Anthony Poindexter’s Jersey to be Retired Saturday
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/06/2009

Charlottesville, VA - Former Virginia safety and current assistant football coach Anthony Poindexter will have his No. 3 jersey retired Saturday in a special pregame ceremony. The on-field presentation is scheduled for 3:13 p.m., approximately 20 minutes before kickoff.
Poindexter, who played for the Cavaliers from 1995-98, finished his career with 342 tackles, the most ever by a UVa defensive back and 10th most in UVa history. He is one of just two two-time All-Americans in UVa history and was 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He earned All-ACC honors three times as a Cavalier. In his four years, the Cavaliers went 32-16 and played in three bowl games.
A two-time team captain and four-year starter, he is tied for sixth in career interceptions with 12 and is the school record holder with seven career fumbles recovered. He twice recorded 19 tackles in a single game - in 1996 vs. Virginia Tech and in 1998 against Maryland.
As a freshman, he and teammate Adrian Burnim combined to make one of the most famous plays in UVa history when they stopped Florida State tailback Warrick Dunn inches from the goal line on the game's last play to preserve a 33-28 win over the second-ranked Seminoles. With the victory, Virginia ended FSU's four-year, 29-game conference winning streak since joining the league in 1992.
Poindexter's senior season ended prematurely when he injured his left knee in the seventh game of the season and later underwent reconstructive surgery. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Ravens before ending his pro career with the Cleveland Browns. Poindexter graduated from Virginia in 1999 with a degree in anthropology.
He joined the UVa coaching staff in 2003 as a graduate assistant, took over as the running backs coach from 2004-2008 and was named the defensive backs coach prior to the 2009 season.
Poindexter becomes the 11th Cavalier to be honored by having their jersey retired. Individuals recognized in this way will have their jersey retired, but their number will remain active.
 

Scouting an unknown opponent
Michael Phillips
Oct 06, 2009

Not a lot of ties binding Virginia with this week’s opponent, Indiana. Steve Greer is from the area, as is Matt Conrath, and we’ll have items on that later in the week, as long as all sorts of other goodies from our two days of media access with the players.

One thing that Greer did say was that he and his teammates take to the internet to look up the player they’ll be opposing the upcoming week. What’s he looking for? Stats, tendencies and even some biographical info.

“You want to know everything. Even their girlfriends’ names,“ he said.

Conrath agreed that it means a little more work in practice when they face a non-ACC foe.

“It makes it tougher, because we don’t know their focus or their schemes,“ he said.

The Hoosiers enter the game after back-to-back losses to Michigan and Ohio State, so no doubt they’re looking forward to a conference breather at Scott Stadium Saturday.

Also, the team released its depth chart for the week. Not too much of note, as redshirt freshman Aaron Van Kuiken joins as a third-string right guard. At safety, Brandon Woods continues to be listed ahead of Corey Mosley at safety - the switch was made last week because of injury.
 

Married life suits UVa’s Woods
The Daily Progress/Andrew Shurtleff
One week after getting married, Virginia safety Brandon Woods registered three tackles against North Carolina.
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 7, 2009

To most, it would have seemed unfair.

The raindrops that fell from the sky ruined the initial outdoor plans at The Gardens on the University of Virginia campus for what would be the greatest day in Brandon Woods’ young life.

Luckily, Woods and his bride-to-be had contingency plans in place.

During Virginia’s bye week on Sept. 26, while many of the Cavaliers watched football with teammates, Woods held a ceremony to publicly marry his high school sweetheart, Khama Deleston, at Charlottesville’s Mount Zion First African Baptist Church, where former UVa running back Cedric Peerman occasionally preached last year as an ordained minister.

Woods had been married legally for three or four weeks, but planned the wedding during the season’s lone off week with the approval of Virginia coach Al Groh.

“We definitely talked about it and he knew I was making the right decision .... it was a personal life decision on a bye week,” Woods explained. “It was during the football season but on a day of not having practice. That was much easier.

“And he gave me a couple of tips on being a married man.”

His teammates have also been supportive, something that was also the case when former linebacker Jon Copper was married while still performing as a student-athlete.

“My teammates, they love it,” Woods joked. “I’ve been dating her for a while. She is my high school sweetheart from back in North Carolina.

“So they were happy for me and supporting me and a couple of guys showed up [at the wedding], so that was great.”

