Collins Honored By ACC

Virginia senior captain Nate Collins has been named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. Here's the official blurb from the ACC:

Collins provided the big play to propel the Cavaliers to their third straight win with a 20-9 victory against Maryland. Trailing 9-6 with just less than two minutes to play in the third quarter, Collins grabbed a Maryland pass tipped by teammate Darren Childs and raced 32 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to give Virginia a 13-9 lead. Later in the fourth quarter on a 3rd-and-10 from the Maryland 9-yard line, Collins sacked Terrapin quarterback Chris Turner for a loss of seven yards to set up the Cavaliers' final score. Collins finished the game with a team-high nine tackles, including two for losses, and a sack.

Read about the ACC's other weekly honors here.

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

FB recruiting ...

After a shaky start on the field, the Virginia football program received some bad news on the recruiting front when quarterback recruit Tyler Brosius de-committed in favor of N.C. State. Al Groh and company have rebounded with three straight wins, though, and reports from other commitments have been promising.

Running back Kevin Parks, linebackers Ryan Cobb and Henry Coley, and cornerback Rijo Walker reaffirmed their decisions within the past few weeks. Last week, Fork Union postgraduate head coach John Shuman told TheSabre.com that 2009 signees Morgan Moses and Cody Wallace remain solid as well.

Later today, we'll have an update on Holy Cross (Flushing, N.Y.) linebacker prospect Chris Brathwaite, who, after a terrific camp performance at Virginia this summer, earned an offer from Groh and committed soon after. The 6-1, 260-pound senior remains firm in his decision as well, though he is keeping his options open just in case.

Brathwaite, who will take an official visit to Virginia on the weekend of Nov. 13 (BC game), has scheduled an official visit to another school as well. He discusses his recruitment as well as the senior season he is having (legendary head coach Tom Pugh chimes in on this as well) in the EDGE update.

We hope to reach more commitments throughout the week, so stay tuned for more on that front.

With respect to uncommitted recruits, Lake Braddock (Burke, VA) offensive lineman Khamrone Kolb, a top target of Virginia's, committed to Penn State last night.

A name to remember in the 2011 class, though, is 6-1, 185-pound quarterback/athlete Michael Nebrich. Nebrich, who attended Virginia's camp this past summer, is potentially a major FBS recruit according to Lake Braddock head coach Jim Poythress. We'll have more on him later this week as well.

For more info on 2011 football recruiting, be sure to check out the EDGE from last week. On Friday, I profiled Stone Bridge's (Ashburn, VA) junior class, which could have up to five FBS prospects according to head coach Mickey Thompson. One of those players, 6-7, 220-pound DE/TE Rob Burns, attended Virginia's home game against Indiana.

Basketball: Checking in on Evans and Spurlock

Either this week or next, I hope to catch up with freshmen basketball players Tristan Spurlock and Jontel Evans. Basketball practice is under way, so stay tuned for more from these two promising freshmen prospects.

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 ...

Top Class Caps Off Big Year for Baseball
How do you cap off an ACC tournament championship and a trip to the College World Series? For Virginia men's baseball coach Brian O'Connor, enrolling all 12 members of his 2009 recruiting class - a class recently ranked 10th nationally by Collegiate Baseball - certainly counts. Five of the 12 prospects were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, but all five decided against turning professional and headed to Charlottesville.

