Blog Banter: Farewell

This week, Sabre intern Paul Montana wrapped up his internship with a farewell post on The Good Ol Blog. Here it is for anyone who missed it ...

Dear Sabre fans,

It has been 10 months since I began writing for The Sabre. This, sadly, will be my last story. I have just accepted a full-time job offer to work as a sportswriter for the Martinsville Bulletin in Martinsville, Va. I will be assuming the position at the beginning of next week.

My time with The Sabre has been extremely fulfilling. While The Cavalier Daily got me started in sportswriting, The Sabre challenged me and made me more versatile in innumerable ways. Kris Wright gave me the chance to write stories that I had never tried before, like position breakdowns, roundtables, lengthy features, blogs, and so much more. Better yet, I learned how to write for an online publication, an invaluable asset given where the newspaper industry as a whole is heading.

The best and most challenging part about writing for The Sabre, though, is based on the knowledgable fans of the site. When you write a breakdown about the defensive line, you'd better know what you're talking about, because the fans do. From the EDGE board, to the football board, to the Olympic sports board, fans know their stuff. I was just talking with Virginia men's tennis coach Brian Boland the other day about the impressive knowledge of fans on the tennis board. I think it's fair to say that applies to fans of the site in all sports.

What has been most rewarding about the time with The Sabre, though, has been how interactive it is. When I write an article for a newspaper, I have no idea who reads it. But, with The Sabre, between the ratings box and fans commenting below the article, you know that you are being read. I can't express how rewarding and motivating that is as a writer. It makes you think twice before saying, "You know what? I'll just throw something together this time." Writing for The Sabre isn't like writing a high school English paper, where sometimes you can just B.S. your way through. The fans here have helped motivate me to write informative stories inasmuch as I am able. I can only hope in my time here that I have managed to add something to the site.

In addition, I would like to publicly express my appreciation to Kris Wright and Mike Ingalls, whose work behind the scenes is really extraordinary. Kris is, for one, the best sports editor I have ever written for. Kris has a knack for letting a writer be free and use his or her voice, but he also makes corrections and additions that add to the article as opposed to subtract. On a number of occasions, Kris has saved me the embarrassment of making a serious error in a story, and very rarely have I ever disagreed with him about a change. As for Mike, almost every photo I have ever used in a Sabre article has been from him, and there seems to be at least one really good photo for every game that he shoots. Both Mike and Kris, as you all know, do an excellent job of monitoring the boards and the site as a whole. But they don't get enough credit for the stuff that they do that you have to see to understand.

The Sabre is really a fantastic site, and I've gotten a lot out of it. For those of you who are not EDGE subscribers, I highly encourage you to subscribe. It's worth the cost just to read the breakdowns by JHoo and Cvillehoops13, not to mention countless recruiting updates from Chris Horne (who churns out stories and updates at an incomprehensible pace), in-depth breakdowns from Greg Waters, and features from Kris Wright Blair Capps, and others. Most of the material on this site is information you won't find elsewhere. That, plus the fact that the site is interactive because of the message boards, is what makes The Sabre so great.

I have enjoyed my time with The Sabre immensely, and I am now looking forward to starting my career at the Martinsville Bulletin. My primary beat will be area high school sports, with the occasional trip to the Martinsville Speedway, including two Sprint Cup races in front of a packed house of 65,000. I am also very hopeful that I will be able to cover a UVa football game here and there, although Martinsville is, of course, more Hokie country. In addition, I will be writing a biweekly column, and I will be sure to address UVa, VT, and the ACC as a whole, which certainly has a following in Martinsville. Anytime I have written a story referring to the Hoos, I will be sure to let Kris know so that he can put it on NewsLink.

To everyone at The Sabre, thanks so much for helping make my fourth year at UVa a memorable one. I will continue to check in on the message boards, and count me in as a lifelong EDGE subscriber and UVa follower.

Sincerely,
Paul Montana

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

More on Moses ...

The news continues to be positive for Morgan Moses, who graduated from Fork Union Military Academy this past weekend. Moses, the standout 6-7, 340-pound offensive tackle, appears to have done what was required to qualify fully. He is awaiting official word from the NCAA Clearinghouse, but his mother, Marion, hopes to hear something soon on this front.

