Mack ready for his chance
By Whitey Reid
Published: August 28, 2009

Virginia running back Torrey Mack’s favorite movie genre is horror. One of his favorite films is “Friday the 13th,” featuring the hockey mask-wearing Jason. “The last one was really good,” Mack said. “I liked how they showed [Jason] growing up.”

Mack has done some maturing himself since redshirting last season as a freshman. This season, the 6-foot, 190-pounder has his sights set on putting some fright into opposing defenses.

Mack, known as “T-Mac” to his teammates, seems well on his way.

The Stratford, Conn., native is getting some first-team reps with presumptive starter Mikell Simpson hobbled. Whether that remains true for next Saturday’s season opener versus William & Mary isn’t clear, but regardless of whether Mack earns the nod, it’s a near certainty that he will get a chance to show his talent at some point.

After being ranked the eighth best running back in the nation by SuperPrep coming out of high school, and then not playing last season, Mack is chomping at the bit.

“I had a lot of things to learn,” said Mack, when asked about being redshirted. “I was mad at the time, but it ended up really benefiting me a lot. I’m glad it happened.

“I’m just anxious to get back on the field. I don’t care where. Wherever the coaches put me, I’m going to be happy.”

Mack says the biggest things he absorbed from his sideline perch were reading defenses, offensive blocking schemes and how to carry the ball properly. He credits former Virginia running back Cedric Peerman for teaching him the most. Peerman, now with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, still stays in contact with Mack.

Peerman told The Daily Progress last April that he expects Mack to carry the torch at the position that has produced numerous NFL standouts, including Tiki Barber, Thomas Jones and Terry Kirby.

When you ask current Virginia players about Mack, they begin to talk excitedly.

“I just like to sit in practice and watch T-Mac run around,” said Virginia fullback Rashawn Jackson. “He’s like a bigger Reggie Bush [or] LeSean McCoy. He’s shifty. He can run and stop on a dime, and he’s crafty.

“I just really can’t wait to see T-Mac [against William & Mary]. I like his style. He’s really come along and progressed.”

Mack, who grew up idolizing former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith — his current favorites are Saints back Bush and Adrian Peterson of the Vikings — will also get a chance in the kickoff-return game. Mack, along with teammates Mikell Simpson and Chris Cook, has been taking reps during the preseason.

“I kind of like [returning kicks],” Mack said. “It gives you a chance to be aggressive.”

Mack, whose father, Torry Sr., played basketball at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, says he likes to incorporate facets of Bush and Peterson’s games into his own

“I think I have a little aspect of both of them,” he said. “I’m shifty, but I can lower my shoulders when I have to.”

Jackson can’t wait to see Mack in action.

“T-Mac is just explosive,” he said. “He brings a different element in his game. This is going to be a big year for him.”
 

Simpson leader of green group
By Jay Jenkins
Published: August 28, 2009

Mum was the word from Mikell Simpson.

Outside of a few nods of the head and a handful of handshakes, Virginia’s starting running back avoided contact with the media.

Strictly business was the approach that Simpson took entering the Cavaliers’ training camp after a season that included just five wins, few memorable moments and one separated shoulder.

Simpson’s slump remains a mystery to those within the program, but the presence of Cedric Peerman, healthy and productive, explained some of the dropoff.

Virginia enters the current campaign with Simpson slotted as the top back in front of a host of viable, yet unproven candidates.

Torrey Mack, a redshirt freshman, has continued to impress in training camp and junior Keith Payne appears poised for a breakthrough should the playing time emerge.

“It is a versatile group,” said Virginia running backs coach Wayne Lineburg. “All of them can run the ball well, which is the No. 1 thing they’ve got to be able to do, and they’ve got to protect the ball and protect the quarterback.

“All of them have good hands, too. They’re a good group of kids that can catch the ball, and that’s very helpful in this offense.”

What Simpson provides, however, may be the most beneficial based on his in-game experience.

“The two leading candidates as the leading tailback are Mack and Simpson, both for their skills and their versatility,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “Keith Payne has upgraded his performance here this year and had some positive plays [of late]. He’s clearly very much in the mix.”

Despite having the 108th-ranked rushing offense last year, Virginia is hopeful to improve on its stats this season with a host of capable carriers.

