White: Barlow Looking to Exit on High Note
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/10/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- His first season at UVa ended with a trip to the College Cup. His final season as a Cavalier will end the same way.
Much has changed for Neil Barlow, however, since 2006. As a first-year player, he wasn't on the active roster for Virginia's game against UCLA in the NCAA semifinals at St. Louis.
"I was in the stands watching," Barlow recalled this week. "It was terrible not to be able to do anything."
UVa, whose regulars included his older brother, Jeremy, lost that game 4-0. Three years later, the Wahoos are back in the College Cup -- NCAA soccer's final four -- and this time Neil Barlow is in a leading role.
He's the third-leading scorer, with 16 points, for the Cavaliers (17-3-3), who meet ACC rival Wake Forest (17-3-3) in an NCAA semifinal Friday at 5 p.m. in Cary, N.C. Akron and yet another ACC representative, North Carolina, follow at 7:30.
"It's always fun to play a new team," Barlow said, "but if you want to win, you've got to beat the best, and Wake Forest is definitely one of the best. They're a great team. We have beaten them two times this season, but every time you play them it's going to be a battle."
Barlow appeared in only three games in 2006, but he won a starting job in '07 and played alongside his brother, a second-team all-ACC performer that season. Neil was at right back; Jeremy, at center midfield.
"He's different from his brother," Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said of the younger Barlow. "I feel like Neil is more a two-way player, meaning Neil can defend. Neil has the same gear attacking, and he can use that same gear defending. Whereas his brother had that extra gear for attacking and really didn't have that extra gear for defending so much.
"Jeremy probably was a little more talented attacking, but Neil, being more of a two-way guy, can play a few more positions, is a little bit more versatile. But both are great players."
Neil, like Jeremy, starred at Langley High in Northern Virginia. With Jeremy already at UVa, there was little question where Neil would matriculate.
"He said he loved the program, loved the facilities," Neil said. "I keep in close contact with him, so I was talking to him all the time about everything, and he was giving me advice. He said, 'If you want to have a future in soccer, this is the place to come.'"
After a sophomore season in which he had three goals and five assists and started 20 games, the 5-8, 165-pound Barlow saw his playing time and his production drop in 2008. He had five assists again but started only 12 games and failed to score a goal.
Coming into 2009, "I don't know whether he knew or I knew exactly what his role was going to be," Gelnovatch said.
"But to his credit, he came back fit, he came back determined, he came back with an open mind. We played him centrally, we played him wide, and he never had any problem playing at any position. He did well both places. And part of it, too, was that he wanted to make the most of his senior year. He wanted to have to have an opportunity potentially to latch on professionally."
In the Wahoos' second game, a 2-1 overtime victory over Washington in Portland, Ore., Barlow assisted on his team's first goal and scored the second.
In UVa's 3-0 win over Maryland in the NCAA quarterfinals last week, Barlow scored the first goal and assisted on the second. Like his brother in 2007, Barlow was named to the all-ACC second team.
"I couldn't be happier for him," Gelnovatch said. "He's a guy who's really worked and stayed with it. I know he was a little disappointed last year. He ended up being a starter, but there was a stretch last year when he wasn't. And that's tough. That's not an easy thing. Especially coming into this season not locked into a starting position.
"He wasn't locked in, but he quickly became a guy we counted on. Literally right from opening weekend out in Portland, he was fantastic, and he never looked back."
The crowd at WakeMed Soccer Park will include his brother. Jeremy hurt his knee while playing professionally in Finland and is doing his rehab in the United States..
This is no ordinary December for Barlow. He's about to play on NCAA soccer's biggest stage -- the College Cup -- and he'll graduate from UVa this month with a bachelor's in anthropology.
What he'll do with his degree is a decision Barlow hopes to postpone indefinitely.
"I'm trying to play soccer for as long as it's possible," he said. "Then I'll look at other avenues, but playing professional soccer has been dream for a while."

Restrepo works out for Cavaliers' soccer team, now vying for College Cup
UVa's goalkeeper has become a crucial part of the team's success after transferring from USF.
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times

Virginia soccer goalkeeper Diego Restrepo is living proof that second marriages sometimes work better than the first.

One year ago at this time, Restrepo was an unhappy soccer player and Virginia was an unhappy soccer team, having lost to visiting Connecticut 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's soccer championships.

At least the Cavaliers took the field.

Restrepo, then a University of South Florida sophomore, stood on the sideline as the Bulls lost to Wake Forest 5-0 with a trip to the NCAA semifinals on the line.

"I was on a roller-coaster," Restrepo said. "I was also having family problems at the time. It was the low point of my life."

In an odd twist, Wake Forest hired USF goalie coach Bo Oshoniyi during the offseason. Meanwhile, Restrepo transferred to Virginia.

The Cavaliers and Deacons already have played twice this season and will meet for the third time today at 5 p.m. [ESPN2] in Cary, N.C., at the College Cup. Both NCAA semifinalists are 17-3-3.

"I'm not looking for payback," said Restrepo, who has not given up a goal in two UVa victories over the Deacons, "but there's always motivation to show him he made a bad decision. You couldn't ask for a better stage than the College Cup."

As a freshman, Restrepo started 20 of 22 games for the Bulls, who finished 14-6-2. Last year, former back-up Jeff Attinella got the nod and Restrepo started only three times for a 15-5-3 Bulls team.

"By halfway through the season, I told my older brother [Alfonso] to start looking," said Restrepo, who moved to the Miami area from Colombia when he was 13.

Virginia had a No. 1 goalie with one year's eligibility remaining, Michael Giallombardo, but Giallombardo had redshirted early in his career and was on schedule to graduate in May.

"He already had a job lined up," Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. "We knew he might not be back this year, but the situation with Diego was unrelated. He kind of fell into our lap."

Gelnovatch was aware of Restrepo from spring games and exhibitions Virginia had played against USF, but nothing prepared him for what the future would hold.

Restrepo has started 22 of 23 games for the Cavaliers and has a Division I-best 0.29 goals-against average, with 15 shutouts. Restrepo has posted 11 consecutive shutouts and has not given up a goal in more than 1,100 minutes.

"Sometimes, I feel like I've got angels in my goal," said Restrepo, who acknowledged the role of the whole defense in his remarkable streak.

There is a market for transfers in Division I that is particularly busy in January and then later in May and early June.

Restrepo said "the best thing that could have happened to him" was being able to enroll at UVa last January.

"I'd never been through a winter," he said.

"At the beginning, it was tough, but it was a great experience because I got used to the weather, my teammates, the culture. I was coming from Miami, where everything was bigger, compared to Charlottesville."

