Cavs’ Bennett eager to get started
By Jeff White
Published: April 3, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- This is not territory he's worked extensively, but Tony
Bennett has excelled as a recruiter in other parts of the country, first at
Wisconsin and most recently at Washington State.
Now that he's at the University of Virginia, Bennett said Wednesday, his sales
pitch will be simple: Come help revive a struggling program.
"There's nothing more special, and we did it at Washington State, than to see a
turnaround of a program and to be a building block or a key figure," Bennett
said. "That's what it's about as a player. You want to be that person and part
of that group [of whom] they said, 'They turned this around.'"
In 2005-06, Bennett's final season as his father's top assistant at Washington
State, the team finished 11-17. A season later, with Tony Bennett in charge, the
Cougars went 26-8 and advanced to the NCAA tournament's second round. In
2007-08, WSU went 26-9 and reached the Sweet 16.
"Those kids at Washington State will be remembered forever, and they had the
ride of their life," Bennett said. "It was amazing."
His recruiting started Tuesday when he met with U.Va.'s returning players, all
of whom had come to Charlottesville to play for Dave Leitao, Bennett's
predecessor.
"That was the one group I wanted to meet," Bennett said. "No offense to anybody
else I met yesterday, but I really wanted to meet the team . . . It seemed to be
a group of good character, which is a credit to Coach Leitao and his staff."
Bennett said he wanted to put names to face and ask the players "a little bit
about themselves, share a little bit about my vision."
The players apparently liked what they heard.
"First impression was that he was a good guy," Jeff Jones said. "I didn't even
look at him like a coach. I looked at him as a person first, and it just seemed
like he was a really good guy and somebody I'd like to be around."
John Brandenburg said, "I was really optimistic coming out of the meeting. He
seemed very enthusiastic, and he was really excited to build this program up.
And he thinks he can turn it around. He's already done it once, so why not
again?"
U.Va. finished 10-18 this season, but eight of its top nine scorers are expected
back, led by ACC rookie of the year Sylven Landesberg (16.6 ppg). Landesberg
started 27 games, and fellow freshmen Assane Sene and Sammy Zeglinski started 16
and 15, respectively. The team's leading rebounder and No. 2 scorer, Mike Scott,
was a sophomore, as was Jones, who started nine games at shooting guard.
"There's no substitute for experience," Bennett said. "That's why we were
competitive and then successful at Washington State. We played a bunch of young
kids that got knocked around pretty good their freshman and sophomore years, and
then they became upperclassmen, and they could compete."
Two recruits signed with U.Va. in November 6-8 forward Tristan Spurlock and 5-11
point guard Jontel Evans. After his introductory press conference Wednesday,
Bennett drove to Woodbridge and spent about three hours with the Spurlock
family. A similar visit to Hampton, where Evans lives, is planned.
"They need to meet me, and they need to know what I stand for," Bennett said.
Among the schools that compete in elite conferences, Pac-10 member Washington
State is among the most isolated geographically. U.Va. is within easy driving
distance of Tidewater and Richmond and the D.C. area.
"That's certainly one of the appealing things here -- the proximity to talent,"
Bennett said.
"I can't wait to get recruits here. I can't wait to get them here and show them
what this about."
Another piece in the puzzle?
Jeff White
Apr 02, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE – At his introductory press conference, Tony Bennett mentioned
that two members of his Washington State staff might be joining him at U.Va.
One of them is Ron Sanchez. The other, I’m told, would probably be Ronnie
Wideman, perhaps in an administrative role. Wideman’s title at Washington State
was men’s basketball operations assistant.
Craig Littlepage's introduction - Doug Doughty/Roanoke Times
In lieu of a UVa Insider following a 12-hour training trip to
Richmond, here is the address given by Virginia athletic director Craig
Littlepage at the introduction of Tony Bennett as new men's basketball coach:
This is a day of celebration at the University of Virginia because I am here to
introduce you to the newest member of the University community, our new men’s
basketball coach. Before I introduce him, I would like to give you some
background on the process that brought me to this point.
At the outset I referenced the first two of our six department goals. Goal No. 1
states our intent to graduate 100 percent of student-athletes that complete
their eligibility and Goal No. 2 to compete for and win championships, both
conference and national championships. As is the case with each of our sports,
we will do that with a leader in our head coach who embodies and teaches the
high values, morals and ideals that are synonymous with this great university.
In other words, this process and selection was guided by my commitment to
achieving our stated goals and doing so in the right way.
With an understanding of our goals, the key attributes of a top performing coach
were identified that would be associated with a person capable of achieving our
goals. A couple of tangibles jumped right off the page. Obviously we needed a
coach with a very high basketball IQ and equally important we needed a coach who
could deliver in this competitive, ever-changing landscape of recruiting.
Other important characteristics were also identified. Our coach would have to be
a great communicator among a variety of constituencies including our players,
our fan and donor base, the media, and key University stakeholders. This coach
would have to be the basketball CEO, a capable administrator that manages
day-to-day operations like planning, budgets, personnel such as staff and his
players, both academically and athletically. Finally, there had to be a clear
demonstration of winning ways and a track record of achievement, which is a good
indicator to know we were attracting a proven leader to coach Virginia
basketball for years to come.
I admire the legends of college basketball coaching. Figures like Pete Newell,
John McLendon, and John Wooden are names that come to mind. The more I thought
about the task and these legendary coaches it became evident that there were
equally important intangible qualities. What was it that made John Wooden the
greatest college basketball coach of all time? It was the intangibles of his
leadership, character, respect, loyalty and a strong moral compass or principles
that stood out. These qualities set him apart from many great coaches who won
national championships over the years, but were not capable of sustaining that
success. These qualities could be used as the model for the current generation
of college coaches that aspire to be the teacher/coach like these icons I so
greatly admire. These are the qualities I sought in our new head coach.
