Wilkins, Colts Prevail in Super Bowl XLI

Terrence Wilkins

Virginia fans knew at least one more Cavalier was going to pick up a Super Bowl ring on Sunday since Terrence Wilkins (Colts), Thomas Jones (Bears), and John St. Clair (Bears) were all playing in the game. In the end, Wilkins joined the club of Super Bowl winning Wahoos as Indianapolis took down Chicago, 29-17.

Wilkins was the lone return man on special teams for the Colts. He compiled 131 return yards on the day with 89 on kick returns and 42 on punt returns.

For the Bears, Jones had a good afternoon in the loss. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry on the day, posting 112 yards rushing on 15 carries. He also added 18 yards receiving.

Kris Wright
Editor, TheSabre.com

Football ...

Wednesday is the most exciting day in college football recruiting - National Signing Day! Signing day marks the beginning of the signing period, when 2007 class recruits can sign a letter of intent with their respective school.

Currently, UVa has 25 verbal commitments in the 2007 class. Twenty-four are expected to sign letters of intent, with Milford Academy OLB Romale Tucker being the only question mark ... will he sign with Virginia? ... Syracuse? ... or not at all? Same goes for Friendly (Fort Washington, MD) WR Vincent Hill, who is not listed as a commitment but is considering signing with either UVa or Akron. Both Tucker and Hill ultimately would be 2008 recruits for Virginia anyway, but both are wanted by the staff.

UVa's 2007 class is currently rated No. 19 in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 29 in the country by Scout.com. Wednesday should be an exciting day for Al Groh and company, who are expected to sign at least seven four-star recruits.

Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for all your Signing day needs, as we will update which letters of intent have been received throughout the day on Wednesday. We will also provide further analysis on UVa's recruiting class, including a look at the strengths and weaknesses of this class, late breaking news, a look ahead at what's in store for 2008, and more.

Men's basketball ...

Last week, we produced two more signee updates on the EDGE - Penn Charter (Philadelphia, PA) PG Sammy Zeglinski and Thornton Township (Harvey, IL) G Mustapha Farrakhan.

Zeglinski's squad is a frustrating 10-16 on the season. The 6-1 guard is averaging about 18 points per game including a 38-point outburst in a loss to Germantown Academy in late January. In Penn Charter's most recent game - an 82-67 defeat to North Catholic - Zeglinski tallied 14 points and five assists.

The 6-3 Farrakhan, who plays shooting guard for head coach Troy Jackson, is averaging about 22 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game this season. Thornton is 17-4 on the year including an 81-72 win over Bloom this past Friday. The Virginia recruit scored 18 points in the double-overtime win, which saw Thornton erase a 12-point deficit.

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 ...

Countdown to Signing Day: Final '07 Edition
This is the final edition of Countdown to Signing Day for the 2007 recruiting class. Up next is signing day next Wednesday, February 7th, which is the most exciting day in college football recruiting. UVa has put together an outstanding class, one that is rated highly on a national level and one that has filled some needs as well.

Class of '08 Preview: Spotsylvania
Continuing on with our preview of the 2008 recruiting class, we take a look at some of the potential prospects coming out of Spotsylvania High School (VA). Head coach Myron Matthias boasts several prospects he feels could garner college attention. Included among the list is a 6-5, 280-pound offensive lineman.

Checking in with Signee Sam Zeglinski
It has been a frustrating season for Sammy Zeglinski and the rest of the Penn Charter (Philadelphia, PA) varsity basketball team. The Quakers are 9-14 on the year, with seven of those losses coming by five points or less. But this team, led by the 6-1, 180-pound UVa recruit, is showing its resiliency.

UVa Recruit Continues to Shine
In his senior season at Thornton Township (Harvey, IL), Mustapha Farrakhan is averaging 22 points, six assists and four rebounds per game in leading the varsity basketball squad to a 16-4 record on the year. Farrakhan, who had some excellent performances in the AAU circuit this past off-season, has carried the momentum he built last summer into his final year of high school.

More updates since the last SabreMail ...

• Class of '08 Preview: Deep Run's Talented Duo
• Ambrose Ready to Sign with UVa
• Recruiting Notes: Weekend Recap
• Jared Green Commits to UVa

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License Plate section is up in Wahoowa!

A few weeks ago, SabreMail made a request for anyone who had license plates that reflected your status as a Hoo fan. The responses have started to trickle in and the Plates Photos are up and running the Wahoowa! section of the site. The Wahoowa! section of the Sabre is dedicated to all things associated with UVa Fan-dom. There are various fan-related areas including desktop wallpaper, Fan of the Week photos, V-Sabres Worldwide, and more. If you have suggestions for new and interesting things in the Wahoowa! section, please email us at [email protected] with the header: Wahoowa! suggestion.

