Virginia Picked 5th In ACC

Sean Singletary

The Virginia men's basketball team is picked to finish fifth in the 12-team Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2007-08 season in a preseason poll of media representatives attending the ACC's Operation Basketball event on Sunday at the Grandover Resort & Conference Center.

North Carolina was the preseason choice to finish first in the conference with all 64 first place votes and 768 points. Duke finished second in the voting with 653 points followed by N.C. State (641), Clemson (514), Virginia (492), Maryland (447), Georgia Tech (389), Boston College (332), Florida State (284), Virginia Tech (162), Wake Forest (157) and Miami (153).

UVa senior guard Sean Singletary was named to the five-member preseason All-ACC team. Joining Singletary on the preseason All-ACC team were Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Brandon Costner (N.C. State) and Ty Lawson (North Carolina). Hansbrough was voted the ACC's preseason Player of the Year with 60 votes. Singletary was the only other player to receive votes with four. Kyle Singler of Duke was selected the preseason Rookie of the Year.

Virginia has an exhibition game scheduled with Carson-Newman at John Paul Jones Arena on Nov. 4. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. The Cavaliers open their 2007-08 regular season at home against Vermont on Nov. 11. That game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Official Release
UVa Athletic Media Relations

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Two down, two to go. Virginia head men's basketball coach Dave Leitao has landed two of his top targets in the 2008 recruiting class in 6-6, 195-pound Holy Cross (Flushing, N.Y.) guard Sylven Landesberg and 6-11, 235-pound DeSmet Jesuit (St. Louis, MO) center John Brandenburg. Now, Virginia's head man will wait for two more decisions to be made.

7-0, 230-pound center Assane Sene, a Senegal native who attends South Kent School in Connecticut, made an official visit to Syracuse this past weekend. It was the third official visit for Sene, who had already made official visits to UVa and U-Conn, respectively. According to South Kent head coach Raphael Chillious, Sene is expected to "evaluate where he is" in the recruiting process.

Stay tuned, as we will follow up with Coach Chillious this week for more on this situation. There is a possibility that Sene could decide very soon.

While it is not known when Sene could make a decision, the date for 5-star guard Elliot Williams' announcement is set. According to multiple reports, the 6-4 St. George (Memphis, TN) senior will announce his decision next Friday, Nov. 2. The finalists include Duke, Memphis, Tennessee, and Virginia. Williams made official visits to each of the four finalists and is now taking a few weeks to make up his mind.

According to sources, Virginia would accept commitments from both Sene and Williams.

Football recruiting ...

This week, we will release another edition of "Countdown to Signing Day," a comprehensive look at Virginia's 2008 class recruiting. With the recent commitment from West Florence (Florence, S.C.) punter Jimmy Howell, Virginia now has 13 verbal commitments in place for the 2008 class. Check out how many spots may be left in this class as well as which players could fill those remaining spots. Virginia has done well recruiting both sides of the ball so far and a busy month of November lies ahead on the recruiting trail.

Several new wide receiver targets have popped up in recent months, including Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) star Randall Dunn, West Potomac (Alexandria, VA) star Robert Byrd, and South Lakes (Reston, VA) standout A.J. Price.

Today, we will check back in with Dunn, a 6-3, 212-pound prospect, and Price, a 6-4, 170-pound recruit. Virginia has extended an official offer to Dunn, who picked up another big offer last Thursday. The latest major program to offer could be tough to beat, so check out the EDGE today for the latest. Virginia assistant coach Anthony Poindexter stopped by South Lakes last Friday to evaluate Price. What is next there? Stay tuned to the EDGE today for the latest.

Game ball ...

Heading into the 2007 season, Hackensack senior Ausar Walcott had primarily seen action at the wide receiver, safety and linebacker spots for head coach Gordon Whiting. After two games (and two losses) this season, the 6-3, 210-pound prospect was moved to running back and the move has proved to be very successful.

Walcott has averaged approximately 212 yards per game in four games as the starting running back, helping Hackensack achieve a 2-2 record in that time. The Comets moved to 2-4 on the year with a 22-13 win over Nutley last Friday. Walcott blew up in the win, rushing for 338 yards.

Virginia is recruiting Walcott as a safety, though outside linebacker could be a possibility as well. But after Walcott's performance at running back this season, perhaps offense would not be out of the question. Stay tuned for more on the multi-talented prospect later this week.

