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   SabreMail - Dec. 3, 2012
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Football Changes

From UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Releases

The Virginia football program underwent significant changes over the weekend.

First, Virginia head football coach Mike London announced that junior quarterback Michael Rocco has been granted an unconditional release from his scholarship at UVa. Rocco informed London that he plans to transfer following the conclusion of the current semester.

"After meeting with Michael and discussing his future with our program and his personal goals and interests I understand his desire to complete his college football career elsewhere," London said. "Michael has been an outstanding member of our program on the field, in the classroom and in the community. I appreciate the competitive nature, work ethic and leadership he brought to our program and I wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Rocco played in 30 games at Virginia, starting 21 times. He threw for 4,731 yards and passed for 27 touchdowns with 24 interceptions. He leaves the Cavalier program ranked eighth on the all-time passing list with 4,731 yards. Read that release here.

London also announced that four members of the coaching staff have been relieved of their duties. Those coaches are associate head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Reid, defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Jeff Hanson, running backs coach Mike Faragalli, and tight ends coach Shawn Moore. In addition to those moves, London announced safeties coach Anthony Poindexter will no longer be the Cavaliers' special teams coordinator but that he will remain on staff.

"After conducting a complete evaluation of the program and discussing my thoughts with administration, there are a number of areas we need to improve on and it starts with me as the head coach." London said. "The decision to release these four coaches is very difficult, but one I feel is necessary in order to meet the goals we have set for the Virginia football program. I have coached with some of these men for many years, won a national championship with some, and I truly appreciate their dedication and commitment, and more importantly, their friendships. I wish them all the best."

Virginia will begin an immediate search to fill all four positions.Read that release here.

As you probably guessed, those moves have led to a lot of chatter among fans of the UVa football team. Join those conversations on TheSabre.com's football message board.

   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting With Chris Horne

The big news heading into last weekend was that Virginia was set to host three prospects, including 5-star cornerback Priest Willis, on official visits last weekend. No question, the big news now is the potential fallout from the dismissal of four assistant coaches.

Some initial reaction has been positive, with players such as Kirk Garner (CB, Good Counsel (Olney, MD)) and Andre Levrone, Jr., (Good Counsel (Olney, MD)) re-emphasizing their commitments.

Varina (VA) cornerback Tim Harris is at least one prospect that may need convincing. Harris had a strong bond with Jim Reid, one of the four coaches released. Richmond (VA) native Malcolm Cook, a senior at Fork Union, also held a strong bond with Reid. I'll certainly be sure to check in with these prospects and others throughout the week, so stay tuned.

I'll also have the latest on Mountain View (Stafford, VA) wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and Fork Union postgraduate offensive tackle Jonathan McLaughlin, who made their officials to Virginia this past weekend.

Hamilton is also considering offers from Duke, Miami, Penn State, and Virginia Tech. McLaughlin, who signed with ECU last February but did not qualify, is now considering offers from Maryland, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. ECU also remains an option for him.

Virginia missed out on a top defensive tackle/offensive line target over the weekend, when Tabor Academy (Marion, MA) senior Tevin Montgomery revealed that he had committed to Boston College. In what is good news, Cavalier linebacker commit LaChaston Smith helped his team to a state championship. Check out more on the Good Ol Blog, and I'll catch up with Smith for more later 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 since the last SabreMail ...

Kiser Reaffirms Commitment To UVa
Image: Micah KiserGilman (Baltimore, MD) star senior Micah Kiser verbally committed to the University of Virginia on April 30, choosing the Hoos over many other major college suitors including Auburn, Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. Recently, though, the 6'2", 215-pound linebacker expressed an interest in taking a visit to the University of Maryland. Cavalier assistants Shawn Moore and Anthony Poindexter traveled to Kiser's home this Tuesday to try and solidify the coveted prospect's original decision. The duo appears to have been successful.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

   Support TheSabre.com

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Give the Perfect Gift to your favorite Wahoo fan this year, an annual subscription to Sabre EDGE! TheSabre.com is your one-stop shop for all UVa sports information, commentary and discussion. Read articles from our excellent staff of sportswriters, including TheSabre.com's editor-in-chief, Kris Wright. Our resident recruiting expert, Chris Horne, will keep you up to date with recruiting from around the state and beyond. No one covers Virginia's premier sports better than TheSabre.com. Take your fanship to the next level with a Sabre Edge subscription! Scroll to the bottom of the page to see what Sabre EDGE has to offer.

