Analysis: Monies available; UVa has funds to buy out Al Groh
By Doug Doughty
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When Virginia decided to build a new $128 million basketball arena, construction started before all the funding was secured. When the Cavaliers decided to release two men's basketball coaches before the end of their contracts, buyout checks were written. When it comes time to decide on the future of nine-year football coach Al Groh, money will not be an object.

It would cost Virginia more than $4 million to pay Groh for the two years that remain on the contract, but it might be costlier to keep him. Annual giving is nearly $3 million below goal, season-ticket sales dropped by more than 4,000 this year and attendance is down by more than 7,500 (or 14.1 percent).

Think attendance doesn't matter?

"It's an indicator as to how the fan base is responding to the product," said UVa director of athletics Craig Littlepage said. "Attendance is a by-product of how the program is perceived.

"When you're looking at ticket sales and your ability to raise money, et cetera, these are challenging circumstances."

Groh's contract specifies that Virginia has until Nov. 30 to decide whether to exercise a rollover clause. Littlepage did not activate the rollover clause following a 5-7 season in 2008.

That left Groh with three seasons on his contract, and if he did not get an extra year in 2008, it's inconceivable that he would get an extra year with the Cavaliers currently standing 3-7.

Only one other ACC program, Maryland, has fewer victories than Virginia. The Terps also have a ninth-year head coach who shares Groh's NFL background, Ralph Friedgen, but there has been widespread speculation that Maryland can't afford his buyout.

Littlepage has gone this long without addressing the Groh situation, so what's another 12 days? But he is no stranger to the process, having terminated the contract of four-year men's basketball coach Dave Leitao in March.

Leitao received a $2.1 million settlement. His predecessor, Pete Gillen, received a $2 million buyout in 2005.

There are two misconceptions about the buyouts:

One is that UVa is paying three men's basketball coaches, which is not the case. Gillen received a lump sum.

The other is that other areas of Virginia's athletic operations will suffer because of all the coaches being paid not to work.

"Absolutely not," Littlepage said. "I think I've made a statement about not putting your total program in jeopardy. In any situation like this, it would not come into play in terms of our normal operating budget.

"This is something that's done independent of the routine operation. For unbudgeted, unanticipated expenditures, whether they be facilities or personnel, you have different things that could come into play.

"That's everything from reserves to endowments to private philanthropy."

Private philanthropy? Ah, the well-heeled alumnus (or alumna) stroking a seven-figure check.

"I think it's safe to say that you would have philanthropic commitments in place to help handle these sorts of situations," Littlepage said.

"I think the 'X' factor for any institution is the current climate of what's going on. Few schools are bulletproof in terms of anticipating shortfalls."

Littlepage recommends a Nov. 8 piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education, in which writer Libby Sander reports on Stanford's call for $8 million in athletic budget cuts. Stanford has won the Learfield Director's Cup, symbolic of national all-sports supremacy, for 15 straight years.

"If it can happen to Stanford, it can happen to anybody," Cardinal athletic director Bob Bowlsby was quoted.

But, then came word this week that Stanford could announce a lucrative contract extension for football coach Jim Harbaugh at any moment. Back-to-back blowouts of then-No. 8 Oregon and then-No. 11 Southern Cal apparently brought the private philanthropists out of the woodwork.

Virginia made $1.6 million in budget cuts this year and, as a university, has decided not to undertake any building projects until they are fully funded. That includes a field house for the track-and-field programs, which captured a men's outdoor ACC championship last spring.

"In any given year, we budget conservatively," Littlepage said. "We did so this year, and we did so last year, when we faced some of the same sort of dynamics in terms of ticket sales."

Virgnia's goal for 2009 fundraising is $16.8 million. The Cavaliers only recently went over the $13.8 million mark and this is a time of year when donations usually slow down.

There is anecdotal evidence of donors saying they will withhold their contributions as long as Groh is UVa's football coach, but that could be a convenient cop-out, giving a static economy. It would be interesting to see if a coaching change would cause a spike in giving.

Littlepage, an economics graduate of the Wharton School at Pennsylvania, speculates that potential contributors could be waiting to assess their tax status.

"We are hoping for an up-tick at year's end," Littlepage said.

Resolution of the coaching situation should come quickly. If Littlepage declines to exercise the rollover clause, Groh might resign on the spot. If Groh doesn't resign, Littlepage would have the option to fire him. Presumably, some sort of settlement will be reached beforehand.

