Track & Field: Hoos wrap up successful weekend at Duke Invitational
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field programs closed out competition at the Duke Invitational at Morris Williams Track & Field Stadium in Durham on Saturday, as Alex Sherman won the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
- Alex Sherman won the men’s 400-meter hurdles competition in a season-best time of 50.51. He was not far off his personal best which stands at 50.34 from the ACC Outdoor Championships last season.
- Just behind Sherman was Gage Gose in second place with a new personal best time of 51.12. Gose’s time ranks sixth all-time in program history.
- Maya Rollins finished runner-up in the women’s 100-meter hurdles clocking a wind-legal 13.45 (+1.0).
- Ariel Fletcher ran her way to a new personal best in the women’s 400-meters crossing the line in 54.69. Fletcher betters her previous best of 54.80 and lowers her program No.9 time.
- Sarah Akpan finished inside the top 10 in the women’s 200-meter dash crossing the line in 23.88.
- Brooke’Lyn Drakeford completed the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 1:02.65.
- In the women’s pole vault, Samantha Romano cleared 4.12m/13-6.35 to finish fourth in the field.
- Caleb Holman recorded a top 10 finish in the men’s triple jump. The freshman finished seventh with his third-round mark of 14.46m/47-5.25.
- In the men’s pole vault, Justin Rogers cleared 4.82m/15-9.75.
THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS
- Annika Kelly won the women’s hammer throw with her second-round throw of 63.45m/208-2.
- Kelly was not too far off her Virginia record of 63.71m/212-3 from the 2025 Raleigh Relays.
- In her first hammer throw competition of the season, Estel Valeanu threw her way into the record books on her third appearance in the ring.
- Valeanu threw a new personal-best 58.97m/193-5 to finish third in the field and rank fifth all-time in program history.
- On his fifth attempt in the men’s hammer throw, Keyandre Davis recorded a new personal best of 63.53m/208-5 to finish third overall (second among collegiate athletes) and better his Virginia No.8 mark.
- Just behind Davis was John Fay in fourth place, third among collegiate athletes, with his mark of 63.47m/208-3.
- Also in the men’s hammer throw, Mark Cyr threw a new personal best of 60.11m/197-2 to better his Virginia freshman No.3 mark. Cyr finished eighth in the competition, seventh among collegiate athletes.
- Henry Sullivan began competition in the men’s decathlon at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C. After the first day of competition, Sullivan sits in fourth place with 3383 points.
- In the first event of the competition, Sullivan recorded a third-place finish in the 100-meter dash in a new personal-best 11.08.
- In the long jump, Sullivan leapt out to a new outdoor personal best 5.92m/19-5.25 on his third and final attempt of the competition.
- After three attempts, Sullivan’s best mark of 12.67m/41-7 was good for second place in the shot put.
- In the high jump, Sullivan cleared 1.72m/5-7.75 to finish in eighth place.
- Sullivan capped off the first day of competition with a new personal best of 51.12 for 400-meters to finish in third place.
FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
- Estel Valeanu won the discus throw and shot put on the second day of competition in Durham, N.C.
- Valeanu broke the meet record and facility record in the discus with her fourth round throw of 55.59m/182-4. With her mark, she moves up to No.3 all-time in program history and ranks fifth in the ACC this season.
- The previous meet record and facility record stood at 54.92m/180-2 set by Allison Randall (Unattached) in 2016.
- Later in the day, Valeanu won the women’s shot put competition throwing for 15.29m/50-2 on her fifth-round attempt.
- In the men’s discus throw, Jeremiah Nubbe bested the field on his fourth appearance throwing for 54.62m/179-2.
- Scoring a new personal best of 6361 points, Henry Sullivan finished third in the men’s decathlon section B at the Duke Invitational.
- Sullivan kick started the second day of competition with a runner-up performance in the 110-meter hurdles crossing the line in 14.84.
- In the discus, Sullivan threw for 27.72m/90-11 to finish in 10th place.
- Sullivan cleared 4.20m/13-9.25 to finish fourth in the pole vault competition
- On his second attempt in the javelin throw, Sullivan threw 42.50m/139-5 which was good for sixth place in the field.
- In the final event of the multi, Sullivan clocked 5:03.88 for 1500-meters to finish in fifth place.
- Maya Rollins secured a time qualifying position to the final in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Rollins crossed the line in 13.83 to finish sixth overall.
- The final of the women’s 110-meter hurdles is set for Saturday, April 12 at 12:40 p.m.
- In the men’s 100-meter dash, Peter Djan finished 24th with his time of 10.80.
- Heldi Valikaj rounded out the top 10 finishers in the men’s long jump with his first-round mark of 6.92m/22-8.50.
ROBINSON WINS DECATHLON AT CARL KIGHT INVITATIONAL
- Ethan Robinson won the men’s decathlon scoring a total of 7531 points. His points total ranks second in the ACC and seventh in the NCAA this season.
- Robinson began the second day of competition with a first-place finish in the 110m hurdles crossing the line in 14.37.
- In the discus throw, Robinson recorded a fifth-place finish throwing for 34.38m/112-10.
- Clearing 4.85m/15-11, Robinson notched a new personal-best in the event to finish in first place.
- Of the five bars Robinson cleared in the pole vault competition, four were cleared on his first attempt at each height.
- Robinson won the javelin competition on his third and final throw where he launched one out 50.55m/165-10.
- In the final event of the two-day competition, Robinson ran his way to a fifth-place finish in the 1500-meters crossing the line in 4:58.92.
Virginia lands Irvine’s Tillis; Kyle Guy to Nevada
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UCI Athletics
Virginia began filling out its new frontcourt on Friday night when former UC Irvine stretch forward Devin Tillis announced his commitment to the Cavaliers.
The 6-foot-7 Los Angeles native has improved his numbers in each of his four years of college basketball, and comes to UVA with one year of eligibility remaining.
