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   SabreMail - Nov. 16, 2009
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One Day Sale for all Sabre fans!

As the holidays approach, UVA Bookstores wants to give a special thank you gift to all the fans that support UVA Bookstores in The Sabre community.

On Tuesday, November 24, we invite you to shop the UVA Bookstores web site and receive 20% off of your total purchase! You decide what goes on sale! Simply use the coupon code: hoos when you check out. Click here for complete details.

Shop UVA Bookstores exclusives like a life-size Chris Long wall graphic and the 2010 UVA Bookstores Basketball Fan T-shirt. We carry many other unique gifts, budget friendly items and all the major brands.

Thank you again for your support of UVA Bookstores and we hope you take advantage of this special offer! Remember, use the coupon code hoos on Tuesday November 24.

Patrick Perkins
University of Virginia Bookstores


   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

As expected, Virginia men's basketball received five letters of intent last week. Rivals.com ranks the class 12th nationally, while Scout.com rates the class 13th nationally. And the consensus is that the headliners of the class are 6'9.5", 230-pound Elsinore (Wildomar, CA) forward James Johnson and Brewbaker (Montgomery, AL) guard K.T. Harrell.

Johnson was the subject of an EDGE update last week. He said, "It feels great to sign. I loved it when I went there. I want to be able to contribute in any way I can when I get there."

Today, 6'4", 200-pound K.T. Harrell will be featured in an update. Harrell, who is also excited about officially becoming a Cavalier, is also pumped to begin his senior season. Like Johnson, he missed his junior season due to transfer rules, so he is anxious to get back on the court following a successful AAU season.

"I cannot wait," he said. "Missing a whole year of basketball, I can't wait to get out there."

Brewbaker's first game of the 2009/2010 season will take place Tuesday night.

There will be more analysis of the entire class this week, when ACC Sports Journal Recruiting Analyst Brick Oettinger takes a look at the class. Oettinger will also comment on the rest the ACC and give the scoop on which freshmen to watch out for in the conference next season.


Virginia football hosted several big recruits over the weekend. Making an official visit was 6'3", 320-pound defensive tackle Johnathon Hankins. The Southeastern (Detroit, MI) senior, who is also considering Ohio State, among others, was joined at Saturday's game by Virginia 2010 recruits Morgan Moses, Cody Wallace and Conner Davis.

We hope to reach Hankins as soon as possible for reaction on his experience. He reportedly will make other official visits, so a decision is not expected to come soon. As for Moses and Wallace, we'll have more on the Fork Union postgraduate prospects later this week, when Fork Union takes on Hargrave in their annual rivalry.

The 6'7", 340-pound Moses and the 6'5", 265-pound Wallace originally signed with Virginia in the 2009 class.


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 ...

James Johnson Officially a Hoo
Image: James JohnsonJames Johnson officially became a member of Virginia's 2010 recruiting class, when he signed and faxed a letter of intent to head coach Tony Bennett. Johnson, a forward/center rated a 4-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com, is excited to be a Cavalier.

DeMatha FB Recruiting Notes
Nationally recognized prep football program DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) has eight seniors with at least one FBS offer, including three that have committed to major FBS programs. The talent continues to flow in for head coach Bill McGregor, who'll likely continue to produce powerful programs in the seasons to come.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...


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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

Blog Banter: What We Saw (And What We Didn't) Against Longwood

The Sabre has enrolled another blogger for The Good Ol Blog as basketball season gets rolling. Cvillehoops13, who has a solid basketball background, graciously agreed to blog about basketball for us as well as pitch in some in-depth EDGE articles. Everyone wins! Here's his first post:

Defense - On D, the Packline style made its debut. On almost every possession UVa set up with Packline depth and responsibilities - there were some positives such as transition defense and the play and positioning of a few of the guards (Landesberg and Farrakhan in particular) and there were some negatives in the execution of help and baseline responsibilities. Bennett used many of these mistakes as teachable moments during the game - both during timeouts and when players subbed in and out. Having these players able to see these mistakes on film with a teacher like Bennett should prove invaluable moving forward.

Offense - While the D unveiled an early version of Tony Bennett's Packline, the offense rarely showed the Blocker/Mover, only giving it a few sets in each half. While the idea of a new coach coming out in his first game and attacking a smaller in-state foe with a spread offense might give some Cav fans nightmares, it worked very well for Bennett on Friday night. The team was encouraged to push the ball, look for openings in the secondary break, and then go into a 41 set (4 players on the perimeter with one post player setting up ball side). UVa's speed advantage regularly used this look to get to the lane and either finish, or take advantage of Longwood helping and dish to the post or kick the ball out for an open 3-pointer. There were a few 32 sets, some pick and roll and some motion sets as well, but Coach Bennett kept the strategy simple and his players responded by executing fairly well and playing with confidence.