The subject of Groh's future was broached on a teleconference this week and he didn't bite.

"All I talk about is what's good for the players," he said.

At least from a financial standpoint, Virginia will make good by him.

Analyzing what went wrong for Al Groh
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: November 18, 2009
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For the past few weeks, I have spent some of my spare time trying to figure out what went wrong with Virginia football.

Actually, I have dedicated time to this topic for the past couple of years, talking to former coaches, administrators, and others who are closely familiar with the UVa program. While some of those findings will appear in later columns, today’s is dedicated to the here and now.

Just how did Cavalier football come unraveled? After all, the program was in pretty good shape during the early half of coach Al Groh’s tenure.

Heading into the 2006 season, Virginia had been to four straight bowl games, winning three of ’em — and the Cavs should have won the fourth had it not been for some bad officiating (according to an official critique by the ACC). The Cavaliers had beaten programs such as Florida State and Penn State.

Things appeared to be on the upswing.

A program on the rise

I’ll never forget the excitement of Wahoo fans down in Charlotte for two consecutive Continental Tire Bowl appearances. There were large numbers of UVa fans in a friendly town, two upset wins over highly-regarded Big East teams, wins in which the Cavaliers shut down some prolific offensive stars, including Heisman Trophy runner-up Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh.

Several fans of the program came up and remarked about how great it was to be at bowl games with a mass of fans and were enthusiastic about where the program was headed. At the time, they were enthralled with Groh, his NFL background, his ability to attract players, his NFL connections and his work ethic.

Funny how things change.

So, what happened? Groh didn’t all of a sudden dumb himself down. He goes about his business the same way he always has.

Beginning of the end

Again, the following is what some assistant coaches who have been on Groh’s staff at one time or another perceive as what happened to bring Virginia football down.

This is a sequence, or a timeline those coaches believe contributed to the slip in Wahoo football:

* Some of the coaches believed that ACC expansion had a dramatic impact on UVa football, adding three of the Big East’s strongest teams into the mix — two of which (Virginia Tech and Boston College) were directly in the recruiting footprint of Cavalier football.

Many UVa fans who were in favor of Tech’s admission to the conference at the time have noted in recent years that by adding the Hokies, the act removed perhaps the one major recruiting advantage that UVa had over Tech — membership in the ACC.

* The Duke Experiment. According to coaches who have looked at the situation (believe me, coaches gossip as much as anyone), Duke decided to invest beaucoup monies into its program in terms of coaching staff salaries and support staff, and reshaped its philosophy on admissions policies for football players (schools will rarely admit they’re doing so, but it happens).

Virginia did not respond to any requests to make similar adjustments to aid its football program.

Duke, for example, has 13 non-coaching staff personnel that actually assist in its football operation. Meanwhile, UVa works with one of the smallest operations in the ACC.

* Some of the coaches cited the 2006 season, Virginia’s first losing campaign since 2001, as a significant turning point in terms of damaging the Cavaliers’ recruiting effort.

After all the success, the four straight bowls and the aforementioned accomplishments, after just one down season, Groh’s contract was not rolled over. This was a significant detriment in recruiting, according to those assistant coaches who do most of the recruiting work.

“What it said,” one coach commented, “was that UVa’s not happy with Groh, and that allowed opponents in the recruiting war for talent to use that against us. Some opposing recruiters were telling prospects, ‘Don’t you see what’s going on at Virginia?’”

* While UVa bounced back with a rare nine-win season in 2007 and nearly won 10 for only the second time in school history, and Groh was named ACC coach of the year for the second time, the school had an opportunity to step up and say that Groh’s tenure was a long-term situation.

It didn’t, leaving more speculation out in the recruiting world.

In January, after the Gator Bowl, the suspension of four players, including the team’s best returning defensive player (Jeffrey Fitzgerald) and quarterback (Jameel Sewell), along with two other players, added to a long list of other academic casualties over the years, such as Darryl Blackstock, Ahmad Brooks, Ottowa Anderson, Olu Hall and others.

“What this said to recruits and opposing recruiters,” another assistant coach said, “was that Virginia was already tough academically. Now the doors are getting tighter to get through and stay in. Opposing recruiters used this in a major way against Virginia.”

* September of 2008 began with No. 1 Southern Cal coming to town, but the stadium wasn’t full because UVa had decided to implement a reseating policy that angered many of its most loyal fans.

