Cavaliers Come Up Short

Cavalier senior goalie Bud Petit knelt motionless with his face buried in the Gillette Stadium turf for several minutes. Syracuse senior attacker Mike Leveille's fifth goal of the afternoon had just grazed of Petit's stick and landed between the pipes giving the Orange a 12-11 come-from-behind, double-overtime win over Virginia in the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.

Petit turned away 16 Orange scoring attempts including three in the overtime periods.

Petit's performance was masterful with no play more indicative of that than his fourth period interception of a cross-crease pass as time expired to a wide open Kenny Nims that surely would have ended with a Syracuse victory in regulation.

Early on, the Cavaliers smothered the nation's second leading scoring offense limiting Syracuse to six goals in the first 45 minutes of play. Virginia slowly built a strong lead on the scoreboard with leads of 6-2 and 8-3 at different stages.

But Petit and the defense was not the issue Saturday afternoon in Foxboro, Massachusetts. After taking an 11-8 lead on Danny Glading's third goal midway through the final period of regulation the Orange held the Cavaliers scoreless for the final 7:52 of regulation and in both overtimes.

In a bit of good news for the weekend, however, it was announced that Virginia coach Dom Starsia has been selected to the Lacrosse Hall of Fame. This year's class will be inducted in a ceremony on Nov. 10 at The Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, Md.

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Football recruiting ...

The Cavaliers landed commitment No. 8 for the 2009 class Friday, when 6-7, 265-pound defensive end target Brent Urban pledged to Al Groh and company. On Saturday, May 17, the Lorne Park Secondary School (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) star made what was his first ever trip to UVa, coming away impressed with the campus and the coaches. In the early part of last week, he sat down with his parents and discussed the possibility of making a commitment. On Friday, he informed the coaches of his decision.

"I thought Virginia was probably the best fit for me out of any school. I loved the atmosphere, and in talking with the coaches I felt like I had a real connection with them. Virginia had everything I could ask for," Urban told TheSabre.com on Saturday.

Of Virginia's eight commitments, three are projected to play on the defensive side of the ball - Corey Lillard (safety), Tucker Windle (outside linebacker), and Urban (defensive end). Defensive end is a position of need in this year's class, and Urban possesses the prototypical size and athleticism (4.9 in the 40) to play the defensive end spot in the 3-down linemen front.

For more on Urban's decision, be sure to check out Saturday's article on the Sabre EDGE. And, as always, we'll continue to provide coverage of Brent on the road to Signing Day next February.

Urban's decision was not surprising, but the Canadian prep star perhaps was not the player many expected to be in the fold by the end of the weekend. On Friday, we reported on the EDGE message board that UVa had offered 5-9, 185-pound Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) standout safety prospect Perry Jones and a commitment from him seemed very possible over the weekend . and still could well come at any time.

Jones, who plays linebacker for head coach Rich Morgan, is Oscar Smith's all-time leading tackler and also boasts offers from Boston College and Navy. Jones, who attended a UVa game last fall, represents a great opportunity for the Cavaliers to break through at one of the most talented high school football programs in the state.

Stay tuned, as we will let you know if anything breaks in terms of a commitment, or at least get Perry's impression of UVa's offer later this week.

We'll also check in on other kids Virginia has been seriously pursuing (but has yet to offer), including Liberty (Bealeton, VA) offensive lineman Kory Gough, as well as current top targets such as Meadowbrook's Morgan Moses, who has seen his recruitment take off in May.

Top 30

Next Monday, be sure to check out the first installment of TheSabre.com's Top 30, listing the state's top 30 college prospects as we head into the summer. Virginia has done very well in the Commonwealth so far and will be represented well on the list.

Basketball recruiting ...

One of Virginia's top targets in the 2009 class, Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.) forward Ryan Kelly, picked up an offer from North Carolina recently. The 6-9, 205-pound prospect now holds offers from each of his top nine schools, which consists of Davidson, Georgetown, North Carolina, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and Wake Forest.

Kelly recently made visits to Georgetown and Stanford as well and has also visited each of the nine favorite schools. A decision does not seem imminent, however, and it could be a few months before the talented prospect narrows his list again.

