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   SabreMail - February 6, 2003
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   Recruiting News

Virginia lands second consecutive monster class

Coach Al Groh and his Tribe have done it again. They've landed a class every bit as important as the Top 10-rated class they chalked up last year. Although this class is not rated in the Top 10 nationally, it's still rated as one of the Top 20 classes. Coming off such an amazing recruiting effort last season, another class of this caliber makes the Cavaliers worthy of great things to come in the not so distant future.

Virginia recruited three main positions in this class: offensive line, linebacker and wide receiver. The Cavaliers nabbed two of the state's best offensive linemen in Marshall Ausberry (West Springfield, VA) and Eddie Pinigis (Forest, VA).

The Tribe looked outside the state to fill the other three offensive line positions. According to Head Football Coach Al Groh, the Cavaliers landed the number one offensive line recruit on their board, center Jordy Lipsey. With fifth-year senior Kevin Bailey graduating from the program next season, the Cavs desperately needed a top-rated center. They got exactly what they needed in Lipsey, a five star athlete who hails from Altamonte Springs, Florida.

Virginia went on to nab two other offensive line stars, Ian-Yates Cunningham from Lewisville, Texas and Gordon Sammis from Somerville, New Jersey. Groh stated yesterday in a news conference that these linemen can run well and are very athletic.

At linebacker, the Cavaliers cashed in big time. The biggest surprise came when Elizabethton, TN native Vince Redd chose the Hoos over Tennessee. This last-minute addition to the class helped shore up what was already an amazing class of linebackers. Virginia already had a commitment from Ahmad Brooks, the nation's best linebacker recruit last season and arguably the best overall player in the nation. While Brooks is considered part of last year's class, he won't officially be a freshman football player until the Cavs suit up this fall. While the recruiting rankings, for the most part, won't reflect his presence in this year's class, he will play and graduate with the players of this year's class.

Now consider that the Cavs landed Jermaine Dias (Hackensack, NJ) and Marvin Richardson (East Orange, NJ), and the Hoos look to have one of college football's best freshman linebacking corps. These players, alongside the likes of current UVa freshman Kai Parham and rising sophomore Darryl Blackstock, make for an interesting future for the Hoos at the linebacking position.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Cavaliers pretty much ignored the tailback position this season and focused a great deal on the receiver position. Virginia landed two of the state's best receivers in Shannon Lane (Virginia Beach) and Fontel Mines (Richmond). Lane is fast, and Groh considers him to be one of the fastest, if not THE fastest, recruit of the class. Mines has been favorably compared to recently-departed All American Billy McMullen. While Groh stated that Mines surpassing the achievements of McMullen might be a tall order, he did mention that Mines is taller, bigger and faster than McMullen. Keep an eye on this young man.

Virginia also sought wide receiver talent out of state, nabbing High Point, NC star Emmanuel Byers and Marlboro, MD receiver Deyon Williams (pronounced DAY-on). All of these receivers have excellent speed, something the Cavaliers have been missing at wideout for several years.

While the Tribe focused on these three positions, they did not ignore needs in other areas. Potomac, VA-based Keenan Carter, who initially committed to the Hoos last season, signed his letter yesterday after spending a year at Hargrave. Carter has the size and talent to play the all-too-important nose tackle position in Virginia's 3-4 defense. According to the weights published by Groh this week, Carter has apparently worked hard and shed much of the additional weight he gained after the end of his senior season. Charts now show Carter at 325 pounds, although Groh corrected that yesterday, stating that it was more like 328. Still, an enormous improvement from the 360+ pounds Carter was reported to be carrying when he arrived at Hargrave last year.

Perhaps one of the biggest catches of the class was the signing of the state's number one athlete (per TheSabre.com's A-list rankings), Philip Brown of Phoebus High School in Hampton. Brown is considered one of the top cover corners in the country. With Brown and last year's signee Marcus Hamilton, UVa now has two of the nation's best cover corners. Groh states that they will need development, but both are likely to play together for at least three years if they both contribute as sophomores. Hamilton redshirted last season, because the Cavaliers were already stacked at corner.

