Meet the Team Day Set for Aug. 17

Marcus Hamilton during last year's Meet the Team event

The University of Virginia Athletics Media Relations Department has announced that the Virginia football team will hold its popular "Meet the Team Day" on Thursday, Aug. 17. The dates for other open practices this fall have not been released, but that information is expected sometime this week.

At "Meet the Team Day", Cavalier fans will have the chance to interact with the players on Virginia's 2006 squad and head coach Al Groh. The event is being held at Scott Stadium. Players will be available for photos and autographs from 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. Gates to the stadium will open at 3 p.m. The UVa Cheerleaders, the Cavalier, and his horse, Sabre, will be in attendance as well.

"Every Saturday our fans give us a lot of love and we are trying to show some love back by interacting with them personally at Meet the Team Day," Groh said in a statement. "It is one of the fun days of the year. We get to see a lot of old friends and meet some new ones. This gives our fans a chance to meet some of our young and talented players who will be moving into significant roles this season."

There will also be copies of the 2006 Cavalier Football schedule poster, schedule magnet, and schedule cards available for fans. The latest UVa gear and merchandise will be available for purchase as well. Plus, concession stands will operate to accommodate fans in attendance. Door prizes will also be given away.

Parking is free for the event and fans are encouraged to use the west side gate, which will serve as the entrance for the event.

Kris Wright
TheSabre.com
Editor

Mount Lebanon (Pittsburgh, PA) tight end/defensive end prospect Andrew Devlin made a key visit yesterday to the University of Michigan. The 6-6, 252-pound recruit is expected to learn whether or not the Wolverines will offer. If they do, that likely means bad news for UVa.

Devlin's final four schools include Boston College, Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Virginia. If Michigan offers, it is widely expected that they could easily move to the top of Devlin's list. If not, TheSabre.com feels that UVa is in good position and could earn a commitment.

Stay tuned to the EDGE for more on Devlin and his visit to Michigan. A decision could come very soon.

Another decision that could come soon is from Salesianum (Wilmington, DE) tight end Andrew Szczerba. Szczerba recently narrowed his list down to Penn State and UVa and could make a decision anytime. Obviously it is a tough decision for the 6-6, 255-pound prospect, who has visited each school numerous times.

Szczerba was thought to be leaning towards Virginia earlier in the process, but it looks like his decision could go either way at this point.

Stay tuned for the latest on Andrew this week, as TheSabre.com hopes to provide a full update.

One of UVa's top commitments so far was on the national scene this past week. West Springfield (Springfield, VA) signal caller Peter Lalich put his talent on display at the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp last week. TheSabre.com will provide a full update on the 6-5, 230-pound 4-star recruit, including news on how he performed, what the camp entailed, etc.

Chris Horne, our resident recruiting expert, provides updates throughout the week for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please check out the Sabre Edge Sign Up and Information Page. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting.

Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week ...

Top Target: 7'1" C Solomon Alabi
Montverde Academy (FL) center Solomon Alabi has drawn heavy interest from some top Division 1 programs, and Virginia is included among this group. Head coach Dave Leitao has extended a written offer to the 7-1 Nigerian native and he and his staff continue to be in heavy pursuit and are in contention to land an official visit this fall.

Top OLB Recruit Impressed by UVa Visit
On Wednesday, St. Marks (Dallas, TX) star recruit Sam Acho arrived in Charlottesville for his first ever visit to the University of Virginia. After a day-and-a-half of spending time with coaches and players, watching conditioning workouts, and watching film, Acho had some positive things to say about his experience.

4-Star OL a Key Recruit for Hoos
John Elliott, the East Meadow (N.Y.) star who is rated a 4-star prospect by Scout.com, is a high priority for the University of Virginia staff. The 'Hoos are doing a "tremendous job" of recruiting the offensive tackle recruit according to East Meadow head coach Vinny Mascia. But, will the Cavs be able to make the next cut?

Also from the past week ...

• Devlin Decision in the Next Week?
• Wiser Lists Two on Top
• UVa Recruiting Two Lawrenceville Standouts

Glenmore Country Club, nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains just outside Charlottesville, is one of the most beautiful places in the Commonwealth. Just ask Al Groh, who lives there. But you don't have to be a resident (or a football coach) to enjoy what Glenmore has to offer.

Become a corporate or non-resident member and enjoy golf on its 18-hole, par-72 championship course designed by architect John LaFoy. Treat your employees or clients to a round they won't forget. Or host a fundraising tournament there.

