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   SabreMail - August 4, 2008
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Leitao's Club To Play Three Games In Canada

Virginia Athletic Media Relations
Official Release

The Virginia men's basketball team will start preparations for the 2008-09 season a little early because of a trip to Montreal featuring three exhibition games at the end of August. Virginia is scheduled to leave for Montreal on Aug. 29 and play two games on Aug. 30. The Cavaliers play one game on Aug. 31 before returning home that day.

UVa is scheduled to play St. Lawrence College in the morning and Concordia University in the afternoon on Aug. 30. Both games will be played at Concordia. The Cavaliers are scheduled to play at McGill University on the morning of Aug. 31.

Virginia can begin practicing for the trip on Aug. 19 and the Cavaliers are allowed 10 practices before leaving for Montreal. UVa's three freshmen - John Brandenburg, Sylven Landesberg, and Assane Sene - can play in the games, but can't begin practicing with the team in preparation for the trip until classes begin at Virginia on Aug. 26.

"I am excited to get an early look at our team," said Virginia head coach Dave Leitao. "It will give us a chance to establish some roles and make some early decisions."

Virginia seniors Mamadi Diane and Laurynas Mikalauskas will not play in the games because of injuries.


   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Basketball recruiting

Tuesday will be a big day for the University of Virginia, as one of its top 2009 class targets will be making an unofficial visit to Georgetown. Georgetown is Virginia's prime competition for Montrose Christian (Rockville, MD) wing forward Tristan Spurlock, a 6-8, 216-pound rising senior who is rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Spurlock is also considering Clemson, N.C. State and Wake Forest, but for all intents and purposes the primary two contenders right now are the Cavaliers and Hoyas. The versatile talent is not expected to take a lot of time in making a decision following Tuesday's visit, as he told TheSabre.com on Sunday that a decision could come within the next two weeks.

For more on Spurlock, check out the article posted yesterday on the Sabre EDGE. In the article, Spurlock discusses the impending visit, the job the Virginia coaches have done in recruiting him, as well as his friendship with UVa rising senior point guard commit Jontel Evans. We'll be sure to follow up with the talented prospect following his visit to Georgetown, which certainly promises to be an important factor in his college decision.

Image: Ryan KellyWhile there is still hope for some very good news from Tristan Spurlock, the Ryan Kelly ship appears to have sailed. The 6-9 Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.) star has narrowed his list of schools to six and Virginia is no longer in the running. TheSabre.com is confirmed the information with Kelly. Kelly's final six schools (in alphabetical order) are Duke, Georgetown, Notre Dame, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.

"I am very grateful to all of the schools who have shown an interest in me as a person and as a basketball player," said Kelly. "I have met some of the greatest guys in this process and it has been very difficult to narrow this list down. I plan on taking some visits, learning more about what each university has to offer academically, and getting a closer look at each team. Again, I want to thank my family, my high school coach, Kevin Billerman, and my friends for their continued support."

Even Kelly seemingly out of the picture, look for the Virginia staff to go for three commits in this class if they can get the right players. An additional scholarship has opened up with the news that UVa forward Will Harris has decided to transfer out of the program.


Football recruiting

Several Virginia football targets came off the board last week. Pennsylvania offensive lineman Nick Kindler committed to West Virginia, while Charlotte (N.C.) Latin cornerback/wide receiver Ross Cockrell committed to Duke. While Virginia was still recruiting Kindler very hard, the Cavaliers may have backed off of Cockrell according to Latin head coach Larry McNulty.

With Kindler's commitment, it will be interesting to see if Virginia extends new offers along the offensive line. We provided updates on several possibilities last week, including Immaculata (Somerville, N.J.) tackle Cody Bohler and Brookville (Lynchburg, VA) guard prospect Devin Bolling.

This week, stay tuned for the latest on St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) defensive end Pat Muldoon. The 6-4, 265-pound prospect is down to four schools - Boston College, Cincinnati, Virginia and Wisconsin - and plans to take all four official visits before making a decision, head coach Steve Specht comments on his star's recruitment.

Also this week, stay tuned for the latest on Delaware stud wide receiver Justin Brown. Brown did not make a previously scheduled unofficial visit to Virginia last week, but he says he does intend to visit Charlottesville at some point. We'll also provide more updates this week on current commitments. In recent weeks, we have provided updates on offensive lineman Luke Bowanko, wide receiver/quarterback Quintin Hunter, and Moorestown (N.J.) offensive lineman Cody Wallace.


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 ...

