Groh adds 3 more recruits
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
May 24, 2006

Virginia’s football recruiting class for 2007 received a triple-boost within a 24-hour span on Monday and Tuesday when the Cavaliers gained commitments from a trio of highly sought after prospects: outside linebacker Aaron Taliaferro from Gloucester; inside linebacker Terence Fells-Danzer of Culpeper; and wide receiver Chase Minnifield of Lexington, Ky.

Taliaferro is considered one of the top defensive prospects in the state of Virginia, while Fells-Danzer is one of the top-rated players on UVa’s defensive recruiting boards. Both committed Tuesday, just on the heels of Minnifield’s announcement on Monday afternoon.

The three commitments raised the Cavaliers’ total to nine from rising seniors who are expected to sign national letters of intent come February.

Virginia continued to clean up within its own state borders, with six of the nine prospects hailing from the Commonwealth.

Gloucester coach Tommy Reamon, who has produced such stars as Michael Vick and Aaron Brooks at other high schools, called his latest blue-chipper “special.”

“Think of [Darryl] Blackstock in Virginia’s scheme,” said Reamon, comparing the former UVa linebacker, who now plays for the Arizona Cardinals, to Taliaferro. “I like to talk about some of the great ones that have played from his area like Blackstock and the Adibis at Virginia Tech and Chris Ellis at Tech. Aaron is in that mold.”

Reamon said that UVa coach Al Groh, who recruited Lawrence Taylor out of Williamsburg to North Carolina in the 1970s, likened Taliaferro to a young Taylor.

“We know that Lawrence Taylor is a Hall of Famer,” Reamon said. “Aaron has that flavor, the potential to be developed into a great rushing linebacker.”

While the majority of Reamon’s most well-known recruits have been of the offensive nature, the Gloucester coach made a confident prediction about his latest protege.

“Aaron will be just as explosive defensively for the Cavaliers as those other guys (both Vicks and Brooks) were offensively,” Reamon said. “We’ve brought [UVa] a defensive stopper. I think he will be one of the most exciting defensive players Virginia has signed and will have a great future there.”

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder, has 4.65 speed and used that quickness to record a whopping 19 sacks as a junior. He also made 62 tackles, forced four fumbles, recovered three and blocked a field goal.

Taliaferro chose Virginia over Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Maryland, Clemson, Notre Dame, Tennessee, North Carolina and others.

“A Virginia education was a factor for me,” said Taliaferro, who owns a 3.0 GPA. “I know that if I get a degree from UVa that it is a really big thing. You can go anywhere with a Virginia degree.”

One of the places the outside linebacker hopes to eventually go is to the NFL, where several former Cavalier linebackers currently dwell.

“I’m very comfortable at outside linebacker, a position that is really fun for me,” said Taliaferro.

Not too much fun for opponents, however.

“When we speak of the type of linebacker he is or can be, we speak of Aaron’s aggressiveness,” Reamon said. “He’s very aggressive. He’s also eager to learn and to adjust. His first step is a key and his ability to work his arms in a swim move. He has that ability to make people miss.

“One of the things people around here, even the Phoebuses and the Hamptons will tell you, is about Aaron’s first step and his ability to get people off of him and get to the point of attack - the quarterback. Those are the things that he will be taught further at UVa and will have the time to master under Coach Groh … and we all know his track record.”

Taliaferro was recruited by several UVa coaches - both Al Groh and son, Mike, the recruiting coordinator, along with defensive coordinator Mike London, who established a rapport with the linebacker.

“I really like Coach London,” the prospect said. “We talk several times a week. I’m comfortable with all those coaches and can express my feelings to them.”

Taliaferro is the first Division I-A football player to come out of Gloucester High School since 1978, when James Harris signed with Virginia.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers got some other good news on Tuesday when Culpeper’s Fells-Danzer chose Virginia over Virginia Tech. He was also being recruited by Tennessee, Clemson, Maryland and North Carolina.