The move has had an impact ever since, although the school still will not admit that it was an ill-timed decision.

* Not long afterward, UVa athletic director Craig Littlepage dismissed starting quarterback Peter Lalich a couple of weeks into the season, forcing the coaching staff to change its style of play in midstream. Lalich’s dismissal on the heels of Sewell’s suspension left the team without its top two quarterbacks and thrust all the pressure on a redshirt sophomore, Marc Verica, who hadn’t played in a college game.

“What that said,” an assistant coach said, “along with all the other issues leading up to that, was that Virginia is not an inviting place for football players.”

Following the season, Virginia did not roll over Groh’s contract yet again, which essentially handcuffed recruiting efforts.

“Recruiters were saying, ‘Why would you go to Virginia? Their head coach isn’t going to be around,” a former assistant said.

Well, there you have it from the perspective of some assistant coaches who have come and gone and continue to watch how the program performs since their departure.

We decided to ask Groh for an official statement on what those coaches said, and he took the high road.

“I admire and respect people who show mental strength and toughness, focus and adaptability, and integrity, and have tried to use such people as models,” Groh said. “Making excuses is not part of that profile. And even accurate explanations sound like excuses. I wish we would have won more, therefore I wish I had done better.”

That was his only comment about the issues brought up although he was given opportunity to elaborate and declined.

However, he did mention in the quote that those explanations were accurate.
 

Four U.Va. players getting attention from NFL scouts
By Michael Phillips
Published: November 18, 2009
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The bowl representatives have quit visiting, but Virginia's football complex is still a hot spot for NFL scouts.

Despite a 3-7 season, the Cavaliers have a handful of seniors who could earn significant playing time on Sundays, and coach Al Groh's NFL-like schemes ensure that those players are well-trained for the league when they enter.

Most prominent among that group are running back Rashawn Jackson, wide receiver Vic Hall, defensive end Nate Collins and cornerback Chris Cook.

With Collins and Hall, the big question is what position they'd play at the professional level. Hall started the season as quarterback and was moved to receiver. He's also played at cornerback and punt returner during his time with the Cavs, which makes it hard for scouts to peg him to a certain position.

"Each one's going to have a little different idea," Groh said. "But the range of things that he's done has certainly helped his circumstances, because it's provided more options on which he can be evaluated."

Groh said he wouldn't try to nudge the scouts in any one direction. The coach, who is occasionally less than forthright with the media, is known for his openness with scouts, who are invited in to watch U.Va.'s video library of player performances.

Jackson has had a big season that has helped him break out, overcoming a training camp injury to earn a spot as the team's No. 1 running back.

He would play in the NFL as a fullback, and his 6-1, 245-pound frame makes him well-suited to a position that colleges are starting to phase out as they adopt the spread offense. ESPN guru Mel Kiper Jr. has rated Jackson the top fullback among this year's class. However, because of the position's specialty, that's not a guarantee he'd be picked on the first day.

Collins has found a way to stand out throughout the season, including picking up ACC defensive lineman-of-the-week honors on back-to-back weeks. He's a defensive end in the Cavs' 3-4 alignment but also played nose tackle against Georgia Tech successfully.

"I'm just trying to excel at every position I can possibly play, and that's going to help my chances more at the next level," he said.

All the players said they didn't think too much about the NFL yet, that they're just focusing on playing out their last weeks. Hall said he was looking to savor his final games as a collegiate player, no matter what position he plays.

"I don't want to look back and say I wish I could have done this or I could have done that," he said. "I'm going to take every opportunity. That's the mindset I have."

Groh said he's tried to turn his program into a "full-service" operation, utilizing his experience as an NFL coach and contacts in the league.

"We're pleased when players come back and say that they were well-prepared for everything that they encountered during the early part of their professional career," he said Monday.

If the past is an indication, U.Va. will produce another successful crop of professional players this year despite a subpar season.

Baker returns to UVa rotation
By Whitey Reid
Published: November 18, 2009
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TAMPA, Fla. — Last week, Virginia coach Tony Bennett said that he was going to wait a little bit before he named any team captains, if he did so at all.

Well, he definitely has at least one player who is ready to embrace the role — senior Calvin Baker.

The 6-foot-2 guard from Newport News, who served as one of the team’s three captains last season, made his return to the court in Virginia’s 66-49 loss to South Florida on Monday night.