The Cavaliers landed another star defensive back in Virginia Beach safety Robbie Catterton. While Groh usually refuses to compare players, he could not help comparing the toughness, durability and ball awareness of Catterton to Tampa Bay's John Lynch. Catterton is definitely Groh's type of football player.

Virginia also nabbed one of the nation's top quarterbacks and one of the nation's top tight ends, both from Pennsylvania. Kevin McCabe (Wexford, PA) and Jonathan Stupar (State College, PA) were the top targets on Groh's recruiting board at those positions. McCabe will battle last year's signee Anthony Martinez for time as the signal caller once All-ACC QB Matt Schaub graduates. Stupar will likely be thrown in the mix early, alongside studs Heath Miller and Patrick Estes, forming what could be the nation's best tight end corps.

All in all, the Cavaliers landed a great class, the second in a row. Groh stated last year, and again yesterday, that if he could get three classes like this in a row, UVa would be able to compete with anyone on the field. Two down, one to go.

  • For the main list of UVa's signees, with links to their recruiting cards, click here.
  • Sabre Edge subscribers can get a more detailed report provided by Chris Horne here.
  • Within the next two weeks, look for an in-depth report on all of UVa's signees on the Sabre Edge. This report will include quotes from Coach Al Groh, the recruits, their high school coaches, as well as detailed information on each player. Stay tuned.
  • For access to the Sabre Edge, or to subscribe, please click here.
The 2003 Virginia Football Recruiting Class
Information provided by UVa Media Relations

Marshal Ausberry,  OL,  6-6, 318,  Springfield, VA
Allen Billyk,  DL,  6-4, 255,  New Castle, PA
Philip Brown,  DB,  5-11, 190,  Hampton, VA
Emmanuel Byers,  WR/DB,  5-9, 175,  High Point, NC
Keenan Carter,  DL,  6-3, 325,  Dumfries, VA
Robbie Catterton,  S,  6-2, 185,  Virginia Beach, VA
Ian-Yates Cunningham,  OL,  6-6, 309,  Plano, TX
Jermaine Dias,  LB,  6-3, 223,  Hackensack, NJ
Chris Johnson,  DL,  6-6, 265,  Charlottesville, VA
Shannon Lane,  WR/DB,  6-1, 185,  Virginia Beach, VA
Jordy Lipsey,  C,  6-3, 272,  Altamonte Springs, FL
Kevin McCabe,  QB,  6-3, 192,  Wexford, PA
Fontel Mines,  WR,  6-5, 205,  Richmond, VA
Eddie Pinigis,  OL,  6-7, 282,  Forest, VA
Danny Prentice,  FB/LB,  6-0, 228,  Oakton, VA
Vince Redd,  LB, 6-6, 243,  Elizabethton, TN
Marvin Richardson,  LB,  6-4, 219,  East Orange, NJ
Gordie Sammis,  OL,  6-4, 292,  Flemington, NJ
Jonathan Stupar,  TE,  6-5, 246,  State College, PA
James Terry,  RB/LB,  6-2, 215,  Stafford, VA
Deyon Williams,  WR,  6-3, 185,  Upper Marlboro, MD

Profiles of University of Virginia 2003 Football Signees
Links take you to individual profiles

Marshal Ausberry
Offensive line, 6-6, 318
Springfield, VA (West Springfield)

Mammoth offensive lineman . listed as the #27 guard in the country by Rivals100.com and #15 tackle in the nation by Tom Lemming . three stars by Rivals.com . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . All-Mid-Atlantic Coast region by Tom Lemming . #65 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . 16th-best player in Virginia by SuperPrep, #18 by Rivals.com and the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" . #19 in the state by the Roanoke Times . second-team Washington Post All-Met as a senior . All-Patriot District tackle as a senior . All-Conference selection as a junior . also plays center on his school's basketball team.