Checking in on Morgan Moses, Cody Wallace
John Shuman's 2009 offensive line includes two University of Virginia recruits, center Cody Wallace and offensive tackle Morgan Moses. Fork Union's longtime postgraduate head coach speaks highly of the two prospects and their performances on the field.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• 2011 Class: Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA)
• LB Coley A Big Part Of Team's Success
• Star Junior DL Impressed With Recent Visit
• The Latest on Star DT Johnathon Hankins

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Yellow Jackets Up Next

The Virginia football team is on a three-game winning streak, but the Hoos' toughest ACC challenge yet is up next - Georgia Tech comes to Charlottesville on Saturday for a noon kickoff. The Yellow Jackets are ranked 11th in Associated Press (highest since 2001), 13th in the USA Today coaches' poll, and 12th in the BCS standings. Here are some quick notes from GT media relations:

• Georgia Tech is bowl-eligible for the 13th consecutive season.
• The Yellow Jackets are assured of finishing .500 or better in league play for the 15th consecutive season. The only team nationally with a longer streak is Florida (23 consecutive seasons, including 2009).
• Tech's win over No. 4 Virginia Tech last Saturday marked the Yellow Jackets' first win at home against a top-five ranked team since beating No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 17, 1962.
• Head coach Paul Johnson is 5-2 vs. ranked teams in his two seasons at Georgia Tech.
• The Jackets are looking for their fifth straight win, which would be their longest streak since winning five consecutive in 2006. Tech's four-game winning streak ties for the 11th-longest current streak nationally.
• Tech ranks second nationally in rushing offense (286.1 ypg) behind Nevada.
• Junior quarterback Josh Nesbitt, over the last two games combined, has rushed for 262 yards and six touchdowns.

Get all the important info for Saturday's big game from the Sabre's game info page: Georgia Tech game info.

Blog Banter: Groh Supports Cancer Cause

From The Sabre's Good Ol' Blog this past Thursday:

I was going to blog about this tidbit this afternoon, but Zach Berman over at The Washington Post typed it out faster than I did. Read his whole post here. The gist: Al Groh caught the end of reporters' conversations as he checked in for his weekly teleconference this morning and found out that Wes McElroy, a good friend and former contributor for The Sabre, was doing a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Basically, 250 additional dollars = a shaved head for McElroy. Here's the quote from Zach's blog:

"Why don't you do this," Groh said. "When we get off the phone, call [Groh's secretary] and give her the information. I'll give you the $250 and then you can decide whether you shave your head or not. I'm not contributing the money on the condition that you shave your head."

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

(Note: Wes' challenge has raised $2,075.00 as of Sunday night!)

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Cavalier Golfers Finish Third at The Ridges: The 26th-ranked Virginia men's golf team used a solid final round Sunday to finish in third-place at the 15-team Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate at The Ridges. The Cavaliers finished at 1-under 863, just two shots behind Tennessee and Oregon State, who tied for first at 861. The Cavaliers placed ahead of five other ACC schools in the tournament. UVa's third-place showing equaled it previous best finish at the event, recorded in 1999.
• No. 11 Virginia Downs Virginia Tech, 3-1: Will Bates scored twice, including the game-winner in the 57th minute, to lead the No. 11-ranked Virginia men's soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Virginia Tech Saturday night in Blacksburg.
• Late Penalty Kick Lifts No. 2 Tar Heels Over Virginia: The Virginia women's soccer team suffered its fifth one-goal loss of the season, falling at No. 2 North Carolina 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Fetzer Field. An 89th minute penalty kick gave the Tar Heels the game-winning goal and sent Virginia to 6-5-3 overall (1-4-1 ACC).
• Third-Ranked Cavaliers Fall to No. 2 UNC in Overtime, 2-1: The third-ranked Virginia field hockey team (14-2, 1-2 ACC) was defeated in overtime by second-ranked North Carolina (14-0, 4-0 ACC) 2-1 Saturday at the University Hall Turf Field. Sophomore Paige Selenski scored with 36 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 1-1 and send it into extra time, but North Carolina's Danielle Forword converted a penalty corner in the 83rd minute to give the Tar Heels the win.
• Georgia Tech Tops Cavaliers in Four Sets: The Virginia volleyball team dropped a hard fought match to Georgia Tech Saturday evening, 1-3 (17-25, 25-20, 15-25, 21-25), in Memorial Gymnasium. Sophomore Simone Asque led the attack, matching a season-high 18 kills, while sophomore Tess Udall chipped in a career-high eight kills. One night earlier, Clemson topped UVa 3-0.
• Three Wins For UVa on Day One of Head of the Charles: Competing in three events on the first day of the Head of the Charles, Virginia rowers won all three events on the Charles River in Boston, Mass. Virginia's Club Eight (coxswain Sarah Pichardo, Caroline Sweeny, Marie Long, Erin Hawes, Sarah Borchelt, Keziah Beall, Christine Roper, Chelsea Simpson, Marelle Myers) won its race with a time of 17:03.73. UVa's Club Four (coxswain Chloe Delaney, Mackenzie Leahy, Martha Kuzzy, Inge Janssen, Susie Chalker) was also victorious, defeating the second-place finisher by more than 30 seconds with a time of 45.27 Virginia's Alumni Eight gave Virginia its third victory of the day, defeating alumni crews from Stanford, Dartmouth and Harvard with a winning time of 17:18.15.
• Heineking Sets Course Record as UVa Wins Panorama Farms Invite: The No. 15 Virginia men's cross country team captured the inaugural Panorama Farms Invitational title on Friday evening, while the women's squad - ranked No. 10 nationally - placed second behind No. 2 Villanova. Junior All-American Emil Heineking ran away with the men's title, his third straight win this season, breaking Clemson's Itay Magidi's mark of 23:52.5 registered in 2006; Heineking finished in 23:16.19.

