Women’s Lacrosse: No. 5 Cavaliers host Blue Devils for spot in NCAA Quarterfinals
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The fifth-seeded Virginia women’s lacrosse team hosts Duke in a second-round game of the NCAA Division I Championship on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.
HOW TO WATCH
- All three games of the Charlottesville Regional will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required)
- Links for the live stats and live stream are available on VirginiaSports.com
TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
- Tickets are $10 for general admission and $15 for reserved seating, and student tickets are $5. Fans may purchase tickets in advance via UVAtix.com or by calling the Virginia Athletics ticket office (434-924-8821). Fans may also purchase tickets at the Klöckner Stadium box office starting one hour prior to the event.
- Free parking is available in the John Paul Jones South and West Lots
VIRGINIA NOTES
- Virginia (12-6) and Duke (13-5) are facing one another for the second time this season at Klöckner Stadium
- In the regular-season meeting, the Cavaliers trailed by as many as seven points in the first half and were down 9-4 at halftime, but outscored the Blue Devils 10-1 in the third quarter to take a 14-10 lead into the final period of play, holding on for the 16-11 victory
- The Cavaliers defeated LIU 20-6 on Friday night to advance to the second round. Duke defeated James Madison 17-10
- Virginia is the No. 5 national seed in the tournament and the top seed in the Charlottesville regional. Duke is the No. 3 seed in the regional
- Virginia is No. 7 in the latest IWLCA rankings. Duke is No. 15
VIRGINIA IN THE NCAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
- Virginia is looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 and for the 12th time in program history
- The Cavaliers are making their 29th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship
- UVA has played the second-most games in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship appearing in 74 contests.
- Virginia owns the third-most wins in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship with 41
- This is UVA’s 37th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament and owns a 41-33 overall record in the tournament
- The winner of the Charlottesville bracket will face the winner of the Gainesville (Florida) bracket in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The game will be played on the home field of the highest remaining seed on Thursday, May 15
- The NCAA Semifinals and Finals will be held May 23-25 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Malik Thomas is a Wahoo
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: San Francisco Athletics
Arguably the best player in the West Coast Conference last season is headed to the Atlantic Coast to become part of Ryan Odom’s rebuilding of Virginia’s basketball program.
Malik Thomas, a player who the knowledgeable UVA hoops fans had been hoping to land from the get-go, committed to the Cavaliers on Saturday. Gonzaga, which had faced Thomas the past two years, desperately attempted to lure him to Spokane, but the former San Francisco Dons star ultimately chose Virginia.
The 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard was given a hardship waiver for an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA last week, and Thomas made it clear to all pursuers that he was leaning heavily to Virginia. He gives the Cavaliers an even more loaded backcourt with lots of players for Odom to run his style of offense.
Thomas was certainly among the best players in the WCC last season, averaging 20 points per game, shooting 39.4 percent from the 3-point arc and 85 percent from the free-throw line. He also averaged 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per outing.
A three-level scorer with the perimeter shot, a nice pull-up mid-range jumper and the strength to finish at the basket, some observers believed Thomas should have been awarded the WCC Player of the Year last season.
He started his career at Southern Cal but struggled to get playing time, so after two seasons with the Trojans, transferred to San Francisco where he found his game and flourished the last two seasons.
Odom adds Crowder to staff to serve as ‘Director of Culture Formation’
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Image: UVA Athletics
University of Virginia Dean and Markel Families Men’s Head Basketball Coach Ryan Odom announced Monday the addition of UVA alum Michael Crowder as director of culture formation and alumni engagement.
Crowder returns to his alma mater after serving as the managing director – culture formation and program development at Longwood University for the 2024-25 season under former head coach and current UVA associate head coach Griff Aldrich.
Crowder joined the Lancer basketball staff after serving in a mentorship role with the team while also working with Young Life programs in Southside Virginia.
Crowder connected with Longwood’s men’s basketball in 2020 and spent time as a character coach over the next three years, providing mentorship and guidance for players and coaches to help balance athletics, academics and personal matters. In that capacity, he helped the coaching staff integrate character-building initiatives into the basketball program.
“We are thrilled to add Michael to our men’s basketball staff,” Odom said. “He made a significant impact at Longwood, transforming the lives of student-athletes, coaches and support staff over the past seven years with his expertise in leadership, mentorship, character and team building, guidance and culture.”
Since 2016, Crowder has worked with Young Life, leading and developing programs throughout Southside Virginia. Primarily, he worked on the Longwood and nearby Hampden-Sydney College campuses while planning and executing events and recruiting and training volunteer leaders.
Crowder and wife, Liz, and have two sons, Jack and Henry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in religious studies from the University of Virginia.
Men’s tennis wishing for a raucous crowd this afternoon
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
Big moment this afternoon for Virginia’s men’s tennis team when the No. 7 seed Cavaliers host Big 12 champion and 10th-seeded Arizona at Boar’s Head (1 p.m., free admission).
If you’re looking for great entertainment and a great sports storylines, this is your (free) ticket. Your support is meaningful, just as much as it has been at JPJ, Scott, Disharoon.
One thing this writer has noticed while covering numerous national college tennis championships around the country — and particularly with trips to Georgia, where the Bulldogs used to rule over the sport — is how crowds, especially in Athens, could make a huge difference. Several times, the raucous crowds at UGA’s tennis center helped the Dawgs upset more-talented teams.
Virginia coach Andres Pedroso would love to see that kind of crowd show up at Boar’s Head today.
You’ll see a talented Virginia team, a team that at times this season has started five — yes, count ‘em, five — freshmen and still made it to the Round of 16 with a trip to Waco awaiting today’s winner for the NCAA quarterfinals. You’ll see a solid Arizona team and contrasting program styles between the Wildcats and the Cavaliers, a different culture, a different style.
“[Arizona] competes really well,” said Pedroso. “They’re a pretty loud team from what I hear. When you think of how electric college tennis can be and how different it is from pro tennis, I think Arizona does a good job of putting that on display.”
Loud? Unusual for tennis, right? Not so with the Wildcats. Pedroso explains:
“Everyone’s got their own identity,” the UVA coach said. “Some teams are quieter than others. From what I hear, this team likes to scream and yell and they like to make their presence felt. It’s going to be two different identities out there battling it out.”
Pedroso’s team is a lot more reserved, lets its racquets do the talking, and will leave the noise up to the fans.
“There’s nothing like playing a home match against a top-10 team here in Charlottesville,” Pedroso said. “The tentacles of that support is not just the matches, it’s also the reaching out to helping our kids find jobs, prepare for interviews and helping them become more comfortable when they first arrive in Charlottesville. The support we get from the community is absolutely incredible and a huge reason why this program has done so well and been so consistent.
“I would tell every fan out there, every supporter that has a pocket of time to dedicate to our program today, that their presence definitely moves the needle and inspires our guys. It helps us not only in the match, but also to continue to grow our tradition and that mystique that’s made this program so special.”