Allen Billyk
Defensive line, 6-4, 255
New Castle, PA (New Castle)

Four-year starter on both sides of the ball . has played defensive end, guard and tight end during his career . SuperPrep preseason All-American . rated the #27 strongside defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com . #38 defensive lineman by SuperPrep . 46th-best defensive end by Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com . #56 player in Midwest region by Rivals.com . All-East region by Tom Lemming . All-East region by PrepStar . #57 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . rated the 10th-best player in Pennsylvania by SuperPrep and 14th best by Rivals.com . 3-star rating by Rivals.com . first-team All-WPIAL his last three years . named to the Fabulous 22 All-Star team (top 22 players in the WPIAL) as a senior . Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" . Associated Press Big Schools (Class AAAA and AAA) all-state first team . first-team All-Parkway Conference (on both offense and defense) as a senior . had more than 50 tackles, including nine sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during his senior year . also caught 12 passes for 172 yards and averaged 38 yards as the team's punter . made 54 solo tackles, 85 assists, 11 sacks, 39 hurries, four fumbles caused and recovered five fumbles as a junior . first noticed by his high school coaches in the seventh grade when he started on offense and defense on his middle school team . plays power forward on the school's basketball team . played against prep phenom Lebron James in a regular season game in December . standout performer in field events for his school's track and field team.

Philip Brown
Cornerback, 5-11, 190
Hampton, VA (Phoebus)

Regarded as the top player in the state of Virginia by Rivals.com and on the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" . All-American by Tom Lemming . listed the fifth-best cornerback in the country by Borderwars.com and #8 by Rivals.com . preseason SuperPrep All-American and its #12 defensive back . PrepStar "Dream Team" . 13th-best cornerback by Tom Lemming and rated 18th by Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com . #56 player nationally by Rivals.com . 4-stars by Rivals.com . #9 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . the #2 prospect in Virginia by the Roanoke Times and TheInsiders.com, and the #3 player by SuperPrep . help his team win back-to-back state championships in his junior and senior years . first-team Group AAA All-State defensive back by the Associated Press as a senior and second-team All-State as a kick returner . intercepted seven passes and returned two for touchdowns as a senior . also had six kick returns (4 punts, 2 kickoffs) for touchdowns . 71 tackles and four interceptions as a junior en route to being Group AAA All-State and All-Region . also caught 30 passes for 915 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Emmanuel Byers
Wide receiver/Defensive back, 5-9, 175
High Point, NC (Ragsdale)

Four-year starter with 54 starts in his career . rated the #96 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . #70 wide receiver in the country by Rivals.com . 3-stars by Rivals.com . All-Mid-Atlantic Coast region by Tom Lemming . ranked the #15 player in North Carolina by BorderWars.com, 16th by SuperPrep and 18th by Rivals.com . named among the top players in North Carolina by the Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer . ranked 24th on the "Elite 101" by NCHSFootball.com . caught four passes for 62 yards in the North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl following his senior season . 35 catches for 495 yards and six touchdowns as a senior and earned all-conference honors . as a junior, had 52 receptions for 800 yards and 10 touchdowns, 47 tackles and seven interceptions . also returned three punts and a kickoff for scores . named all-conference and all-area that season . grew up in a house built into the fieldhouse at Simeon Stadium in High Point where his father worked as a groundskeeper .

Keenan Carter
Defensive line, 6-3, 325
Dumfries, VA (Potomac Senior, FUMA)

Prepped this past season at Fork Union Military Academy . six sacks on the year . also recovered two fumbles while starring at nose tackle . saw some action as a fullback and scored twice . PrepStar All-American during his senior season at Potomac H.S. in 2001 . listed as the 18th-best player in Virginia that season by SuperPrep . 4-star defensive tackle by Rivals.com . Associated Press first-team Group AAA All-State . expected to play nose tackle in UVa's 3-4 defense . recorded more than 300 tackles in his career, including 42 tackles for loss and 38 sacks . seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a junior . team won district championship as a junior and advanced to state playoffs as a senior . first-team All-Met, District, and Region as a junior and senior.