We'd like to keep adding photos to the section so if your license plate shows that you're a Hoo fan, let us know so we can include you in our gallery. All you need to do is snap a picture of your license plate and email a jpeg version of the photo to [email protected] with the email header: License Plate Photo.

Post of the Week

Subject: The ferret went up to C'Ville, he was looking for a game to steal.
Posted by: 111Balz on Wed Jan 31 2007 1:02:28 PM
Message: He was in a bind 'cos he was way behind: he was willin' to make a deal.
When he came across this young man dribbling a ball and shootin' it hot.
And the ferret jumped upon a hickory stump and said: "Boy let me tell you what:

"I bet you didn't know it, but I own this conference too.
"And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.
"Now you play a pretty good ball, boy, but give the devil his due:
"I bet a ball of gold against your soul, 'cos I think we're better than you."

The boy said: "My name's Sean and it might be a sin,
"But I'll take your bet, your gonna regret, 'cos I'm the best that's ever been."

Sean you loosen up you 'bow and remove your warmup shirt.
'Cos the devil's come from Durham to grind you in the dirt.
And if you win you get this basketball of gold.
But if you lose, the ferret gets your soul.

The ferret opened up his case and he said: "I'll start this show."
And fire flew from Paulus as he limbered his elbow.
And he dribbled the ball between his legs and made an evil hiss.
Then McRoberts, and the others joined and it sounded something like this
wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah wah
When the devils finished, Sean said: "Well you're pretty good ol' son.
"But if you'll sit down in that chair, right there, and let me show you how its done."

25 footers, run boys, run.
Sean owns the house of ole Jack's son.
Dunckin' and swishing, 30 in a row
dookie, will your ferret bite?"
"No, child, no."

The ferret bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.
Even after telling Wojo, to take out Sean's feet.
Sean said: "Ferret just come on back if you ever want to try again.
"I told you once, you VLF, I'm the best that's ever been."

25 footers, run boys, run.
Sean's in the house of ole Jack's son.
Duckin' and swishing, 30 in a row
"Granny, does your ferret bite?"
"No, child, no."

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

Sean Singletary is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award.

• Virginia Gets Back on Winning Track: Virginia women's basketball snapped a five-game ACC losing streak with a 73-60 win over Miami at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday. The Cavaliers improved to 13-10 overall and 3-6 in the ACC, while the Hurricanes fell to 10-14 overall and 1-8 in the league.
• Kirkaldy Invited to National Team Tryouts: Virginia assistant coach Christina Kirkaldy has been invited to train with the US National Field Hockey Squad. The U.S. Women's National Teams will play a USA-A vs USA-B series Feb 11-13 as the team continues its preparation for the Ata Holding Hockey Champions' Challenge in June.
• Singletary Among Finalists For Bob Cousy Award: Virginia junior guard Sean Singletary is one of 17 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford, Inc. The award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate point guard.
• Women's Tennis Sweeps Pair of Matches: The Virginia women's tennis team improved to 3-1 on the season with a pair of wins Saturday at the Huntington Tennis Club. The No. 27 Cavaliers topped No. 60 Marshall 5-2 before dispatching of Davidson 7-0 in the nightcap.
• Foerster Runs Second-Fastest Indoor 3000m in Virginia History: Jan Foerster ran an 8:02.54 in the 3000-meter event at the New Balance Invitational and qualified provisionally for the NCAA meet. His time moves him up to the No. 2 slot all-time in Virginia history, giving him the fastest time in 20 years. Foerster is just eight seconds behind the school record of 7:54.90 set by Kris Herdt in 1987.
• Cavalier Wrestlers Split at Ohio: The Virginia wrestling team split a pair of matches in a triangle meet held at Ohio University. The Cavaliers handed Ashland a 38-3 loss and then dropped a close contest with Ohio by an 18-12 score. Virginia comes away from the meet with a 6-7 overall record.
• Cavalier Swimming and Diving Teams Top Maryland: The Virginia swimming and diving teams concluded their regular seasons with victories over Maryland on Saturday afternoon at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. The Cavalier men (8-2, 6-0 ACC) topped the Terrapins 124-115, while the Cavalier women (7-3, 5-1 ACC) defeated Maryland 132-92.

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

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Issue No. 58 - October 18, 2002

Dias a Great Player, Leader for Hackensack
Report by Chris Horne

Much has been made of the caliber of individuals Al Groh and company have been bringing to the Virginia program since he took over two years ago. Not only are most of the recruits excellent players, but they are excellent people as well. Well, things are no different this recruiting season, and one of UVa's top targets exemplifies excellence both personally and athletically. His name is Jermaine Dias, and he is a dominating 6'2", 220-pound linebacker/defensive end prospect from Hackensack, NJ.