“It felt good,” said Baker, who missed the season opener against Longwood because of recent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. “The first half, it felt like I didn’t really have my legs under me. It felt a little different because I haven’t been playing, but it felt good to be back.

“I know that my presence on the court is important, me being a leader. Even though I wasn’t playing [against Longwood], I was trying to talk to the team and things like that. But it’s easier to do it when you’re engaged in the game.”

Against the Bulls, Baker had five points (on 2-of-4 shooting), two rebounds, an assist and zero turnovers in 15 minutes of action.

“You can see that he’s a competitor,” said Bennett, whose team hosts Rider on Thursday night as part of the Cancun Challenge. “Early in the game he got hit and got crossed over once, but I think as the game wore on, he got more comfortable, and he fought hard.

“I know we’ll need his experience, and I’m glad that his knee held up for the 15 minutes because he’s still pretty fresh off the injury ... he gave us a lift, certainly.”

Baker said his knee, on which he has endured two arthroscopic procedures in the last three months, is still not 100 percent.

“But it’s good enough to play,” he said. “It’s not giving me any pain. It’s just not as strong as it was. But it’s coming along good and I’m happy with the recovery.”

Baker said he expects to be back at full strength within the next couple of weeks.

“I just have to keep playing on it,” he said. “That’s the only way it’s going to get back [to full strength]. Coach has been smart with how much I practice and play in games.”

With Baker back in action, freshman guard Jontel “Bub” Evans’ playing time decreased. After playing 20 minutes in the opener, Evans logged just 13 minutes, many of which came late in the game.

This year promises to be a balancing act for Bennett between getting Baker minutes and developing Evans.

Baker, who has been in the program for four years — he had to sit out a year after transferring from William & Mary — may not have the kind of game that is aesthetically pleasing to Wahoo fans, but he does bring certain attributes to the table.

“With the experience that he has, he’s definitely a good presence to have out on the floor with his senior leadership,” said Virginia junior Jeff Jones. “He’s been through the ACC for about three years now — we definitely need that experience.”

Dunks

Virginia’s 49 points against USF were its lowest since scoring the same amount in a game against Stanford in the NIT in 2006. ... Will Sherrill and Solomon Tat made their season debuts on Monday. Sherrill collected two points and a rebound. ... Freshman Tristan Spurlock had one point and two turnovers in nine minutes of action. ... Bennett used the same starting five that he did against Longwood — Sammy Zeglinski, Jeff Jones, Mustapha Farrakhan, Sylven Landesberg and Mike Scott.
 

Conrath: A Man for Two Sports
Nov. 17, 2009
7:48 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- There are fans who are more knowledgeable about the sport, but it's probably safe to say there's no bigger fan of the powerful UVa field hockey team than UVa football player Matt Conrath.

Conrath, a redshirt sophomore defensive end, stands 6-7 and weighs about 275 pounds.

His girlfriend, 5-5 junior Haley Carpenter, is a key player for Michele Madison's field hockey team, which meets North Carolina in the NCAA semifinals Friday at Winson-Salem, N.C.

"I've only been to a couple games, and I'd never seen it played before I came out here," Conrath told several reporters Tuesday night after practice. "I just know they're really good at it, and they're in the final four. That's about as much as I know."

As for the rules of the sport, Conrath said, his grasp doesn't extend much beyond this:

"The ball can't hit your foot."

Carpenter, a graduate of Ocean Lakes High in Virginia Beach, plays midfield for the Wahoos. Her sister, Taber, played soccer at Virginia Tech.

Unfortunately for Conrath, he'll be in South Carolina on Friday afternoon -- UVa plays football at Clemson the next day -- and so won't be able to cheer on Carpenter against UNC.

-- Jeff White

 

Practice pays off for Jones
By Jay Jenkins
Published: November 18, 2009
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For different reasons, Mikell Simpson may be the latest Michael Johnson.

The process that left Virginia’s starting running back deep on the bench did not involve fumbles, as was the case with Johnson, but Simpson’s benching provided a glimpse of the future.

Perry Jones, a seldom-used true freshman, was anointed with his first four carries of the season against Boston College in Simpson’s absence.

The playing time was given, Virginia coach Al Groh said, because of Jones’ attention to detail in practice.

“Coach told us that whoever had the best week of practice would play, so I came in with my mind set to playing hard to try and help the team,” Jones said. “I practiced hard this week, and coach gave me the opportunity.”