College teams are allowed to play six-to-seven practice games in the spring, which was another benefit to Restrepo's midyear enrollment

"Coach Gelnovatch was very straightforward with me and I liked that," Restrepo said.

"He told me, 'I'm not going to give you anything.' It's hard to find coaches like that nowadays."

Restrepo had no contact with the Cavaliers in high school, when one of his finalists was Maryland, a 3-0 Virginia victim Friday in the NCAA quarterfinals.

UVa had two goaltenders at the time and, besides, USF had a good program.

"Obviously, playing in the Big East, you don't want to accept the fact that the ACC is the top conference," he said.

Now he does. As Restrepo hastened to point out, three of the four teams in the College Cup are from the ACC, including North Carolina, which meets Akron at 7:30 tonight.

"Of all the ACC schools, Virginia is probably the most prestigious in [men's] soccer," he said. "The last 10 years, I think 49 [UVa] players have gone pro."

Spectators at Friday's game included Bruce Arena, head coach of Major League Soccer's L.A. Galaxy. Arena was the head coach at Virginia when the Cavaliers won four national championships between 1991-94 and also has coached the U.S. National Team and U.S. Olympic Team.

"When he walked into our locker room after the game, I was dumfounded," Restrepo said.

"If I'd known beforehand, it would have gotten me nervous. I was shocked that he was here, but that's another thing that's special about this place."

Local standouts' play has U.Va. abuzz heading into College Cup
By Rich Radford
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 11, 2009

Ari Dimas has rock star-long hair.

And most of it is about to come off.

Dimas, a midfielder on the Virginia men's soccer team, told teammates a month ago if the Cavaliers won the ACC title or received a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament, he'd cut the hair.

Now, teammates tease him incessantly about how short that hair will be when this season is over.

Dimas knows they want a buzz cut, but if U.Va. wins two more games and captures the school's first national title since 1994, he might have to shave his head to appease them.

"I've had long hair for as long as I can remember," said Dimas, U.Va.'s lone walk-on and a former first-team All-Tidewater performer at Indian River High. "I've never had short hair. But I'm ready for it, and it's all in good fun."

The No. 2 -ranked Cavaliers (17-3-3) have had a lot of fun, posting 15 shutouts in their march into today's College Cup semifinals. They'll meet No. 3 Wake Forest (17-3-3) at 5 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

Top-seed Akron (23-0) plays No. 5 North Carolina (16-2-3) in the second semifinal.

The championship is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday.

Dimas isn't the only local player making an impact for the Cavaliers. The red-shirt freshman is joined in the starting lineup by sophomore defender Greg Monaco from Norfolk Academy and sophomore midfielder Tony Tchani from Maury High. Junior defender T.J. Cyrus, who played at Norfolk Academy, usually is one of the first players off the bench.

Each has a unique story,

*
The undersized Dimas knew scholarship offers would not be plentiful for a 5-foot-5, 134-pounder. So he focused on academics and was the valedictorian of his class. He enrolled at U.Va. and walked on, thinking if things worked out on the pitch, that would be great.

They worked out spectacularly when Dimas scored his first collegiate goal in U.Va.'s 1-0 win over Portland in the second round of the NCAAs.
*
Monaco caught a knee to the face against Maryland a month ago on a sliding tackle. He broke two bones in his right cheek and now wears a facemask during matches. The injury happened on Halloween in the third game of what has become an 11-game shutout streak for the Cavaliers. Monaco has not missed a game during that stretch.
*
Tchani, who played two years at Maury after moving to the U.S. from his native Cameroon, was named the ACC Rookie of the Year last season. He has seven goals this season.
*
Cyrus is the older brother of Jordan Cyrus, who signed with defending national champion Maryland and was a freshman there this season. U.Va. shut out Maryland three times this season, including a 3-0 victory in the national quarterfinals.

Virginia beat Wake Forest 1-0 during the regular season, then won on penalty kicks after a scoreless match in the ACC semifinals when Tchani, Monaco and Dimas all converted. Dimas said he knows the Cavaliers will be tested by the Demon Deacons.

But that won't be the only testing going on. It's exam time for the Cavaliers.

"While we are at the hotel, I've got to find a quiet spot or a room away from it all so I can get a test proctored," Dimas said. "It's my final exam in Commerce 180."

Also known as Introduction to Business: Making Business Work.

In reality, all the Cavaliers are taking that test this weekend.

Virginia Pregame Quotes From the College Cup
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/10/2009

Virginia Head Coach George Gelnovatch
About the progression of the team this year
“There has been a progression and it really hasn’t been by design. Sometimes there are things you have control over, some things you don’t. I certainly would not have forecast or predicted the rough start for us. I say rough; we won our first two games out in Portland, but it wasn’t easy for us going forward. Our mentality in the first half of the season really had to be to dig our heels in and make sure the other team doesn’t score. That’s who we were. We owned it. We knew it. We got the results but it wasn’t smooth. Around the second week of October, as things got a little easier for us going forward – attacking, attacking combinations, goals, wins, confidence – we kept that mentality. The word I’ve used is grinding. We’ve kept that blue-collar mentality of not giving up goals to keep us in games, not only as a back four and our goalkeeper and midfielders, but collectively as a team as well.”

On the move of Will Bates to forward
“He was playing more of a wide position for us, and it was a conscious decision [to move him]. We felt that the other combinations we were using with that position weren’t effective for us. It was about that time that things started to get a little easier for us. It didn’t happen overnight. It was game by game.”

On the defense’s play throughout the season
“I think those guys across the back have been good all year. Diego [Restrepo, goalkeeper] has been good all year, and Ross LaBauex, our holding midfielder. But you can’t have 14 shutouts and go as long as we have [not allowing a goal] without your team having that mentality too. Five, six guys defending, that’s not going to do it. It’s got to be part of who you are as a team. So yes, the defense played great. Yes, Diego played great. But our collective mentality in the first half of the season was making sure they don’t score.”

Will Bates
On switching positions
“At first it was a struggle for me to score goals out wide. I wasn’t used to playing that position. I’m more of a natural center-forward, but coach stuck with me even when I wasn’t scoring many goals early on, which gave me a lot of confidence. He kept telling me that goals would come. I was getting closer and closer every game. Once the goals started coming it became a lot easier and I started getting used to playing with my teammates. When we started scoring more goals, our defense stayed strong and that’s why games started being a lot easier.”

Neil Barlow
On facing Wake Forest
“They’re a very good team. We faced them several times this season. Just a great team, you can expect them to play good soccer. They’re always very dangerous on attack, and they always have a strong unit on defense. It’s just going to be a great soccer game, two teams that are going to go after each other. There’s going to be a lot of attacking out there.”