Tillis’ numbers jumped from his junior to senior year with the Anteaters, from 9.7 points to 13.7 points per game and from 6.1 rebounds to 7.8 boards per outing. Plus, this past season with Irvine, he shot 53.3 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from the 3-point arc, while posting seven 20-plus-point games and seven double-doubles.
One thing is for sure, Ryan Odom and his staff are gaining commitments from players who can shoot the ball, including from the 3-point arc.
As a sophomore, Tillis averaged 7.3 points per game and 6.2 rebounds at Irvine, good enough to lead his team in rebounding (206), the seventh-best in the Big West.
Tillis joins Silas Barksdale in the UVA frontcourt.
In other UVA recruiting news:
- Virginia hosted Kansas freshman guard Rakease Passmore on Friday.
- Florida State’s 6-11 forward/center Malique Ewin, said he is down to five schools: Virginia, Auburn, Kansas, Arkansas and Mississippi State.
- Former UVA forward Elijah Saunders was scheduled to visit Maryland this weekend, but Saunders also noted that he was seriously considering a return to Virginia.
- It didn’t take former UVA star Kyle Guy long to find a new job. The University of Nevada announced Friday night that it had hired Guy as an assistant coach. Guy posted earlier this week that he was leaving his job at Virginia as athlete development mentor/special assistant after one year on the job. “I’m beyond excited for a fresh start working with another Hall of Fame coach,” Guy said. “I appreciate Coach Alford and the staff for this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to contribute and help take this program to new heights.” The Wolfpack is coached by Steve Alford, in his sixth season at Nevada, and is 11th among all active Division I coaches in career wins (683), including a stint at UCLA. Alford led Indiana to the 1987 NCAA championship as a player for Bob Knight and, like Guy, is a former Indiana Mr. Basketball. Both Guy and Isaiah Wilkins were offered to remain on with Ryan Odom’s new Virginia program in similar roles that they held last season, but both declined. Odom confirmed that point on Friday.
Men’s Tennis: No. 6 Hoos take care of Hokies, 5-2, in regular-season finale
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photos: UVA Athletics
The No. 6 Virginia men’s tennis team picked up a 5-2 victory against Virginia Tech on Friday on the indoor courts of the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
The Cavaliers (17-6, 9-4 ACC) won the doubles point and took the first five singles courts in straight sets to jump out to a 5-0 lead before the Hokies (10-14, 2-11) picked up victories in three sets on courts four and six.
Junior Mans Dahlberg won the clinching point on court five. Dahlberg and Dietrich clinched the doubles point on court one.
With the victory, the Cavaliers finish the regular season with a 17-6 record and a 9-4 mark in conference play.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Freshman Rafael Jodar won his 15th consecutive singles match. He has not dropped a match since the first dual match of the season on January 16. He finishes his first season in ACC play with a perfect 8-0 record
- Virginia Tech is ranked No. 68 in the latest ITA team rankings
- Virginia holds a 63-9 record in the series
- Grad student James Hopper was recognized in the pre-match Senior Day ceremony
SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH
- The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions.
- The Cavaliers pick up one point in the Clash with the win to extend their lead to 10-6 over the Hokies
UP NEXT
The postseason kicks off with the ACC Championships (see bracket below), being held April 16-20 at Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C.
VIRGINIA 5, VIRGINIA TECH 2
Singles
1. #7 Rafael Jodar (VA) def. Maxime St. Hilaire (VT) 6-4, 6-2
2. #21 Dylan Dietrich (VA) def. Ilyas Fahim (VT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
3. Keegan Rice (VA) def. Scott Sculley (VT) 6-1, 6-3
4. Alberto Orso (VT) def. James Hopper (VA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. Mans Dahlberg (VA) def. Eyal Shumilov (VT) 6-2, 6-4
6. Victor Kimpel (VT) def. Stiles Brockett (VA) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
Doubles
1. #33 Dylan Dietrich/Mans Dahlberg (VA) def. #49 Matt Harper/Alberto Orso (VT) 6-2
2. #24 James Hopper/Keegan Rice (VA) def. Scott Sculley/Ilyas Fahim (VT) 6-2
3. Rafael Jodar/Roy Horovitz (VA) def. Frank Thompson/Maxime St. Hilaire (VT) 5-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1,3,5,2,4,6)
Oklahoma guard Miles decommits from Virginia
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: Oklahoma Sooners
According to sources, Virginia commit Duke Miles has decommitted from the program as of Friday.
Miles, a 6-2 guard from Oklahoma who has one year of eligibility remaining, has backed out of his commitment with UVA. He led the Sooners in 3-point shooting last season at a 43-percent clip.
Our spies tell us that Miles was advised by his agent to ask for even a bigger NIL package than he originally agreed to and that the Miles camp wasn’t none too happy that Virginia gained a commitment on Thursday (a day after Miles committed) from BYU transfer guard Dallin Hall.
Miles previously played at High Point and Troy.
Odom confirms Guy & Wilkins could have stayed
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo by Nikolozi Khutsishvili
Virginia coach Ryan Odom confirmed on a Zoom call with VAF members on Friday that both Kyle Guy and Isaiah Wilkins were both offered opportunities to stay on the Cavaliers basketball staff in similar roles to what they had, but both declined.
There had been a lot of conjecture in Wahoo Nation the past week about Guy and Wilkins, both beloved figures in Cavalier basketball history.
Both Guy and Wilkins announced via social media that neither were returning to Odom’s staff. Odom has unjustly received criticism for not electing to keep the former Cavaliers on his staff.
What Guy and Wilkins didn’t say is that they were both given opportunities to stay on the staff and chose to pursue other jobs. According to sources close to the program, the two staff members were offered to remain in similar roles that they held under Tony Bennett and Ron Sanchez, but both declined, with Odom confirming that report Friday.