It led to four carries in the 14-10 loss to the Eagles and sent a message to veterans while speeding up the learning process for Jones.

With his longest carry covering just two yards — also his final total for the game — Jones admitted that running the football high school football is a tad different, but lining up on special teams earlier in the season helped.

“Everyone says that game speed is the toughest thing to adjust to in college, so getting experience with special teams before rushing definitely helped a lot,” Jones said. “I felt more prepared than if I had been on the sidelines all season.”

Jones, who ran for 1,831 yards and 30 touchdowns a year ago at Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake, has impressed his teammates.

“He’s just good. Everybody knows it,” Virginia defensive end Nate Collins said. “We didn’t get him in the open field like we wanted to so he can work like he needs to.

“He’s going to be a great back before he leaves here. He’s going to be a great guy for our team.”

Despite losing Simpson and fullback Rashawn Jackson after this season, the future of Virginia’s backfield appears bright with the return of Jones, redshirt freshman Torrey Mack and true freshman Dominique Wallace, who will get his year of eligibility back through a medical redshirt.

“I think we have the guys to run the ball,” Virginia linebacker Bill Schautz said. “I don’t think there will be a huge drop-off with the guys we have.”
 

Brewbaker Tech basketball basks in addition of Harrell
By A. Stacy Long

K.T. Harrell shrugs off his coach's exuberance and downplays his role on the Brewbaker Tech boys basketball team, but there's no doubt the confidence that his presence has spawned.

Harrell, after a yearlong hiatus from the city's prep basketball scene, is eligible this season with the Rams.

He's a senior with national credentials, signed with the University of Virginia on Friday and is expected to help Brew Tech go a long way this year.

"We're going to win state," senior Giovanni Smith said.

There's a plain and unequivocal sound to Smith's voice and from coach Chauncey Shines when Shines echoes the sentiment.

When Shines learned more than a year ago that Harrell was transferring from Jeff Davis, he knew that Harrell would be ineligible for a year because of the change. Shines still told almost everyone that his Christmas had started early.

"Very early," Shines said. "Real early."

By the end of the season, after Harrell had watched every game from the bench without being able to take the first shot, Shines was still as enthusiastic. Asked to spell Harrell's last name after the Rams' final loss, Shines said, "S-A-V-I-O-R."

"I don't consider myself something like that," Harrell said. "I'm just like anybody on the team. I'm going to do my best to win games."

It's almost time to find out if the over-the-top bluster is in fact over the top.

Harrell, a consensus national Top 100 senior player, and the Rams start the season Tuesday at Sidney Lanier.

"It's going to be crazy. It's going to be so crazy," Harrell said. "It might be the most packed game Brew Tech has ever had. Everybody says they're coming to the game."

Harrell has lived through a year waiting on Tuesday's tipoff.

He was the leading scorer at Jeff Davis as a sophomore, averaging 151/2 points per game, before deciding in June 2008 he wanted to go to Brew Tech. Harrell said he made the move because he felt he would be more devoted to academics at Brew Tech.

"When I was at JD, I had a lot of distractions," Harrell said. "JD is a good school, but I had a lot of distractions and wasn't applying myself like I should.

"At JD, I was just in school and waiting on basketball season. Being here has helped me focus academically."

Harrell went through the usual application process at Brew Tech -- and, as an athlete, didn't receive preferential treatment, he and Shines said.

"I can't get that," Shines said. "I wish I could."

Shines said he didn't know that Harrell was coming to Brew Tech until Harrell and his family applied. His principal called to say a potential transfer from JD was interested in basketball.

Shines swallowed hard when he was told it was "Keylon Harrell." He tried to not become too eager over the possibilities while Harrell went through the application process.

"Before he got in, I was like, 'It's not going to happen,'" Shines said. "When he got in, 'OK, this is going to be good.'"

But Shines, Harrell and the Rams had to wait a year since Harrell had not made a bona fide move when he changed schools and therefore wasn't immediately eligible.

Harrell was able to practice with the team, but he couldn't wear a uniform during games. He still was there for every win and loss, fit in well with the Rams and at the school, where he wasn't known as a basketball star.

"I was not aware of the scope of his ability, not until this summer," Brew Tech athletic director Kristy Hatch said. "At that point, I just knew he was a good student and the teachers liked him."

Harrell, a 6-foot-4 guard, said he's on pace to meet NCAA standards for freshman eligibility at Virginia. He said he has a 3.4 core GPA with a 19 ACT, but plans to take the test again.