Pedroso travels the world in search of the best talent to bring to Virginia’s program, and he always makes a point to talk to recruits and their families about what makes UVA tennis so special. It’s his secret weapon when it comes to attracting great players.
“All these guys played in the biggest events on the international junior tour, so I knew they could play tennis,” Pedroso said in explaining what makes Virginia’s culture different. “First of all, they had to get used to UVA academics, getting used to the routines that it takes to make this experience super productive.
“Then, the season comes along in January and dealing with the travel and missing classes and managing both sides, but also just the culture and the things that come with our culture in how we train, how we compete, how we speak to each other, how we treat each other, how we greet people at the Boar’s Head, all the things that I think make our culture special.”
Pedroso said that tennis is a very selfish sport, in junior tennis and in the pros, and players easily get self absorbed. Then they walk into a program like his where thinking about the team comes first, thinking about others and that they are required to live by the motto of the more they give, the more they’re going to get back.
“That’s a new reality for a lot of kids,” the coach said. “Our guys have bought in and that’s why we’re here right now, ranked No. 4 in the country and we’ve got a shot at it.”
That is how all that talent, all that culture has come together this season, inspired by the youth, cultivated by the leadership of the veterans on the team, to get the Cavaliers to Boar’s Head today.
It’s how this team is likely the only team in America that has claimed victories over not one, but two No. 1-ranked opponents (Wake Forest and Texas) this season.
“When we play a complete match, when we prepare, which we are, and we show up with the right energy and we play a complete match for two, three, four hours, however long it takes, it’s a big reason why we were able to beat two Number Ones,” Pedroso said. “That shows we can beat anyone, but we have to be there the entire match. We can’t get spooked or surprised when things don’t go our way or when the other team is just too good at times. We have to stay together and fight until the end. Then we’re tough to beat.”
One of the great stories in college tennis, or in the sports world this season, will be on display in freshman Jangjun Kim, who came to UVA from South Korea.
“He came here with a language barrier, but when I recruited this kid, I saw that he was such a hard worker,” Pedroso said. “He’s had a really tough life and he’s always had to go through the harder path to get to No. 10 in the world (juniors).”
Pedroso said Kim’s first couple of months at UVA were challenging academically — imagine arriving in another country with a language barrier and having to study and train and travel and compete, missing class — a daunting task for anyone.
“He’s handled it so well and he’s going to finish the semester with, I think, a 3.0,” the coach said. “That’s an incredible accomplishment for this kid and one of the best stories that we’ve ever been able to manifest in this program. And, he’s a really good player, has all the shots and is a killer on the court.”
Hoos post 6-1 victory over Hurricanes in series opener
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
To open Senior Weekend, the Virginia baseball team raced past Miami, 6-1, on Friday night at Disharoon Park.
In potentially his final home start of his career, senior Jay Woolfolk tossed six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts. After surrendering Miami’s lone run in the third, the righthander only allowed three Hurricanes to reach base over his final three innings of work.
Offensively, Harrison Didawick paced Virginia with a 2-for-4 day that included a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless top of the first from Woolfolk, the Cavaliers (28-16, 12-10 ACC) plated a trio of runs in the home half of the inning on RBI singles from Henry Ford, Henry Godbout and Didawick to make it a 3-0 contest after the opening frame.
The visiting Hurricanes (30-19, 14-10) scratched across their only run of the night in the top of the third on a Cavalier fielding error that was followed by a Miami double down the line in left that cleared the bases.
Luke Hanson made it a 4-1 contest in the bottom of the fourth when the junior put a drive into a 1-0 pitch that landed in the right field bleachers. The solo shot was Hanson’s third home run of the season.
In relief of Woolfolk, Matthew Buchanan retired the two batters he faced in the seventh before handing the ball over to Alex Markus.
After a Godbout single opened the bottom of the eighth, Didawick added some insurance with a two-run home run to left field that pushed the Cavalier advantage to 6-1 with an inning to go. The Didawick dinger was his fifth of the year.
Over the final 2.1 innings of the night, Markus tied his season-high with a trio of strikeouts and held the Miami lineup to one hit to secure the 6-1 Virginia victory.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- In his six home starts this season, Jay Woolfolk is 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA and has 41 strikeouts in 34.1 innings pitched.
- Virginia improves to 18-5 when Aidan Teel bats leadoff.
- Dating back to the April 6 contest at NC State, the Cavaliers have hit at least one home run in 15 straight games.
- The Cavalier pitching staff only allowed four hits on Friday, which tied for the second-lowest hit total of the season.
- UVA improves to 26-4 on the season when scoring six or more runs.
UP NEXT
Virginia will look to take the series on Saturday in the second game of the three-game set. The Cavaliers will start left Bradley Hodges (2-1) against Miami’s AJ Cisar (4-1). Saturday’s contest is slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch on ACCNX and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).
Men’s Tennis: No. 7 Hoos host No. 10 Wildcats for spot in NCAA quarterfinals
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The Virginia men’s tennis team hosts the No-10 seed Arizona in the round of 16 of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Tennis Team Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The match is scheduled to be played outdoors at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort. Please monitor Virginia’s social media accounts for any weather-related changes.
Admission is free.