Robbie Catterton
Safety, 6-2, 185
Virginia Beach, VA (Kellam)

One of the top high school safeties . #27 safety nationally by Rivals.com . Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com lists him as the #8 free safety in the country . #61 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . 3-star rating by Rivals.com . ranked the #10 prospect in Virginia by SuperPrep, 11th by Rivals.com and the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List", and 14th by the Roanoke Times . first-team All-Tidewater and All-Beach District defensive back as a senior . second-team All-Beach wide receiver . was his team's second-leading tackler . in a game against Green Run during his senior season he touched the ball three times and scored three touchdowns-fumble return, interception return and rushing-and had two sacks . had 115 tackles, assisted on 53 others, had six interceptions and forced three fumbles during his junior year . also caught 17 passes for 350 yards . as a sophomore, he had 500 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns on offense and 101 tackles, four interceptions and three forced fumbles . is also a standout baseball player.

Ian-Yates Cunningham
Offensive line, 6-6, 309
Plano, TX (Hebron)

Highly regarded offensive lineman . played both guard and tackle during his career . SuperPrep All-American . PrepStar All-American . ranked as the #6 offensive lineman in the country by SuperPrep and #10 by Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com and StudentSports.com . 4-Star rating by Rivals.com . second-team All-American by TheInsiders.com . #64 player in the country on TheInsiders.com's "Hot 100" list . ranked #9 among the nation's guards by Max Emfinger and #14 by Rivals.com . listed as the country's 13th-best offensive tackle by Tom Lemming and 17th by Collegefootballnews.com . #52 player in Midlands region by Rivals.com . All-Southwest region by Tom Lemming . first-team All-Heartland and the 25th-best player in the region by TheInsiders.com . #7 player in Texas by SuperPrep . regarded as the 35th-best player, fourth offensive lineman, in Texas by the Dallas Morning New and Rivals.com . #4 offensive lineman in the Midlands region by SuperPrep . #11 player in Texas by LoneStarRecruiting.com . rated the 14th-best player, second offensive lineman, in the Dallas area by Dallas Morning News and Rivals.com . played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio following his senior season . outstanding senior season when he graded at 93 percent for the year . first-team All-State by the Associated Press . class AAAA all-state, all-area, all-country and all-district as a senior offensive tackle and second-team all-district as a defensive lineman . finalist for class AAAA offensive player of the year honors, the only lineman among five finalists . first-team All-Area by the Dallas Morning News . all-district on offense and defense as a junior when he made 38 tackles, including 12 for loss, caused three fumbles, had 10 pressures and two pass deflections, and two blocked kicks . all-district as a sophomore in Hebron's first varsity season . announced his intentions to attend UVa during a Tom Lemming chat on ESPN.com . his grandparents live in Richmond . related to tennis legend, the late Arthur Ashe.

Jermaine Dias
Linebacker, 6-3, 223
Hackensack, NJ (Hackensack)

Four-year starter . Tom Lemming All-American . PrepStar All-American . SuperPrep preseason All-American . #74 player in the nation by SuperPrep .nation's #4 linebacker by SuperPrep . the ninth-best linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com and by Tom Lemming . 4-Star player by Rivals.com . nation's #24 defensive end by TheInsiders.com . #19 prospect in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . All-Northeast region by G&W Recruiting Report . #5 player in the state of New Jersey according to Rivals.com and #6 by SuperPrep . two-time all-state selection . led his team in tackles with 116, including 19 sacks, as a senior . 86 tackles with 12 sacks his junior year, while earning third-team all-state honors . also caused five fumbles that season.

Chris Johnson
Defensive line, 6-6, 265
Charlottesville, VA (Charlottesville)

Local product . one of the top players in the state . ranked as the 22nd-best player in Virginia by the Roanoke Times, 24th by SuperPrep, 25th by the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" and #27 by Rivals.com . honorable mention All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . was double- and triple-teamed throughout and outstanding senior season and was named Central Virginia Defensive Player of the Year by the Charlottesville Daily Progress . had more than 10 sacks and was named Jefferson District Defensive Player of the Year and second-team all-region as a senior . first-team All-Central Virginia by the Daily Progress as a junior and senior . his team allowed just 82 points in posting a 10-1 record during his senior year . his father, Eric, attended UVa.

