Blue Devils hand Cavs 1st loss of season
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: April 12, 2009

In Durham, N.C., dreams of an undefeated season came to a crashing halt at Duke on Saturday after the top-ranked Virginia men’s lacrosse team was unable to mount yet another comeback.

After avoiding disaster in several recent games with thrilling comebacks, the Cavaliers gave up nine second-half goals and fell 15-10 to the eighth-ranked Blue Devils in front of a crowd of 3,211 at Koskinen Stadium. It marked the sixth straight loss for Virginia against Duke dating back to the 2005 season.

The loss could be costly — Virginia drops to 11-1 overall and finishes 2-1 in the ACC. Duke, also 2-1 in league play, improved to 9-3 overall. Maryland, which lost to UVa and upended Duke and UNC, also finished 2-1.

Based on the tiebreaker policy employed by the ACC (which is goals allowed in the contests played among the tied teams), Virginia will be slotted as the No. 3 seed in the league’s tournament.

That will earn Virginia another date with Duke, the second seed, as Maryland earned the top spot. The Terps allowed just 18 goals in the round-robin scenario. Duke allowed 21 and Virginia, after giving up 15 to the Blue Devils, finished with 24 allowed.

The Cavaliers kept things close early as they tied the contest at 2 in the first quarter on a goal by Danny Glading, but the Blue Devils took a 6-3 halftime lead as they scored four of the final five goals of the half.

Duke kept the pressure on Virginia’s defense early in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals.

As has been par for the course of late, Virginia answered in a matter of 72 seconds.

After Glading scored a pair of goals, Mike Thompson found the net with 6:33 left in the third period.

Clinging to a 9-6 lead, Duke squashed any threat Virginia had of a rally with five straight goals during a span that crept into the fourth quarter.

For the game, UVa out-shot Duke 43-28, but the Cavaliers’ erratic shooting forced Blue Devil goalie Rob Schroeder to make just 13 saves.

Glading paced the Cavaliers with four goals. Steele Stanwick added three. Max Quinzani had four goals and Justin Turri scored three for Duke, while Zach Howell and Mike Catalino added two each. Ned Crotty had two goals and six assists.

Steve Schoeffel, a former Covenant standout, had an assist for Duke.

Virginia will play Saturday at noon against Dartmouth at Klockner Stadium before heading to the ACC tournament.

 

Virginia Falls to Duke 15-10
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/11/2009

DURHAM, N.C.—Ned Crotty had a hand in eight goals as Duke defeated Virginia 15-10 this afternoon before 3211 fans at Koskinen Stadium. The win is Duke’s sixth in a row over the Cavaliers dating back to the 2005 season and ends Virginia’s winning streak at 12 games.

The eight-ranked Blue Devils improve to 9-3 overall this season, while Virginia is now 12-1. Both teams finished the season with 2-1 ACC record.

The teams will meet again in two weeks in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C. Maryland and North Carolina play in the other semifinal contest.

Danny Glading scored Virginia’s first two goals as the teams traded goals through the first 11 minutes of play and played to a 2-all score.

Crotty scored both of his goals over a four-and-a-half minute span bridging the first and second quarters to give the homestanding Blue Devils a 5-2 lead in the first minute of the second quarter. Garrett Billings scored his only goal of the game to cut the Cavaliers deficit to 5-3 three minutes and 59 seconds before halftime. The 2-goal margin would be as close as they would get the remainder of the game however.

Max Quinzani scored at the 3:37 mark of the second quarter to give Duke a 6-3 halftime lead. The Blue Devils opened the second half with three goals in the first two and a half minutes of the second half as their lead grew to 9-3.

Virginia made a run with three goals, including two by Glading, over a 72-second span to pull within three at 9-6.

Duke answered with a 4-goal run to build a 14-6 lead early in the fourth quarter. Steele Stanwick scored three of Virginia’s final four goals for his fourth multigoal game in the last five.

Duke had an outstanding day on both ends of the field. The Blue Devils took just 28 shots and goalie Rob Schroeder recorded 13 saves, one off his career high.

Virginia closes the regular season next Saturday (April 18) at home against Dartmouth. The game is scheduled to start at noon and will be televised by CBS College Sports Network.

