White: Kings of NCAA Soccer Hoping to Retain Crown
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/17/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- On the raucous bus ride home from Cary, N.C., on Sunday evening, the subject of 2010 came up among the newly crowned champions.
"We wanted to enjoy the victory, but we were also looking into the future and talking about doing it again," freshman forward Will Bates said Wednesday.
For Neil Barlow, Ross LaBauex, Jonathan Villanueva, Jordan Evans and, perhaps, Tony Tchani, their college soccer careers ended with UVa's shootout victory over previously unbeaten Akron in the NCAA title game in Cary.
The rest of the UVa team has an opportunity to add another national championship.
"We're going to be dangerous again next year, and we have a chance to repeat," said Bates, who led the Cavaliers with 12 goals in 2009.
"I don't know if it's easier, but I think all the guys that participated have that experience now and know what it takes to get there."
Virginia's roster this season included four seniors: Barlow, LaBauex and Villanueva, who were starters, and Evans, a key reserve.
Tchani, a sophomore midfielder who made the All-America team, is the only underclassman who might turn pro before next season, according to UVa coach George Gelnovatch.
"Over the course of the next week or so, we'll figure out what's going to happen with him," Gelnovatch said Tuesday afternoon. "But [forward Brian] Ownby is going to be around, and Bates is going to be around. It's really just Tony."
In 25 games, the 'Hoos (19-3-3) allowed only eight goals. Only one opponent scored on UVa after Oct. 17: Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons broke through in the second half of the first NCAA semifinal in Cary, but the Cavaliers steadied themselves and won 2-1 in overtime on Ownby's golden goal.
Back in 2010 will be the heart of that nearly impregnable defense: goalkeeper Diego Restrepo and defenders Mike Volk, Greg Monaco, Shawn Barry and Hunter Jumper.
"We have a good starting point with our goalkeeper and our back four. If you can keep that intact over the course of a couple years, you're doing the right thing," Gelnovatch said.
"For me, that's where you have to start. That's your central nervous system. Having those guys is like having your security blanket."
In Ownby, who'll be a junior next year, Virginia has one of the college game's most gifted players, but his impact was muted this season. Ownby missed six games early in the season while playing for the United States at the under-20 World Cup, and a double sports hernia limited his minutes after he returned.
Ownby is scheduled to have surgery Friday, and he should be recovered by the start of practice in February.
For much of the season, Gelnovatch went with a lineup that included only one forward, usually Bates. That wasn't the plan heading into the fall.
In the spring, Gelnovatch said, Virginia had played a "traditional 4-4-2 -- four in the back, a diamond in the midfield of four, and then two forwards. And to be honest with you, that's what I thought the fall would look like, with Bates and Ownby being potentially those two guys.
"But between Brian being hurt and Bates taking a little longer [than expected] to come around a little bit, one way or another it didn't pan out."
It's too early to say which formation UVa will use in 2010, but Gelnovatch is excited about the prospect of pairing Bates with Ownby.
"Whether Brian is one of two forwards up front," Gelnovatch said, "or Bates stays as that solo forward and Brian goes wide left or right, either way it's going to be really dangerous."
Before they were reunited at UVa, Bates and Owny were teammates in the Richmond Strikers program.
"I think now that we both are used to the college game, and pretty developed, if we play together, it's going to be pretty dangerous," Bates said by phone from San Diego, where he's training with the U.S. under-20 team.
Starting midfielder Ari Dimas also returns in 2010, as does forward Chris Agorsor, whose college career has been marred by injuries.
As a senior at McDonogh High near Baltimore, Agorsor was the Gatorade national high school player of the year. As a UVa freshman in 2008, he played in seven games and scored four goals before tearing the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee.
Agorsor rehabbed his knee diligently and was cleared to play this season, only to encounter more obstacles. His coach still believes Agorsor can play a valuable role on the team.
"Absolutely," Gelnovatch said. "He had the catastrophic injury, which he made a pretty good recovery from, but he got hurt again at the end of October.
"It was a high-ankle sprain that literally put him out for four or five weeks. And what happened during those four or five weeks was, we hit our stride. We had guys playing really well. Not only the guys that were starting, but the one or two guys off the bench in those positions were doing really well. As Chris got healthier and healthier, the team was in form and the guys coming off the bench in those positions were in form, and that's sometimes the way it works in athletics.
"He kept a good attitude and worked hard and did his thing, and he's got some ability and got talent, and we'll continue to work with him."
UVa's biggest losses are in the midfield. Gelnovatch's "spring projects," as he put it, will include finding a replacement for LaBauex, whose range on the field was extraordinary.
"Ross was a forward, so we converted him to that defensive midfield position," Gelnovatch said. "And so whoever's the defensive midfielder for us next year, I think he's going to potentially be a converted guy."
Don't be surprised if at least one member of the recruiting class that will sign with UVa in Feburary earns a starting job in 2010. And Gelnovatch said there are several players already in the program whom he expects to contribute more in 2010 than they did in '09.
This group includes Ahkeel Rodney, Sean Murnane, Sean Hiller and Jimmy Simpson.
A groin injury sidelined Rodney, a freshman forward, late in the season. Murnane is a versatile freshman from Westfield High in Northern Virginia. Hiller, a redshirt freshman, converted a penalty kick against Akron after not playing in the 110 minutes that preceded the shootout.
Simpson, as a redshirt freshman in 2008, started 12 games for the 'Hoos and had six goals and three assists.
Last spring, Gelnovatch said, Simpson "was one of the top two or three players in our whole team, that's how good he was. He was the leading goal-scorer for us in the spring. Played up front, played wide midfield, he was just a stud. The kid's 6-3, 6-4, one of the fittest guys, strongest guys on the team, technical.
"I thought this year was going to be his breakout year for us. But he had a bad back, then he hurt his knee, then he had a sports hernia, and it was just one thing after another."
Had the season lasted another month, Gelnovatch said, fans would "be seeing a heck of a lot more of [Simpson], because he's just starting to come around a little bit. So we expect great things next year from a guy that people kind of forgot about."
The NCAA title was the sixth for the Wahoos in men's soccer, but their first since 1994.
"Even without having won a national championship, we always got our foot in the door with all the top recruits," said Gelnovatch, a former UVa assistant who succeeded Bruce Arena as head coach in January 1996.
"But when you win a national championship, it puts you in a little bit of a different light. You're competing with the Wakes and the Marylands, and now you win a championship, all of the sudden [prospects are] looking at you a little bit better than they're looking at [rival schools]."
The team got back to Grounds long after nightfall Sunday, but Gelnovatch was in his office before 9 a.m. Monday. He accepted congratulations from colleagues, friends and other coaches all day.
In between, he did more interviews than he could count. On Tony Bennett's radio show Monday night, Gelnovatch spent most of the final half-hour fielding questions from UVa's new men's basketball coach.
"So it was cool," Gelnovatch said. "It was tiring, it was exhausting, but I'll take it any day."