Shannon Lane
Wide receiver/Defensive back, 6-1, 185
Virginia Beach, VA (Salem)

SuperPrep preseason All-American wide receiver who was listed as their #17 wide receiver prospect in the country . #38 wide receiver in the country by Rivals100.com . 3-stars by Rivals.com . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . All-Mid-Atlantic Coast region by Tom Lemming . ranked 41st in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . ranked fourth in Virginia by SuperPrep, sixth by Rivals.com and the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" and ninth by the Roanoke Times . caught 53 passes for 856 yards and seven touchdowns and was honorable mention All-Beach District as a senior . defensively he made 40 tackles, including five sacks, and intercepted two passes . as a junior he caught 15 passes for 329 yards and seven touchdowns while attending Princess Anne H.S. . also had seven interceptions as a junior . 29 of his 102 career receptions were touchdowns . intercepted 12 passes during his career . caught 12 passes in one game as a senior to set a city record.

Jordy Lipsey
Center, 6-3, 272
Altamonte Springs, FL (Lake Brantley)

Regarded as the top center prospect in the nation . PrepStar "Dream Team" . SuperPrep All-American . All-American by Tom Lemming . first-team All-American by TheInsiders.com/CNNSI.com . #1 offensive lineman in the nation by Max Emfinger . #18 player in the country on TheInsiders.com's "Hot 100" list . #48 prospect in the country, #5 offensive lineman, by Collegefootballnews.com . #88 player nationally by Rivals100.com . 4-Star rating by Rivals.com . #1 center in the nation according to BorderWars.com and Rivals.com . #1 offensive lineman on the BorderWars.com 101 team . ranked as the nation's second-best offensive lineman by SuperPrep . fourth-best lineman by StudentSports.com . 10th-best center/guard prospect by Tom Lemming . #68 player in the country by Rivals.com . first-team All-South by Fox Sports Net South . All-Southeast region by PrepStar . #32 prospect in Southeast region by Rivals.com . #7 prospect in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel . ninth in Florida, top offensive lineman, by SuperPrep and 14th by Rivals.com . All-Central Florida Player of the Year and first-team All-Central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel . graded at 93.5 percent for his career and had 143 pancake blocks, including more than 80 as a junior . his brothers Jayson and Jess preceded him as standout players at Lake Brantley . Jayson played football at Washington & Lee and graduated in 2001, while Jess was a junior nose guard there this past season.

Kevin McCabe
Quarterback, 6-3, 192
Wexford, PA (Pine-Richland)

PrepStar "Dream Team" selection who is one of the most highly-regarded quarterbacks in the country . SuperPrep All-American . All-American by Tom Lemming . #5 ProStyle quarterback nationally by Rivals100.com . listed as the nation's #15 quarterback by SuperPrep, Tom Lemming and Collegefootballnews.com, ranked 20th by TheInsiders.com . regarded as the 78th-best prospect in the country by Rivals100.com . 4-Stars by Rivals.com . #12 player in Midwest region and #15 in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . #2 player in Pennsylvania by Rivals.com and 11th by SuperPrep . named to the "Fabulous 22" All-Star team (top 22 players in the WPIAL) as a junior and senior . was the only junior on the team in 2001 . named Associated Press Big Schools (Class AAAA and AAA) all-state first team as a senior . named to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" his senior year . had a superb senior season, completing 123 of 196 passes (.628) for 2,179 yards and 30 touchdowns in leading his team to a school-record 12 wins and the WPIAL Class AAA final . also named All-Section his sophomore and junior years . completed 79 of 131 for 1053 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior . completed 86 of 196 attempts for 1115 yards and eight touchdowns in his first year as a starter in 10th grade . didn't play football until the ninth grade . finished his career with 288 completions in 523 attempts for 4,347 yards and 51 touchdowns . his father, Joe, played at Penn State in the mid-70s.