Virginia 2-1-3-4—10 record: 12-1/2-1 ACC
Duke 3-3-5-4—11 record: 9-3/2-1 ACC
att—3211

Scoring (G-A)—V: Danny Glading 4-1, Steele Stanwick 3-1, Mike Thompson 1-1, Garrett Billings 1-0, Rhamel Bratton 1-0, Shamel Bratton 0-1, Chad Gaudet 0-1. D: Ned Crotty 2-6, Max Quinzani 4-0, Justin Turri 3-2, Zach Howell 2-2, Mike Catalino 2-1, Will McKee 1-0, Brad Ross 1-0, Sam Payton 0-1, Steve Schoeffel 0-1.

Goalie Summary— V: Adam Ghitelman 60 mins., 7 saves, 15 goals allowed. D: Rob Schroeder 60 mins., 13 saves, 10 goals allowed.

Shots: V—43, D—28
Ground Balls: V—35, D—31
Clearing: V—23x25, D—25x30
Faceoffs: V—13, D—15
Penalties: V—6-5:30, D—3-2:30
EMO: V—1x3, D—3x6

 

Virginia falls to Duke, losing first game of the season
By Jeff White
Published: April 12, 2009

The University of Virginia's nemesis in men's lacrosse - ACC rival Duke - spoiled the Cavaliers' perfect season yesterday in Durham, N.C.

The game was shown on ESPN2, and viewers who didn't know U.Va. was ranked No. 1 nationally never would have guessed that. The No. 8 Blue Devils didn't trail in their 15-10 romp at Koskinen Stadium.

The loss was the Cavaliers' most one-sided since a year ago today, when Duke humbled them 19-9 at Klockner Stadium.

No player on Virginia coach Dom Starsia's roster has defeated Duke. The Wahoos have dropped six in a row to the Devils since beating them April 17, 2004.

U.Va. scored three straight goals in the third quarter, the last by by former Collegiate star Mike Thompson, to pull to 9-6. But Duke (2-1 ACC, 8-4 overall) ran off five goals before Virginia (2-1, 12-1) scored again.

Danny Glading has had an illustrious career, but the senior attackman never scored a goal against Duke before yesterday. He broke through in emphatic fashion, totaling four goals to lead U.Va.

Virginia closes the regular season Saturday against Dartmouth at Klockner Stadium. Then comes the ACC tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C., and another date with Duke.

U.Va., Duke and Maryland tied for first in the ACC. Maryland allowed the fewest goals in games between the tied teams, however, and so earned the No. 1 seed. Second-seeded Duke and No. 3 seed Virginia will meet in the second semifinal April 24 at 7:30 p.m.

 

No. 11 UVa Stuns No. 8 Ga. Tech with Six-Run Ninth, Wins 11-10
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/11/2009

ATLANTA – Trailing 10-5 entering the ninth inning, the No. 11 Virginia baseball team staged a huge rally, posting six runs in the inning to shock eighth-ranked Georgia Tech, 11-10, Saturday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. Keith Werman (Fr., Vienna, Va.) notched the deciding hit with a two-out single to score John Hicks (Fr., Sandy Hook, Va.).

The first five Virginia batters reached in the ninth inning against Yellow Jackets’ closer Mark Pope. The Cavaliers tied the game on a Hicks sacrifice fly, and he reached when center fielder Jeff Rowland dropped the ball. Werman, who came in with one hit in five prior ACC at bats, then slapped a base hit through the hole into left field and Hicks slid in safely to beat the throw to give the Wahoos the 11-10 advantage.

Virginia’s Jarrett Parker (So., Stafford, Va.) had a pair of hits, including his 11th home run, scored a career-high four runs and stole a pair of bases. The home run also was his seventh in 15 ACC games. He also has scored 56 runs this season and already is within four of the school single-season record of 60.

Dan Grovatt (So., Tabernacle, N.J.) added three hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in four. John Barr (So., Ivyland, Pa.), Tyler Cannon (Jr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) and Phil Gosselin (So., West Chester, Pa.) each had two hits.

The Cavaliers’ rally offset a huge night for the Yellow Jackets’ Luke Murton, who hit two home runs, including a three-run blast in the seventh inning, while driving in four runs.

