This past week, the Sabre featured Bill Stringfellow (Hoo in W. Africa) in a FanWatch feature, making reference to Stringfellow's location in Bamako, Africa. That article drew great response from fellow Hoos wishing him well overseas.

Of course, Stringfellow isn't the only Hoo located far from the inviting brick sidewalks of Mr. Jefferson's University. There are many Hoos located around the globe. I'd like to take this opportunity to shout a hearty WAHOO-WA! to all of the Cavaliers living/working overseas.

Among them is Captain Brian C. Zajick, who emailed me this week to let me know about an interesting UVa tidbit in Baghdad. Zajick wrote: "I have yet to meet anyone here in Baghdad (US Embassy) that is a graduate of UVa other than me, but our Dining Facility (DFAC) has a UVa flag draped over one wall which has brought me comfort in this time of war and rebuilding."

Let's keep all of our fellow Hoos in our thoughts as we cheer on the Cavaliers closer to home!

Also, if there are any other Hoo fans overseas, please contact me at [email protected] with the header: Greetings from Overseas. I'd like to compile an article full of Happy Hoo Greetings from around the world. If you're here in the U.S., please send me an email at [email protected] with the header: Thoughts for Far-Away Hoos. We'll compile an article to send these thoughts to the Hoos far from home!

Thanks and Happy Sabre-ing!

Kris Wright
Editor
TheSabre.com

Signing Day has come and gone, and UVa's 2006 recruiting class consists of 24 total recruits.

In-state wise, Virginia's haul is highlighted by RB Keith Payne, LB John Bivens and DE Sean Gottschalk. The Cavs signed seven in-state prospects in total, including two offensive linemen in B.J. Cabbell and Billy Cuffee; two defensive linemen in Gottschalk and NT Asa Chapman; one linebacker in Bivens; one athlete in Deep Creek's Ras-I Dowling; and one running back in Payne, who led Oakton to a state championship title in 2005.

The out-of-state studs of the class are TE Joe Torchia, QB O.C. Wardlow and LBs George Johnson and Almondo Sewell. Torchia, who is 6-5, 234 pounds, should continue UVa's tradition of top quality tight ends. Wardlow is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and good mobility. At 6-0, 170 pounds, he also has the ability to move positions if things don't work out at quarterback. Johnson and Sewell are both very fast, very productive linebacker recruits who bring athleticism and speed to the position.

Be sure to check out TheSabre.com's full coverage of the 2006 football class, including analysis from myself and Kris Wright, audio interviews from The Best Seat in the House host Jed Williams and more.

The end of the 2006 class marks the beginning of the coverage of the 2007 class. UVa will host a junior day on February 11, which is when the basketball team takes on Boston College. Look for updates on prospects who plan to be in attendance, which includes one of UVa's top overall targets in the 2007 class in West Springfield QB Peter Lalich.

For more recruiting information and updates, please sign up for Sabre Edge.

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Post of the Week

Subject: We are at a Great (and potentially exciting) Crossroads in Football
Posted by: gborocav on Fri Feb 3 2006 10:59:03 AM
Message: It is both exciting and daunting at the same time.

We have re-oriented our recruiting strategy to one that mirrors what GW did - good (but not necessarily great) players who will by all accounts fit in with the culture of the university and have the base physical tools to be developed into good players. The are likely to stay for four (five) years and have the hunger (and hopefully work ethic) that comes from being good but not a superstar - willing to be molded and to be part of a team. I was pleased with two things in this class - athleticism and speed. I know it may be sacrilegious but it is very much a VT-style recruiting effort focusing on ahtleticism with an eye toward players that can be developed. I could be wrong but I believe that the staff realized that we were going to struggle in getting the superstars (after the initial hype following Groh's arrival) until we proved that we could could be successful with non-top 20 classes and develop them into good players.

The staff can now "prove" themselves. It is now more about player development and fitting the players into roles and molding the schemes around them as opposed to dogged devotion to talent-specific schemes. To some extent, this is an acknowledgement of who we are and who we really appeal to: we are agreat university that places demands on its STUDENT-athletes beyond the confines of the football program. We are recognizing that we are not for everybody (in spite of the recruit-speak "I like the academics") and that we will have to succeed with a a more pedestrian roster than FSU and the like. We will have to be smarter (good coaching) and work harder (highly motivated) to compete at the top of our conference. I am convicned that we can do although the staff (the head coach) needs to prove to me that they are going to be more adaptable and creative. Adaptable and creative fits very well with who the University is IMHO.

As fans, our expectations are tempered but more realistic. While I was truly excited early on, our recent experience has forced me to take a realistic view of who we are and what we can reasonably expect. I do believe that from time to time, we can be right at or near the top. That will not be a regular occurence but it is certainly possible from time-to- time; we will need some luck to go with our intelligence. I like that combination and we have the culture that supports that approach. I don't want us to sell out academically (more than we have already) or, more importantly, culturally, in pursuit of that elusive opportunity (as, unfortunately, our friends to the southwest have). I will take less success for more character ten times out of ten.

We have a great opportunity now for the university - players, coaches and fans. Let's hope we seize it.