U.Va. found ways to score, reach College Cup semifinals
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
December 11, 2009

Even when the goals weren't coming, and every game was a grind, Virginia men's soccer coach George Gelnovatch refused to panic. He just had a feeling the offense would eventually pick up to the point where it could at least balance his team's stonewall defense.

What he didn't realize in that first month of the season was just how stingy his defense would become as the year progressed. As it turned out, U.Va. (17-3-3) only required an offense that barely registered a pulse to reach today's College Cup national semifinal at 5 p.m. against Wake Forest in Cary, N.C.

U.Va., the No. 2 overall seed in this year's Division I tournament, has shut out its last 11 opponents entering today's match. The Cavaliers haven't been scored on since Oct. 11 in a 3-1 victory at Virginia Tech.

During that 11-game stretch, the Cavaliers have averaged two goals per game. That's in sharp contrast to a seven-game drought in September and October when U.Va. went 4-3 while knocking in a combined five goals.

"At the start of the season, it was not as smooth as any of us would've hoped it would be in terms of scoring goals, combination play, attacking half and taking chances," said Gelnovatch, the 14th-year coach for U.Va. who has led the team to the College Cup for the third time in his head-coaching tenure, and first time since 2006. "We found ways to get results.

"What it did for us is to help establish this kind of blue-collar mentality about our team, where we decided the best opportunity to get wins was to make sure the other team doesn't score."

Now, U.Va. faces a team from Wake Forest (17-3-3) it has played twice already this season, with just one regulation goal being scored in the two games combined. U.Va. won at Wake Forest 1-0 on Sept. 18, and the Cavaliers won Nov. 13 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament semifinals after two overtime periods and penalty kicks (5-4). The winner of today's game will play at 1 p.m. Sunday against the winner of the Akron-North Carolina semifinal.

"We do know (No. 3 seed) Wake well, and they know us," said U.Va. midfielder Ari Dimas, a graduate of Indian River High in Chesapeake. "We're similar teams in that we're both very organized defensively. ... It'll come down to who on the particular day is the better team. I think the team that a) wants it the most, and b) takes advantage of its opportunities, will win."

Dimas knows a thing or two about taking advantage of opportunities. On Nov. 29, he connected for the game-winner in a 1-0 win against Portland in the third round of the tournament. It was his first collegiate goal.

"Getting that goal was huge," Dimas said. "It wasn't the prettiest goal by any means, but it got the job done.

"We're very sure-minded that we're not going to give up a goal. So, going forward, we're not going to be cautious or holding back because we don't want to get scored on."

A big reason for that confidence has been the play of goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, who is riding a school record for scoreless minutes in goal. He hasn't allowed a goal in 1,107 minutes and 34 seconds, besting the mark set by Tony Meola in 1988 (891 minutes and 25 seconds).

Restrepo, a junior, needs 210 minutes and 53 seconds more of scoreless play to pass Michigan State goalkeeper Avery Steinlage's NCAA record. Restrepo also holds the school record for shutouts in a season with 15.

U.Va. — which is paced by defenders Hunter Jumper, Greg Monaco, Mike Volk and Shawn Barry — is giving up 0.29 goals per game. That's a clip far better than last season's 1.34 goals per game, and better than the '06 College Cup team that surrendered 0.93 goals per game. Having a defense that sturdy has paid dividends on the offensive end, where U.Va. is averaging 1.44 goals per game for the season.

"We told ourselves we were only going to let up about one goal a game," said forward Will Bates, who leads U.Va. with 12 goals and 25 points. "It's been huge for us to actually do better than that. If we can hold a team to only one goal, we feel like we can score one or two, especially of late when we haven't been allowing any."

Familiar faces in College Cup
By Whitey Reid
Published: December 11, 2009
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Frigid air. Frozen tundra. Putrid soccer.

In a nutshell, that would be the collective memory of Virginia seniors from their last experience in the College Cup.

Back in 2006, UVa had its lunch handed to them by UCLA in a 4-0 semifinal shellacking that took place in chilly St. Louis. Current fourth-years Ross LaBauex, Neil Barlow and Jonathan Villanueva haven’t forgotten the nightmare.

“The coaches have talked to us about telling the younger guys about the experience,” LaBauex said. “What we said to them was that it’s just not a good feeling — not a good way to go out.

“We didn’t get to the final [game], it was 4-0, national T.V. — it was pretty embarrassing.”

Tonight in Cary, N.C., LaBauex and his compadres hope to erase the memory when they take on Wake Forest in the semifinals of the College Cup. The winner plays the Akron-North Carolina winner in the championship game on Sunday.

This will be third meeting of the season between Virginia and Wake Forest. UVa won in the regular season in Winston-Salem, 1-0, then defeated the Demon Deacons on penalty kicks in the semifinals of the ACC tournament nearly a month ago in Cary.

“Any time you play a team three times — getting a result three times against a good opponent is not the easiest thing in the world,” said Virginia coach George Gelnovatch. “But I don’t think there’s anything I lose sleep about or dwell upon with them. Our focus is on us. Certainly, we have respect for Wake, but most of what we’ve been doing is getting ourselves ready.”

Second-seeded Virginia (17-3-3) extended its unbeaten streak to 14 games and shut out its 11th-straight opponent with the 3-0 win over Maryland in the quarterfinals last weekend.

Goalkeeper Diego Restrepo continued his superhuman play. The redshirt junior extended his school record for scoreless minutes in goal to 1,107 minutes and 34 seconds. The previous record was held by Tony Meola. Restrepo is also the UVa record-holder for shutouts in a season with 15.

The Demon Deacons (17-3-3) earned an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament and are making their fourth-straight appearance in the College Cup. Wake Forest won the 2007 NCAA championship.

Wake Forest, the No. 3 overall seed at this year’s tournament, defeated UNC-Wilmington in the second round (2-1), Duke in the third round (4-2) and UCLA in the quarterfinals (2-0).

Zack Schilawski leads the team with 14 goals and seven assists, followed by Austin da Luz with six goals and 15 assists. Goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald has allowed 15 goals in 23 games for a goals-against average of 0.66.

“It is tough when you see teams over and over,” LeBauex said. “Wake’s a great team and is good at moving the ball. We just have to go out there and do the things that have put us in good positions before.

“They’re really good at 1-2s, flicks, transition. I feel if we stay with their runners and match their intensity, and try and limit their counter-attacks, I think we’ll be fine.”

Added Gelnovatch: “I think we’re a better team now than a month ago. Whether that translates, we’ll see.”