Finding someone that respected the teacher/coach model was the priority. With
the attributes mentioned in mind, an extensive list of coaches was created and
vetted according to what’s been described. This list ranged from coaches who are
household names and have won national championships and included coaches who
were lesser known but are outstanding coaches nonetheless. I consulted with
basketball experts, primarily current and former coaches, and administrators;
people familiar with UVa, the ACC and college basketball generally.
It became clear that winning conference and national championships was going to
require a coach that could build a program of sustained success similar to some
of our competition both inside and outside of the ACC. To do that, I sought
someone that was going to be embraced by this community – a coach who could both
garner and give love and respect with players as well as the fans, in good times
or bad.
That realization brought clarity and helped me come to the ultimate choice. I
knew we needed to have a teacher/coach who besides being a great court tactician
and a great recruiter, also embodied all of those character traits that would
make each one of us eager and proud to call him our leader, our coach, our
representative to take us into the national arena of competition. That coach
joins us today and is seated next to me. That coach joins us because he has a
proven plan to bring about consistent winning results to the University of
Virginia men’s basketball program.
At this time, I’d like to introduce my pick, the No. 1 pick and the future of
Virginia basketball, Tony Bennett, the 2007 National AP Coach of the Year and
his family, Laurel his wife, his daughter Anna, and his son Eli.
Big East basketball is thriving in aftermath of ACC’s 2003
expansion raid
EDDIE PELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 3, 2009
DETROIT -- OK, so maybe it wasn't the end of college sports as we know it.
Six years after commissioner Mike Tranghese predicted doom if his conference
lost schools to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big East is doing just fine,
thank you.
Exhibit A: Take a look at the Final Four, where Big East teams UConn and
Villanova make up half the bracket.
"I sat there and basically took a look at what we'd been and what we were about
to become, and it wasn't very encouraging," Tranghese said yesterday. "A lot of
little things happened along the way to hold things together."
That the Big East exists, let alone thrives, seems like something of a sports
miracle given where this league was back in 2003.
Facing the destruction of his conference at league meetings, Tranghese famously
said the defections of Miami and Virginia Tech, and later Boston College, would
trigger "the most disastrous blow to intercollegiate athletics in my lifetime."
He will not touch the subject of who ended up better in that deal. Suffice it to
say that when Tranghese sits down Saturday night to watch his last Final Four as
commissioner, he'll be the only one with a team in both games.
Connecticut plays Michigan State, and Villanova plays North Carolina.
"They've been tremendous basketball leagues since the Big East was started," ACC
commissioner John Swofford said. "These were two of the best basketball leagues
then, and they are now. That hasn't changed."
The Big East, in fact, has never been in better shape.
Not as many are saying that about the ACC, which is closing out what many
experts said was a weak NCAA tournament, even with the Tar Heels in the Final
Four. They sent seven teams to the tourney and have seven wins -- a whopping
three by the six teams not called North Carolina.
"I don't necessarily think the postseason was reflective of overall play in the
league throughout the year, and that's unfortunate," Swofford said.
But football is where the money's at in college sports, and the ACC has yet to
produce the show-stopping results it was hoping for.
Since the expansion, no ACC football team has been in serious contention for the
national title, and its only BCS berths have been the automatic ones. As for
that revenue-rich title game that was behind the ACC's push to add Miami,
Virginia Tech and one more school (which turned out to be Boston College), well,
let's just say it's a work in progress.
Last year's Boston College-Virginia Tech title game drew 27,360 to Tampa's
Raymond James Stadium. There are spring games in the SEC with bigger draws.
The addition of Louisville and four others from Conference USA helped turn the
Big East into the best conference in the country. At least this year. Seven
teams in the tournament. Three top seeds. Seventeen wins.
"By the grace of God, we were able to stay together and rebuild," Tranghese
said. "We've had a very, very special basketball year. We thought we'd be good.
We had no idea we'd be this good."
Virginia After WSU: A Difference In Expectations For Bennett? by
Alex Gregory (Contributor)
Opinion
April 02, 2009
The Five Best Players Not in the MLB Hall of Fame NCAA Tournament Recap: The
View from Reno John Calipari vs. Rick Pitino: January Can't Come Soon Enough The
10 Best College Basketball Players of the Last 20 Years Forget the southern
accents (which really aren't that southern in a state that has become more and
more mid-atlantic, like Delaware, than southern, like Tennessee).
The biggest difference new UVA Coach Tony Bennett will find in Virginia is a bit
of a difference in basketball expectations.
It's not an overwhelming change, but it's at least one he needs to be aware of.
While Virginia alums may pride themselves on having attended a school where
sports are not the main attraction (and they aren't, not by a long shot)...the
University did just shell out $1.7 million a year for a new basketball coach.
So even though the UVA fans won't expect the same things they expect year-in and
year-out at Kentucky—which just hired a $4 million per year used-car
salesman—they do expect a little something-something in return.
And...they always have.
Let's look at the past 50 years of coaches at Virginia and Washington State, to
get a glimpse of the coaching expectations where Bennett is coming from and
where he is going.
Since 1960, there have been four coaches who won at least as many games as they
lost at Virginia; and three coaches fitting that description at Washington
State.
So what has happened to the coaches between .500 (mediocre) and .600 (good)?
At one school, they are considered to have done a bang-up job and eventually
move to greener pastures. Very bad for fans!
At the other, they seem to get fired. Very bad for the coach.
WASHINGTON STATE
Tony Bennett (.676 in three seasons)—left! For Virginia in 2009.
George Raveling (.551 in 11 seasons)—left! For Iowa in 1983.
Kelvin Sampson (.500 in seven seasons)—left! For Oklahoma in 1994.