MATCH INFORMATION
- The match will be covered in the Cracked Racquets Cross Court Cast on their YouTube Channel
- Individual court streams will also be available on VirginiaSports.com
- Live scoring will be available for the match
- The winner of the Charlottesville Super Regional will advance to the finals site, Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas, where they will face the winner of the Fort Worth Super Regional (TCU, UCF) in a quarterfinal match on Friday, May 16
VIRGINIA & NCAA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
- The Cavaliers (22-7) are looking for their seventh NCAA title. Virginia most recently won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2022 and 2023
- This is UVA’s 21st straight NCAA Championship appearance
- The Cavaliers have advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 in 19 of the last 20 championships
- The Cavaliers have reached the quarterfinals in 17 of the last 19 championships
- Virginia is the No. 7 seed in this year’s tournament
CAVALIER NOTES
- Virginia is the No. 4 ranked team in the latest ITA Team Rankings and the No. 7 seed in the championship
- The Cavaliers swept both Bucknell and Princeton 4-0 last weekend in Charlottesville to reach the Round of 16
- UVA has recorded nine wins over opponents that are currently in the top 30 of the ITA Team Rankings. The Cavaliers have two wins over the then-No. 1 ranked team in the rankings (Texas, Wake Forest)
- Sophomore Dylan Dietrich is tied for the team lead in singles wins this year with 22. He holds a 16-5 record in dual matches with a 10-2 mark playing on court two. He is one of two Cavaliers in the ITA Singles Rankings, coming in at No. 32
- Freshman Rafael Jódar is the highest ranked singles player in the ACC, coming in at No. 4 in the rankings. He boasts an 18-2 overall singles record on the season with a 14-1 record playing on the top singles court
- Jódar closed out conference play in the regular season with an undefeated 8-0 singles record
- Virginia boasts a 20-4 record on the top singles court this season
- Junior Mans Dahlberg is tied for the team lead in singles wins this season with Dietrich. He is currently on a nine-match win streak in completed matches
- Dahlberg is 8-3 on court five this year and 7-3 on court six
- Freshman Jangjun Kim boasts a 16-5 record in dual matches this season. He is 8-2 on court five and 6-1 on court six this year
- Dietrich and Dahlberg lead the team in doubles wins on the season with 14. The pair are currently ranked No. 31 in the ITA Doubles Rankings
- Graduate student James Hopper and freshman Keegan Rice are second on the team in doubles wins with 11. The pair are the highest ranked Cavalier doubles team, appearing at No. 23 in the doubles rankings. The pair have a 6-3 record playing on the top doubles court
- Hopper and Jódar round out the Cavaliers in the doubles rankings, coming in at No. 89
SCOUTING ARIZONA
- This will be the first ever meeting between Virginia and Arizona
- The Wildcats (26-4) won the Big 12 Championship title in their first year in the league
- Arizona is ranked No. 10 in the ITA Team Rankings and is also the 10-seed
- The Wildcats have two players ranked inside the top 10 in the ITA Singles Rankings
- Colton Smith won the Big 12 Player of the Year and is ranked No. 5 in singles
- Jay Friend is ranked No. 6 in singles
- The Wildcats have one ranked doubles team: No. 45 Inaki Cabrera-Bello and Colton Smith
- This is the third straight Sweet 16 for Arizona
Women’s Lacrosse: No. 5 Virginia cruises past LIU in NCAA opening round, 20-6
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 5 seed Virginia women’s lacrosse team logged a 20-6 victory against LIU in a first-round game of the NCAA Division I Championship at Klöckner Stadium.
Virginia (12-6) opened the game on a 7-1 run, with seven different players scoring a goal apiece. The Cavaliers extended the lead to 13-3 right before halftime. Playing under a running clock for the entire second half, the Cavaliers coasted to the 20-6 victory to advance to the Round of 16 of the championship.
Sophomore attacker Madison Alaimo set the UVA single-game record with nine assists. Alaimo tied her career high of six in the first half, adding three more in the first nine minutes of the second half. Her nine assists also tied the NCAA record for most assists by a player in an NCAA tournament game.
Alaimo also scored two goals, giving her 11 points in the game.
Sophomore attacker Jenna DiNardo scored four goals with two assists. Sophomore midfielder Kate Galica also scored four goals. Sophomore attacker Addi Foster had her 10th hat trick of the season.
Virginia faces Duke on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second round. Duke topped James Madison, 17-10, in Friday’s other game.
The winner of the Charlottesville Regional will face the winner of the Gainesville Regional next Thursday (May 16) at the site of the highest remaining seed.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia held a 39-17 edge in shots
- UVA held a 23-5 edge in draw controls
- Kate Galica won 12 draw controls, her 11th double-digit draw control game of the year
- Gabby LaVerghetta and Katie Campel scored two goals apiece
- Abby Manalang, Fiona Allen and Payton Sfreddo each scored a goal. Manalang also had an assist
- Mel Josephson played three quarters in goal for the Cavaliers, making three saves
- The previous UVA record for assists in a single game was eight, set by Morgan Schwab set March 25, 2024, against Richmond
- Alaimo’s nine assists ties Jackie Wolak of Notre Dame for the most by a player in an NCAA tournament game. Wolak had nine in a first-round game against Coastal Carolina on May 10, 2024
- Madison Alaimo’s 11 points are the third most in a single game in program history. The record is 14, set by Debbie Easter in 1982
- Virginia is the No. 5 seed in the championship but is ranked No. 7 in the latest IWLCA Coaches poll. LIU (12-7) is unranked
- Virginia defeated LIU 21-6 last year in the first round of the NCAA Championship
FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LaMONICA
“It’s certainly a team effort. I love the spirit of this group, the way they support each other. Whoever is out on the field, you can feel the energy behind us on the sideline. That just speaks to the culture of this team and these girls, and how much they care about each other. They’re really bought in. I’m just excited that we’ve earned a great win today.”
Women’s Tennis: No. 7 UVA eliminated with 4-0 loss to No. 10 Tennessee in Round of 16
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The Virginia women’s tennis team‘s season came to an end on Friday, falling to the 10-seed Tennessee, 4-0, in the Round of 16 of the NCAA Championship at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort.
Tennessee (20-7) won the doubles point and picked up singles wins on courts one, two, and four to clinch the victory over the Cavaliers (22-6) and advance to the quarterfinals.
The Lady Vols opened the match with a 6-3 win on doubles court two. Senior Melodie Collard and freshman Karolina Kozakova saved two match points on the top doubles court but ultimately suffered a 7-5 defeat.
Tennessee extended its lead to 2-0 with a straight set victory on court four.
The Lady Volunteers picked up a 6-3, 6-0 win on court two to take a 3-0 lead over the Cavaliers.
Just seconds after, No. 7 Elza Tomase clinched the victory for Tennessee on the top singles court with a 6-1, 6-3 win.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia was the No. 7 seed in the tournament and ranked No. 7 in the ITA Team Rankings
- This was the fifth straight NCAA Round of 16 appearance for the Cavaliers and the 11th overall
- Tennessee won the second matchup of the season with the Cavaliers. UVA won the first meeting on February 7 in the round of 16 of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship
- Tennessee is the No. 10 seed in the championship and ranked No. 10 in the ITA Team Rankings
- The Lady Vols snapped a five-match losing streak to the Cavaliers
- Senior Elaine Chervinsky was unavailable for Virginia
- Sara Ziodato finishes her Cavalier career with a 102-43 singles record. Her 102 singles wins ranks tied for 7th in program history (tied with Emily Fraser)
- Chervinsky finishes her Cavalier career with an 82-40 singles record and a 92-33 doubles record. She won the first NCAA Doubles title in program history with Melodie Collard. Her 92 career doubles wins ranks tied for 10th in program history
- This is the fourth straight season that Virginia has reached at least 20 wins
- The Cavaliers reached their first number one ranking in program history this season and made their first ever appearance in the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship
FROM HEAD COACH SARA O’LEARY
“I think that you got to give credit to Tennessee. I think that they fought really well out there. They came out ready to go in doubles, and we just didn’t play our best. I think they put us on our heels a little bit, and it was tough for us to just dig our heels in and get back in that match really at any point. So again, just credit to them. I think that they played well. I think we’re going to learn a lot from this and reflect on this and obviously have some time now going into the summer. But right now, it’s just about thinking about our seniors who have given so much to this program. And it’s tough that Elaine has to end her career not being able to be out there because she’s meant so much to this program. So, I feel for our seniors right now, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
TENNESSEE 4, VIRGINIA 0
Singles
1. #7 Elza Tomase (TENN) def. #27 Sara Ziodato (VA) 6-1, 6-3
2. #41 Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. #34 Annabelle Xu (VA) 6-3, 6-0
3. Martina Genis Salas (VA) vs. #66 Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) 7-6 (7-4), 2-0, unfinished
4. Vanesa Suarez (TENN) def. Karolina Kozakova (VA) 6-1, 6-0
5. Melodie Collard (VA) vs. Francesca Mattioli (TENN) 1-6, 4-5, unfinished
6. Blanca Pico Navarro (VA) vs. Saray Yli-Piipari (TENN) 4-6, 0-4, unfinished
Doubles
1. #30 Catherine Aulia/Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) def. Karolina Kozakova/Melodie Collard (VA) 7-5
2. #72 Elza Tomase/Saray Yli-Piipari (TENN) def. #41 Martina Genis Salas/Annabelle Xu (VA) 6-3
3. Sara Ziodato/Meggie Navarro (VA) vs. Maeve Thornton/Vanesa Suarez (TENN) 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,2,1)
Odom throws out first pitch; said GM role on hold
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photos: UVA Athletics
Ryan Odom said this week that Virginia has put on hold the hiring of a general manager for the Cavaliers basketball program until he and his staff complete filling the team’s roster.