Fontel Mines
Wide Receiver, 6-5, 205
Richmond, VA (Hermitage)

Big target at wide receiver . #15 wide receiver in the nation by BorderWars.com, #42 by Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com and #61 by Rivals100.com . listed as the 66th-best wide receiver prospect in the country by SuperPrep . 3-Star rating by Rivals.com . All-Mid-Atlantic Coast region by Tom Lemming . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . #55 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . among the top players in the state of Virginia . #13 by Rivals.com and the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" . the 15th-best player in the state by the Roanoke Times, and the 22nd-best by SuperPrep . first-team Group AAA All-State selection by Associated Press and the coaches association, first-team All-Central Region, All-Metro, and All-District as a senior . had 37 receptions for 674 yards and 10 touchdowns that season and was named his team's most valuable player . caught 29 passes for 512 yards and 10 touchdowns and intercepted four passes as a safety his junior year . starter on his school's basketball team.

Eddie Pinigis
Offensive line, 6-7, 282
Forest, VA (Jefferson Forest)

Mammoth offensive lineman . rated the #63 offensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com . listed as the #71 offensive lineman in the land by Max Emfinger and TheInsiders.com . 3-star player by Rivals.com . All-Mid-Atlantic Coast region by Tom Lemming . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . #90 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . #16 player in Virginia on the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List" . also 16th in the state by Rivals.com, #21 by SuperPrep and #25 by the Roanoke Times . first-team Group AA All-State as a senior . named a first-team All-District, All-Region, and All-Area as a junior . has an 83-inch arm span . uncle Calvert Jones was an offensive lineman at Virginia Tech in the early-90s.

Danny Prentice
Fullback/Linebacker, 6-0, 228
Oakton, VA (Oakton)

Four-year starter . PrepStar All-Atlantic region . ranked the #40 player in Virginia by both the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Silver List" and Rivals.com . #42 in the state according to the Roanoke Times . Washington Post first-team All-Met linebacker his senior year . who helped lead his team to the state title game this past season when he was named a Group AAA first-team all-state linebacker by both the coaches association and Associated Press . two-time first-team All-Northern Region and Concorde District linebacker . Fairfax Sun Gazette Defensive Player of the Year and first-team Sun Gazette all-area linebacker his last two seasons . had more than 130 tackles as a senior, including five sacks and an interception . had 102 tackles, seven sacks and nine tackles for loss as a junior . also rushed for 452 yards and averaged 7.5 yards per carry that season . is also a starter on his school's basketball team.

Vince Redd
Linebacker, 6-6, 243
Elizabethton, TN (Elizabethton)

PrepStar All-American . Listed as the #12 defensive end nationally by Tom Lemming . #13 strongside defensive end by Rivals.com . Rivals.com 4-Star player . Border Wars Top 101 #10 defensive end . nation's #23 defensive end by TheInsiders.com . #63 player in the Southeast region by Rivals.com . the #2 prospect in Tennessee according to Rivals.com . All-Southern by the Orlando Sentinel . third-team All-South by Fox Sports Net South . 104 tackles and scored seven touchdowns in a variety of ways (caught three, returned two fumbles, a kickoff and an interception) his senior year . Class AAAA All-State as a junior . is also a standout on his school's basketball team and averages in double figures.

Marvin Richardson
Linebacker, 6-4, 219
East Orange, NJ (Bishop Francis)

All-East region linebacker by PrepStar . All-East region by Tom Lemming . #55 outside linebacker nationally by Rivals.com and a 3-star player . listed as the #33 player in New Jersey by SuperPrep . recorded more than 100 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior . also a standout basketball player, who was named honorable mention all-area as a junior . hurdler and sprinter on school's track team.

