10-Day Preview Rolls On

The Sabre's third annual 10-Day Hoo Preview is running strong as Day 7 hits the calendar today. This edition is bigger and better than ever! The Sabre is taking you through every aspect of the Hoos' football team, covering every unit while also catching up with several individual players. By the end of the 10 days, you'll receive more than 35 stories on your Virginia Cavaliers. Here are a few samples of what is still to come as the series winds down:

• JHoo's "10 Things" where your favorite columnist looks at 10 things he is watching for in 2008
• Jed Williams has a "Cavalier Conversation" with wide receiver Maurice Covington
• Q&A with offensive lineman B.J. Cabbell
• A feature look at defensive lineman Matt Conrath

This the perfect month to sample The Sabre's EDGE subscription service for only $5.99! The EDGE provides a year-round connection to the Hoos through features, analysis articles, columns, in-depth interviews, and more. Join Life On The EDGE Today!

Kris Wright
Editor, TheSabre.com

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 ...

Snyder Embarks on Senior Season
Jake Snyder's senior season gets underway today, as Deep Run (Glen Allen, VA) begins practice for the 2008 season. The 6-4, 235-pound defensive end/tight end has worked with a personal trainer as well as a speed trainer this off-season, but he has also been one of the leaders in the Deep Run off-season workout program.

2010 Q&A: Brookville DE/TE Zack McCray
6-5, 235-pound Zack McCray plays defensive end and tight end for head coach Jeff Woody and the Brookville Bees (Lynchburg, VA) varsity football squad. McCray, who has been verbally offered by six Division 1A program, is one of the top players in the state of Virginia's 2010 class.

Spurlock: "I'm A Cavalier"
The Virginia men's basketball program landed its second commitment of the 2009 class Wednesday night when another Boo Williams AAU prospect chose the Cavaliers. Montrose Christian forward Tristan Spurlock verbally committed to the Hoos after narrowing his choices to a final two of UVa and Georgetown. He joins guard Jontel Evans in the recruiting class.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Best Seat In The House: Tristan Spurlock
• The Latest on Tristan Spurlock
• Scott Looking for Big-Time Senior Season
• Williams Makes Visits, Receives Honor
• Cavs Offer New York Lineman

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UVA Bookstores Lends A Hand

UVA Bookstores, the official Wahoo gear sponsor of TheSabre.com, is lending a hand to two Virginia non-profit organizations this fall. In Richmond, Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia is the sponsored group and in Waynesboro, the Waynesboro YMCA is the featured organization. Both groups will be raising funds by selling the 2008 UVA Bookstore Football Fan T-shirt as well as the 2008-2009 UVA Bookstore All-Sports T-shirt for just $10 each. Every t-shirt sold will help defray the costs for the more than 80% of Central Virginia clients unable to fully pay for nourishing home delivered meals (Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia) or will help go towards youth basketball scholarships as the YMCA turns no one away due to the inability to pay.

In order to support these great causes by buying T-shirts, you'll need to make the purchase through specific channels. To support Richmond's Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia, T-shirts need to be purchased at the Meals on Wheels Office (1600 Willow Lawn Drive, Richmond, Virginia 23230, Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Call Kristin Stokes or Kathleen Seal at 804-673-5035) or online at www.uvabookstores.com/mow. To support the Waynesboro YMCA, T-shirts need to be purchased at the Waynesboro YMCA (648 South Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980, 540-942-5107) or online at www.uvabookstores.com/ymca.

Thank you for supporting Sabre sponsor UVA Bookstores in this community fundraising effort!

Football Fan Fest Ready For 2008

Virginia Athletic Media Relations
Official Release An expanded outdoor Virginia Football Fan Fest adjacent to UVa's Observatory Hill dining facility begins on Aug. 30 when the Cavaliers open their season at home against Southern California.