Watching Copper and how he handled the transition helped Woods.

“Copper has always been a mentor for me,” he said. “We talked about being a married man, and as a Christian man what it takes being married.

“So that was a great deal for me, too.”

While his wife is in the Air Force, she asked to be assigned to VMI in Lexington to put the couple closer together.

One week after taking their vows, the couple had something else to be excited about. Woods enjoyed one his most memorable games as a Cavalier during a 16-3 victory over North Carolina.

Starting in place of fellow safety Rodney McLeod, who was injured, Woods was on the field for 61 plays, only one of which came on special teams.

He registered three tackles and was called to blitz Tar Heel quarterback T.J. Yates on a key play.

The blow left Yates on his back.

“My heart was racing. My eyes got big,” Woods said. “It was an opportunity to take a shot and get in on the quarterback, and it was a great feeling.”

It was easily the most extensive work for Woods this season — the fifth-year senior from Durham, N.C., was on the field for just eight defensive plays and 26 snaps on special teams in the opening three games.

The production was lacking, as Woods had managed just one assisted tackle entering what could be his final contest in his home state.

For the former starter, it was a humbling experience not to have an active role, but one that Woods embraced.

“Obviously that’s challenging circumstances for a player,” Groh said. “Brandon has always been a player that’s put a great deal into it. Things weren’t going as well as he would like, he would always want to say, ‘Coach, can I come in and go over this video with you or talk about what I need to do?’

“His game has always been very important to him. He handled it admirably, and that’s why I was [excited] he played very well the other day. He’s from Durham and it was a nice thing for him to play well and for his team to get a win.”

More importantly, Woods likes to feel that he helped lift Virginia to its first win of the season during one of the most dominating defensive performances under coach Groh.

For Woods, it looked like the defense had returned to its form from 2007. That season Virginia won nine games.

“We kind of got an idea of what kind of defense we can be: running to the ball, being physical and, as a unit, all guys going hard to the ball every play,” Woods said. “We can be real good. We just have to have that mentality to win every week [and] be physical every week.”

As for a honeymoon?

Woods, longing to end his playing career in a postseason game, said it could wait.
 

Brosius selects NCSU
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 7, 2009
 
It only took 60 minutes of football for Tuscola (N.C.) High quarterback Tyler Brosius to have a change of heart.

Once a solid commitment in Virginia’s 2010 recruiting class, Brosius changed his mind two weeks ago following a trip to N.C. State to watch the Wolfpack host Pittsburgh.

N.C. State is coached by former Virginia offensive coordinator Tom O’Brien.

The move leaves the Cavaliers with just 10 commitments on board with signing day four months away.

“I jumped the gun too early, and all apologies to Virginia,” Brosius, a 3-star recruit (out of 5), told reporters. “It’s kind of hard. Anybody who tells you the recruiting process is easy, they’re lying to your face. It’s stress, it’s a lot, a lot of fun, but it’s stress all the time.

“You’re always thinking what if this happens or this happens and then you get to go somewhere. It’s tough, real tough. It’s kind of stressful and a lot of pressure on you.”

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Brosius is ranked the 26th-best pro-style quarterback in the nation by Rivals.

Initially expecting Brosius in the mix, Virginia’s scouting staff is now in scramble mode.

According to sources, the Cavaliers currently have no offers out to quarterbacks.
 

Vic Hall - The Heart of a Lion and My Favorite All-Time Wahoo
by Trent Thurston, October 5th 11:00pm

Most serious Virginia fans have an all-time favorite player. Maybe it was someone in your family, like it was for me with my cousin Mike Cubbage. Mike played quarterback here and also got the very first baseball scholarship UVA ever gave. Perhaps it’s a guy that played the game with the heart of a lion, like Fredericksburg native Charles McDaniel. This favorite all-time guy just might be someone that re-wrote the record books during his time here on grounds like Chris Slade, or even Chris Long. I’m not sure I could pick one Virginia former student-athlete whom I could call my all-time favorite until yesterday when I read Jerry Ratcliffe’s column in the Daily Progress about Vic Hall.

Vic Hall is not the best college quarterback statistically to play at UVA. Nor is Hall the best punt-returner, defensive back, wide receiver or special teams player to play here in Charlottesville. Vic just might be the best wild-cat QB we have had because he is the only one we have ever had!