"I'm already qualified, but I'll feel better if I get a higher score," Harrell said. "I'm like that for some reason."

Harrell's athletic profile helped Brew Tech line up some nice trips this season.

The Rams play in a tournament near Nashville, Tenn., at Thanksgiving. Before Christmas, they're going to a tournament in Las Vegas. On Jan. 1, they'll play in the Hoops in Overdrive Classic near Atlanta.

They're already confident Harrell's only season at Brew Tech will be a memorable.

"One year is enough," Shines said. "I'll take that one year."

Cavs look to build critical mass against Penn State
Teams spend additional time sprint training to enhance explosive speed
Will Van Wazer, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Featured / Sports / Swim and Dive
November 18, 2009 0

The Virginia swim and dive teams will head to Happy Valley, Pa. this weekend to face off against Penn State in a two-day dual meet, hoping to improve on their performances against Kentucky on Nov. 7.

The Cavalier men and women’s squads, both of which hold 2-1 records, appear to have the advantage, as the 2-1 Nittany Lions are coming off a defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech, which the Cavaliers easily defeated Oct. 21.

That is not to say, however, that Virginia does not expect to be challenged this week, especially given its mediocre effort against Kentucky. Although the Cavaliers won against the Wildcats, coach Mark Bernardino said his team could have shown more enthusiasm during the lopsided matchups.

“I think that we showed a lack of explosive speed at Kentucky,” he said. “We haven’t done enough explosive-type training to carry it over well enough into the dual meets.”

The Cavaliers used their week off to focus on sprint training to ensure that they race with the tenacity and determination Bernadino desires.

“We’re just trying to get a little bit of that feeling of explosiveness during the course of the weeks preceding the meet now, so that it’s not foreign to them during the meet,” he said.

Sprint training can have far-reaching effects, especially on “turns, coming off the wall [and] breakouts,” which can make a significant difference in a sport that is often decided by fractions of a second, junior Matt McLean said.

The speed work “was a nice change of pace because we’ve been doing some longer aerobic stuff,” added McLean, who was named ACC Performer and Men’s Division I Swimmer of the Week after the Kentucky meet. “I’m not explosive or naturally quick at all. A lot of the guys joke around with me because I’m not so explosive, so that’s something I have to work on.”

Bernardino also has focused on improving the performances of Virginia’s distance swimmers, as well.

“By and large, I don’t think our distance group has gotten out to the kind of start we had envisioned for them,” Bernardino said. “They’re still a little bit behind where we wanted them to be.”

The additional practice should benefit the Cavaliers during the two-day meet’s 19 events — three more than in a standard one-day dual meet. Among other events, the teams will compete in the 200-meter and 400 individual medleys; the 200 and 400 freestyle relays; and the 200 and 400 medley relay.

Despite the weekend’s extra events, Bernardino said his swimmers are prepared for the difficult task ahead, which will help demonstrate the teams’ ability to perform under pressure.

“I don’t worry about it — dual meets are dual meets,” Bernardino said. “We don’t rest, taper — we don’t worry about dual meets. We swim through them and see how well we can perform when physically tired. It’s the mark of a good team.”

Cavaliers reserve two tickets to Terre Haute
White captures program’s first individual regional title; men’s team earns at-large NCAA bid
William Hrachovina, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Cross Country / Sports
November 17, 2009 0

The Virginia men’s and women’s cross country teams faced their toughest challenges of the season Saturday, competing in the Southeast Regional Championships in Louisville, Ky.

With only the top two teams automatically qualifying for nationals, the season was on the line for both squads. While the Cavalier women punched their ticket to Terre Haute, Ind., with a second-place showing, the men were forced to rely on an at-large bid from the NCAA selection committee after their fifth-place finish.

Though the regional performance fell slightly short of the teams’ overall expectations heading into the weekend, coach Jason Vigilante said he is confident the Cavaliers are ready to make their fourth joint national appearance in five years an impressive one Monday.

“I think without question we have worked very hard to do as well as we can up to this point,” Vigilante said. “Sometimes there is no easy answer. We know we are the same group that did well at the Panorama meet; our women are essentially one of the same teams that has done so well all year. I am real confident that having a clean slate going into the NCAAs, we will be able to capitalize on that opportunity.”