“I think we will churn out yards,” said Virginia fullback Rashawn Jackson. “We have the weapons and in this offense we are in the right spots. It is up to us to get it done.”
 

Breaking down Virginia’s running backs
By Jay Jenkins
Published: August 28, 2009

THE STARTER
Tailback
Mikell Simpson
Senior — 6-foot-1, 200 pounds
The skinny: After tearing up opposing defenses late in the 2007 campaign, Simpson struggled to get on track last year. He played in nine games before a season-ending shoulder injury and mustered only 262 yards and three touchdowns. The Harrisburg, Pa., native is currently slotted as the top ball carrier on the depth chart, but was spotted in a walking boot last week.

THE RESERVES
Perry Jones
Freshman — 5-foot-8, 185 pounds
The skinny: A two-way standout in high school, Jones was slotted at tailback. He scored 54 touchdowns at Oscar Smith High, but is unlikely to see the field this season.

Torrey Mack
RS Freshman — 6 feet, 190 pounds
The skinny: Players have raved about Mack since his arrival, and for good reason. The 4-star recruit has speed, quickness and the attitude needed to play the position. “He is a freak,” said Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell. “There is just something about him that I love. He is a tremendous talent.” Mack could start the opener if Simpson is unable to bounce back from a foot injury.

Max Milien
Sophomore – 6 feet, 210 pounds
The skinny: Although he made strides in practice last year, Milien did not appear in a game for the Cavaliers. Milien is unlikely to make an impact at tailback, but could see time returning kicks.

Keith Payne
Junior — 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
The skinny: A steady special-teams player last year, Payne missed five games after breaking a bone in his hand at Duke. Payne has impressed early in training camp and could push for the consistent playing time that was originally expected to come his way after a stellar high school career. Last year, Payne managed just five carries for 36 yards and split time at tailback and fullback.

Dominique Wallace
Freshman — 6 feet, 230 pounds
The skinny: Built for success with his imposing frame, Wallace could play fullback or tailback at Virginia. For now, Wallace has worked with the scout team and continues to impress with his versatility. “He has looked great so far,” said Virginia quarterback Vic Hall. “He runs hard.” It is doubtful that Wallace will play this season with Mack, Payne, Simpson and Rashawn Jackson ahead of him on the depth chart.

THE FULLBACKS
Rashawn Jackson
Senior — 6-foot-1, 245 pounds
The skinny: It remains uncertain what role Jackson will play in the new spread offense. He admitted that he was curious as to how a fullback would be used in the current system, but he has taken numerous reps with the first-team offense and remains a viable option in short-yardage scenarios. Last year, Jackson finished with 16 carries and 62 yards. He did not score a touchdown.

Curt Orshoski
Sophomore — 6-foot-2, 250 pounds
The skinny: Orshoski made his debut last year on the kickoff team and is likely to play a similar role this season with Jackson back in the fold at fullback.
 

Slade announces his presence at U.Va.
By Michael Phillips
Published: August 28, 2009

If it sounds as if the newest University of Virginia radio personality has a strong rapport with coach Al Groh, there's a good reason why -- the two have been friends for more than a decade.

Cavaliers legend Chris Slade will assume the role of sideline reporter during radio broadcasts this football season. He's stayed in touch with Groh since their time with the New England Patriots -- Slade as linebacker, Groh as linebackers coach.

Still, to address the obvious question, he's not going to shy away from the tough topics, even if it feels a little weird.

"I'm going from having normal conversations with him to having to ask him difficult questions," he said. "It will be a little different."

His presence is welcomed by Groh, and when he dropped by practice last weekend the coach gave him an introduction to the team.

"To have somebody like that who is able to convey what it is to be successful and play at Virginia is something nice for the players," Groh said. "It's important to have an appreciation of legacy."

Slade was on hand in his official capacity, but he also took time to teach.

In addition to meeting the team, he spent some time with the linemen and defensive line.

"You've got your Vic Halls of the world and Jameel Sewells, but I wanted to get a chance to meet the guys that people don't know much about, since I was one myself," he said.

Slade will be seen on game days but won't be a regular presence. The Newport News native (Tabb High) now lives in Atlanta, where he moved after his playing days.

He invested in a franchise of smoothie shops there, and he taught at football camps around the country.