If Moses gains clearance, he'll enroll at Virginia on July 13. We'll be sure to report anything new on the Morgan Moses front as we hear it.

Another junior day on the horizon ...

Virginia will host another junior day on Sunday, June 6, so stay tuned for more on this in the coming two weeks. In the past week, Hampton (VA) quarterback David Watford and DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) cornerback Mike Williams have indicated that they'll likely be in attendance.

Watford, a 6-1, 185-pound prospect, is considering offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. He seems likely to end up choosing between one of the two in-state FBS programs.

UVa has not yet offered the 5-11, 175-pound Williams, but the interest appears strong. Williams, whose brother, Madieu, played for the University of Maryland and is currently in the NFL, appears interested in the Cavaliers as well. Virginia already has two 2011 commits out of national power DeMatha in offensive tackle Kelby Johnson and defensive back Jordan Lomax. According to Williams, Johnson will be in attendance on June 6.

Coming soon ...

In the coming weeks, TheSabre.com's first in-state PreSeason Top 30 will be posted. I'll also have the latest "Countdown To Signing Day" update, an overall look at Virginia's 2011 class that examines where the staff may focus its efforts from now until Signing Day.

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 ...

The Latest On Matt Bailey
Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA) rising senior Matt Bailey remains committed to the University of Virginia, but he has not closed the door on other options. The 5-10, 215-pound safety/linebacker prospect has not yet received another FBS offer besides Virginia, but he is planning on attending camps at three other schools at least.

Massive Tackle Visits UVa
6-8, 280-pound offensive tackle Keith Lumpkin stopped by Charlottesville on Sunday, making the University of Virginia the latest in a series of college visits this year. Accompanied by his parents, the St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) star junior toured the grounds, the football facilities and Scott Stadium, learned more about the academics and met and watched film with head coach Mike London.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Goins Adds Offer, Could Score Another Soon
• DeMatha CB Williams Plans To Visit UVa
• Watford Reflects On Nike Performance
• Checking In On Top OT Donovan Smith
• New Offer For Cave Spring's Cole
• Christ School G Plans Visit To UVa

Hilton Garden Inn Charlottesville has signed up as a proud sponsor of TheSabre.com and is excited to offer our unique community exclusive rates and packages!

Conveniently located near the University of Virginia and downtown Charlottesville, the Hilton Garden Inn is the perfect epicenter for your next trip to town. With easy access from Interstate 64 and U.S. 250 plus superb airport shuttle service, the Hilton Garden Inn is an excellent choice for any Charlottesville visitors.

Click here to find out more about The "Sabre Rate" for fans of this Web site!

Q&A With Monica Wright

Virginia women's basketball star Monica Wright, a rookie in the WNBA, recently did an interview for the Minnesota Lynx web site called "Off the Court with Monica Wright". A portion of the interview is below.

Q: What about Virginia attracted you to the program?

MW: "Definitely the girls that were there on the team. Immediately they welcomed me with open arms; they were so nice. And I was really really impressed how they were well-rounded people; not only basketball players, but they were involved in so many things off campus: Community service, church and some were in sororities. They did a lot of things off campus and at the same time, they were phenomenal basketball players and still dedicated to going to practice and working out and still working extra hard and did extra things. I just thought to myself that is the type of player that I want to be because when I want people to talk about me, I don't want them to think 'oh the basketball player.' It is kind of limiting... It's you as a human being only being able to say, 'this is all that I did.'"

Q: What is your favorite part about playing basketball?

MW: "I would say definitely the people that you influence. Having to be on such a stage, you definitely influence a lot of people, especially young kids and I think that it is important because when I was younger, I definitely looked at older people for guidance on how to do things and what to do. So I think it is important that we set the right example. I love being able to influence people and to show them that it is not nerdy or dumb to be good."

Read the whole interview on the Lynx site by clicking here.

UVa Football TV Series Continues

The "Virginia Football: The Building of a Program" television show's second episode airs tonight at 9 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. It also will be posted online at VirginiaSportsTV.com and VirginiaFootball2010.com. The show airs each Monday on Comcast Sportsnet at 9 p.m. and is available online at VirginiaSportsTV.com on Tuesdays at 8 a.m. For more information, click here.

