U.VA. Notes
Thursday, Jun 05, 2008 - 12:06 AM

Football
The scholarship offer he received recently from Ohio State helped push defensive end Jake Snyder to Virginia.

Snyder, a 6-4, 240-pound junior from Deep Run High in western Henrico County, had long liked U.Va., where his brother Matt is a walk-on wide receiver. When the Buckeyes' offer didn't sway him, Jake recalled, he asked himself, "What am I waiting for? If that's not changing my mind, I don't know what would."

And so Snyder committed Tuesday to U.Va., becoming the 11th member of its 2009 recruiting class. Other schools that offered him scholarships were Virginia Tech, Penn State, Colorado, Richmond, Boston College, Purdue and Louisville.

His parents attended James Madison University, but the family has had season tickets for U.Va. football for years, so Snyder knew his way around Scott Stadium even before his brother joined Al Groh's program in 2007.

Snyder, an excellent student, said he and his brother, who had a 42-yard reception in Virginia's spring game, are "very close. He's been a great role model for me, and he's really happy for me."

Another Deep Run graduate on the U.Va. roster is defensive end Sean Gottschalk, who'll be a redshirt sophomore this season. Matt Snyder will be a redshirt sophomore.

Eighteen players signed with U.Va. in February, and they'll start summer school there soon. Asked Tuesday if any of the incoming recruits had yet to qualify academically, Groh said they're "all solid."

Baseball
The major-league draft is today and tomorrow, and U.Va. could lose as many as four players who have eligibility remaining: pitcher Jacob Thompson, second baseman David Adams, first baseman Jeremy Farrell and shortstop Greg Miclat. All were juniors this season.

Virginia coach Brian O'Connor also could lose some of his incoming recruits. Candidates to be drafted include pitchers Scott Silverstein and Danny Hultzen, outfielder Peter Hissey and first baseman/pitcher Tyler Massey.

The Cavaliers (39-23) ended their fifth season under O'Connor with a loss to Cal State-Fullerton in the NCAA tournament Sunday. Freshman outfielder John Barr was named to the all-tournament team at the Fullerton, Calif., regional. He went 5 for 12 with two doubles in Virginia's three games.

One of Barr's classmates, outfielder Dan Grovatt, yesterday was named to Louisville Slugger's Freshman All-America team. In 58 games, Grovatt hit .324 with three home runs and 46 RBI. He also had 22 doubles, a U.Va. freshman record.

Basketball
U.Va.'s Dave Leitao is one of six current and former basketball coaches in Iraq as part of "Operation Hoop Talk: Talking with the Troops," a program sponsored by the United Service Organizations.

In the Persian Gulf region, Leitao and the other coaches will host clinics, tour military posts and meet with military personnel.

In August 2006, Leitao participated in a similar program, "Operation Hardwood III," which took him and other coaches to Japan.

During his current trip, diary entries from Leitao will be posted periodically on www.virginiasports.com.

Directors' Cup
U.Va., which placed 13th in the Directors' Cup race in 2006-07, could be headed for another top-15 finish.

In the latest standings, Virginia is 19th, with 670 points. Notre Dame is 15th, with 730½ points.

The Directors' Cup competition reflects schools' performances in NCAA championships. U.Va.'s highest finish, eighth, came in 1998-99. The Cavaliers placed 13th in 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2004-05 and 2006-07.

The final standings for 2007-08 will be released June 26. -- Jeff White

 

UVa's Thompson picked by Braves
The former All-American is among three Cavaliers selected in the first day.
By Mark Berman
981-3125

Jacob Thompson, a former Piedmont District standout who became an All-American pitcher at Virginia, was drafted by his favorite team Thursday.

The Tunstall High School graduate was chosen by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the major-league amateur draft.

Thompson, the 160th overall pick, had hoped to be drafted higher. But he plans to skip his senior season to turn pro.

"I'm ready to play [pro] ball," he said. "It's a lifelong dream to become [a Brave].

"There was some disappointment in it, but I couldn't be more excited right now."

Two other UVa juniors also were drafted.