UVa reliever Shane Halley (Fr., Burke, Va.) earned the win after tossing 1.1 innings. After pitching 18 scoreless innings to start his career, Halley (3-0) allowed four earned runs and four hits but still notched the win. Kevin Arico (So., Flemington, N.J.) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to nab his third save.

Georgia Tech reliever Mark Pope, the sixth of seven Yellow Jacket pitchers, allowed six runs (five earned), four hits and two walks and fell to 4-1 with the loss.

Virginia starting pitcher Andrew Carraway (Sr., Marietta, Ga.), playing in front of a host of family and friends as he returned to his home state, rebounded from a slow start and went 6.1 innings, allowing six earned runs, eight hits and two walks and struck out eight. He threw 40 pitches and gave up two runs in the first inning, then settled down before leaving with a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning.

Georgia Tech starter Zach Von Tersch pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs, nine hits and two walks while striking out four.

Virginia (28-7, 9-6 ACC) got off to a solid start in the first inning, as Parker led off with a walk, stole second and scored with two out when Grovatt turned around a 2-2 hanging curveball for a home run to right field. The long ball was Grovatt’s fifth of the season.

Georgia Tech (21-8, 10-5) responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on a Tony Plagman two-run single. The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with two out, but Carraway escaped the jam by striking out Thomas Nichols on a 3-2 pitch.

Virginia added a run in the third inning, with Grovatt striking again with an RBI single to score Parker. Georgia Tech tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Murton went opposite field with a solo home run to right-center field.

The Cavaliers grabbed the lead back with a run in the fifth inning when Danny Hultzen (Fr., Bethesda, Md.) singled to score Corey Hunt (R-So., Charlottesville, Va.), who singled and stole second to start the inning.

Virginia tacked on a run in the seventh inning when Parker, after he just missed a home run by a few feet on the pitch prior, launched a booming moonshot high over the trees in right-center field. The home run was Parker’s second in as many nights.

Georgia Tech stormed back in the bottom of the seventh to take its first lead, getting its first run on a single from Jason Haniger before Murton had the big blast, a two-out, three-run home run to right-center off Halley.

The Yellow Jackets added three in the eighth inning. Nichols singled with one out and advanced to third on a two-base fielding error by Grovatt in right field. He scored on the next pitch on a single by Chris House. With two out, Haniger hit a double to left-center to score a pair of runs.

In the ninth inning, UVa’s first five batters reached base. Parker walked to lead off and Gosselin followed with a single. Hultzen walked to load the bases, and Grovatt followed with a single to left to plate Parker. Proscia followed with a line drive down the left-field line to score two more before Cannon grounded to second to bring Hultzen in and cut the lead to 10-9. Hicks then hit a sacrifice fly to center but reached second base when the ball was dropped by Rowland. He scored the go-ahead run on Werman’s single to left.

The teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series at 1 p.m. Sunday.


 

Virginia rallies past GT
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: April 12, 2009

In Atlanta, in one of the strangest series of the season, Virginia pulled off a remarkable feat.

Having lost a 7-6 game that was previously suspended earlier in the day, the 18th-ranked Cavaliers scored six unanswered runs in the ninth inning to rally for a wild 11-10 victory over Georgia Tech late in the night at Russ Chandler Stadium to even the three-game series heading into today’s finale.

Virginia improved to 28-7 overall and 9-6 in the ACC as No. 8 Georgia Tech dropped to 21-8 overall and 10-5 in the league.

“We showed a lot of heart in getting that win,“ Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “We would not quit and that was great to see after a tough loss earlier in the day. Now we have a chance to win the series.

“It was great to see really. It was unbelievable.“

The Cavaliers sent 10 batters to the plate in the ninth inning of the nightcap and rookie Keith Werman, who entered as a reserve, delivered the game-winning single.

Kevin Arico, a sophomore, used a double-play ball in the ninth to face the minimum and earn the save.

Virginia could have earned two wins on the day, but Georgia Tech won the opener by scoring four runs in the final three innings, three of which were allowed by Virginia closer Matt Packer (1-3).

In the second game, Virginia right fielder Dan Grovatt finished with three hits and drove in four runs. The sophomore connected on a homer in the first inning. Jarrett Parker, the Cavaliers’ centerfielder, also hit a home run and scored four runs.

