White: Training Camp Notebook
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 08/19/2009
By Jeff White
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Al Groh has coached several standout tailbacks in his tenure
at UVa, including Antwoine Womack, Wali Lundy, Alvin Pearman and Cedric Peerman.
Torrey Mack may be as talented as any of them.
Mack is a 6-0, 195-pound redshirt freshman from Stratford, Conn. He's battling
senior Mikell Simpson for the starting job, and nobody should be shocked if Mack
runs out for UVa's first series in the Sept. 5 opener against William and Mary.
"He's exciting, he's tough, and he's improving his game every day," Groh said.
As a 12th-grader, Mack averaged 13.7 yards per carry and rushed for 20
touchdowns. Mack has excellent hands, Groh said this morning, thought he didn't
catch many passes in high school.
What Mack's coaches at Stratford High did, Groh said, "was mostly give him the
ball and let him run a long way."
Asked where Mack needed to improve, Groh said that "probably the area that's
still developing the most is in pass protection. Just because, kind of as I
mentioned, the smart thing to do in high school was give it to him all the time.
And so he really didn't have much background in [pass blocking], as is the case
with lots of backs, when he came here. He's very willing to do it; he's got more
than enough toughness to do it. It's just continuing to give him enough looks at
the different schemes that might occur."
Groh also is high on true freshmen Perry Jones and Dominique Wallace, tailbacks
who "clearly have high-end potential," he said.
* * * * * * * * *
He hasn't practiced recently because of a minor knee injury, but Rashawn
Jackson, when healthy, also will contend for playing time at tailback.
The 6-1, 245-pound Jackson has primarily played fullback at UVa. Does he believe
he has something to prove to new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon?
"Honestly? I feel like I have to prove something to not only him, but myself,"
said Jackson, who earned his sociology degree from UVa in May. "Every day I go
out to practice, I always want to make two or three plays that's going to have
the coaches open their eyes and say, 'Wow, this guy's a competitor. He deserves
to be out there.'
"I feel like no one should ever be complacent with their current status.
'Satisfaction' should never be in an athlete's vocabulary, because as soon as
you get satisfied, you begin to settle. You never want to settle. I'm not a
settling kind of guy. I didn't settle academically, I'm not going to settle on
the field."
* * * * * * *
After replacing Yannick Reyering last season, Robert Randolph appeared in five
games and went 6 for 6 on extra points and 3 for 4 on field goals.
Now a sophomore, the walk-on from Naples, Fla., appears "much more poised and
much more at ease" than in 2008, Groh said.
Chris Hinkebein took over the kickoff duties when Reyering got hurt last season
and may handle them again this fall. Hinkebein is a redshirt sophomore.
* * * * * * *
In 11 games last season -- nine of which he started -- quarterback Marc Verica
threw twice as many interceptions (16) as touchdowns (eight). He also lost a
fumble late in UVa's loss to ACC rival Miami at Scott Stadium.
"Ball security has been my primary focus this offseason and heading into the
season," Verica said, "because it can change a game on one play, no matter how
many good things you've done."
In the race for the starting job this year, Verica is believed to be running
third behind Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell.
* * * * * * *
Brandon told reporters Sunday at Scott Stadium that he'd like to find a way to
play Hall and Sewell at the same time, with one at QB and the other in the slot.
Apprised this morning of Brandon's comments, Groh paused before saying, "I want
to make sure our quarterback play is what it needs to be before we fool around
with any experiments."
Could Hall and Sewell play together?
"Anything is possible," Groh said. "It's possible we might get to Mars next.
We've already landed a man on the moon."
He added: "As of right now, all three of them are full-time quarterbacks."
* * * * * * *
The Cavaliers finished 5-7 last year, their second losing record in three
seasons. But his players' and coaches' resilience impressed Groh.
Starting in January 2008, when four players were declared academically
ineliglble, including starters Sewell and Chris Cook (cornerback), the Cavaliers
encountered one obstacle after the other.
UVa followed its turbulent offseason by dropping three of its first four games n
'08, allowing 128 points during that stretch. The 'Hoos pulled together and won
four straight before closing the season with four consecutive losses.
His 2008 team, Groh said Sunday, "had to endure more things, probably, than any
team that I've been associated with, and to remain strong in the face of all of
that. And they did that, and for that I have a great appreciation for what they
did.
