Dombrowski Named to College Football Hall of Fame

Official Release
UVa Athletic Media Relations

The National Football Foundation announced last week that former Virginia offensive tackle Jim Dombrowski has been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame's class for 2008. He is one of 13 former players and two coaches who will be the newest inductees into the Hall.

Dombrowski will become the fourth Virginia player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The other players include (year inducted): HB Bill Dudley (1956), DE Tom Scott (1979), and MG Joe Palumbo (1999). Three former Cavalier head coaches are also enshrined in the Hall. That trio includes Earle "Greasy" Neale (1967), Frank Murray (1983), and George Welsh (2004).

Dombrowski and the other players selected for the Hall of Fame will be honored at the National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner in New York City on Dec. 9.

Dombrowski, from Williamsville, N.Y., anchored Virginia's offensive line for four straight seasons (1982-85) and finished his brilliant college football career as UVa's first-ever unanimous All-American. In addition, the tackle became only the fifth Cavalier player to have his number (73) retired.

The two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (recognizing the ACC's best blocker) helped lead UVa to three straight winning seasons and a 27-24 victory over Purdue in the 1984 Peach Bowl. Following Virginia's 6-5 season in 1985, Dombrowski was named to All-America teams by The Associated Press, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Kodak, The Sporting News, United Press International, Walter Camp Foundation, and by Mizlou television network and Independent Insurance Agents.

He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round (sixth pick) of the 1986 NFL Draft. He spent 11 seasons with the Saints (1986-96) and played in a club-record 147 consecutive games. He was inducted into the Saints' Hall of Fame in 2003.

Dombrowski was named to the ACC Football Legends in 2006. He currently resides in New Orleans.

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Basketball recruiting ...

UVa's men's basketball program missed out on both of its top remaining 2008 class targets last week, when Grant (Portland, OR) point guard Paul McCoy (SMU) and Berkmar (Lilburn, GA) forward Wesley Witherspoon (Memphis) signed elsewhere. At this point it seems likely that the staff is finished recruiting current seniors and likely will turn their attention to the 2009 class recruiting.

Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.) forward Ryan Kelly is one of the top low post targets in the 2009 class. Virginia was one of the first to offer and, led by head coach Dave Leitao and primary recruiter Drew Diener, the staff continues to recruit him heavily. The 6-9, 205-pound junior informed TheSabre.com last week that he has eight favorites, with one of those being the University of Virginia. For more on Kelly's recruitment, check out last week's EDGE update.

This week, stay tuned for more on another top low post target, state of Virginia junior Deshawn Painter. Painter, a 6-9, 210-pound power forward out of Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia, talks recruiting as well as his future high school plans in the latest update. Clemson, Florida, Louisville, N.C. State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech are among the programs heavily recruiting the talented prospect.

Barring any attrition and not counting current sophomore guard Calvin Baker on scholarship, UVa would have two scholarships available for the 2009 class. F Will Harris, F/C Jerome Meyinsse, G/F Solomon Tat and F Jamil Tucker are the projected seniors for the 2009 season. G Mustapha Farrakhan, G Jeff Jones and F Mike Scott are the projected juniors that season. PG Sammy Zeglinski could be a junior or a sophomore depending on if he gains a redshirt from this past season. C John Brandenburg, McDonald's All-American G/F Sylven Landesberg and C Assane Sene are entering in the 2008 class.

In other hoops recruiting news, the Southern Invitational, an AAU tournament put on by Hoop Group, comes to Charlottesville this week. Stay tuned for more coverage on this tournament, including which UVa targets will be in attendance.

Football recruiting ...

On the football recruiting front, the Evaluation Period continues through the month of May. We'll continue to check in on UVa's top recruiting targets for the 2009 class as well as those potential offer candidates as well. Last week, we updated top targets such as Brooke Point (Stafford, VA) OLB/DE Lanford Collins, Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury, MA) OL/DL Brennan Williams, and Woodbridge (VA) RB De'antwan Williams. Virginia has offered all three recruits, and Brennan Williams recently made a trip to Charlottesville.

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 ...

State's '09 Class Making Early Decisions
Over the past few years, the football recruiting process seems to start up earlier and earlier for Division 1A coaches. Coaches hope to be the first to get scholarships out to top prospects, who, in turn, seem to be trending towards making a college choice before the start of their senior season. Still, what has happened in the state of Virginia's 2009 class is surprising, as 16 of the state's top juniors have already made verbal commitments...and the Spring Evaluation Period just started.