While you're at it, how about holding your next board meeting in the Pinnacle Room at Glenmore? Enjoy lunch and an afternoon round of golf. Please check out Glenmore's Web site to learn more about all their great services.

Thank you for actively supporting the sponsors of TheSabre.com. Sponsorships are a critical component of our business and sponsors' success will permit us to continually improve our services to you, our community.

Post of the Week

Al Groh has been taking a lot of heat in the media lately.

This week, Daily Press columnist David Teel wrote an article about Virginia and recruiting. Needless to say, Teel's thoughts sparked some conversation on the message boards. Missed the article? Here is Teel's take. The Post of the Week from the EDGE message board follows:

Subject: Not quite ...
Posted by: Mikeysurf on Sun Jul 30 2006 2:22:08 PM
Message: Thought the tone and balance of Teal's offering was different. Frankly, I didn't have much of an issue with what Teal wrote and I sent him an email complimenting him on his balance and professionalism.

Frankly, I have more issue with the whinning that goes on from some UVa fans every single time anyone mentions a discouraging word about our football or basketball programs. We're not perfect. Most of the time, we do it the right way. But when we don't, I have no issue with the media calling us to task for it. Plus, the media doesn't have to offer a documentary detailing everything UVa has done right anytime they criticize us on a topic. As long as the piece is constructive and handled in a professional manner, that's all we can ask.

Having dealt with the media for many years, those on my former staffs used to breakdown articles to carefully evaluate the real impact and assess the systemic problems that needed to be addressed/countered. The comments that stood out in Teel's column to me were:

- Al Groh miscalculated - several times. He compounded the errors by speaking carelessly and copping an attitude. (For me, this approach by Groh in dealing with the media prevents us from getting any benefit of the doubt.)

- His public manner is brusque, his 37-26 record just above average. And he is overpaid handsomely - a minimum $1.8 million this year - to navigate the inevitable crises of major college football. (I interpret these comments by Teel, as well as others saying, you're an overpaid coach with a slightly above average record, is it necessary to be such a pompous jerk all the time to us.)

- Moreover, it further hamstrings a football program that lacks the depth to contend for ACC championships. (Any kind of attrition hurts a program like UVa. There is tremendous pressure on the coaching staff to target kids who have the discipline, maturity, and talent to contribute over a full career.)

- The "plan" was to lose, for at least a year, touted linebackers, linemen and defensive backs? Of course it wasn't, and for Groh to suggest otherwise is patently absurd. (Groh simply insulted those in the press room with his "plan" comment. Even those who want to give Groh a fair shake had a hard time with this approach.)

- More than most, Groh should appreciate the culture of Virginia athletics. More than most, he should recognize that vigilant recruiting can prevent later suspensions and expulsions. (One of the value propositions of having an alum coaching the team is they should be extremely sensitive to the school's environment and know how to effectively navigate through it.)

- When the grades hit the fan, all Groh needed to say was, "While we are disappointed that these young men are unable to enroll for the upcoming term, we understand the difficult decisions made by the admissions office. The University of Virginia takes pride in our academic standards, and with this particular class, the football program fell short of those standards. We wish the best for the young men who have selected another university and encourage those who will attend prep school to work as diligently in the classroom as they do on the field." (Offering a recommendation on how such a situation may be handled more effectively provides more balance to the column. Maybe we need to hire Teel as a PR. consultant.)

- Groh's four prior recruiting efforts reflected those standards. From 2002-05, the Cavaliers signed 88 prospects, only nine of whom the admissions office red-flagged. (For those who didn't think there was any balance to this article).

- Any Division I-A program with serious national ambitions - the expanded and renovated Scott Stadium symbolizes the school's commitment - gambles on several recruits each year. (Once again, Teel is not being critical, but realistic.)

- Among the non-qualifiers, some vanish while others head for prep school, presumably to enhance their academic credentials. Hampton High graduates Marques Hagans and Almondo Curry attended prep school for a year before enrolling at Virginia, where they distinguished themselves on the field and earned a degree. (More balance, complimenting those who have achieved).

- The aberration, we hope, is Virginia's eight. Not that Groh is willing to call this an aberration. (Teel even wants to give us an out by suggesting this is an aberration).

