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   SabreMail - March 28, 2011
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Spring Game This Week

It's hard to believe, but the Virginia football team's annual Spring Game has already arrived as the Cavaliers' Orange-Blue game at Scott Stadium will be this Saturday, April 2. It is going to be busy and exciting day for Hoo fans thanks to a bevy of activities set up around the football scrimmage. Scott Stadium's East, West, and South lots and the North D lot off Alderman Road will be available for free parking starting at 8 a.m. on April 2. Free public parking will also be available in the Emmet / Ivy Parking Garage and University Hall parking lots. Hourly rates will apply at the Central Grounds Garage.

First, the men's lacrosse team is taking its show to Scott Stadium as well. UVa takes on Maryland in a noon contest; tickets for the men's lacrosse game will be $7 for adults and $5 for youth, seniors, and UVa faculty and staff for General Admission seating. "The Virginia-Maryland lacrosse game is big time, so this should be a very exciting afternoon at Scott Stadium for our fans and I'm excited to be a part of it," Virginia football coach Mike London said. "We want to do our part to make it a great day, so we are planning to play a game format and not just hold a scrimmage. I think that's what our fans want and I think the players enjoy the competition you get from having a game. We will name our captains and recognize the players who have achieved in the classroom and in the community. I promise we'll have some fun out there as well. I look forward to seeing everyone there."

In addition to the lacrosse game, there is a free youth lacrosse clinic on Saturday as well. UVA Bookstores, a long-time sponsor of TheSabre.com, is sponsoring a free youth lacrosse clinic the morning of the spring game and before the men's lacrosse game against Maryland at Scott Stadium at noon. Learn tips about the game and have some fun with former UVa star Ben Rubeor and other members of the 2006 National Championship team. This free clinic will be geared toward middle school and elementary aged children but all are welcomed to attend. Middle and elementary school players should bring their stick to participate in drills. (Please note: sticks should be returned to your car before entering Scott Stadium for the UVa vs. Md lacrosse game.)

  • When: 10-11 a.m. with an autograph session to follow
  • Where: O-Hill field located at the corner of Alderman Road and McCormick Roadd (diagonally across from the AFC and TJ's Locker store)
  • Cost: FREE (Free parking available at Scott Stadium)
  • Fun: There will be an accuracy challenge and raffle prizes

Click here for more information!

The football team will take the field approximately five minutes after the conclusion of the men's lacrosse team's game. The football team's Orange-Blue Spring Game will begin after a warm-up period that will last approximately 35 minutes. In addition to the Spring Game, there are football-related interests as well.

Game-worn UVa football jerseys will be on sale during the lacrosse game and spring football game. The location of the jersey sale is at the top of the hill just behind HooVision. These will be the "home" blue jerseys from years 2001-2006, athletes during this time include Heath Miller, Matt Schaub, Chris Long, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Marques Hagans and many other popular Wahoo players from that era. Jerseys are $75 each and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Methods of payment are cash and credit card only - sorry, no checks. Jerseys will be sold as soon as the gates open at 11 a.m. prior to the UVa men's lacrosse game against Maryland. If you want to buy a popular jersey number, you must buy a ticket for the lacrosse game and get there early. Popular jerseys likely will not last long.

The football program also will be raffling off two framed, signed jerseys on Saturday. The first will be Ras-I Dowling's jersey; the winning raffle ticket will be drawn at half time of the lacrosse game. The second, Chris Long's jersey, will be drawn at half time of the Spring Game.Each raffle ticket is $5, or buy three for $10. You must be present to win.

Fan-friendly activities will be set up in Scott Stadium’s Pergola Plaza from 11 a.m. to noon, including inflatable games, face-painting, a balloon artist, and more. Following the Orange-Blue game, there will be a brief autograph session with the players on the field.

Can't make it to Charlottesville? ESPN announced that it will video stream Virginia’s Orange-Blue Spring Football Game on ESPN3. Virginia is one of eight schools currently scheduled to have its spring football game carried by ESPN on one of its broadcast platforms. The Virginia-Maryland men’s lacrosse match, which will air on ESPNU, will also be webcast on ESPN3.

Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for coverage of the Spring Game.


   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

UVa's Spring Game takes place on Saturday, and top prospects are expected to be in attendance. Most, if not all, of the heralded 2011 class will be there, including all four prospects featured in the latest installment of "Catching Up With The Signees," which was posted this past Saturday. In the article, Richardson, a 6-1, 220-pound running back prospect, discusses the good news he received a few weeks ago.

"I got the test score I needed," Richardson said. "I got the ACT score back a couple of weeks ago."

Richardson, who expects to receive playing time as a true freshman, has been accepted by UVa admissions and will enroll in June. EDGE subscribers can read more on Richardson, offensive lineman Ross Burbank, defensive tackle David Dean and linebacker Caleb Taylor in the "Catching Up" piece linked below.

Virginia's incoming freshmen class will be on hand Saturday, but so will a number of 2012 prospects. We'll have a full report on those confirmed visitors later in the week, but for now here is a list of those we have confirmed so far ...

  • Good Counsel (Olney, MD) defensive lineman Roderick Chungong (offered by UVa)
  • Bayside (Virginia Beach, VA) wide receiver Anthony Cooper (offered)
  • Wilson (Portsmouth, VA) athlete Der'Woun Greene (offered)
  • Green Run (Virginia Beach, VA) linebacker/safety Mark Hall (UVa commit)
  • Charlotte Catholic (Charlotte, N.C.) offensive lineman Mark Harrell (offered)
  • Christchurch (VA) offensive tackle Win Homer (offered)
  • Northside (Roanoke, VA) tight end Dakota Jackson (no offer)
  • St. Joseph (Hammonton, N.J.) linebacker Kaiwan Lewis
  • DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) defensive end Michael Moore (offered)
  • South County (Lorton, VA) linebacker Devin Vandyke (no offer)

Virginia has hosted some impressive talent in past weeks, including The Villages Charter (The Villages, FL) defensive end Noor Davis and Dixie Heights (Fort Mitchell, KY) quarterback Zeke Pike. We hope to have more on both this week. DeMatha's Michael Moore, son of Virginia legendary quarterback and current wide receivers coach Shawn Moore, will be featured in an article this week as well.


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 ...

Catching Up: Richardson Gets Good News

Image: Clifton RichardsonWe're heading to the 757 for this latest installment of "Catching Up With The 2011 Class." Position, Virginia's Hampton practice, first year goals and academics are among the topics addressed with Cox (Virginia Beach, VA) offensive lineman Ross Burbank, Green Run (Va Beach) defensive tackle David Dean, Menchville (Newport News, VA) running back Clifton Richardson and Phoebus (Hampton, VA) linebacker Caleb Taylor.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...


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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

Football Season Tickets On Sale

Season tickets for 2011 Virginia football home games are on sale to all fans. The season ticket price in all lower level sections and the upper level sideline sections is $270 - the same price as last season. New this year are three specially priced season ticket options in Scott Stadium's upper level, starting at $125 for the general public or $99 for UVa faculty and staff. Additionally, a new $99 Young Alumni option is available for 2007-2011 Virginia graduates. Season ticket holders from 2010 will receive email and ticket renewal applications the week of March 21. The priority ordering and seating deadline is April 30 and a four-month payment plan is offered for season ticket orders placed before May 1.

"Our fan base will be an important part of creating a great home field advantage," said Executive Associate Athletics Director Jon Oliver. "Coach London needs our continued support as he takes the next step with the football program. We are introducing a number of new options and we will continue to offer the popular payment plan option to make it as easy as possible for people to buy their season tickets. Our hope is our fans will find a season ticket option that works for them because our success depends on their passionate support."

Under second-year coach Mike London, the Cavaliers' seven game home schedule includes dates with William & Mary (Sept. 3), Southern Mississippi (Sept. 24), Idaho (Oct. 1), Georgia Tech (Oct. 15), N.C. State (Oct. 22), Duke (Nov. 12) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 26).