Fan Fest is presented by the Virginia Athletics Foundation and is held prior to each UVa home football game as an alternative to tailgating for fans attending that day's game. It's designed as an opportunity for Virginia fans as well as fans of the Cavaliers' opponent to enjoy various activities and interact in a fan-friendly environment. Fan Fest is open to everyone at no cost and features games for youngsters and adults, a number of food options and live music.

Fan Fest activities begin three hours before kickoff and end 45 minutes before the start of the game. For games beginning at noon, Fan Fest starts at 10 a.m. Fan Fest opens at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 featuring live music. The Cavalier Marching Band, cheerleaders and Cavman will hold a pep rally on stage between the live music sets. The live music performers for every Fan Fest will be announced at a later date.

In addition to live music, the outside activities include food vendors, a video games station featuring NCAA Football 2009, a skills challenge, a target toss, an agility run, an autograph station featuring representatives of UVa teams other than football and an area for face painting and face tattoos. A Cool-Off Zone will also be provided for early season games with cool air circulating for the comfort of fans if the weather is warm.

The gymnasium in Virginia's Aquatic and Fitness Center that has been used for Fan Fest in year's past will also be used again this year. Activities inside the Aquatic and Fitness Center include a target toss, the bounce house, an ESPN TV games projection and a photo station featuring player cut outs.

A New Cavalier Kid's Club: Cavman's Crew Debuts

Blog Banter: First Annual Reader Program Ranking

So, after much number crunching, I've compiled your submissions into a composite reader program rankings. According to you guys (and the law of averaging), this is how the UVa programs stacked up against each other last season. This is an interesting list. Your (averaged) rankings and my rankings are usually pretty close ... almost always within 4 spots. But there are some larger differences a few times: women's track (6 spots), men's track (6 spots), and baseball (5 spots).

No. 1 on the readers' list? Men's tennis.

Check out the full reader rankings! | Check out Rob Mahini's rankings!

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 ...

• Cavalier Olympians: Former UVa Rower Shoop Wins Gold Medal: Former UVa rower Lindsay Shoop was part of the winning United States women's eight crew Sunday at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, as the Americans earned the gold medal in the event with a time of 6:05.34. The Netherlands took silver with Marlies Smulders, who rowed one year for Virginia in 2001 and earned All-America honors, on board. Another former rower at Virginia, Melanie Kok, was a bronze medalist in the lightweight women's double sculls for Canada. Kok and her teammate Tracy Cameron finished third with a time of 6:56.68. Wyatt Allen, a 2001 Virginia graduate, also won a bronze medal with the United States men's eight crew.
• Virginia Defeats West Virginia, 2-1, In Exhibition: In its first of two preseason exhibition matches, the Virginia men's soccer team topped West Virginia, 2-1, Saturday night at Dick Dlesk Stadium. West Virginia held a 1-0 lead at halftime. The Cavaliers' first goal in the second half came at the 50:49 mark. Tony Tchani took a through ball up the middle and took a shot from inside the 18-yard box to tie the game. Just more than seven minutes later, Virginia scored the go-ahead goal. Ross LaBauex dribbled the ball up the middle of the field and found Matt Mitchell on the right wing. Mitchell struck the ball from just inside the 18-yard box for the game winner. Michael Giallombardo got the start in goal for Virginia and recorded a save.
• Cavaliers Top Notre Dame 2-1 in Exhibition: The No. 6 Virginia women's soccer team opened its 2008 season with a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Notre Dame Saturday afternoon in an exhibition contest. The teams played the exhibition in three 30-minute periods. Virginia took the early lead in the third minute as Caitlin Miskel scored. At the start of the second period, the Cavaliers retook the lead as a pair of first-years produced the eventual game-winner in the 31st minute. Lauren Alwine set up Maggie Kistner's goal to make the score 2-1. Celeste Miles and Sam Hale made two and one save respectively for the Cavaliers.
• Simpson Finishes 28th at Pro Event in Richmond: Virginia senior golfer Kristen Simpson placed 28th in the 144-player field at the Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic Sunday. She had rounds of 73, 71 and 74 to finish as the top amateur in the field. Former Cavalier Leah Wigger was 23rd overall at 1-over 217, one shot ahead of Simpson.
• Cavaliers Sweep ITA National Summer Championships: The Virginia men's tennis team swept the singles and doubles titles at the 2008 ITA National Summer Championships, held this week at Indiana University. Sanam Singh won the singles title and teamed with Houston Barrick to win the doubles title.
• UVa Has 225 Student-Athletes On ACC Honor Roll: The annual Atlantic Coast Conference Honor Roll was announced on Wednesday and it included 225 student-athletes from the University of Virginia. The ACC Honor Roll is comprised of those student-athletes who participated in a varsity-level sport and registered a grade point average of 3.00 or better for the full academic year. Virginia had six individuals named ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Kelsie Chaudoin (rowing), Dom Inglot (men's tennis), Sarah Kirkwood (volleyball), Ben Rubeor (men's lacrosse), Tom Santi (football), and PJ Sullivan (men's swimming).
• Wilson Named Great Lakes Summer League Pitcher of Year: Virginia right-handed pitcher Tyler Wilson has been named the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League Pitcher of the Year. Wilson, a sophomore-to-be at UVa, posted a 2-2 record with an impressive 1.82 earned run average over the summer. In 39.2 innings and nine starts, he allowed just nine runs (eight earned), 23 hits and 14 walks while striking out 48. Opponents hit .167 against him and he surrendered just three extra-base hits.