Wall product George Gelnovatch coaches Virginia to men's national soccer title
By Frank Giase/The Star-Ledger
December 14, 2009, 8:59PM

Virginia coach George Gelnovatch holds the trophy following Virginia's victory over Akron in men's College Cup championship soccer Sunday. The game was tied at the end of regulation and Virginia won 3-2 on penalty kicks.In 1996, George Gelnovatch replaced a legendary coach at Virginia. When the time comes for the New Jersey native to retire, they could very well be saying the same thing about the Cavaliers’ next coach.

After more than a decade of leading his team deep into the NCAA men’s soccer tournament and coming agonizingly close to a title, it all fell in place for Gelnovatch on Sunday when the Cavaliers edged Akron on penalty kicks following a scoreless tie to win the national championship, the school’s first since a run of four straight ended in 1994.

“Only one team out of 200-plus ends up happy, and for the first time in my tenure I can feel good about (the season) the next day,” Gelnovatch said Monday. “Sometimes a week or month later you feel good about it because you had a good season, but this time it’s the next day.”

It’s a feeling Gelnovatch has experienced just about his entire career. He won Group 3 championships at Wall, earning The Star-Ledger all-state honors along the way, was an All-America player at Virginia, then became an assistant under then coach Bruce Arena when the Cavaliers were the dominant program in the nation.

When Arena left to coach D.C. United in the first year of Major League Soccer in 1996, Gelnovatch got the call.

“I was 31 at the time and probably too young and naive to think much about it,” he said. “People expect you to win, and when you don’t they want to know what was the matter.”

Gelnovatch reached the NCAA final in just his second year but lost to UCLA, 2-0.

“There’s a big difference in perception,” he said. “You make it to the final and lose and nobody remembers, but you win it and you’re a conquering hero.”

This year Virginia conquered with defense — 12 shutouts in the final 13 games — to finish 19-3-3 and raise Gelnovatch’s 14-year record to 214-79-25.

“When you come into a program that’s won five national championships, the four ACC titles that you win or all the College Cups that you get to, winning a national championship of your own allows all those other accomplishments to be put into place with that,” Gelnovatch said. “Around mid-October we started to turn the corner a little bit and by the ACC Tournament we started firing. We kept getting better toward the end of the season.”

Gelnovatch’s coaching career began at a time when his playing career could have been revived.

In the summer of 1996, Arena was coaching both D.C. United and the U.S. Olympic team and was shuttling a couple of players back and forth, leaving United a bit thin.

Two months before his first season as Virginia coach, Gelnovatch laced up the boots again. He played two games that summer, both starts, for a total of 135 minutes.