Second baseman David Adams was chosen late in the third round by the New York Yankees with the 106th overall pick. All-ACC shortstop Greg Miclat was taken in the fifth round by Baltimore with the 146th pick.

Former Virginia Tech left-hander Evan Frederickson, who transferred to the University of San Francisco last summer, was taken by Milwaukee in the supplemental round between the first and second rounds.

The junior from Oak Hill, Va., was chosen with the 35th overall pick.

The first six rounds of the draft were held Thursday; the final 44 rounds will be held today.

Thompson earned All-America honors as a sophomore in 2007, when he went 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 101 strikeouts.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander did not fare as well this year, which is why he figures he wasn't drafted as high as he had hoped. He was 6-4 with a 4.30 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 8123 innings this year.

Thompson said it was a "very, very frustrating" day.

"I expected a little higher," said Thompson, whose 27 career wins are tops in UVa history. "I had kind of a down year, a disappointing year, but I can wipe the slate clean now and get back to pitching how I know how. I just need to gain a little weight and get stronger.

"I just need to get that cockiness back."

Thompson helped Tunstall win Group AA titles in 2004 and 2005.

Adams also intends to bypass his senior year and turn pro.

"I'm gone for sure," he said.

Adams had hoped before the season to be a first-round pick, but his expectations changed after he hurt himself with a subpar year. He hit .286 with six homers and 51 RBIs after batting .372 last season.

"It was a very disappointing year," he said. "That's why coming into this, ... I didn't have very high expectations.

"Luckily, the Yankees took a chance on me."

Miclat hit .320 and stole 30 bases this year. He is tied for first in UVa history with 83 career stolen bases.

"I definitely want to go [pro] this year," Miclat said. "If the money's not what I want it to be, I'm prepared this summer to go to the Cape [Cod League] and play and try to improve my value -- I have up till Aug. 15 [to sign]."

Frederickson was just 0-3 with a 7.94 ERA in 12 games as a Tech freshman in 2006, which was Chuck Hartman's final year as coach. He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in nine games in 2007, which was Pete Hughes' first year at the helm.

"I got my opportunities at Tech. I didn't take advantage of them," he said. "I just needed a change of scenery."

Frederickson was 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA this year, when he struck out 109 batters.

"I just improved a ton," he said. "I just started throwing more accurately, being more consistent."

The Tampa Bay Rays took high school shortstop Tim Beckham of Griffin, Ga., with the No. 1 overall pick.

Daniel Schlereth, a University of Arizona pitcher selected 26th by the Diamondbacks, is the son of former NFL offensive lineman and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth.

 

Cavs land touted gridder
By Doug Doughty

Just as Jake Snyder's recruiting was heating up, it was over.

Snyder, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end and tight end from Richmond's Deep Run High School, said Tuesday that he has committed to Virginia.

He became the 11th player to commit to the Cavaliers for 2009, nine from Virginia. None of the others had a more impressive list of offers.

Ohio State, Penn State and Virginia Tech all made offers to Snyder, whose older brother, Matt, was a walk-on wide receiver for the Cavaliers this past season.

"I had no idea it would get to this point," said Snyder, who had nine Division I-A offers. "I remember when Virginia was the first school to offer me, in December, and what an unbelievable feeling that was."

Snyder's parents are James Madison graduates but the family has had season's tickets to UVa games.

"It definitely helped [the Cavaliers]; I grew up loving Virginia football," Snyder said, "but I tried not to think about having a favorite. I wanted to give every school an honest look."

Snyder said the Cavaliers were not recruiting him for a particular side of the ball but that he expects to play defensive end. He has set a goal of reporting at 265 pounds in the summer of 2009.


 

Soroye still in limbo
By Whitey Reid
Published: June 5, 2008

It kind of stinks to be Tunji Soroye right now. The Virginia big man is in complete limbo.

Soroye doesn’t know if or when he’ll be granted a medical redshirt that would allow him to play a fifth and final season.

And even if he’s granted the redshirt, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to scrape together the necessary funds to return as a walk-on. Virginia is at the 13-scholarship limit for next season.