What would a "Game ball" segment be without an appearance from Stratford (CT) RB Torrey Mack? The 6-0, 190-pound tailback was at it again last week, rushing for three touchdowns (2, 5, 67) and returning an interception for another in Stratford's win over New Milford. Stratford is now 6-0 on the season.

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 ...

Class of '09 Profile: Sherando QB Ross Metheny
It didn't take long for the Ross Metheny era to begin at Sherando High School (Stephens City, VA). Metheny, now a 6-3, 190-pound junior, has been the Warriors starting signal caller since he arrived on the high school football scene as a freshman in 2005. He performed very well that year, setting school records for yards (1,918) and touchdown passes (17) in a single season.

4-Star CB/WR Wants Return Visit to UVa
Seven games into his senior season, Easton (PA) cornerback/wide receiver Jarred Holley is now only seriously considering about six schools. The 5-10, 170-pound senior has been focused primarily on his senior season and therefore has not been able to make many unofficial visits for college football games, but he hopes to change that in the near future.

Ocean Lakes' Dunn Scores Another Major Offer
One of the rising in-state prospects in the 2008 recruiting class, Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, VA) wide receiver Randall Dunn had picked up official offers from Virginia, Connecticut, Northern Illinois and Ohio entering last week. Last Thursday, the 6-3, 212-pound Dunn added another major offer to the fold.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Brandenburg Commits!
• A Top 3 for Pantale
• Still No Decision from Ashley
• Ocean Lakes Sleeper up to 4 Offers

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The Sabre's Game Week Coverage

Helmet logos courtesy of The Helmet Project

Diehard football fans know that preparing for the game starts a long time before Saturday. That's where the Sabre has you covered! Our game info pages are stocked with all the information you need for the Hoos' next game. That means you can get the essentials (time, place, TV, postgame stats, weather forecasts, preview articles, depth charts, roster cards, etc.) in one convenient location.

The links to each game are available through our schedule on the Football Info page (Click here for Football Info page.); all you have to do is click on the game of interest and the information is all on that game page! Check out the N.C. State page now!

That doesn't even include the articles you get as part of our premium EDGE coverage. Each week, you'll receive features, columns, and analysis on the Hoos' next game. If you want to be "in the know" and impress your buddies at the next tailgate, the EDGE is the place to be. To sign up for an EDGE subscription, please check out the Sabre Edge Sign Up and Information Page.

UVa Bookstores' 2007 Virginia Football Pick 'Em

Pick 'em is simple. The first contestant who picks the winner and comes closest to predicting the final score wins. In case of ties, the earliest entry will be awarded the prize. Entries must be received by 12:00 a.m. EST game day. Entries received after 12:00 a.m. (midnight the night before the game) are ineligible. Limit one entry per person.

The prizes for the Pick ' em are awesome! The Virginia vs. N.C. State contest this week will reward a football autographed by George Welsh (courtesy of the UVa Alumni Association) to first place and a 1-Year Cavalier Corner Magazine subscription to second place.

For the full information or to enter, click here!

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Inglot Reaches ITA Regional Final:The ITA Wilson Mideast Region Championships continued on Sunday with Dominic Inglot reaching the tournament's final. The event will conclude Monday at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar's Head Sports Club.
• Pereira & Yahner Advance at ITA Regional: The Virginia women's tennis team had a doubles team advance during Sunday's play at the ITA East Regional in Norfolk. The team of Lindsey Pereira and Maggie Yahner moved into the quarterfinals with their win Sunday.
• Courtney Inducted Into Bucknell Hall Of Fame: Virginia men's basketball assistant coach Bill Courtney was inducted into the Bucknell University Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend ceremonies on Oct. 20. Courtney, who is in his second year as an assistant coach at Virginia, earned four letters in basketball at Bucknell and was an All-Patriot League selection as a junior and a senior. He averaged 18.3 points a game as a senior and was co-captain of a team that advanced to the Patriot League championship game in 1992. As a junior, Courtney led the Patriot League in scoring with 619 points and that total is still Bucknell's single-season scoring record. He also led the team in assists as a junior.
• Virginia Swimming & Diving Bests Virginia Tech: The Virginia men's and women's swimming and diving teams best Virginia Tech Saturday in a dual meet. The Cavalier men won 172-128 while the Virginia women beat the Hokies 188-110. The UVa women broke four pool records which included the 200 medley relay, 1000 freestyle, 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke events.
• Cavaliers Fall to Wake Forest 3-0 on the Road: The Virginia field hockey team fell to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The Cavaliers (9-8) were led by Katherine Bounds' two defensive saves. Virginia falls to 9-7 overall and will return home on Saturday, Oct. 27 to host the Duke Blue Devils. Game time is 1 p.m.
• Volleyball Splits 2: The Virginia volleyball team (13-8, 8-4 ACC) split a pair of ACC games this weekend. The Hoos downed Wake Forest 3-1, but fell to Duke 3-2. Melissa Caldwell paced the Cavaliers with a match-high 21 digs against Wake. The Cavaliers pushed the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils (16-4, 11-1 ACC) to the limit in ACC action, but Virginia was not able to convert a match point in the decisive fifth game and fell 3-2. Sarah Kirkwood led the way for the Cavaliers with 22 kills, while Caldwell added 36 digs.
• Cavaliers Fall to Boston College 2-1: The No. 7 ranked Virginia men's soccer team suffered its first home loss of the season, falling to No. 9 Boston College 2-1 Saturday night at Klöckner Stadium. The Cavaliers fall to 8-3-2 on the season, 1-2-2 in the ACC, while the Eagles remain the conference leaders at 5-0-0 in league play, 8-3-1 overall.