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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

Vote For Caroline Miller For The Hermann Trophy!

Virginia senior forward Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) was named a semifinalist for the 2012 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college soccer. Miller is one of 15 candidates announced Wednesday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Miller set single-season school records with 20 goals and 47 points this season. The conference leader in goals and points in 2012, she is one of just four players nationally to reach the 20-goal mark this season, and the first from the ACC in four years to accomplish the feat. Miller ended her season on a school-record eight-game goal scoring streak, tallying 11 goals against those eight opponents, all of which made the NCAA Tournament. A two-time ACC Player of the Week, she was named first-team All-ACC for the second consecutive season and was selected to the ACC All-Tournament Team as Virginia won the 2012 ACC Championship.

This year, fans will be able to vote for the award along with NSCAA member coaches. The three finalists for the award will be announced on December 6. The winners will be announced at the awards banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on January 11.

Vote here through midnight Dec. 5!


Aboushi and Greer Honored

From UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Releases

Virginia football players Oday Aboushi and Steve Greer were honored as College Award winners by the Touchdown Club of Richmond. Aboushi has been named the Touchdown Club’s offensive lineman of the year and Greer for the second year in a row takes home linebacker of the year honors.

Aboushi, Greer and 12 other players from colleges in the Commonwealth of Virginia will be honored at the Dudley Award banquet on Wednesday, December 5, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel.

Both players also were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football first team, announced by the league on Monday. Jake McGee, Demetrious Nicholson, and La’Roy Reynolds were named honorable mention selections. Virginia has had at least one first-team honoree every season since 2007 and in 25 of the last 26 seasons.

Aboushi earns his second All-ACC nod after the left tackle was a second-team All-ACC honoree in 2011. He also earned an early selection to the 2013 Senior Bowl roster, an honor as one of the top players in the country at his position. Aboushi graded out over 90 percent in all 12 games, including 97 percent against Miami and 94 percent against Penn State. He averaged 10+ knockdown blocks per game.

Greer is No. 2 in the ACC this year with 122 tackles and his 376 career tackles ranks No. 6 all-time at UVa. Greer was twice named ACC Linebacker of the Week in 2012, following a 15-tackle performance against Penn State and a career-high 19-tackle game at Virginia Tech. Greer was named a second-team honoree in 2011 and an honorable-mention honoree in 2009.


Hoos Talking Airs On Monday Nights

Hoos Talking, TheSabre.com's radio partner from Richmond, is back on the air for its fourth season! The show airs on Monday nights LIVE from 6-7 p.m. on SportsRadio 910 AM (WRNL) in Richmond or on the internet for Hoos outside of the Richmond area.

Tonight's show features UVa's Terry Gates and TheSabre.com's Kris Wright.

Make sure to check out Hoos Talking on SportsRadio 910 AM (WRNL) or stay tuned to TheSabre.com for archived audio of the broadcasts, presented for FREE by Sabre sponsor St. Maarten Cafe.


Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

  • Virginia Falls to No. 25 West Virginia, 54-47: The Virginia women's basketball team's late rally came up short with No. 25 West Virginia holding on for a 54-47 victory. The Cavaliers (5-2) led 26-23 at the break, but the Mountaineers (4-2) started the second half on an 11-0 run. Simone Egwu, in her second game back after missing the start of the season with a stress reaction in her leg, led Virginia with 14 points.
  • Virginia Closes 2012 as Georgia Fall Invitational Concludes: The Virginia men's and women's swimming and diving teams completed action at the Georgia Fall Invitational on Sunday. The No. 9 Cavalier men finished second with 702 points, behind No. 3 California (856) and ahead of No. 11 Georgia (662.5), and No. 16 Auburn (615.5). The No. 10 women placed third with 630 points, behind No. 3 Georgia (991) and No. 2 Cal (876). No. 9 Auburn was fourth with 539 points. Freshman Courtney Bartholomew automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in the women's 200 back with a time of 1:53.03, finishing second. That time ranks third on UVa's all-time list.
  • Virginia Finishes Seventh at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational: The 17th-ranked Virginia wrestling team placed seventh as action concluded at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday. Jedd Moore was the runner-up at 157 pounds.
  • Caroline Miller Named NSCAA First-Team All-American: Virginia senior forward Caroline Miller was honored Friday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as the organization announced its 2012 All-America teams. Miller was named to the first team, becoming the first Cavalier forward in 20 years to be named a first-team All-American.