"Just like in boxing, the less amount of body punches you can take over the
course of the fight, probably the better off you are and the fresher you are at
the end. That team and those players took some body punches, and they shook them
off, but they still take their toll at certain points."
* * * * * * *
In 2008, Aaron Taliaferro appeared in only game for UVa. It didn't go well for
the Gloucester High graduate, who was badly fooled on a Virginia Tech touchdown
pass at Lane Stadium.
Before spring practice this year, the 6-2, 230-pounder Taliaferro moved from
outside linebacker to inside linebacker in Virginia's 3-4 defense. He's a
redshirt sophomore who's been working with the second team.
"He's got good initial quickness, and he's got a lot of thump to him, and
frankly we're looking for some candidates to step up and compete for time [at
inside linebacker]," Groh said.
"All things considered, he stepped up as the best candidate. He's never played
[inside]. He played on the outside in high school, he played on the outside [his
first two years] here. So he's got some sorting out to do. He is back outside
when we put the nickel and dime in, and he's done a nice job there. There's a
lot going on for him. With two new roles, plus special teams, it's almost like
he's a starting-all-over-again player. He's handling it in a positive way."
* * * * * * * *
As a true freshman last season, Rodney McLeod played cornerback, mostly in
passing situations. A year later, the former DeMatha High star is a starting
safety who regularly makes big plays in practice.
Secondary coach Anthony Poindexter said he's not surprised by McLeod's ascent.
"Not after last year," Poindexter said, "if you watched him last year and
watched how the kid approached the game. He comes from a really good high
school, so he's been coached, he knows how to take direction. And football makes
sense to him. For whatever reason, he just sees the game. And when you get a
bunch of guys like that as a coach, you'll be in good shape. You've just got to
guide them in your scheme. But if they can see the game, it makes it a lot
easier."
College football notebook: Hampton corner commits to Cavaliers
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times
For the second year in a row, Virginia has received a commitment
from one of the top football prospects at Hampton's Bethel High School, and this
one might actually play football for the Cavaliers.
Cornerback Rijo Walker said Wednesday that he will sign with Virginia, where he
will join former Bethel teammate Jontel Evans.
Evans, a running back for the 2008 Bethel football team, signed to play point
guard for the UVa men's basketball team.
Walker, a first-team All-Peninsula District selection as a junior, came to
prominence when he intercepted 11 passes as a sophomore. He didn't see as much
action last year, when he had four interceptions.
Walker, who had seven Division I-A scholarship offers, picked the Cavaliers over
South Carolina. West Virginia, Wake Forest and North Carolina State also were in
the picture. Walker (5 foot 10, 170 pounds) is the 10th prospect to commit to
UVa for 2010, three from in state. He is the 30th player from Virginia to commit
to a Division I-A program.
Richmond gets Brown
While many Division I-AA programs are in the position of waiting until I-A teams
make their recruiting decisions, second-year University of Richmond coach Mike
London already has landed seven commitments from in-state players, including
6-1, 216-pound linebacker Andrew Brown, who had 81 tackles and nine sacks for
Jefferson Forest last season.
n North Carolina has taken a football commitment from Nick Appel, a 6-foot-6,
330-pound offensive tackle from Bishop O'Connell in Arlington. UNC was the first
Division I-A school to make a scholarship offer to Appel, who had been contacted
by several other ACC programs.
n Kelsey Wolfe, a 5-9 guard from Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Md.,
has committed to the women's basketball program at UVa. Wolfe, who scored 38
points in a season-ending overtime loss in the state playoffs, also plays for
the Fairfax Stars AAU team. Wolfe ranks 55th on the HoopGurlz top 100, one spot
behind Virginia Tech-bound Monet Tellier from Charlotte, N.C.
Connections
UVa's latest men's basketball recruit, guard Keylon Tobias "K.T." Harrell from
Montgomery, Ala., will come north with Roanoke ties. His mother, Michelle, is
the daughter of Roanoke residents James and Janet Pearson. Father Rodney
Harrell, who was born in Portsmouth and met his wife while both were in the
military, said many of his in-laws still live in Roanoke.
n Kansas State has taken a football commitment from Gambrills, Md., quarterback
Billy Cosh, who passed for 3,913 yards and 56 touchdowns as a junior at Arundel
High School. Cosh is the son of one-time Virginia Tech linebacker Chris Cosh,
who earlier had accepted a position as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State
following the return of Bill Snyder as head coach. Chris Cosh had been at
Maryland.