But his new radio job is taking him to one of his favorite places -- Scott Stadium. His jersey was retired last year, though not his number, and his 40 sacks (31 unassisted) is a school record by a large margin.

"He's one of the all-time great players here, as well as one of the all-time great guys," Groh said. "He has a great affinity for the university."

The coach got Slade's playing career started before leaving to take the U.Va. job. Slade went on to a Pro Bowl appearance in 1997, ultimately retiring in 2002.

Now his presence will be a boost for an aspiring generation of Slades who take their place in the trenches right now for the Cavs.

They'll be able to pick the brain of a former standout, and he'll get to experience the thrill of U.Va. game days from the sideline.

He said his visit to practice only heightened his anticipation for football season.

"It was a great weekend," he said. "Now I'm ready to get things started."
 

Youth Will Be Served This Fall
Aug. 27, 2009
1:28 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The quarterback who takes the field for UVa's opening series Sept. 5 against William and Mary almost certainly will be a senior -- if not Vic Hall, then Jameel Sewell. Others in that class, including offensive tackle Will Barker, defensive end Nate Collins and cornerback Chris Cook, figure to play prominent roles for the Cavaliers this season.

Overall, though, this is a young team. Just consider the underclassmen who are projected to start or be in the rotation this fall.

On special teams, punter Jimmy Howell is a sophomore, as is kicker Robert Randolph. True freshman Javanti Sparrow is a candidate to return kickoffs and punts, and others in the mix for one of those jobs include redshirt freshmen Javaris Brown and Torrey Mack, true freshman Tim Smith and sophomore Corey Mosley.

On offense, the senior-less receivers corps includes Smith, Brown, true freshman Quintin Hunter, redshirt freshman Riko Smalls and sophomores Jared Green, Kris Burd and Matt Snyder.

The No. 2 tight end, Colter Phillips, is a redshirt freshman. The starters at left offensive tackle and left offensive guard, Landon Bradley and Austin Pasztor, respectively, are sophomores. Mack is a strong candidate to start at tailback.

On defense, two of the three starting linemen are sophomores: end Matt Conrath and nose tackle Nick Jenkins.

In the regular 3-4, redshirt freshman Steve Greer is the only non-senior who's expected to start at linebacker against W&M, but redshirt freshman Billy Schautz and sophomores Cameron Johnson and Aaron Taliaferro are likely to get significant playing time in passing situations this season.

Move back to the secondary, and the starting safeties, Mosley and Rodney McLeod, are sophomores. The No. 3 cornerback, Chase Minnifield, is a sophomore, too.

Given that the 'Hoos are coming off a 5-7 season, fans understandably want this to be a big year for the program. And it may well be. The fact remains, though, that UVa is likely to be stronger in 2010 than in '09. Just check the two-deep.

-- Jeff White

 

Cavs hope to finish chances versus Flames
After losing 1-0 in first regular season game, offense hopes to get going against Liberty at Klöckner
Jack Bird, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor
Published: Friday, August 28 2009

Sophomore forward Lauren Alwine led Virginia in 2008 with 14 assists. She was second in goals, totalling six. Even from last season’s outset, the Virginia women’s soccer team struggled to finish its chances, costing the squad several important matches. Although the Cavaliers outshot their opponents 18-5, they only outscored them 2.2-1. This Friday, the Cavaliers will host Liberty in their young season’s home opener, and look to put those scoring percentage woes behind them.

In its first game of the season against then-No. 6 Penn State, Virginia suffered a 1-0 loss, outshooting the Nittany Lions 17-9.

“There was definitely a lot of good stuff we saw on film,” junior midfielder Sinead Farelly said. Coach Steve Swanson “put together tons of clips where if we would have just made one extra pass or just one right pass, we would have gotten so many more quality chances ... So we just know we have to work on focusing and technique and we’ll be fine.”

With an inexperienced defense backing up the team, the Cavalier’s opponents may no longer find themselves stifled by last season’s all-senior backline. After graduating several key players, Swanson has spent much of the pre-season exhibitions and practices trying to find a successful lineup.

“I think we are getting more set,” Farelly said. “But not getting results is going to have people shift around positions.”

In some cases, though, the changing line is not an experiment, but a way for Virginia to exploit one of its most ubiquitous strengths: depth.

