UVA offers Las Vegas 7-footer Xavion Staton, ’25
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: Verbal Commits
Virginia rolled the dice on a 7-foot prospect from Las Vegas on Monday when the Cavaliers made an offer to big man Xavion Staton, a four-star from the recruiting class of 2025.
Staton is a 7-foot-1, 190-pound center from Sierra Vista High School in Vegas. On3 ranks him the No. 90 overall prospect in the nation for his class, the No. 13 center and the No. 2 prospect from Nevada. 247Sports rates him No. 143, 19 and 2, respectively, in those same categories.
The big center has a ton of offers other than UVA’s: Kansas, UCLA, USC, Auburn, LSU, TCU, Texas, Stanford, Missouri, Memphis, Texas A&M, Illinois, Xavier, Iowa, Creighton, UNLV and Arizona State, among others.
“I’ve been very ecstatic and excited that so many schools want me,” Staton told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “But it’s also one of those things where you celebrate the moment and then you keep your head down, keep pushing and keep getting better. I’ve developed a humble mentality, if anything, with continuing to receive these offers because I know I need to keep getting better and not let it go to my head.
“It’s really been on the rise, just nonstop,” Staton continued. “It’s been great hearing from all these different colleges. That’s always someone’s dream, but to be actually living it and experiencing it every day, it’s been surreal.”
He has been talking “a lot” with Kansas, an offer he said was eye-opening. The Jayhawks are the nation’s preseason No. 1 pick.
“They love how well I can run the floor, especially as a big and how comfortable I am with my running,” Staton said. “And the hustle on every play, whether it’s on defense or offense, just blocking everything around the glass and getting rebounds.”
Check out the video below, with highlights and an in-depth interview with the big man.
Virginia can’t run the ball, can’t stop the run, and is 0-5 as a result
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
As complicated as football appears to be, it’s somewhat simple when boiled down to the basics of the game.
If a team can run the football consistently and prevent the other team from running, it is a winning formula. This philosophy is dependent upon how an offensive line can do its job.
Ah, there’s the rub for Virginia football, winless after five games this season, the worst start for a Cavalier team since George Welsh inherited a mess of a program back in 1982. UVA can’t run the ball and can’t stop the run. The offensive line is often overwhelmed at the line of scrimmage, thusly putting immense pressure on the quarterback to make something happen.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott looked like a man without an answer after Saturday’s 27-24 loss at Boston College when he was asked about his team’s running game — or rather a lack thereof. The Cavaliers had only 66 yards rushing in the game, 28 of those by quarterback Tony Muskett.
Meanwhile, Boston College rushed for 203 yards and posted 12 first downs rushing, as opposed to only four for Virginia.
“Great question,” Elliott replied about UVA’s ground attack. “You want your backs to carry the load, but it comes down to fundamentals: footwork, hand placement, eye discipline, communication.”
Elliott pointed out that Virginia is trying to run against defenses that feature “loaded boxes,” extra defenders within the tackle box designed to stop the run.
“It comes down to individuals trusting their coaching, trusting the techniques, not trying to do too much, not trying to hit the home run, and based on my experience, when you can go for six or seven (yards), eventually you’re going to break the long one,” Elliott said. “Sometimes you can press and try to make the big one, cutting back too early, not having your eyes where they need to be.”
During game-week practices, Elliott made running the football a priority for Boston College. He felt it was a must, but the Eagles had other ideas. They loaded the box to limit UVA’s running game and decided to put the pressure on Muskett, playing in his first game since being injured in the second half of the season opener against Tennessee.
“If No. 11 (Muskett) played, we wanted to get after him and I thought we were a little timid calling [pressure] early,” BC coach Jeff Hafley said. “We were going to go pressure him and make him uncomfortable. We made it too easy for him early in the game. He didn’t feel us. We wanted to make him uncomfortable.”
Other than the running game, certainly changing the way to attack Muskett after the first quarter was a huge aspect of BC overcoming a double-digit deficit and coming back to win the game.
Muskett was 16 of 21 passing for 218 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. The second half was an entirely different ballgame, as an “uncomfortable” Muskett was only 6 of 13 for 29 yards.
“I felt the pressure was good,” Hafley said. “I thought the sacks were good. I thought the pressures we called hit fast and collapsed the pocket immediately, even at the end of the game. You could see [Muskett] was uncomfortable. I thought he was uncomfortable after the second quarter.”
Boston College outgained Virginia 266 yards to 39 in the second half.
The Eagles managed to establish a running game consistently throughout the game.
“I thought our offensive line did a nice job of controlling the second half,” Hafley said. “Virginia came out with a lot of pressure, they’re bringing guys off the edge, they’re bringing two guys in the middle, and I thought we adjusted between the offensive line and the coaches. We did a really good job of adjusting to that.”
BC managed to run the ball in spite of losing its starting right tackle and his backup to injuries during the game.
UVA’s defense did come up with a season-high four turnovers — two interceptions and two fumble recoveries — but the offense only converted those to 10 points, a first-half touchdown drive, and a tying 24-24 field goal with seven minutes to play.
The Cavaliers’ offense was almost non-existent in the second half after holding a 21-7 halftime lead.