UVA presently has a 10-man roster and has been described as a heavy favorite to sign former San Francisco/USC shooting guard Malik Thomas and 6-foot-8 Belgian stretch forward Thijs De Ridder. The NCAA now allows a cap of 15 players, scholarship and walk-ons, although they can distribute scholarships as full or partial awards.
Both Odom and Virginia AD Carla Williams said in March that the school was interested in creating a GM role for the basketball program.
“The GM position is something that’s going to be really important for us going forward,” Odom told the ACC Network during Virginia’s baseball win over Towson this week. Odom was there to throw out the honorary first pitch (more on that later in the story). “Certainly, we wanted to get through this iteration of the transfer portal and reconstructing this roster before we turned our attention to [hiring a GM]. Certainly, Carla will be involved in that as well, and we’re going to be moving on that once we finish the roster.”
UVA sources have hinted that the new GM will not resemble that of a professional team’s position where the coach answers to the GM, but rather work with the program and the head coach.
Odom couldn’t talk specifically about the players he has recruited, but rather generally about the challenges of rebuilding a team after all but one player, Elijah Gertrude, entered the transfer portal following the season.
“It’s similar to when we first went to VCU,” Odom said. “At VCU, we had lost five starters and a couple of guys off the bench that played minutes and two seniors that had played minutes, so it was a reconstruction there as well. I think this is the same, but we’re off to a great start.
“Certainly, we lost some great kids that will go on and do great things, and we’ll wish all those guys well that were here last year that competed so hard for Coach (Ron) Sanchez and the rest of the crew. But we’ve got a new group coming in that we’re all going to be proud of and we’re looking forward to getting to work with them.”
Odom said it has been comfortable working with a staff that he knows so well, and that’s helped not only with the transition from VCU to UVA, but also helped in putting the roster together.
“They can answer things for me quickly before I actually utter a word,” said the new head coach in relation to how well he and his staff know one another. “It has been really rewarding to spend this time with them. We have hard workers, diligent people, guys that are really committed to being there for our players and the program in general.
“I think we all understand the responsibility ahead to lead this program and we’re all going to be a part of it, and it’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of good fortune and a lot of support from our fans. We’re excited to connect with the city of Charlottesville and our students.”
Odom was honored to throw out the first pitch, something he’s done before at a VCU game and also at a Baltimore Orioles game when he was head coach at UMBC.
Odom, still game at 50, went all the way back to the pitcher’s mound to throw the ceremonial pitch to his special catcher, UVA Hall of Fame baseball coach Brian O’Connor.
UVA’s transfer class numbers 30 with addition of CB Morris
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: Georgia State Sports
Virginia continued to build toward the 2025 football season this week by adding its 30th player from the transfer portal, defensive back Ja’Maric Morris.
Morris is a rangy, 6-foot-3, 205-pound grad student going on his fourth football program, starting at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas in 2022, transferring to Central Florida (UCF) and then transferring last season to Georgia State.
Morris started two games and played in 10 contests for Georgia State in 2024 and had two interceptions, four PBUs and 10 tackles.
A native of Timmonsville, S.C., he played mostly corner but has the versatility to also play at safety.
Virginia’s transfer portal class, which has added 11 players since the end of spring practice, is now ranked the No. 23 class in the country by 247Sports and fourth in the ACC behind Miami (No. 3), Florida State (No. 6) and Bill Belichick’s North Carolina (No. 9).
O’Connor shoots down rumors tying him to Mississippi State
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo by Nikolozi Khutsishvili
Forget all those rumors coming out of Mississippi State about the Bulldogs luring Virginia coach Brian O’Connor to Starkville. It ain’t happening.
Better SEC programs have attempted to steal O’Connor away in the past — Florida, LSU and Texas A&M — and the longtime Wahoos coach is perfectly content on staying in Charlottesville.
Rumors began flying shortly after Mississippi State fired coach Chris Lemonis on April 28. Lemonis, who guided the Bulldogs to the 2021 national championship, was in his seventh season in Starkville.
O’Connor confirmed to this website on Tuesday morning that he wasn’t interested in the MSU opening and was happy at Virginia. O’Connor’s comments were aired live on “The Jerry & Jerry Show” that same morning.
UVA opens up a big, three-game home series against Miami tonight at Disharoon Park.
Women’s Lacrosse: No. 5 UVA opens NCAA play Friday at Klöckner against LIU
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The fifth-seeded Virginia women’s lacrosse team is set to open its campaign in the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship on Friday when the Cavaliers host LIU (11-7) in the first round of the tournament. First draw from Klöckner Stadium is set for 3 p.m.
Duke (12-5) and James Madison (14-4) will play in the second game, starting at approximately 6 p.m.
The winners of Friday’s games will meet in the second round on Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.
HOW TO WATCH
- All three games of the Charlottesville Regional will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required)
- Links for the live stats and live stream are available on VirginiaSports.com
NCAA FIRST ROUND TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
- Tickets are $10 for general admission and $15 for reserved seating, and student tickets are $5. They go on sale Monday, May 5, beginning at 9 a.m. Fans may purchase tickets in advance via UVAtix.com or by calling the Virginia Athletics ticket office (434-924-8821). Fans may also purchase tickets at the Klöckner Stadium box office starting one hour prior to the event.