VIRGINIA
Terry Holland (.653 in 16 seasons)—retired in 1990.
Jeff Jones (.584 in eight seasons)—fired! In 1998.
Pete Gillen (.559 in seven seasons)—fired! In 2005.
Dave Leitao (.512 in four seasons)—fired! In 2009.
Of seven decent coaches at two schools, only one had a result that you would
hope for as a fan.
A coach who does a very good job (I consider a 60-70 percent career winning
percentage to be very good at an ACC school like Virginia) and decides to stay
at your school for basically his entire coaching career.
As any Virginia fan knows, that man was Terry Holland. (And the same thing
happened more recently in football with George Welsh, .609 in 19 seasons before
retiring.)
To this day, Coach Holland is beloved in Charlottesville.
So...what does this mean for Bennett?
It means the man has got to be able to deal with some expectations. They aren't
overwhelming at Virginia, but they are there.
And if he can meet those expectations, Charlottesville is somewhere he will
never want to leave.
But maybe we've just been lucky so far?
It seems a whopping five coaches (three basketball coaches and two football
coaches: Dennis Erickson and Mike Price) have left Washington State for other,
less remote, jobs in the past 30 years.
Bennett begins task after day of praise
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
April 2, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE - With a crisp new orange, blue and white tie
draped around his neck, Tony Bennett looked every bit the part of ambitious
young savior for the University of Virginia men's basketball program.
Now, the hard part begins.
Bennett was formally introduced Wednesday by U.Va. president John Casteen and
athletic director Craig Littlepage to a room full of media, boosters and fans in
a cafeteria on the suite level of John Paul Jones Arena. Bennett, 39,
established goals as he tries to rebuild a team that went 10-18 overall this
season under former coach Dave Leitao, including 4-12 in the Atlantic Coast
Conference.
"I came here to build a great team, but more importantly, I came here to build a
program that lasts," said Bennett, who arrives after coaching for the last six
seasons at Washington State, including the last three seasons as head coach.
Despite rumors U.Va. was actively pursuing more recognizable coaching names like
Minnesota's Tubby Smith and Oklahoma's Jeff Capel, Littlepage referred to
Bennett as "my pick, the No. 1 pick and the future of Virginia basketball."
"I had absolute confidence in what was being done," Littlepage said. "When I
went out and asked people that I know that know basketball and are respected in
the basketball community, and every single one of those people said words to the
effect, 'My gosh, if you can get that guy, you've got to get him,' there was no
concern on my part."
At Washington State, Bennett compiled a 69-33 record. He led the Cougars to NCAA
tournament bids in his first two seasons and a National Invitation Tournament
bid this season.
"It's kind of like your wedding day," Bennett said regarding the press
conference. "It's a celebration. There's a lot of promise, a lot of excitement,
but what really matters quite honestly is the marriage. That's the daily
investment. It's the promise over time."
During the press conference, Bennett said he was pursuing Liberty coach Ritchie
McKay to join U.Va.'s assistant coaching staff. On Wednesday afternoon, McKay
resigned from Liberty, but U.Va. didn't release any statements announcing him as
a new assistant. Bennett also said he may bring one of his former Washington
State assistant coaches with him to U.Va. It's believed the assistant coach
could be Ron Sanchez.
Bennett said he met Tuesday with his new team. Guard Sylven Landesberg said he
and his teammates knew nothing about Bennett before Monday, but Landesberg added
that Tuesday's meet-and-greet went well.
"Personally, I liked him a lot," said Landesberg, who averaged 16.6 points per
game this season and was named the ACC rookie of the year. "I think everybody
felt the same way. He came off as a real nice, polite person. As a coach, he's
very respectable, so I think there will be great chemistry."
Bennett is the son of retired coach Dick Bennett. Tony played for his father at
Wisconsin-Green Bay and was on his father's coaching staffs at Wisconsin and
Washington State before taking over the Cougars.
In all three seasons of Tony's tenure as Washington State's coach, the Cougars
were 17th or better nationally, including first this season, in scoring defense.
Meanwhile, Washington State never rose above 208th nationally in scoring offense
in those three seasons.
"I think Tony is more creative offensively than I ever was, but I don't think
people have trouble classifying his style as boring at all, because it's really
not," Dick said.
Tony said he plans to visit U.Va. signees Tristan Spurlock, a 6-foot-7 forward
from Springfield, and Jontel Evans, a 5-11 guard from Bethel High, in the coming
days. Evans said Monday that he hopes to play an up-tempo offensive style at
U.Va. Tony, who leaned more toward a screen-heavy, calculated, half-court
offensive approach at Washington State, indicated he'd be willing to tailor his
philosophy if necessary.
"First of all, they have to honor their commitment, but that's why I want to
look at our team," said Bennett, who was accompanied by his wife, Laurel, and
kids, Anna and Eli, at the press conference. "I think sometimes in the past our
style has been considered real slow-down. … There will be opportunities to get
out and go, as long as you're solid and you're tough. I think I'll just be real
with them. There's no sense in saying 'this' is what we are exactly. I don't
have a clear picture of how we're going to play on the offensive end."
Evans 'a little bit' uncertain
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
April 1, 2009
Though Bethel High's Jontel Evans said Tuesday he hasn't
changed his mind about playing basketball at the University of Virginia, he
admitted there are several questions about new basketball coach Tony Bennett he
wants answered.
Evans, a 5-foot-11 point guard who signed a letter of intent last July with U.Va.,
said he received a phone call Tuesday from Bennett, but they hadn't touched base
as of early evening. Bennett, who spent the past three seasons as Washington
State's coach, was announced Tuesday as U.Va.'s new coach.