UVA’s offense was: punt, interception, punt, punt, field goal, run out of downs in the second half. The last possession was particularly deflating when the Cavaliers took over at their own 28, trailing by three points with 2:11 to play.
Muskett threw four passes, only one complete to freshman receiver Jaden Gibson for seven yards. He also targeted Gibson two other times in that series and threw the other incomplete, a pass well behind Malachi Fields.
Heading into this week, a home game against FCS opponent William & Mary, Elliott’s Cavaliers rank No. 125 out of 130 FBS programs nationally in running the football, averaging 79.2 yards rushing per game (2.17 ypc). In five games this season, UVA has rushed for a mere 317 yards.
Meanwhile, the Virginia defense hasn’t stopped the run either, ranked No. 109 in the country in rushing defense, giving up an average of 178 yards per game and 4.65 yards per carry to opponents.
Rohde expected to provide more scoring punch for Bennett, Cavaliers
By Scott Ratcliffe
Following the mass exodus in the UVA basketball program after last season, head coach Tony Bennett saw a diamond in the rough, so to speak, in transfer Andrew Rohde, and is happy to add his scoring ability to a roster that lost a large chunk of its offensive output from a year ago.
“We are excited to add Andrew to the Virginia basketball family,” Bennett said. “Andrew is a talented guard who had a terrific freshman season at St. Thomas. We look forward to him joining our program.”
Rohde, a 6-foot-6, 185-pound sophomore wing, has found a second home in Charlottesville after transferring from St. Thomas College in Minnesota in the spring.
Last season as a freshman with the Tommies, Rohde torched the nets, finishing the season strong with several 20-point performances down the stretch (eight times across his final 10 games).
He scored in double figures in all but three games all season, averaging 17.1 points per game on 45-percent shooting (189 for 422) from the field and 32-percent (56 for 175) from long range. He made at least one 3-pointer in all but four contests, and sank three — or more — triples in nine games last season.
Rohde was also reliable from the charity stripe, connecting on 97 of his 119 free-throw attempts (82 percent). He poured in a career-high 27 points in the regular-season finale at North Dakota. Rohde started all 31 games for the Tommies, and was named an all-conference first-team selection and the Summit League (formerly known as the Mid-Continent Conference) Rookie of the Year.
“I mean, going into it, I didn’t really think a lot about what accolades I was trying to achieve,” he admitted. “I was just trying to play my hardest and help my team win the most amount of games. So I wasn’t really going in thinking of the certain things I was going to win, but obviously it’s a blessing to be able to win those awards.”
Photo: St. Thomas Athletics
Rohde is a solid defensive player as well, and has a knack for picking up steals. He averaged 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Rohde ranked sixth in the Summit League in scoring, second in steals, fifth in assists and fourth in field-goal percentage. Not too shabby for a first-year player.
In his two Summit League Tournament appearances, Rohde averaged 23.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals, and shot 50 percent from downtown (8 for 16). He was named to the all-tournament team as a result.
So how did he wind up at St. Thomas? Was he overlooked coming out of high school or did he just overachieve in his initial season at the college level? Rohde was a 3-star prospect, rated No. 316 nationally in the 247 Composite rankings coming out of Brookfield. He was also offered by Wisconsin-Milwaukee, DePaul, Appalachian State, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Western Illinois, Illinois-Chicago and Bowling Green.
“Yeah I think I was a little bit under-recruited in high school,” Rohde said, “but it was all God’s plan and I ended up where I was supposed to end up that first year, and it was a blessing in disguise, for sure. And obviously in high school, every kid wants to go play at the highest Division-I school and do all that stuff, but I think going to St. Thomas was a great opportunity for me.”
At season’s end, Rohde decided it was time for a step up in competition, as much as he enjoyed his time in Minnesota.
“Yeah, it was amazing,” said Rohde. “I love St. Thomas. I love the people — the people there are amazing too, and it was just a great place for me to be, and I’m really glad I spent my first year there.”
Photo: St. Thomas Athletics
After putting his name in the transfer portal and hearing from numerous suitors, it was just something about Charlottesville and the Cavalier program that attracted him.
“Being in the transfer portal was a real crazy thing,” he recalled. “Just a lot of people calling your phone every day and whatnot. But the thing that stood out to me about UVA was just kind of the family atmosphere that they have here and just the people, because that’s really what I was looking for — playing for a coach where I think I could do it and build a relationship with, but also being around great people, and that’s ultimately what it came down to, and UVA was the place for me.”
Rohde is the highest-rated incoming Virginia transfer (No. 58 nationally), according to recently updated rankings by On3.com (Dante Harris was No. 65; Jordan Minor was 102; Jacob Groves was 251). Rohde was also listed as the 17th-best shooting guard transfer in the country by 247, and is among On3’s top 10 “steals” in the transfer portal.
The Bennett name is well-known, well-established and well-respected in Rohde’s stomping grounds of Wisconsin, with Tony and his father, Dick, having coached college basketball for years throughout the state of Wisconsin and beyond.
Hailing from the Milwaukee area where he attended Brookfield Central HS, there was a sense of familiarity for Rohde and a Wisconsin connection at UVA, especially with the reputation the Bennett family has built.