“I don’t think you could do now what I did,” he said. “I was still young and capable enough to play, but I got injured and that was that.

“If I didn’t get the Virginia job I would have gone into MLS. I would only have had a couple of years, but who knows what would have happened?”

Judging by his résumé, likely another championship.
 

A father’s ‘miracle’ gift
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: December 19, 2009
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EDITOR’S NOTE: First in a two-part series on new Virginia football coach Mike London and his unique story.

As soon as Mike London has a chance to catch his breath and move his personal possessions into his new office at the McCue Center, he will display a photo that is so dear to his heart.

The photograph is black and white, a bit grainy by today’s standards, and to the unknowing, is just a picture of a father and his young daughter. The story behind the image means everything to London and his wife, Regina.

You see, that photo represents the miracle of Ticynn London. Ten years ago, Ticynn had just turned 4 and became very ill. The Londons were at Boston College, where Mike was on Tom O’Brien’s coaching staff, and several members of the football team had come down with the flu around their bowl game.

Ticynn also caught the flu, but several weeks later, she wasn’t recovering. Instead, she was getting weaker and more lethargic. When her parents took her to a local hospital in Boston, doctors thought she might have had leukemia

and transferred her to Children’s Hospital there, where within an hour, she was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that leads to bone marrow failure and sometimes leukemia.

Thankfully, for the London family, doctors there had performed extensive research on the disease and immediately took measures to monitor her condition.

“They told us the only cure for it would be to have a bone marrow transplant,” Regina London said this week from her home in Richmond.

Doctors tested everyone in the family to see if they could find a match. No luck. They researched the national registry, again with no success.

Siblings and other relatives are usually the best source for a match — and rarely, very rarely, a parent.

“Ten thousand to one are the odds of a parent that can be a donor to their own children,” Mike London explained.

This time, the odds were on London’s side. His bone marrow was a near-perfect match.

Ticynn was not in immediate danger because doctors had nursed her back to health, knowing that some day down the road she would need to have the bone marrow transplant from her father. The London’s wanted to make sure that she was strong enough to handle the procedure, so they spent three years monitoring her health.

In fact, when then-Virginia head coach Al Groh began to assemble his first coaching staff and pursued London, one of the priorities of the family was whether their daughter would get the health care she required in such a move. Ironically, the hematologist at the University of Virginia Medical Center had studied at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, where Ticynn first received care.

“We monitored her up until she was 7 and decided at that point that she was not in bad health, but her [white blood cell] counts were steadily going down and at some point she would have to have the transplant,” Regina said. “We didn’t want to take a risk that some other ailment associated to the disease might threaten her life.”

The transplant occurred at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, one of the few hospitals in the country equipped for such a procedure. First, doctors had to completely wipe out the young girl’s blood cells and replace them with her barrel-chested dad’s healthy ones. It was an ordeal for the family as Ticynn underwent nearly a week of chemotherapy and radiation prior to the transplant.

London, who had played football, coached football, had been an undercover cop on the mean streets of Richmond, chokes up every time he talks about that part of his life. He remembers how Ticynn, so young and innocent, was coloring, while Regina was brushing her daughter’s hair, the hair coming out in globs.

“Regina was crying, and Ticynn looked up and said, ‘Tell the nurse to cut it all off,’ then went back to coloring again,” London said.

The photo was taken at a Chuck E Cheese, right after Ticynn left the hospital. She is wearing a scarf after losing her hair.

It was a moment that Mike London will never forget, and he keeps that photograph in a special place.

“She is definitely a success story,” Regina said. “To look at her now, you would never know that at one point in her life she was so sick. But she’s done very well. Now, she seems to be the strongest of our kids when they all get sick. She recovers the quickest.”

Ticynn is now a healthy 14-year-old eighth-grader, a walking, breathing miracle in her daddy’s mind.

“Doctors don’t like to use the word ‘miracle,’” Mike London said. “They prefer to say ‘rare.’ But to me, it’s a miracle. That I was the only person they could find in the world that could match my daughter’s marrow and it saved my daughter’s life ... that’s a miracle.”

London said he would remain ever grateful to Groh, who gave him his first chance to advance his coaching career at Virginia, but who also reached out to the family during this ordeal.

“When I was going back and forth to Baltimore to visit my wife and daughter, it was during spring football practice,” London recalled. “Coach Groh knew my situation and purposely practiced early on Saturday mornings, like from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., rather than from noon until 2 p.m., just so I could drive to Baltimore and spend quality time with my daughter while she was still awake.

“I appreciate that so much,” London continued. “Coach rearranged the schedule of 90 people to help out one person. He made I possible that I could see my daughter when she was going through the toughest time of her life. I never forgot that act of kindness.”

We’ve all heard the expression that a photo is worth a thousand words. Well, for London, it’s much more than a cliche. It’s part of his life.