Shane Halley, who allowed four runs in relief, earned an odd victory on the mound. The rookie had not allowed a run this season before he was touched up in relief of starter Andrew Carraway and reliever Neal Davis.

In the loss, Georgia Tech’s Tony Plagman delivered a one-out single in the ninth off Packer (1-3). Packer allowed six hits and three runs over 1.1 innings of work.

Mark Pope (4-0) picked up the win for Georgia Tech.

The Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets will complete the series today at 1 p.m. Due to the schedule and high-scoring contests, both teams leaned heavily on their bullpens today. O’Connor said he would start sophomore RHP Robert Morey on the mound.

Men’s Tennis Tops NC State 6-1
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/11/2009

RALEIGH, N.C. – The No. 1 Virginia men’s tennis team completed its third consecutive undefeated ACC regular season with a 6-1 victory over No. 51 NC State Saturday afternoon at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis center. The Cavaliers, who have gone through the league undefeated in four of the past five years, improve to 26-0 and 11-0 in the conference, while the Wolfpack falls to 9-14 overall and 3-8 in the ACC.

The Cavaliers took the 1-0 lead by sweeping the three doubles matches. Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) scored an 8-4 win over Rob Lowe and Julian Sullivan at No. 3 doubles. Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) and Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) defeated Justin Jendruch and Jaime Pulgar 8-2 at No. 2 doubles. Michael Shabaz (Fairfaz, Va.) and Dominic Inglot (London, England) completed the sweep with a tiebreaker win at No. 1 over Jay Weinacker and Christian Welte. With the three wins, the Cavaliers complete the ACC season with a 29-4 doubles record.

Virginia extended its lead to 2-0 early in singles play as Singer cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Akash Gujarti at No. 6 singles. After NC State drew to 2-1 with Weinacker’s win over Inglot at No. 1 singles, the Cavaliers got wins from Shabaz and Courtney at No. 3 and No. 5 singles to clinch the win. Singh and Barrick later added wins for Virginia to make the final score 6-1.

The win was Virginia’s 41st consecutive win over an ACC opponent (regular season and tournament). The victory also gave the Cavaliers their second consecutive undefeated regular season.

“I am so proud of this team,” said Virginia head coach Brian Boland. “To go through the regular season undefeated, especially with the strength of the ACC and our non-conference schedule, is a tremendous accomplishment. But we know that the hard work is ahead of us, starting next week at the ACC Tournament. I am confident that our best tennis is also in front of us.”

The Cavaliers will head to Cary, N.C. next week for the ACC Tournament. Virginia will be the top seed and is looking for its third consecutive title and its fifth title in the past six years.

No. 1 Virginia 6, No. 51 NC State 1

Doubles
1. #14 Inglot/Shabaz (UVa) def. Weinacker/Welte (NCSU) 9-8(3)
2. #6 Barrick/Singh (UVa) def. Jendruch/Pulgar (NCSU) 8-2
3. Singer/Courtney (UVa) def. Lowe/Sullivan (NCSU) 8-4

Singles
1. #36 Jay Weinacker (NCSU) def. #17 Dominic Inglot (UVa) 6-1, 6-4
2. #25 Sanam Singh (UVa) def. #118 Christian Welte (NCSU) 7-5, 6-0
3. #20 Michael Shabaz (UVa) def. Derek Stephens (NCSU) 6-2, 6-3
4. #73 Houston Barrick (UVa) def. Jaime Pulgar (NCSU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-0
5. Drew Courtney (UVa) def. Julian Sullivan (NCSU) 6-1, 7-6 (1)
6. #82 Lee Singer (UVa) def. Akash Gujarati (NCSU) 6-0, 6-0

Order of Finish
Doubles: 3,2,1
Singles: 6,1,3,5,2,4

 

Cavs finish strong in last ACC tuneup
By Bart Isley
Published: April 12, 2009

Yemi Ayeni is a man on a mission right now with the ACC outdoor championships looming next week, but he took time to have a little fun during the shotput competition at the Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invitational on Saturday.

Ayeni and the rest of a strong field in the Invitational cheered each other on actively throughout the preliminary rounds, which had the Virginia fourth year smiling.