“Oh, it’s huge. It’s huge up there,” Rohde said of the Bennett name. “But yeah, I mean, I’ve known about them since I was little, especially because my parents grew up in the Neenah, Green Bay area, so they were big fans of Dick Bennett as well. So we grew up just knowing the name.”
Playing for his father, Tony Bennett made a name for himself as a freshman at Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1988-89, averaging 19.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He shot 52 percent from the floor (179 for 343), 44 percent from 3-point land (47 for 107) and 85 percent from the foul line (111 for 131). Rohde’s numbers weren’t too far off from Bennett’s in his first year at the Division-I level.
Bennett was named the Mid-Continent Conference Rookie of the Year, and was named to the all-conference second team. For his career at Green Bay, Bennett shot an eye-popping 49.7 percent from beyond the arc (290 for 584) before going on to a three-year career with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, prior to stepping into the coaching realm.
“He’s definitely a better shooter than me. I’m trying to get on his level,” said Rohde.
Along with Bennett, there’s also an even deeper Wisconsin connection, with Rohde’s new Cavalier teammates Reece Beekman and Leon Bond III also hailing from the state.
“I think it played a big role,” Rohde said of his decision, “just because Coach Bennett had been from Wisconsin, but also having Reece and Leon here from Wisconsin as well, I think it played a big part.”
Rohde and the rest of the Hoos have been bonding with their teammates on and off the court throughout the summer, and he believes all the right pieces are in place for a successful season.
“We have a great team in terms of the people on our team. We have a bunch of good guys,” he said. “We like being together a lot, especially just hanging out outside of practice and basketball outside of the gym, which is really good.”
Rohde has spent the past few weeks practicing with the Cavaliers, and has seen first-hand how the transition from what he saw at St. Thomas compared to ACC-level competition is going to look.
“It’s been a lot different, just a lot of athleticism and length, and obviously defensively,” Rohde pointed out. “It’s just been crazy going at it every day with my teammates. The practices have been really good. But I’m really excited to play that level of competition this year, and hopefully we can do some damage.”
One thing is for certain, and that’s the fact that Rohde is enjoying the warmer temperatures in Central Virginia as opposed to the frigid weather up north.
“A lot of snow and long winters, definitely,” described Rohde of what he’s used to. “It just gets really cold there, but with the snow added on to that, it’s just a lot to deal with in the winters for sure.”
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: Andrew Rohde
🔶⚔️🔷#GoHoos | @andrewrohde10 pic.twitter.com/JQZc7OdRSd
— Virginia Men’s Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) August 3, 2023
Rohde said his main goals in the immediate future are improving his shooting, ball-handling and his defense, and knows that the latter is a top priority that will keep him on the court at UVA.
“I still have a lot to work on the defensive end, so I’m just trying to learn the new defensive schemes and all that sort of thing, and hopefully put it all together,” he said.
Learning the Pack Line is always a challenge for a newcomer stepping into the program, but Rohde feels that he’s getting the hang of it. It may take some more time to truly get it all down, but it’s certainly a point of emphasis in his training.
“I mean, it’s a lot different,” said Rohde. “Just picking that up and learning it, I think I’m doing a decent job so far, but honestly, there’s still a lot I have to work on to get to the place where I want to be.”
All things considered, Rohde is ready to start school next week and to continue to get to know the Charlottesville area and the UVA program, and he’s just been enjoying the ride.
“Definitely, definitely. I’m loving it so far,” Rohde said. “It’s a real family atmosphere, and I knew that going through the recruiting process and all that, but now that I’ve been up here, I really feel it and everybody’s there for each other, but Charlottesville is great, too.”
Although he’s new to the area, Rohde has been impressed by the variety of great food options. For any local restaurant owners considering NIL involvement and are looking for a Cavalier to rep your business, Rohde just may be your guy.
“The food has really drawn me,” he said. “The food here is amazing. There’s a lot of different food spots, we go out to eat a lot — I like Mel’s Cafe, Citizen Burger is good, Jack Brown’s is good, Asado, a couple different other spots.”
While Wahoo fans might bump into Rohde at one of their favorite local eateries, what kind of player can they expect to see on the floor wearing the No. 4 jersey at JPJ in a few months and beyond?
“I would just say lengthy and gritty,” Rohde said. “I try to just play my hardest every time I step on the floor, and I’ll do whatever it takes to help my team win.”
Muskett, other hobbled Wahoos ‘day-to-day;’ Agunloye’s season is over
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia coach Tony Elliott said that starting quarterback Tony Muskett’s condition is “day-to-day,” and it will be a “game-time decision” if Muskett plays against JMU in Saturday’s home opener at Scott Stadium (noon, ESPNU).
Meanwhile, starting defensive tackle Olasunkonmi Agunloye’s season is over after the senior injured both knees as he was celebrating on the sidelines. Agunloye underwent successful surgery in Charlottesville after he ruptured both of his patellar tendons in one of the most freakish injuries Elliott had ever heard of, during UVA’s 49-13 loss at No. 12 Tennessee last Saturday in Nashville.
“Su (as he is known to coaches and teammates), we obviously saw what happened,” Elliott said. “I don’t think in the moment anybody knew the extent or the magnitude, but it was pretty serious for Su. He’ll be out the rest of the season.”