Liberty's Gough on the Rise
Liberty High School in Bealeton, Virginia, already boasts one 2009 class Division 1A football recruit in safety Corey Lillard, who verbally committed to the University of Virginia last month. Head coach Tommy Buzzo feels he has a second 1A level junior, though, in offensive line prospect Kory Gough.

Ravenscroft Star Forward Lists Eight Favorites
6-9, 204-pound forward Ryan Kelly, a top 2009 class prospect out of Ravenscroft School (Raleigh, N.C.), is focusing now on AAU season, which, for him, just got underway this month. He is currently taking a bit of a break from the recruiting scene, but he was recently able to come up with a pretty solid list of favorite schools.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• De'antwan Williams Scores 8th Offer
• Offer Profile: Brooke Point's Lanford Collins
• Giles PK Awaits First 1A Offer
• Williams Visits UVa, Other ACC Schools

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Blog Banter: Two more conference games?

So, here's an interesting article about how the ACC, concerned with how its teams didn't get tourney bids after playing 16 tough conference games, is thinking about remedying this problem by expanding to 18 conference games. So, the selection committee didn't respect the ACC's conference games, so the ACC wants more conference games. Follow the logic? Don't worry, you don't have to try:

"More conference games could pave the way for the ACC to ask for more money from TV rights holder Raycom Sports because the schedule would have more games that are attractive to advertisers. Raycom President and CEO Ken Haines said Tuesday that the ACC has not contacted him about this subject."

Ah, now it makes sense. Of course, two more conference games would help!

Check out more on The Good Ol' Blog.

Rob Mahini
TheSabre.com

Hot Topic: McDonald Resigns

Without question, the hottest topic on the message boards this past week was the resignation of Mac McDonald, the radio "Voice of the Cavaliers" since 1996. He had served as as the Director of Broadcasting for the Virginia Sports Radio Network and the play-by-play voice for UVa football and men's basketball since returning to Charlottesville after a six-year stint at Wake Forest.

"Representing Virginia Athletics and being the voice has been a true passion for me" McDonald said in a news release. "I now have an opportunity on a couple fronts to move forward in my career and pursue a couple goals that I have had for some time. I will always treasure my time with the players, coaches and administration."

McDonald joined Sabre partner The Best Seat in the House for an interview during the week:

Best Seat In The House: Mac McDonald
As many Virginia fans now know, Mac McDonald, the radio "Voice of the Cavaliers," has resigned his position to pursue other interests after working in that role since returning to Charlottesville for the 1996 football season. McDonald joined The Best Seat in the House on Wednesday to talk about his decision, his time in the booth, and to clear the air on his resignation, saying, "I was not fired. This was a resignation upon mutual request. I resigned, the University accepted." Check out the full interview in The Sabre's FREE audio section.

Of course, the speculation has started on possible replacements. Have a suggestion of your own? Share it on the the message boards.

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Men's Lacrosse Hosts UMBC in NCAA tournament: The University of Virginia has received a bid to the 2008 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship and will host UMBC in the first round Sunday (May 11) at 5 pm at Klöckner Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPNU. The tournament's second seed, Virginia is 12-3 this season and currently ranked third in the coaches poll.
• Four Cavaliers Sign NFL Free Agent Contracts: Four seniors from Virginia's 2007 football team have signed free agent contracts with teams from the National Football League and will be attending rookie mini camps as soon as this weekend. Those players are offensive guard Ian-Yates Cunningham (Chiefs), linebacker Jermaine Dias (Browns), safety Nate Lyles (Jets), and tight end Jonathan Stupar (Patriots). Chris Gould will try out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Virginia Women's Golf Team Receives NCAA Bid: For the fourth straight year the Virginia women's golf team has received a bid to the NCAA Championships. The Cavaliers will compete at the East Regional Championship May 8-10 at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga. The top eight teams from each of the three 21-team regional sites will advance to the NCAA Championships along with the top two individuals from each site. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for May 20-23 at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course.
• Devvarman and Sauerbrunn Honored as UVa's Top Athletes: Somdev Devvarman (men's tennis) and Becky Sauerbrunn (women's soccer) were honored as Virginia's top male and female athletes for the 2007-08 academic year at Virginia's annual awards dinner Monday (April 28) at John Paul Jones Arena. Devvarman received the WINA Award as the top male athlete and Sauerbrunn received the IMP Award as the top female athlete.
• Two Wrestlers Earn All-America Honors at FILA Junior Nationals: Virginia's Chris Henrich and Shawn Harris each earned All-America honors at the FILA Junior National Championships, held last weekend in Las Vegas. Henrich placed third in the 79 KG/174-pound weight class, while Harris took fourth at 66 KG/145.5 pounds. By placing in the top 6, Henrich and Harris will have the opportunity to compete in the 2008 FILA Junior World Team Trials May 23-24 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Virginia wrestlers have now earned eight All-America awards during the freestyle season after six took home All-America honors at the University Nationals two weeks ago.
• Virginia To Take On Illinois In Second Annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge: The Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the pairings for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge for women's basketball, which is in its second year of a four-year agreement. Virginia will travel to Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008.
• Virginia Set to Play North Carolina Thursday in ACC Championship Opener: The Virginia softball team (15-37, 6-15 ACC) earned the No. 8 seed at the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, set to begin Thursday in Robert E. Taylor Stadium on the Maryland campus. The Cavaliers will play top-seeded North Carolina (49-9-1, 18-2 ACC) at 3 p.m. Thursday.