- Free parking is available in the John Paul Jones South and West Lots
VIRGINIA NOTES
- Virginia (11-6) has not lost a game to a team ranked outside the top-20 this season and has wins against two of the three teams in the Charlottesville regional, winning at JMU 14-11 and at home against Duke 16-11
- Sophomore midfielder Kate Galica was voted the 2025 ACC Midfielder of the Year. Galica leads the ACC and is 11th in the nation in draw controls at 9.41 per game. She has already set the UVA single-season record (160) and single-game record (17) for draw controls and has moved into the program’s top-five in draws in just her second season
- Galica also ranks second on the team in goals (40). She had a streak of six-straight games scoring at least a hat trick snapped in the ACC Quarterfinal game against BC
- Second-team All-ACC attacker Jenna DiNardo leads the team in goals (46, 2.71 per game). DiNardo has the longest active goal-scoring streak on the team, having scored in each of the last 10 games She has 10 hat tricks this year and has scored two or more goals in 14 of the team’s 17 contests
- DiNardo is taking 6.88 shots per game, top on the team and has a .500 shooting percentage on free positions
- First-team All-ACC attacker Madison Alaimo leads the team in points (69, 4.06 per game)
- Alaimo ranks third in the ACC and 11th in the nation in assists per game (2.88) Her 49 assists this season ranks third most in program history
- Sophomore attacker Addi Foster is the only player on the team to have a point in every game this season. Foster has had a breakout year with 36 goals and 16 assists for 52 points. Foster appeared in 16 games last season, scoring three goals with five assists
- Foster is the most efficient shooter on the team, ranking second in the ACC and 18th in the nation with a .571 shooting percentage
- Junior defender Nicole Cruthirds scored her first career goal (one her first career shot) in the ACC quarterfinal game against BC. She is the 10th Cavalier to score their first career goal this season
VIRGINIA IN THE NCAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
- The Cavaliers are making their 29th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship
- UVA has played the second-most games in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship appearing in 73 contests.
- Virginia owns the third-most wins in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship with 40
- Virginia is hosting first and second round matchups for the third time since 2019
- This is UVA’s 37th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament and owns a 40-33 overall record in the tournament
- The Cavaliers have been crowned NCAA champions three times (1991, 1993, 2004)
- The winner of the Charlottesville bracket will face the winner of the Gainesville (Florida) bracket in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The game will be played on the home field of the highest remaining seed
- The NCAA Semifinals and Finals will be held May 23-25 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Women’s Tennis: No. 7 Hoos host No. 10 Lady Vols in Friday’s Super Regional match
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The Virginia women’s tennis team will take on the 10-seed Tennessee at home in the Round of 16 of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Tennis Team Championship on Friday at 4 p.m.
The match is scheduled to be played outdoors at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort. Please monitor Virginia’s social media accounts for any weather-related changes.
Admission is free.
MATCH INFORMATION
- The match will be covered in the Cracked Racquets Cross Court Cast on their YouTube Channel
- Individual court streams will also be available on VirginiaSports.com
- Live scoring will be available for the match
- The winner of the Charlottesville Super Regional will advance to the finals site, Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas, where they will face the winner of the College Station Super Regional (Texas A&M, UCLA) in a quarterfinal match on Thursday, May 15
VIRGINIA & NCAA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
- The Cavaliers (22-5) are making their 24th appearance in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships and seventh straight under head coach Sara O’Leary
- This is UVA’s 11th time advancing to the NCAA Round of 16
- Virginia is making its fifth straight appearance in the Round of 16
- This is the second straight year the Cavaliers are hosting an NCAA Super Regional in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers defeated Vanderbilt in the Round of 16 last season at home
- The Cavaliers have reached the quarterfinals four times (2014, 2016, 2022, and 2024)
CAVALIER NOTES
- The Cavaliers are the No. 7 seed and ranked No. 7 in the latest ITA Team Rankings
- Virginia advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 with a 4-0 win over FDU in the first round and a 4-1 win over Illinois in the second round of the Charlottesville Regional
- UVA has defeated nine opponents this season that are currently in the top 30 of the ITA Team Rankings
- Senior Elaine Chervinsky leads the Cavaliers in singles this year with a 28-8 overall record. She is 12-2 in dual matches and is the highest ranked Cavalier, coming in at No. 23 in the latest ITA Singles Rankings
- Graduate student Sara Ziodato leads the team in dual match singles wins this season with a 15-4 record. She is 20-6 overall this year with an 8-4 record playing on the top singles court. She is ranked No. 27 in the singles rankings
- Three other Cavaliers have recorded at least 20 singles wins this year: Senior Melodie Collard (25-12), junior Annabelle Xu (22-11), and freshman Martina Genis Salas (25-14)
- Xu rounds out the Cavaliers in the singles rankings, coming in at No. 34
- Genis Salas is currently on an eight-match win streak in singles (in completed matches). She led the team in singles wins in conference play with seven
- Sophomore Blanca Pico Navarro is 7-2 in in singles in dual matches this season, including 5-1 on court six
- Chervinsky and Collard lead the Cavaliers in doubles wins on the year with a 31-3 record. The pair are 14-2 in dual matches playing on the top doubles court and are ranked No. 3 in the latest ITA Doubles Rankings
- Xu and freshman Martina Genis Salas are second on the team in doubles on the season with a 28-8 record. The pair have won their last six completed matches and lead the team in dual match wins with a 17-5 record. They are ranked No. 41 in doubles
SCOUTING TENNESSEE
- The Cavaliers lead the all-time series with Tennessee 8-7
- Virginia has won the last five meetings, including the most recent matchup earlier this season. The Cavaliers picked up a 4-2 win over Tennessee on February 7 in the round of 16 of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship
- Tennessee (19-7) is the 10-seed in the championship and ranked No. 10 in the ITA Team Rankings
- The Lady Vols have three ranked players in the ITA Singles Rankings. Elza Tomase is the highest ranked Lady Volunteer, coming in at No. 7
- Tennessee returns to the Round of 16 for the third straight season
- This is Tennessee’s 12th trip to the Super Regionals
Women’s Golf: UVA finishes third; qualifies for NCAA Championships
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 11 Virginia women’s golf team tied for third at the NCAA Charlottesville Regional site at Birdwood Golf Course to clinch a place in the 2025 NCAA Championships.
The Cavaliers shot 6-over 290 during Wednesday’s final round of competition to finish the 54-hole event at 12-over 864 and earn one of the five berths from the site to the national championships. Virginia advances to the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight season and will make its 15th appearance in its 22-year history.
Fourth-ranked South Carolina won the regional at 2-under 850. No. 16 Ole Miss was second at 9-over 861. No. 21 Florida tied with UVA for third at 6-over 290 and No. 27 UCLA grabbed the final qualifying spot at 17-over 869.
Marie Madsen of NC State won the Charlottesville Regional shooting 5-over 208. Madsen punched her own ticket to the NCAA Championships as the top individual on a team that did not advance.
UVA’s Kennedy Swedick impressed on Wednesday carding a career-low round of 3-under 68. Swedick, who entered the tournament as a substitute on Tuesday, posted a bogey-free round that featured three birdies to tie for the low score of the day.