Several other Cavaliers, who missed the Tennessee game while recovering from injuries, are either day-to-day as well, or will be game-time decisions just like Muskett.
Defensive end Chico Bennett has returned to practice, and while he had limited reps in Tuesday’s practice, he managed to go at full speed. Elliott didn’t want to list him on this week’s depth chart without knowing for sure that his leading returning pass rusher from last season would be able to play against visiting JMU.
Senior safety Antonio Clary also practiced Tuesday, and Elliott reported that Clary “is getting closer.” Elliott said the defensive back is moving around a little better and will be a game-time decision like the others.
“Both of those guys could be in the lineup, but it’s really going to be how they progress throughout the rest of the week,” the coach said. “Then from a medical standpoint, is it the right time to put them back in the lineup?”
Tight end Sackett Wood, linebacker Josh Ahern, and safety Lex Long are all listed as probable for this week’s game.
“They’re dealing with some injuries that may keep them out, so I would say probable with those guys,” Elliott said. “We won’t know until later in the week if we’ll have those guys available.”
Offensive tackle Jimmy Christ, who transferred in from Penn State, is back at practice and “is available,” Elliott said. “I have to see where he is from a conditioning standpoint because he has been out for a couple of weeks. He has been a full go in practice the last couple of days. That’s an option.
“We weren’t quite ready to throw him out there. We were anticipating by the end of the week. Another week of practice will have him ready to go, so he will be available.”
More on Virginia’s quarterback situation coming up later tonight. UVA is anticipating a huge crowd Saturday, potentially a sellout (see related story here).
Men’s Golf: James begins Walker Cup play with Team USA Saturday
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia second-year men’s golfer Ben James will open play Saturday at the 49th Walker Cup as part of the United States Golf Association’s 10-man team. The U.S. squad will face its counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland.
This year’s matches are being held at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. It will be the first time the Walker Cup has been held at the Old Course since 1975. The United States of America will defend the trophy after their 14-12 success at Seminole in 2021.It was the third straight win by Team USA in the series.
The Walker Cup Match is an amateur team competition played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. The competition started in 1922, and this year’s event is the 100-year anniversary of the second Walker Cup (the first overseas), which was also held at St. Andrews, in 1923. The U.S. leads the all-time series 38-9-1 and has won the last three competitions.
The Old Course has hosted eight previous Walker Cups, more than any other venue, most recently in 1975, when the USA defeated GB&I, 15.5 to 8.5 led by future U.S. Open champions Jerry Pate and Curtis Strange.
James advanced to the quarterfinals of this year’s U.S. Amateur just prior to being named to the Walker Cup team. He is coming off an accolade-filled freshman year at Virginia, where he was named winner of the 2023 Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award, a First-Team Ping All-American, ACC Freshman of the Year and a finalist for both the Haskins and Jack Nicklaus Awards.
He finished sixth at the NCAA Championships, set the UVA record with five first-place finishes and finished in the top six in 11 of 13 tournaments. James is only the second player in Virginia history to earn first-team All-America honors. He was also selected to the 2023 U.S. Palmer Cup Team. He received a sponsor exemption to play in the 2023 Travelers Championship in his home state of Connecticut.
How to Watch the Walker Cup at St. Andrews
Format
Saturday (all times Eastern)
4 Foursomes Matches – 3:30 a.m. start
8 Singles Matches, 8:45 a.m. start
Sunday
4 Foursomes Matches, 3 a.m. start
10 Singles Matches, 8:15 a.m. start
TV Schedule (all times Eastern)
Saturday: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Sunday: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (Golf Channel)
UVA depth chart released; Ganyard will handle kickoffs, O-Line healed up
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia’s depth chart for Saturday’s opener at Tennessee has been released, and while there’s not a lot of surprises, it reveals that the Cavaliers’ offensive line is on the mend.
Sophomore McKale Boley, who had been hobbled by an ankle injury, is scheduled to start at left offensive tackle, where he gained some starting experience as a true freshman last season. That means Blake Steen, who was prepared to step in for Boley, is at backup, but can also play at the guard spot if necessary.
Noah Josey, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound junior, had also been banged up, but is slated to start at left guard beside Boley. Ugonna Nnanna, who transferred in from Houston, will start at right tackle, having started training camp at a guard spot.
Defensively, two of the transfers are slated to play the right corner spot. Sam Westfall, a 5-10, 183-pound grad student who started at SMU last season, or Malcolm Greene, a 5-10, 188-pound grad student who started some at Clemson, will work the right cornerback position.
Langston Long, a 6-3, 220-pound junior, will start at strong safety in place of the injured senior Antonio Clary.
Walk-on Matt Ganyard, a 34-year-old U.S. Marine helicopter pilot (see in-depth story here) is scheduled to be Virginia’s kickoff man. Ganyard is one of the nation’s “feel-good” stories in college football.
The full depth chart appears below.
Offense
WR — 8 Malachi Fields (6-4, 220 Jr.)
17 JR Wilson (6-4, 219 So.)
LT — 52 McKale Boley (6-4, 302 So.)