Guy, who retired from playing professional basketball and returned to UVA last summer to work on his degree, held the title of Athlete Development Mentor/Special Assistant, a position that Bennett created in the program just so Guy could return. Wilkins was an assistant coach the last two seasons after two previous years as a grad assistant.
Details for Saturday’s Blue-White Spring Game announced
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The annual Blue-White Virginia Spring game is set for Saturday at noon in Scott Stadium. Admission to the game is free and open to the public. The game will be nationally televised on ACC Network.
GAME COVERAGE
The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network and can streamed live on the ESPN App and ESPN.com.
GAMEDAY TIMELINE
9:30 a.m. – Fan Fest (East Parking Lot)
10:30 a.m. – Equipment Sale Pre-Sale Opens (East Gate)
10:45 a.m. – Wahoo Walk (Southeast Gate)
11:00 a.m. – Gates Open, Equipment Sale Opens for General Public
12:05 p.m. – Kickoff
Post-Game – Autographs with UVA Football Team
PARKING
Parking is free in surrounding Scott Stadium and John Paul Jones Arena lots.
GAME FORMAT
The Virginia football team has been divided into two teams, blue and white. The two teams will compete in a regular game with 15-minute quarters. Halftime will be 12 minutes. Special teams coordinator and running backs coach Keith Gaither will be the head coach of the white team while run game coordinator/offensive line coach Terry Heffernan will be the head coach of the blue team.
BLUE/WHITE ROSTER LINK:
https://storage.googleapis.com/virginiasports-com/2025/04/2025-UVA-Football-Spring-Game-Rosters.pdf
EQUIPMENT SALE
The annual UVA equipment sale will take place prior to the start of the game on the east side of the stadium. Fans can enter using the stadium’s East Gate. The sale includes used official Virginia licensed merchandise and authentic football jerseys ($75). The sale will be CARD ONLY, no cash will be accepted.
Season ticket members will receive exclusive early access to the event at 10:30 a.m. by showing their CavCard. All season ticket members can access their CavCard by logging into their ticket account and downloading the pass. The sale will be open to the general public from 11-12 p.m.
FAN FEST & POSTGAME AUTOGRAPHS
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for a pregame fan fest with inflatables, vendors, live music, tailgate games and more. Following the contest, players will be available on the field for a Meet the Team event and autograph session presented by UVA Orthopedics.
FREE ADMISSION TO BASEBALL/SOFTBALL GAMES
Fans who attend the Spring Game will receive free admission to UVA’s baseball (4 p.m.) and softball (2 p.m.) games scheduled for later that day as inventory allows. To take advantage of this offer, fans will use a digital code/web link provided at Scott Stadium that will be redeemable for contests at Disharoon/Palmer Park.
SELECT YOUR SEAT
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., representatives from the Virginia ticket office will be at fan fest to assist fans in selecting their seats for the 2025 season. Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets the select a seat event are permitted to enter the stadium early to look at seats but must be accompanied by sales team personnel. Available season tickets in the stadium will be tagged with blue UVA chairbacks in various seating areas around the stadium
Once gates open at 11 a.m., those seeking assistance with renewals and new season ticket purchases are encouraged to visit the sales table inside East Gate.
Fans that purchase new season tickets at the spring game are eligible to receive the following benefits:
- Early access to the equipment sale before the general public at 11am
- Name on the videoboard during the game as a welcome to the UVA football family
- Ability to watch the spring game on the field after completing your purchase for new season tickets (nobody under the age of 12 will be permitted on the field)
For additional information, call or text the ticket office (434) 924-UVA1.
Women’s Tennis: No. 7 UVA concludes regular season with 4-0 win over Hokies
By Colin Moore
JerryRatcliffe.com correspondent
Photos: UVA Athletics
The No. 7 Virginia women’s tennis team concluded the regular season with an impressive victory against Virginia Tech, 4-0, on Thursday afternoon on the indoor courts at Boar’s Head Resort.
The Cavaliers (16-4, 8-2 ACC) secured the initial point in the match as they won two of the three doubles matches with the last one unfinished.
Martina Genis Salas and Annabelle Xu won their doubles match with a score of 6-3. The Hoos went on to win all three singles matches, securing them the victory against the Hokies (13-11, 2-10) in their regular-season finale.
Virginia Tech battled, but the Hoos’ firepower and finesse was too much for the visitors to combat.
Seniors Elaine Chervinsky and Melodie Collard both went unbeaten in the afternoon, as they teamed up for their doubles victory and also took care of business in singles. They won their doubles match 6-3, and both convincingly beat their opponents in singles as well.
Grad student Sara Ziodato finished up the match and secured the win for the Cavaliers with her victory, 6-0, 6-2.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
- The Cavaliers improve to 45-5 all-time against Virginia Tech, winning their 29th straight against the Hokies
- Sara Ziodato picked up her 100th career singles victory
- Ziodato improves to 18-5 on the season in singles and 13-3 in dual matches
- Chervinsky won her fourth straight completed singles match, improving to 10-1 in dual matches and 6-1 in the ACC this year
- Chervinsky and Melodie Collard improve to 29-2 as a doubles team this season and 12-1 in dual matches
- Martina Genis Salas and Annabelle Xu won their third straight doubles match, improving to 9-2 in the ACC
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers travel to Cary, N.C., for the ACC Championships, scheduled to take place April 17th-20th (see full bracket below).