 

Mike London & Recruiting
Jim Young | Mailbag ACCSports.com December 16, 2009

If Virginia is going to get back to what it was under George Welsh (and the early part of Al Groh’s tenure) the Cavaliers are going to need to improve their recruiting.

Is Mike London the man for the job? To get an idea of what sort of recruiter UVa hired, we checked in with Chris Horne, who covers recruiting for TheSabre.com and TechSideline.com

ACCSports.com:
How much did Mike London’s ability to recruit in-state factor into UVa’s decision to hire him?

Horne:
Given London’s close ties to the state and the reputation he has earned among state of Virginia coaches, I’d say it certainly was a factor. Virginia can attract talented kids outside of the state but it has to have consistent success in the state as well, in order to be successful, in my opinion. London, with his energy and connections, should provide Virginia the chance to do well on a more consistent basis.

ACCSports.com:
How much work does London have ahead of him to win back recruiting ground that’s been lost to Virginia Tech in recent years? To what extent is the state “Virginia Tech territory” these days?

Horne:
Virginia Tech’s track record speaks for itself. Its coaches have good ties in-state and they’ve been around forever, so they are known and respected. These things cannot be overcome overnight. I do think London will help Virginia initially, but the Cavaliers have to start turning it around on the field relatively soon to really start making significant inroads. Virginia Tech has certainly done well in the Tidewater area, but they have been successful throughout the state.

ACCSports.com:
How good of a recruiter was London when he was previously with the Cavaliers? Who were some of the top prospects he landed?

Horne:
London connects well with players and families. I think that’s what stands out about him as a recruiter and that will help him as head coach.

He was one of the reasons why J’Courtney Williams, then a top five in-state recruit and a U.S. Army All-American, decided to go to Virginia. London also recruited Jared Detrick and Aaron Taliaferro in-state in that class (2006). Outside the state, he scored starting DT Nick Jenkins out of Damascus (Md.) Good Counsel and OL Lamar Milstead out of Washington (D.C.) Ballou. London’s DC/MD area recruiting connections are very good, too, something that may be overlooked somewhat.

ACCSports.com:
Give us an idea of the talent level in the state of Virginia. Can it support, say, two Top-20 programs? Or is in-state recruiting a zero-sum game where, if one school is doing well with the home-grown talent, the other school is therefore doing poorly?

Horne:
I do think the state can support two successful FBS program. There isn’t much room for error in terms of allowing other programs to come from outside to poach the top guys. This has happened some in recent years (Percy Harvin to FL, Phillip Sims to Alabama, Justin Hunter to LSU are examples). Virginia Tech will continue to get its share, but I think Virginia can get double-digits each year and be a successful program. Certainly, though, Virginia is going to have to start winning the battles with Tech for some of these top guys to gain ground.

ACCSports.com:
Much has been made of London being a Bethel High grad and his Tidewater roots. Just how important is that region in terms of in-state recruiting? How much of the state’s talent is coming out of the Tidewater?

Horne:
The Tidewater region gets a lot of acclaim, and rightfully so with some of the players that have come out of there in the past, but there is certainly talent elsewhere. The Richmond and Northern Virginia areas come to mind in that respect, but there is talent sprinkled throughout the state most years. That being said, a lot of great athletes come out of the Tidewater area on a consistent basis, so it would be important for Virginia to have success there.

ACCSports.com:
Given that it’s late in the recruiting cycle, are there any in-state prospects UVa can get in on and have a chance to land before signing day?

Horne:
Virginia reportedly has re-offered Woodberry Forest S/LB Ed Reynolds, so we’ll see if he’ll consider it. Virginia offered in the early going but Groh pulled the offer after scoring two safeties in Kyrrel Latimer and Pablo Alvarez. He really is the best available and realistic prospect right now, though you never know who London may like in-state that perhaps went under Groh’s radar. Since London was at Richmond, you’d think he would have a good idea of who is available and able to play at UVa’s level.
 

Virginia Football Won't Be Rebuilt in a Day by Ben Gibson
Ben Gibson
Featured Columnist

Mike London knew the challenge coming into Charlottesville.

The former head coach of the University of Richmond had two previous stints at Virginia before becoming the eventual successor to Al Groh after nine tumultuous seasons. He understands the culture and he recognizes the expectations upon him.

Most importantly, he realizes that this is a long-term project.

When London left Virginia in 2007 to coach his alma mater, he was walking into a team built for success. Current Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson had created a program on the verge of big things and London was able to maximize the talents of versatile quarterback Eric Ward and an experienced defense en route to the first national championship in school history.

The current Virginia Cavalier football team, fresh off the heels of an embarrassing 3-9 season which featured losses to William & Mary and Duke (teams that London beat last season at Richmond), is far from an emerging team. Indeed, the roster is quite a mess.