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

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Issue No. 342 - May 19, 2008

On To The Final Four

A pair of Virginia teams earned Final Four spots over the weekend, continuing UVa's traditionally strong showing in the spring season. The No. 1 ranked and seeded men's tennis team advanced to the semifinal round for the second straight season with a 4-2 match win over Baylor on Sunday. One day earlier, the second-seeded men's lacrosse team overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat Maryland 8-7 in overtime.

On the tennis courts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Hoos picked up the four points they needed to advance by winning the doubles point and the matches at No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5. No. 3 player Dominic Inglot clinched the match win in the third set, while Michael Shabaz cruised to a straight set win at No. 5. At No. 1, Somdev Devvarman destroyed Lars Poerschke, ranked No. 8 nationally, 6-3, 6-2.

"Somdev is playing great tennis," Cav coach Brian Boland said in a news release. "He has been a team leader for us all year. He continues to go out with enthusiasm and energy and the other guys feed off that. I haven't seen him play better than this and he has a lot of confidence out there."

The tennis team doesn't get much time to savor the accomplishment as it returns to action today. The Cavaliers face No. 4 Georgia, the defending National Champions, tonight at 6 p.m. It will mark the third consecutive season that the teams have met in the NCAA Tournament with the Cavaliers looking for their first ever win against the Bulldogs (0-13 all-time).

The lacrosse team has a little more time to prepare for its Final Four showdown with Syracuse. UVa has advanced to the semifinals three times in the last four seasons. The Cavaliers (14-3) and Cuse meet on Saturday.

It wasn't easy for Dom Starsia's team to make it back to championship weekend. The Cavaliers needed to rally from a three-goal deficit early in the second half to overcome Maryland. Trailing 7-4, Danny Glading and Rhamel Bratton cut the lead to one before the fourth quarter. Ben Rubeor took over from there, scoring the final two goals of the game - the first with 8:43 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 7-7 and the second produced the OT win with 31 seconds to play.

The win proved to be Virginia's fourth overtime win of the season and its eighth win by one or two goals.

Check Out SabreMail #342.

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:

• Postgame Coverage: The Sabre continues to break down the Maryland victory with postgame articles from JHoo and Greg Waters.
• Basketball Coaches: The Sabre has brought you articles on Jason Williford and Ron Sanchez. Stay tuned for more articles on Virginia's new assistant coaches.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Collins, Seniors Push Hoos To Victory
COLLEGE PARK - In the mud, on the road, and behind on the scoreboard, the Cavaliers had the odds stacked against them in the second half against a Maryland team desperate for a win. But, thanks in large part to some fine plays by a few Virginia seniors, "Grohtober" continued. With senior Rashawn Jackson carrying the load on offense and seniors Darren Childs and Nate Collins teaming up to make the play of the season on defense, an overall sloppy game for both teams ended in a 20-9 Virginia victory over rival Maryland.