Around the ACC
Virginia was able to hold onto all five of its baseball signees who were
selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, headed by Branden Kline, a
right-handed pitcher from Frederick, Md., who was the sixth-round pick of the
Boston Red Sox.
n Georgia Tech may look at the redshirt option for back-up quarterback Jaybo
Shaw, who suffered a broken collarbone Saturday in a scrimmage. Shaw, who
definitely will not be available for the Yellow Jackets' opener Sept. 5, started
against Duke as a true freshman last year and passed for 230 yards in a 27-0
victory.
From the NFL
Ex-Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will receive a guaranteed $19 million
as part of the five-year, $35.4-million contract he signed with Jacksonville,
but a lengthy holdout will make it difficult to wrest a starting job from
12-year veteran Tra Thomas at left tackle.
n Fontel Mines, who played wide receiver at Virginia, suffered a torn anterior
cruciate ligament during Chicago Bears' drills and was lost for the season.
Mines was on the Bears' practice squad last year and has been playing tight end.
Bethel star Walker commits to U.Va.
Football By Norm Wood
247-4642
August 20, 2009
As soon as Virginia offered a scholarship in late June to Bethel High's Rijo
Walker, the Cavaliers shot to the top of his list of desired college
destinations. It was the offer he'd been waiting for all along.
He made it official Wednesday by committing to U.Va., turning down scholarship
offers from East Carolina, South Carolina, Wake Forest, West Virginia, North
Carolina State and Northwestern in the process. Walker, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound
cornerback, will be able to sign a letter of intent with U.Va. on Feb. 3, the
first day recruits can sign.
"It's a big relief," Walker said. "I can concentrate on the season (at Bethel)
and my schoolwork. I just didn't see any sense in dragging it out and maybe
having another (cornerback) commit (to U.Va.) or something."
Walker said U.Va.'s assistant coaches told him they planned to sign three
cornerbacks in the 2010 class. He was recruited by U.Va. assistant coaches
Latrell Scott and Anthony Poindexter. Walker is U.Va.'s 10th commitment for its
'10 class, which includes just three players from the state of Virginia thus
far. Right now, he's U.Va.'s only '10 commitment from the Peninsula District.
"I just liked the situation there," Walker said of U.Va. "I've always liked the
school, and the coaches have always been real upfront with me. I just figured
with those (factors), I didn't need to wait any longer."
In his last two seasons for Bethel, Walker logged a total of 15 interceptions,
including 11 in his sophomore season. He has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the
40-yard dash. He's not yet sure what he wants to major in at U.Va., but he may
explore a major involving one of the sciences.
He carries a grade-point average near 3.8.
"Everybody asks what it is about him that everybody seems to like," Bethel coach
Jeff Nelson said. "There's a lot of little things that make him who he is. He's
just a good ol' boy. It's one of those things you can't really explain. He does
everything you ask him to do. He's a leader. He leads in the weight room.
"He's going to be an asset for U.Va. He's a guy you can trust. He's going to do
well in the classroom. There's nothing really bad you can say about him. He's a
quiet leader."
Just five months ago, Walker didn't have a single offer. In March, N.C. State
became the first school to offer, and interest in him picked up soon after.
He attended a Nike camp in April in Charlottesville and also went to recruiting
camps this summer at U.Va., Duke and South Carolina.
He said he didn't camp at Virginia Tech.
This fall, Walker likely will be on the field for nearly every minute of
Bethel's games.
Nelson said he plans to have Walker stay at cornerback on defense for the most
part, but there may be times Walker also plays a little at one of the safety
positions. Walker also will return punts and kicks.
Late last season, Nelson said he used Walker some at slot wide receiver. Walker
will play some at receiver this season, too.
"Just learning the (Bethel) offense is a take in itself, so now I can focus on
that with this decision out of the way," Walker said.
"I've been blessed to have so many schools take an interest in me. I know I'm
really fortunate to be able to make this choice."
The Walker file
RIJO WALKER
SCHOOL: Bethel.
POSITION: Cornerback.
YEAR: Senior.
NUMBERS: Has intercepted 15 passes over the last two seasons.
RECRUITING: Had offers from Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Wake
Forest, East Carolina, N.C. State and Northwestern.
FAMILY: Parents, Richard and Asia. Brothers, Ricky (13) and R'mondo (9).