So, as the story goes, Vic Hall walked into Al Groh’s office last week and flat out told his coach that Jameel Sewell deserved to be UVA’s starting QB and that Hall would do whatever Groh needed him to do so that the Hoos could start winning again. This, of course, was coming from one of the best high school QB’s of all time in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Groh absolutely was blown away by the humbling nature of Hall’s comments. So blown away, that on Saturday in Chapel Hill Hall played the most positions I have ever seen one dude play in all my years of watching college or NFL football.

On that winning Saturday in Chapel Hill, Hall played: tailback, quarterback, slot-receiver, holder for extra-points, holder for field-goals, safety and cornerback in the dime package on defense. In this day-and-age of big-mouthed, moronic team-killers like, Marcus Vick, DeAngelo Hall, Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson, something like this makes me realize why I played this amazingly team-oriented game of football for all those years. It also makes me remember why I root for the little guy like Vic and why it is important for people to be cognizant of what football is really all about: Teamwork, dedication to the greater goal of winning far ahead of ones personal goals, and never, ever giving up. Sometimes you have to take yourself out of the spotlight and realize you can help the team much more by playing in a less glamorous position.

Vicqual Hall, of tiny Gretna, Virginia is now my favorite Wahoo of all time not because of statistics, or what it might or might not say in any record book. Vic has always had a sixth sense about where he needs to be on the field. Hall is my all-time favorite Wahoo because he knew he could help this team win at another position then where he was slotted to play. Hall stepped-up, took that chance by speaking his mind to his coach, and as much as anyone that field Saturday, Vic Hall knew he could help Virginia win that game. And he was right!
 

Cavs', Hokies' '10 football classes taking shape
Norm Wood's Inside Recruiting
October 4, 2009

While National Signing Day for high school football recruits still is four months away, on-campus visits are in full swing and Virginia and Virginia Tech already are entering the final stages of getting a handle on their 2010 classes.

U.Va. has 10 commitments, while Tech already has rolled up 20 commitments. Here's a quick look at what both programs are looking at to fill out their classes:

Have U.Va. and Tech filled all of their needs?

Considering the NCAA limits Football Bowl Subdivision programs to 25 signees per year, there probably aren't enough scholarships available for U.Va. to address all its needs.

The secondary and running-back spots are three of U.Va.'s most pressing need areas this year. With cornerback Chris Cook and safety Brandon Woods set to exhaust their eligibility after this season, and junior cornerback Ras-I Dowling possibly considering a career in the National Football League, there are impending depth issues in the secondary.

At least the Cavaliers have picked up commitments from cornerbacks Rijo Walker from Bethel High, Kyrrel Latimer from Hyattsville, Md., and Pablo Alvarez from Miami, but they could use a more promising safety prospect.

U.Va.'s chances of gaining another quality running-back commitment appear slim, but Kevin Parks from Mount Ulla, N.C., will be a quality addition. Parks committed way back in February.

Before the season, Tech coach Frank Beamer said he was concerned about his team's lack of defensive-end depth. The Hokies helped themselves by picking up Zack McCray from Lynchburg. He arguably is the best non-prep-school recruit in the state.

Tech also got a commitment from Justin Taylor of Norwood, N.C. The Hokies could finish off one of the nation's top defensive-end classes if they could get a pledge from Kareem Martin, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound prospect from Roanoke Rapids, N.C., who is considering Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Clemson and Duke, and who is looked upon by most recruiting analysts as one of the nation's top 100 ends.

Which top uncommitted in-state recruits do U.Va. and Tech have the best shots at getting?

That question is a little difficult to answer when it comes to U.Va., because a lot may depend on who's coaching the team in the winter.

The problem U.Va. could face is that a lot of kids might look to get the recruiting process over and done with before the Cavaliers know who'll be heading up the program next season. Of course, there are some big names who still have U.Va. on their list.

As mentioned last week in this column, linebacker Aramide Olaniyan from Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest has U.Va. on a long list of schools he's considering, including Duke, Michigan, UCLA, UNC, Wake Forest, N.C. State, Clemson, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Miami and Notre Dame. Olaniyan, a 6-2, 205-pound recruit, is considered by most analysts to be one of the nation's top 40 linebackers.

Khamrone Kolb, a 6-6, 300-pound prospect from Lake Braddock High in Burke, is one of the state's three most sought-after uncommitted offensive-tackle recruits. He's looking at U.Va., Connecticut and Penn State.