"I'm excited about where we're going as a football program," said Virginia football head coach Mike London. "I've heard from a lot of people that they appreciated the passion and energy the team displayed last season. I've been on the sidelines when Scott Stadium was sold out and I can tell you it's an intimidating place to play. I hope our season ticket holders from last year will renew their tickets and our fan base will take advantage of these new season ticket options. They will definitely help our football program on Saturdays this fall."

Remember, TheSabre.com set up its football schedule page for fans; remember that each game will have a game information page once the season begins.


Ryan's Cavalier Career Concludes

Jeff White, VirginiaSports.com

Her 1,063rd game as the University of Virginia women's basketball team's head coach was also Debbie Ryan's last in that position. And when it ended, after her team's spirited comeback fell short against Charlotte, Ryan took the microphone to address the fans who were on their feet and applauding her at John Paul Jones Arena.

"This has been a great, great experience for me," Ryan told the crowd. "This is part of the fabric of who I am."

Since taking over as head coach before the 1977-78 season, Ryan has been the face of UVa women's basketball. Her teams won 739 games, and late in the second half Saturday night, after the Cavaliers cut a 16-point deficit to two, it appeared Ryan might get to 740, with an opportunity to win as many as two more.

But Charlotte (27-9) steadied itself and made enough plays in the final 125 seconds to secure a 79-74 victory in this Women's National Invitation Tournament quarterfinal. UVa, in its 34th and final season under Ryan, finished with a 19-16 record.

"We just tried to play our butts off for her," sophomore point guard China Crosby said. "Of course it was in the back of our heads that we have to play hard, because of what she gave to his program, and her legacy, and we [wanted to] end it strong for her.

"We tried."

Ryan noticed. Her players "didn't want this to end either, but it did," she said. "And so now we do have to deal with it."

Athletics director Craig Littlepage announced March 12 that Ryan had decided to step down at season's end. Two days later, UVa accepted an invitation to play in the WNIT.

Read the full article.


McLean Wins NCAA Title, Team Takes 8th

UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Release

The Virginia men's swimming team finished eighth at the 2011 NCAA Championships, its highest finish in program history. The best finish prior to this season was a ninth-place showing in 2009. It marks the third consecutive year the Cavaliers have finished among the top-10 in the nation, also a program first. Virginia was 10th at the 2010 NCAA Championships. California won the meet with 493 points. Texas was second (470.5) followed by Stanford (403) in third.

Virginia also crowned its first NCAA champion since 2000 when Matt McLean won the 500 freestyle on Thursday night. The Cavaliers finished the meet with eight All-America performances and seven honorable mention All-America accolades. McLean collected three All-America honors in as many individual events of the meet. All five Cavalier relay squads earned All-America or honorable mention All-America honors for the third straight year, and for only the fourth time in school history (the other was 2001). It also marked the first time four relays reached All-America status, finishing among the top-8, and the first time all three freestyle relays were in that grouping.

"Matt was just spectacular," UVa coach Mark Bernardino said. "Earning the title of NCAA Champion was very special."

Read the full article.


5 Million Gift For New Track And Field Facility

UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Release

Amy Mitchell Griffin, a 1998 University of Virginia graduate and former volleyball player for the Cavaliers, has pledged $5 million for the construction of a new track and field facility at UVa. The Virginia Athletics Department announced the gift on Monday (March 28). The commitment by Griffin allows the athletics department to move forward with the design and construction of a new track and field facility. The Virginia Athletics Foundation (VAF), the fund raising organization for the athletics department, has launched a campaign to raise the remaining amount needed to finance the approximately $14 million project.

Griffin's gift is the largest commitment ever made for an Olympic sport capital project at the University of Virginia. She is a current member of the VAF Board of Trustees and previously donated $1 million in 2006 to support the volleyball program and also funded UVa's new sand volleyball courts.

