will be Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, North Carolina, North Carolina State, North Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia and host Georgia Southern. A total of nine of those teams are ranked in the current Golfstat top-25 poll.
Six of the 15 teams have previously taken the Schenkel title including 2009 defending champion South Carolina. Defending 2009 individual medalist Matt Hill of NC State will make a return trip to Statesboro after claiming the 2009 NCAA individual national championship to cap his sophomore campaign.

The rest of the Virginia roster includes Kyle Stough, Will Collins, Steven Rojas and Amory Davis. The Cavaliers, featuring that same lineup, were fifth at the Palmetto in their first event of the spring season. Virginia has placed in the top five at all six of its tournaments this season.

 

Virginia Downs No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette 10-4
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 03/18/2010

FULLERTON, Calif. - The Virginia softball team (13-9) earned its second win over a ranked opponent this season with a 10-4 win over No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette in the team's first game of the 2010 Judi Garman Invitational.
The Cavaliers also defeated fourth-ranked Michigan 2-1 earlier this season at LSU's Tiger Classic.
A six-run sixth inning lifted the Cavaliers over ULL, which dropped to 15-8 this season. Virginia finished the game with nine hits. The Ragin' Cajuns tallied six hits and committed five errors.
Freshman Melanie Mitchell picked up her ninth win in the circle, tossing the complete game and finishing with 11 strikeouts. She allowed three earned runs on six hits in the win.
Giannina Cipolloni, Sarah Tacke and Clara Kendall each compiled two hits in the victory. Cipolloni and Tacke both finished with 2 RBI.
Cipolloni got things rolling for Virginia in the second inning when her double down the right field line scored Abby Snyder and Alison Pittman as the Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead.
Louisiana-Lafayette picked up a run in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 2-1. The Ragin' Cajuns then piled on three runs in the third to take a 4-2 advantage.
Virginia responded with a big fourth inning. Alex Skinkis singled to lead off and took second on a fielding error. Kendall then singled through the left side to put runners on first and third. Pittman reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop to score Skinkis. Another ULL error allowed Kendall to score and put Abby Snyder on base. Pittman scored on a fielder's choice by Lauren McCaskey, Lauren Didlake, who pinch ran for Snyder, scored on a Nicole Koren RBI single and both McCaskey and Koren scored on Tacke's single.
The Cavaliers added two more scores in the seventh. With one out, Tacke doubled to left center. Skinkis reached on an error by the shortstop and stole second to put two runners on. Kendall then beat out an infield single to score Tacke as Skinkis moved over to third. She would score on teammate Alexa Martinez's RBI groundout.
The Cavalier defense shut down ULL in its final four at-bats to pick up the victory.
Virginia will face Fresno State at 3:45 p.m. PDT (6 p.m.) Friday as the Cavaliers continue play in the Judi Garman Invitational.