As far as the top shelf in-state talent is concerned, the Hokies may be done, but the list of Virginia players they've already gotten commitments from is impressive: McCray, Fork Union Military Academy's Nick Acree and Mark Shuman, Midlothian High's Matt Arkema, Rockbridge County High's Caleb Farris, Loudoun County High's Chase Williams and Pulaski County High's Tahrick Peak.

Though linebacker Travis Williams from Lake Taylor High in Norfolk has an offer from Tech, he's mainly considering Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, UNC, Louisiana State and Miami. Williams is considered by most analysts to be one of the nation's top 30 linebackers.

Of the remaining uncommitted recruits around the nation who are considering U.Va. and Tech, who would be the dream pickup for both programs?

If U.Va. somehow could grab a commitment from Christian Bryant, he potentially could solve a lot of the aforementioned recruiting issues in the secondary.

Bryant, a 5-10, 175-pound prospect from Glenville Academic Campus in Cleveland, is considered to be one of the nation's top 15 cornerback recruits. In late September, he was looking at offers from U.Va., UNC, Ohio State, Tennessee, Illinois and Michigan State.

It's a well-known fact Tech has a certain fascination for recruiting tight ends, and for good reason. The Hokies like to find versatile tight ends and move them to other positions, if necessary.

Ethan Farmer, a 6-2, 255-pound recruit from South Columbus High in Mount Tabor, N.C., is regarded as a top-20 tight-end prospect … and both U.Va. and Tech are in the mix for him.

Though he's a hot tight-end prospect, he's also being recruited as a defensive lineman by many schools. He's pondering offers from U.Va., Tech, Alabama, Penn State, Clemson, UNC and N.C. State. Clemson and UNC might have the inside track.

 

Cavaliers' pass rush improves
Football By Norm Wood
| 247-4642
October 7, 2009

Despite having miles to go to improve on the offensive side of the ball, even after Saturday's 16-3 win at North Carolina, Virginia's secondary has provided ample issues for opposing teams' passing efforts.

U.Va. (1-3 overall, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has the eighth-rated pass defense in the nation (second in the ACC), giving up just 156 yards per game. Only three of the 10 touchdowns scored against the Cavaliers this season have come through the air.

Groh has tinkered with his personnel on occasion this season. He said he's employing less nickel coverage this season, but more dime packages because of the personnel availability.

Though U.Va. has only seven sacks this season, Groh has been pleased with the amount of pressure his defensive front seven has put on quarterbacks. Defensive end Matt Conrath has just one sack, but has broken up three passes.

"Sometimes the rush bails out coverage," Groh said. "The guys are open and they can't get them the ball because the rush is there right away. Eventually the pass-coverage team, particularly on third down — you have to be proficient on both ends."

U.Va. showed an intriguing new piece in its secondary against UNC with the addition of Vic Hall at safety on some passing downs. It remains to be seen how Hall will be used, considering he's coming off a hip injury and already has played quarterback, punt returner, holder, safety and wide receiver this season.

The staples of U.Va.'s secondary have been cornerbacks Ras-I Dowling and Chris Cook, who has two interceptions, and safeties Corey Mosley, Rodney McLeod and Brandon Woods.

Storylines
POINDEXTER TO BE HONORED
Anthony Poindexter, U.Va.'s defensive-backs coach and a former two-time All-American safety for the Cavaliers, will have his No. 3 jersey retired before Saturday's game against Indiana (3-2) in Charlottesville. From 1995-98, he had 342 tackles, the most for a U.Va. defensive back.

STILL STRUGGLING
After gaining just 254 yards against UNC, U.Va. is 117th in the nation — and last among programs from Bowl Championship Series conferences — in total offense (272.25 yards per game).

EARNING EARLY PLAYING TIME
U.Va. has played 10 true freshmen this season, including five players who made their first appearances against UNC. Phoebus High graduate LoVante Battle got his first game action against UNC, playing on special teams. In his nine seasons at U.Va., Groh has played an average of seven true freshmen per season (63 total).

BIG NUMBER
9
Games since U.Va. had a running back go for 100-plus yards rushing before Mikell Simpson's 100 yards against UNC. On Oct. 25 last year, Cedric Peerman had 118 yards at Georgia Tech.
 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
October 6, 2009 12:36 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

When Al Groh watched his former star tight end Heath Miller catch two touchdown passes in Pittsburgh's 38-28 win over San Diego Sunday night, he noticed something else, too.