"The University deserves a top notch track and field facility. I feel we owe it to current and future student-athletes," Griffin said. "I look at it as an important athletic department facility, but more importantly an upgrade for the entire University. I really do hope there are many people in the University of Virginia community, especially former athletes - track and non-track - who see this as a key piece in future athletic success and one that they want to support.

"The new space will allow the track team to compete for championships and will help with recruiting and training for a large number of athletic teams at the University. It is my hope that this project will raise the game for Virginia Athletics in so many ways."

Read the full article.


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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

  • Top-Ranked Cavaliers Win 7-0 at Florida State: The Virginia men's tennis team concluded its 11-match road trip Sunday afternoon with a 7-0 victory over No. 46 Florida State at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. The Cavaliers (20-0, 5-0 ACC) reach the 20-win plateau for the ninth consecutive season with the win. The victory extended Virginia's ACC-record win streak to 68 consecutive victories over conference competition.
  • Women's Tennis Tops Florida State 5-2: The No. 17 Virginia women's tennis team snapped a two-match losing streak with a 5-2 win over No. 35 Florida State Sunday at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar's Head Sports Club. The Cavaliers improve to 14-4 overall and 3-2 in the ACC.
  • No. 3 Virginia Baseball Finishes Off Series Sweep of Maryland: The No. 3-ranked Virginia baseball team scored four runs in the second inning and made it stand up in defeating Maryland, 4-2, Saturday afternoon in the second game of a doubleheader at Davenport Field. UVa won both games of the twinbill by 4-2 scores and swept the three-game series. Virginia (24-2, 8-1 ACC) has won 23 of its last 24 contests with Maryland, including seven straight dating to the 2009 season.
  • No. 2 UVa Drops Rival Game at No. 11 Johns Hopkins, 12-11: Steele Stanwick had three goals and four assists for the No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (7-2), but it wasn't enough as the No. 11 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (6-2) broke a six-game losing streak to UVa with a 12-11 triumph on Saturday afternoon, inside Homewood Field. Johns Hopkins captured the Doyle Smith Cup for the first time in the trophy's six-year existence. Starting with the 2006 season, the regular season winner of the Virginia and Johns Hopkins matchup gets to keep the cup.
  • Surge Leads No. 3 Duke to an 11-8 Victory Over No. 8 Virginia: The No. 3 Duke women's lacrosse team used three straight goals midway through the second half and held on for an 11-8 victory over No. 8 Virginia on Saturday. Junior Josie Owen led Virginia's attack with three goals and one assist, while junior Charlie Finnigan shared team-high honors of four points, notching two goals and dishing out two assists.
  • Fahringer Wins Javelin at Raleigh Relays: The throwers on Virginia's track and field team led the way Saturday afternoon on the final day of the Raleigh Relays, hosted by NC State. The group posted four personal-best marks that rank among the top-10 of all-time at UVa and was highlighted by senior Andy Fahringer's individual victory in the javelin. Fahringer's throw of 239' 7" is a personal-best and marks the second-best throw of all-time at UVa. He now trails just Brian Kollar, who set the school record at 243' 6" in 2001.
  • UVa Women's Golfers Finish Fourth at Bryan National Collegiate: The seventh-ranked Virginia women's golf team could not make a move up the leaderboard playing in windy, cold conditions during the final round of the Bryan National Collegiate and placed fourth overall. Virginia shot 28-over 316 during Sunday's play for a final score of 46-over 910. Wake Forest, ranked No. 17, won the tournament at 31-over 895. Freshman Portland Rosen finished tied for third at 6-over 222. It was the best finish of her career in just her fifth collegiate tournament.
  • No. 1 Virginia Earns Second Varsity Eight Victory Over No. 3 California: The Second Varsity Eight of the No. 1 Virginia rowing team finished a weekend on the West Coast with a 2-0 record, defeating No. 3 California on Sunday. The Second Varsity Eight of coxswain Molly Frear, MacKenzie Leahy, Carli Goldberg, Carolyn Glandorf, Jenny Shultis, Morgan Joseph, Brandy Herald, Cara Linnenkohl and Hunter Terry finished the race against the Bears with a time of 6:40.1 compared to Cal's time of 6:48.5. In the Varsity Eight race, Cal bested Virginia, 6:28.6 to 6:31.1.