The Cavaliers were paced by a fourth-place finish from Megan Propeck who shot an even-par 71 on Wednesday to finish the tournament even at 213. Jaclyn LaHa placed 18th at 4-over 217 and Amanda Sambach placed 23rd at 7-over 220. Rebecca Skoler finished 32nd at 11-over 224.
Other Teams Advancing to the NCAA Championships:
Columbus Regional: Kansas, Arkansas, Ohio State, UNLV, LSU
Gold Canyon Regional: Oregon, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, CSU Fullerton
Lexington Regional: Florida State, Georgia Southern, Kansas State, Southern California, Vanderbilt
Lubbock Regional: Wake Forest, Texas, Iowa State, Tennessee, Purdue
Norman Regional: Stanford, Northwestern, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Baylor
Virginia is one of four ACC teams to advance to the NCAA Championships. The others are Florida State, Wake Forest and Stanford.
NCAA Charlottesville Regional
Birdwood Golf Course
Charlottesville
Par 71, 6,321 yards
Final Results
TEAM RESULTS
1. South Carolina — 277-286-287–850
2. Ole Miss — 282-290-289–861
T3. Virginia — 286-288-290–864
T3. Florida — 283-288-293–864
5. UCLA — 281-288-300–869
6. NC State — 289-290-297–876
7. UCF — 298-293-291–882
8. BYU — 293-296-299–888
9. Princeton — 298-293-301–892
10. Charleston — 302-299-296–897
11. Richmond — 313-308-305–926
12. Radford — 304-309-320–933
VIRGINIA RESULTS
T4. Megan Propeck — 70-72-71–213
T18. Jaclyn LaHa — 72-71-74–217
T23. Amanda Sambach — 72-71-77–220
T32. Rebecca Skoler — 72-75-77–224
62. Kennedy Swedick — SUB-74-68–142
T43. Chloe Schiavone — 76-SUB-SUB—76
Softball: Cavaliers fall to Clemson in ACC quarterfinals, 7-4
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Sophomore Macee Eaton set the program’s single-season RBI record as a back-and-forth battle went the way of the higher seed on Thursday, and No. 25 Virginia fell to No. 15 Clemson in the ACC quarterfinals by a score of 7-4 at the Harrington Athletics Village at Boston College.
Virginia was the seven seed in the tournament, while Clemson was the two seed.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Clemson (42-12) got on the board in the fourth, converting a leadoff double into a run. Julia Knowler doubled off the wall in left field to start the inning and took third on a groundout. Aby Viera laced a single through the left side to bring Knowler home and put Clemson up 1-0.
Virginia (37-17) responded in the fifth, taking the lead with a two-RBI single to center from Jade Hylton. Virginia worked the bases loaded with a single and a pair of hit batters. Hylton came to the plate with two outs and dropped the base hit into center and pushed two runs home for the 2-1 lead.
Clemson took the lead back in the fifth with a two-run shot to center with two outs from Maddie Moore.
The Cavaliers again had an answer as Macee Eaton sent one over the fence in right to make it a 4-3 lead. Kamyria Woody-Giggetts scored on the home run after entering to run for Bella Cabral who reached on a single.
The Tigers again had an answer, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth with a walk, a hit batter and a bunt single. A grand slam from Taylor Pipkins put Clemson in front, 7-4.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Macee Eaton set the single-season record for RBI with her home run in the sixth (59), passing the mark set by All-American Kristen Dennis in 2002.
- Eaton’s home run in the sixth was her 12th home run of the season and she is one of three Cavaliers with double-digit home runs this season.
- Jade Hylton is now seventh on the UVA single-season RBI list with 48, following her 2-RBI hit in the fifth.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“It was a really competitive game. There were some great arms going at each other. Courtney came out and did a great job and we turned a couple of double plays; one of our keys today was to play clean defense and we did that. Postseason softball is competitive greatness – be your best and give your best when the game requires it. We played hard and competitive. There is a difference between losing a game and getting beat, and we just got beat tonight. They got a couple of great swings on a couple of great pitches. There’s not much you can do about that. You turn the page and start preparation for the postseason.
“I’m proud of the back and forth and there is a fearlessness about this team a really like. We’re ready to find out where we’re going and compete for a national championship. This is an exciting time and postseason softball is exciting.”
UP NEXT
Virginia will find out the next opponent on the season with the NCAA selection show on Sunday. The NCAA Tournament brackets and field will be announced live on ESPN at 7 p.m. Fans are invited to join the team on the field at Palmer Park with the left field gate off Massie Road opening at 6:30 p.m. The selection show will be broadcast on the video board at Palmer Park.
Malik Thomas gets waiver, UVA is heavy favorite
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: University of San Francisco Athletics
Virginia’s basketball team is expected to gain a major boost any day now because former San Francisco shooting guard Malik Thomas has been granted another season of eligibility via a hardship waiver from the NCAA.
Thomas told Jeff Goodman of “The Field of 68” that Virginia is the “heavy favorite” for his services. This would be a good get for Ryan Odom’s program, one that Wahoo fans are already excited about.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior is a three-level scorer with a solid perimeter shot, a pull-up mid-range jumper and the strength to finish at the rim, which would only strengthen an already impressive Cavaliers backcourt.
Last season at San Francisco, Thomas averaged 19.9 points per game, shot 44.4 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from the arc over 32 minutes per game. In 2023-24, also for the Dons, he averaged 12.4 points per contest, making 47.5 percent of his field-goal attempts and 40 percent of his 3-point tries, playing an average of 23 minutes per game.
Thomas started out the first two years of his career at Southern Cal.
Should he sign with Virginia, Thomas would join a backcourt with freshman Chance Mallory (5-9) along with Jacari White (6-3), Dallin Hall (6-4) and Elijah Gertrude (6-4), along with 6-6 Sam Lewis and 6-7 Devin Tillis.
UVA’s frontcourt is presently comprised of 6-8 Silas Barksdale, 6-8 Martin Carrere, 6-11 Johann Grunloh and 7-0 Ugonna Onyenso. The Cavaliers are also pursuing 6-8 stretch forward Thijs De Ridder from Belgium (see related story on this site).
Virginia uses multi-homer effort to dismantle Towson, 19-1
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
On a night where Henry Godbout and Jacob Ference each homered twice, the Virginia baseball team downed Towson, 19-1, at Disharoon Park on Wednesday night.
With their two-homer performances, Godbout and Ference became the first Cavaliers to hit two home runs in the same game since Ference and Henry Ford did it against Louisville on April 12, 2024. The pair is also the first UVA duo to hit back-to-back blasts this season.
UVA starter Chris Arroyo surrendered one run in two innings of work but did not factor into the decision. Evan Blanco picked up the win on Wednesday by striking out four Tigers over the three scoreless innings in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The visiting Tigers (19-31) opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI groundout that was set up by a Cavalier error.