Steelers fans were booing the defending Super Bowl champions for nearly blowing all of a 28-0 lead.

The negative crowd reaction struck a nerve with Groh, who has dealt with unhappy fans at Virginia.

"They just won two Super Bowls in the past [four] years and they are winning the game, and the fans are booing them," Groh said in disbelief.

Groh is hoping his Cavaliers (1-3) don't hear the same type of dissent on Saturday when they host Indiana (3-1). Virginia will return to Scott Stadium for the first time since a 30-14 loss to Texas Christian on Sept. 12.

But supporters should be in a much better mood following the team's first win of the season, a 16-3 triumph over North Carolina this past Saturday.

"If it makes thousands of people feel good, then I guess that's good for thousands of people," Groh said of booing. "But what they want is for their team to play better. I haven't been around a circumstance where players were saying, 'Sounds like they're getting on us, so let's play better.'"

For a change, the Cavaliers made opposing fans show displeasure in their road win over the Tar Heels.

The defense was dominant, and senior Mikell Simpson rushed for 100 yards for the first time since the 2007 season.

"It felt like a monkey was on our back," sophomore cornerback Chase Minnifield said of starting 0-3. "It felt good to get that out of the way, but we're really trying to move on right now and focus on putting together wins."

That comment was the closest any Virginia player got to talking about the win over the Tar Heels at the Cavaliers' weekly press luncheon yesterday.

Groh declined to answer questions directly tied to the win, and he instructed his players to do so as well.

Instead, Virginia is focusing on an Indiana team that Groh said is more physical than any squad Virginia has faced this season.

"[The Big Ten] is still known as a smash-mouth league, and they clearly play a physical style," Groh said. "They have those kind of players. I'm sure they played that way in high school, too."

Groh said it has taken deeper research to prepare for Indiana because he has no built-in knowledge of their personnel. He's been involved in just two games against Big Ten opponents in his nine-year tenure at Virginia.

Freshman inside linebacker Steve Greer said players have been instructed to find out as much information as they can on the Hoosiers, including their girlfriends' names.

"It's a fun project to be on," Groh said of preparing for an unfamiliar opponent. "But it's very challenging."

It should help that the Cavaliers' defense is coming off its most impressive showing of the season. Virginia held North Carolina to 174 total yards and nine first downs, one game after allowing 37 points to Southern Mississippi.

"We were swarming to the ball, which is something you want to be known for when you play defense," Greer said.

The performance made Groh feel much-better days are ahead for his program.

He said he knew the Cavaliers could struggle with a new offensive system, an unsettled quarterback situation and the return of key players from academic suspension. He said he didn't want to predict a slow start and then a turnaround, but privately thought that might occur.

"That was the reality of it," Groh said. "And one of the things we believe in is reality as opposed to fantasy."
 

Wedding bells on a bye week
With a couple of days to himself, Virginia safety Brandon Woods tied the knot.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A surprise start and a surprise victory in front of 15 family members and friends Saturday was close to a football highlight for fifth-year Virginia defensive back Brandon Woods.

Woods probably wouldn't call it the highlight of his fall, not if he knows what's good for him.

In mid-September, while the Cavaliers were observing an off week, Woods exchanged vows with his girlfriend since their days at Southern Durham (N.C.) High School, Khama Deleston.

Deleston, who was two years ahead of Woods in school, recently was promoted to staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. She lives in Lexington and works as a personnelist in the VMI Air Force ROTC.

She and Woods had been engaged only since Aug. 26, but they had been dating for 8-9 years.

The Cavaliers have not had a married player since Roanoke's Jon Copper completed his eligibility in 2008.

"I knew he was getting married," said Copper, who had attended church and bible study with Woods when they were teammates. "I didn't know he was getting married during the season.

"We [Copper and wife Holly] got married during the spring, so at least we'd have a couple of weeks away from football."

Woods' wedding took place Sept. 26 in front of family and close friends -- including Jameel Sewell and Ras-I Dowling -- at Charlottesville's Mount Zion First African Baptist Church.

Woods' new bride said she had no qualms about holding the ceremony during the season.

"No, because I knew it would make him play better," she said.

She had that right. Six days later, Woods learned that he would start in place of injured safety Rodney McLeod, and previously winless UVa did not miss a beat in a 16-3 victory at North Carolina.