The 6-2, 235-pound inside linebacker has 4.6 speed and, like Taliaferro, also owns a 3.0 GPA. He played most of his junior season at Culpeper with an ankle injury but still recorded six quarterback sacks and was one of the Blue Devils’ top running backs.

Minnifield was somewhat of a surprise to those who follow Virginia recruiting. The 6-0, 185-pound standout played running back and defensive back for Henry Clay High School as a junior, but according to coach Sam Simpson, Minnifield is extremely versatile.

“He legitimately could be the best all-around athlete in the state of Kentucky,” Simpson said. “He could play just about any position - running back, wide receiver or even quarterback - on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, he could play safety, corner or linebacker.”

Virginia apparently likes Minnifield as a wide receiver.

While he received more than 10 scholarship offers, Minnifield chose Virginia over Louisville when it came to decision time on Monday morning.

“UVa was the first school to offer me a scholarship and I couldn’t forget that,” the Kentuckian said. “Academics are very important to me and my family, and, even though I had been leaning toward Louisville the night before, it became clear that Virginia was for me.

“I’m confident that coach Al Groh is going to be there for a long time, and that was important also.”

Minnifield’s father, Frank, played at Louisville before going on to a career with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns where he struck up a relationship with one of his coaches, Al Groh. The two have maintained that relationship throughout the years.

EXTRA POINTS: The American Football Coaches Association recognized Virginia among its honorees for graduation of its football players. Virginia, which graduated 74 percent of its players, is joined by eight ACC schools. The Cavaliers earned the AFCA’s Academic Achievement Award in 1985 and 1986.

 

Cavs basketball adds transfer Baker
From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress
May 24, 2006

The University of Virginia men’s basketball team is still awaiting word on whether prized recruit Solomon Tat will be granted a visa, allowing him to enroll in time for basketball season.

In the meantime, UVa has added another player - Calvin Baker, a 6-foot-2 guard from Newport News.

Baker will join the program as a walk-on transfer. The former Woodside High standout averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists for William & Mary last season as a freshman. Baker was named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s all-rookie squad.

Baker, who will not be eligible to play until the 2007-08 season, reportedly received scholarship offers from East Carolina, the College of Charleston, Appalachian State and Winthrop.

His ultimate goal is to earn a scholarship from UVa.

“There’s no set time. Whenever I earn it,” Baker told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday.

He’s the second walk-on to join Virginia since the end of last season. In March, Andy Burns, a 6-8 forward from Bishop Ireton High in Alexandria, turned down scholarship offers from Vermont and American to play for the Wahoos.

 

Opener crucial for Cavs, Noles
UVa tries to gain some momentum in ACC Tournament
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
May 24, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Most of his players have no idea what coach Brian O’Connor felt like after the opening game of the ACC Baseball Championship two years ago.

Coaching in his first ACC Tournament, O’Connor suffered through a lengthy rain delay and an opening loss to seventh-seeded Duke.

To say the least, O’Connor was not happy about landing in the loser’s bracket hours after the event started.

Last year, Virginia won its opening game in the ACC Tournament and rode that wave of momentum into the title game without a blemish in bracket play.

That will be O’Connor’s goal today when Virginia (45-11) opens play in the ACC Baseball Championships against Florida State (39-17) at 10 a.m. North Carolina and North Carolina State are also in Virginia’s bracket in the double-elimination event and meet at 1 p.m. today at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The winners and losers will play on Thursday.

“That first game is so important,” O’Connor said. “It is so hard to win this tournament because you have eight great teams and you want to start the tournament off right.

“We are going to have another tournament next weekend and you want to get used to winning that first game.”

Today’s starting lineup is expected to include just two players who played in the 2004 event - Tom Hagan and Tim Henry.

Hagan, who will start at first base as Sean Doolittle pitches the opener, remembers losing to Duke in 2004 all too well and knows the importance of getting off on the right foot.