Share your thoughts:
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Newslink - Your One Stop Shop for UVa News

TheSabre.com provides an excellent service for the Virginia fan base that you may not know about: Newslink. Sabre NewsLink provides you with links to the daily news on your Hoos. Our staff checks the Internet each morning to locate and link to articles from various online media sources from around the state and beyond. We even throw some interesting ACC news to let you know what the Hoos' opponents are up to. Sabre NewsLink is updated every morning, 365 days a year!

Check out Sabre NewsLink today!

The Sabre's Opponent Sites' Directory

Pittsburgh (Official) Panther Lair Panther Digest

With football season approaching fast, many Virginia fans might be interested in what the Cavaliers' opponents are up to this summer. Well, the Sabre has saved you some research time. Much like the Pittsburgh example seen here (the Panthers are the Hoos' opening opponent), all of the Web sites for the football and basketball teams' opponents have been linked in our Other Sites section. That makes it easy to check up on UVa's opponents before the opening kickoff!

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

Somdev Devvarman

• Devvarman to Compete at Legg Mason Tennis Classic: Virginia men's tennis player Somdev Devvarman received a wildcard spot in the main draw of this week's Legg Mason Tennis Classic at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington. Devvarman will open play on Tuesday as he plays Edgardo Massa of Argentina in a first round match.
• Virginia's Hirniak Qualifies For Pan Pacific Swimming Championships: University of Virginia fourth-year swimmer Stefan Hirniak has qualified for the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships by finishing second in the 200-meter butterfly Thursday (July 27) at the Canadian Pan Pacific Trials.
• UVa Wrestling Signee Danilkowicz Named All-American: Virginia wrestling signee Jack Danilkowicz earned All-American honors at the 2006 ASICS/Vaughan Cadet & Junior National Championships at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. Danilkowicz took third place in the National Junior Greco-Roman Championships at 275 pounds.
• Arseneault Wins Iowa Amateur: Virginia sophomore golfer Jennie Arseneault won her third straight Iowa Women's Amateur Championship on Wednesday at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club's South Course. She is a resident of Grinnell, Iowa.
• Crosby And Hunt Join Virginia Athletics Administration: Devin Crosby has accepted the position of assistant director of athletics for marketing and promotions, and Corbin Hunt the position of associate director of athletics for ticket sales and operations in the University of Virginia athletics department.
• Virginia Sports Network Broadens Partnership With Charlottesville Radio Group: The Virginia athletics department announced today plans to broaden its radio partnership with the Charlottesville Radio Group (CRG). The new agreement expands the role CRG plays as the radio flagship partner for Virginia Athletics. WWWV-FM (97.5) and WINA-AM (1070) will continue to serve as the home for Virginia's football and men's basketball broadcasts for the next five years, while WINA-AM will be the home for Cavalier Call-In and Virginia women's basketball play-by-play broadcasts.

To read the full stories or gather more information on Virignia athletics, check out Virginiasports.com.

Issue No. 35 - May 2, 2002

UVa recruit to transfer to Oak Hill

J.R. Reynolds

UVa basketball commitment J.R. Reynolds, is transferring from Roanoke Catholic H.S. to in-state basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy for his senior year. Reynolds, a 6-2 junior guard, committed to the Cavaliers in December, 2001. He is currently listed as a Top 50 recruit nationally by Bob Gibbons and PrepStars. His stock is sure to rise when the new rankings are published this summer. Reynolds has the potential to be listed very high among the nation's best guards when the rankings are released.

Reynolds is playing for Boo Williams' AAU team this spring and summer, and is scheduled to appear in next weekend's Southern Invitational Tournament on the grounds of UVa (more details about this event to come next week).

Reynolds is transferring Oak Hill in order to gain more experience against a higher level of competition. Unlike traditional high schools that only play within their state, Oak Hill typically plays against some of the nation's best high schools and prep schools across the country. Last year, they traveled to Kentucky, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, California, Oregon and Texas. Last season, Oak Hill finished 32-1, and they are listed among the top high school basketball teams on an annual basis.

Oak Hill is famous for its top talent over the years. Current Cavalier basketball star Travis Watson was the Most Valuable Player for Oak Hill as a senior, when he helped lead his team to an undefeated season and the national championship. Watson played alongside Maryland's Steve Blake, Kentucky's Cliff Hawkins, Tennessee's Ron Slay and former Auburn forward Abdou Diame.