Woods grew up 15 miles from UNC's Kenan Stadium, although he never rooted for either the Tar Heels or his hometown school, Duke.

Saturday's game marked only the fourth career start for Woods, who started three games early in 2008 before losing his job to Corey Mosley, then a redshirt freshman.

When fourth-year juniors play sparingly, as was the case with Woods over the second half of the 2008 season, occasionally they do not return for a fifth season. That was not a consideration with Woods.

"There was never any question on our part," Groh said. "We thought he was a valuable member of the team and both [player and staff] had invested considerable time in his development and wanted to see it through to its fruition."

Woods had arrived at UVa as a receiver, a higher-rated prospect than fellow Southern Pines wideout Maurice Covington in the same recruiting class. But, while Covington eventually became a starting receiver, Woods (6-2, 215 pounds) was moved to defense.

Woods still finds himself wondering how his career might have been different if he had remained on offense, "and I've even talked to Coach [Groh] about it a couple of times; if he ever needed me on offense, I used to play there," Woods said.

With McLeod's availability still in question, Woods is listed as the starter at free safety going into the Cavaliers' homecoming game Saturday against Indiana.

"One of his drawbacks was tackling," Groh said, "[but] his tackling was excellent on Saturday. Brandon has always been a player that's put a great deal into it.

"When things weren't going as well as he would like, he would always say, 'Coach, can I come in and go over this video with you or talk about what I need to do?' "

Football wasn't all-consuming, though. He paid enough attention to academics that he will graduate in 4 ½ years, plus he conducted a courtship that continued while his future bride was stationed in Oklahoma.

He finally proposed eight days before the start of the season -- in the Lexington Walmart, no less. He had lured Deleston to the Walmart with word that there was a money-gram waiting for her.

"It was supposed to be from my mother," she said. "I figured I could use the money."

They had started dating when she was in the 11th grade and he was a ninth-grade football teammate of her brother's. She didn't think twice about dating a boy who was two years younger than she was.

"Not at all," she said. "He was so cute."

A trip to the Bahamas is in the planning stages, but, as honeymoons go, that afternoon in Kenan Stadium will be hard to top.
 

Orange Rallies to Top Blue in Game One, 7-4
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/06/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Orange team scored six straight runs in rallying from an early three-run deficit to record a 7-4 victory over the Blue Monday evening in game one of the Orange and Blue World Series at Davenport Field.
The teams will play game two of the series at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The two teams combined for 25 hits. John Hicks went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Orange, while Chris Taylor was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Tyler Biddix added had two hits and an RBI.
For the Blue, the 3-5 hitters combined to go 8-for-15, as Danny Hultzen went 2-for-5 and Reed Gragnani and John Barr each had three hits. David Coleman also had two RBI. The Blue had 14 hits but left a dozen runners on base.
Chad O'Connor earned the win for the Blue with three innings of one-run relief. Kevin Arico pitched two scoreless innings to earn the save. Justin Thompson allowed two runs and three hits over 1.2 innings and took the loss for the Orange.
The Blue got off to a strong start with three runs in the first inning on an RBI single by Barr and a two-run triple to left-center by Coleman. Blue starter Cody Winiarski settled down from there and rebounded to pitch three scoreless innings.
The Orange, after getting just one hit through the first four frames against Blue starter Danny Hultzen, broke through with a pair of runs in the fifth on an RBI triple by Shane Halley and a run-scoring single by Taylor. Hultzen went 4.2 innings before getting lifted because of the pitch count.
In the seventh, the Orange scored four times to grab the lead. Levine led off with a double to right. He advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Shane Halley and scored when Taylor launched a triple to right-center. Keith Werman, facing reliever Aaron Stull, then laid down a squeeze bunt and beat it out for a single to plate Taylor and give the Orange a 4-3 lead. Hicks and Biddix followed with run-scoring singles to push the lead to 6-3.
The Blue got a run back in the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by Cannon, but the Orange answered with a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Stephen Bruno.
Orange & Blue World Series (all games are at 6 p.m.)
Game 1: Orange 7, Blue 4
Game 2: Tuesday, October 6
Game 3: Thursday, October 8
Game 4: Tuesday, October 13
Game 5: Thursday, October 15
Game 6: Friday, October 16
(Ring Ceremony/Celebration of 2009 Team/Youth Baseball Day)
Game 7: Tuesday, October 20


 

UVa’s Morey shines
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 7, 2009

Robert Morey has seen the talent on Virginia’s baseball team flourish during his career.