“I think it’s good that our team is so deep and that we have people that can play every position,” Farelly said. “We have forwards that are playing outside back and people that can push up as forward and some of our outside mids are playing center mid. I think even when we have a pretty set core team we are still going to have shifting around to try and change things up especially for different opponents.”

After facing off against a tough, experienced opponent in its first regular season game, Virginia will have more opportunities to improve its “core team” when it plays Liberty.

“We play them every year,” Farelly said. “It’s not usually a really tough game. But I think what we want to work on is sometimes we get the quality chances but we don’t finish a lot. It’s a good way to get the result we want but also just work on the things we need to do.”

Sophomore forward Lauren Alwine and junior forward Meghan Lenczyk will be called upon to finish the chances they create and put the ball in the back of the net. The dynamic duo led the team in assists and goals last season, respectively.

Although Virginia has defeated Liberty the last three seasons, Swanson sees this week’s game as an opportunity to learn, assess and improve.

“I’m not sure that I look at anything in the past,” Swanson said. “I’m just looking at it ‘Hey, here we are this week, as compared to last week. Are we getting closer to our potential?’”

 

Non-conference foes challenge strong offense
After losing several crucial defenders to graduation, Virginia will look to replace backline with new players, adjustments
Ben Gomez, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, August 28 2009

Senior back Lauren Elstein, who started 13 games for Virginia last year, combined for 15 points off four goals and seven assists. The No. 6 Virginia women’s field hockey team faces a challenging weekend as it takes on two quality non-conference foes at home — Miami University, Ohio and No. 11 Penn State.

The Red Hawks return six starters and nine letter winners from last year’s squad. Although unranked in the NFHCA poll, they earned some top-20 votes.

Sunday’s game against Penn State could prove more challenging. Virginia has not had great success against the Nittany Lions in the past, losing the teams’ previous five meetings and holding a 3-13 overall record against Sunday’s foe. The 2008 Big Ten Champions also return five of their top six scorers from last season.

Like Miami and Penn State, though, the Cavaliers return most of their offensive power, with seven of last year’s nine leading scorers present. Most notable among those returning is sophomore midfielder Paige Selenski, who had a breakout rookie season with 19 goals and 9 assists. Virginia also welcomes back 13 letter winners from last year’s squad, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Though Virginia’s offensive play is strong, the Cavaliers’ biggest challenge will be on defense, which took a big hit after several key players graduated. Amy Desjadon, Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn and Lucy Meyers had been the foundation of the Cavalier defense during their time at the University.

“You are always going to lose players, you just have to work with what you have got and be the best you can be as a team,” senior back Lauren Elstein said. “I have complete confidence in the team this year.”

The Cavaliers will attempt to replace last year’s trio of defenders with several promising newcomers. Boston University transfer junior goalkeeper Kim Kastuk looks to fill Desjadon’s former role in the cage. Kastuk was the America East Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008 and recorded a conference high six shutouts last season.

“Having Kim come in and step in goal is great for the team,” Elstein said. “She has a lot of heart, a lot of drive, and a lot of ability, so I am really excited to see what she brings to the defense back there.”

Elstein, one of the team’s two seniors this season, will move to the back, assuming many of the responsibilities that Meyers and Sijpesteijn held on defense. The majority of Virginia’s newcomers will be on the defensive side of the field, and Elstein will attempt to lead and bolster the defense.

“I want to be the best leader for the team and do whatever it is to help the team win,” Elstein said. “I think we are looking at a really strong defense this year.”

The Cavaliers have enough offensive firepower to hang with anyone in the country. It will, however, be up to the defense to come up with key stops for the Cavaliers to find success this season. Untested, the youthful backline could be the team’s weakest link — or a pleasant, beneficial surprise.

“We are just trying to build on last year — one day at a time, one practice at a time,” coach Michele Madison said.

 

Virginia hopes to finish preseason on high note
After dropping its first two exhibitions matches, Tony Tchani will lead the men’s soccer team as it faces Mountaineers at Klöckner Stadium
Nick Eilerson, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, August 28 2009

More than 59 percent of senior midfielder Ross LaBauex’s shots were on goal last season — the highest percentage on the team for players with at least two attempts.
The Virginia men’s soccer team will wrap up its preseason schedule Saturday night when it takes on West Virginia at 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium with the hope of rebounding from its two previous exhibition matches — a 1-0 loss to George Mason and a 3-1 loss to Old Dominion.