To read the full stories or gather more information on Virginia athletics, check out Virginiasports.com.


   UVa Bookstores - The Place for Wahoo Gear!

Virginia Baseball Play Ball T-Shirt

$12.00-$13.00

The Virginia Baseball Play Ball T-Shirt features a front left chest imprint with the V-Sabre over Virginia Baseball. The back of this UVA baseball T-Shirt also features a V-Sabre and Virginia Baseball surrounding a white Play Ball imprint. Instead of a typical "A" in the word Ball, there is a silhouette of a baseball player swinging.


   SabreMail History

Issue No. 102 - August 29, 2003

Baseball hires head assistant
Official UVa Media Relations Report

University of Virginia head baseball coach Brian O'Connor has announced another key addition to his coaching staff. O'Connor named Kevin McMullan as his top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. McMullan, a 1990 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), will also serve as UVa's hitting coach and will work extensively with the Cavaliers' infielders and catchers. McMullan is the second assistant coach named to O'Connor staff and joins current assistant coach Karl Kuhn, who was recently named Virginia's pitching coach on July 30th. The addition of McMullan rounds out O'Connor's coaching staff.

Check Out SabreMail #102.


   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:

  • Spring Football: TheSabre.com is the place to be for spring football coverage!
  • Spring Sports: TheSabre.com will start to crank up its spring coverage as April approaches. Stay tuned for articles on baseball, lacrosse, tennis, and more.


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Wahoos Grab WNIT Win Against BC
Image: Coach Debbie RyanVirginia coach Debbie Ryan said the nerves are worse at home than away. The win-or-go-home nature of tournament play, after all, means she doesn't know when the end will officially arrive as she coaches the final games of her Cavalier career. On Thursday, the pit in her stomach started shortly after shoot-around in the afternoon and remained even after her team's 53-48 victory against Boston College in the WNIT.

Hoos On The Road Again
Image: Max MilienSpring practice rolls on for the Cavaliers as the football team heads north to Alexandria this weekend. Coach Mike London and his staff are busy both spreading the word about UVa Football and preparing the team for the 2011 season. Things are far from settled as far as position battles are concerned, and there are still plenty of players fighting for a spot on the roster. The team will be using their second road trip of the spring to improve both community relations off the field and performance between the lines.

Secondary Focused On Calls, Keys
When Mike London and his coaching staff arrived in Charlottesville before the 2010 season, it brought a 4-3 defensive scheme in tow. The secondary featured some experienced players and the scheme shift was not expected to impact those units as much. Only, at least from a perspective focused on the whole defense's success, it did. The Hoos are focused on correcting some of those issues this spring.

Photo Gallery: Virginia Spring Football Practice
Image: David WatfordVirginia Football took the field for spring practice drills last week. TheSabre.com was on hand to report on the first two open practices, which were early morning at 6 a.m. True freshman quarterback David Watford was part of the training as one of Virginia's two early enrolled athletes. Enjoy this 54 image photo gallery which showcases the quarterback group in addition to many other players and coaches. This gallery is free to all, no subscription required.

A Positive Step For Fan Outreach
Image: Football fansThe Virginia Athletics Department began selling season football tickets on Monday. That, in and of itself, is not news. Season tickets are sold, well, every season. Buried within the school news release, however, are some nuggets of information that suggest UVa is starting to reach out to the fans. For a pair of revenue programs attempting to regain success and bring fans back to the bleachers, it's a step in the right direction.

Hoos Happy With Return To Practice
Image: Nick JenkinsThe Virginia football team took its first of two spring road trips this weekend, spending Saturday afternoon honing their skills in Hampton, Virginia at Darling Stadium. The open practice session was free for fans, and took on a carnival-like atmosphere complete with a moon bounce and T-Shirts featuring the big man himself, coach Mike London. The real fun took place on the field, however, as the team suited up in full pads for the first time since November of last year.


   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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