Dias has been impressive since first stepping onto Hackensack High School grounds as a freshman four years ago. His exceptional talent enabled him to play immediately as a freshman - a feat not often accomplished at a school with such a prestigious football reputation. He played great early on and has played great ever since.

"Simply put, he makes plays," said Hackensack Head Coach Ralph Dass. "He has made plays since his freshman year. He is a four-year starter for us, which is tough considering the teams we have (Hackensack has won the state championship seven out of the last 10 years). Jermaine does things that are beyond coaching. He has magic hands and magic feet.

"For us, he plays defensive end, but he chases things down on the other side of the field. He runs down screens. He can just cover the whole field. He has a nose for the ball."

Dias' talent has given him a reputation as one of New Jersey's best players. Before his senior season, Dias has earned accolades from many different recruiting publications. He is rated one of the top 100 players in the country by Tom Lemming, a Superprep All-American, and the number 10 outside linebacker prospect by Rivals.com. He has drawn the attention of virtually every top college in the country.

Despite the well deserved accolades, Dias has been careful not get too caught up in the spotlight.

"Jermaine is a great kid," said Dass. "He doesn't get caught up in the hype. As he says, 'football is football, there is only so much to it.' He just doesn't get caught up in the glamour of recruiting. We took him down to the Florida State-Maryland game, and he didn't get caught up in the fan fare. He just absorbed it all in."

In addition to becoming one of the stars of Hackensack, he has also assumed a major leadership role with the younger players. Ever since his freshman season, Dias has been an outgoing, go-get-'em type of a person. Sounds like things haven't changed much since then.

"After his eighth grade year, he came up to us and said he wanted to try out for varsity," said Dass. "Since he was coming out so early, he had to get his own physical and everything. The first game, he didn't start but he played. He has started every game since."

Now, "he helps all the young kids. Earlier this year, we let him be the defensive coordinator for the JV team. He likes teaching the young kids things."

So which schools will be lucky enough to land Dias? He has a pretty good sense of what he wants, and has narrowed his list of schools to Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Boston College. Dias will officially visit Maryland on December 13 and Boston College on December 6 and will schedule visits to UNC and UVa in the near future. The outstanding prospect will take his time and carefully weigh all options before deciding.

"He and his mom are handling everything great," said Dass. "They are thorough in checking out every school to see what is right for him. They will make the right decision for him. He will probably wait until signing day [to decide], though he may not take all of his visits."

Earlier in his recruitment, rumors were flying about a possible verbal commitment. First it was to Rutgers, then UVa. Those rumors proved untrue, however they haven't bothered Jermaine in the slightest.

"No, he has a good head," said Dass. "He knows they are just rumors. He has the couple of schools that he likes and that's it."

Dias has fully qualified for freshmen eligibility. He is one of Virginia's top targets, as coach Groh would like nothing more than to see Jermaine lined up next to Kai Parham, Ahmad Brooks, and Darryl Blackstock over the next 3-4 years.

Coming Soon

February has arrived and that means basketball is in the middle of red-hot ACC battles. Plus, it is the month for National Signing Day for football recruits. The Sabre has plenty of content to keep you excited about the Hoos! Here's a sneak peak at some of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

• 5 Things I Learned Against Duke & Miami
  The Sabre takes a look back at the men's basketball team's wins over Duke and Miami.
• Scouting Maryland and Virginia Tech
  One of fhe Sabre's most popular basketball features, check out the exclusive scouting reports for this week's ACC games with Maryland and Virginia Tech. Former UVa and Clemson assistant Ben D'Alessandro gives you an insider's look at game preparation.
• Signing Day
  Chris Horne leads The Sabre's coverage of football's National Signing Day for recruiting.
• Snelling Readies For Combine
  Former UVa running back Jason Snelling is prepping for the NFL Scouting Combine. What is he doing to get ready for the big day?

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Hoos Take Wind Out of Hurricanes
Virginia coach Dave Leitao probably would have preferred a more comfortable outing against Miami on Saturday. As things played out, he had to settle for a gritty effort that led to an 81-70 victory as the Cavaliers pulled out to a double-digit lead in the first 11 minutes and held the Hurricanes at bay the rest of the way. Sean Singletary scored 22 points to lead the Hoos.

Photo Gallery: Virginia 68, Duke 66 (OT)
Virginia's J.R. Reynolds helped his team knock off No. 8 Duke on Thursday night by shouldering the scoring load down the stretch in regulation. Reynolds finished with a game-high 25 points, including a 10-of-11 showing at the free throw line, as the Cavaliers overtook the Blue Devils in overtime, 68-66. Relive the night in the John Paul Jones Arena with this 114-picture photo gallery.