"It all depends on what the coach is trying to do," said Evans, regarding his
future with U.Va. "It depends on the coach and if I fit in with his scheme. I'm
just a little bit (uncertain). If he tells me he wants me to play for him, and
he wants me to do this and do that and it sounds good to me, then that's the
decision I'll make to stay at U.Va."
If Evans were to change his mind about U.Va., he'd have to be released from his
letter of intent by the university.
He averaged 14.2 points per game in his senior season and was selected to the
Daily Press All-Stars first team.
In choosing U.Va., he turned down scholarship offers from Old Dominion, Virginia
Commonwealth and Marquette.
Evans said he didn't know much about Bennett's coaching style or on-court
approach. At Washington State, Bennett orchestrated a defensive-minded team —
one that led the Pac-10 in scoring defense (55.4 points per game) this season.
His teams were also built on consistent efforts from the point guard position in
half-court offenses, which doesn't exactly mirror Evans' style.
"I'm a defensive player, so I guess it wouldn't be a problem running that type
of game," Evans said. "I like to get up-and-down, too, and play in transition —
stuff like that."
Bennett's bench debut forgettable
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
April 1, 2009
Tony Bennett's second career in college basketball — after his
college and NBA playing career — couldn't have been any more inauspicious. His
father, Dick, still laughs about it.
In the fall of 1999, Tony sat at the end of the bench as the University of
Wisconsin, which his dad coached, prepared for its first men's basketball
exhibition of the season. Tony's role? Team manager. His salary? Nothing. Not
exactly a glamorous landing spot for a guy that was just coming off a two-year
head-coaching gig in the New Zealand pro league.
His grunt-work responsibilities as team manager involved sweeping floors,
tossing towels to players and handing out water and Gatorade. When the first cup
of Gatorade of the season made its way to the end of the bench, Tony did what
any other player would do — he drained it.
"That's a true story," Dick said. "It took him a while to realize we're really
not interested in what you do on the court anymore. We're interested in what you
do off the court now."
It was a rough start, but it didn't take long for Tony to catch on, and for the
college basketball world to notice.
After six seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin, not including his season
as the team's manager, three seasons as an assistant under his dad at Washington
State and three seasons as Washington State's head coach, Bennett has drawn the
attention of the University of Virginia. He'll be formally introduced today in
Charlottesville as the 11th coach in the history of U.Va. men's basketball.
U.Va. and Bennett have agreed to contract terms that will pay him total annual
compensation of $1.7 million for five years. He'll also receive a $500,000
signing bonus, and an additional incentive bonus of $500,000 that he would
receive after five years.
Dick said Tony and his wife, Laurel, visited U.Va. last Thursday night and
Friday. In a Tuesday release from U.Va.'s athletic department, Tony said he and
his wife were impressed with U.Va.'s academic reputation, facilities, the city
of Charlottesville and the reputation of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"As important as those things are, it will be about the people and the family
atmosphere we'll build to grow this program," Bennett said in the release.
Tony obviously knows a little bit about how a family atmosphere can build a
career and a program. After watching his son endure several knee surgeries and
ruptures of plantar fascia in both feet as a player with the then- Charlotte
Hornets and in the New Zealand pro league from 1992-97, Dick saw Tony's attitude
change about his future in the game.
"He'd worked so hard to get to the NBA that he didn't have much left in his
joints once he got there," Dick said. "He was really worn out. I think he
realized then 'I'm not going to have a long career.' That's when he started to
think about coaching. He really started to sit back and observe (coaches) like
Allan Bristow and everybody else in the (NBA)."
When Tony finally starting drawing a paycheck as an assistant coach in 2000,
Dick said one of his son's biggest assets was his ability to connect with
people, which helped on the recruiting trail. Lane Odom, the coach at Latin High
in Charlotte, can vouch for Tony's recruiting acumen.
David Chadwick, a 6-foot-9 forward at Latin whose father, Rev. Dr. David
Chadwick, presided over Tony's and Laurel's wedding ceremony, signed a letter of
intent last September with Bennett and Washington State. Though Odom doesn't
know if Bennett might pursue bringing the younger Chadwick to Charlottesville,
Odom said he liked what he saw from Bennett during the recruiting process. Odom,
who has been Latin's coach for two years, was also an assistant coach for six
seasons at Missouri and for five seasons at Alabama.
"He's a very honorable person," Odom said. "I'd run into him on the road (during
Odom's college coaching days), but I'd never really gotten to know him very
well. Through the recruiting process, I was able to spend some time with him.
He's just a very, very thorough, honest and I think in a lot of ways very, very
capable person. Everything he has ever done, he has succeeded at the very
highest level."
Odom also knows a thing or two about growing up in a basketball family. He's the
son of Dave Odom, a former head coach at South Carolina, Wake Forest and East
Carolina who spent seven seasons in the '80s as an assistant coach at U.Va.
under Terry Holland.
Lane remembers walking with his mom across the overpass on Alderman Road that
spans the train tracks to University Hall to see Ralph Sampson and Co., while
his dad worked as an assistant coach. Lane knows a little something about the
athletic culture at U.Va., and what Bennett is getting in to in Charlottesville.
"The first thing both of us probably heard was a ball bouncing," said Lane,
comparing his childhood to Bennett's.
"(Hiring Bennett) may not be a big splash to some of the people around
(Charlottesville), and to the people that read some of the recruiting Web sites,
but I think what they're going to get is a whole lot of substance."
Tim Floyd, the coach at Southern California who worked against Bennett in the
Pac-10 Conference, agrees with Odom's assessment. Floyd offers high praise for a
guy that once flubbed his job as team manager. Floyd's impressions of how the
Cavaliers will perform under Bennett are simple:
"That they will be as well coached as anybody in the United States," Floyd said.
"They will not beat themselves by turning it over. You will always have problems
scoring. Once he gets his players in there and gets it established, they will be
very good for a long time."