For more Hoo news or to read full releases, check out Virginiasports.com.

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Issue No. 232 - April 10, 2006

Post of the Week

Subject: This was a more emotional day than I thought it would be
Posted by: U-Hoo on Sun Mar 5 2006 8:51:27 PM
Message: I am 42 years old, which makes me about the same age as the Clam. I'm not really going to miss the building. There isn't much endearing about it. I'm really looking forward to the opening of the JPJ. And yet, today I found myself frequently choked up, starting with looking around during the national anthem and seeing that sold-out sea of orange. It stirred memories.

My family moved to Charlottesville when I was 5 so my dad could take a teaching position in the Ed School. Yes, I watched pro sports; I was (and remain) a Redskin fan, and I have had dalliances with the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers. But most of my idols growing up were Virginia basketball players, especially since the football team essentially stunk for many of my formative years.

The first player I really remember being conscious of was Barry Parkhill. My mom and the neighbor lady across the street had crushes on him. He was followed by guys like Wally Walker and the long-forgotten Billy Langloh. When I played ball with my best friend, I wanted to be Jeff Lamp--drive to the baseline, pump fake and pull up for the 8-footer. I could never do it as well as No. 3. I used to keep track of the players' scoring totals on notebook paper by listening on the radio, especially for away games. At home games, I used the scoresheets they used to hand out at the games. (There's a lost art.)

Even in high school, I remember staying up late in my darkened bedroom and listening on the radio as Ralph's Hoos lost to Chaminade. When it ended, I ran upstairs and woke up my Dad to tell him the shockng news. I think it was after 1 a.m. then. He thought there was something wrong with the house.

I remember fallling into a deep funk whenever U.Va. basketball seasons ended. (In fact, I still do). It always seems like so long until November, and always some of your heroes would graduate and disappear.

So today, when so many of those guys came back and they showed those highlights on the video screen (a neat touch), all of those childhood things came flowing back. Even college highlights; I was in the student section for Ralph's last home game, and for Richard Morgan's 39 against UNC. Seeing those guys reawakened a lot of old feelings.

There as some mourning for lost youth mixed in there too. It was sad seeing Ralph try to dunk on those creaky old knees. (For those of you who missed it, he barely cleared the rim on hsi first attempt, then fell down after dunking cleanly on the secoond.) We're all older and closer to death.

These days, I don't have the same relationship with the players anymore. I know too much, I suppose. I am jaded; I expect bad news.

But now I have kids. My family was with me today. My kids are regulars at U.Va. sporting events. My daughter is 12; her first sports hero was Lisa Hosac. My son is 8; he first loved Todd Billet, and now thinks Billy Campbell is a vastly underrated talent. He'll remember players like Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds (plus football players, too, and even baseball guys like Ryan Zimmerman).

At dinner tonight, I told them how much it meant to me to be there today, and that they were there with me to share it. I hope one day they will remember seeing the "Last Ball at U-Hall" (actually, both the women's and men's versions).

It did sting a little to lose the game today, though it would have been much worse to lose by 20 as it looked like we might. But I was damned proud to be a Virginia basketball fan, and I always will be.