“It is really big. Most teams throw their No. 1 guy, unless they have pitched recently,” said Hagan, a first-team All-ACC selection. “You don’t want to get stuck in that loser’s bracket and we are going to do all we can against Florida State to win and move on from there.”

Despite being the third seed, Virginia will enter today’s game as an underdog in the minds of many. Florida State boasts the best record in the ACC Tournament, having won at least two games in each of the past 14 events.

“We are playing one of the most storied baseball programs ever,” O’Connor said. “They will have a great fan following at the stadium, and we will need to get great pitching and some clutch hits to beat a very good college baseball team.”

Today’s contest will be the first of the season between Florida State and UVa. The two teams did not meet this year in the regular season and will not meet again in 2007.

Both teams enter the tournament with a lot on the line.

The Seminoles, who struggled down the stretch, are trying to make a case for hosting an NCAA Regional, something the program has done every year since 1996. Virginia appears to be a lock to host an NCAA Regional in Charlottesville but hopes to earn a national seeding and the chance to host a Super Regional.

“I feel really good about a regional,” O’Connor said. “I would feel a lot better if we went down to Jacksonville and won the thing. We have worked so hard. I believe that we’re deserving and we have got a first-class facility. We also have tremendous fan support and I think all those things are vital in the committee’s eyes on making a decision on whether you get to host or not.”

O’Connor didn’t struggle in naming his rotation for the tournament. After Doolittle, Virginia’s skipper said he would use Jacob Thompson. If necessary, Mike Ballard and Pat McAnaney would start respectively in a third and fourth game.

Florida State will counter with Bryan Henry, a right-hander who went 9-2 with a 2.39 ERA in the regular season. Opposing batters hit just .223 against Henry this year.

For the season, Virginia is hitting .324 against right-handers, including a team-best .385 average for Hagan.

 

Virginia picks up a pair of defenders
Aaron Taliaferro will be the first graduate from Gloucester High to earn a Division I scholarship.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Tommy Reamon, best known for the quarterbacks he developed at two Newport News high schools, is back in business.

Reamon has been at Gloucester High School for only one season but already has produced the school's first Division I football signee, 6-foot-2, 218-pound linebacker Aaron Taliaferro.

Taliaferro was one of two in-state linebackers to commit to Virginia on Tuesday, joining 6-2, 235-pound Terence Fells-Danzer from Culpeper High School.

On Monday, the Cavaliers had taken a commitment from Chase Minniefield, a 6-foot, 180-pound defensive back from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Ky.

Minniefield is the son of former NFL defensive back Frank Minniefield, who played for the Cleveland Browns when UVa coach Al Groh was a Browns assistant coach.

Minniefield picked the Cavaliers over Louisville, his father's alma mater. The younger Minniefield scored 16 touchdowns last year, when he played running back, and intercepted six passes.

Taliaferro had 19 sacks and more than 100 tackles as a junior, when he played defensive end. He said he picked UVa over Virginia Tech and Maryland.

Reamon said Taliaferro has been "a program changer" at Gloucester and said that his commitment represented a "historic day" for the program.

Tennessee had made a push for Fells-Danzer, who had offers from UVa and Tech and was being recruited by Maryland and Clemson.

Virginia has nine commitments for 2007.
 

Baker decides on U.Va.
He made the CAA's all-rookie team while at William and Mary
Richmond Times-Dispatch May 24, 2006

Former William and Mary basketball standout Calvin Baker said yesterday that he's transferring to the University of Virginia.

Baker, a 6-2 guard from Newport News, visited U.Va. with his mother Monday and met with coach Dave Leitao and his staff. He'll enroll at Virginia this summer. Baker will join the Cavaliers as a walk-on, with the understanding that he can earn a scholarship one day.

"There's no set time," he said. "Whenever I earn it."