VIRGINIA 4, VIRGINIA TECH 0
Singles
1. #24 Sara Ziodato (VA) def. Ozlem Uslu (VT) 6-0, 6-2
2. #18 Elaine Chervinsky (VA) def. Tara Gorinsek (VT) 6-1, 6-2
3. #28 Annabelle Xu (VA) vs. Semra Aksu (VT) 3-6, 5-0, unfinished
4. Martina Genis Salas (VA) vs. Laima Frosch (VT) 6-6, unfinished
5. #114 Isabelle Lacy (VA ) vs. Mila Mulready (VT) 6-4, 2-1, unfinished
6. Melodie Collard (VA) def. Charlotte Cartledge (VT) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. #1 Elaine Chervinsky/Melodie Collard (VA) def. Arina Gamretkaia/Tara Gorinsek (VT) 6-3
2. #28 Martina Genis Salas/Annabelle Xu (VA) def. Charlotte Cartledge/Ozlem Uslu (VT) 6-3
3. Sara Ziodato/Karolina Kozakova (VA) vs. Mila Mulready/Linda Zieta-Segura (VT) 5-5, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,2)
Transfers give a boost to UVA’s O-Line
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UAB Athletics
One of the transfers to Virginia’s football program has enjoyed a strong spring, which is an important development for the Cavaliers’ offensive line.
Brady Wilson, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound center from Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), has delivered some eye-popping performances heading into Saturday’s Spring Game at Scott Stadium. Wilson, who started for three years with the Blazers, is the leading candidate to inherit the job from Brian Stevens for UVA.
“Brady Wilson has been awesome,” said offensive coordinator Des Kitchings this week. “Awesome in all regards. He’s a very low-maintenance guy, very mature. He’s married, so a lot of maturity there.
“He’s played a gazillion snaps, very smart and has an understanding of offensive-line play, communication and leadership.”
Wilson had more than 2,300 snaps at UAB after starting there for three years.
Wilson is one of three transfers who have made an immediate impact, along with guard Kevin Wiginton and lineman Tyshawn Wyatt. Another transfer, for whom the coaching staff had huge expectations, is Monroe Mills, a 6-foot-7, 305-pound, 4-star tackle from Louisville. Mills, however, suffered a torn ACL in practice and will miss what would have been his sixth season of college football.
Several returning UVA linemen have missed the spring while recovering from surgeries or injuries, including Blake Steen, McKale Boley, Noah Josey, Grant Ellinger and Drake Metcalf.
Wiginton, who has played at both Illinois and Michigan State, has more than 500 snaps under his belt at guard (he’s been working at left guard in spring drills), while Wyatt had 33 starts over four seasons at JMU.
“Wiginton loves football and has a big smile on his face all the time,” Kitchings said. “Was at Michigan State and Illinois, two programs that are known for being physical, tough outfits. So he brings that grittiness to the group.
“Another guy who’s played a lot of football and gives us flexibility at either guard spot is Wyatt. He comes from JMU, a program where they won. So these guys understand how to win.”
While those guys and others have held the fort during the spring, Kitchings is looking forward to the 25 practices in the fall training camp when the injured players will return, as the Cavaliers hope to give Tony Elliott his first winning season in his fourth year as Virginia’s head coach.
Women’s Lacrosse: No. 11 UVA tops No. 9 Maryland, 13-9
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 11 Virginia women’s lacrosse team picked up a 13-9 victory against No. 11 Maryland on Wednesday in a neutral site game played at Yeardley Love Field at Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson, Md.
Sophomore attacker Jenna DiNardo scored four goals to lead the Cavaliers. Sophomore midfielder Kate Galica and sophomore attacker Addi Foster each had four points with three goals and an assist apiece.
This was Virginia’s first win against Maryland since 2008, snapping a streak of 15-straight wins by the Terrapins in the series.
The game was tied 2-2 at the end of the first quarter, with Maryland going up 3-2 in the opening minutes of the second period, but the Cavaliers (10-4) closed out the half on a 5-1 run to take a 7-4 edge into the break. Virginia built the lead up to five, 10-5, on a goal by Galica with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Maryland scored twice to close out the third, but sophomore Addi Foster scored in the first 45 seconds of the fourth quarter followed by a goal from senior Abby Manalang to give UVA a 12-7 edge. Maryland (9-4) cut the deficit to three, 12-9, with 7:34 remaining, but Virginia’s defense held the Terrapins scoreless for the remainder of the game.
The game was played at Yeardley Love Field, named after the former women’s lacrosse player. Love, who passed away in 2010, was an alumna of Notre Dame Preparatory School. The game benefitted the One Love Foundation, a national non-profit with the goal of ending relationship abuse, which was created in her honor.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia held a 29-28 edge in shots
- Maryland held a 16-11 edge in draw controls
- Kate Galica’s hat trick was her eighth of the year
- Addi Foster has had six hat tricks in the last seven games
- Junior goalkeeper Mel Josephson made nine saves. Maryland’s goalkeepers combined for seven saves
- Sophomore attacker Madison Alaimo had two goals and an assist
- This is the first meeting between Virginia and Maryland teams since 2022 and the 63rd overall time the two have faced one another
- Virginia head coach Sonia LaMonica and assistant coach Michael LaMonica are both Maryland alums
FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LaMONICA
“I think we just settled in [after the second quarter]. I think defensively, we made some really strong stops. Mel [Josephson] made some fantastic saves out here today. When you’re playing a great team like Maryland, you need to be able to come up with those defensive stops. And then we were doing a good job of executing offensively, from players like Jenna [DiNardo] working together, moving the ball and finishing our shots.”
“This is a hotbed of lacrosse. What an amazing atmosphere we had out here with so many young kids, the future stars. And that’s always a strong reminder for our players, not forgetting where you came from, and being that role model, because they’re the future stars, so that that’s fun and that’s exciting.”
UP NEXT
Virginia closes the week playing at No. 2 Boston College on Saturday at noon in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPNU. UVA has one regular-season home game remaining. The Cavaliers host Virginia Tech on Wednesday (April 16) at 7 p.m. for the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash.
Odom lands 2 more transfers; UVA recruiting update
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: BeBasketUpdating everything in UVA basketball …
Virginia landed two more transfers from the portal on Wednesday, gaining commitments from former BYU guard Dallin Hall and former VCU wing Martin Carrere.