Towson’s lead didn’t last long as Virginia (27-16) plated three runs in the home half of the second inning. Godbout’s first home run of the night tied the contest at one before back-to-back RBI singles from Luke Hanson and Aidan Teel put Virginia out front for good.
Virginia added a pair of runs in the third as Godbout and Ference teamed up for back-to-back solo home runs to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
UVA added a one run in the fourth on a Tiger error and one run in the fifth on a James Nunnallee RBI single to extend its lead to 7-1 with five innings in the books.
In the sixth, the Cavaliers exploded for four more runs on back-to-back RBI doubles from Arroyo and Godbout before Ference put an exclamation point on his night with a no-doubt two-run blast to left center.
The Cavaliers added six more runs in the seventh when the Towson pitching duo of Alex Comwell and Leo Simpson hit three straight Virginia batters and issued a walk with the bases loaded before Walker Buchanan delivered a two-run single to right to push the UVA advantage to 17-1.
Virginia’s final two runs on the night came in the bottom of the eighth when Will Broderick worked a bases-loaded walk, which led to a Trey Wells sacrifice fly that plated Antonio Perrotta.
The bullpen duo of Michael Yager and Joe Colucci each threw a scoreless inning to seal the 19-1 Virginia victory.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia improves to 17-5 when Aidan Teel bats leadoff.
- Dating back to the April 6 contest at NC State, the Cavaliers have hit at least one home run in 14 straight games.
- Henry Godbout tied his career-high with four RBIs on the night.
- Virginia’s 18 runs on Wednesday tied for the second-most runs scored by the Cavaliers in a game his season.
- UVA improves to 25-4 on the season when scoring six or more runs.
- The Cavaliers now lead the all-time series with Towson 25-2 and have won 19 straight games against the Tigers dating back to 2009.
UP NEXT
Virginia returns to ACC play on Friday as the Cavaliers are set to host Miami for a three-setat Disharoon Park. The series opener on Friday against the Hurricanes is set for 6 p.m. The middle game is slated for a 4 p.m. start on Saturday, followed by the finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ACCNX and can be heard on WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).
Softball: Cavaliers walk off Cardinals in opening round of ACC Championship, 3-2
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Kelly Ayer’s RBI double in the seventh lifted the Cavaliers to a walk-off victory as No. 25 Virginia advanced in the ACC Championships with a 3-2 victory over Louisville at the Harrington Athletics Village on Wednesday in Brighton, Mass.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Louisville (26-25) got on the board in the third, taking advantage of a throwing error on a ground ball to third to get a run home. The throw to first sailed and caromed off the fence past the first base dugout, rolling to the wall in right field as the Hoos had a shift on to the left side. The batter scored on the play to put the Cardinals on top 1-0.
The Cardinals extended the lead in the sixth with a two-out single through the right side that was just out of reach of a diving Bella Cabral. Camryn Lookadoo scored from third on the play after reaching on a leadoff single then moving to third on a sac bunt and a groundout to second.
Virginia (37-16) tied the game in the sixth inning with a bases-loaded single through the left side from Sydney Hartgrove. Kelly Ayer and Bella Cabral scored on the play. Ayer reached on a single and took second on an throwing error to second on a ground ball from Cabral to put two on. Sarah Coon loaded the bases as the throw to second on her ground ball deep to short was late and Cabral slid in safely to bring Hartgrove to the plate.
The Cavaliers then walked it off with the Ayer double to left in the seventh inning. Kailyn Jones scored after reaching on a fielder’s choice and advancing to second on a walk of Jade Hylton to set up the score on the Ayer hit.
Eden Bigham (17-8) picked up the win in relief, working the final 5.0 innings. She allowed two runs, one of them earned, while scattering six hits and striking out two.
Alyssa Zabala (10-11) took the loss as she allowed the three runs – one of them earned – while allowing seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The win over Louisville is the first ACC Tournament win for Virginia since the 2011 season when the Cavaliers defeated top-seeded Georgia Tech 6-0.
- It was the 16th one-run game of the season for Virginia who is now 7-9 in one-run games.
- It was UVA’s 10th one-run game this season decided in walk-off fashion and UVA is 5-5 in those games.
- The walk-off hit was the second this season for Ayer who also delivered the walk-off in a 9-8 win over Boston College to lock up the series.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“We got that monkey off our back and I’ll be honest about that. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an ACC Tournament win and it’s nice to get that one. It’s been on our minds and that’s part of learning to win from the front and under pressure. I liked the fight at the end after playing from behind. We’re going to have to turn it around quick, play clean defense and play assertive. We did that a bit tonight and I liked that, I like to see those things defensively.
“We talk about how defense and pitching win championships and that’s what will get us down the stretch. We fought through it and coming through in high pressure situations are what great teams are made of and I loved to see the fight and sticking together. We’re a really good ball club when we stick together.”
UP NEXT
Virginia advances to face No. 2 seed Clemson (41-12) in the quarterfinals on Thursday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Clemson is ranked No. 15 in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll. The two teams did not meet in the regular season.
UVA to participate in Greenbrier Tip-Off in November
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Intersport announced Wednesday that Virginia will participate in the second annual Greenbrier Tip-Off, which is set for Nov. 21 and 23.
Butler, Northwestern and South Carolina join the Cavaliers in the Mountain Division of the Tip-Off, which will take place at the famed Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Each team will each play two games in the event, which will be staged in Colonial Hall inside the Greenbrier Resort and air live on CBS Sports Network. Matchups for both days of the event will be announced in the coming weeks.
At this time, the only way to guarantee game tickets to the 2025 Greenbrier Tip-Off Mountain Division is through event travel packages. Travel packages will be available for fans looking to join their favorite team at The Greenbrier Tip-Off. Packages will include game tickets, good for each Mountain Division game, and hotel accommodations on property. Travel packages will be available this summer, but fans interested in securing packages and receiving additional event updates from the event can register to receive email alerts at www.greenbriertipoff.com/travel. Ticket-only packages, based on availability, will go on sale in early fall.
The Resort has become synonymous with world-class, authentic, southern hospitality. Founded in 1778, The Greenbrier is the premium vacation destination fit for any personality, from luxury shopping and dining experiences to championship-level golf and other outdoor adventures. In total, the resort features more than 55 indoor and outdoor activities, more than 35 retail shops, four golf courses, 20 dining and lounge venues, signature spa services and an on-property casino on more than 11,000 acres.
The 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off, the first year of the event, featured eight teams taking part in one of two divisions. Wisconsin claimed the first Mountain Division championship over Pitt, while UTRGV defeated Tennessee Tech for the River Division title. Details and teams for the 2025 River Division of the Greenbrier Tip-Off will be announced at a later date.
In 2023, Intersport and The Greenbrier entered into a long-term partnership to bring major college basketball to the mountain resort destination. Since then, 12 men’s and women’s college basketball programs have experienced the unique destination that is The Greenbrier, with Radford and Marshall meeting in the first ever game at the resort on Nov. 10, 2023, in front of a sold out crowd of more than 1,000 fans at Colonial Hall. The first women’s college basketball game took place at the resort on Nov. 17, 2024, when Navy defeated Radford.