Perhaps the most pressing issue facing Virginia this offseason is the question mark at quarterback. With the departure of Jameel Sewell, the Cavaliers will need to find a new signal-caller to lead the troops. Junior Marc Verica showed flashes of brilliance in 2008 but regressed horribly last season in the new offense and his lack of confidence casts major doubts on whether he can successfully lead the Cavaliers next season.

That means Virginia must pin its hopes on either redshirt freshmen Riko Smalls or Ross Metheny. Neither man has taken a snap in a college game and although Smalls is athletic his small stature could put him in a bad situation. He has the potential to be the next Marques Hagans or Vic Hall, superior athlete but not a quarterback.

Even then, the problem becomes exactly who the new quarterback will be throwing towards in 2010.

Virginia had multiple wide receivers see time this season, but that resulted more from a lack of consistency than any sort of depth. Sophomore wide out Kris Burd led the Cavaliers with a paltry 413 yards and only one touchdown the entire season. By comparison, Kevin Ogletree in 2008 led the Cavaliers with 723 yards and five touchdowns.

Seventeen players caught a pass in 2009, not a single one of them averaged more than 40 yards per game.

Worse yet, en route to a three-win season, coach Groh decided to scorch the Earth on his way out by burning redshirts on many of these wide receivers for one or two receptions the entire year.

It's been seven years since Billy McMullen finished his career at Virginia second all-time in the ACC in career receptions. In many ways, Virginia is still searching for a suitable replacement.

Since the Cavaliers have struggled so much in the air these past few seasons, Virginia has tried to use a power running game. Unfortunately, that too features many problems heading into 2010.

With running backs Rashawn Jackson and Mikell Simpson on the way out, the cupboard is bare for the Cavalier backfield. Torrey Mack and Dominique Wallace were two praised prospects but injuries hampered both of their opportunities in 2009.

While Wallace looked good against Southern Mississippi, Virginia's top two leading rushers coming into 2010 will have a combined 139 yards to their credit.

The offensive line is really not that much better, the Cavaliers struggled mightily between the new offense of Gregg Brandon and the old style Groh had used beforehand. While the spread clearly was not well suited to these linemen, they did not light it up either when they reverted back to some old plays.

With all these problems, it is little wonder that Virginia ranked last in the ACC in scoring offense.

However, the defense, something that Groh had built his job around, could not pick up the slack either.

The Cavaliers were seventh in the ACC in total defense, allowing over 350 yards per game. Virginia's top player, defensive lineman Nate Collins, is graduating. This means that freshman sensation Steven Greer will have a great deal to live up to his sophomore year.

Greer, may be one of only two or three guys Virginia fans can look upon and be confident that he is a player they can build around.

Cornerback Ras I-Dowling was thought to be one of those players. Indeed, he was talked about as someone who might leave early for the NFL draft heading into this season.

Well the good news is that Dowling probably will not leave early, but the bad news is it's because of a sour junior season where the potential star seemed to regress. His performance against Danny Coale of Virginia Tech was pitiful.

Long story short, Mike London needs to roll up to sleeves and get to work.

We all know that London's greatest strength is his recruiting ability. Well, time is wasting if he wants to do something with the current recruiting class that is looking rather sparse at the moment.

Currently, Virginia only has one four-star recruit, Morgan Moses. Moses has been struggling academically and was deferred this year to Fork Union Military Academy to make the grade.

Even if the big offensive lineman can become eligible, there is more and more reason to think he will bolt with all this coaching turmoil.

Moses was particularly close with Virginia wide receivers coach Latrell Scott. With rumors that Scott could be named the new head coach at Richmond, the potential for Moses to decommit seems like an almost certainty.

That leaves London in a tough situation. Virginia currently has 11 high school senior commitments, one of whom London was able to get just hours on the job in quarterback Michael Strauss from Miami, Florida.

Recruiting for the University of Virginia is not a simple task. The strong academic requirements combined with their recent losing seasons have certainly dampened the Cavalier spirit throughout the Commonwealth.

London knows that one of his first priorities must be to mend some of the broken cogs in the recruiting pipelines around Virginia. At his press conference, he emphasized the importance of looking at academics not as a weakness but a strength.

This is an opportunity for young men to get the best of both worlds. Virginia has certainly found success before and it can find it again. However, the injuries inflicted over the past few seasons will take more than a band aid to heal things.

London will be challenged like he never has before as head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. Fortunately for him and all the Cavalier fans, it's a labor of love.

Virginia may have wandered well off course these past few years, but with London at the helm, it can finally head in the right direction.

Commitment to Hargrave was easy for Tech-bound Gibson
End to Young saga not imminent for UVa
By Doug Doughty

The prospect of attending military school was not as daunting for Laurence Gibson as it might have been for some college prospects.

“I was either going to come here,” said Gibson, who announced his commitment to Virginia Tech earlier in the week, “or I was going to join the Army.