Monday night’s showing against Old Dominion was characterized by experiments with the lineup, a mixture of quality and sloppy play and an end-of-game collapse that saw Old Dominion score two goals in the final nine minutes. The game remained scoreless until the 75th minute of play, when Old Dominion’s senior midfield Nane Joseph converted a penalty kick after he was fouled in the box. Virginia freshman forward Ahkeel Rodney was quick to respond, scoring an unassisted equalizer in the 82nd minute. The Monarchs struck again, however, scoring a breakaway goal in the 85th minute, and piled on another just before the final whistle.

“We didn’t combine as a team very well,” Virginia freshman forward Will Bates said. “There were sequences that were really good but at times we were just awful.”

Though they only found the back of the net once, the Cavaliers were not bereft of scoring chances, edging the Monarchs in shots 9-8 and in corner kicks 8-3. Sophomore Tony Tchani, the team’s leading scorer last season, tallied a team-high three shots — two of which were on goal. Junior goalkeeper Diego Restrepo started in goal for Virginia before being relieved by sophomore Matt Owen in the 75th minute.

Last Friday’s exhibition against George Mason also featured a late goal against Virginia. The match was scoreless until the 92nd minute, when George Mason junior forward Parker Walton slipped a low shot past freshman goalkeeper Will Whorton for the game’s only goal. Once again, the Cavaliers managed to outshoot their opponent — this time 19-5 — but failed to capitalize on opportunities. Virginia players and coaches showed little disappointment with the result, however, insisting their shortcomings were simply the result of preseason jitters and lineup experimentation.

“We’ll get it,” Bates said. “It’s just going to be a matter of time. We just gotta build off our chemistry since it’s the first time we’ve all played with each other.”

Virginia coach George Gelnovatch also is optimistic about the near future, noting that his team is finally poised to harness all of its talent and pursue a breakout season.

“This is the fittest we’ve been in a number of years, and we have most of our team returning from last year,” Gelnovatch said. “So far, so good.”

West Virginia is coming off a 1-1 exhibition draw against Michigan. The Mountaineers were picked to finish fourth in the Big East in the conference’s preseason poll, and they boast the Big East Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year in redshirt junior Zach Johnson.
 

Women open play against trio of teams at Texas A&M
Cavs look to be more consistent on the road in College Station, Texas
Abbey Lou Hendricks, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, August 28 2009

Senior outside hitter Lauren Dickson played 108 sets last season, contributing 307 kills and adding 37 service aces to the team’s total of 167. The Virginia volleyball team will travel to College Station, Texas this weekend at the Texas A&M Invitational to start its season against three opponents who will each pose their own challenge to the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers open the tournament this afternoon at 1:30 against NCAA tournament regular Northern Iowa.

“I think we’re ready to finally play someone besides ourselves,” senior outside hitter Lauren Dickson said.

Northern Iowa could provide the opposition the Cavaliers have been looking for to gauge their progress coming out of the preseason.
“We’re excited to get some quality competition right away,” Virginia coach Lee Maes said.

The Panthers went 25-9 in 2008, capturing their third consecutive trip to the postseason NCAA tournament. The team returns five starters, including junior libero Ellie Blankenship. Blankenship is the seventh ranked libero in the nation and finished the 2008 season with 676 digs.

Not only is the Panthers’ defensive specialist strong, but so is their sophomore duo of setter Bre Payton and middle blocker Michelle Burow. Both Payton and Burow were selected for the NCAA All-Freshman team last year. Senior outside hitter Shannon Aschoff also could be a presence this season after outstanding performances last year left her with second-team all-conference honors.

After facing a tough Northern Iowa squad, Virginia will test its mettle against Texas A&M and Iona.

“If we want to be the best, we have to play the best, and we’ve done that with our scheduling,” Maes said.

Texas A&M will test the Cavaliers with its height and talent. The Aggies boast a squad with more than half of its players measuring 6 feet or taller. This will put Virginia’s Dickson and sophomore outside hitter Simone Asque to the test. Asque, coming off her first season at Virginia in 2008, was named to the preseason All-ACC team.

“There are some expectations of her going from a first year to a second year — to be a different maker and an impact maker,” Maes said.