“It’s very frustrating,” Soroye said. “But regardless of whether it happens or not, the only thing I can do right now is get healthy and keep working hard.”

Soroye was limited to just two games last season. Just before the start of the season, he suffered cartilage damage to his left knee that required surgery. Then, when he came back to the team, he injured his back.

Virginia sorely missed the Nigerian’s presence on the defensive interior. UVa finished last in the ACC in shotblocking and had to play undersized freshman Mike Scott in the pivot for a good portion of the year.

Soroye says that academic coordinator Angela Crock is trying to help him find the right student grant that would be NCAA-permissible in the event the NCAA grants him the redshirt.

Soroye has also talked to coach Dave Leitao at length about his situation. “He’s been really supportive about it,” Soroye said.

Leitao views Soroye as a great mentor to incoming freshmen John Brandenburg and Assane Sene.

Sene, like Soroye, hails from Nigeria.

“That’s one of the main reasons he wants me to be around — because of the young guys coming in,” Soroye said.

Soroye says there is a chance he may not know until September if he has received the medical redshirt. He says if he doesn’t get one or doesn’t find a way to pay for his schooling, he’ll pursue a pro basketball career in Europe.

Meanwhile, Soroye’s back is feeling pretty good — not quite 100 percent, but getting there. The 6-foot-11, 252-pounder has been able to return to full team activities.

Soroye, who graduated in May with his degree in anthropology, would love the chance to rewrite the ending of his career.

“It would mean a lot to come back,” he said. “Last year was really frustrating having to just sit in my final year. I want to play during my last year.

“I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and keep praying that good things will happen.”

 

UVa has big hole to fill
By Whitey Reid
Published: June 5, 2008

The obvious challenge for the Virginia basketball program in the coming years is finding somebody to replace star Sean Singletary.

On the flip side, the UVa men’s tennis program isn’t as concerned about the loss of its star, Somdev Devvarman.

That’s not to say the Cavaliers won’t miss Devvarrman — they certainly will — but coach Brian Boland has a number of guys in the fold who might have the potential to be Devvarman’s heir apparent.

At the top of the list is rising sophomore Sanam Singh, who, like Devvarman, hails from India.

Singh had a bitter ending to his freshman year when he cramped up before his final set of the decisive NCAA Tournament match against Georgia. But other than that, it was nothing but good times for Singh in the No. 4 spot.

Ted Angelinos and Treat Huey, recent graduates from the UVa tennis team, will take the court at the Real Estate III USTA-VA Open Clay Court Championships, beginning today at Glenmore Country Club.

Other state standouts in the draw include Virginia Tech No. 1 Albert Larregola and William & Mary No. 2 Dominic Pagon. Virginia Commonwealth assistant coach and former Old Dominion star Nataly Fleishman will compete in the women’s tournament.

With the loss of Devvarman and Huey to graduation, Singh could very well find himself playing No. 1 next season.

“You look back at Somdev’s freshman year and he didn’t achieve that much more than Sanam did,” Boland said. “Sanam has some skills that were much better than what Somdev had.

“Look out … the biggest difference that I find is that Sanam’s ability to come forward and finish points is better. His defensive skills need to improve, whereas Somdev had the defensive skills.”

Fellow rising sophomore Michael Shabaz, who played predominatly at No. 5 singles this year, also has top-of-the-lineup potential, according to Boland.

And you can look for Dom Inglot, who played at No. 3, to be a much better version of himself next season. The rising senior played most of this past year with a nagging shoulder injury that severely hampered his serve.

The most exciting part of next season, however, could very well be the arrival of freshman Milos Raonic.

Raonic, who was born in Montenegro but grew up outside Toronto, is considered one of the top junior players in the world.

Boland was also able to reel in Steven Eelkman Roosa, a highly regarded player from Holland, along with Drew Courtney (Clifton), David Nguyen (Columbia, Md.) and Reese Milner (Los Angeles).

