Altomare Wins ACC Title

UVa Athletics Media Relations Official News Releases

Virginia senior Brittany Altomare became the first player in the Cavalier program's history to win the ACC Women's Golf individual championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. Altomare led the 45-player field after all three rounds and claimed medalist honors at 4-over 217. She had rounds of 71, 70 and 76 on the par-71 course. The individual crown was the third tournament victory during Altomare's career. She finished first at the Golfweek Challenge in September of 2010 and took top honors at The Landfall Tradition one month later.

Growing up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, just west of Boston, made for a difficult week for Altomare following the bombings that took place at the Boston Marathon on Monday and subsequent manhunt that played out on national television during the week.

"Honestly, I wanted to be home," said Altomare, who played the ACC Championship with a red Boston Red Sox bracelet around her left wrist. "My dad was here this weekend, but all of my other family and friends were back home. I felt helpless, like I could not do anything. I just sat back and kept watching it all happen. For something like that to take place in your own city, like 40 minutes from where your home is, it is insane. I felt nervous and scared for everyone back home."

Altomare, a three-time All-American, turned to the advice of the athletics department's sports psychologist, Jim Bauman, who has worked with her to improve her concentration.

"It was hard to stay focused, but I've been working on staying in the present moment and I knew there was really nothing that I could do to prevent whatever was going to happen in Boston," she said. "I just tried to focus on golf while I was on the course and talk to my friends afterward and see how everything was going. ... When the guys who did it were caught a couple of nights ago, it was a big sigh of relief for me."

Altomare finished two shots ahead of Duke's Laetitia Beck and four strokes in front of a trio of third-place finishers that included 2012 ACC Champion Lindy Duncan.

"She played very well this week," said Virginia coach Kim Lewellen. "The course was a tough, it was a championship level golf course, and it was windy all three days. She played it strategically well. She placed her approach shots well and did what she needed to do to earn the championship."

Duke won its 18th ACC team title in convincing fashion, finishing first at 30-over 882. NC State was second at 906 and Virginia was third at 909. The Cavaliers shot 25-over 309 during Sundays' final round.

Read the full news release here.

This Week In Recruiting With Chris Horne

Recruiting news was both good and bad last week.

Beginning with the latter, Victory Christian Academy (Lakeland, FL) defensive tackle Chris Nelson informed head coach Mike London of his decision to de-commit. The 6'3", 285-pound rising senior was the first player to commit to UVa's class of 2014, but he has decided to reopen his recruitment and is considering offers from Louisville, South Florida, and others. Nelson told TheSabre.com last week that he is still considering the Cavaliers, and he also said Coach London is going to continue to recruit him.

The good news came this past Sunday, when 6'4", 220-pound defensive end prospect Jordan "JJ" Jackson announced via Twitter that he had committed to the Cavaliers.

"After a long day of evaluating, I have decided to commit to the University of Virginia to play football for the next 5 years #WahooWah #UVA." - Jackson wrote on Twitter late Sunday afternoon.

A sleeper prospect, Jackson, who attends Woodgrove High School in Purcellville (VA), has only one year of high school football experience. In his junior season, which was his first on the high school level, Jackson racked up 82 tackles including 12 sacks. In addition to the Virginia offer, he considered opportunities from Hampton, Ohio, Old Dominion, and Yale.

UVa has four commitments in total in the class of 2014, including Jackson, safety Quin Blanding, offensive tackle Steven Moss, and place-kicker Gary Wunderlich.

Blanding and Moss were among the prospects in a loaded Nike Football Training Camp this past Sunday in Ashburn (VA). Blanding came away with an invitation to the 2013 version of Nike's The Opening, an invite-only event consisting of 150 of the top players in the country.

Check out the "Sabre Scoop," which will include news and notes from the Nike Camp. In addition to a report on Blanding, I'll have info on top UVa class of 2014 targets Andrew Brown, Derrick Nnadi, and MJ Stewart. Stewart, a defensive back out of Yorktown (Arlington, VA), also earned an invite to The Opening.

Also on the football recruiting front, the Spring Evaluation Period is under way. The period lasts from April 15 through May 31, and it's a time when major FBS college coaches can travel to high schools and evaluate athletes. UVa will be on the road this week. For example, TC Williams (Alexandria, VA) rising senior defensive tackle Jeremiah Clarke expects primary recruiter Anthony Poindexter to stop by his school this week.

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.

More recent Sabre recruiting updates ...

Cavs Gain Commitment From Sleeper DE
After not playing football the first two years of his high school career, Jordan Jackson decided to give the gridiron a try this past season as a junior. The move turned out to be a good one, as the Woodgrove (Purcellville, VA) defensive end earned a scholarship offer from the University of Virginia. He accepted the offer on Sunday afternoon.