“Shot put is usually a very mundane sport to watch unless you liven things up a little bit,” Ayeni said. “I think it makes the sport a lot more enjoyable if you have more fun, you stay loose and you stay cordial.”

But Ayeni was also taking care of business on Saturday, prepping for the ACC meet next week in both discus and shot, both disciplines where he’s the school’s current record holder. On Saturday, he won the Invitational’s discus competition with a throw just three feet short of his school record and almost 11 feet longer than his nearest competition at the meet.

“We’re just trying to make sure I’m fresh and sharp to compete well [at ACCs],” Ayeni said. “This meet is a nice warm-up and I’m finally getting my rhythm back for discus.”

That rhythm is going to be a big key for Ayeni as he moves into the heart of his final outdoor season. Many throwers have to make a significant transition from their indoor regimen to an outdoor regimen, and Ayeni is no exception.

“I’ve been throwing a lot of shot put for indoor and the rhythm for shot put is totally different from the rhythm in discus,” Ayeni said. “I’m trying to transfer the energy I’m using in the shot to the disc, and that’s a little bit tricky.”

Having already picked up NCAA regional qualifying marks in both throws and putting up a number in the discus that’s particularly impressive at this time of year, things are setting up nicely for Ayeni.

Smith sets school record

Ayla Smith was starting to get pretty frustrated with the conditions at Lannigan Field Saturday during the women’s 100-meter hurdles prelims. The racers battled a minus-6.5 headwind at the track.

“I feel like that’s been happening a lot this year — we haven’t had very good weather so I was kind of mad,” Smith said. “But we didn’t have any wind in the finals.”

That’s when Smith ripped off a Virginia program-record time of 13.65 seconds in the event with no wind, bettering Lauren Echko’s 2008 record for 13.72 seconds. What’s more impressive is that this is the first time Smith has really zeroed in on the event — she usually concentrates more on the 400 hurdles.

“I’ve never really done a whole outdoor season training for the 100 hurdles, I’ve always focused on 400 hurdles,” Smith said. “But this year I had some success in the 60 hurdles during indoors and we just decided to try and keep it going in outdoors.”

Smith set the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.39 seconds during indoor.

This appears to be just the beginning for Smith too. She’s steadily improving in the event, dropping 12 hundreths of a second from her finish at the Raleigh Relays just two weeks ago.

“I think the more repetitions I get the better,” Smith said. “It’s really early in the season, so it’s a good time for now because hopefully we’ll have a lot more chances to run it, especially in warm weather.”

She’ll likely get an opportunity for that next week at the ACC championships in Miami.

 

U.Va. notes
Published: April 12, 2009

Oh, brother
Starting this summer, there will be two Snyders on the Virginia football team. For now, though, Matt Snyder is the family's representative at U.Va., and he has impressed this spring.

A 6-4, 205-pound rising sophomore from Deep Run High, Snyder came to Virginia as a walk-on. He's moved into the rotation at wideout in the spread offense, as well as on special teams.

"Matt's doing a very nice job . . . both for himself and the team," coach Al Groh said. "He's a very, very intense, focused player. He picks things up quickly. The coaches are impressed with him"

Snyder's brother Jake signed with Virginia in February. He was an All-Metro defensive end for Deep Run last season.

Name to remember
Of the freshmen who redshirted last season, Javaris Brown might be generating the most buzz this spring. The 5-11 180-pound wide receiver from Macon, Ga., has game-breaking speed and may also return punts and kicks.

"Javaris got everybody's attention last year," Groh said. "He did an excellent job every day on the practice field. This is a kid who means business in everything that he does. I believe he had - I think I have this correct, if not I'm off by one person - the highest grade-point average of all the first-year players last semester."

Brown was honored after last season as scout-team player of the year.

"Obviously, he's got a lot of polish to add to his game," Groh said, "but his skill, his energy, his intensity, his ability to do something with the ball after he catches it are consistent with what he showed last year."

Ahead of his time
He was the youngest player on the team, and only a true freshman, but Austin Pasztor started U.Va.'s final eight games at left offensive guard last year.

"It wasn't just a coincidence that Austin got in the lineup and we suddenly won four games in a row," Groh said. "He helped upgrade the performance on the offensive line and continued to make progress throughout the year."