Gordie Sammis
Offensive line, 6-4, 292
Flemington, NJ (Immaculata)

All-East region by PrepStar . All-East region by Tom Lemming . ranked the 36th-best guard in the country by Rivals100.com . #74 offensive lineman nationally by Max Emfinger/TheInsiders.com . #86 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . 3-stars by Rivals.com . ranked the 19th-best player in New Jersey by SuperPrep . played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio . first-team all-area his senior season . had 60 pancake blocks as a junior and was named Parochial all-state, all-county, all-area and all-conference.

Jonathan Stupar
Tight end, 6-5, 246
State College, PA (State College Area)

One of the country's top tight end prospects . SuperPrep All-American . PrepStar "Dream Team" . All-American by Tom Lemming . ranked as the nation's #3 tight end by SuperPrep, #6 by both Tom Lemming and Rivals.com, and eighth by Max Emfinger of TheInsiders.com . #86 player in the country by Rivals100.com and 92nd by Tom Lemming . 4-Stars by Rivals.com . #94 overall in country by Collegefootballnews.com . #15 player in Midwest region by Rivals.com . #17 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . second-best player in Pennsylvania according to SuperPrep and #4 by Rivals.com . played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio . named to the Associated Press Big Schools (Class AAAA and AAA) all-state first team as a senior when he set a school record with 45 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns . also made 75 tackles on defense . he led team in receiving as a junior with 30 catches for 360 yards and eight touchdowns, while recording 75 tackles, seven sacks, and 12 tackles for loss . all-conference his last two years . announced his intentions to attend UVa during a Tom Lemming chat on ESPN.com . his father, Steve, played at Penn State in the late 70s . nephew of former NFL quarterback Jeff Hostetler . also plays basketball . averaged in double figures and led the team in rebounding as a junior in helping his school advance to the second round of the state playoffs.

James Terry
Running back/Linebacker, 6-2, 215
Stafford, VA (Woodbridge)

Bruising runner . All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . #38 running back in the country by Rivals.com and #100 by TheInsiders.com . #98 player in the Atlantic East region by Rivals.com . 3-Stars by Rivals.com . one of the top players in Virginia . ranked 11th by the Roanoke Times, 12th by Rivals.com and the Charlottesville Daily Progress "Gold List," and 17th by SuperPrep . second-team Group AAA All-State selection as a linebacker . rushed for over 700 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing four games as a junior and recorded 70 tackles on defense . earned first-team all-region and all-district honors as a linebacker that season.

Deyon Williams
Wide Receiver, 6-3, 185
Upper Marlboro, MD (Suitland)

Dynamic athlete . listed as the 13th-best player in the Mid-Atlantic region by SuperPrep . ranked 97th nationally among wide receivers by TheInsiders.com . 3-Stars by Rivals.com . honorable mention All-Atlantic region by PrepStar . #15 player in Maryland by Rivals.com . first-team Washington Post All-Met and first-team All-County by the Prince George's Journal as a senior when he caught 35 passes for 689 yards and seven touchdowns . also scored touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return to help lead Suitland to the county title in its first postseason appearance in three years . caught 23 passes for 410 yards and five touchdowns as a junior at Bishop McNamara H.S. . also a standout defensive back who intercepted two passes that season while making 47 tackles . standout track performer . won three events (55 hurdles, high jump, long jump with meet record 23'2") during the county indoor track and field championships his senior year . was named the Athlete of the Year by the Prince George's Journal as a junior for outdoor track and field after winning county titles in 110m hurdles and the long jump; regional titles in 110m hurdles, 300m hurdles and high jump and a state title in the 300m hurdles . was also a first-team choice on the Prince George's Journal 2002 All-County Indoor Track and Field Team after winning the state title in the 55m hurdles.

   Sabre Edge

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Every month, Sabre Edge provides you with exclusive articles, columns, special features, interviews and recruiting news, including weekly 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 online purchases through TheSabreShop.com during your subscription.

Still not convinced? Well, we've made it even easier for you to subscribe. We offer three subscription options, including a yearly rate of $34.95, a quarterly rate of $10.95 and a 'what the heck is this thing all about' monthly rate of $4.95. So, if you're unsure, check us out for a month and see what we are offering.