Baker, who will sit out the 2006-07 season as a transfer, had scholarship offers from East Carolina, the College of Charleston, Winthrop and Appalachian State. He's confident he eventually will be put on scholarship at U.Va., which doesn't have any grants-in-aid left for 2006-07.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be making the decision," he said.

Some may question his decision to turn down Division I scholarship offers in favor of walking on, Baker knows, but he said he's "looking at the bigger picture. . . . A lot of people don't see what I'm seeing at the end of the road."

Baker, who helped Woodside High win two state Group AAA titles, made the Colonial Athletic Association's all-rookie team as a W&M freshman in 2005-06. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists - both team highs - for the Tribe. He'll have three seasons of eligibility at U.Va., starting in 2007-08. - Jeff White
 

Two top prospects opt for Cavaliers
Gloucester's Taliaferro, Culpeper's Fells-Danzer give U.Va. commitments
Richmond Times-Dispatch May 24, 2006

The University of Virginia yesterday picked up commitments from two of the top football prospects in the state: Gloucester High's Aaron Taliaferro and Culpeper High's Terence Fells-Danzer.

A 6-2, 218-pound junior, Taliaferro is projected to play outside linebacker in U.Va.'s 3-4 defense. He had 19 sacks and recovered four fumbles last season.

Taliaferro, who played defensive end for Gloucester in 2005, said he picked Virginia over Virginia Tech, Maryland and N.C. State. He'll be the first player from Gloucester to earn a Division I-A football scholarship in about 30 years, officials at the school believe.

Dukes coach Tommy Reamon, whose former players include Aaron Brooks, Michael Vick and Marcus Vick, said Taliaferro's pass-rushing ability is what makes him special. Reamon compared Taliaferro's skills to those of former U.Va. star Darryl Blackstock and current Virginia Tech standouts Xavier Adibi and Chris Ellis, all of whom played in the Peninsula District.

"He gives you that flavor," said Reamon, who previously coached at Warwick High in Newport News.

Fells-Danzer, a 6-2, 235-pound junior expected to play inside linebacker, also had a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech.

Of the Cavaliers' nine commitments for 2007, six are from players at state high schools: Taliaferro, Fells-Danzer, Woodside linebacker Jared Detrick, Yorktown tailback Max Milien, Christchurch linebacker J'Courtney Williams and West Springfield quarterback Peter Lalich. - Jeff White
 

ACC tourney an NCAA tuneup
All eight teams expect to advance; Cavaliers peaking at right time
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER May 24, 2006

To call them The Great Eight would probably be overstating the case, but not by much.

Eight ACC baseball teams have gathered in Jacksonville, Fla., to battle for a championship -- Duke, Boston College, Maryland and Virginia Tech didn't qualify -- and rarely has a conference tournament boasted such a high-powered field.

The double-elimination ACC tourney starts today and runs through Sunday. Of the eight teams in Jacksonville, four are ranked among the nation's top 11 by Baseball America: No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 7 Virginia and No. 11 Georgia Tech.

The worst record in the tournament field -- a none-too-shabby 33-20 mark -- belongs to No. 8 seed Wake Forest. All eight are expected to advance to the 64-team NCAA tourney.

"This tournament is tougher than an NCAA regional, there's no doubt about it," said Virginia coach Brian O'Connor, whose team is seeded No. 3.

An NCAA regional consists of four teams. To win the ACC title, O'Connor noted, "you've got to beat out seven regional-type teams."

O'Connor's players won't get to sleep in today. U.Va. (45-11) plays in the tourney's opening game, facing Florida State (39-17) at 10 a.m. The Cavaliers will meet for breakfast at 6:30 a.m., and they're scheduled to arrive at the stadium at 7:15.

"It's better than sitting around all day waiting," O'Connor said.

Virginia reached last year's ACC championship game before losing to Georgia Tech. Sean Doolittle was a freshman on that U.Va. team. A year later, he is the ACC player of the year.