Blocker/Mover - In the first half while Mustapha Farrakahn was at the point, the Cavs ran two series out of the Blocker/Mover. In the second half, the short period in which Jeff Jones came alive occurred during a few Blocker/Mover sets - other than those 4-5 plays it was absent from the Longwood game.

Given that Coach Bennett was faced with the obstacle of introducing a new defensive style and concept, finding his rotation, and facing the pressure and expectations that come from a debut game - Bennett's strategy fit the circumstances perfectly. It is important to remember that this was Tony Bennett's first game ever as a head coach in which he didn't recruit the players he was coaching. Coach Bennett is right that this team has a lot to improve upon, but there is a lot to be positive about heading out of the first game of his tenure as well.

Make sure to follow the updates on The Good Ol Blog!


ACC CHAMPIONS: Virginia Defeats NC State, 1-0

UVa Athletics Media Relations, Official Release

The sixth-ranked and fifth-seeded Virginia men's soccer team won the ACC Championship Sunday afternoon, defeating 20th-ranked and seventh-seeded NC State, 1-0. Will Bates (Chester, Va.) scored the game-winning goal in the 16th minute, while goalkeeper and ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) posted his eighth-consecutive shutout.

Virginia (14-3-3) was crowned conference champion for the first time since 2004, for the fourth time during head coach George Gelnovatch's tenure and for the 10th overall time.

"This is a tough, tough tournament, this ACC Tournament," Gelnovatch said. "I couldn't be more proud of our guys, the way they carried themselves, the way we started the year, where we came from. Winning an ACC Championship is fantastic."

Defense was again the storyline of the match, as Virginia has now played 837 minutes of soccer without allowing a goal. The Cavaliers shut out their eighth-straight opponent and 13th overall in 2009.

Restrepo finished with two saves and was named MVP after not allowing a goal in the tournament.

"Everybody just worked hard every day," Restrepo said. "It's a great group of people that work hard, and stay focused."

Bates' game-winning goal was his team-high eighth of the season. Hunter Jumper (Plano, Texas) started the play with a cross across the penalty area from the left side of the field. Midfielder Jordan Evans (Chester, Va.) flicked the cross on with his head, and Bates settled the ball and fired a shot into the back of the net from six yards out.

Jumper, also named to the all-tournament team, was credited with one assist (his third of the year), while Evans also earned an assist.

Bates has scored four game-winning goals in his first season as a Cavalier, and was named to the all-tournament team as well. He adds the accolade to a list that already includes All-ACC second team and ACC All-Freshmen honors.

Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) was also named to the all-tournament team for Virginia. The sophomore had the Cavaliers' game-winning goal in the quarterfinals to lift UVa to a 1-0 victory over fifth-ranked Maryland. Virginia followed up that performance with a 0-0 tie against Wake Forest and advanced 5-4 on penalty kicks in the semifinals.

In their last 11 games, the Cavaliers are unbeaten with an 8-0-3 record. NC State goalkeeper Christopher Widman finished with four saves. The Cavaliers out-shot the Wolfpack, 15-8, and held a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks. Virginia earns the ACC's automatic berth to the 2009 NCAA Tournament.


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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

  • Cavaliers Advance to NCAA Semifinals with Overtime Win: The Virginia field hockey team (20-3) advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the first time since 1998 with a 3-2 overtime win against Michigan State (18-4) Sunday at the University Hall Turf Field. Sophomore Paige Selenski scored the game-winner 1:52 into the overtime session.
  • Second Half Explosion Sends Cavaliers to Round of 16: The Virginia women's soccer team had one of the biggest comeback victories in school history, scoring six unanswered goals in a 20 minute span of the second half to post a 6-2 win over No. 9 Penn State in a second round NCAA Tournament game Sunday at Jeffrey Field. The win sends the Cavaliers into the round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season. "To come in here and get this result, especially how we did it, I couldn't be prouder of this team," said Virginia coach Steve Swanson. "What a performance in the second half. "
  • No. 14 Virginia Tops Manhattan, 86-68: Monica Wright exploded for 25 points on 10-for-10 shooting in the second half as part of a 31-point performance as the No. 14 Virginia women's basketball team scored an 86-68 victory over Manhattan Sunday afternoon in the 2009-10 home opener at John Paul Jones Arena. Wright finished 12-for-14 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line as she fell four points shy of her career high of 35 points, set last year at Tennessee. Freshman Simone Egwu added 13 points and nine rebounds, while Chelsea Shine scored eight points and added eight boards.
  • Cavaliers Drop Hard-Fought Match to Duke on Senior Night: he Virginia volleyball team dropped a hard-fought match to the Duke Blue Devils on Senior Day Saturday evening in Memorial Gymnasium. Despite winning a thrilling first set and dropping a close second set, the Cavaliers weren't able to hold on, as Duke escaped with a 3-1 (24-26, 27-25, 25-15, 25-22) victory.
  • No. 17 Wrestling Sweeps Three Bouts at ACC Challenge: The No. 17 Virginia wrestling team swept three matches Sunday at the ACC Challenge at Eddie Smith Field House in Chapel Hill, N.C. UVa capped the day with a 20-19 victory over No. 16 American, marking the Cavaliers' first-ever win over a ranked team. Virginia (5-0) earned a 20-15 win over Bucknell in the opening match of the day, then piled up the points in a 50-0 triumph over Gardner-Webb.
  • White Wins First-Ever Southeast Regional Championship: Junior Catherine White won the individual title at the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships on Saturday to become the first-ever Cavalier to earn a regional title. White led the No. 19 women's squad to a runner-up finish behind No. 15 Duke to claim an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships.
  • Virginia's Men Earn At-Large Bid to NCAA Championships: The No. 19 Virginia men's cross country team earned an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, as announced Sunday by the NCAA Committee. The national meet is set for Monday, Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
  • Virginia Rowing Sweeps Varsity Races At Rivanna Romp: Virginia's Varsity Eight was victorious in the first race of the day with a time of 13:15.54. In the Novice Eight race, Virginia was victorious with a time of 14:06.93. The Cavaliers came away with a victory in the Varsity Four as well, finishing with a time of 15:07.86. Virginia 'B' was second with a time of 15:30.68. In the double, Virginia won with a time of 15:38.01, followed by Virginia 'B' with a time of 16:03.32. Programs from Penn, Tennessee, ODU and Miami competed along with the host Cavaliers.