54 Blake Steen (6-5, 340 So.)
or 68 Jack Witmer (6-7, 285 Jr.)
LG — 77 Noah Josey (6-5, 315 Jr.)
78 Jestus Johnson III (6-3, 226 Jr.)
C — 51 Ty Furnish (6-3, 282 Jr.)
58 Noah Hartsoe (6-3, 311 So.)
RG — 55 Brian Stevens (6-2, 296 Gr.)
74 Noah DeMeritt (6-5, 357 So.)
RT — 71 Ugonna Nnanna (6-4, 309 Jr.)
60 Charlie Patterson (6-6, 296 Jr.)
TE — 44 Sackett Wood (6-4, 244 Jr.)
85 Grant Misch (6-6, 247 Sr.)
QB — 11 Tony Muskett (6-2, 206 Sr.)
10 Anthony Colandrea (5-11, 180 Fr.)
TB — 2 Perris Jones (5-7, 179 6th)
7 Mike Hollins (5-9, 204 Sr.)
5 Kobe Pace (5-10, 215 Sr.)
WR — 4 Malik Washington (5-8, 194 Gr.)
1 Suderian Harrison (5-9, 172 Fr.)
WR — 6 Demick Starling (6-0, 191 Sr.)
18 Jaden Gibson (6-0, 179 Fr.)
Defense
DE — 10 Ben Smiley (6-4, 270 5th)
96 Bryce Carter (6-3, 274 Jr.)
NT — 90 Jahmeer Carter (6-2, 312 Sr.)
19 Olasunkonmi Agunloye (6-4, 279 Sr.)
DT — 94 Aaron Faumui (6-2, 302 6th)
18 Michael Diatta (6-4, 279 Jr.)
Bandit — 82 Kam Butler (6-3, 262 6th)
1 Paul Akere (6-4, 250 Gr.)
MIKE — 7 James Jackson (6-3, 236 Jr.)
5 Kam Robinson (6-2, 227 Fr.)
WILL — 33 Josh Ahern (6-3, 236 5th)
2 Stevie Bracey (6-0, 227 So.)
LC — 9 Coen King (6-0, 194 6th)
6 Dre Walker (6-1, 183 Fr.)
RC — 13 Sam Westfall (5-10, 183 Gr.)
or 8 Malcolm Greene (5-10, 188 Gr.)
SPUR — 23 Tayvonn Kyle (5-11, 181 6th)
17 Aidan Ryan (6-1, 184 Jr.)
FS — 20 Jonas Sanker (6-1, 210 Jr.)
4 Dave Herard (6-0, 192 Sr.)
SS — 3 Langston Long (6-3, 220 Jr.)
31 Micah Gaffney (5-11, 193 Jr.)
Special Teams
P — 38 Daniel Sparks (6-6, 213 Sr.)
99 Elijah Slibeck (6-5, 237 Fr.)
PK — 41 Will Bettridge (5-10, 173 Fr.)
98 Matt Ganyard (5-11, 193 Gr.)
47 Vadin Bruot (5-11, 194 So.)
KO — 98 Matt Ganyard (5-11, 193 Gr.)
41 Will Bettridge (5-10, 173 Fr.)
Hold — 13 Jared Rayman (6-2, 191 5th)
LS — 45 Aidan Livingston (5-11, 231 Gr.)
32 Luke Byrne (6-1, 234 Jr.)
PR — 26 Ethan Davies (5-10, 189 Jr.)
1 Suderian Harrison (5-9, 172 Fr.)
KOR — 6 Demick Starling (6-0, 191 Sr.)
4 Malik Washington (5-8, 194 Gr.)
Virginia’s defense is loaded; Rudzinski: ‘We have a lot of hungry guys’
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photos: UVA Athletics
John Rudzinski is a no-nonsense guy who loves the fundamentals of football and believes simple is better. Those characteristics might explain why Virginia’s defense improved so much last season, when little was expected from a group coming off a less-than-impressive season in 2021.
With eight of those starters returning from 2022, Coach Rud can’t help but be excited about the possibilities. Consider that his defense finished fourth in the ACC last season in efficiency and seventh in scoring defense, allowing 24.0 points per game (No. 48 nationally out of 131 FBS programs).
Also consider that UVA ranks No. 63 in the nation heading into this season in terms of returning defensive production (64 percent returns).
The Cavaliers will face a stern test in Saturday’s season opener against powerful Tennessee (in Nashville). The Vols led the nation in offensive production last season, scoring 46.1 points per game and piling up 525.5 yards per game, which also was No. 1 in the country.
Tennessee also operates from an accelerated pace offensively, adding more preparation for opponents. Rudzinski is well aware of the tempo, and believes because UVA also uses a fast-paced philosophy, his defense gets exposed to that look in practice every day.
“[Tennessee] does a tremendous job … they’re explosive, they have good talent, they have good schematics and it’s a challenge,” Rudzinski said. “We’re really excited, our guys are excited for the opportunity to go out and compete against a different-color jersey.”
Coach Rud believes his defense will be physically ready for Tennessee’s pace.