Quintin Hunter Eyeing Big Senior Season
Image: Quintin HunterThough he didn't become Orange (VA) varsity football's starting quarterback until his junior season, Quintin Hunter has always seen himself as a quarterback. A tremendous athlete, the 6-2, 185-pound rising senior played wide receiver his freshman and sophomore seasons while current West Virginia player Bradley Starks manned the quarterback spot. In 2008, Hunter is hoping to lead his team to great things but also to show UVa coaches that he could be a quarterback on the next level.

Impending Decision for Spurlock?
Image: Tristan SpurlockTristan Spurlock's AAU career may have come to an end earlier this week, but his decision-making process is heating up. The 6-8, 216-pound wing forward will indeed make an unofficial visit to Georgetown on Tuesday with a college decision likely to come in the very near future.

Thompson Aims High For Senior Season
Erinn Thompson is counting down the days until she hits the hardwood for the Cavaliers. While the 6'3" Virginia commit has more than a year before she arrives in Charlottesville, it can't come soon enough. This season, Thompson will attempt to lead her high school team to its fourth consecutive state title - and she doesn't expect any different results.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...


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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

Meet the Team Day Set for Aug. 10

Virginia Athletic Media Relations
Official Release

The Virginia football team will hold its popular "Meet the Team Day" this year on Sunday, Aug. 10. Cavalier fans will have the chance to interact with the players on Virginia's 2008 squad and head coach Al Groh. Meet the Team Day takes place at the Carl Smith Center, home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium. Players will be available for photos and autographs from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Gates to the stadium open at 2 p.m.


Blog Banter: Homework

I'll be doing the last program update in the next few days - Track and Field is always a tough one to research - and then I'll be figuring out this year's ranking of Virginia programs.

And, this year, it'll be more interactive: I'm going to solicit your thoughts on the boards and through email about the ranking of the programs, and then create a composite reader ranking averaging things out as best we can. So, check out all the programs and the background on this whole thing by clicking the "Ranking the Programs" category and scrolling through the posts.

Read this entry and find the links to previous wrap-ups too!

Keep in touch with all the hot topics around Virginia athletics on The Good Ol' Blog.

Rob Mahini (Vandy-Hoo)
The Good Ol' Blog


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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

  • Dunn Steps Down as Virginia's Cross Country Coach: University of Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage announced the resignation of head cross country coach Jason Dunn. Dunn, who was also an assistant coach with the Cavaliers' track and field program for eight years, has accepted the position of head cross country coach at Stanford University. "Jason has been an important figure in advancing our women's and men's cross country programs," Littlepage said. "He is a hard worker, he has represented UVa's program well, and we wish him the best of luck with the opportunity at Stanford."
  • Davis Wins Delaware Open Championship: Virginia sophomore golfer Amory Davis won the Delaware State Golf Association's Open Championships held July 28-29 at The Peninsula in Millsboro, Del. Davis shot 8-under 208 and took top honors by five strokes.
  • Bernstein Named Academic Coordinator At UVa: Gabe Bernstein has been named an academic coordinator in the Virginia athletics department's academic affairs area. "I am very excited about the opportunity to join the academic affairs staff in the Virginia athletics department," Bernstein said. "I look forward to assisting Virginia student-athletes in achieving both academic and athletic excellence."
  • Robinson Hired as Assistant Swimming Coach: Virginia head swimming coach Mark Bernardino announced that Katie Robinson has been hired as an assistant coach at UVa. She will begin her duties Aug. 4. Robinson, a native of Dillsboro, Ind., arrives in Charlottesville after serving as a graduate assistant coach at the University of the Pacific during the 2007-08 campaign. "I am extremely excited and honored to join the UVa coaching staff," Robinson said. "The academic prestige and consistent success of the swimming and diving teams create a great environment in which to work. I am also looking forward to coaching with each of the talented coaches on deck. Coach Bernardino is an inspiring coach that I am thrilled to learn from and under whom I can thrive."
  • Four Cavaliers Named to All-ACC Academic Baseball Team: Four Virginia baseball student-athletes have been named to the 2008 All-ACC Academic Baseball Team. Andrew Carraway, Neal Davis, Dan Grovatt, and Jarrett Parker each earned a spot on the team.
  • Chaudoin Named ACC Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Virginia's Kelsie Chaudoin was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year and eight Cavaliers were named to the ACC All-Academic team. She is the inaugural recipient of the ACC Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Joining Chaudoin on the ACC All-Academic rowing team are Annie Bohlen, Schafer Bomstein, Allison Brennan, Mary Eddy, Diane Leigh, Caitlin Mixter, and Bridget Wandelt.
  • Five Cavaliers Selected to All-ACC Academic Softball Team: Five Virginia softball student-athletes have been named to the 2008 All-ACC Academic Softball Team. Kelly Haller, Whitney Holstun, Meghan O'Leary, Lindsey Preuss, and Karla Wilburn were each selected to the team.
  • Cavaliers Place Seven on All-ACC Academic Track and Field Teams: Seven Cavaliers were named to the 2008 All-ACC Academic Track and Field teams. Senior All-American Billie-Jo Grant, sophomore Ayla Smith, and senior Katie Tershel were named to the women's squad, while sophomore Kyle Galle, sophomore Arthur Gennari, sophomore Aaron Klansek, and senior David Lewis were named to the men's team.