Hall announced his commitment Wednesday night. Because it is a recruiting dead period none of the recent UVA commits were able to visit Charlottesville (the period ends tomorrow).
With one year of eligibility remaining, Hall is a 6-foot-4 guard with three years of playing experience for a successful BYU team. He appeared in 100 games for the Cougars and started 61.
A native of Plain City, Utah, where he was a 3-star recruit in 2020, Hall went on a two-year mission before entering BYU and made 21 starts as a true freshman in 2022-23, averaging 7.3 points in 34 games, while shooting 36.7 percent from the 3-point line.
Hall’s best season was in 2023-24 when he was an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a sophomore. He started 30 games and averaged 9.0 points per game and 5.1 assists. He hit a clutch 3-pointer to upset No. 7 Kansas on the road.
As a junior this past season, Hall’s production and playing time dipped with a coaching change from Mark Pope to Kevin Young. Hall started only 10 games and his numbers fell to 6.8 points and 4.2 assists, 2.2 rebounds per game, while making 35.3 percent of his 3-point attempts. His best game last season was a 22-point performance in a double-overtime win at Iowa State.
Carrere, a 6-foot-8, 180-pound, redshirt freshman, announced earlier Wednesday that he committed to UVA.
Carrere, originally from France, has four years of eligibility remaining and is Virginia’s fourth commitment from the portal and the sixth player on Odom’s new Cavaliers roster, which includes two incoming freshmen.
A wing player, Carrere is described as an elite shooter and a high-level passer.
As a member of France’s Under-18 national team in 2024, Carrere averaged 8.6 points per game and shot nearly 39 percent from the 3-point line. While playing for the professional club Limoges, he averaged 6.7 points per game and shot 41.9 percent (13-31) from the arc.
• Meanwhile, former Kansas freshman Rakease Passmore, a 4-star recruit out of Asheville, N.C., is scheduled to visit Virginia on Friday. He has only one other visit scheduled at this time, to Miami on April 15.
Passmore is a 6-5, 185-pound standout who can play the 2 or 3 position and is described as an explosive athlete, a major threat in transition, a harassing defender, and a downhill, straight-line driver who can go through contact and finish.
In his final season at Combine Academy in North Carolina, against solid competition, Passmore averaged 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. All that earned him a 4-star ranking, and he was rated the nation’s No. 49 overall recruit by 247Sports, No. 34 by ESPN, and No. 42 by Rivals.
He is considered the No. 112 overall prospect in the transfer portal by 247 and rated a 4-star.
At Kansas this past season (his freshman year), Passmore appeared in 23 games and averaged 5.1 minutes per contest.
• A prediction by another recruiting service has former San Francisco guard Malik Thomas coming to Virginia, but no word out of the Thomas camp. A first-team All-West Coast Conference player and a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, Thomas averaged 19.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, while shooting 39 percent from the arc.
• Elijah Saunders, who played for Virginia last season but entered the transfer portal, is said to be down to five schools, including UVA. Others: Texas Tech, Kansas State, Purdue and Grand Canyon.
• Two other players that had considered Virginia have committed elsewhere: Former Santa Clara senior Tyree Bryan committed to Texas Tech on Wednesday, after considering UVA, Michigan State, Miami, Clemson, West Virginia and Michigan. Also, VCU’s Brandon Jennings, a 6-4 freshman guard, has elected to stay with the Rams.
• Former Virginia star and assistant coach Isaiah Wilkins announced Wednesday that he will not be part of the new Cavaliers’ basketball staff. He is the second assistant this week (Kyle Guy was the first), to announce they will not be part of the staff.
Wilkins wrote “thank you to my professors, new friends and the Charlottesville community for embracing me — I’m lucky to have called this place home.” He also thanked former coaches Tony Bennett and Ron Sanchez for his opportunities to play and coach at UVA.
Virginia blanks VCU, 13-0, in 7 innings
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Behind a career outing from starting pitcher Bradley Hodges, the Virginia baseball team blanked VCU, 13-0, in seven innings on Tuesday night at The Diamond.
To pick up his first win since 2023, Hodges tossed a career-best five scoreless innings of two-hit ball with a career-high seven strikeouts.
Eric Becker paced the Virginia offense on Tuesday with a 3-for-4 night. The sophomore was a triple away from the cycle and tied his career-high with four RBIs. In addition to Becker, the Cavalier quartet of Henry Ford, Trey Wells, Harrison Didawick and James Nunnallee each drove in a pair of runs on the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The visiting Cavaliers (18-13) scored early and often on Tuesday as Virginia plated four runs in the top of the first against the Rams (10-22). Ford started the barrage with a single back up the middle that plated Aidan Teel.
One at-bat later, Wells collected his team-leading second triple on the season to score Becker and Ford. A Didawick single to right made it 4-0 Virginia after the opening frame.
In the second, Becker smacked a ball over the head of the Rams’ centerfielder for a double deep enough to score Nunnallee. Ford added his second RBI of the contest on a groundout to second allowing Luke Hanson to come home to make it a 6-0 Virginia advantage.
The first three Cavaliers reached in the fourth to load the bases and a Chris Arroyo single to right scored the first of four UVA runs in the frame. A bases-loaded Didawick walk plated the second before a two-out two-run Nunnalee single to left put the Hoos up 10-0 with four innings in the books.
To put an exclamation mark on the Virginia offensive performance, Becker crushed a three-run home run to dead-center in the top of the seventh to push the final to 13-0 in favor of the visiting Cavaliers. The homer was Becker’s fifth of the season.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Aidan Teel tallied his team-best 14th double of the season to open the game.
- With his three-run homer in the seventh, Becker took over the team lead in RBIs with 30.
- UVA is 8-2 on the season when Teel bats leadoff for the Cavaliers.
- Tuesday’s contest was Virginia’s second shutout of the season and first since blanking Rice on Feb. 16.
- The Cavaliers move to 16-2 on the year when scoring six or more runs.