Ex-Cavs in mix for coaching positions?
By Whitey Reid
Published: April 3, 2009
At his introductory press conference on Wednesday, new Virginia coach Tony
Bennett talked about the importance of adding assistant coaches to his staff who
could be beneficial in the task of in-state recruiting.
Shortly after that statement, Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay left Lynchburg
for Charlottesville.
Now, if Bennett really wants to get Wahoo fans juiced, he could take things a
step further by hiring a former UVa star such as Cory Alexander or Bryant Stith.
How much interest Bennett has in Alexander and Stith is unclear, though he did
mention them by name during the conference as he reflected on some of the
Virginia teams of their era.
Recently, Alexander told the Roanoke Times that he would jump at the chance to
coach at his alma mater, and there has been a groundswell of support from fans
and alums for Virginia to bring the school’s radio color commentator aboard.
Stith’s desires haven’t been as lucid, but on Thursday he told The Daily
Progress that joining Bennett’s staff would be something he would have to
consider.
“I have a lot of people in my hometown encouraging me to throw my name in the
hat, but that’s on a very basic level there,” said Stith, whose No. 20 jersey
hangs in the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena. “I’m open to any possibilities …
I’m always fielding all of my options. Once I have my options in front of me, as
always, I’ll sit down with my wife and contemplate what decision is best for my
family. We’ll pray about it and see what happens.
“It would be an intriguing idea for us to entertain, but I haven’t spoken with
coach Bennett or [Craig] Littlepage formally.”
Stith, UVa’s all-time leading scorer with 2,516 points, goes way back with
Bennett.
“I’ve played against him in high school and AAU tournaments and when we were in
the NBA, but I don’t know him personally,” he said. “I’ve just followed him from
afar.
“It seems like he’s a very good basketball coach.”
Like just about everybody, Stith said he was a bit stunned when he first heard
that Bennett had been hired. The only other names that he had been hearing were
Tubby Smith from Minnesota, Jeff Capel from Oklahoma and Anthony Grant from
Virginia Commonwealth.
“Coach Bennett’s name seemed to come out of nowhere,” Stith said. “It did catch
me by surprise, but you can’t argue with his success or his basketball
background. Therefore, I think [Littlepage] may have gotten a steal.”
Stith has four young children, the oldest of whom will be entering the ninth
grade. He has coached boys basketball at Brunswick High the last three seasons,
taking the Bulldogs to the Group AA tournament three years in a row.
“We’ve had like a marginal team the last two years,” said Rev. Ronald Thornhill,
an assistant under Stith, “but he just makes them believe.
“His approach to the game is so passionate in terms of doing his homework and
all those kinds of things. I would hate to see him go, but he would do well.”
With the addition of McKay and former Washington State assistant coach Ron
Sanchez, three spots on the staff remain open — an assistant coach, a director
of basketball operations and an assistant director (video).
During Wednesday’s conference, Bennett said he will likely be bringing in at
least one other member of his staff from WSU. That person would come from the
group of Ben Johnson, Matt Woodley, Mike Heideman and Ronnie Wideman.
Tim Mein, who worked as the assistant director of basketball operations under
former coach Dave Leitao, was at John Paul Jones Arena on Wednesday and might be
in the mix to return.
A shift in philosophy
By Whitey Reid
Published: April 3, 2009
Tony Bennett’s introductory press conference lasted 63 minutes on Wednesday. The
new Virginia coach spoke for the final 52 of them.
Only once during that time did UVa athletic director Craig Littlepage, seated to
Bennett’s left, feel the need to interject.
It came just after Bennett had been asked about his style of play and how it
would affect recruiting, particularly in the cases of incoming freshmen Tristan
Spurlock and Jontel “Bub” Evans.
Bennett’s system has been portrayed by some as “slow” and “boring” — not exactly
music to the ears of 17- and 18-year-olds.
“A lot of times there’s misconceptions when you have a style of play that might
be seen as defensive-oriented,” said Littlepage, a former coach at Penn. “When
you play defense the way that coach Bennett’s teams play defense, you’re forcing
your opponent to take longer to get shots. It’s not always that the [team]
playing the strong defense is playing a more deliberate style of play.
“Your play on defense forces the other team’s offense to take longer than it
normally does to get shots off.”
The net result is usually a fewer number of possessions and a lower-scoring
game. Washington State was 10th in the Pac-10 in scoring but first in defense
this past season.
Greg Gottlieb, an assistant coach at Cal, knows all about Bennett’s system. He
was on the sidelines when Bennett’s squad held the Bears to just 49 points in an
ugly loss in Berkeley during the 2007-08 season.
Gottlieb’s family also goes way back with Bennett’s. Gottlieb’s father, Bob,
used to be the coach at Wisconsin-Milwaukee when Bennett’s father, Dick, was at
Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Gottlieb thinks the younger Bennett and Virginia are a good fit.
“I think they were looking for somebody who has a system where you could beat
someone with your overall system rather than being a talent-based system,” said
Gottlieb, the older brother of ESPN analyst Doug Gottlieb.
“Some of the schools in that league are just going to have flat-out better
players than you, period. He has a system. It took him a while to put it into
place at Washington State, so you’re going to have to have some patience.”
Bennett said he will likely make some tweaks at Virginia, depending on the kind
of players he has. Essentially, he’ll use whatever style he deems is most
conducive to winning.
“We played in a way that gave us a chance. I know the fans and people enjoyed
the Sweet 16 and the second round [of the tournament], and the Wisconsin fans
enjoyed the Final Four,” said Bennett, referencing the success that the system
yielded for him and his father at both Washington State and Wisconsin.
“Those were the teams and personnel we had. Having played in the NBA, I’ve been
around — you adjust…but a staple will be the defensive end.”