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

   UVa Bookstores - The Place for Wahoo Gear!

Pre-Order 2010 Basketball Fan T-Shirt
Bookstore price: $9.99!

Pre-order the 2010 UVA Bookstore Basketball Fan T-shirt! (T-shirt will begin shipping Nov. 16.) The Tony Bennett era begins with a look toward bringing the tradition back! The 2010 UVA Bookstore Basketball Fan T-shirt features a front left chest Virginia v-sabre Basketball imprint. The back calls out the characteristics Coach Bennett expects out of our team: Passion, Toughness, Integrity, Unity. These qualities surround a basketball with "The Tradition is Back" imprinted inside.

   SabreMail History

Issue No. 370 - Dec. 1, 2008

Groh Doesn't Receive Extension

Image: Al GrohThe University of Virginia has elected not to extend the contract of football coach Al Groh, Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage said in a statement. Groh's contract features a clause that leaves UVa with the option of adding (extending) a year to the deal to keep its length the same. Two years ago, Groh's contract was not extended, leaving the length of the deal at four years; that number remained last season with the roll-over extension granted after a 9-4 Gator Bowl season. With the decision not to extend the contract after this season, the second 5-7 campaign in three years, Groh's contract now sits at three years.

Littlepage released the following statement Sunday night:

"In accordance with a specific clause in Virginia head football coach Al Groh's contract, I have informed him that his contract will not be extended for an additional year. Coach Groh has three years remaining on his current contract. I will be meeting with him in the next 48 hours to conduct a year end review of the football program. I will have no further comment about coach Groh's contract or the review process of the program."

Check Out SabreMail #370.

   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:

  • Postgame Coverage: The Sabre continues to break down the BC loss with postgame articles from JHoo and Greg Waters.
  • Basketball Coverage: The Sabre cranks up its basketball coverage now that the 2009-2010 season has started.
  • Field Hockey: UVa is headed to the Final Four.


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

BC Bounces Virginia
Image: Jameel SewellThe pain was etched all over Jameel Sewell's face. For the most part, as he responded to reporters' questions at a voice barely above a whisper, he fixated his gaze firmly on his feet, with his dreadlocks hung over his head like a wilting plant desperate for sunlight. Occasionally, he looked up, providing a teary gaze to the cameras - or at least in their general direction. Always, he gave the look of a man stunned, shattered emotionally by yet another defeat. "It hurts," Sewell said. "It hurts a lot."

Short Yardage Situations Cost UVa
When Al Groh first stepped onto Virginia's sidelines in 2001, one axiom that immediately joined the Cavalier lexicon was "face in the fan" terminology. The general idea is one of toughness; you have to be willing to stand in there with the wind in your face and tough it out. That lingo has long since trickled out of the UVa football language. Perhaps it's fitting, though. Much of the toughness has long since trickled out of the UVa football program, which has now suffered three losing seasons in four years. Boston College guaranteed the latest version of sub-.500 with a 14-10 win at Scott Stadium.