- With the win, UVA improves to 50-25 in the all-time series against VCU and 26-6 under coach Brian O’Connor.
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers return to Disharron Park on Friday to start a three-game ACC series against Pitt. Friday’s opener is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch and will be carried on ACCNX and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).
Softball: Hoos fall in walk-off fashion at Flames, 4-3
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia took the lead in the top of the seventh on a Jade Hylton home run, but the home team answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning as the Cavaliers fell 4-3 in a walk-off at Liberty on Tuesday.
Hylton’s home run tied Sara Larquier (2003-06) for the program record at 35 career home runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Liberty (34-8) took the lead with a solo shot to center in the second inning, but the Hoos answered in the third with a solo shot to left from Bella Cabral to tie the game at 1-1.
The Flames took the lead back in the fourth inning, capitalizing on an error on a sac bunt as the throw to second for the lead runner was off the mark and put two runners on. A sac fly two batters later put Liberty up 2-1.
Virginia (27-13) tied the game in the sixth with a single to center from Kelsey Hackett. Kamyria Woody-Giggetts entered to run for Sarah Coon who opened the frame with a single. Woody-Giggetts advanced to second on a sac bunt from Sydney Hartgrove to set up the score on the Hackett single.
Jade Hylton then put the Cavaliers in the lead with a solo shot to right to open the seventh.
Liberty wouldn’t go away, however, getting base runners with back-to-back batters hit by pitch with one out. A double to the gap in left center gave the Flames the walk-off victory.
Eden Bigham (10-7) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits with three walks and a strikeout through 4.1 innings of work.
Paige Bachman (8-1) picked up the win in relief, allowing one hit with a walk as she entered with her team down 3-2 in the seventh following the Hylton home run.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Jade Hylton’s record-tying home run in the seventh inning was her 11th home run of the season.
- Bella Cabral’s home run in the third inning was her seventh of the season.
- It was the 13th game decided by one run for Virginia this season and the Hoos are 6-7 in those games.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“You’re always going to look back on games and always say coulda, woulda, shoulda. We had some key moments early with bases loaded in the first and runners at first and second – in a back and forth battle you look back and those are opportunities in key moments to scratch out a run or put a ball in play. Everyone played hard, put their heart out there and competed hard but, we didn’t come up with the clutch hit or the clutch pitch. When you’re playing good opponents it’s going to come down to the wire like that. We know there is no easy road the rest of the way out. We’ve got to tighten it up and execute in late pressure situations. We have an opponent coming in that’s hungry and tough and scrappy; we’ll have to compete hard and learn from tonight.”
UP NEXT
Virginia returns home to host Syracuse as the Hoos jump back into ACC play at home. First pitch in the series opener is set for 5 p.m. on Friday.
Men’s Golf: Cavaliers record seventh-place finish at Calusa Cup
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Senior Paul Chang fired a 4-under 68 in the final round of the Calusa Cup on Tuesday in Naples, Fla. As a team, the Cavaliers jumped two spots on the last day, finishing seventh overall.
Teeing off No. 10 to start the day, Chang caught fire with five birdies in his final eight holes, including four of the last five he played. He finished even par for the tournament and was tied for 10th. It marks his second top-10 of the season and fourth of his career. The final-round 68 was his second-lowest round of the season.
Florida overcame a six-shot deficit to take home the team title. Sebastian Moss of Louisville earned medalist honors (-8, 208), edging teammate Easton Johnson by one stroke.
Freshman Maxi Puregger was the next highest Cavalier finisher at 10-over par for the tournament, tied for 33rd. In the final round he shot a 75 with four birdies, three of them coming on his first nine holes. Bryan Lee recorded an even-par 72 in the Tuesday finale and finished the event tied for 35th.
In his first collegiate start, Benny Haggin totaled a 231 for the tournament and finished tied for 39th. His final round 74 was his best of the three-day event. Josh Duangmanee matched Haggin’s 39th overall finish and carded a 76 in his final round.
Virginia will return home to host the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial April 14-15 at Birdwood Golf Course. Tee times on both days begin at 8:30 a.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Odom reveals additions to UVA staff
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
University of Virginia Dean and Markel Families Men’s Head Basketball Coach Ryan Odom announced the additions of Director of Operations Kelsey Knoche, Director of Analytics Matt Hart, Video Coordinator Billy Bales and Director of Recruiting Ahmad Thomas.
Knoche, Hart, Bales and Thomas served in similar roles under Odom at VCU the past two seasons. The Rams posted a 52-21 record from 2023-25 and played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. VCU finished 28-7, won the Atlantic-10 Tournament and shared the A-10 regular-season championship in 2024-25. VCU’s Max Shulga earned A-10 Player of the Year honors and Jack Clark was the A-10 Tournament MVP. In 2023-24, the Rams advanced to the NIT quarterfinals and finished with a 24-14 record.
In addition, Odom announced the return of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Curtis for his 17th season and Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Ethan Saliba for his 43rd season.
KELSEY KNOCHE
Knoche is in her fifth season overall with Odom. She served two seasons as the director of operations at VCU (2023-25) and two seasons as the director of operations and external relations at Utah State (2021-23).
Knoche was one of 15 women to hold the title of Director of Basketball Operations on a men’s coaching staff in NCAA Division I in 2024-25.
In her role with the Rams, Knoche oversaw all logistics related to the day-to-day operations of the men’s basketball program, including non-conference scheduling, team travel, managing the program’s operating budget and coordinating recruiting visits. The Fairfax, Virginia, native also served as the program’s liaison to the athletic department.
Prior to her time in Logan, Knoche worked as an assistant coordinator with the University of Maryland men’s basketball program from 2015-21. With the Terrapins, Knoche worked closely with the team’s recruiting efforts, including coordinating on-campus visits and organizing all staff recruiting travel. She also arranged basketball specific fundraising efforts, alumni reunions, and assisted with team travel. Prior to her full-time role, Knoche spent four seasons as an undergraduate with the program as a student operations assistant.