“We’re excited about David, Drew and Reese joining the program,” Boland said. “They’re outstanding students in the classroom and tremendous players with an abundance of potential. I have also had the opportunity to get to know each of their families and I have been incredibly impressed.

“I have no doubt each of them will fit in well to our program and continue to grow both on and off the court. We’re thrilled that they are a part of our upcoming class.”

 

Adams headed for Apple?
By Jay Jenkins
Published: June 6, 2008

After watching the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on television in his parents’ home, David Adams decided it was time to try something different: dinner.

Moments after Adams strolled into a Bonefish Grill in Florida, his phone rang.

The area scout from the New York Yankees told the former Virginia second baseman that the organization had just used their third round pick, the No. 106 overall selection, to secure his services.

“It was certainly exciting and it is a great opportunity for me,” Adams said. “It is an honor to play for the best organization in baseball.”

Adams’ selection was the first in a flurry of picks among players with ties to Virginia’s program.

In the following round, the Boston Red Sox took an incoming player in the Cavaliers’ recruiting class. Peter Hissey, an outfielder from Unionville High in Pennsylvania, was taken No. 142, marking the second time in three years that the organization drafted a player scheduled to report to Virginia.

UVa shortstop Greg Miclat was selected in the fifth round (No. 146) by the Baltimore Orioles, 14 picks before the Atlanta Braves landed starting pitcher Jacob Thompson.

“It makes you proud as coach because the three third-year players got drafted higher than they were or would have been out of high school,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor. “It is rewarding to the program and now we will see what they decide to do. Now it goes into negotiations and we will see if they get paid what they are looking for.”

It is widely expected, at least at this point, that Adams will be the first among the group to sign a contract, forgoing his final year of eligibility.

“I am a pretty easy sign,” said Adams, who was the first UVa player taken by the Yankees since Brian Buchanan was picked in the first round in 1994.

“I am leaving no matter what. I am trying to get out of here fast and I am going to report as soon as possible so I can get started as soon as possible, and hopefully I can move up quickly.”

Thompson could not be reached for comment, but told The Daily Progress before the draft that he was ready for the next chapter in his baseball career. At that point, however, the school’s all-time wins leader expected to be taken in the first three rounds, only to slide to the Braves in the fifth.

Miclat, just 12 months after undergoing shoulder surgery, said the events from the first day of the draft, which concludes today, seemed to crawl by. In fact, after a serious of discussions between Miclat’s advisor and the Orioles, a deal appeared in place for his selection in the fourth round.

When Baltimore selected center fielder Kyle Hudson instead with the 116th overall pick, Miclat thought it was a “fourth round or nothing” situation.

“I think the longest time was when my advisor called me saying they were wanting to pick me and the money they were offering in the fourth round wasn’t quite was I was asking for,” Miclat said. “We said ‘Go ahead and draft me,’ and the time from then until hearing that they didn’t draft me was forever. It felt like an hour, but it was only 15 minutes.

“They said they really like me and they know what it is going to take to sign me. They drafted me regardless of my [price tag], and they want to get something worked out as soon as possible.”

Miclat has leverage and could report to the Cape Cod League later this month if a deal seems unlikely.

Hissey said publicly before the draft that he had a figure set in place that he would require to skip college, but despite his lofty demands, the Red Sox clearly have the financial resources necessary. The organization inked outfielder Ryan Kalish out of high school to a contract in ‘06, paying well over the expected slot value for a player selected in the corresponding round.

It reminded O’Connor of the fine line that college baseball coaches walk in offering scholarship money to potential draftees.

“You can’t call them all right, and in Hissey’s case, he is a great athlete and in his senior year he got stronger and really took off,” O’Connor said. “I can see why Boston drafted him in the fourth round. He is a great player, and we will just have to see where the process takes him.”

Several Virginia players remain hopeful that their names will be called today as the final 44 rounds of the draft unfold. St. Anne’s-Belfield prospect Kyle Long also was not drafted in the first five rounds.

According to sources, based on conversations with Major League teams, potential clubs were concerned about Long’s strong commitment to play baseball at Florida State and questioned their chances of signing him to a professional contract.