“I wasn’t going to junior college.”

Gibson (6 foot 5, 300 pounds) spent his last two years of high school in a part of the country, Arizona, where junior college is a common route to the Division I-A level. But, Gibson comes from a military background.

His father is a police officer in Las Vegas and is mother is in the Army and is currently stationed in Korea. Laurence was born in Fort Bragg, N.C., and says he lived for a time in Virginia at a location he can’t remember.

He also spent time at Fort Irwin, an Army installation located in Barstow, Calif., an approximately two-hour drive from Las Vegas.

His most recent home was in Sierra Vista, Ariz., site of another army base, Fort Huachuca.

Gibson said he had no offers coming out of high school, when he was a 240-pound defensive end, “but my mom believed in me and decided to pay the money for me to come to Hargrave,” he said.

GIBSON, RECRUITED for Tech by Hokies’ offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, is one of three Hargrave players who have committed to Tech.

The others are a pair of 2009 signees, offensive lineman D’Antre Rhodes from Varina and wide receiver-defensive back Theron Norman from Richmond’s Hermitage High School.

Gibson and Norman have met NCAA eligibility guidelines that will allow them to enroll at Tech in January, but Rhodes has issues that will require him to return to Hargrave for the next quarter.

Gibson, Rhodes and Norman are part of a 2010 Tech recruiting class that currently numbers 21 and the Hokies basically are waiting on one other player, 6-6, 222-pound defensive end Kareem Martin from Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

Martin already has visited Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Duke, with a January trip scheduled to North Carolina. Brian Mohr, who administers the Virginia Tech site on rivals.com, says that Martin is the only uncommitted player that the Hokies have better than a 1-percent chance of signing. He puts the odds of Tech getting Martin at 50-50.

VIRGINIA FANS WILL have to wait until Monday for an update on Louis Young, a four-star defensive back from Good Counsel in Olney, Md., who has said he will announce his choice at the Crab Bowl, an annual all-star game between teams from the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas.

The game originally was scheduled for Saturday but was pushed back to Monday because of winter storms in the forecast. Organizers of postseason games enjoy the publicity that comes from commitments at their games, but Young’s Monday announcement won’t necessarily reflect a done deal.

Young already has said that he will visit Stanford and Virginia on back-to-back weekends in January. He already has committed to Stanford once but the likely appointment of London piqued his interest in Virginia. Indeed, even before the London hire, Young had come out and said that UVa was likely to hire a coach who previously had recruited his school.

ANOTHER INTERESTING dynamic in Virginia’s recruiting is that London, as a Division I-AA head coach until recently, would have been more aware of the state’s top uncommitted players because those are the players over whom the I-AAs fight at this point in the recruiting process.

I’ve seen no indication that Richmond, London’s former employer, was involved with 6-5, 270-pound offensive lineman Stephen Lawe from Norfolk’s Maury High School. However, London was quick to make an offer to Lawe, who is on a short list of uncommitted Virginians receiving I-A interest for the Class of 2010.

Lawe, a 2.8 student, also has an offer from Memphis.

THE STATE’S TOP uncommitted prospect is Ed Reynolds II, a 6-3, 190-pound defensive back from Jacksonville, Fla., who has played at Woodberry Forest in Orange for at least the past three seasons.

Reynolds is the son of former UVa and NFL defensive end Ed Reynolds Sr., and Ed Sr., in an interview for Thursday’s UVa Insider, said that he “lives and dies” with the Cavaliers. However, UVa withdrew a scholarship offer to Ed II when they took two commitments from safeties in the spring.

Woodberry coach Clint Alexander said that Al Groh wasn’t the only coach who dissed the younger Reynolds. When Ed II and teammate Aramide Olaniyan went to Notre Dame for a camp last summer, they reportedly were among the standouts in a group of 100, but then-Irish assistant Jon Tenuta wouldn’t approve them, according to Alexander.

The final decision came down to Irish head coach Charlie Weis, who, as Alexander pointed out, “was another NFL guy,” a reputation he shared with Groh.

Looking for contributions from everyone
By Whitey Reid
Published: December 19, 2009
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In a loss to Wake Forest on Wednesday night, UNC-Wilmington guard Chad Tomko showed that he has talent in a streaky John Starks-meets-Allen Iverson kind of way.

“He is an explosive scorer,” said Virginia coach Tony Bennett. “I mean, he can get it going quick ... he can change the game.”

But Tomko’s deficiencies are also pretty glaring. The 5-foot-11 junior from Charlotte is prone to quick, ill-advised shots. Those traits only seem to exacerbate the more Tomko is pressured by a defender.

That’s where Virginia freshman Jontel “Bub” Evans could come into the mix tonight when the Cavaliers (4-4) — following a 12-day hiatus for winter exams — host Wilmington (4-6) at John Paul Jones Arena.