Throw-ins

Virginia is making its 29th straight appearance in the NCAA tournament, dating back to 1981. That streak is the longest active run in the nation. ... UVa holds a 50-25-4 all-time record in the NCAA tournament, and has won five NCAA championships (1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994). ... Virginia and No. 1 seed Akron have not allowed a goal in the 2009 NCAA tournament. Third-seeded Wake Forest has allowed three goals, while fifth-seeded North Carolina has allowed just one. ... Virginia leads the all-time series with Wake, 32-6-6, and has won two of the last three meetings. ... The teams have met once in the NCAA tournament, a second-round match-up in 2003 in which UVa prevailed, 2-0. ... Five UVa players were named to the All-South Atlantic Region team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Thursday. Defender Greg Monaco and midfielder Tony Tchani were first-team selections, forward Will Bates was a second-team pick and forward Ross LaBauex and goalkeeper Diego Restrepo were named to the third team.
 

Evans’ relishes role as Cavaliers ‘closer’
By Michael Phillips
Published: December 11, 2009
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If Jordan Evans takes the field late in tonight's College Cup semifinal, that's a good sign for U.Va.

The senior midfielder, a Thomas Dale graduate who played his first two seasons at Richmond, is the Cavs' version of a closer, coming in at the end of games to fend off desperation plays by the opposition.

"Toward the end of the game, if you're winning, the other team isn't really playing soccer, per se," he said. "They're more just throwing the ball forward and hoping we make a mistake."

Perhaps no team in the country has been as good at eliminating those mistakes as Virginia -- the team hasn't allowed a goal in 11 games entering tonight's College Cup semifinal against Wake Forest.

Both sides know what to expect as the teams meet for the third time this season. If history is an indication, the match should be competitive. Virginia won 1-0 in the regular season, then edged out a scoreless victory in the ACC tournament with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks.

ACC dominance has been a theme in this year's tournament, as the other semifinal pits No. 5 North Carolina against No. 1 Akron.

"The majority of the best players in the nation come here on the East Coast, and there are some guys that come from the West Coast," U.Va. midfielder Jimmy Simpson said. "Six of the top 10 teams are from the ACC, so the level of competition is unbelievable."

With the tournament being hosted in North Carolina this year, it's no surprise that tickets sold out well in advance for what promised to be a showcase of the conference's ability.

"We finished 4-3-1 in the conference, but we were still top five in the country," Evans said. "You can't really compare anything to the ACC -- there's nothing like it."

Evans arrived at Virginia from UR after his sophomore season but was limited at first by an ankle injury. Since then, he's settled into a groove and has seen action in 10 games this season.

Most substitutions happen late in the game, so he'll watch the first half with an eye toward how the action is unfolding. If the opponent prefers to play in the air, he'll prepare for a lot of headers. If it's on the ground, he'll get ready to use his feet.

"I think it's almost harder coming off the bench, since you don't really get used to the flow of the game," he said. "You've got to be ready for any situation."

The team traveled to Cary, N.C., on Wednesday for the games, but soccer won't be the only thing on their minds. As Simpson talked to reporters yesterday, a handful of his teammates were headed over to N.C. State to take final exams, administered remotely.

Simpson has two papers and a test looming Monday, but he wouldn't mind an extended stay in Cary. The title game is Sunday, should the Cavs reach it.

Virginia last advanced to the Cup in 2006, when the team lost to UCLA in the semifinal round. The team's last title, in 1994, capped off a remarkable run of four straight orchestrated by then-coach Bruce Arena, who was on hand for Friday's quarterfinal game in Charlottesville.

This year's team seems every bit as talented, and for Evans and the other seniors, a College Cup appearance is a fitting way to go out.

"To end my college career at a final four -- and maybe a national championship -- I can't ask for much more than that," he said.



 

Group AAA Powers Descend on Scott Stadium
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 12/10/2009
Dec. 10, 2009
2:58 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Mike London will be at Scott Stadium on Saturday. He hopes to see a lot of orange and blue in the stands.

The Virginia High School League's Group AAA football finals are Saturday at UVa's stadium, and it "would be great for Cavalier fans to come out and watch some of the future talent from this state," London said the other day.

In the Division 5 championship game, Phoebus, from London's hometown of Hampton, meets Stone Bridge at noon. In the Division 6 state title, Thomas Dale takes on Lake Braddock around 4 p.m.

The Group AAA finals were held in Blacksburg last season, but they'll be in Charlottesville this year and in 2010, and perhaps after that. The timing couldn't be better, according to UVa's new coach.

"It's a good thing for the University," London said, "and it coincides with us saying we want to recruit the state more."

London, the University of Richmond's head coach the past two seasons, took over at UVa this week. He wants to raise his program's profile around the Commonwealth -- Virginia Tech has dominated in-state recruiting in recent years -- and hosting VHSL events should help.

"We want the high schools to come to these venues," London said. "We've got John Paul Jones Arena and Scott Stadium, and we're centrally located."

UVa Insider, The Column - Doug Doughty | Roanoke Times

I think it’s pretty safe to say that Richmond assistant football coaches Mike Faragalli, Vincent Brown and Jeff Hanson will be following ex-Spiders’ boss Mike London to the University of Virginia.

When Jeff White described those moves as “likely” in the blog he writes for virginiasports.com, you can be sure that he ran that wording by somebody. If it were a done deal, presumably UVa would have put out a release, but any holdups at this point are probably insignificant.

As speculated in Wednesday’s print edition of The Roanoke Times, the hiring of Hanson only adds to the likelihood – in my mind – that former Richmond and VMI head coach Jim Reid will be the Cavaliers’ defensive coordinator.

Reid, currently the linebackers coach for the Dolphins, has been a package with Hansonfor years, so much so that when Reid took the VMI job, Hanson went with him as “chief of staff” in 2007. More recently, Hanson was the defensive-line coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach to London.

The Cavaliers’ defensive staff seems to be taking shape with Hanson coaching the defensive line, Brown the linebackers and holdover Anthony Poindexter the defensive backs.

Less clear-cut is the offensive staff. There has been talk of UVa targeting a marquee offensive coordinator, with Atlanta Falcons quarterback coach and ex-Cavaliers’ offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, filling that bill. But, is it realistic to think Virginia could get Musgrave?

Gregg Brandon, the Cavaliers’ offensive coordinator this past season, was given a two-year contract worth $275,000 per year. When I spoke to a college coordinator whom I respect, he estimated that Musgrave makes $500,000 per year as an NFL quarterbacks coach.

Even if Musgrave makes as little as $400,000, it would probably cost Virginia at least $500,000 per year to hire him as offensive coordinator. Plus, Musgrave has already been an offensive coordinator, unlike London who returned to Virginia as defensive coordinator in 2006, at least partly because he could use the title.