Shaking The Turnover Habit
Image: Mustafa FarrakhanWhen it comes to turnovers, Virginia looks like a team trying to shake a bad caffeine habit. Shaky at times. I don't really need to do this, but I could use the boost decisions. Hey, I know this is bad for me and I'm going to quit but I can't help myself moments. The good news? The Hoos do indeed look like someone trying to shake the habit, not like someone hopelessly guzzling 32-ounce 7-11 Big Gulps. The bad news? It's a work in progress, something clear during Friday's opener with Longwood.

Bennett Era Opens With A Win
Image: Tony BennettBe sound with the ball, jam the middle and contest shots on defense - these are the principles that Tony Bennett has impressed on his new team over and over from the spring through the preseason. In Bennett's first game as the Virginia coach against Longwood on Friday night, the Hoos performed admirably in both regards for one half, and won it by 22 points; then they struggled for another half, and lost it by nine. The end result was an 85-72 win for Virginia.

Hoo Preview '09: Quick Takes
Image: Mustafa FarrakhanThe Virginia men's basketball team tips off its season in just a few hours when Longwood visits the John Paul Jones Arena for a 7 p.m. contest. The Sabre sat down on Media Day last month with several players to talk about the Hoos and the upcoming season with new coach Tony Bennett. Check out these Quick Takes with Jerome Meyinsse, Mustapha Farrakhan and Thomas Kody.

Hoo Preview '09: Sophomore Slump?
Image: Sylven LandesbergThere are a number of reasons why Sylven Landesberg might be due for what is commonly referred to as a "sophomore slump" - a down second year after a dynamite rookie season. After winning ACC Rookie of the Year last season, Landesberg is anything but a secret. His perimeter jumper and mid-range game were nothing to brag about a year ago, and opposing defenses will surely make him prove he can knock down a jumper before they let him even get a sniff of the lane.

Hoo Preview '09: Q&A - Solomon Tat
Image: Solomon TatIt's easy to forget, but Solomon Tat started 8 of Virginia's last 10 games last season. That's right, Tat started nearly one-third of the Cavaliers' contests a year ago. Viewed as a gimmick by some observers, to then-coach Dave Leitao the reasoning was simple. He thought the team needed more passion and energy. Tat delivers those things in heavy doses.

Game Preview 2009 - BC
When discussing Boston College in his weekly press conference, Virginia coach Al Groh said that BC is a "visually pleasing team to watch play." For Cavalier fans, watching the Eagles on Saturday may be a little bit confusing. Why? Because if Boston College were wearing orange and blue, you'd swear that it could be the UVa teams of yesteryear.

Hoo Preview '09: Hobbo's Corner
Image: Jim HobgoodWith Saturday's football loss in South Florida, the Wahoo Nation should definitely welcome the start of the Tony Bennett era on Friday, Nov. 13. In future weeks, we'll analyze games, render opinions and hopefully have some teachable moments, but in this first column, a few season-opening comments about Coach Bennett himself and a season preview of the team.

Press Conference Notes '09: BC
As the Virginia football team dives lower and lower in the conference standings with each double-digit loss, the opposing teams on the slate don't get any easier. All three remaining teams on the Cavaliers' schedule currently have six wins or more, including Boston College, who comes to Scott Stadium this Saturday. That makes a total of eight Virginia opponents this season who have at least six wins - the Hoos' schedule currently ranks ninth nationally in the NCAA.

Greg's Stock Report '09: Miami
Image: Rashawn JacksonSaturday's game against Miami was every bit as ugly as the 35-point margin would suggest. The Wahoos' defensive struggles were matched on special teams and surpassed by the offense's ineptitude. Virginia, which entered the game ranked 116th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense, managed to actually drop in those rankings to 119th. Not surprisingly, for the third consecutive week and the fifth time this season, the offense's grade drops into the D or below range.

Hoo Preview '09: 10 Key Questions (Part II)
Every season, The Sabre likes to take a preseason look at 10 key questions facing the Virginia men's basketball team. On Friday, Part I considered turnovers, a potential 'X Factor' player for the team, and more. Part II of 10 Key Questions focuses on two of the important pieces in the Cavaliers' puzzle, defense, of course, and more.

10 Things I Learned From Miami
Image: Marc VericaEarlier this week, someone on the EDGE board asked me if I was going to the Navy-Notre Dame game this weekend. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you think I wish the answer had been "yes"? Now, after watching my recording of the Navy-Notre Dame about ... oh ... say ... 11 times, it is time to go back through the Hoos' match-up versus the Hurricanes. Not quite as much fun, I am afraid.


   Sabre Edge

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Every week, Sabre Edge provides you with exclusive articles, columns, special features, interviews and recruiting news, including daily recruiting updates. There's even a special message board just for subscribers. And to top it off, you get 10 percent off all of your UVa Bookstores purchases during your subscription.

All of the great Sabre Edge content can be yours for the price of $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Try it for a month and cancel if you like. But we think you'll get hooked on the Edge and find out for yourself why the most knowledgeable Cavalier fans are Edge subscribers.

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


 
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