In the coming weeks, we will be sure to catch up with Ryan for his thoughts on the Carolina offer, the recent visits and of course to check in on UVa's status in this race.

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 ...

One Visit Was All Urban Needed
Lorne Park (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) defensive end Brent Urban stated earlier this week that he would like to have a college decision made by the beginning of his senior season. The 6-7, 265-pound junior got his wish, as today he decided to commit to the University of Virginia over offers from Akron, Connecticut, Louisville and Maryland.

Q&A: McLeod Anxious to Arrive at UVa
Rodney McLeod's days at DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) will come to an end soon, and he will be moving on to Charlottesville for the start of his college career at the University of Virginia. McLeod, a 5-10, 180-pound prospect who is listed as a defensive back on Virginia's official sports website, has potential to make an impact on either side of the ball. He plans to arrive at UVa on July 7th for a summer school session and anxiously awaits the Cavaliers preseason football practice.

Thomas Has Become A Big-Time Target
Brookville (Lynchburg, VA) athlete Logan Thomas has quickly become one of the most highly sought after recruits in the East, having now received 16 Division 1A scholarship offers. The 6-6, 220-pound junior admits that it is "real nice" to have so many opportunities, but, with so many options, he is only focused on narrowing his list before the start of his senior year as opposed to making a summer decision.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Urban Joins UVa's 2009 Class
• Cavs in Contention for Garden State Speedster
• Top DE Target Visits UVa
• LaLota Updates Recruitment
• Hill Awaits More Offers

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Three In A Row

Top-seeded Somdev Devvarman (Chennai, India) advanced to the final of the 2008 NCAA Singles Championship with a 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory over Stanford's Alex Clayton at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center. He will look to win the NCAA Singles Championship for the second consecutive year on Monday.

Devvarman, the 2007 champion and 2006 runner-up, becomes the first player since Northwestern's Marty Riessen (1962-64) to reach three consecutive NCAA singles finals. The win was Devvarman's 17th career NCAA Singles Championship victory, extending his tournament record (since the singles tournament split from the team tournament in 1977). He improves to 43-1 this season in singles and has won his last 35 consecutive matches.

"Every time I step on the court I don't think about my streak, I don't think about what record is on the line, I just think about who I am playing and how I can find a way to beat them," said Devvarman. "I think that is why I have done pretty well this season, and I have my last college match [Monday]. I am going to come out with the same attitude and leave it all on the court."

Read the full release here.

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Cycle For Koshansky

Former Cavalier baseball star Joe Kashansky, a first baseman in the Colorado Rockies farm system, became the fourth player in Colorado Springs Sky Sox history to hit for the cycle on Saturday during his team's 11-4 win over visiting Tacoma.

"I never have had one before, so this is a total surprise," Koshansky told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "I knew when I went up for my last at-bat that I still needed that triple, but I hadn't had one yet this season, and I think I had two last year, so I really didn't think it would happen."

This article and more stories like it can be found every day in Sabre NewsLink, your one-stop shop for Hoo news 365 days a year!