That philosophy will likely be well-received by Virginia fans. UVa was last in
scoring defense in the 12-team ACC in each of the last two seasons.
Bennett was essentially speaking to Spurlock, Evans and whatever other future
recruits might have been listening when he said there will definitely be
“opportunities to run.”
But Bennett added that he’ll be “real” with recruits when they ask about his
style.
“There’s no sense in saying, ‘This is what we are exactly,’” he said. “I don’t
have a clear picture of how we’re going to play on the offensive end … My deal
is to try and be competitive and win and we’ll try and find a way to do that.
I’ll be as honest as I can.”
Cavaliers face Tar Heels in Big City Classic match
Nation’s top team looks to keep perfect record intact against No. 9 Tar Heels at
Giants Stadium, hopes for fresh legs after seven-OT thriller
Jack Bird, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, April 3 2009
Freshman attackman Steele Stanwick tallied four of the Cavaliers’ 10 goals
against Maryland. Virginia topped the Terrapins after seven overtimes. Less than
a week ago, the Virginia men’s lacrosse team emerged victorious in the longest
Division I game in NCAA history. Now facing a high-profile matchup against
conference rival North Carolina, the team is looking to maintain its focus,
coach Dom Starsia said.
“We just have to take care of our own business,” Starsia said. “You worry about
the variables you can control.”
Starsia is quick, however, to recognize the uniqueness of the Virginia-North
Carolina matchup, which will take place at the Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands
Sports Complex, home to the NFL team.
“To be the first lacrosse game in the Meadowlands in the New York metropolitan
area, to have the quality of teams they have in this one,” he said, “this is a
big moment for the sport and a special moment for the program.”
The contest between the two ACC teams will be the first game of The Big City
Classic triple-header. Following the game between Virginia and North Carolina,
Syracuse and Princeton will face off. The night will then be capped off with a
game between Hofstra and Delaware.
The stadium will be unfamiliar turf for all teams involved in the Classic, but
for one player, it will be a sort of homecoming.
“I’m very excited,” said junior defensemen Ryan Nizolek, a native of the area.
“Growing up and going to watch the Giants or the Jets ... and then finally
playing and walking the same halls that they walk through before the game.”
As Virginia (11-0, 1-0 ACC) looks to continue its undefeated season, the Tar
Heels look for their first conference win since 2004.
“They have nothing to lose,” sophomore midfielder Shamel Bratton said. “Everyone
is saying that they haven’t won an ACC game so we kind of have to beat them
because you don’t want to be the one that they finally get the win over.”
Bratton, another area native, said the game will have “a little bit of added
pressure” but it will still be “just another day at work.”
Virginia has entered a stretch of its season during which the number of games
has decreased. After last weekend’s seven-overtime game, though, even six days
of rest might not be enough.
“We gave them an extra day off this week,” Starsia said, adding, though, that
“this is a team that’s very attentive on the practice field, and so we’ve had a
little bounce in our step the last couple days, and so I fully expect us to be
ready to play the Heels.”
Although the Tar Heels have had a rough time in the ACC recently, they boast an
8-3 record and a No. 10 ranking. Fresh off their own overtime win against Johns
Hopkins last weekend, North Carolina hopes to spring an upset against top-ranked
Virginia. With three players on its team with more than 20 goals each, North
Carolina’s offense threatens to end Virginia’s undefeated season.
“We’ve been through a lot together so we don’t make any bones about just
throwing stuff out on the table and talking about it,” Starsia said. “The world
is waiting to see if we are going to let down. So I said to the kids: Let’s just
not let it happen.”
Eagles, Crimson await slumping Virginia team
Virginia hopes to regain early-season form following recent loss against
unranked Old Dominion Wednesday
Ben Gomez, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, April 3 2009
Senior attack Jenny Hauser notched two goals and two assists in Virginia’s
losing effort against the Monarchs.
The Virginia women’s lacrosse team will begin its four-game road trip this
weekend in Massachusetts against Boston College and Harvard.
The Cavaliers (7-5, 1-3 ACC) have experienced a disappointing past few weeks.
After starting the season as the No. 4 team in the country, Virginia lost four
of its last six games, with the most recent loss coming against Old Dominion,
who was on a 33-game losing streak against the Cavaliers.
“We need to make sure we are getting better, and I am not sure we are doing that
in terms of finishing,” Virginia coach Julie Myers said.
Virginia will have the chance to get back on track this weekend. The Cavaliers
begin play Saturday against ACC opponent Boston College, against whom they will
look to keep their perfect 7-0 all-time record alive. Last year’s matchup
culminated in a 12-4 victory at home for the Cavaliers..
The Eagles (7-4, 0-3 ACC) have been on the road most of the season, playing 10
of their 11 games away from home. Now it is the Cavaliers’ turn to experience an
extended period of time away from familiar territory.
“It is a chance to go out and compete against another team and do all the little
things really well — [to] not only generate opportunities, but now actually see
and deal with it,” Myers said.
Virginia will have to deal with Boston College’s powerful offense, which
averages 13 goals per game. Senior attack Jenna McCabe, who has tallied 29 goals
and 15 assists, leads the Eagles’ offense. She is closely followed by sophomore
midfielder Kristin Igoe and junior attack Lauren Costello, who have notched 26
and 24 goals, respectively.
Boston College’s offense could prove especially dangerous because the Virginia
defense recently has not played up to its potential. Virginia’s defense has been
porous at times this season when given a lead, so it will be up to the offense
to get off to a good start to give Virginia a chance to win the game.
“I think it is important for us to come out every half scoring a lot of goals,”
junior midfielder Kaitlin Duff, “to always try to be up instead of behind and
working our way back.”
The Cavalier offense will be hard-pressed to put the ball in the back of the
net, though, when it faces Boston College’s goalie, senior Katie Monaghan. She
has stopped more than half of her opponents’ shots on goal this season while
allowing only 9.72 goals per game.