Groh keeps things simple — for now
By Jay Jenkins
Published: August 20, 2009
Envision a defense preparing for senior Vic Hall lined up at wide receiver.
Or perhaps the athletic senior stands next to quarterback Jameel Sewell as a
tailback-type option.
It could happen.
“Anything is possible,” said Virginia coach Al Groh on Wednesday. “It’s possible
we might get to Mars next. We’ve already landed a man on the moon.”
For now, however, Groh remains noncommittal about the possibility of moving a
quarterback to allow a pair of playmakers to be on the field at the same time.
“I want to make sure our quarterback play is what it needs to be before we fool
around with any experiments,” he admitted.
It remains a three-way race for the starting job between junior Marc Verica,
Hall and Sewell.
“As of right now,” Groh added, “all three of them are full-time quarterbacks.”
New addition
Virginia landed another commitment on Wednesday as defensive back Rijo Walker,
from Hampton, announced his intentions to become a Cavalier in 2010.
A standout from Bethel High, Walker is 5-foot-7 and 171 pounds and pick UVa over
offers from East Carolina, South Carolina, Wake Forest and others.
Body type
As a guest at a recent practice, former Virginia defensive end Brennan Schmidt
made an observation that failed to turn heads.
It did confirm the obvious — Matt Conrath looks the part.
“He is massive,” Schmidt said following an open practice.
Now a sophomore defensive end, Conrath has bulked up further and anticipates
using that size to his advantage. But he hopes to gain some additional weight
after training camp ends.
“I wanted to be at 280,” he said, “but I didn’t get up there. I am just trying
to maintain weight right now.
“I will probably play at 275 this year. We have that two-week break so I can put
it back on.”
Bradley tries to fill big shoes
By Chip Knighton
Published: August 20, 2009
Dave Borbely said it. Eugene Monroe agreed with it. Now, Landon Bradley will
have to prove it.
When comparing the career tracks of a pair of offensive linemen, Virginia’s
newly-appointed starter at left tackle appears light years ahead of schedule.
Borbely, the Cavaliers’ offensive line coach, is confident that Bradley, the
heir apparent for Monroe in the trenches, has the “it factor.”
For obvious reasons, Bradley has big shoes to fill — Monroe was an All-American
and signed a wealthy contract this week to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“I love him,” Borbely said. “Eugene was here for a couple of days before he left
to go back to Jacksonville and we were in my office talking and I said, ‘Man, he
is so much better than you were at this same point and time.’
“He said, ‘That kid does stuff that I could never do.”
Bradley, listed at 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, has approached the new spot in the
limelight as a starter merely as a chance to help the team win games. Replacing
Monroe’s impact on the offense would be too much to ask.
“I really just try to get better every day,” he said. “Eugene was a special
talent, and all I can do right now is just try and make us a better team in
every practice.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity.”
Bradley has a downside — he is 45 pounds lighter than Monroe.
The Conway, S.C., native attempts to make up for his lack of bulk with excellent
footwork, athleticism and knowledge of the offense.
“Landon doesn’t have the bulk and the girth that Eugene had, but technically I
am jacked about him,” Borbely said. “He really is so freaking smart. He gets it.
He doesn’t get me blocking him but he gets all of it.
“You have to learn your position first. You have to learn how to get there, how
to do it. Most guys worry about their guy. This kid has gone through that and he
sees it. Understanding football comes very easy to him.”
Last year as a redshirt freshman, Bradley watched with great anticipation as one
of his best friends, defensive end Matt Conrath, assumed the starting spot
vacated by the departure of Chris Long to the NFL.
The hourglass has been flipped with the roommates.
“I can’t wait for him to get out there and do great things because I have
confidence in him to be a great left tackle for us,” Conrath said. “He is a
great talent.”
Will Barker, who will start at right tackle for Virginia, said that Bradley
learned important traits early on watching Monroe and former guard Branden
Albert.
“They showed me how to practice and how to play. I think that is one of the
biggest parts and Landon caught on right away,” said Barker, a senior. “He knows
how to practice and he has the right attitude.
“It helps when you are a pretty good athlete like he is. He is a hell of an
athlete. He had a couple of years behind Eugene and Eugene is obviously one of
the best to learn from.”
Groh, Cavaliers debate allowing QB to take hits
By John O'Connor
Published: August 19, 2009
Virginia coach Al Groh last week spoke to a coach at another school about
whether quarterbacks need contact prior to season openers.