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Baseball Drops ACC Championship Game to Miami, 8-4: Virginia saw its stay at the ACC Baseball Championship end Sunday with an 8-4 loss to second-ranked Miami in the championship game in front of 5,478 fans at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The top-seeded Hurricanes claimed their first ACC Baseball Championship. The loss ends a strong run in the tournament for the sixth-seeded Cavaliers (38-21), who upended top-ranked North Carolina, 8-7 in 11 innings, Wednesday and No. 3 Florida State, 5-3, Friday. Virginia was competing in its fourth ACC championship game and first since 2005. After the game, Virginia's David Coleman was named to the All-Tournament Team. Along with Miami second baseman Jemile Weeks, Coleman was one of two unanimous selections to the team.
• McAnaney Named Semifinalist for Golden Spikes Award: Virginia senior pitcher Pat McAnaney has been named one of 50 semifinalists for the 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, presented to nation's elite amateur baseball player. The award will be presented July 16 in New York City.
• Cavalier Golfers Finish 12th at NCAAs: The 16th-ranked Virginia women's golf team finished in a three-way tie for 12th at the NCAA Championships at the University of New Mexico Golf Course. The Cavaliers, along with No. 10 Auburn and No. 12 Alabama, completed the 72-hole tournament at 63-over 1215. It was UVa's best performance at the national championships. In Virginia's only other NCAA Championship appearance, the Cavaliers were 13th in 2005.
• Mini-Ticket Packages for UVa Home Football Games on Sale: Virginia fans will again have the opportunity to purchase two football mini-ticket packages for home games during the 2008 season.The Season Kickoff package includes three home games (USC, Richmond, East Carolina) for $101, while the ACC package features UVa's four conference games played in Charlottesville (Maryland, North Carolina, Miami, Clemson ) for $168. Kickoff times for all Virginia home games will be announced in the future.
• Boland Named ITA National Coach of the Year: The Virginia men's tennis team received to national awards from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association at a banquet Tuesday in conjunction with the NCAA Championships. Brian Boland was named ITA National Coach of the Year and Somdev Devvarman was named ITA/Farnsworth National Senior Player of the Year.
• Virginia Earns Berth To 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships: For the 11th time in the 12-year history of the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships, Virginia has earned a berth to the competition, the NCAA announced Tuesday. The championships will be held May 30-June 1 at Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif. Virginia won its school-record ninth-straight ACC Championship this season and most recently was crowned overall team champion at the South/Central Regionals. Virginia has competed in 10 NCAA Championships, finishing as a runner-up three times (most recently in 2007).
• Cavaliers Place Five on All-South Region Team: The Virginia women's lacrosse team placed five Cavaliers on the All-South Region team, as announced by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Seniors Claire Bordley and Kendall McBrearty join juniors Ashley McCulloch and Blair Weymouth as first-team selections, while sophomore Kaitlin Duff was honored on the second-team.
• Bordley, McBrearty and O'Malley Voted LaxPower's Fan Award Winners: Three Cavalier seniors and head coach Julie Myers have been voted winners of LaxPower.com's second annual Fan Awards. Senior Megan O'Malley was voted the Best Senior Attacker, while classmate Claire Bordley was honored as the Best Senior Defender. Goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty was selected as the Best Senior Goalkeeper and Myers was voted the Coach of the Year.

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

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Issue No. 34 - April 25, 2002

JUCO star Devin Smith commits to the Hoos

Devin Smith, a 6-6 guard-forward from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, committed to Virginia last night. Smith, a NJCAA All-American, had narrowed his choices to Kansas, Iowa and Virginia.

Smith visited Kansas two weekends ago, and made visits to Iowa and Virginia last weekend. Rumors that Smith had committed to the Jayhawks surfaced on the Internet shortly after his visit to Kansas. Even with his visit to Charlottesville, many believed the smooth-shooting Smith would take his skills to Kansas.

"[Devin] was wide open the whole time," said Coffeyville assistant coach B.J. Hill. "[He] really did a good job of giving each place a chance to demonstrate what they had to offer. [His choice of Virginia] was a combination of being in the ACC, close proximity to home, and Virginia's definite need for a small forward/wing player. Virginia will have one of the top front lines in the country next season, coupled with the transfer point guard [Todd] Billet. Virginia has a chance to be a great team and that meant a lot to Devin. Kansas will be good as well, but they have too many guards returning."

Smith, the top player in the state of Delaware coming out of high school, is a versatile player who can help the Cavaliers in many ways.

"He will fit in nicely. He will have many spot-up opportunities on the fast break and kick out opportunities in the half-court," Coach Hill said. "When teams double down low, he will be able to spot up for the three. He is a long player, which gives him the ability to defend many positions. Big body player. He is a great catch-and-shoot player. He is the best pure shooter I have ever seen."

Smith will have the opportunity to play right away at Virginia, especially if rising senior guard Roger Mason elects to go to the NBA. With such a positive freshman JUCO experience, Smith should be able to step in and provide instant results, and has the potential to be one of the 'go-to' guys in orange and blue the next three years.