Bennett has consistently referred to Evans as the team’s best on-the-ball defender. The 5-foot-11 point guard showed no timidity in guarding All-Big Ten performer Talor Battle three weeks ago, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bennett sic Evans on Tomko tonight.

“He has the ability to lock onto the ball,” Bennett said. “As a first-year guy, I want him to just keep giving us lifts, and when called upon to be ready.”

Clearly, Bennett is going to need “lifts” from other players, too.

The first-year coach, for myriad reasons, has a paper-thin frontcourt. Mike Scott (knee) and Jamil Tucker (personal issues) both seem unlikely to play.

If that is indeed the case, Bennett will likely start walk-on Will Sherrill for the second straight game. After a breakout performance in the Cancun Challenge, Sherrill has shot just 1 of 8 from the field, including 0 of 6 from 3-point range. On the positive side, he’s averaged four rebounds and committed just one turnover in his last two games.

Bennett would love to see sophomore Assane Sene step up his play. Bennett said in his teleconference on Thursday that the 7-footer has been making positive strides in practice.

Tonight’s game could be more challenging than people thought when the schedule first came out. Earlier this season, the Seahawks beat Penn State, then held their own in games against South Florida and Wake.

“Certainly, [Tomko] is their leading scorer and a guy you have to watch, but I’ve been impressed with [John] Fields and other players,” Bennett said.

“They can score, push it on transition, and they get on the glass. They do a lot of things well.”

This will be Wilmington’s third crack at an ACC opponent. The Seahawks lost a close game to Miami at the Charleston Classic last month.

“It’s another test against a high-level team,” Wilmington coach Benny Moss told the school’s web site. “I’m really excited about how hard we’re playing and how well this team’s competing.

“Our effort has been tremendous. We’re putting ourselves in a position to win games against very good teams. As we go on the road against another ACC opponent, we have to do some of the little things better, like shooting free throws, taking care of the basketball and executing. If we do those things better, we can come out on top.”

Dunks

Tonight’s game is the third all-time meeting between the schools, with Virginia winning the first two meetings. The teams haven’t met since a 87-51 Virginia win at University Hall in 1987-88. The first meeting was a 87-42 Cavalier win at University Hall in 1983-84. ... This will be UVa’s only regular-season game against a CAA opponent. The Cavs have a 104-34 all-time record against current members of the CAA. They last played a CAA school when they defeated Old Dominion in the quarterfinals of the 2008 CBI. ... Today’s game is anticipated to be played as scheduled despite Friday’s snowfall. According to a UVa release, ACC protocol indicates games should be played if both teams and two of three game officials are present. UNC-Wilmington was expected to arrive in Charlottesville on Friday afternoon, and game officials were contacted on Friday alerting them to the possibility of inclement weather, allowing them to adjust their travel plans. “We want our fans to know that we are planning to play Saturday’s game even in the event of inclement weather,” Virginia athletics director Craig Littlepage said in the release. “We also want fans to be aware of the possibility of inclement weather and to check current weather conditions before traveling to the game.”

Cavs will greet Seahawks with patchwork lineup in the paint
By Michael Phillips
Published: December 19, 2009
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Despite the weather, tonight's game will go on as scheduled in Charlottesville. And as Virginia takes the court, the stands aren't the only place where participation will be light.

Tony Bennett's Cavaliers have struggled to maintain a full roster of contributors all season, and tonight won't be any different.

Walk-on Will Sherrill, a 6-9 post player, could get the second start of his career -- the junior also started the team's most recent game against Auburn.

That was 12 days ago, but after a break for finals the situation is still dire inside the paint.

Bennett was asked yesterday about the status of the various players who are missing, starting with forward Mike Scott, who suffered a high ankle sprain during practice before the Auburn game.

"We were hoping he'd probably be a little further along," Bennett said. "He's progressing, I know that, so that's positive."

Scott is spending time on the underwater treadmill, and the coach called his status "day-to-day" entering a stretch of three games in five days.

First up on that list is what will likely be the closest game of the three, against UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks have fared comparably to the Cavs against similar competition this season.

For tonight's game, Virginia will continue to be without senior forward Jamil Tucker, who is on an indefinite personal leave of absence. Tucker resumed practicing with the team almost a month ago, but has yet received clearance to compete in a game.

"As of right now, probably not," Bennett said of Tucker's participation. "We're still waiting on a couple things."

The third inside player who has been missing is Assane Sene. After an early-season suspension, he, too, suffered a sprained ankle. The injury has limited him to just 13 minutes per game so far, though Bennett said he had an encouraging week of practice. He is available to play tonight

As a result of those absences, Sherrill and Jerome Meyinsee have been called on to anchor the Cavs' lineup inside the paint.

The situation isn't nearly as dire at guard, where Sylven Landesberg, Sammy Zeglinski and Mustapha Farrakhan have been starting, with Jeff Jones and freshman Jontel Evans coming off the bench.