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

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Issue No. 44 - July 5, 2002

Sammis Commits

Gordie Sammis wanted to wait until today to announce his decision to commit to the University of Virginia. Unfortunately for him, someone in the recruiting world jumped the gun and reported it earlier in the week. No matter though, Sammis went ahead and confirmed his commitment with Mike Farrell of Rivals.com and Doug Doughty of The Roanoke Times this week.

Sammis, a 6-5, 290-pound offensive lineman from Immaculata High School in Somerville, New Jersey, is just another piece to the offensive line puzzle of the future for UVa. Virginia desperately needed to sign some big time offensive linemen in this class, and they've gotten two huge prospects in Sammis and Marshall Ausberry.

Last recruiting season the Cavaliers added some big names as well, including D.J. Bell (6-4, 298), Ron Darden (6-4, 315), Brick Ferguson (6-5, 250) and Damian Spradlin (6-3, 290). All were listed as three-star recruits or better by Rivals.com.

While all of these players look to get early playing time at Virginia, the Cavaliers still needed to add a few more top linemen this class in order to have the depth and talent they need to succeed at the next level. Commitments from Sammis and Ausberry have the Hoos on the right track.

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 concludes on Thursday, August 21!

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Hoo Preview '08: Howell Likely To Start
Welcome to the big show Jimmy. In a true "throw the cub in the fire" moment, true freshman punter Jimmy Howell will attempt to sky his first collegiate punt against USC on Aug. 30 with 60,000+ watching closely. Maybe then it will have finally hit him that he's here. Hopefully, not literally. As of now, the young punter is for the most part unfazed by the challenge ahead of him.

Hoo Preview '08: Special Teams
Coaches often refer to special teams as one third of the game, but statistically that's really not the case. Last fall, the Cavaliers participated in 2,232 plays - 924 on defense (41.3%), 918 on offense (41.1%), and 390 on special teams (17.4%). Still, the numbers don't always reflect the impact of special teams play in a game. What kind of role will special teams play for the Hoos in 2008? Let's take a look as the 10-Day Hoo Preview rolls on.

Hoo Preview '08: Q&A With Hinkebein
Heavily recruited out of high school by Marshall, Clemson, and Missouri, redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein was expected to take over Virginia's placekicking duties this spring after the graduation of the sure-footed Chris Gould. However, Hinkebein struggled during spring practice and is in close competition with former UVa soccer player Yannick Reyering, who has joined the team this fall, and true freshman Robert Randolph for time on the field.