The women’s team was looking to defend its 2008 Regional Championship title, but its performance was not enough to overcome Duke, which easily claimed the title by more than 40 points. The Cavaliers did have one winner on the day, however, as junior Catherine White captured the program’s first-ever individual Southeast Regional Championship crown. In her first season with Virginia after transferring from Arkansas, White finished the 6K in 20 minutes, 3.9 seconds to top Western Kentucky senior Janet Jesang by nearly nine seconds.

“It was exciting,” White said. “I’m just glad that I am feeling refreshed, and that I will have my legs under me for the race at nationals. It is a positive thing I can take away from it, but it’s really about next Monday, and not necessarily just about regionals.”

Joining White in earning regional honors were Virginia sophomore Morgane Gay (eighth) and seniors Lauretta Dezubay (25th) and Stephanie Garcia (19th), a Cavalier Daily tableau editor. Sophomore Laurel MacMillan rounded out the Cavaliers’ scoring, as the team finished with 119 points.

Competing in its first 10K of the season, the men’s team faced a more difficult challenge while trying to secure a national championship berth. No. 8 William & Mary led the way with 49 points, while No. 16 N.C. State, No. 24 Louisville and No. 30 Duke all managed to squeeze past the No. 19 Cavaliers, who had to rely on Sunday’s selection to earn their fifth straight trip to NCAAs.

In what was a disappointing showing for one of the ACC’s best runners, junior Emil Heineking saw his perfect season come to an end with a seventh-place finish. Also scoring for the Cavaliers were junior Ryan Collins (14th), senior Graham Tribble (21st), senior Trey Miller (44th) and sophomore Sintayehu Taye (47th).

“It wasn’t our best race,” Heineking said. “We are lucky to be through with regionals and will have a clean slate going into nationals.”

Both squads are looking forward to their most significant races of the season.

“I think that the nice part is, for the men, we have put ourselves in a position where we will not have a lot of pressure,” Vigilante said. “We still hope to do really well. It will be a nice experience and a lot of fun. For the women, I am very motivated. Our first four were All-Region, and Catherine was able to win, and it is pretty exciting for our teams.”

The teams now have one week to prepare for the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute on Monday.

Defense makes strides before Upstate contest
No. 12 Cavaliers’ offense saw easy success against Manhattan, but defense is ‘work in progress’
Meryem Karad, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Sports / Women's Basketball
November 18, 2009 0

The No. 12 women’s basketball team takes on USC Upstate at home tonight in its third contest of the season.

The Cavaliers will have to watch out for senior guard Courtney Hawkins and junior forward Chelsea McMillan, either of whom could engineer an upset if given the chance. Hawkins and McMillan are averaging 14 points and 13.5 points, respectively, through the Spartans’ first two victories, and McMillan has emerged as a defensive force as well, snagging 10 rebounds per game.

Though Virginia is fresh off trouncing Manhattan 86-68 on Sunday, coach Debbie Ryan said she is not entirely pleased with the state of her team, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

“I thought offensively we looked pretty good most of the game,” coach Debbie Ryan said. “Defensively, we’re not where I need to be. I think we’re still very much a work in progress.”

Virginia’s defensive woes were particularly evident during the first half of its season-opening 68-57 victory against the UMBC Lady Retrievers, who shot 48.4 percent from the field. The Cavaliers will need to put up a more resilient defense against the Spartans — a team that is 2-0 after pulling off a 71-59 comeback victory against Longwood. Down 18 with 3:40 remaining in the first half, freshman guard Tee’Ara Copney made back-to-back steals at mid-court for uncontested layups, starting a run of 11 straight points for USC Upstate. Copney’s 16 points and five steals also aided greatly in the win.

The Virginia offense has been impressive in its own right, though. During Sunday’s game against Manhattan, senior guard Monica Wright delivered a 31-point performance, finishing 12-for-14 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line. Thus far this season, the team has scored a total of 154 points compared to 125 by its opponents. And with plenty of games left to play, Wright said the team’s youthful core — five freshmen and four sophomores — can only continue to mature and improve with time.

“They really, really work hard,” Wright said. “They genuinely want to get better and they’re here for the same purpose as everyone else.”

The contest against USC Upstate is the second of three consecutive home games for Virginia. The Cavaliers host Tennessee on Nov. 22.

“I’m sure the whole Cavalier nation is getting excited about [the game], and we’re definitely excited about it,” Wright said. “But we have a lot to work on between now and then.”