The Latest On Tyrell Chavis
Talent isn't a question with respect to defensive tackle prospect Tyrell Chavis. The primary question is if he would ever meet the academic standards needed to make it through UVa admissions. The 6'3", 290-pound prospect signed with the Hoos in February of 2012, but after falling short academically he headed to Fork Union Military Academy (VA), where he is now finishing up a full postgraduate year. After briefly considering other schools, Chavis decided to re-sign with Virginia as a member of the class of 2013, but where is he now with respect to gaining admission?

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Q&A With London Perrantes
• Nelson Opens Up Recruitment

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Sponsorships are a critical component of your fan community and their success will permit us to continually improve our services to you. If you are in the market for any of the products and services offered by your sponsors, please give them first chance at your business. Sponsors power TheSabre.com, the No. 1 media source covering UVa Athletics. Thank you for supporting your Sponsors!

Check out the current site sponsors here. If you would like to sponsor the site, please contact us.

UVa Sweeps FSU

The No. 7 Virginia baseball team swept No. 5 Florida State in three games over the weekend. The Cavaliers capped the sweep with a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon. UVa had never recorded a three-game series sweep against FSU, the only current ACC team had not joined that list. The Hoos (35-6, 16-5) did not trail the Seminoles (31-9, 13-8) in the series and outscored the visitors 16-4.

"I think it's a huge accomplishment," Cav coach Brian O'Connor said. "Florida State has one of the most respected baseball programs in this country. Coach Martin is as good of a person as there is in college baseball. They do a great job."

Virginia drew 13,890 fans for the series, a program record for a three-game series.

Jeff White of VirginiaSports.com wrote about the big weekend in this article. Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for a mini photo gallery of Sunday's clinching win and more baseball coverage as May approaches on the calendar.

V-Sabres Worldwide

Have you checked out TheSabre.com's fan zone known as WahooWa!? It includes various interesting areas for the fans by the fans, including Virginia traditions, license plates, and V-Sabres Worldwide.

V-Sabres Worldwide is a cool section where TheSabre.com features a collection of photos sent to us from Hoos as they travel around the globe. There are photos from Mount Rushmore, Kilimanjaro, and Mount Everest for example! For ANY photo to be accepted, the V-Sabres logo must be visible. It can be on any type of merchandise (i.e. sunglasses, hats, shirts, dog collar, etc). Please include some sort of reference to your location in the photo (i.e. standing in front of the Great Wall of China). Also, please include a name that will be visible to all (either your real name or message board username - please specify). It must also fit one or more of the requirements below:

• Any photo taken outside the continental U.S. For example: You're in Japan and you have a photo taken of you with a V-Sabres hat on. Or, you're in Alaska and you have a V-Sabres banner flag hanging on your house.
• Within the United States, but there must be some sort of landmark in view. For example: You're standing in front of the Statue of Liberty, or on top of the Empire State Building with NYC in view.

Check out WahooWa! often for updates!

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• No. 1 Virginia Completes Seventh Straight Unbeaten ACC Season: The top-ranked Virginia men's tennis team completed its seventh consecutive undefeated ACC regular season on Sunday with a 6-1 victory over No. 55 Miami on a windy day. The Cavaliers (21-0, 10-0 ACC) won their 77th consecutive ACC regular season match and their 103rd straight against conference opposition (regular season and postseason).
• Virginia Knocks Off Miami on Senior Day: Hana Tomljanovic celebrated Senior Day and her 22nd birthday by clinching No. 17 Virginia's 4-1 win over No. 10 Miami on Sunday afternoon. The Cavaliers improve to 16-8 overall and 9-2 in the ACC. Virginia is tied for second with Clemson in the ACC standings and is guaranteed a No. 3 seed or higher and first-round bye at the ACC Women's Tennis Championship this week.
• UVa Men's Golfers Tie for First at Navy Invitational: The Virginia men's golf team tied for first place with Pennsylvania at the Navy Spring Invitational at the Naval Academy Golf Course. The two teams finished at 31-over 599. The Quakers won a playoff between the two teams for the event's championship trophy. Mac McLaughlin led Virginia with a ninth-place finish at 7-over 149. McLaughlin's finish was his fourth top-10 performance of the season
• UVa Snaps Losing Streak With Resounding Triumph Over Bellarmine, 12-7: Mark Cockerton scored four goals and Rob Emery added three tallies of his own, as the Virginia Cavaliers (6-7) halted their six-game losing streak with a 12-7 win against Bellarmine on Saturday. Virginia's five-goal win is the largest margin of victory any team has had over Bellarmine this season and UVa's 12 goals are the most given up by the Knights and goalie Dillon Ward, who entered the game as the nation's leader in save percentage (.688).
• No. 16 Virginia Defeats Virginia Tech, 10-5: The No. 16 Virginia women's lacrosse closed out the regular season with a 10-5 victory over Virginia Tech. Ten different Cavalier players scored a goal in the game including seniors Erin Laschinger and Caroline McTiernan, who had been recognized before the game in the annual Senior Day ceremony. UVa will be the No. 5 seed and face Duke in the first round of the 2013 ACC Women's Lacrosse Championships on Thursday.
• Cavalier Varsity Eight Wins Three Races as No. 3 Virginia Completes Action at Clemson Invitational: The No. 3 Virginia rowing team complete action at the Clemson Invitational Sunday (April 21) on Lake Hartwell in Clemson, S.C. The Cavaliers' top boat, the Varsity Eight, won three races over the weekend and defeated the top crews from six ranked teams.
• Lavender Wins 400m Title on Final Day of ACC Championships: Virginia sophomore Jordan Lavender won the women's 400m title during the final day of the 2013 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Cavalier women finished the meet tied for fourth, while the men finished the meet in sixth place. Lavender won the 400m in a time of 52.95, a new PR and the third fastest time in school history. Her victory was Virginia's second ACC championship of the meet. Catherine White won the women's 10000m title on Thursday night.
• Virginia Falls to NC State, 2-0: The Virginia softball team dropped the final game of a three-game series against NC State, 2-0, Sunday afternoon. The Wolfpack swept the series. UVa senior pitcher Melanie Mitchell only allowed four hits and recorded seven strikeouts in the complete game, but came away with the loss.
• Former Virginia Standout Will Bates Signed by Seattle Sounders FC: Former Virginia men's soccer standout Will Bates has signed a contract with Seattle Sounders FC, the club announced. Bates was selected by Sounders FC on Jan. 22 with the fifth overall selection in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft. He joined Sounders FC training in early February.