The 6-6, 310-pound Canadian, who played for Fork Union Military Academy's postgraduate team in 2007, has elevated his game this spring.

"His skill and techniques are looking much smoother," Groh said. "We feel very positive about where he is and where he can go."

Additional benefit
The addition of Jason Williford to Tony Bennett's staff should improve U.Va.'s standing with John Marshall High basketball star Travis McKie, a 6-6 junior. Williford is a JM graduate, and his father, Larry, is a longtime assistant coach there.

McKie is close with Tristan Spurlock, who signed with Virginia in November. Spurlock, a 6-8 forward from Woodbridge, is at U.Va. on his official visit this weekend.

"Travis is like my little brother," Spurlock said Thursday night at the Capital Classic at American University, and he's doing his best to recruit McKie for Virginia.

"Every time we speak it always ends with that conversation," Spurlock said. "But lately we haven't been talking about basketball. We've just been talking about working out. The summer's really big for him"

Remaining neutral
When Spurlock signed his letter of intent, he expected Dave Leitao to be his coach at U.Va. Leitao resigned under pressure after this season, however, and Bennett was hired. Spurlock still talks to Leitao periodically and says Leitao hasn't tried to steer him away from U.Va.

"He's been very supportive of me," Spurlock said. "I honestly thought that he was going to come and be like, 'No.' But he's been, 'Hey, whatever's best for you and your family is best for you and your family, and I'm going to give you support whether you don't or do go [to U.Va.].'" - Jeff White

 

April 11, 2009
Jontel Evans update at Boo

Bumped into Bethel High senior and Virginia basketball signee Jontel Evans this afternoon at Boo Williams' tournament.

Evans said new Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett and assistants Ritchie McKay and Ron Sanchez visited his home Thursday night. Evans called Bennett "impressive" but said he and his family have yet to decide whether to request a release from the letter-of-intent Evans signed in November with former coach Dave Leitao.

Also a star running back at Bethel, Evans is a point guard accustomed to playing at a fast pace. Bennett's Washington State teams were more deliberate.

Former Leitao assistant Bill Courtney was roaming the Boo Palace, as were Virginia alum and former Appalachian State assistant Richard Morgan, former Hampton University coach Kevin Nickelberry and two-time Colonial Athletic Association player of the year Eric Maynor of VCU.

Maynor will soon begin individual workouts for NBA teams. He said he needed a basketball fix and drove down from Richmond for the day.

Some other observations from this afternoon's competition:

Did we not tell you that Spiece Indy Heat point guard Marquis Teague would be a load for Boo's squad? Yes, Boo escaped with an 83-82 victory, but Teague tormented them for 26 points and a fit-for-a-poster dunk over Justin Anderson.

Wake Forest commit J.T. Terrell, a wing guard from Burlington, N.C. and the D-One traveling team, will not disappoint Deacons fans. Athletic doesn't begin to describe, and he shoots with range.

Best shooter, however, was the Tennessee Travelers' Kerry Hammonds, a thick, 6-5 wing from Murfreesboro, Tenn. He scored 27 points in a morning game, 25 in the afternoon.

The most fundamentally sound big man we saw was 7-foot rising senior Meyers Leonard of Robinson, Ill., who is drawing national recruiting attention. Great hands, excellent passer, decent touch. Very comfortable in the high post.

Ohio Red still looks like the best team and most likely to unseat four-time defending champion Boo Williams.

Check Lynn Burke's blog late tonight for quarterfinal results.

Posted by Lynn Burke


 

Williford back with UVa

Jason Williford has accepted a position on Tony Bennett's new Virginia basketball staff and an announcement will be made as soon as UVa's human resources department gives the go-ahead, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Williford, who played for the Cavaliers from 1991-1995, has been an assistant coach at American University for the past four seasons after working at Boston University for five seasons.

Before that, he played professionally in Iceland and Korea.

He grew up in Richmond and was a basketball standout at John Marshall High School.

Williford is one of three assistants chosen by Bennett, along with associate head coach Ritchie McKay, previously the head coach at Liberty. Virginia has announced the McKay appointment but may go public with the other staff appointments at the same time.

Ron Sanchez, a member of Bennett's Washington State staff, will be following Bennett to Virginia.

-- Doug Doughty