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

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   News, Rumors and Fan Discussion

This week ...

CavTalk to feature Coach Al Groh tonight

CavTalk returns to its normal schedule tonight (Thursday) and will air 7:00-9:00 PM. Tonight's feature guest will be Head Coach Al Groh. Groh will discuss the 2003 recruiting class.

Also joining Greg Waters and Mike Andrews in the studio will be college football analyst Gary Criswell. There will also be a chat with Rivals.com's Mike Farrell.

CavTalk will also take a look ahead at Virginia's matchup with Maryland and NC State in their Hard Core Hoops segment with Curt Spear. Broadcast information in the link below.

Please use the link below to access the CavTalk home page with link to the live broadcast. If you miss tonight's show, be sure to check back tomorrow for the archived broadcast.

Virginia hoops drops another road game

The Hoos added to their road woes last Saturday when they were thumped 80-60 by Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

The Cavs turned the ball over 12 times in the first half and 19 times for the game. The Yellow Jackets converted those turnovers into 25 points.

One of the only bright spots for the Hoos was Todd Billet, who drained several three pointers to try and bring Virginia back into the game. Billet scored a team-high 19 points and nailed 5 of 11 three pointers. Unfortunately, Billet did not get a good enough effort by the rest of the team to make a difference.

For post game articles and stats, please refer to GT Game News.

Jenifer suspended indefinitely
UVa Media Relations Official Release

University of Virginia men's head basketball coach Pete Gillen has announced that sophomore guard Keith Jenifer is suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. He will not practice or play in games during the suspension.

The 6-3 Jenifer (Baltimore, Md.) has started 14 games and played in all 19 of the Cavaliers' games this season. He leads the team in assists with 104 (5.5 apg.), and is averaging 5.6 points and 3.5 rebounds a game.

Jenifer played in all 29 games and started 15 for UVa as a freshman last season. He averaged 4.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds a game, and was an honorable mention selection to the 2002 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team.

Hoops team hopes for road win tonight

In perhaps the toughest road task for the Cavaliers this season, the Hoos will travel to College Park Thursday night for a 9:00 PM contest against 8th-ranked Maryland.

The Terrapins are on a roll, winning ten of their last eleven contests, including six of seven wins over ACC competition. The Terps are now leading the ACC with a 6-1 record.

The recent suspension of point guard Keith Jenifer could play an important role in tonight's game. Fans and the media will likely see more of Majestic Mapp, a player who everyone on the planet has asked to see more of lately, to no avail. Without Jenifer in the lineup, will Mapp get more minutes? Wait a minute. Perhaps the question should read, "Will Mapp get 'quality' minutes?"

When Mapp is on the court when it matters, as he was against Wake Forest, Virginia seems to respond well. Even when he was put in late against Georgia Tech, he made an immediate difference in the game, but it was too late for the Cavaliers at that point. Here's to actually seeing Mapp start a game for once. What could that hurt? UVa hasn't won a road game against significant competition since Mapp was in diapers. (Just kidding.) Mapp was actually on the court when UVa defeated UNC in Chapel Hill a few years ago, the first time UVa had ever won in that building.

For notes on tonight's game, as well as post game articles and stats, please refer to the basketball schedule page.

   What's New at TheSabre.com

Sabre Edge introduces another new feature

Sabre Edge subscribers, you now have access to our exclusive photography. Every game that we shoot photos for, you will have access to the best of all of those shots within a day or two of the game's completion. Please use the link below to view photos from the North Carolina, Wake Forest and Florida State basketball games.

We also plan to submit many of the photos we took during the 2002 football season. We will make an announcement as soon as those photos are uploaded.

Exclusive Photo Gallery (Edge subscribers only)

Sabre Edge subscribers get CavTalk archives

Sabre Edge subscribers, you can now access CavTalk's archives through the Sabre Edge. If you miss a show, not to worry. As an Edge subscriber, you now have access to the most recent archives of CavTalk's shows.

CavTalk Archives

 
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