Virginia offense counters with experience and senior leadership. Midfielder
Blair Weymouth recorded her 30th career hat trick and 34th goal this season
Wednesday against ODU, and Ashley McCulloch has dished out a team-high 25
assists so far this season.
After squaring off against the Eagles, the squad will not get a respite, as it
faces Harvard the next day. The Crimson (4-5, 1-1 Ivy) boasts an impressive
offense as well, with two players who have already eclipsed the 30-goal mark
this season. Sophomore midfielder Jess Halpern and senior attack Kaitlin Martin
have 32 and 30 goals, respectively.
The games this weekend could have a significant impact on how the Cavaliers,
once highly ranked but now mired in a recent slump, finish the season. It will
be up to the Virginia defense to slow down two high-powered offenses and get the
team back on track.
Squad readies to take on Terrapins in home series
Virginia aims for third series win in conference play following recent late-game
disappointments against ranked Miami, North Carolina
Abbey Lou Hendricks, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
Published: Friday, April 3 2009
Freshman Steven Proscia went 6-for-13 in the Cavaliers’ series against North
Carolina last weekend. The Virginia third baseman is third on the team in
batting average with a mark of .390 this season. After losing its last two
conference series against North Carolina and Miami, the Virginia baseball team
is eager to take on what may prove a lesser conference foe, Maryland.
Last weekend’s series loss was just as disappointing as Virginia’s late-inning
collapses against Miami the week before. The Cavaliers (24-4, 6-4 ACC) dropped
two games against the Tar Heels in the eighth and ninth innings. Now, coach
Brian O’Connor’s team is hoping to carry the momentum from its recent midweek
victories; Virginia defeated Norfolk State Wednesday night 6-2 after easing past
Radford 12-2 Tuesday.
Maryland (13-15, 3-9 ACC) has struggled this year, especially at its away games.
The Terrapins have gone 3-10 on the road this season, which bodes well for the
Cavaliers, who are looking to clinch their second ACC series of the year.
Although Maryland’s track record on the road is poor and Virginia swept the
Terrapins last year, the team is not expecting easy wins.
“If we don’t play, we’re going to get beat,” sophomore centerfielder Jarrett
Parker said.
Although Virginia’s performance against Norfolk State was somewhat lackluster,
O’Connor remains confident.
“We’ll be better Friday night — I can assure you of that,” O’Connor said.
Key to Virginia’s hopes for success Friday is one of its pitching aces, freshman
lefthander Danny Hultzen, who will likely start. Hultzen has an impressive 5-0
record with a strong 1.62 ERA. Hultzen also boasts more strikeouts than innings
pitched.
Virginia also will look to its offense, which has been consistent and efficient
so far this season, making it tough for opposing pitchers from top to bottom in
the starting lineup. Eight starters have batting averages greater than .300.
Even some of the team’s pinch hitters, including junior John Bivens and freshman
Keith Werman who have notched .385 and .381 batting averages respectively, have
put up strong numbers. The Cavaliers tally nearly 10 runs a game, compared to
their opponents’ three runs per game.
Part of Virginia’s offensive success stems from its reliable lead-off batters.
The combination of Parker and sophomore utility player Phil Gosselin can pose
problems for opposing pitchers.
In the past five games, Parker has gone nine for 18 with seven runs batted in
while Gosselin has driven home five runs after connecting on 10 hits in 18
attempts.
Though the Cavaliers have the clear statistical advantages on both sides of the
ball, Maryland boasts several solid offensive producers. Both senior third
baseman Mike Murphy and junior outfielder A.J. Casario have driven in 23 runs
apiece and have batting averages well-above .300.
“We don’t take Maryland different than any other team,” Parker said. “We’re just
going to go out and try to get the job done again.”
The Terrapins have had fewer bright spots on the mound. Their Friday night
starters — usually either freshman lefthander Matt Fullerton or junior
righthander Scott Swinson — have struggled recently. In his last 6.2 innings
pitched, Fullerton has given up seven runs and earned two losses. His 4.32 ERA
and 3-2 season record, however, trump Swinson, who possesses a 5.73 ERA and a
2-4 record.
In addition to improving their ACC record, the Cavaliers also would like to see
freshman catcher John Hicks bounce back after his 11-game hitting streak was
snapped Wednesday night, when Hicks went zero for five against the Spartans.
Hicks has been trying to balance learning to play first base while also staying
focused on his performance at the plate, where he has notched a .350 batting
average and 17 RBIs so far.
Cavs look to rebound, top Devils, Heels
Team seeks to improve record in conference play with North Carolina, Duke road
matches
Adam Branham, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, April 3 2009
The Virginia women’s tennis team travels this weekend to face off against ACC
foes Duke and North Carolina. The Cavaliers, ranked No. 8 in the ACC, hopes
victories against fourth-ranked Duke and fifth-ranked North Carolina will propel
them to the top of the conference.
No. 26 Virginia (10-6, 3-4 ACC) heads into the weekend following two tough
losses, falling 3-4 to then-No. 25 Florida State and then 1-6 to then-No. 5
Miami. Coach Mark Guilbeau hopes the team can rebound from its performances last
week.
“What we’ve got to do basically is piece all the good tennis we’ve played in a
couple matches together and play a complete match,” Guilbeau said. “If we do
that, we’re good enough to win.”
No. 9 Duke (14-3, 4-1 ACC), which the Cavaliers will face Saturday, is fresh off
a tight 4-3 win against then-No. 18 North Carolina. The Blue Devils boast four
players ranked in the top-100 nationally, including No. 28 sophomore Ellah Nze.