MATT HART
Hart served as the director of analytics on Odom’s staff at VCU from 2023-25 and was a graduate student manager under Odom at Utah State in 2022-23. The Aggies won 26 games and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament during that season.
Hart previously served as an assistant coach at Daemen University in the 2021-22 season, where he assisted in recruiting and was responsible for scouting, and leading on-court workouts for guards and perimeter players.
Hart was the director of player development/director of video operations at George Washington from 2018-19. He played professionally in the United States, Canada, Ireland and Serbia from 2017-18 and 2019-21.
BILLY BALES
Bales is in sixth season overall with Odom, having served as the director of video at VCU from 2023-25, director of player development at Utah State from 2021-23 and volunteer assistant at UMBC in 2020-21. He also played for Odom at Lenoir-Rhyne in 2015-16.
While Bales was at Utah State, the Aggies earned a 2023 NCAA Tournament berth and made a 2022 NIT appearance. Three Utah State players received All-Mountain West Conference honors during Bales’ tenure, including 2023 first-team selection Steven Ashworth.
Bales assisted Odom at UMBC with daily scheduling and social media content during his one year with the Retrievers from 2020-21,
Prior to his time in Baltimore, Bales spent two seasons (2018-20) at his alma mater, Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Bears received an at-large bid to the school’s seventh NCAA D-II Tournament, advanced to their first South Atlantic Conference Championship game since 2005 and reached as high as No. 17 in the D-II rankings.
Bales was a four-year letterwinner for the Bears and while playing for Odom led the team to an NCAA Division II Regional Final appearance during the 2015-16 season.
AHMAD THOMAS
Thomas, who is a native of Danville, Virginia, spent the past two seasons (2023-25) at VCU under Odom as the coordinator of player development.
As the director of recruiting and development at UNC Greensboro in 2022-23, Thomas’ efforts helped the Spartans to a 20-12 mark, including a 14-4 conference record. Thomas was the associate head coach of Team Loaded North Carolina, a premier grassroots basketball program. His primary responsibilities with Team Loaded NC included coaching, recruiting, player development, organization and travel logistics.
From 2015-18, Thomas was a four-year standout for UNC Asheville, where he finished his career as the only player in Big South men’s basketball history with 1,500 points (1,626), 700 rebounds (705), 250 steals (251) and 250 assists (256). Thomas was the two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Year and two-time first team All-Big South performer.
Thomas played three years of professional basketball overseas in Luxembourg, England, Finland, and Canada before returning to North Carolina to begin working with Team Loaded NC.
UVA Basketball: Ravaged or Reimagined?
Host Jerry Miller and Hall of Famer Jerry Ratcliffe take on questions from the audience of “The Jerry & Jerry Show,” live Tuesday morning from downtown Charlottesville, discussing the comings and goings of the transfer portal, the exit of Kyle Guy from the Virginia staff and tons of other topics, mostly on the hot buttons concerning UVA basketball and the sweeping changes in the program.
The Jerry & Jerry Show headlines:
Ravaged or Reimagined? Transfer Portal at UVA
UVA’s 2024-25 Roster Transferred To Major Schools
Odom Signing Transfers From Mid-Major Schools
Odom Cleans House With UVA Coaching Staff
Is There No Loyalty In College Hoops Anymore?
Did UVA Burn National Champion Kyle Guy?
With Pay-to-Play, Is Odom Expected To Win Now?
How Much Are UVA Hoopers Earning Per Year?
Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air
Follow The Jerry & Jerry Show on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-i-love-cville-show-with-jerry-miller/id1473278344
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The Jerry & Jerry Show airs live Tuesday from 10:15 am – 11:15 pm on The I Love CVille Network.
Watch and listen to The Jerry & Jerry Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible and iLoveCVille.com.
Wahoos add Oklahoma guard Duke Miles
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: Oklahoma Sooners
Virginia continued to fill its backcourt on Monday night when former Oklahoma combo guard Duke Miles announced his commitment to the Cavaliers.
Miles, who has one year of eligibility remaining, joins a UVA roster that includes two previous transfer guards Sam Lewis (Toledo), Jacari White (North Dakota State), Chance Mallory (St. Anne’s-Belfield), Elijah Gertrude (only remaining player on Virginia roster) and forward Silas Barksdale from Newport News. All but Barksdale are guards.
This will be Miles’ sixth year of college basketball, having started his career at Troy (3 years), a year at High Point and a year at Oklahoma.
Last season with the Sooners, the 6-foot-2 Mils averaged 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, while shooting 51.4 percent from the field (65.4 percent around the rim) and a team-leading 43 percent from the 3-point arc.
At High Point in 2023-24, he averaged 17.5 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 33 games, including 27 starts.
Described as a disruptor on defense, Miles is a strong on-ball defender. He is considered the No. 79 overall player in the portal according to On3.com’s portal rankings. Miles is also the No. 5-rated combo guard in the portal rankings.
Miles was also being pursued by Virginia Tech, LSU, Memphis and Creighton.
Wilmer Memorial is a private event
From Staff Reports
The Danny Wilmer Memorial, a celebration of life for the late and longtime Virginia and JMU assistant football coach, is a private event and not open to the public.
See related articles about Wilmer’s career on our website:
UVA picks up commitment from NDSU’s White, another 3-point shooter
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: North Dakota State Bison
Virginia has added another high-powered, 3-point shooter to its roster, the second in two days, as North Dakota State senior guard Jacari White announced his commitment to the Cavaliers.
On Saturday, Toledo’s Sam Lewis announced his UVA commitment after leading the MAC in 3-point shooting percentage (44.4).
White, originally from Orlando, Fla., is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound shooting guard, who was All-Summit League in 2024-25 and was considered one of the hottest shooting guards in the portal.