One more thing about Musgrave: He’s been entrusted with the career of one of pro football’s most valuable quarterback properties, second-year Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan has a chance to make Musgrave look really good; the same might not be the case at Virginia with Marc Verica, Riko Smalls and Ross Metheny.

Virginia may wait a while before announcing Faragalli’s job responsibilities. He came up through the pass-happy Canadian Football League, serving as offensive coordinator for three different franchises, before coaching some record-setting Division I-AA Lafayette teams. His Richmond teams, with Eric Ward getting better each year, had high-powered attacks.

If not Musgrave, who fills out the remainder of the offensive staff? And, who are the recruiters? Poindexter has improved as a recruiter and coaches like DeMatha’s Bill McGregor rave about him. But, if London and his bosses are serious about cutting ties with the Groh staff, I feel they are shooting themselves in the feet.

Running backs coach Wayne Lineburg, wide receivers coach Latrell Scott and defensive-line coach Chad Wilt may have been the best three recruiters on the Groh staff. Harrisonburg High School athletic director and offensive coordinator Joe Carico told me last year that Lineburg was the closest thing he’s seen to ex-UVa assistant Danny Wilmer.

I submit that the first mistake Groh made was in not retaining Wilmer from the staff of predecessor George Welsh. People get tired of me talking about Wilmer, but I’ve been covering recruiting for 30 years and the most important factor in recruiting is the person doing the recruiting. When you’ve got old hands like Faragalli, Hanson and maybe Reid on your staff, you need some young go-getters to take care of the leg work.

I’ve heard that another original Groh staffer, Corwin Brown, is a possibility for the London staff after the dismissal of the Notre Dame staff on which he served. Brown, who shares an NFL background with the unrelated Vincent Brown, coached special teams at Virginia from 2001-2003 before resigning to join the New York Jets' staff.

Brown was named defensive coordinator at Notre Dame in 2007 so he might be interested in a college job that would allow him to remain at the coordinator level. Given the defensive problems that the Fighting Irish experienced, hiring Brown for the same position at UVa would not be the right message for a new coach.

Brown was not a great recruiter at Virginia but I'm not sure that he had an area of Virginia where kids grew up wanting to play for the Cavaliers. Brown is personable and he's still reasonably young at 39. Plus, he's got a lot more experience than he had at the time of his first Virginia stint.

As for other coaching possibilities, my research to this point leads me to believe that West Virginia running backs coach Chris Beatty is less than 50-50 to move to UVa. Shawn Moore has been mentioned as a possibility for the quarterbacks coaching position, but Moore said he couldn't get the logistics to work out if he wanted.

Moore is an administrator and coach at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., (my alma mater, strange to say) and has a son, Michael, who is a 6-foot-3, 240-pound sophomore defensive end at DeMatha. DeMatha coach Bill McGregor describes Michael Moore as "a big-time" college prospect.

White: London Discusses New Hires
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/10/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- To the surprise of no one who follows University of Virginia football, Mike London is retaining Anthony Poindexter as an assistant coach. That figures to rank among the easier decisions London has to make as the Cavaliers' head coach.
Poindexter, who was an All-America safety for George Welsh in the '90s, is one of the most beloved figures in the history of UVa athletics. He's proved he can coach and recruit, too.
"He's a Virginia guy," London said Thursday afternoon in his McCue Center office. "People identify with him, as they should ... He reminds me of when I was a very young coach."
Poindexter, a Lynchburg native, joined Al Groh's staff as a graduate assistant in 2003 and became a full-time assistant in '04. He coached the Cavaliers' running backs through the 2008 season, after which took over the secondary and assisted with special teams.
"That's the kind of development you look for in good coaches," said London, whose brother Paul played with Poindexter at UVa.
Virginia fired Groh on Nov. 29. About a week later, UVa hired London away from the University of Richmond. A former assistant at UVa, where he worked with Poindexter, London went 24-5 and won a national title in two seasons as the Spiders' head coach.
His priorities include assembling a staff, and London announced his first hires Thursday. As expected, he's bringing three of his UR assistants with him: Jeff Hanson, Vincent Brown and Mike Faragalli.
UVa retained assistants Poindexter and Bob Price to oversee recruiting and other matters during the search for Groh's successor. London is still evaluating where Price might fit in the new football operation, but Poindexter is likely to be back in the secondary.
Wherever Dex ends up, he's delighted to be part of London's new staff.
"This is my home," Poindexter said, "this is my place. I'm happy for the opportunity to stay ... Mike has almost been a mentor to me and helped me through the process of becoming a coach."
In three of Groh's final four seasons, the Wahoos finished below .500. When Poindexter played for Welsh, UVa was one of the ACC's elite programs.
"I think we can get back there," Poindexter said. "Obviously there are some things that need to be done, but if we can get that stuff cleared up, get the kind of players we need in here to win -- good guys, good players -- we'll be able to do some things."
Under NCAA rules, London may have nine full-time assistant coaches. How quickly he'll hire the other five isn't clear.
"There's no particular timetable," London said. "The timetable is just to do it right. Our [players] are getting ready to go away for the Christmas holidays, so I'll have time, because I'm devoting all my time right now to them and making sure they all leave on the same page, as far as what the expectations will be academically when they come back."
At UR, Faragalli was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under London. Brown, a former UVa graduate assistant, coached the Spiders' linebackers, and Hanson was assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
Their assignments at UVa haven't been finalized, but Faragalli will coach in some capacity on the offensive side. Brown will work with linebackers and Hanson with defensive linemen.
London's thoughts on the former Spiders:
*Hanson: "He's a guy that's very loyal, very passionate about what he does," London said. "He coaches the players hard, but he loves the players, and there's a deep respect for what he does, because he truly has their best interest at heart.
"Jeff, like me, is a Richmond grad, but he's also a coach who's been in and around the state of Virginia in terms of coaching and recruiting, and he's very well-respected within the state. Does a great job recruiting out of state and the Texas area. Handled our recruiting for us [at UR]. Has held a number of jobs. He's been a defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, defensive line coach, DB coach, linebackers coach, and he's very extensive in his knowledge of football. But he's an even better person than all of that."
*Brown: "He had an extensive and very productive career [as a linebacker] in the NFL," London said. "I brought him to Richmond as my linebackers coach, and he immediately demanded and gained the respect and attention of the players, because this is a guy that played the position at the highest level and was very accomplished. He did a great job for us, and the linebackers here and the defensive players particularly will benefit from all those things. Plus, he's a great individual also."
*Faragalli: "In my research before getting the Richmond job, I talked to a lot of different coaches about who he was and what he could provide," London said. "He did a great job with the offenses that he's been in charge of. He's been in the CFL, he's a very well-respected veteran coach, and he brings a wealth of knowledge in the passing game and the running game. His broad perspective is going to be an asset for us on offense."
Hanson, a 1972 graduate of UR, had three stints, totaling nearly 30 years, as an assistant coach at his alma mater.
Leaving Richmond wasn't easy, Hanson said, but this "is a great opportunity for me. This is a great place, a great school academically, and the facilities here are unbelievable. And working with Mike, that's an important thing. To be successful as an assistant football coach, you're only as good as your head football coach, and let me tell you something: We were very fortunate to have him there at Richmond for a couple years, and we're very fortunate to have him here at the University of Virginia."
Like UVa, UR has a sterling academic reputation. The Spiders won big in such an environment, first under Dave Clawson and then under London.
"The key is, I think that you can find student-athletes [for whom] academics are important and football is important," Hanson said. "Now, when one outweighs the other, that's when you got problems. And so basically the thing I truly believe is that you recruit kids that care about getting an education and that also want to be great football players. And it can be done, because we did it for years at Richmond, and we can do it here at the University of Virginia, I guarantee you."
London's first coaching job was at UR. He joined the Spiders' staff in 1989, and his fellow assistants that season included Hanson.
"I knew at that point in time that Mike had what it takes to be a great football coach," Hanson said. "The big thing is, he was always a teacher. He cared about the players, which is the No. 1 thing in this business that needs to happen with coaches.
"If you're in the business for wins and losses and for money, you're in business for the wrong thing. This is a people's business, and you're here to develop students and football players, and you're also here to develop character. Those were things that I could tell Mike would be tremendous at."
Brown was a GA under Groh in 2007, London's second and final season as defensive coordinator at UVa. The 'Hoos won nine games that season.
"Having a little familiarity with the operations here and the people and the layout certainly helps, and it's just a tremendous blessing to be back," Brown said.
"I had hoped for an opportunity to come back. I was here briefly and didn't really get to put an imprint on the young men that I was around, so I'm hoping with this opportunity to really be able to make a difference and get the guys playing within the scheme to help us win championships."
Under Groh, the Wahoos' base defense was the 3-4. UR played a 4-3 under London, and that's the scheme he'll install at UVa.
"Football is football," Brown said. "The techniques change, and there's some differences in the types of players you need to play in the two different schemes, but if you're a run-and-hit guy, you can play in any scheme."
The Cavaliers finished 3-9 this season, their fewest wins since 1986. They went 5-7 in 2008.
"We understand that the last couple of years have been tough," Brown said. "We also understand that there's talent here in the program, and we just have to get the best out of them. We may have to go out and get a few more pieces, but we'll get the best out of what's here."
Like the other imports from UR, London included, Brown said he's convinced that high academic standards are not impediments to success in football.
"There's no reason you have to separate the two," Brown said. "You go out and find those students that are committed to getting a great education that want to play great football, and then you get them in there and let them do their thing."
Faragalli has worked with London for only two seasons, the fewest of any of the newly hired assistants.
Still, Faragalli said, "I've obviously gotten to know him well and have the utmost respect and admiration for his character and the way he does things."
Faragalli, a Rhode Island alumnus who has spent a good part of his coaching career in the Canadian Football League, admits that he does't know much about UVa. But if his boss believes, Faragalli believes.
"It all starts with Coach London," he said. "I'm just really excited about the opportunity to join him here after the couple of years we had together [at UR]. Certainly it's a great school with a great academic tradition, a great football tradition, and just as a career move, obviously it's a step up. So I'm very excited for the opportunity."
 