The Cavaliers will look to Asque to be a commanding force on offense and as the player most likely to overcome Texas A&M’s powerful blocking wall.

Like Virginia, Texas A&M had a nearly even win-loss record in 2008. The Cavaliers, however, displayed more poise at neutral sites, with a 4-2 record, whereas the Aggies went 1-3 on neutral ground.

Virginia rounds out its brief stay in Texas by playing Iona. The Gaels earned a fourth seed in the 2008 MAAC Championship last year.

In many aspects of the game, the Cavaliers are comparable to Iona, but edge them in the amount of kills per set. Iona’s defensive specialists, however, may challenge the Cavaliers’ strong hitters, as the Gaels average 18 digs per set. Virginia’s senior libero Brittani Rendina, though, also will provide strength on defense for her team. She finished with the fifth-highest season dig total in Virginia history last season, totalling 516.

“We’d like to go over there and do some damage,” Asque said.

 

Doughty rankings
It’s been so long since I’ve written one of these “UVa Insider” columns that I’d almost forgotten that it has been a regular contribution – not counting time off during the summers – for the past 10 years.

My memory was jogged by an off-handed assessment of one of UVa’s athletic programs, which reminded me that I customarily begin the college sports year by ranking the Cavalier programs.

The criterion is not what the program did last year; rather, it is an effort to assess where the program stands at this very moment.

Here are the Doughty rankings heading into the 2009-2010 school year:
1. MEN’S TENNIS – Ninth-year coach Brian Boland still hasn’t brought Virginia men’s tennis an elusive first national championship but it’s got to be a matter of time. Five of Boland’s last six UVa teams have won ACC championships, three got to No. 1 in the rankings, two got to No. 2 and the Cavaliers have won two national indoor titles.

2. BASEBALL – Brian O’Connor, entering his seventh season at UVa, took the Cavaliers on their first College World Series visit that included an ACC championship and separate Regional and Super Regional championships on the road. Almost everybody returns and O’Connor didn’t lose a single signee to the draft.

3. SWIMMING – I’ve got to give it up for Mark Bernardino, whose men and women both won ACC championships and finished ninth and 12th, respectively, in the NCAAs. How many coaches in ACC history have won 19 championships, particularly in a sport where their schools is not a traditional power.

4. MEN’S LACROSSE – The Cavaliers men’s lacrosse team goes further in the postseason than swimming, but lacrosse is something of a niche sport, with 59 teams at the Division I level, only 12 of which play Division I-A football. Cavs are looking for first ACC title since 2006.

5. ROWING – Cavaliers came up short in their bid for a 10th straight ACC championship, falling to Clemson, but then beat the Tigers at every subsequent stage and finished fourth in the NCAA championships, one spot higher than 2008.

6. WOMEN’S GOLF – Virginia entered the ACC championships ranked third in the country and finished fifth in the conference. The Cavaliers, who finished eighth in the NCAAs, are still a young program but are at a point where a conference championship is not an unrealistic goal.

7. CROSS COUNTRY – Unlike Randy Bungard, his predecessor as director of UVa’s track and field and cross-country programs, Jason Vigilante is closely involved with cross country. The men won a second straight ACC championship, finished 14th in the NCAAs and had a terrific recruiting year. SEC individual champion Catherine White, a transfer from Arkansas, will greatly aid the women.

8. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – A highly ranked recruiting class might be the best news for veteran coach Debbie Ryan, whose team finished 24-10 for the second year in a row. It’s been ages since UVa won an ACC championship (1993) or went to the women’s Final Four (1993).

9. MEN’S SOCCER – Virginia was picked to finish second in the ACC this year and received four first-place votes, one fewer than preseason favorite North Carolina. That’s saying a lot for a Cavaliers team that went 11-9-1 in 2008, when UVa was crippled by injuries. Virginia has not won an ACC title since 2004 and has three conference championships in coach George Gelnovatch’s 13 seasons.

10. WOMEN’S LACROSSE – It is only fitting that women’s lacrosse is lumped together with men’s soccer and women’s soccer because those are three programs that could be great but frequently underachieve. More schools play soccer than lacrosse, but Myers has more ACC championships than her soccer counterparts put together, as well as an NCAA title.