"In my opinion, Devin will become an All-ACC standout," said Hill. "He may not do it his first season, but he can be an All-ACC type of player. He does need to improve in some areas like any other freshman, but he will be a good player for the Cavaliers."

Before heading to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, Smith had fully qualified academically to play Division 1-A ball, but chose to join his brother in Kansas for a season. Even though he was the Delaware Player of the Year, and MVP of his State Tournament in 2001, he was overlooked by many top colleges.

There was no overlooking Smith after one year at the JUCO level though. Smith averaged over 18 points per game this past season and hit 85 of his 182 three-point attempts. He also hit 89 percent of his free throws. That sent a signal to several major universities, and Smith began to receive offers from Virginia, Kansas, Iowa, UNLV, Illinois and several more, including looks from several NBA scouts.

"Devin has handled the attention well," added assistant coach Matt McCarthy. "He hasn't changed at all. He's an excellent student and person. He's extremely level headed and is very low key, and that is the way he plays also. You never see him get riled up and you never see him act cocky."

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 soon:

• Take 5: Sabre Editor Kris Wright takes a look at five things on his mind about the football team.
• JHoo's Summer Reading JHoo helps take an in-depth look at the football team starting in June.
• Jed Williams Long-time Sabre contributor Jed Williams returns with a handful of columns in the coming weeks.
• Ask The Experts: The Sabre is planning to bring back "Ask The Experts" in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for question requests on the boards and for the feature to hit the site.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Best Seat In The House: Al Groh
With June just days away, the Virginia football program's coaches are still busy with offseason duties like recruiting and preparing for the opener with Southern Cal on the "to do" list. Cavalier coach Al Groh joined The Best Seat in the House to talk about the offseason, Chris Long and the NFL Draft, USC, and more. Listen to the FREE audio on TheSabre.com.

Blog Banter: Leftovers ... Men's Lacrosse
Did you know that The Sabre has started putting additional quotes on The Good Ol' Blog? Frequently all of the answers during media interviews or story preparation don't make it to the final articles on the site. Those "leftovers" used to get dumped, deleted, or erased never to be seen again. Now, The Sabre posts the leftovers on the blog so you can read even more about your Hoos! Check out these tidbits from the men's lacrosse team in this leftovers edition of Blog Banter.

Cavs Expect Close One With Cuse
When it comes to collegiate men's lacrosse, the names Virginia and Syracuse have produced some classic battles over the years. The games typically are fast-paced and filled with excitement with either team having a chance to win in the end. The numbers tell that story. UVa leads the series 12 to 11, both teams have scored 310 goals in those 23 games, and 11 of the last 17 meetings have been decided by one or two goals. In the most recent meeting nearly three months ago, the Cavs survived with a thrilling 14-13 overtime win with 19,165 fans watching in Baltimore. So what should one expect in the Final Four rematch on Saturday at noon in Boston? Likely more of the same.

Best Seat In The House: Starsia Call-in 4
Virginia men's lacrosse coach Dom Starsia has guided his team back to the Final Four after a thrilling overtime win against Maryland last weekend. Starsia joined The Best Seat in the House on Monday night for The Best Seat Call-in Show again this week where he talked about the victory against the Terps, the Final Four, and facing Syracuse again.

Quick Take: Bud Petit
Virginia senior Bud Petit did not open the season as the starting goalkeeper for the men's lacrosse team. In fact, he didn't start until the 11th game of the year when the Cavs took an early April trip to Chapel Hill where they prevailed 12-11 in overtime. Now, Petit is returning to the Final Four for the third time in his five years, but the graduate student says in this Sabre "Quick Take" that it's definitely different this time around.

Around The Horn: Hoping For Postseason Magic
During the first four seasons of Brian O'Connor's tenure, the Cavaliers have entered the ACC Tournament seeded below third only once. The lone exception to high seeding status up until now was 2006 when Virginia finished the ACC season at 14-14, which was good enough for the seventh seed in the league tourney. The Cavaliers started 3-0 that year and made it to Championship Sunday. The sixth-seeded Cavs (36-19, 15-15 ACC) are hoping the same karma that surrounded that 2006 team will find them in 2008.

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