London Names Four Assistant Coaches to UVa Football Staff
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/10/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Virginia head football coach Mike London has announced four additions to his coaching staff. London has retained current assistant coach Anthony Poindexter, while adding Vincent Brown, Jeff Hanson and Mike Faragalli, who all coached with him at Richmond. London will announce specific position assignments at a future date.

"All of them will bring passion and energy. They are men of character who understand the academic pursuits and aspirations that a young man might seek at a university like the University of Virginia," London said. "They are good coaches, good people and good family men. They are guys that, when you meet me, you meet them. They are very capable and confident in what they do. In a short time people will see that they bring a lot to the table in terms of the overall development of the student-athletes they are going to be coaching."

London will also make an announcement regarding Bob Price's status with the UVa football program following further evaluation. Price, along with Poindexter, was retained to oversee the administration of the football program during the period of the coaching search.

Poindexter, who has been an assistant coach at Virginia since 2004, moved to the defensive side of the ball in 2009 as defensive backs coach after coaching UVa's running backs his first five years on Grounds. Under Poindexter's watchful eye, Ras-I Dowling earned All-ACC second team honors as UVa finished the regular season boasting the league's No. 4 and nation's No. 21 pass defense.

Regarded as one of the fiercest hitters in the game during his collegiate career (1994-98), Poindexter remains at his alma mater where he won first-team All-America honors at safety during his junior and senior seasons.

Brown will work with London for the third time in his career and will bring NFL playing and coaching experience to UVa. He served as Richmond's linebackers coach under London the past two seasons, including during their 2008 FCS National Championship season. He coached Richmond's three starting linebackers in 2009 to all-league honors as the Spiders shared the CAA crown.

This is a homecoming of sorts for Brown, who was a graduate assistant at Virginia during the Cavaliers' 2007 season, which culminated with a Gator Bowl berth.

Prior to his start in collegiate coaching, Brown served as an inside linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 2006. Brown played the final three years of his eight-year NFL career with the New England Patriots before retiring in 1995.

Brown's previous coaching experience includes a four-year stint as an assistant coach at Meadowcreek High School near Atlanta. He was also the school's assistant AD for one year.

A native of Atlanta, Brown played at Mississippi Valley State where he earned Kodak All-America honors as a senior in 1987. He was a second team AP All-American as a junior. A three-time all-conference pick, he broke the school's record for career tackles with 570 stops while leading the team in tackles his last three seasons. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice.

After being selected in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Brown went on to start 103 of 123 career games for the Patriots, logging 811 tackles, 16.5 sacks and 10 interceptions.

"It is a fantastic opportunity having been here a couple years ago," Brown said. "I have seen how things operate and it's a first class operation. Now I have the chance to come back and work with a first class coach I have been privileged to work with the past couple years. I still know some of the young men that are on this team and I am really excited about it. The sky's the limit. There is no reason why this program can't be a championship caliber program. I know Coach London and the rest of the staff will work hard to make that happen. The facilities, the support is here. We have a great head coach in place, now we just have to go out and get it done."