Coming Soon

The Sabre has you covered when it comes to Hoo news. Here are a few of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

• Game Week Previews The Sabre has adjusted its game week coverage to fit a more streamlined format while also adding content. Stay tuned each week to get ready for the upcoming opponent.
• N.C. State The Sabre breaks down the Wolfpack's special teams, offense, and defense.
• Looking Back at Maryland Each week, the Sabre breaks down the previous week's contest. Stay tuned for JHoo's 10 Things I Learned Against Maryland, Greg's Game Grades, Inside the Game, and more.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Cavs Claim Another Close Win
Same song. Same verse. Virginia's life on the edge continued Saturday night as the Cavaliers pulled off some late game magic for the third straight week en route to an 18-17 win at Maryland. Chris Gould had waved the magic wand the previous two weeks but this time the last-gasp hocus pocus belonged to Mikell Simpson, who made himself reappear to the tune of 271 total yards and the game-winning touchdown. Simpson delivered the go-ahead score with 16 seconds remaining when he got the ball across the goal line while diving for the end zone.

UVa Vs. Maryland Scouting Report: Maryland Special Teams
With Maryland on the schedule this week, there is an obvious special teams theme in the storyline: fumbles. After all, a mishandled attempt at fielding a punt last season against the Terps allowed them to rally from a 20-0 deficit and defeat the Hoos 28-26. If that had happened this season, the fated bobble would have plenty of company. After all, the Cavaliers have lost 6 fumbles this season (15 total fumbles) and 4 of those have come on special teams.

UVa vs. Maryland Scouting Report: Maryland Offense
The Terps' offense is led by a solid ground game, which features senior backs Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore. Lattimore ranks third in the ACC and 40th nationally in rushing, and has tallied a league-high eight rushing TDs. Maryland's 162.0 rushing yards per game ranks second in the ACC.

In Focus: Chris Gorham
Chris Gorham had his first big day as a wide receiver against Connecticut on Saturday. While the game started poorly for Gorham, he finished strong making three big receptions, each resulting in a first down or big play to extend a scoring drive. Most notable was a catch thrown by defensive back Vic Hall on a halfback option play. The Sabre and WCAV-TV put Gorham's performance "In Focus."

Wes' Ways to Win - Maryland
The Cavalier football team is looking to stay undefeated in the conference when it takes on the Maryland Terrapins this Saturday at 8 p.m. in College Park. The 'Hoos currently stand alongside Virginia Tech atop the Coastal Division of the ACC and are already bowl eligible. ESPN Radio's Wes McElroy breaks down how the Cavs can add to their six-game win streak in this week's Wes' Ways to Win.

UVa vs. Maryland Scouting Report: Maryland Defense
The Terrapins have been fairly solid on the defensive side of the ball for most of the season. The Terps come into the weekend ranked 43rd nationally in total defense (345.17 ypg), including the 30th-ranked pass defense (198.33 ypg). In their victory over 10th ranked Rutgers, the Terps held the nations 9th best offense to 392 total yards. The Scarlet Knights came into the game averaging 525.0 ypg.

The Hawk's Nest - Play-Action Pass
In the game of football, the team with the most points wins. But as players, we are taught that football is based upon seconds and inches. A prime example of this theory is the game between Florida State and UVA in 1995 when UVA gave Florida State its first loss in the ACC. Warrick Dunn of Florida State was one inch away from a game winning touchdown and a couple of seconds too late. There is one play that is designed to give an offense the valuable seconds and inches they need to create a big play, and that is the play-action pass.

Photo Gallery: Virginia 17, UConn 16
It was a close one, but Virginia prevailed yet again on a late kick by Chris Gould. That's two game winners the past two games! The 'Hoos edged out a tough Connecticut squad with intense defensive pressure and stellar performances from Chris Long, Jeffrey Fitzgerald, Clint Sintim and Jon Copper. 102 new photos in the latest gallery capture much of the action, including Gould's kicks (the good and the bad), touchdowns by Payne and Phillips, the play of the game (series shots of Vic Hall's pass to Chris Gorham), and much celebration from players and fans alike. Enjoy!

Greg's Game Grades '07: UConn
Clearly the loss of Cedric Peerman was evident as the Virginia running game was fairly pedestrian Saturday. The loss of Rashawn Jackson early in the game didn't help matters. The quarterbacks delivered another consistent performance (not to suggest superior), but we've come to know what to expect. The return operation continues to be an issue for the special teams with poor decisions, turnovers and most discouraging, poor production.

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