They agreed there is value in that. QBs can learn when and how to pass in
perilous situations, how to maneuver in the pocket, how to persevere through
physical discomfort. But the coaches also appreciate that QBs can be injured in
“live” scrimmages or drills, especially if they haven’t been tackled for months.
The coaches reached no conclusion as they prepared for weekend scrimmages,
according to Groh. “It’s 50-50. It’s a coin flip,“ he said.
They chose not to allow their QBs to be tackled in those scrimmages. But both
will let their QBs be hit some in upcoming scrimmages, and the coaches will keep
fingers crossed that passers remain fit.
“All of a sudden, if you don’t have one or two of the ones that you really need
because of [injury], then it impacts your whole team,“ Groh said.
Quarterbacks in practice wear jerseys of a different color than other players,
alerting all that QBs should be avoided in contact drills and scrimmages. That
protection, however, can give a QB an unrealistic preview of game day, in Groh’s
estimation.
“I saw some throws that were real good throws,“ he said, referring to last
Saturday’s scrimmage. “[They] probably wouldn’t have come off the same way if
the rusher hadn’t pulled off, and I think the quarterbacks need to know that.“
Quality depth at the position, or the lack of it, can influence coaches’
policies. Virginia has three quarterbacks — Vic Hall, Jameel Sewell and Marc
Verica — who have started college games. The University of Richmond’s Eric Ward
is a four-year starter and no other Spider QB has game experience. Richmond
coach Mike London is not interested in seeing anybody but Ward taking snaps
until further notice, and will keep him contact-free through preseason camp.
Some quarterbacks are featured as ball carriers, and may benefit from contact as
part of game preparation. But generally, college QBs are rarely hit during
August practice.
“Once you get to the college level, guys usually have been playing for several
years. It’s not like a young kid who needs to be introduced to a little bit of
contact,“ said Shawn Knight, a former William and Mary quarterback (1990-94) who
is now the activities director at Huguenot High School. He used to coach the
Falcons’ QBs. Knight added: “Once you get a little older, the kid generally
knows what to expect come game time. You know you’re going to get hit.“
If a defensive player gets near Ward at UR, the whistle loudly blows and
activity immediately ceases. It’s not just the potential of open-field
collisions than scares London.
“You see so many quarterback injuries on the [pass] release. They crack their
pinky or their thumb on something,“ he said. “I am more concerned with getting
the quarterback to the game rather than making sure he gets hit some in
practice.
“You run the risk of ‘Oh, he got hit all right, but now he’s out because he
broke his finger.’ “
Dowling Named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 08/19/2009
Charlottesville, VA - Virginia junior cornerback Ras-I Dowling (Chesapeake, Va.)
is one of 62 players named to the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Watch List that was
announced by the Football Writers Association of America. The Nagurski Trophy is
awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player by the FWAA and the
Charlotte Touchdown Club. The trophy has been presented since 1993 and is
awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, an All-America lineman at Minnesota
in 1927-29 and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
Earlier this summer Dowling was named to the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference
Preseason Football Team. The team was voted on by media attending the ACC's
annual Kickoff event in Greensboro.
Dowling earned All-ACC honors last season after leading the Cavaliers with three
interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He appeared in 11 games, starting nine
times, and finished with 43 tackles. He ranked third in the ACC in pass defenses
(pass break ups and interceptions) with 14. He was 11th in the nation in that
category.
Dowling enters his junior season with five career interceptions and 87 total
tackles. He has 25 career pass defenses.
The Bronko Nagurski Watch List is fluid. Players may be added or removed during
the season. After the first four games of the season, the FWAA will revise the
list and at that time school sports information directors may submit names for
players not on the list to the FWAA and their conference's FWAA All-America
Committee representative.
Each week during the 2009 season, the FWAA will choose a Bronko Nagurski
National Defensive Player of the Week. If the selected player is not on the
watch list, he automatically will be added. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown
Club will announce five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on November 18
or 19.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet will be on Dec. 7 at the Westin Hotel
in Charlotte, N.C. Besides the 2009 winner being announced, the banquet will
also celebrate the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, presented by CSX
Intermodal. Defensive back Roger Wehrli, a standout for the University of
Missouri and the St. Louis Cardinals, is being honored from the FWAA's 1968
All-American team.