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

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Issue No. 100 - August 15, 2003

Top returning receiver goes down for the season

Michael McGrew

Michael McGrew, Virginia's top returning wide receiver, will miss this season because of a broken leg he suffered in practice this week. McGrew will be missed for his excellent hands, leadership and experience. Veteran receivers Ryan Sawyer and Ottawa Anderson will step in to help fill the void. In addition, converted to receiver from quarterback and cornerback are Marques Hagans and Art Thomas. Both are experienced players who understand the system and can step in right away and make an impact. Hagans is a versatile player who can run, pass and catch. Thomas was an All-American running back and receiver in high school, so he understands the position on offense. Both have looked excellent in fall training camp, and both have blazing speed. But each brings something different to the table.

Hagans is small, strong and elusive. With his ability to throw the ball from the backfield, or run reverses, he poses a deadly threat to defenses every time he steps onto the field. Just ask West Virginia. He played three downs against WVU and scored two touchdowns. His touchdown throw on a lateral from Matt Schaub and his 69-yard punt return for a touchdown were the back breakers that gave Virginia momentum in their rout of the Mountaineers in the Continental Tire Bowl.

Thomas has played kick returner and cornerback for UVa, but his most natural position is wide receiver. At 6-2, 205, he's a big target. Thomas has excellent hands and can flat out fly down the field. Fall training camp saw Thomas as one of UVa's greatest potentials at the receiver position.

Virginia has a few freshmen in the lineup that may see time on the field and help close the gap left by the injured McGrew. Ron Morton, a speedster from New Jersey, is coming off a redshirt year and should have an opportunity to see some time. Also, a lot of nice things are being said about three true freshmen receivers in camp this year. Emmanuel Byers came into camp looking like he'd already spent two years in a college weight room. Byers is a Top 100 national recruit from North Carolina. Another of the freshmen receivers, Fontel Mines, simply dwarfs every skill position player on the field. At 6-5, 205, he's a huge target. Mines has excellent hands and has been compared by many to the recently departed Billy McMullen. Lastly, one of the frosh receivers that will most likely see time this year is Deyon Williams. At 6-3, he's a big target. Williams has a combination of great athletic skills and blazing speed. If given the chance, he could make an immediate impact on the team. With the loss of McGrew, he may indeed get that chance.

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:

• Men's Lacrosse Photos: Mike Ingalls photographed the ACC Tournament and photos are headed your way!
• Spring football: The Sabre continues to look at the football team's spring. Keep an eye out for a Q&A with linebacker Aaron Clark.
• FanWatch: The Sabre FanWatch series returns this week with another look at a long-time Hoo and Sabre fan.
• Around the Horn: After an exam break, the baseball team returns to action. The Sabre's Greg Waters takes his weekly look at the Cavs.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

The 2008 Boss Awards Go To ...
The John Paul Jones Arena roars to life tonight as Bruce Springsteen brings his tour to Charlottesville. I'm happy to say I'll be headed back to the JPJ for the first time since Sean Singletary's final farewell and I can't wait to take in the show. But this is a sports column, so what the heck does Springsteen have to do with anything? There's no better time for a gimmick column than when someone famous is coming to town. So with all due apologies to The Boss and his song titles, let's hand out some totally meaningless awards!

Quick Take: Tennis And The NCAAs
The Virginia men's tennis team has been named the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will host the first two rounds of the 64-team draw. Brian Boland's team completed the regular season with an undefeated 28-0 record. Treat Huey and his teammates open the tourney against Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. Mark Guilbeau's women's team, meanwhile, suffered the disappointing fate of being left out of the tournament. The media caught up with Boland, Huey, and Guilbeau shortly after the announcements and The Sabre gives you a quick take on the news.

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