Hanson brings 38 years of collegiate coaching experience to UVa - 28 with Richmond over three different stints. London brought Hanson on as his assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach at Richmond in 2008 after a one-year stop at VMI where he rejoined former Richmond head coach Jim Reid, serving the Keydets as the associate head coach/defensive line coach.

A native of Beloit, Wis., Hanson graduated from Beloit High School in 1967 and came to Richmond as a linebacker. He played on the 1968 Tangerine Bowl championship team and coached the 1971 Tangerine Bowl team.
Hanson remained with the Spiders as a graduate assistant, coaching the freshman defensive linemen from 1971-73 while completing his degree in physical education and his master's in education. Hanson then became a full-time member of Richmond's staff, working with the tight ends and receivers during his first year and the defense for the next four seasons.

He has also enjoyed coaching stops at West Texas State (defensive coordinator), Southwest Texas State (defensive coordinator), Lamar (assistant coach) and Marshall (assistant coach).

"This is a great opportunity to come to the University of Virginia, a school of this stature with its academic and football reputation," Hanson said. "I am real excited about being here and the speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack. Mike is a great leader. He knows how to communicate with people. He knows how to treat players. He pushes them and doesn't put up with anything, yet there is a line of communication so the kids know he cares about them. He is a quality person, but he is also a great football coach."

Faragalli comes to UVa after serving London as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past two seasons at Richmond. During Faragalli's two seasons with the Spiders, quarterback Eric Ward enjoyed two prolific seasons en route to the 2008 FCS National Championship and the 2009 CAA title. During Faragalli's tenure as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Ward amassed 5,102 passing yards, 749 rushing yards, 32 passing scores and 12 more touchdowns on the ground. Ward completed 64 percent of his passes (419-of-659) under Faragalli's tutelage.

Faragalli brings a wealth of experience to Virginia, including other collegiate stops as the offensive coordinator at Lafayette (2000-07) and Bowling Green (1991-94; 1996-99). He also brings professional football experience after four stops with franchises in the CFL. Faragalli was the youngest head coach in club history when he skippered the Toronto Argonauts in 1995, after holding down offensive coordinator positions with the Edmonton Eskimos (1988-90), Montreal Alouettes (1987) and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1985-87).

Faragalli began his coaching career at Rhode Island in 1979 and later coached at Wisconsin and William & Mary. He coached the receivers during each of those three stints. A 1980 graduate of URI with a degree in secondary education, Faragalli played defensive back for the Rams.

"It is a fantastic opportunity especially since it's Coach London," Faragalli said. "I would go to the end of the world for the guy. The fact that it's Virginia - the reputation academically, athletically, the Charlottesville community - there is just not a better situation for my family and me. Our fans will see a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy and a very physical football team, as well as a very passionate football team. The student-athletes that are under him are going to give their all at all times. He inspires that kind of effort, attitude and relationships. I have been around three coaches in my life that are like that and he is right there."

Three Richmond aides joining London at Virginia
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
December 11, 2009

New Virginia football coach Mike London's emerging staff of assistants already has a familiar look to the staff he put together at Richmond — and he might not be done tapping his Richmond connections.

London, a Bethel High graduate who was formally introduced Monday as U.Va.'s coach after spending the last two seasons as UR's coach, is bringing Mike Faragalli, Vincent Brown and Jeff Hanson with him from the Spiders' coaching staff.

"All of them will bring passion and energy," London said in a statement released by U.Va.'s athletic department. "They are men of character who understand the academic pursuits and aspirations that a young man might seek at a university like the University of Virginia. They are good coaches, good people and good family men. They are guys that, when you meet me, you meet them. They are very capable and confident in what they do.

"In a short time, people will see that they bring a lot to the table in terms of the overall development of the student-athletes they are going to be coaching."

London also could be trying to bring a new face to Charlottesville who has both Richmond and personal ties to him, as well as another personality who will need no introduction at U.Va.

There's speculation that London is pursuing former Richmond coach Jim Reid for U.Va.'s defensive coordinator job. London and Reid, who is now the outside linebackers coach for the NFL's Miami Dolphins, worked together for two seasons at UR.

Speculation also exists that London might be attempting to go after Bill Musgrave for U.Va.'s offensive coordinator duties. Musgrave, the quarterbacks coach for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, was the offensive coordinator in 2001 and '02 at U.Va. under former coach Al Groh.

It's unclear what the new roles of the three coaches from London's staff at Richmond will be at U.Va. Faragalli was Richmond's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under London. Brown was London's linebackers coach, and Hanson was UR's assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.

Brown will be returning to U.Va., where he was a graduate assistant in the '07 season. Hanson, who played for Richmond from 1967 to '70, has been in college coaching for 38 years, including 28 years as an assistant at UR and the '07 season as the defensive line coach at Virginia Military Institute. Faragalli has been in coaching for 29 years, including the '83 and '84 seasons as the wide receivers coach at William and Mary.

In addition to the new coaches, London also will add Steve Atkinson, who was Richmond's director of football operations. Atkinson's role at U.Va. is also yet to be determined.

While Faragalli, Brown, Hanson and Atkinson will be new additions in Charlottesville, London will keep Anthony Poindexter from Groh's staff. Poindexter was the defensive backs coach under Groh.

Bob Price, who was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator under Groh and who oversaw the football program with Poindexter after Groh's firing, will continue to be evaluated by London and will have his status with the program determined.

If Reid winds up in Charlottesville, he'll be reunited on a staff with London. Reid coached from '95 to '03 at Richmond. From '94 to '96, London was Richmond's outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.

In nine seasons at Richmond, Reid led the Spiders to two Atlantic 10 championships and five finishes among the top 20 of the national Division I-AA rankings. In addition to his time at Richmond, Reid spent the '06 and '07 seasons as head coach at VMI, which went 3-19 under his guidance.

London builds his staff
By Jay Jenkins
Published: December 11, 2009
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One of the most beloved players in Virginia football history is staying put.

Legendary safety Anthony Poindexter will, however, have some new faces to work with.

Newly-hired Virginia coach Mike London announced four staff appointments Thursday, including the expected retaining of Poindexter as the Cavaliers’ secondary coach.

Through a press release, Virginia also officially introduced former grad assistant Vincent Brown, Mike Faragalli and Jeff Hanson as assistants on London’s staff. All three worked under London at Richmond. Position assignments will come at a later date.

“All of them will bring passion and energy,” London said. “They are men of character who understand the academic pursuits and aspirations that a young man might seek at a university like the University of Virginia. They are good coaches, good people and good family men.