After visiting both Texas and Virginia Tech this past week, White committed to Virginia over the Hokies and Longhorns, along with Houston and West Virginia.
During his three seasons with North Dakota State, White appeared in 94 games, including 61 starts. He is a career 40-percent shooter from the arc and knows how to fill up a basket.
As a senior, White averaged a career-high 17.1 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds, and made 39.8 percent of his shots from the arc. He scored in double figures in all but eight games, plus had 14 games with 20 points or more, including a season-high 27 points against Butler when he lit up the 3-point line.
As a junior, making the Summit League’s All-Defensive Team, he started in 22 of 32 games and shot 45.5 percent from the arc (66 makes), while averaging 10.3 points per game.
During his sophomore year, he appeared in 31 of 33 games, including 10 starts, averaging 7.5 points per game and 42 made 3-pointers.
White’s career began in junior college at State College of Florida, where he averaged 13.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Virginia’s Ryan Odom now has four guards on his roster, including White and Lewis — a 6-6 sophomore who averaged 16.2 points per game for Toledo — to go along with freshman 4-star recruit Chance Mallory, who is also a standout 3-point shooter, and the only player returning on UVA’s roster, Elijah Gertrude, who is coming off a knee injury.
UVA also has a commitment from 6-8 Silas Barksdale, a top-100 prospect, who flipped his commitment from VCU to the Cavaliers.
UVA lands 3-point shooter Lewis from Toledo
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: Toledo Athletics
Ryan Odom has landed a 3-point shooter to replace the departed Isaac McKneely on Virginia’s roster.
Sam Lewis, a 6-foot-6, sophomore guard from Toledo, announced Saturday that he has committed to the Cavaliers. Lewis, who grew up in the Chicago area, was a second-team All-MAC selection this past season after averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists for the Rockets.
Lewis chose UVA over Villanova, Gonzaga and Xavier.
A starter in 33 games last season, Lewis led the MAC in 3-point shooting with a 44.4 percentage and had a team-high 11 games with 20 or more points, and 31 double-digit scoring games.
Lewis was a 2-star prospect coming out of high school, but was rated as a 4-star in the transfer portal.
He is Virginia’s first commitment from the portal in this cycle, going along with two freshmen commitments in 4-star point guard Chance Mallory and 4-star center Silas Barksdale, who flipped his commitment from VCU to UVA.
Cofie to USC; Robinson to Xavier
By Jerry Ratcliffe
As expected, former Virginia freshman forward Jacob Cofie, has transferred to the West Coast to play basketball.
Cofie, who hails from Seattle, announced Saturday that he had committed to Southern Cal, one of the schools that heavily pursued him out of high school before Tony Bennett lured him across the coast to UVA. Cofie had a solid freshman campaign for the Cavaliers, appearing in 32 games, starting half of those, while averaging 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He made 49.5 percent of his field goal attempts, averaged 1.1 steals and 1.0 assists per game. He was Virginia’s fifth-leading scorer.
A 4-star out of high school, he was the No. 89 overall ranked player in the country his senior season and the No. 14 power forward in the country according to On3’s ratings. Cofie is the No. 52 ranked player in this year’s transfer portal, the No. 13 PF.
Cofie joins five other former UVA players from last season’s team to find new basketball homes: Anthony Robinson (Xavier), Isaac McKneely (Louisville), Dai Dai Ames (California), Andrew Rohde (Wisconsin) and Blake Buchanan (Iowa State).
Redshirt freshman Robinson, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound big man, who appeared in 26 games last season, has committed to Xavier, now coached by Richard Pitino. Robinson has three years of eligibility remaining and is the No. 10 ranked center in this portal according to 247Sports portal ratings.
A player who clearly improved over the course of the season, Robinson averaged 9.1 minutes of playing time per game and averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. With limited shooting skills, Robinson shot 72 percent from the field, making mostly dunks, stickbacks and layups. He shot 62 percent from the free throw line. Still, he gave Virginia a physical presence inside the paint, which no other player on the roster could fulfill. His career high came against Virginia Tech when he scored 15 points and pulled 7 rebounds in a UVA win in Blacksburg.
Photo by Nikolozi Khutsishvili
Rohde, arguably the ACC’s most improved player last season, is a 6-6 guard whose shooting and ballhandling skills made him a solid starter for the Cavaliers. After struggling his sophomore season, Rohde’s numbers jumped dramatically in 2024-25. He averaged 9.3 points per game, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from the 3-point line. He also averaged 4.3 assists per game.
Rohde, who played with a lot of fire, is Wisconsin’s first incoming transfer this season, but plugs a big hole in the Badgers’ roster.
Of all the Virginia players who have transferred over the last three years, the most difficult to swallow is McKneely.
McKneely was the perfect fit for a Tony Bennett program, a clean-cut, no-nonsense kid who was truly a Virginia guy. Now, Cavalier fans will have to see the Poca, W.Va., product in a rival uniform.
McKneely announced via his Twitter (X) account on Thursday that he had committed to Louisville, where he posed in a Cardinals uniform, standing beside UofL coach Pat Kelsey. The former UVA star chose Louisville over Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia.
One of the highest-rated players in the portal, McKneely led the ACC in 3-point shooting last season and led UVA in scoring with 14.4 points per game, but scored 20-plus points eight times down the home stretch, including 27 in his last appearance in a Cavalier uniform in a loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament. He was a 1,000-point scorer for the Cavaliers over his three-year career.
The 6-foot-4 junior guard ranked first in the ACC in 3-point shooting percentage (42.1) and was voted All-ACC honorable mention.
McKneely joins two other guards, Adrian Wooley of Kennesaw State and Ryan Conwell from Xavier, in what could be the beginning of one of the best transfer portal classes in the nation for Louisville.
Earlier, Blake Buchanan committed to Iowa State and Dai Dai Ames committed to Cal.