There has been some speculation the past couple of months that Reynolds would open up his options to other college programs in light of UVa's late season collapse, but those turned out to be unfounded rumors. Sources say that Reynolds recently re-affirmed his commitment to the Cavalier coaching staff as recent as last week. The UVa coaching staff still has two more spots to fill for the 2003 recruiting class.

Coming Soon

With August ready to heat up the calendar, The Sabre is in full stride with lots of content planned. Here's a sneak peak at some of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

Offensive line talk is hot. How will Branden Albert and the O-Line do?

• What's Hot, What's Not
  Practice starts this week and one thing is hot for sure - the weather! But what else is hot with Virginia football entering the first fall practice? And what's not?
• Q & A with Craig Littlepage, Part II
  The Sabre sat down with Craig Littlepage to talk about the state of Virginia athletics. Stay tuned for Part II of the conversation.
• Did the Media Get It Right?
  Last week, members of the media voted on their preseason predictions for the ACC and the division break-downs. Did they get it right?
• Recruiting Update - Jay Smith
  Wide receiver Jay Smith made the Sabre's Pre-Summer top 5. The Kempsville product is the only top 5 prospect on that list who has not commited. So how is his recruitment going?
• Recruiting Update - Rashad Tukes
  Another wide receiver, Rashad Tukes, attended Virginia's summer camp. Where does the Georgia recruit stand with the Hoos?

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles from the past week

Sabre Q&A: Craig Littlepage, Part I
University of Virginia Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage has nearly completed five full years on the job. Littlepage took the helm of the UVa program on August 21, 2001 when he filled the position vacated by Terry Holland. The Sabre sat down with Littlepage late last spring for a one-on-one interview about Cavalier sports. In Part I, Littlepage discusses the new John Paul Jones Arena, facilities, the process of hiring coaches and more.

Best Seat Audio: Clint Sintim's Summer Football Diary, Part 2
One Virginia player drawing a lot of attention entering the 2006 season is linebacker Clint Sintim, who is one of the players that will be expected to perform at linebacker. Sintim sat down with Jed Williams on The Best Seat in the House for "Clint Sintim's Summer Football Diary", which will be an ongoing series leading into practice in August. In Part 2, Sintim talks about what it takes to be a Division I football player in terms of conditioning, weight lifting, and offseason work.

FanWatch: HooKat Joined 'Good Guys' in 1958
Some of the newer Virginia football fans may not remember the days before George Welsh arrived. Fred Adams (HooKat) does. After all, he's been a football season ticket holder off and on for the past 35 years. That's why ol' GW is still his favorite Cavalier coach - "he breathed life into a lifeless program." Even so, you'll never guess who Adams pulled for before Virginia.

Class of 2002 in Review: 4-Stars/5-Stars
In what has been called the greatest recruiting class in Virginia history, the Class of 2002 signed 26 players that included the USA Today National Player of the Year, four Parade All-Americans and 10 SuperPrep All-Americans. Over the past three days, the Sabre.com has taken an in-depth look back at the 2002 class and rated each player as to whether or not they exceeded, met or did not meet expectations. Today, we'll examine how those 4- and 5-star Parade and Prep All-American fared.

Class of 2002 in Review: 2-Stars/Walk-ons
In what has been called the greatest recruiting class in Virginia history, the Class of 2002 signed 26 players that included the USA Today National Player of the Year, four Parade All-Americans and 10 SuperPrep All-Americans. This week, the Sabre.com is taking an in-depth look back at the 2002 class and rating each player as to whether or not they exceeded, met, or did not meet expectations. Tuesday, we looked at the 3-star recruits. Today, we'll revisit the 2-stars and recruited walk-ons.

Class of 2002 in Review: 3-Stars
In what has been called the greatest recruiting class in Virginia history, the Class of 2002 signed 26 players that included the USA Today National Player of the Year, four Parade All-Americans and 10 SuperPrep All-Americans. It included players from nine different states along with seven all-state selections from Virginia. Today, we take a look at the 3-star recruits.

Best Seat: Clint Sintim's Summer Football Diary, Part 1
One Virginia player drawing a lot of attention entering the 2006 season is linebacker Clint Sintim, who is one of the players that will be expected to replace Kai Parham and Ahmad Brooks. Sintim sat down with Jed Williams on The Best Seat in the House for "Clint Sintim's Summer Football Diary", which will be an ongoing series leading into practice in August. In Part I, Sintim talks about conditioning, his first season on the field that included 12 starts, and waiting for the start of practice.

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.

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