Who Woulda Thunk It? Cavs Leading Coastal
The Cavaliers took a 20-9 bite out of Maryland on Saturday and now, six games into the season, Virginia is 3-3 thanks to a three-game winning streak. The Hoos are leading the Coastal Division at 2-0 while every other ACC team has at least one league loss. Who woulda thunk it?

Priorities, Picks, & Power Players - Maryland
For each game this season, The Sabre will present a final peek at the week's match-up with a new feature called Priorities, Picks, and Power Players. In the "Priorities" section, we take a look at the keys to a Virginia victory. In the "Picks" section, Sabre Editor Kris Wright and another Sabre representative make a case for who will win and give you a final score. In the "Power Players" section, The Sabre predicts who some of the key players could be for that Saturday's showdown. Take a look at Maryland!

Photo Gallery '09: Indiana
Last weekend, the Virginia football team shocked a team wearing red and white with a dominant 47-7 win. Can Jameel Sewell and the Hoos do it again against Maryland on Saturday? Relive the action from the Indiana game with this EDGE gallery as the Cavaliers prepare for their trip to College Park to take on the Terps.

Game Preview 2009 - Maryland
Maryland and Virginia renew their rivalry this weekend with a showdown in Colllege Park. The last time the Cavaliers went to Maryland in 2007, they pulled out the most thrilling of their five wins by two points or less in an 18-17 victory. The Sabre takes a look at whether Virginia can pull off its third consecutive win of the season, its third straight against Maryland, and its second road win of 2009 this Saturday.

Is The Spread Dead?
During Al Groh's weekly press conference with reporters Monday, Dave Fairbank of The Daily Press asked a question on everyone's mind: Coach, what elements of the spread have you retained and do you notice a comfort level in the players kind of going back to what you guys have done over the last few years and what they've done over the last few years? So what about it? How much spread is left in Charlottesville?

Greg's Stock Report '09: Indiana
On a day when Virginia honored its greatest defensive back, it was fitting the play of the secondary as well the Virginia passing game stood out. Much like we watched a young team grow up in 2007, we may be witnessing the sequel in 2009. There is significant improvement in the offensive product, improvement in special teams and a solid pass defense is now morphing into a solid defense. Special teams showed some positive trends but will need to do more as the temperatures drop and the level of competition rises.

Hoos Ready To 'Heat Up' As Practice Starts
As the official start of basketball season arrives at the end of this week with full practices, the new Virginia coaching staff gets the chance to start the full-fledged system-building process with the 2008-09 men's basketball team. One phrase that Tony Bennett uses frequently in describing his defensive style has already has crept into the Cavalier lexicon: heating up the ball.

Press Conference Notes '09: Maryland
Virginia's last trip to Maryland was one that many Cavalier fans will never forget. The Hoos' 18-17 win on Oct. 18, 2007 in College Park was the narrowest of their NCAA-record five victories by two points or less; Mikell Simpson's 14 consecutive touches on a game-winning touchdown drives included a barely-converted fourth down, and a one-yard dive to the goal line for the go-ahead score with only seconds remaining. This Saturday, Virginia will try to recapture that magic as it returns to College Park.

10 Things I Learned From Indiana
What in the world just happened? Seriously? Were we really up 30-0 at the half? Against a Big Ten team? Seriously? We won 47-7? Are you sure? I have to say that a day later, as I write this column, my reactions to the game still are pretty scattered. So expect the "random thoughts" at the end to be a bit longer than usual, as there is plenty on my mind at the moment.

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