Landesberg Named Preseason Wooden Award Candidate
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 08/19/2009
LOS ANGELES – Virginia sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg (Flushing, N.Y.) was
one of 50 players named as preseason candidates for the 2009-10 John R. Wooden
Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy, the Wooden Award
Committee announced Wednesday.
Last year, Landesberg led the Cavaliers in scoring (16.6 ppg) during his
freshman campaign. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year and was a second-team
Freshman All-America selection by CBSSports.com and CollegeHoops.net.
Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason
list. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated
and considered for December’s Midseason list and the official voting ballot
released in March.
In late December, the Wooden Award Committee will release the Midseason Top 30
list, followed in March by the National Ballot, consisting of approximately 20
top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making
progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden
Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round
during the NCAA Tournament.
The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of
the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winner, and the presentation of the Wooden
Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will take place the
weekend of April 9-11, 2010.
2009-10 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List
Name Height Class Position University
Solomon Alabi 7-1 So. C Florida State
Cole Aldrich 6-11 Jr. C Kansas
Al-Farouq Aminu 6-9 So. F Wake Forest
Luke Babbit 6-9 So. F Nevada
Talor Battle 5-11 Jr. G Penn State
Trevor Booker 6-7 Sr. F Clemson
Matt Bouldin 6-5 Sr. G Gonzaga
Craig Brackins 6-10 Jr. F Iowa State
Da’Sean Butler 6-7 Sr. F West Virginia
Sherron Collins 5-11 Sr. G Kansas
Ed Davis 6-10 So. F North Carolina
Devan Downey 5-9 Sr G South Carolina
Jerome Dyson 6-3 Sr. G Connecticut
Devin Ebanks 6-9 So. F West Virginia
Corey Fisher 6-1 Jr. G Villanova
Luke Harangody *# 6-8 Sr. F Notre Dame
Manny Harris 6-5 Jr. G Michigan
Gordon Hayward 6-8 So. G/F Butler
Jeremy Hazell 6-5 Jr. G Seton Hall
Robbie Hummel 6-8 Jr. F Purdue
Damion James 6-7 Sr. G/F Texas
Sylven Landesberg 6-6 So. G Virginia
Gani Lawal 6-9 Jr. F Georgia Tech
Kalin Lucas 6-0 Jr. G Michigan State
Tasmin Mitchell 6-7 Sr. F Louisiana State
Greg Monroe 6-11 So. C Georgetown
E’Twaun Moore 6-3 Jr. G Purdue
Raymar Morgan 6-8 Sr. F Michigan State
A.J. Ogilvy 6-11 Jr. C Vanderbilt
Patrick Patterson 6-9 Jr. F Kentucky
Jerome Randle 5-10 Sr. G California
Scottie Reynolds 6-2 Jr. G Villanova
Samardo Samuels 6-8 So. F Louisville
Larry Sanders 6-11 Jr. F VCU
Jon Scheyer 6-5 Sr. G Duke
DeShawn Sims 6-8 Sr. F Michigan
Kyle Singler 6-8 Jr. F Duke
Tyler Smith 6-7- Sr. G/F Tennessee
Isaiah Thomas 5-8 So. G Washington
Deon Thompson 6-8 Sr. F North Carolina
J.T. Tiller 6-3 Sr. G Missouri
Evan Turner 6-7 Jr. G/F Ohio State
Jarvis Varnado 6-9 Sr. F/C Mississippi State
Greivis Vasquez 6-6 Sr. G Maryland
Deonta Vaughn 6-1 Sr. G Cincinnati
Kemba Walker 6-1 So. G Connecticut
Willie Warren 6-4 So. G Oklahoma
Terrico White 6-5 So. G Mississippi
Nic Wise 5-10 Sr. G Arizona
Chris Wright 6-8 Jr. F Dayton
(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)
*indicates 2009 Wooden All-American
# indicates 2008 Wooden All-American
Virginia Picked To Finish Second in the ACC
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 08/19/2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Virginia men's soccer team was picked to finish second in
the Atlantic Coast Conference, as determined by a vote of the league's nine head
coaches that was released by the league Wednesday.
North Carolina, which ended the 2008 season as the national runner-up, narrowly
beat Virginia as the preseason pick for the upcoming season.
Virginia returns 92 percent of its goal-scoring, including 36-of-39 total goals
from last year's squad that continued its longest active streak in the nation
with its 29th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Cavalier midfielder and 2008
ACC Freshman of the Year Tony Tchani, who returns for his sophomore campaign,
was named as one of the 38 members of the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann
Trophy Watch List.