“We’ve been conditioning,” he said. “It has been a long offseason. I believe in Coach (Adam) Smotherman (UVA’s head strength and conditioning coach, who spent nine seasons at Clemson before following Tony Elliott to Charlottesville), and I believe in his staff.”
One of Rudzinski’s main goals heading into training camp was for his players to advance their game, and that’s exactly what happened. He noted that the defense has gotten better “at all spots.”
Virginia returns a ton of experience on the defensive line with Kam Butler, Aaron Faumui and Jahmeer Carter all starting last season. Ben Smiley, a senior with some starting experience, is also back in Rudzinski’s base 4-3 alignment.
Chico Bennett, who is likely out of the opener after suffering a knee issue midway through training camp, will bring more experience when he returns to his outside linebacker spot.
James Jackson, Josh Ahern and Paul Akere are back at linebacker, while Coen King, Jonas Sanker and Anonio Clary return to the secondary (all three having starting experience a year ago), in addition to transfers Malcolm Greene (who played 29 games at Clemson), Tayvonn Kyle (played 33 games at Iowa State) and Sam Westfall (started 11 games at SMU last season). A pair of freshmen have also been impressive in camp: 6-foot-1 cornerback Dre Walker from Denver, N.C., and 6-2 linebacker Kam Robinson from Tappahannock.
With so much experience returning, Coach Rud’s staff has spent less time teaching, with more focus on fundamentals and situational football (third downs, red-zone defense), and keeping things simple.
“When life is simpler, we all can operate a little bit better,” Rudzinski said. “The more complexity we throw in any system, the more you can create error.”
While UVA had decent success in pressuring opposing quarterbacks last season, Coach Rud would like to be more aggressive.
“We talk a lot about finishing on the football, and it’s about keeping the ball in front of you and keeping it out of the end zone, particularly not allowing a ball carrier in there,” Rudzinski said. “We want to make opponents kick field goals.
“So being aggressive comes in two fashions: it comes being aggressive with our techniques and the way we attack our responsibilities; the second way is from a schematic way, is to potentially bring more pressure or rush more defenders. There’s always a balancing act to that because the more guys that we put toward the front, the more stress we can put on other aspects of the defense, so we hope to balance that as much as we can.”
With that experience, Virginia may be able to pick and choose its pressure points more than a year ago, especially with guys like Butler, who has 2,000 snaps of college football.
“There’s not many guys that can say that,” Rudzinski said.
Butler and Bennett (when he returns) should lead the team in rushing the passer, but there are plenty of guys who bring experience to that side of the ball.
“Now, there’s no equity in that … you hope that experience pays itself forward,” Coach Rud said. “But I know we have guys that are hungry, that did a great job in the weight room. Now it’s for us to continue to work with those guys as more mature guys, graduate school guys, to have their best body of work and not rest on their laurels.”
Four of those players are back for a sixth year of college football, another three return for a fifth year, while nine are fourth-year players.
UVA Opponents Series: Tennessee boasts one of nation’s top offenses in opener
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a 12-part series previewing Virginia’s 2023 opponents, compiled by correspondents Harry Farley and Clay Meeks
By Clay Meeks
JerryRatcliffe.com Correspondent
Joe Milton III (Photo: Avery Bane | Tennessee Athletics)
Tennessee finds itself coming off of a highly successful 2022 season, and a trend of improvement is in mind for the Volunteers. Having suffered only two losses last season, one of those being to national champion Georgia, what can Virginia expect from this SEC program in this Saturday’s opener in Nashville?
Since 2020, this Vols squad has seen consistent improvement, tripling their wins to earn a 6-2 conference record in 2022. This comes alongside a coaching change in 2021, with three-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt (who was fired for a number of NCAA violations) being replaced by former Central Florida coach Josh Heupel.
Heupel’s impact on this program has been extraordinary. Joining Heupel will be defensive coordinator Tim Banks, and on the other side of the ball will be offensive coordinator Joey Halzle.
There’s no doubt the Tennessee offense will prove a challenge for any matchup. The Vols were ranked No. 1 nationally in offense last season, putting up a whopping 599 points, at an average of 46 per game. The Vols play a balanced game, with 134 of their first downs earned by rushing, and 155 by passing from quarterback Hendon Hooker, who exhausted his eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury late in the campaign. A change to the quarterback position is on the way, with strong-armed senior Joe Milton taking over (he’s 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and can run).
When asked about how much it means to be able to play more guys this fall, Heupel said, “I think it is important that we are deeper than we have been. On the offensive side of the ball, we were really fortunate to avoid injury. Defensively, we got nicked up in our secondary; that hurt us late in the year. The depth, we are in a different spot than we were when we first got here that fall. We have continued to grow with the depth on our roster. We have length and athleticism on the back end and at the offensive skill spots. We are bigger and thicker and stronger and more athletic on the offensive and defensive line. At the end of the day, that depth is important at the start, and it is really important as you get into the meat of the season.
“Defensively, in particular, we want to be able to play more guys than we have the first couple of years. That is true on the back level, but it is also true of the front seven. It is important guys prove they are going to play at a high level. If they do that, then it is our job to find a role.”
With eight Vols returning to the defensive starting lineup, Heupel is correct to trust his now experienced defensive line, and the offense may find a little more room to develop as pressure is taken off of them.