11. WOMEN’S SOCCER – Coach Steve Swanson’s team went into the season ranked No. 9 in the country and subsequently lost at No. 6 Penn State on the road. Not quite sure what that means. UVa was a preseason pick for fourth in the ACC after going 15-5-3. Cavs need higher standards than that.

12. FIELD HOCKEY – Cavaliers were picked to win the ACC in a preseason poll, which is more than men’s or women’s soccer can say, but only six ACC teams have field-hockey teams. This is the 27th year in which UVa has had a field-hockey team and the Cavaliers are still looking for their first title, so it can’t be that easy.

13. MEN’S BASKETBALL – It’s hard not to like personable, young Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett and he’s off to an impressive start in recruiting. Now, let’s see what he can do with a 2009-2010 UVa team that has enough material to fashion a winning record and advance to postseason play.

14. TRACK AND FIELD – The UVa men’s track team is the reigning ACC champion and not a whole lot of Cavalier squads can say that. Give Bungard (see above) credit for setting the table but Vigilante looks to be in the Boland-O’Connor mold.

15. WRESTLING – Former media gadfly Jeff White, still awaiting a new moniker in his new position at virginiasports.com, assures me that Steve Garland is building an outstanding wrestling program. However, Garland’s program won’t belong among UVa’s top 10 until he wins an ACC championship. Virginia has finished second by two points in each of the past two years.

16. FOOTBALL – I know Al Groh can coach defense. I think that new coordinator Gregg Brandon could be an offensive wizard. The Cavaliers were very competitive over the last eight weeks of the 2008 season and I expect they’ll be competitive this year. I just don’t know how much of a future there is for Groh, who probably needs to win seven games to keep his job.

17. MEN’S GOLF – You’ve got to hand it to Bowen Sargent. For anybody who thought it was a fluke when the Cavaliers made the NCAA championships in 2008, a repeat trip in 2009 was worthy of greater appreciation. The program won’t reach its full potential until Sargent can attract the top in-state recruits

18. WOMEN’S TENNIS – Swifter progress might have been expected when UVa hired Marc Guilbeau after his 2006 selection as Southeastern Conference coach of the year at Kentucky, but if you’ve received four consecutive NCAA bids and you’ve got the 18th-best athletic program out of 20 at your school, then that says a lot for your school.

19. VOLLEYBALL – Second-year coach Lee Maes strikes me as a real fireball, but UVa finished ninth in the ACC last year and was picked for seventh this year. A 15th-ranked recruiting class will help but UVa volleyball enters its 29th season without winning an ACC title.

20. SOFTBALL – I heard coach Eileen Schmidt speak at the Hotel Roanoke and she wasn’t nearly as long-winded as Al Groh, which may have endeared her to some of the listeners. She said she had a nationally-ranked recruiting class but UVa was 2-15 in the ACC last year (25-22). There’s a long way to go.
 

Former U.Va. tennis star Devvarman wins again, on verge of qualifying for U.S. Open
Somdev Devvarman beats a Dutchman in the second qualifying round, but former ODU player Izak van der Merwe loses to a Croatian.
4:57 p.m. EDT, August 27, 2009

Two-time NCAA singles champion Somdev Devvarman of Virginia and India moved within one victory of reaching the U.S. Open main draw, but former Old Dominion star Izak van der Merwe lost in the second round of qualifying in New York.

Devvarman outlasted the Netherlands' Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, but South Africa's van der Merwe fell 6-3, 6-3 to Croatia's Roko Karanusic.

Devvarman plays Poland's Jerzy Janowicz in the last qualifying round.
 

Marino shares lead at Barclays
Associated Press
Published: August 28, 2009

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Seven days ago, Sergio Garcia wasn’t even sure if he would be eligible to play in The Barclays for the start of the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedEx Cup.

Suddenly, he has a splendid view from the top.

Garcia took another important step toward recovering from a troublesome season Thursday with a 6-under 65 at Liberty National for a share of the lead with Paul Goydos and former Virginia standout Steve Marino.

The Barclays is the only tournament Tiger Woods has played at least three times without ever finishing in the top 10. He shot a 70.

Most players would have taken such a score when they first saw Liberty National. The course played significantly shorter, however, with five tees moved forward, and it showed in the scoring.

Nearly half the field was at par or better, and some two dozen players shot in the 60s.

Goydos ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch, and Marino got to 7 under until a bogey on his last hole.