Hoo Preview '08: The Schedule
Most Virginia fans know who is on the schedule this year. Some of you have read and re-read the preseason magazines and online predictions. Some of you may not know who is on the schedule and haven't read a thing about anybody but the Hoos. The Sabre has you covered either way. We break down 2008's 12 games into five categories: No chance, Little Debbies, Banana Peels, Ambitious Undertakings and Season Busters. Wonder where USC falls?

Hoo Preview '08: Sabre Roundtable II
With training camp firmly under way, position battles have heated up, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Virginia has many spots up for grabs. In the concluding roundtable of the series, panelists dissect the defense and answer questions about the defense and the punters. See what Sabre EDGE user Sobocav, The Virginian-Pilot's Ed Miller, WCAV's J.W. Stehle, and TheSabre.com's Nick Sauer think about everything from the up-and-coming stars of the defense to new freshman punter Jimmy Howell.

Hoo Preview '08: Using The Dynamic Duo
During a teleconference with reporters on Friday, Virginia coach Al Groh received a question that directly addressed the use of Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson. Are there ways that you think Peerman and Simpson could be used on the field together with one split wide or a different formation? The answer: "No probably not." I'm not sure why, but I was surprised. Actually, disappointed may be the better word.

Hoo Preview '08: Horne Seeking More PT
On a Virginia football team loaded with running backs, it's going to be hard for everyone to pile up carries and dominate the statistics. Raynard Horne, a redshirt sophomore from Baltimore, knows that's the case. He also knows you can quickly be thrust into more playing time if you stay prepared and keep working hard. Horne doesn't need to look around the locker room long to see that fact either. That's because Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson both emerged as productive playmakers last year after merely being names on the depth chart before their moments to shine came.

Hoo Preview '08: Running Backs
In one of the most crowded backfields in recent memory, the 2008 Cavaliers have a plethora of talented and versatile running backs. Really, we've got them crawling out of the woodwork. Cedric Peerman, Mikell Simpson, Rashawn Jackson, Keith Payne - all are back after having some shining moments in 2007. In other words, no one's complaining.

Hoo Preview '08: EDGE Take - Offense
Through the course of 10 days, TheSabre.com is bringing you news from every angle on your Virginia football team. But what kind of feelings are the fans having with a little more than two weeks to go to kickoff? This year, the 10-Day Hoo Preview adds a new element with the "EDGE take" where an EDGE subscriber checks in with views on the Hoos. HooDoggy is up first with a look at the Cavaliers' offense.

Hoo Preview '08: Cavalier Conversation - Woods
It took all of one day and one drill for then-wide receiver Brandon Woods to make up his mind: maybe defense was more his style. The drill, in football parlance: "bull in the ring." The result, to hear Woods tell it, not pretty. Suffice to say, it was no "bull market" that afternoon. But now Woods seems to have the "bull by the horns" as a likely starter at safety. He joined Jed Williams for a Cavalier Conversation.

Hoo Preview '08: Glaspy Eyes Another Gear
When losing the relentless stamina and drive of Chris Long, any defense would fear a drop off in energy. However, in his senior campaign, safety Byron Glaspy is making sure Virginia has nothing to worry about in that department. "I really wanted to try and push my conditioning this offseason," Glaspy said. "My goal was to have a Chris Long-type motor."

Hoo Preview '08: Defensive Backs
When it comes to the Virginia secondary in 2008, it's easy to have mixed feelings in the preseason. After all, many of the names are recognizable. Byron Glaspy. Vic Hall. Ras-I Dowling. Beyond the familiar, there is arguably more depth than any time in the Al Groh era. Still, it's hard to shake a nagging feeling of uncertainty.