Considered the Cavaliers’ No. 2 starter last year, Morey wants to return to the weekend rotation.

The junior took the first step Tuesday night, lifting the Orange team to a lopsided 9-2 victory over the Blue team.

Morey hurled 4.2 innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one run. He fanned five batters and looked sharp early, striking veterans Tyler Cannon and Danny Hultzen.

“My whole plan from the get-go was to attack the hitters,” Morey said. “I knew I had to fill it up and just stay ahead of the guys, and I knew that my team would come with the runs to support me.”

Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said it was the type of outing that he expected from one of the team’s leaders.

“I thought he pitched like a veteran should,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “He won a lot of ballgames for us in the back-half of the year last year and he came out and pitched like he is capable of.”

The Orange team was paced offensively by a three-hit performance by right fielder Dan Grovatt and a pair of doubles from Stephen Bruno.

The Blue team, which started Tyler Wilson on the mound, must win Thursday’s game by 11 runs to win the first three-game series. The contest starts at 6 p.m.
 

Men’s Lacrosse Awards Announced for 2009 season
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/06/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA-University of Virginia head men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia announced the team's award winners for the 2009 season. The Cavaliers finished with a 15-3 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament where they fell to eventual national runner-up Cornell, 15-6.

"I am very happy to be announcing the names of our 2009 team award winners," commented Starsia. "The tragic passing this past summer of our athletics media relations contact, Mike Colley, delayed the original announcement. Mike was a passionate, selfless advocate for our program and we continue to miss him dearly. He would be proud of these young men and I am happy to step up today in his memory and honor."

Attackman Danny Glading captured two awards-the Dr. Allen Voshell Award as the team's most valuable player, as well as the Doyle Smith Award for having the team's highest grade point average. The 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the year graduated in May with a degree in economics and compiled a 3.7 GPA during the academic year. One of the outstanding attackmen in school history, Glading was a first-team All-American and was named All-ACC for the third year in a row in 2009. He led Virginia with 63 total points and ranked 11th nationally in scoring. He also led the team with 31 assists and was third with 32 goals. Glading finished his career ranked in the top 10 in UVa history in goals (seventh), assists (tied for fifth) and points (tied for fifth). He finished his career with 119 goals and 104 assists to become only the sixth player in ACC history to reach 100 goals and 100 assists in a career.

Midfielder Shamel Bratton was named the team's offensive MVP. An All-ACC performer, he made a tremendous impact during the 2009 campaign, becoming one of the most dangerous midfielders in the nation. He tallied 31 goals and added 11 assists, among the top figures in the country by a midfielder. Bratton was the only player in the conference to earn player of the week honors more than once this season.

Longstick midfielder Mike Timms took home the team's defensive MVP award for the second consecutive season as well as the Harry Gaver Award for Leadership. Timms shared the defensive MVP award with Ken Clausen in 2008. A Virginia Beach, Va., native, Timms was one of the top longstick midfielders in the country and shutdown virtually every midfielder he was matched against during the season. He snared 60 ground balls and caused 31 caused turnovers for the Cavaliers and received honorable mention All-America recognition for the third time. A 2008 graduate in economics, Timms finished his master's degree from the McIntire School of Commerce in July.

Midfielder John Haldy was selected as the team's Most Improved Player. After only appearing in five games in 2008, the Bryn Mawr, Pa., native appeared in all 18 games off the bench, leading all non-starters with 11 goals, while adding a couple assists for 13 total points.

Midfielder Joe Dewey won the Lawrie Riggs Award for commitment and citizenship. After his sixth concussion last fall, Dewey stepped away from the game competitively and assisted the squad as a practice player during the 2009 season. He graduated in May with a degree in history.

Midfielder Max Pomper received the Tom Rixey Award for spirit and inspiration. Pomper, one of the team captains, tallied two goals and an assist in 18 games.

Goalie Mark Wade received the Class of '99 Unsung Hero Award. One of the hardest workers on the team, he appeared in 10 games, starting one in the net for the Cavaliers, picking up the victory at VMI.

"These young men were the leaders of a team that earned the No. 1 seed going in to the NCAA Tournament and participated in its third NCAA Final Four in the last four years," reflected Starsia.