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

UVA Bookstore Outlet

Bargain hunters will love the UVA Bookstore outlet. Inventories in the outlet are limited so grab your deal before it is gone! Check back often as there will be new products every couple weeks.

Issue No. 340 - May 5, 2008

Dombrowski Named to College Football Hall of Fame
UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Release

The National Football Foundation announced last week that former Virginia offensive tackle Jim Dombrowski has been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame's class for 2008. He is one of 13 former players and two coaches who will be the newest inductees into the Hall.

Dombrowski will become the fourth Virginia player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The other players include (year inducted): HB Bill Dudley (1956), DE Tom Scott (1979), and MG Joe Palumbo (1999). Three former Cavalier head coaches are also enshrined in the Hall. That trio includes Earle "Greasy" Neale (1967), Frank Murray (1983), and George Welsh (2004).

Dombrowski and the other players selected for the Hall of Fame will be honored at the National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner in New York City on Dec. 9.

Dombrowski, from Williamsville, N.Y., anchored Virginia's offensive line for four straight seasons (1982-85) and finished his brilliant college football career as UVa's first-ever unanimous All-American. In addition, the tackle became only the fifth Cavalier player to have his number (73) retired. The two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (recognizing the ACC's best blocker) helped lead UVa to three straight winning seasons and a 27-24 victory over Purdue in the 1984 Peach Bowl. Following Virginia's 6-5 season in 1985, Dombrowski was named to All-America teams by The Associated Press, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Kodak, The Sporting News, United Press International, Walter Camp Foundation, and by Mizlou television network and Independent Insurance Agents.

Read SabreMail No. 340 here.

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: The Hoos played their annual Spring Game this month. Stay tuned for more articles about UVa's spring practice period and what the 2013 season may hold.
• Basketball In Review: Sabre Editor Kris Wright will take a look back at the Cavaliers' 2012-2013 season.
• Baseball Photos: Sabre Editor Kris Wright snapped some shots at a recent UVa-FSU baseball game.

In Case You Missed It

Recent Sabre articles ...

Hoos May Need More Offensive Pressure
The Virginia men's basketball team improved its overall number of wins for the fourth straight season under coach Tony Bennett. The squad finished 23-12 this season and wrapped up the year in the NIT Quarterfinals against Iowa. Eyeing areas for improvement with a roster that is expected to return nearly intact, one thing the Cavaliers can do better is put pressure on opposing defenses.

D-Line Emerges In Spring
The Virginia football team wrapped up spring practice this month as three new coordinators got their first chance to work with the Cavaliers. One group that turned heads this spring is the defensive line, thanks in part to the new approach of Jon Tenuta. Plus the front four for the defense have a special assistant for their position in head coach Mike London, who worked in the NFL as a D-Line coach. Here are some notes on Eli Harold and the defensive line.

Photo Gallery: Spring Game 2013
The Orange team prevailed 18-15 over the Blue team in the Virginia Spring Game at Scott Stadium. Brent Urban and the defenses stole the show with 14 sacks. Uncertainty remains around the starting quarterback job as David Watford, Greyson Lambert, and Phillip Sims compete for the top spot. Take a look at 84 images from the game in this free photo gallery.

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 Wahoo, then the Sabre Edge is right for you. Check it out!

• Sabre Edge Info and Sign Up