Joining him on the all-ACC first team was another Wahoo, senior designated hitter/utility man Tom Hagan. The all-ACC second team includes two other Cavaliers: junior outfielder Brandon Marsh and freshman pitcher Jacob Thompson.

Doolittle, who is hitting .318 with 52 RBI, is 10-1 as a pitcher, with a 1.90 ERA. He'll start on the mound today against FSU.

Virginia has won 11 of its past 12 games, the lone loss during that span coming against UNC.

"Your goal as a coach in college baseball is to get your team firing on all cylinders at the end of the year, because from now on is when it really counts," O'Connor said Saturday after U.Va. completed a three-game sweep of Virginia Tech.

"We've had a great regular season, but we will end up being judged by how we play from here on out. I think so many guys are stepping up and playing their best baseball right now. . . . I just feel like we have a lot of options and a lot of guys are clicking, and if we continue to do that, and pitch like we've pitched, we're going to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes down to ACC tournament and NCAA regional time."

Baker turns eye to U.Va.
Former Woodside High basketball star Calvin Baker will walk on at Virginia. Baker left William and Mary after starting there as a freshman last season.
BY MARTY O'BRIEN
247-4963
May 24, 2006

NEWPORT NEWS -- Calvin Baker has left behind a basketball scholarship at William and Mary to walk onto the team at the University of Virginia, with no promise that he'll ever be a scholarship player there.

Baker said Tuesday that transferring to Virginia is a risk he's happy to take.

"If I go in there, work hard and do what I should do, I'll earn a scholarship," said Baker, a 6-foot-2 point guard who will become eligible to play at Virginia in 2007-08. "It's every player's dream to play at the highest level, and I didn't want this opportunity to go to waste.

"I think I'm more ready to play in the ACC than I was coming out of high school, and I think I'll make an impact right away."

Baker said that he decided on Virginia after he and his mother, Wanda Baker, visited the Charlottesville campus Monday to meet with Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao. Baker said that Leitao did not guarantee a scholarship in the future, but added that the coach said he would be given the opportunity to earn one.

Regardless, Baker said he is excited about the move. He'll practice with the team in 2006-07 - but is ineligible to play during his transfer year - and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

"They're trying to build toward an ACC championship," Baker said. "That had a lot to do with my decision. When I sat down and talked to the coaches, I realized they care a lot about their players."

Virginia coaches could not be reached for comment.

Losing Baker is a big blow for W&M, which went 8-20 last season and returns little experience at point guard. Baker was the Tribe's most high-profile recruit in years.

He led Woodside High to state titles in 2004 and '05, and was selected the 2005 Group AAA state Player of the Year. He started 27 of 28 games for the Tribe in 2005-06, and made the Colonial Athletic Association all-rookie team.

Baker led the Tribe with averages of 11.6 points, 3.6 assists and 31.4 minutes. But he said that while he got along well with the Tribe players and coaches, he was never comfortable socially at W&M.

W&M announced Baker's intention to transfer May 8. Baker said that he received his release from the school several days later, then contacted Virginia assistant coach Gene Cross about transferring.

Baker said he thinks that he will be more comfortable at Virginia because several friends from high school attend the university. Baker, who said he finished with a 2.6 grade-point average at W&M, said academics played a huge role in his decision of where to transfer.

"My mother wanted me to be sure to transfer to a good academic school," Baker said. "I feel I still can get a good education at Virginia. People talk about William and Mary as being a good school academically, but Virginia is right up there with it."

Cavs get Gloucester recruit
Gloucester's Aaron Taliaferro is one of two in-state linebackers to commit Tuesday to the University of Virginia.
BY NORM WOOD
247-4642
May 24, 2006

Aaron Taliaferro, a Gloucester High linebacker, didn't need any extra time to know where he wanted to spend his college years. He committed Tuesday to the University of Virginia.