For more information on the event and to receive email alerts regarding future event news, log on to www.greenbriertipoff.com and follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram at @IntersportHoops.
ABOUT THE TEAMS
Butler Bulldogs
Head Coach: Thad Matta
2024-25 Highlights: Butler claimed the 2024 Arizona Tip-Off Championship with wins over Northwestern and No. 25 Mississippi State … Advanced to postseason play and earned a quarterfinal berth in the inaugural College Basketball Crown.
Notable Team Details: Matta is entering his fourth season with Butler, and fifth overall after also spending the 2000-01 season as the team’s head coach … the Bulldogs are poised to welcome at least five major transfers to the team this season, including four that have earned All-Conference accolades … Butler also returns starter Finley Bizjack, who was fourth on the team in scoring last year at 10.3 ppg and first in 3-point percentage (42.8).
Northwestern Wildcats
Head Coach: Chris Collins
2024-25 Highlights: Posted 17 victories last year, its third-straight winning season … Returning starter Nick Martinelli was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree and led the Big Ten in scoring last year (20.5 ppg), setting the NU single-season scoring benchmark … Recorded a win over a top-20 opponent for the fourth-straight season.
Notable Team Details: Collins is entering his 13th season in Evanston, and ranks second in school history in career wins (194) … Martinelli led the Big Ten in scoring (20.5) and minutes (37.6) per game a season ago … With last year’s 17 wins, the team recorded a three-year total of 61 wins since the start of the 2022-23 season, the most wins in a three-year span in program history.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Head Coach: Lamont Paris
2024-25 Highlights: Freshman Collin Murray-Boyles garnered second-team All-SEC honors and is poised to be the first Gamecock selected in the top-10 of the NBA Draft since 1972 … Finished third in its MTE last season at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, defeating Virginia Tech in the third-place game.
Notable Team Details: Paris, 2024 SEC Coach of the Year, is entering his fourth season in Columbia … South Carolina will welcome six transfers into the program this coming year, including returning former All-SEC standout Meechie Johnson back to the program after spending last season at Ohio State … Senior Myles Stute, a starter of 31 of 41 games with South Carolina, was granted an additional year of availability after missing most of 2024-25 with lower leg deep vein thrombosis (blood clots).
Virginia Cavaliers
Head Coach: Ryan Odom
2024-25 Highlights: UVA posted a 15-17 record under interim head coach Ron Sanchez … The Cavaliers were among seven of the ACC’s 18 teams to finish with four conference road wins … UVA ranked 26th nationally in 3-point percentage (37.5%), 38th in turnovers per game (10.1) and assist/turnover ratio (1.46) and 39th in scoring defense (66.8).
Notable Team Details: Odom enters his first season with the Cavaliers, having been hired this past March from VCU … Odom owns a 222-127 all-time record in nearly 10 full seasons as a head coach … Odom has a long history with Virginia as his father, Dave, was an assistant with the program, while Ryan served as a team ball boy at home games as a youth … Ryan was the head coach at UMBC, which became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 (Virginia) in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency and leader in the creation of ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, customer engagement, experiential marketing, hospitality, production and sponsorship consulting. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events acrossthe professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985, with additional offices in Boston, Detroit and New York. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram andFacebook).
About The Greenbrier
The Greenbrier is a distinct and spectacular luxury mountain resort situated in the Allegheny Mountains in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It is best known as “America’s Resort.” With a history dating back to 1778, the 710 perfectly appointed Signature Resort Rooms, Classic and Historic Suites, Legacy Cottages and Estate Homes are situated on The Greenbrier’s breathtaking 11,000-acre playground. Play championship golf courses or experience more than 55 activities, including professional indoor and outdoor tennis, off-road driving and falconry. America’s only private casino features table games, slot machines and the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Greenbrier’s full-service, 40,000-square-foot world-renowned spa is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious mineral spas in the world, and the Retail Collection is comprised of more than 35 boutiques, shops and hand-crafted works of art. The Greenbrier Restaurant Collection is comprised of 20 restaurants, cafés and lounges. The Greenbrier Clinic has been practicing diagnostic medicine since 1948, and The Greenbrier Sporting Club and The Greenbrier Legacy Club offer the pinnacle of luxury real estate with exclusive home sites within distinctive neighborhoods across The Greenbrier estate. Follow The Greenbrier on Facebook at The Greenbrier, on Twitter at @the_greenbrier or on Instagram at the_greenbrier.
Women’s Golf: Hoos remain in contention heading into final day at Birdwood
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 11 Virginia women’s golf team finished the second round of the Charlottesville Regional in fifth place. The Cavaliers shot 4-over 288 in the second round for a 36-hole score of 6-over 574.
The regional is one of six three-round competition sites where the top-five teams advance to the NCAA Championships at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. on May 16-21.
South Carolina maintained its position atop the leaderboard at 5-under 563. UCLA (1-over 569), Florida (3-over 571), and Ole Miss (4-over, 572) sit ahead of Virginia in fifth place at 6-over 574. The Cavaliers hold a five-stroke lead over NC State (11-over 579) to land above the projected cut line going into the final round.
Amanda Sambach and Jaclyn LaHa led the Cavaliers on the day as each carded par 71 on their second round. Both Sambach and LaHa are tied for 14th place individually.
Megan Propeck leads the team at No. 7 on the individual leaderboard (even-par 142). Propeck shot 1-over 72 in Tuesday’s second round.
Wednesday’s final round gets underway at 8 a.m. UVA will be paired with Ole Miss and NC State. Those teams will begin their second round at 8 a.m. from the 10th tee. For live scoring updates, click here.
Virginia is playing in its 19th NCAA Regional in the 22-year history of the program and hosts its first-ever regional championship. The Cavaliers have advanced to the NCAA Championships 14 times including last season.
NCAA Charlottesville Regional
Birdwood Golf Course
Charlottesville
Par 71, 6,365 yards
Second Round Results
TEAM RESULTS
1. South Carolina — 277-286–563
2. UCLA — 281-288–569
3. Florida — 283-288–571
4. Ole Miss — 282-290–572
5. Virginia — 286-288–574
6. NC State — 289-290–579
7. BYU — 293-296–589
T8. UCF — 298-293–591
T8. Princeton — 298-293–591
10. Charleston — 302-299–601
11. Radford — 304-309–613
12. Richmond — 313-308–621
VIRGINIA RESULTS
T7. Megan Proeck — 70-72–142
T13. Amanda Sambach — 72-71–143
T13. Jaclyn LaHa — 72-71–143
T18. Rebecca Skoler — 72-75–147
T65. Kennedy Swedick — SUB-74–74
T43. Chloe Schiavone — 76-SUB—74