“They are guys that, when you meet me, you meet them. They are very capable and confident in what they do. In a short time people will see that they bring a lot to the table in terms of the overall development of the student-athletes they are going to be coaching.”

While announcing the transactions, London also said that further evaluation would be made in regards to former recruiting coordinator Bob Price, who doubled as the team’s tight ends coach under former coach Al Groh.

In addition to Poindexter, Price was kept after Groh was fired following the 42-13 season-ending loss to Virginia Tech. Price remained on the recruiting trail Thursday night, but the school-issued release said that London’s decision was pending “further evaluation.”

With the additions and Poindexter’s status revealed, London has five vacancies to fill on his staff, including offensive coordinator, a position linked to Bill Musgrave, who filled that position under Groh at one point.

While individual contracts were not disclosed, London’s contract states that a sum of $2 million will be allocated to pay his collection of assistants.

Poindexter’s return was considered a lock based on his standing amongst Virginia faithful and his ability to recruit.

London admitted that Poindexter, a former safety at UVa, was “passionate,” as a player and a coach.

“You look at that word, that’s Anthony there in the dictionary, his picture,” London said as he was announced on Monday.

With Poindexter coaching the secondary last year, Virginia has finished No. 21 in pass defense.

Like Poindexter, Brown is a familiar name in Virginia circles — he was a grad assistant under Groh in 2007, the season that led to a trip to the Gator Bowl.

A former inside linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys and an eight-year veteran of the NFL, Brown was excited about the return.

“It is a fantastic opportunity having been here a couple years ago,” he said. “I have seen how things operate and it’s a first-class operation. Now I have the chance to come back and work with a first-class coach I have been privileged to work with the past couple years. I still know some of the young men that are on this team and I am really excited about it.

“The sky’s the limit. There is no reason why this program can’t be a championship caliber program. I know coach London and the rest of the staff will work hard to make that happen.”

The hiring of Hanson gives the Cavaliers an experienced coach. He has 38 years of service, including 28 with Richmond and a stint at VMI as defensive line coach in 2008.

Last year, Hanson was the assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, and defensive line coach for Richmond.

Faragalli, expected to be the quarterbacks coach, comes to UVa after serving as Richmond’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.

Under his watch the past two seasons, Eric Ward passed for 5,102 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Faragalli played professionally in the CFL and was the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts in 1995, becoming the league’s youngest coach ever.




 

Pomper to be Honored with IMLCA Boston Market Humanitarian Award
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/10/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA- Virginia senior men's lacrosse player Max Pomper will be presented with the second annual IMLCA Boston Market Humanitarian Award during the IMLCA Nike Awards luncheon Friday at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

The award was created to recognize student-athletes for their strategies and efforts in addressing community needs with campus-based efforts. Pomper will be honored with the award for his work raising funds for the University of Virginia's HELP hotline.

When former Virginia lacrosse standout Will Barrow died in November of 2008, former teammate and close friend Pomper (Huntington, N.Y.) initiated the fundraising event "Remembering Will Barrow," which was a flag football tournament on Nov. 7, featuring area college lacrosse teams, with all proceeds going to HELP, the University of Virginia's non-profit, student-run crisis hotline.

HELP Line is an anonymous, confidential telephone service serving the residents of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the University of Virginia. It is affiliated with the University's Madison House. HELP strives to provide callers with an empathetic ear for any sort of issue they wish to discuss and on finding long-term services in the community for callers, such as counseling services, medical services or drug treatment programs.

"It is a great honor to receive such a special award," said Pomper. "The first annual Will Barrow Flag Football Tournament was a huge success. The event could not have happened without the help of my teammates, especially Mikey Thompson and Kyle Menendez, who worked closely with me. I am humbled to be the recipient of this award and am proud to have represented Virginia Lacrosse in a positive way."

The college lacrosse community rallied around Pomper's initiative. Programs from Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, North Carolina and Washington & Lee participated in the inaugural tournament. Through Pomper's efforts and the involvement of the lacrosse community, nearly $10,000 already has been raised for HELP with monies continuing to be received from across the nation.

"The hotline has been underfunded for 17 years with no sponsorships," said Pomper. "We wanted to honor our friend Will Barrow and spread awareness of crisis prevention. With the HELP hotline, there is an outlet for people in need in times of crisis around the University of Virginia and the Charlottesville area. This is something we wish Will would have known about."

Pomper cites Barrow, who hailed from Baldwin, N.Y., as a big reason he continued his lacrosse career with the Cavaliers.

"We grew up together in neighboring towns on Long Island," said Pomper. "Our fathers are great friends and would drive to games together. My favorite memories at Virginia, whether we were on the field or off, are with Will. That is why I want to do what I can to use Will's passing as a positive in helping others dealing with crisis."

As a fourth-year player in 2008, Barrow was a captain of a squad that advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships. He was considered one of the top defensive midfielders in the country throughout his career. During his senior season, he finished with a career-high 28 ground balls, while scoring seven goals and adding three assists. Following the season he was selected in the second round of the Major League Lacrosse draft by the Chicago Machine and appeared in five games during his rookie year. He appeared in 63 games during his Virginia career and scored 18 goals with seven assists. Barrow also was a member of the Cavaliers' 2006 NCAA Champion team.

"As we approach the first anniversary of Will's passing, Max's idea for this tournament and the work of his teammates has helped bring a difficult moment into focus," said Virginia head men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia. "It is certainly appropriate that the HELP hotline be the beneficiary of this effort. It has been very gratifying to see the larger lacrosse community respond in such an enthusiastic and positive manner. Will is still very close to us all and it is helpful to have some good arise from this situation. In Will's memory, I hope through this event the money raised will help someone else in crisis."

All men's varsity collegiate lacrosse players are eligible for the Boston Market Humanitarian Award. Nominees were evaluated based on the following criteria:

• An innovative approach to building or enhancing campus-based efforts to address community issues and needs;

• Use of diverse strategies of engagement (service, service-learning, policy work, advocacy, etc.);

• Ability to lead, inspire, and engage other students and/or members of the institution;

• Efforts to sustain engagement by developing strategies to build their work into the institution's structure.

The IMLCA Boston Market Humanitarian Award was created to promote the leadership skills of those within the lacrosse community, past, current and future, who have generated value to their communities and institutions by assisting others in need. These individuals have learned that by assisting others, their actions benefit everyone around them.

Reid Seligmann, Brown University, was the inaugural recipient of the IMLCA Boston Market Humanitarian Award in 2008.

Pomper will be the second person with Virginia lacrosse ties to be honored at the luncheon on Friday. Former Virginia assistant media relations director Michael Colley will be honored with the Doyle Smith Sports Information/Media Award.