Historically, the Cavaliers have had few matchups with Tennessee (their last meeting was in the 1991 Sugar Bowl at the conclusion of the 1990 season), and have lost three of the four games played. ESPN predicts a 90.4-percent chance of a Vols victory this Saturday. Following this, Tennessee will face a tough SEC schedule, facing off against teams such as Alabama in October, and will be given a chance for redemption against Georgia in early November.
Tennessee Volunteers
Saturday, Sept. 2
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, Tennessee
Head Coach: Josh Heupel
2022 Overall W-L: 11-2
2022 SEC Conference Record: 6-2
Offensive starters returning: 6
Defensive starters returning: 8
All-time record against UVA: 3-1
Last matchup against UVA: January 1, 1991 — 23-22 Tennessee
Top 6 players to watch: QB Joe Milton III, LB Aaron Beasley, RB Jaylen Wright, RB Jabari Small, WR Squirrel White, OL Jackson Lampley
UVA’s ‘running game by committee’ ready to roll if O-Line can get healthy
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
Tony Elliott and offensive coordinator Des Kitchings believe that if Virginia had to play a game tomorrow, the running game is in good shape … depending on the health of the Cavaliers’ offensive line.
At last glance this past Monday, that was the question mark as sophomore left tackle McKale Boley was out with an ankle injury, causing the Cavaliers to move sophomore Blake Steen from a guard position to left tackle and move left guard Ugonna Nnanna (transfer from Houston) to right tackle.
“Overall in terms of the [running] operation and the knowledge of knowing where to be and who to fit, I felt really good about that,” Elliott said this week. “Obviously we’ve got to get the right pieces up front, so we’re not ready with the first five yet.”
Besides Boley’s injury, junior guard Noah Josey and Jimmy Christ, a transfer from Penn State, have also been hobbled with injuries and weren’t ready to play, leaving the O-line in limbo in terms of depth for the opener next Saturday against Tennessee in Nashville.
“So the overall understanding (of the running game), I feel good about,” Elliott said. “I’m a firm believer that you’ve got to be balanced, you’ve got to be able to run the ball. What does that mean? That means that you’ve got to be efficient, and then whatever the situation calls for, you’ve got to be able to produce for that situation.
“Now, we’ve just got to get the right pieces, the right five in place by the time we get to Tennessee.”
Virginia wasn’t able to establish a consistent running game last season, finishing 11th in the ACC with 123 yards rushing per game. While the team’s leading rusher, quarterback Brennan Armstrong, is now playing for NC State, the Cavaliers return 62 percent of their rushing from a year ago when they picked up 1,231 yards on the ground (Armstrong claimed 371 of those and six of 13 rushing TDs).
Perris Jones is the leading returning rusher with 365 yards last season, with Mike Hollins posting 215 and Xavier Brown 210.
There will be some major question marks heading to Nashville against a ferocious Tennessee front seven that has been boosted by the transfer portal.
Kitchings has been studying the Vols’ defense for quite some time and expects a very aggressive opponent for the opener.
“Structurally, [Tennessee] wants to crowd the box, stop the run,” Kitchings said. “The front seven stands out. They had a couple of acquisitions in the transfer portal, so the roster will probably look a lot different than what it did at the end of last season, even in the spring.”
If the Vols successfully stop Virginia’s running game, how much pressure will that put on Cavaliers quarterback Tony Muskett and the passing game? Tennessee will surely try to rattle Muskett in an attempt to force him to make mistakes.
“Certainly … it’s the guy’s first start (Muskett is a veteran transfer from Monmouth, stepping up from FCS to FBS football),” Kitchings acknowledged. “[Tennessee is thinking] let’s test him, test the O-Line to see if we can protect the quarterback because they’re going to try to move him off his spot.
“So that’s where everybody — all 11 of us playing together — gives us the best opportunity. It’s not gonna be just Tony Muskett. It’s not gonna be the running backs. It’s going to be all the position groups playing together to give us the best chance to go out there and win.”
One might expect veteran tight ends Grant Misch and Sackett Wood to be a big part of the run blocking and the short passing game, along with Muskett throwing to backs on short-to-intermediate routes, particularly if the running game is bottled up.
One of the questions would be, can the offensive line protect Muskett against an aggressive Vols front seven?
For certain, Virginia will attempt to run the ball to keep the pressure off Muskett. Expect the Cavaliers to rotate running backs among Jones, Hollins, Clemson transfer Kobe Pace and others.
“We feel like we have a really good rotation of guys in the backfield that can stay fresh, especially early in the season,” Kitchings said. “It would be a committee approach, and then as the game flows and one guy is getting hot with the ball, then we can cater things toward him. But the initial attack will be as a committee.”
Kitchings said Virginia has put a strong focus in training camp on third-down conversions and red-zone efficiency, two sore points in the Cavaliers’ anemic offensive numbers. In 2022, UVA was No. 117 out of 131 FBS teams in third-down conversions (32.1 percent) and tied for No. 119 in red-zone offense with 32 visits inside the red zone resulting in 12 rushing scores, four passing and eight field goals.