Fan of the Week

Every week, theSabre.com features a Fan of the Week photo on the front page of the Web site. (Archives are available in the Wahoowa! section.) So you want to be the fan of the week? It's easy - be the loudest Hoo at a live UVa event, wear some crazy Cavalier gear, or do something else to catch our attention. If Mike or Kris spot you and take your picture, you'll be in the running for Fan of the Week honors!

Advertise With The Sabre!

Our advertising approach is different in that we make it abundantly clear in a direct and honest way that your company's commitment of sponsorship dollars is what enables the site to continue existing and improving into the future.

To learn more, please contact [email protected].

To view a list of our sponsors, please visit our Sponsors Page.

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Mark Bernardino Receives Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award: Mark Bernardino, the men's and women's head swimming coach at Virginia for 32 years, was one of three UVa Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award recipients at the University's Valedictory Exercises on May 22. Each year the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation sponsors the presentation of awards at 54 colleges in the southeastern United States to individuals who have served others, their institutions and their wider communities. Created in 1925 the awards are given to distinguished fourth year students and members of the University community in memory of the award's namesake, a New York lawyer, businessman and philanthropist. The awards are intended to perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service he epitomized.
• Cavalier Women Add Three Divers for 2010-11: Virginia diving coach Rich MacDonald announced the signing of three divers - Alex Leinroth, Kelly Lloyd and Carlin Teettelbach - who will join the Cavalier women's program in the fall.
• Cavaliers Reach NCAA Semifinals with 4-2 Win Over UCLA: The top-seeded Virginia men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history with a 4-2 win over No. 9 UCLA in a quarterfinal on Sunday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Center. The Cavaliers (39-1) rallied from dropping the doubles point with strong singles play to advance to Monday's semifinals against USC.
• Top-Seeded Cavaliers are Baltimore Bound with Victory Over Stony Brook: Shamel Bratton and Chris Bocklet tallied three goals apiece, while Adam Ghitelman made 13 saves to lead the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (16-1) to a 10-9 triumph over the eighth-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves (13-4) in the NCAA Quarterfinals on Sunday in front of 10,024 spectators at Stony Brook's LaValle Stadium. Virginia advances to the Cavaliers' third-straight Men's Lacrosse Championship and a semifinal matchup with Duke on Saturday.
• Virginia's NCAA Run Ends With a 17-7 Loss At UNC: The No. 4 Virginia women's lacrosse team saw its NCAA Tournament run come to an end Saturday afternoon at Fetzer Field, as No. 3 North Carolina handed the Cavaliers their most lopsided loss of the season, 17-7. With the win, the Tar Heels improve to 17-2 this year and advance to the NCAA Tournament semifinals, while the Cavaliers wrap up their season with a 14-6 record.
• Hultzen Named Semifinalist for Dick Howser Trophy: Virginia sophomore pitcher/first baseman Danny Hultzen has been named one of 25 semifinalists for the 2010 Dick Howser Trophy, which is presented to the top player in college baseball.
• No. 1 Cavaliers Stop Miami, 7-4, to Win Series: The No. 1 Virginia baseball team capped off its regular season with a 7-4 victory at No. 14 Miami on Saturday afternoon. UVa clinched the outright ACC Coastal Division title and finished off its ninth ACC series win of the year. The Cavaliers (45-10, 23-7 ACC) finish the ACC schedule with their most conference wins ever. UVa also posted its second series win ever over Miami. Virginia will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming ACC Baseball Championship, which begins Wednesday.
• Virginia's Historic Season Ends with 7-4 Loss to Cardinals: The Virginia softball team (34-23) ended its historic season Saturday with a 7-4 loss to Louisville (41-18) in an elimination game in the NCAA Knoxville Regional. The Cavaliers made its NCAA debut Friday and defeated the Cardinals 1-0 before falling twice Saturday, to Tennessee 11-2, and to Louisville.
• Cavaliers Golfers Finish 13th at NCAA Women's Golf Championships: The 13th-ranked Virginia women's golf team used a hot start Friday morning to bounce back during the final round of the NCAA Championships and place 13th in the 24-team field.
• Wild Finish Sends UVa Men's Golfers to NCAA Championships: An unbelievable finish at the NCAA East Regional Championship in New Haven, Conn. allowed the 19th-ranked Virginia men's golf team to place fifth in the 14-team field and claim the final qualifying spot for this year's NCAA championships. The top five teams from six regional sites advance to the national championships. Having completed their final round Saturday, the Cavaliers found themselves in sixth place at 3-over 843, two shots behind South Carolina. All the Gamecocks needed on their final hole was a bogey from their top player, Wesley Bryan, to clinch fifth place and the final spot from the field for the NCAAs. Bryan was 6-under par on the day as he prepared to hit his final tee shot. Bryan carded a 6-over nine on the hole to drop him to even par 70 and push the Gamecocks back to eighth place.