Looking at the upcoming games as a unit, Bennett said he's looking for more consistency from his team.

"They're all at home, so hopefully we can establish something," he said. "I just want to see us keep stretching our good basketball longer and longer."

 

White: Garland Building Something Special
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 12/18/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Steve Garland is as animated as a sugar-fueled tyke at a birthday bash. And that's in his calmer moments.
Ask him if he'd like to see his team wrestle at John Paul Jones Arena one day, and UVa's irrepressible coach practically leaps out of his chair.
"That would be the most unbelievable thing!" Garland says. "That arena is so insanely nice, it's not even funny."
For now, the Cavaliers' home is elsewhere on Grounds, and fans who show up at Mem Gym can expect to see a compelling show. This is Garland's fourth season as coach at his alma mater, and he's building a program that he's confident will regularly produce All-Americans.
In each of the past two seasons, Virginia has finished second to Maryland at the ACC championships. In the latest InterMat team rankings, the Wahoos (7-1) are No. 18 nationally.
"We had one All-American last year," says Garland, referring to 174-pounder Chris Henrich, who placed seventh at the NCAA meet. "Our goal is to have at least two this year."
The 'Hoos were scheduled to wrestle Saturday at UNC Greensboro and at Appalachian State, but those dual meets were postponed because of concerns about the weather.
Next up for UVa is the Southern Scuffle, Dec. 28 and 29 in Greensboro.
At its core, college wrestling is an individual sport, and a coach can struggle to sell his charges on working toward team goals. Garland sees progress on that front.
"It is important for them to be good as a program," he says. "Our guys watch the rankings. This is when I knew we were getting a lot better in the team area: when the guys looked at the national rankings and saw 18th and they were mad about it.
"They were like, 'We should be better than that.' They want to be better. They want Virginia's name to be out there and respected."
This is a young squad that should peak in 2010-11. Of UVa's top performers, only 125-pounder Ross Gitomer, 149-pounder Kellon Balum and 197-pounder Brent Jones are seniors.
Moreover, four of the most talented wrestlers in the program -- 141-pounder Nick Nelson, 149-pounder Zach Clemente, 157-pounder Jedd Moore and 184-pounder Jon Fausey -- are redshirting, for various reasons.
"Next year should be out of control," Garland says. "Next year, if we don't it, then it's my fault. Seriously. I'm not going to be able to sleep at night, because we've got so many kids coming back."
Nelson advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals at 141 last season. Before this season, though, "he just came in the office and begged me to redshirt him," says Garland, a former 125-pounder who was ACC wrestler of the year in 2000.
"At first I was against it, but at the same time I had to take a step back and say, 'OK, Nick's got a 3.3 [grade-point] average, he does everything right, he works out three times a day, he never gets in trouble,'" Garland says.
Virtually all of the top wrestlers at 141 nationally this season are seniors.
"He feels like the weight class clears out," Garland says. "And he feels like when those guys graduate, that's his shot. He wants to be a national champ. And here's the trick: People say that, but this kid actually not only believes it, he's willing to put in the work to get to that point. So when you have a kid that special you gotta work with him, and I worked with him."
No. 7 Maryland again appears to be the class of the ACC, and No. 24 Virginia Tech is loaded, too. Still, with a lineup that includes such standouts as Henrich, Gitomer, Jones, Balum, Derek Valenti (141), Danny Gonsor (157) and Mike Salopek (184), Garland isn't ready to concede the conference title.
Henrich and Jones won ACC titles last season, and Balum placed third in the conference. Henrich is ranked No. 4 nationally this season, Jones is No. 11, and Gonsor is No. 16.
Garland was especially pleased with his team's performance Nov. 28. At the Northeast Duals in Albany, N.Y., Virginia lost 25-12 to then-No. 10 Central Michigan but crushed Hofstra 28-6 and Sacred Heart 48-0.
"Against Hofstra, we probably could have and should have won all 10 weights," Garland says. "We won eight out of 10, which is unheard of in a dual meet. I don't care who you wrestle, it's very hard to do.
"To wrestle that well from top to bottom, for me as a coach, was just a big deal. I was very happy that they were executing techniques that we had been working on for months. It'd be like an offensive coordinator [in football] saying, 'OK, we're gonna run this spread offense or we're gonna run this Wildcat every day for the next four months until we get it right,' and nobody gets it right in games, and you're losing because of it. We finally started executing the techniques that we've been using."
UVa's next home dual meet is Jan. 22 against North Carolina. The long-awaited showdown with Virginia Tech comes a day later, also in Charlottesville.
Expect a standing-room-only crowd for that one.
It's not JPJ, but Mem Gym is "a fun little arena to wrestle in when it gets packed," Garland says. "It's fun, because if you get over 800 [fans], it's overflowing."