Although Nze dropped her match against North Carolina, she has managed to notch
a 23-7 singles record this season. No. 31 freshman Mallory Cecil, meanwhile,
playing in the No. 1 singles position for the team, has only lost one conference
match this season.
Though the Tar Heels (14-6, 4-2 ACC) appear to be a weaker opponent than Duke
individually, they are strong on the doubles end of the court. Despite the
losing effort against the Blue Devils last week, the squad swept its doubles
matches and was bolstered by a win from junior Sanaz Marand and senior Sophie
Grabinski, the No. 4 pair in the country.
To challenge both the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels, Guilbeau said each member
of his team worked recently to adjust her game based on some specific ideas from
Guilbeau and assistant coach Troy Porco. Transitioning their style of play has
not come easily for many of the players, but Guilbeau does not attribute this to
lack of effort.
“I know they’re trying their best,” Guilbeau said. “That’s never a question. I
think if they [focus on their individual goals] and develop greater ownership
within them, for their own games, that’s going to be critical. Then I think
we’ll ultimately reach our very highest potential when they do that, and when
they’re able to absorb and implement what their coaches are asking them to do.”
Though the advice from their coaches is challenging, the players have reacted
positively.
“We have a lot of team meetings with the coaches and they’re all really smart
and know what they’re doing,” junior Jennifer Stevens said. “We just have to
listen and we’ll pretty much go out there and be able to win every match with
them as our coaches.”
Freshman Emily Fraser, who is working on improving her serve and her approach to
the net, complimented the coaches for handling their jobs well and effectively
communicating to the players what they want.
“What I think is great is that [the coaches] just tell it straight to you how it
is,” Fraser said, “and they’re not going to have any doubts or hard feelings
about it. They definitely approach me and are totally honest and 100 percent let
me know how it is and I really appreciate that.”
Meanwhile, senior Amanda Rales saw improvements in her game last weekend that
she hopes to carry into this weekend’s North Carolina road trip.
“A lot of my goals were about my volleys and my movement forward,” Rales said.
“My lobs were really good — that was one thing I wanted to work on that I didn’t
do well the previous weekend.”
Guilbeau and the rest of the coaching staff hope the team’s hard work and
adjustments will pay off this weekend against two formidable opponents.
Virginia plays host to Tobacco Road foes in pair of home tilts
Inglot, Cavaliers continue pursuit of perfection with slate of weekend matches
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, April 3 2009
Sophomore Michael Shabaz has played well for the Cavaliers of late, winning four
consecutive matches in the No. 2 singles spot.
Though playing the likes of North Carolina and Duke in basketball in the same
weekend might be challenging, the Virginia men’s tennis team will likely face
less resistance when it faces the two conference rivals today and Sunday.
Although the Blue Devils (12-5, 5-2 ACC) and the Tar Heels (13-6, 2-4 ACC) have
had relatively successful seasons thus far, neither boasts an undefeated record
like the No. 1 Cavaliers.
The No. 25 Blue Devils come to Charlottesville riding a four-game winning
streak, despite recent troubles at No. 1 singles. Duke’s top player — No. 35
sophomore Reid Carleton — has struggled outdoors, dropping four of his last
seven matches.
No. 39 North Carolina, meanwhile, sits in the middle of the pack in the ACC
standings, after losing four of its last six conference matches. A bright spot
for the Tar Heels has been the strong play of junior Clay Donato, who could pose
a challenge to the Cavaliers at No. 1 singles. Donato, ranked No. 35 nationally,
has won three consecutive singles matches and took Miami’s Willie Aubone to
three sets before finally succumbing in the final set, 10-8. Donato squared off
with Duke’s Carleton Tuesday at Chapel Hill. Despite his team’s 2-5 loss, Donato
handled Carleton easily, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 4-0.
“The top of the [North Carolina] lineup is pretty strong,” Virginia coach Brian
Boland said.
The Cavaliers (22-0, 7-0 ACC) must handle these top players from both teams this
weekend to keep their perfect record intact. But the wear and tear of a long
season has begun to catch up with Virginia, which barely pulled out a pair of
4-3 victories against Miami and Florida State on the road last weekend.
“It was a long week and a lot of traveling,” senior Dominic Inglot said. “It
starts taking a toll a little bit — you try to muscle everything rather than
time it well.”
Similar to Duke’s Carleton, Inglot dropped both No. 1 singles matches for the
Cavaliers. The two players share similar losses, as well; both fell to then-No.
20 junior Jean Yves-Aubone of Florida State and then-No. 29 senior Daniel
Vallverdu of Miami, who are now both ranked in the top 15.
Inglot suffered a torn-rotator cuff last season and the shoulder pain recently
resurfaced, which may be to blame for his recent slide.
“The shoulder’s a little tight,” Inglot said. “But I just need to get back and
do a little rehab and I should be fine.”
This recent inconsistency at No. 1 singles may be the most glaring flaw on a
top-ranked, undefeated team. During its six outdoor contests thus far, Virginia
dropped four points in the top singles slot. Although this struggle has not yet
cost the Cavaliers a match, it is still cause for concern as the postseason
approaches and the competition intensifies.
“It’s nothing I really want to think about it too much,” Inglot said. “I just
want to get over it and then just move forward to Friday and Sunday and try to
make up for it and help the team out in singles.”
No. 20 sophomore Michael Shabaz, on the other hand, who has won four consecutive
singles matches, said he now feels rejuvenated after falling sick earlier in the
season. “I’m feeling a little healthier,” Shabaz said. “Guys go in patches
during the season [because] the season’s so long — right now I’m on a winning
patch.”
Inglot, ranked No. 17 nationally, will look to overcome his own losing patch
this weekend when the team takes on Duke and North Carolina.
“[Inglot] will be ready to play this weekend,” Boland said, “and I think we’ll
see a better performance from [Inglot] than we did last weekend.”