Hoo Preview '08: The Hawk's Nest
The time has come for another great season of college football and what better place to be than in Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia Cavaliers. The Cavs will be looking to build off the great season they had in 2007 where they finished with a 9-4 record while also posting an impressive 6-2 record in conference play. In this edition of "The Hawk's Nest", we'll take a brief overview of the challenges facing the team in 2008.

Hoo Preview '08: Q&A With Torchia
When it comes to players that fit the Virginia recruiting blueprint, Joe Torchia could be the poster child. He commuted 100 miles round-trip each day in high school to attend Queen of Peace - and it wasn't for football, but for the curriculum. He values the tough and focused motto embraced by Al Groh. Plus, Torchia is a talented tight end at the self-proclaimed Tight End U. Yeah, you probably could say he was meant to be a Wahoo.

Hoo Preview '08: Phillips Is Up Next
"Next man up." Those three words signify one of Virginia coach Al Groh's favorite football maxims. And during Groh's seven-year tenure, no position symbolizes that truism quite like tight end. In fact, when it comes to the spot that has earned UVa the moniker "Tight End U," more apt slogans might be "next stud up" or "next standout." Enter John Phillips, the latest Wahoo tight end to take his place at Virginia's new legacy position.

Hoo Preview '08: Tight Ends
If there's one position on the Virginia football team that fans shouldn't sweat, it's the tight ends. Year after year, players step in and perform in these slots. There are no surprises here. With few question marks, this crop is solid talent-wise from top to bottom. One word to describe this position: solid. Leading the way is senior John Phillips while players like Joe Torchia, Andrew Devlin, and Mark Ambrose are working for more playing time as well.

Hoo Preview '08: Sabre Roundtable I
With the Cavaliers' season opener two and a half weeks away, anticipation is growing. While Al Groh and the other coaches are busy at training camp sorting out answers to the team's greatest questions in 2008, The Sabre assembled a roundtable to try and work out some answers ourselves. This, the first of two roundtables during the 10-Day Hoo Preview, covers the offense and placekicking squads. See what Sabre EDGE member Louisahoo, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star writer Taft Coghill, Best Seat in the House's Macon Gunter, WCAV anchor Marc Davis, and Sabre intern Bailey Stephens think about the biggest questions facing the offense and placekicking units in 2008.

Hoo Preview '08: Appleby Ready For Final Year
In an offseason where far too many Virginia football players got notoriety for the wrong reasons, it's not surprising that coach Al Groh got a lot of questions at media day about discipline and leadership. One of the young men on Groh's roster where concerns regarding behavior or a lack of discipline have never arisen, however, is Antonio Appleby.

Hoo Preview '08: Q&A With Fells-Danzer
On paper, redshirt freshman Terence Fells-Danzer is the kind of player coaches dream about. Full of potential, fast and with quick feet, Fells-Danzer spent the better part of his redshirt year trying to convert his raw skill and athleticism into a more polished product. The 6'1", 242-pound linebacker is still learning the position, which has a "steep learning curve" in Al Groh's 3-4 defense.

Hoo Preview '08: Linebackers
If there's a central theme surrounding the Virginia linebackers in 2008, it's probably rooted in one question: Is it enough? As individuals, the corps features proven production skills. Is it enough to boost the group as a whole? Thanks to improved redshirting strategy, there is more playable depth available. Is it enough to break the iron man routine of recent seasons? Among the starting units, the linebackers are by far the most experienced. Is it enough to lead the defense?

Hoo Preview '08: By The Numbers
The Virginia football team opens its season Aug. 30 against Southern California at 3:30 p.m. Will the opener set Scott Stadium record, which lists a capacity of 61,500? Running back Mikell Simpson won't count toward the attendance total, but the last time UVa fans saw him in action, he ripped off a 96-yard touchdown, a school record. Kevin Ogletree had 52 receptions in 2006 and Maurice Covington posted 21 in 2007 to lead Cavalier receivers in those years. How many will the duo have against USC? The Sabre's 10-Day Hoo Preview begins with a "By The Numbers" look at the Cavs.

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