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


   UVa Bookstores - The Place for Wahoo Gear!

Personalized TheSabre.com Hat

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Get your own personalized V-Sabre/TheSabre.com hat! Your cap will have the V-Sabre embroidered on the front with TheSabre.com logo embroidered on the back. This is a six-panel flexfit cap with pre-curved visor. You may personalize your cap to be embroidered on the side with your name or your TheSabre.com user name. You may enter up to 12 characters. You must type in your customization EXACTLY as you wish it to appear on your cap via the custom message text box. This includes capitalization and punctuation. We cannot be responsible for typographical errors.

Please note that the UVA Bookstore may refuse to produce a cap it deems inappropriate. As this is a personalized item, there are no refunds or returns. Please allow three weeks for shipping.Cap pictured is a mock-up only.


   SabreMail History

Issue No. 59 - October 25, 2002

Marquis Weeks named ACC Player of the Week
Official UVa Media Release

Virginia's Marquis Weeks has been selected as an Atlantic Coast Conference football Player of the Week. The sophomore returned three kickoffs for a school record 172 yards, highlighted by his school record 100-yard return to open the third quarter and give UVa its first touchdown in the come-from-behind win over North Carolina.

Brandi Teamer & Travis Watson Named Naismith Candidates
Official UVa Media Release

Virginia's Brandi Teamer and Travis Watson are pre-season candidates for the 2002-2003 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Awards, Jackie Bradford, President of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, announced on Tuesday.

The Naismith Awards program, now in its 35th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball.

Read SabreMail No. 59 here.

   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:

  • The Sabre Interview: Mike Ingalls is working on his latest in-depth interview with some of your favorite Hoos. Up next? Basketball star Jimmy Miller.
  • Postseason coverage: Stay turned for articles on the football team's 2012 season.
  • Hoops in action: The men's basketball team takes on Tennessee and Mississippi Valley State this week - The Sabre will be there!


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles and blog posts since the last SabreMail

Hoos Snare Win Over Green Bay
Image: Joe HarrisThe Virginia men's basketball team made it a Wisconsin sweep this week. Just three days after taking down Wisconsin on Wednesday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Cavaliers returned to Charlottesville and knocked off Wisconsin Green Bay on Saturday, 67-51. UVa has won five straight games to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Greg's Grades And Trends: Virginia Tech
Image: Mike RoccoAl Groh once told me that the writer the players hated most was the game grade guy. Lucky me! That likely will continue again this week since the news and the grades are not very good - especially for the offense. In what is becoming a habitual "offense" (pun intended), Virginia's defense does what it needs to do to win, special teams remained average while continuing to allow sudden change plays, and the offense simply can't get the job done.

Cavaliers Bounce Badgers
Image: Joe HarrisIn coach Bo Ryan's tenure, the Wisconsin men's basketball program had posted an 85-6 record in home games against non-conference teams entering this season's ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Make that 85-7. On Wednesday night, Virginia waltzed into the Kohl Center and picked up a 60-54 win. The Cavaliers have won four straight games this season and four straight times in this event.

Anderson Showing Versatility
Virginia freshman Justin Anderson developed a high-flying reputation during his high school days, thanks in large part to highlight videos. While Anderson has thrown down a few dunks already in the orange and blue, however, his all-around game has impressed Cavalier fans out of the gate too.

Wisconsin Primer 2012
After a convincing 80-64 home victory over a solid North Texas squad, the Virginia Cavaliers (4-2) hit the road to square off against Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Will the Wahoos win their third straight Challenge game and fourth straight overall, or will they fall to Bo Ryan's Badgers at the Kohl Center? Find out in the Wisconsin Primer.

JHoo's Things I Learned 2012: Virginia Tech
Image: Steve GreerCould the 2012 season have ended on more of a sour note? Put another way, if UVa had been blown out on Saturday, would that have felt worse? Rationally, of course this 17-14 loss was "better." Emotionally, that's a bit harder to decide. Let's take a look at what we learned from the season finale at Virginia Tech.


   Sabre Edge

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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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