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Larquier on watch list: Senior third baseman Sara Larquier is one of 50 players named to the initial Preseason Watch List for the 2006 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award, as announced Wednesday by the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States.
• Cavs predicted 6th: In more softball news, Virginia has been picked to finish sixth in the ACC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll as voted by the league's eight head coaches.
• Devvarman honored: Virginia men's tennis player Somdev Devvarman earned ACC Men's Tennis Player of the Week honors for the week ending Jan. 30. Devvarman notched wins over nationally ranked players to earn the award.
• Crippen, Gordon garner awards: UVa seniors Fran Crippen and Katie Gordon were also picked as ACC award winners. Crippen and Gordon received the Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Performers of the Week, respectively.
• Another honoree: Virginia women's tennis player Kristen James was also named ACC Player of the Week this past week. She helped lead the Cavaliers to three wins to open the season.
• Albright honored: Virginia's Eric Albright closes out the list of honorees as the ACC Wrestler of the Week. He helped the Cavaliers defeat conference foes North Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Fore more information on Virignia athletics, check out virginiasports.com.

Clearance Sale Items The UVA Bookstores has slashed prices up to 50% on select Nike and Champion sweatshirts. Take a look in our Imprinted Clothing Clearance Section and choose one of five great designs from the traditional "Virginia Arch" to an orange and blue "Virginia" and "Block V." Hurry, sizes and supplies are limited!

Be sure to check out our clearance sale!

We have drastically marked down many of your favorite UVa clothing and gift items.

• Clearance Sale Page

Lescanec Dismissed from UVa Football Team
Virginia head football coach Al Groh announced today that redshirt freshman Bryan Lescanec has been dismissed from the Cavalier team for conduct detrimental to the program, according to Virginia Athletic Media Relations. Lescanec was a walk-on running back from Charlottesville. He attended Western Albemarle High School.

NCSU Edges Past Virginia
A year ago at the RBC Center in Raleigh, Virginia's Sean Singletary scored the game-winning lay-up with less than 3 seconds to play to beat N.C. State. On Wednesday night, Singletary had another chance at a game-winner as time expired, but unfortunately for the Cavs it was from much farther away as the Wolfpack prevailed in the ACC showdown, 66-64.

Chalktalk: Princeton-style Offenses
Dave Leitao and his Virginia basketball team face their second straight road test tonight when they travel to N.C. State for a 7 p.m. contest. This isn't your run-of-the-mill test, either, thanks to a Princeton-style offense that creates headaches for opponents. In fact, facing Herb Sendek's Wolfpack is a bit like figuring out one of those IQ testers on the table at the local Cracker Barrel. You know what the secret is and you know you can win, but sometimes in the end, you're left scratching your head.

Best Seat in the House Audio: Football Commitment Joe Torchia
Virginia football recruit Joe Torchia joined Jed Williams for Tuesday's Best Seat in the House. One of the most highly rated prospects in Virginia's class, Torchia joins to UVa from Queen of Peace High School in New Jersey. Check out what Torchia, a tight end/defensive end prospect, had to say about Virginia in this audio interview on the Sabre Edge.

FanWatch: Bill Stringfellow (Hoo in W. Africa)
Imagine if you couldn't see but a few games a year. Not just in person. What if your beloved Cavaliers were only available to you on television a few times a year? Scary thought, huh? Well that's the real-life experience of one of The Sabre's own, Hoo in W. Africa. Bill Stringfellow only sees a few games a year in Bamako, Africa, but he has remained a tried and true Cavalier fan, following the Wahoos from afar.

Photo Gallery: Miami at Virginia
Virginia guard Sean Singletary put on a second-half display for the ages against Miami on Tuesday night. Singletary's 29 points, including 22 after halftime, led the Cavaliers over the Hurricanes. Check out photos of Singletary, J.R. Reynolds, Laurynas Mikalauskas, and more with this exclusive Sabre Edge photo gallery.

Duke Cruises Past Virginia
J.J. Redick finished 8 for 10 from 3-point range and scored 40 points despite taking a mere 13 shots from the field as the No. 2 Blue Devils rolled to an easy 82-63 win over the Cavaliers (10-7, 4-3 ACC) in Durham. The Blue Devils (19-1, 7-0 ACC) jumped off to a 20-2 lead and led by as much as 29 points in the second half.

Chalktalk: Dribble Penetration
When the Virginia men's basketball team invades Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight, there is one 'battle within the battle' to keep an eye on: dribble penetration. If the Cavaliers' perimeter players can create offense off the dribble, it will put pressure on a Duke defense that has struggled with quicker, more athletic guards this season. The UVa perimeter players will have to be up to task on the other end of the floor as well - with a team that shoots the ball as well as Duke, dribble penetration could lead to many open looks and easy baskets, which could spell doom for the Cavs.

Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week

Our resident recruiting expert, Chris Horne, provides updates for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please see the sign-up promotion below. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting.

Football

• Will Young Decommit?
• Cuffee Makes Decision
• Deep Creek OL Comments on Commitment
• Groh Pleased With 2006 Class
• In Focus: Signing Day 2006

Every week, Sabre Edge provides you with exclusive articles, columns, special features, interviews and recruiting news, including daily recruiting updates. There's even a special message board just for subscribers. And to top it off, you get 10 percent off all of your UVa Bookstores purchases during your subscription.

All of the great Sabre Edge content can be yours for the price of $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Try it for a month and cancel if you like. But we think you'll get hooked on the Edge and find out for yourself why the most knowledgeable Cavalier fans are Edge subscribers.

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