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


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   SabreMail History

Issue No. 293 - May 21, 2007

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Football recruiting ...

Ras-I Dowling

According to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, former Deep Creek (Chesapeake, VA) standout Ras-I Dowling has qualified. The 6-2, 185-pound DB/WR, who signed with Virginia this past February, is considered one of the top incoming recruits and could potentially see playing time as a true freshman.

Dowling originally signed with UVa in the class of 2006, but needed to go to Hargrave Military Academy for one year to raise his standardized test score. He had a breakout year for Hargrave's postgraduate football squad, starting at cornerback throughout the season.

Moreover, the athletic Dowling, who has been timed at sub-4.5 seconds in the 40 and has posted a 40-inch vertical leap, played through the season without injury. Throughout his career at Deep Creek, Dowling was plagued with nagging injuries.

Dowling projects initially as a defensive back and he will likely get looks for safety and cornerback. Assuming Dowling is all set, only one 2007 class recruit, Ballou (Washington, D.C.) offensive tackle Lamar Milstead, has work to do to qualify. The 6-5, 270-pound Milstead just needs to improve on his SAT score, but he is confident he will make the grade.

   What's New on TheSabre.com?

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:

  • 10-Day Hoo Preview: The Sabre's annual 10-day extravaganza previewing the football season begins on Tuesday, August 12!
  • Jared Green: Receiver Jared Green talks about his experience with his father at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  • Ask The Experts: Patrick Kerney joins us to answer some Sabre EDGE subscriber's questions.


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Harris To Transfer
Junior guard Will Harris has played his last game as a Cavalier. TheSabre.com confirmed with multiple sources that the junior forward has decided to transfer out of the Virginia program. Harris could not be reached for comment.

Blog Banter: Green Set To Present Father
Image: Jared GreenWhen Washington Redskins star Darrell Green officially enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, plenty of Cavalier fans will be lending their support from afar. That's because UVa redshirt freshman receiver Jared Green, Darrell Green's son, will be presenting his father at the the enshrinement ceremony. Read the full entry at The Good Ol' Blog, which also features recent links and updates on Chris Long, Sean Singletary, and improving ACC football.

JHoo's Summer Reading '08: Safeties
Image: Byron GlaspyThe last Summer Reading column of the offseason relates to the last line of defense: the safeties. At least, the safeties should be the last line of defense. During the Al Groh years, however, that has not always turned out to be the case as spotty play, mismatched players, and attrition often has defined the play of the safeties. Going into 2008, it is hard to predict whether the situation will be better, worse, or more of the same. So as the summer winds down, there are question marks about the safeties once again ... and discussing those question marks is perhaps an apt way to finish discussing the prospects for UVa's 2008 squad.

Cavalier Conversation - Al Groh
Image: Al GrohEntering his eighth year at the helm of the Virginia program, Al Groh has been roaming football sidelines for more than 40 years. But the 64-year-old coach still has the proverbial fire in the belly when it comes to the challenges of coaching. This year's challenge? Finding a way to duplicate or better a 9-win season that featured a Gator Bowl appearance when key contributors like Chris Long, Chris Gould, and Jameel Sewell aren't in uniform. Jed Williams sat down with Coach Groh at the recent ACC Football Kickoff for a one-on-one interview. The session takes on topics ranging from team leadership and offseason challenges to Peter Lalich and John Phillips. Read and hear the interview in The Sabre's "Cavalier Conversation" with Jed Williams.

Best Seat In The House: Chris Slade
Image: Chris SladeVirginia star Chris Slade proved to be a defensive terror in both college and the NFL. He remains No. 1 on UVa's career list for sacks after pulling down 40 quarterbacks in his Cavalier career. Slade joined The Best Seat in the House to talk about the upcoming season, Al Groh, the best Hoo player ever, and more. Check out the free audio!

Why or Why Not? 2008 Predictions
Image: Kevin OgletreeAs the final few days of July falling off the calendar, football fever is heating up for many. With Virginia's season opener roughly one month away, The Sabre decided to take a look at some preseason football thoughts in "Why or Why Not?" The Sabre's Greg Waters tackles seven predictions - Kevin Ogletree will have 70+ receptions for example - and tells you whether they will happen or not.


   Sabre Edge

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If you're a true Wahoo, then the Sabre Edge is right for you. Check it out!


 
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