Taliaferro, a 6-foot-2, 218-pound rising senior, turned down scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, Maryland and N.C. State. He will sign a national letter-of-intent with U.Va. on Feb. 7, which is the first day high school seniors can sign letters of intent to colleges.

Though recruits are permitted by NCAA rules to take five official campus visits to colleges in their senior year of high school, Taliaferro said visits won't be necessary.

"I've been thinking about (committing to U.Va.) since I went to camp there last summer," said Taliaferro, who had 19 sacks last season for the 5-5 Dukes.

U.Va. also got a commitment Tuesday from Terence Fells-Danzer, a 6-2, 235-pound linebacker from Culpeper High in Culpeper who had five sacks last season. He also considered a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech.

Taliaferro is the first Gloucester High football player in 30 years to accept a scholarship offer from a major Division I-A college, according to Gloucester coach Tommy Reamon.

"He dominated the Peninsula District last season," Reamon said. "He has been groomed very well academically, athletically and privately."

Taliaferro played defensive end last season, but will make the transition next season to outside linebacker, which is the position he was recruited to play at U.Va. The Cavaliers' 3-4 defense is a perfect fit, according to Taliaferro. Taliaferro said Mike London, U.Va.'s defensive coordinator, headed up the Cavaliers' recruitment.

Taliaferro is a full-academic qualifier who carries a 2.8 grade-point average and has scored better than 1,200 on the SAT, according to Reamon. Taliaferro said he plans to major in engineering or criminal justice. He said he doesn't plan to try to graduate early from Gloucester and enroll in January at U.Va. in order to be eligible for spring practice next year.

The addition of Taliaferro and Fells-Danzer brings U.Va.'s total to nine players committed for its 2007 football recruiting class. The class already is heavy on linebackers, including Woodside's Jared Detrick and Christchurch's J'Courtney Williams.

U.Va.'s coaches appear to be making more of an effort to get in-state commitments. Seven of the commitments for the 2007 class are from the state. U.Va.'s 2006 recruiting class included just eight players from Virginia.

Paid Up Subscriber Mullen Recognized

The Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee announced the names of 12 stellar RHS athletes and coaches who will be inducted into the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame at a Dinner and Induction Ceremony on Saturday, May 20, 2007, at 7 PM at the RHS Campus Center. This year’s honorees, who represent six different decades and 10 different sports, are: Carin Cone (Vanderbush) ‘58, swimming; Paul Ferraro ‘77, football; Mario Ferraro ‘45, football; Don Haldane ‘42, baseball and basketball; Wendy Hartwig ‘94, soccer; Tom Hopper ‘50, basketball; Bob Keino ‘94, track and cross country; Coach Frank Mozeleski (1955-1971), football, basketball and golf; Tim Mullen ‘81, basketball; Donna O’Connell (Skettini) ‘84, softball, basketball and bowling; Jenna Rogers ‘94, track and cross country; Coach Charlie Yennie (1941-1956), basketball, soccer, and baseball. Between now and the dinner, rps.eNews will highlight their individual accomplishments.

Chaired by Jeff Yearing, the selection committee comprised Jacob Brown, Brian Corcoran, Jim Jones, Debbie Paul, Jim Stroker, Tom Thurston, and Dave Vanderbush. This 2006 class is the second group to be honored in the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame representing the best from RHS's long tradition of outstanding athletics. The first class was inducted in October 2004. They were: Paul Arrigoni '33, football and baseball; Tom Simos '43, soccer, basketball and baseball; Walt Perdue '46, football; Gene Links '49, football; Pete Campbell '57, basketball; Bob Whitaker '65, wrestling; Doug Cook '66, basketball; Jack Van Yperen '68, football, basketball and baseball; Jodi Hartwig ''90, soccer; Kazbek Tambi '79, soccer; Margaret Scutro '85, cross-country; Debbie O'Connell '85, softball and basketball; Becky Deetz '91, track; Aimee McGuire '94, soccer and basketball; Coach Otis Grendler (1946-63 ), tennis.