Scouting Report: Miami
Virginia is on a roll when it comes to ACC play, winning 5 straight league games to get to 6-2 in the standings. That stretch includes back-to-back dramatic victories over Clemson and Duke, leading many fans to talk about "avoiding a letdown" against Miami tonight. That's the wrong mentality according to former ACC assistant coach Ben D'Alessandro, who takes an in-depth look at the Huricanes with this scouting report.

Singletary's Shot? Wow, Just Wow
Wow. In many ways, that's the only word to try to describe Sean Singletary's game-winning shot against Duke on Thursday night. It was one of those shots where the Duke players ended up just hanging their heads with a 68-66 overtime loss and even the media on press row just looked at each other shaking their heads.

Backbreaker: Singletary's Shot Drops Duke
For the second time in two games, the Virginia basketball team needed a go-ahead shot in the final seconds to get an ACC victory. This time, it was Sean Singletary's turn. Singletary, who drained a clutch jumper near the end of regulation too, hit a mind-blowing shot over two Duke defenders with just 1 second to play to send the Blue Devils packing in a 68-66 overtime win by the Hoos. It gave UVa its fifth straight league victory for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

Scouting Report: Duke
Back-to-back road wins vaulted Virginia toward the top of the ACC standings, which sets up an interesting match-up tonight at the John Paul Jones Arena. Duke is ranked in the top 10 and has rebounded nicely from a sluggish start in league play. The Blue Devils' improvement can be attributed to their disciplined and cohesive play, according to former ACC assistant coach Ben D'Alessandro, who takes an in-depth look at Duke with this scouting report.

5 Things I Learned Against NCSU & Clemson
It was certainly a satisfying week to be a Virginia basketball fan as the Hoos captured two ACC road wins. Tonight, Virginia will be looking for its second straight win over a ranked opponent when No. 8 Duke travels to Charlottesville. But before we look forward, let's take one last look at the week that was. 1,300 highway miles later, here are Five Things I Learned Against N.C. State and Clemson.

Best Seat in the House: Duke, Signing Day
This week has been a busy one on The Best Seat in the House with football's signing day and basketball's showdown with Duke stealing the spotlight. Jed Williams has kept up with both on his nightly show, bringing in a list of guests to tackle the topics. For basketball, Ben D'Alessandro, ESPN's Jay Bilas, and the ACC's supervisor of officials John Clougherty all stopped by the show. For football, the Sabre's Chris Horne and Liberty football coach Danny Rocco joined Williams as well.

Things I Learned About ... The Secondary
The new semester has started. The basketball team is making a run at the NCAA Tournament. Signing Day is right around the corner and the official visits are done. The Bears are about to win the Super Bowl. Spring practices creep ever closer. So that must mean it is time to put UVa's 2006 football season to rest with the last of the review columns. This week, the defensive backs.

Clemson Comeback Trumps Gut Feeling
I'll admit it. With Dave Leitao's squad facing a double-digit deficit and a dwindling game clock, I didn't think the Hoos were going to pull out that victory at Clemson. In fact, I was so sure about the outcome that I shifted to comedy to drown out my sorrows. And, I bet if I had taken a stroll through the basketball message board at that time, I would've found plenty of company for my misery.

High Expectations Talk Begins At Plate Event
Maybe it's a sign of the heightened expectations for Virginia baseball as a record crowd estimated at 650 attended the 2007 Step Up to the Plate baseball kickoff event at Memorial Gym last Friday. Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg reminisced about his days in the major leagues while Wahoo baseball fans young and old sought autographs Sandberg and current professionals like New York Mets closer Billy Wagner and former Cavalier Ryan Zimmerman.

Best Seat in the House: Brian Boland
The mid-year enrollment discussion at Virginia often revolves around football and what January admissions could mean for that program. But what about the other sports like men's tennis? Does mid-year enrollment affect them? Even more than you might imagine. Brian Boland, UVa's men's tennis coach, joined Jed Williams on The Best Seat in the House to talk about the topic.

Schedule Analysis: UVa In Good Shape
Prior to the start of the 2006-07 season, the Sabre pulled out its crystal ball, an abacus, two rulers, and a TI-85 graphing calculator to break down the men's basketball team schedule and the most likely route to the NCAA Tournament. OK, fine. You're right. We just used a Magic 8 ball. Regardless, the Hoos are 19 games into their schedule and a March dance party is a definite possibility. Let's revisit the analysis and see where the Cavaliers stand based on the Sabre's three-part schedule breakdown.

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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