Carolina returns four of its top five scorers from last year's 15-8-1 squad,
which advanced to the finals of the 2008 NCAA College Cup.
Defending national champion Maryland and Wake Forest wrap up the top four ACC
predictions as the Terrapins went a program-best 23-3 in 2008 and carry a
16-game win streak into the 2009 season. Completing the preseason poll in order
of projected finish are NC State, Boston College, Duke, Clemson and Virginia
Tech, respectively.
Virginia hosts George Mason on Friday at Klöckner Stadium in a preseason
exhibition. Kick-off is 7 p.m.
2009 Preseason ACC Men's Soccer Poll
School (first-place votes) Points 2008 Record
1. North Carolina (5) 73 15-8-1 (3-5-0 ACC)
2. Virginia (4) 72 11-9-1 (4-4-0 ACC)
3. Maryland 64 23-3-0 (6-2-0 ACC)
4. Wake Forest 55 21-2-1 (7-0-1 ACC)
5. NC State 40 9-9-1 (3-5-0 ACC)*
6. Boston College 37 11-7-3 (5-3-0 ACC)*
7. Duke 32 10-8-2 (3-3-2 ACC)
8. Clemson 23 7-9-2 (3-4-1 ACC)
9. Virginia Tech 9 5-13-1 (0-8-0 ACC)
*NC State defeated Boston College 2-0 on Sept. 27; however, NC State forfeited
the win and the standing reflects the adjusted record.
UVa, UCLA tie for 2nd best public university
By Brian McNeill
Published: August 20, 2009
The University of Virginia maintains its status as the nation’s second best
public university in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings — but this year
UVa has some company in the No. 2 spot.
In the 2010 rankings of “America’s Best Colleges” — which will be released today
— the University of California, Los Angeles, joins UVa as the No. 2 public
university.
UVa has been ranked the No. 2 public school every year since 2005. It has been
ranked as either No. 1 or No. 2 every year since 1992.
“We like it that U.S. News continues to rank UVa among the nation’s best,” said
UVa President John T. Casteen III in a statement. “Obviously, the ranking helps
attract qualified students and underscores the quality of work done by faculty
and staff members.”
In the magazine’s overall rankings — which include both public and private
institutions — UVa dropped one rank to No. 24, tying with UCLA.
UVa was ranked No. 23 in 2009 and 2008. It was listed at No. 24 in 2007.
There were few notable changes in this year’s U.S. News list, the most closely
watched collegiate rankings.
Harvard University remained the rankings’ No. 1 overall university, tied with
Princeton, while the University of California, Berkeley retained its rank as the
No. 1 public university spot.
Casteen noted that UVa’s consistently high ranking is doubly impressive because
of its dwindling amount of state tax support.
“For 20 years, our state has put essentially every other priority ahead of
education. It has done this for so long that most people simply take it for
granted now that the state can dodge this most basic of its obligations,” he
said. “The rankings include many sub scores. Again this year, these emphasize
how very far behind Virginia is in its support for its public colleges and
universities — support that is now very probably the lowest in the country.”
In the category that ranks universities based on their financial resources, UVa
came in at No. 64.
Berkeley and UCLA, the other two top public universities, ranked No. 43 and No.
25, respectively, when it came to financial resources.
State support accounts for 6.9 percent of UVa’s 2009-10 budget, the lowest level
in memory. UVa has seen its state tax support allocation reduced by $32.9
million since the 2007-08 academic year. And UVa is expected to undergo a new
round of budget cuts in September, as Virginia seeks to close a $1.5 billion
budget shortfall.
“In every budget cut, we make protecting academic programming a priority,”
Leonard W. Sandridge, UVa’s executive vice president and chief operating
officer, said in a news release. “We do all we can to make sure that the
students do not feel the budget crisis in the classroom.”
In other U.S. News rankings, UVa took the No. 1 spot for having the highest
graduation rate among public universities.
UVa also was ranked No. 1 among public universities in annual giving among the
Top 25 public schools. It was No. 22 among the Top 25 of all national
universities, public or private, in terms of giving.
UVa was ranked No. 18 for having a low acceptance rate. UVa’s acceptance rate is
37 percent.
In economic diversity, UVa dropped one rank to No. 24, but its percentage of
students with Pell Grants remained unchanged.