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

Mini Louisville Slugger Sabre Baseball Bat

Assorted Colors: Only $6.99!

The 18" miniature V-Sabre Louisville Slugger is the exact replica of the famous Louisville Slugger you see used in Major League Baseball. The UVA Bookstore has a V-Sabre mini Louisville Slugger wood bat in three colors: natural tan, navy and orange. These are great for autographs!

Issue No. 297 - June 25, 2007

UVa Hires Schmidt As Softball Coach

Official Release, Virginia Athletic Media Relations

Virginia athletics director Craig Littlepage has announced the hiring of Eileen Schmidt as the Cavaliers new softball coach. A former standout player for UVa in the early 90s, Schmidt replaces Karen Johns who announced her resignation May 23.

"I am tremendously enthused that Eileen Schmidt will rejoin the UVa softball program as our head softball coach," Littlepage said. "She understands the experiences of our student-athletes and will be a leader, mentor, and role model for our players. In addition, her years as a head coach and assistant coach uniquely prepare her to move our softball program forward."

Schmidt, a native of Barto, Pa., competed for Virginia from 1991 to 1994. She was the first Cavalier softball player to earn All-ACC honors three times (1992, 1993 and 1994) and became Virginia's first All-American. Schmidt, a catcher, captured third-team All-America accolades in 1994. She was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1993 and was chosen to the ACC All-Tournament Team in 1993 and 1994.

"The University of Virginia has always been a special place and I am honored to return as the head softball coach," Schmidt said. "It was an extremely difficult decision to leave the University of Kentucky and the program we've worked very hard to build. I want to thank Mitch Barnhart and John Cropp for giving me the opportunity and trust to lead the Kentucky softball program over the past three years. I am thankful I had the opportunity to work with a phenomenal group of student-athletes, colleagues, administration, and softball community. Virginia has always been my dream job, the place where I wanted to finish my career and I want to thank Craig Littlepage for bringing that dream to fruition. I am excited about re-joining the Virginia family and looking forward to recruiting the best student-athletes to wear Blue and Orange."

Check Out SabreMail #297.

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:

• Hoos Eye Title: The Sabre has a reporter on the scene in Athens, Ga., as the men's tennis team goes for a National Championship.
• JHoo's Summer Reading: Starting in June, JHoo takes a position by position look at the Virginia football team.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Photo Gallery: Men's Lacrosse Vs. Mount St. Mary's
The No. 1 Virginia men's lacrosse team won its opening round NCAA Tournament game against Mount St. Mary's last Saturday night. Adam Ghitelman racked up five first quarter saves to get Virginia running early. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 12-1 lead by halftime and finished strong, 18-4. Mike Ingalls captured the action with 82 photos in this lacrosse photo gallery.

Dominant Starting Pitching Keys Virginia
Outstanding pitching is nothing new for Virginia baseball. Over the last three seasons the Cavaliers have finished among the top 11 in ERA in the NCAA, including two third place finishes in 2007 (2.81) and 2009 (3.23). This season the Cavaliers currently sit in 10th place nationally with a 3.61 ERA.

Catching Up With Jason Rogers
In August of 2000, the Virginia men's basketball team embarked on a six-game European Tour. Sounds perfect for a student-athlete right? Take an end of the summer vacation to Europe to play a little basketball, relax, and have a good time overseas. Jason Rogers, a University of Virginia sophomore at the time, saw it as much more than that and it changed his path in life.

Justice Brings Heat As UVa Recruit
He deals heat, upstairs and tight or low in the opposite corner. Orange County's Derek Justice packs the biggest punch when it comes to throwing hard in Central Virginia and he's not afraid to offer it pitch after pitch. His fastball is his livelihood.

Get your Wahoo fix. Subscribe to Sabre Edge!

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!

• Sabre Edge Info and Sign Up