“Major, major, major offseason emphasis,” Kitchings said. “A point of emphasis in the spring and fall, and so we put our guys in a lot of varying distances and downs, and the third-down deal with short yards. We don’t want to be third-and-long, but those are going to happen and we put the guys in situations to see how we would respond and they did a good job of responding, executing. That’s the key thing, execution.”
Virginia was No. 102 in the nation in rushing the football last season, so it would be difficult for the Cavaliers to be worse.
The key, it seems, is if the O-Line can get healthy, stay healthy, open holes for the backs and keep Muskett upright.
Field Hockey: No. 6 Hoos rally to knock off No. 5 Penn State, 2-1
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 6 Virginia field hockey team opened the 2023 season with a 2-1 victory against No. 5 Penn State on Friday at Turf Field.
Grad student Laura Janssen and freshman Minnie Pollock accounted for the Cavaliers’ goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia (1-0) dominated the first quarter, taking three shots on goal while holding the Nittany Lions to zero shots. But it was Penn State who struck first with Natalie Freeman scoring four minutes before halftime after picking up a rebound off of her own previously saved shot and finding the back of the cage.
Penn State (0-1) took its 1-0 lead into the break, but Virginia came out firing early in the second half. Pollock fell to her knees firing off a pass that Janssen smashed in to tie the game 1:29 into the second half. Janssen and Pollock also worked together on the game-winner, this time with Janssen setting up Pollock’s score 3:28 into the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers outshot Penn State 8-1 in the final period.
Junior Tyler Kennedy, who was making her first start since Sept. 16 of last season, made six saves. Junior Noa Boterman had two defensive saves. Penn State’s Brie Barraco made eight saves.
NOTES
- Virginia held an 18-14 edge in shots
- Penn State held a 6-3 edge in penalty corners
- Freshman Mia Abello was in the starting lineup in her collegiate debut
- In addition to Pollock and Abello, Emma Watchilla also made her collegiate debut
- Grad student Megan Connors made her Cavalier debut as a substitute in the second half
FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON
“I think we had a little first game jitters but once we found our way out of that, we were able to connect some good passes. We started really strong in the first half, and we were able to sustain the tempo of the game, which is really important moving forward, especially for Tuesday. There are definitely some things we have to work on of course, but that’s we are able to see against a good opponent like Penn State.”
UP NEXT
Virginia closes out the homestand by hosting No. 14 Liberty on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Turf Field.
Rowing: Hoos announce incoming class of 20 student-athletes
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia rowing head coach Kevin Sauer announced Tuesday that 20 student-athletes joined the Cavaliers in the fall of 2023.
The signing class includes Izzy Barnes, Molly Bidwell, Stella Bittman, Savannah Cogan, Sophie Curtis, Alice Dommer, Isabella Furman, Samantha Goldman, Lila Henn, Kennedy Housley, Katherine Jennings, Sheila Joyce, Sally Laurencelle, Paris Miller, Olivia Morin, Skylar Morrison, Katelyn Passino, Ava Schetlick, Anna Schrieber and Caeley Tierney.
“We are very excited about the class of 2027 and grad transfers and believe they will have a significant impact on our program,” Sauer said. “Many of them are quite a bit better now than when we recruited them and that will bode them well as they integrate into the team. We look forward to them positively affecting those around them and being the best community members, students and athletes possible. Thank you to associate head coach Kelsie Chaudoin and assistant coach Annie Thompson as well as our team for their commitment to bring good people, students and talented student-athletes into our program.”
Izzy Barnes • 5-9 • Arlington, Va.
Club: TBC Racing
Coach: Matt Russell
- Stroked Women’s 4+ to third place and 8+ to fourth place at 2022 Summer National Championships
- Stroked Women’s Varsity 4+ to first place at 2021 Virginia State Championships
- 2022 and 2023 USRowing Scholastic Honor Roll
Molly Bidwell• 5-9 • Pelham, N.Y.
Club: Greenwich Crew
Coaches: Heidi Hunsberger and Catherine Starr
- Placed third in the 1V 8+ at 2022 Summer Nationals
- Placed second in the 2V 8+ at 2022 Youth Nationals
Stella Bittman • 6-1 • Welland, Ontario
Club: Notre Dame Rowing Club
Coaches: John Ruscitti and Rhiannon Zahorchaks
- Captured gold medal in the 2- and 8+ at 2022 Canada Summer Games
- Earned gold medal in the 2x and 4x at CSSRA’s
- Placed ninth in 4- at 2023 U19 World Championships
- Placed 11th in the 4x at 2022 U19 World Championships
Savannah Cogan • 5-9 • Newton, Mass.
Club: Community Rowing Inc.
Coach: Skye Elliott
- Fourth place in V8+ at 2021 Youth Nationals,
- Second place in V4+ at 2021 Head Of The Charles Regatta
- Third place in V4x at 2022 Youth Nationals
Sophie Curtis • 5-4 • Darien, Conn.
Club: Greenwich Crew
Coaches: Heidi Hunsberger and Catherine Starr
- Coxed 3V8 to first-place finish at 2022 Head of the Fish
- Part of first-place 3V8 crew at 2022 NE Regionals
Alice Dommer • 5-9 • San Carlos, Calif.
Club: Redwood Scullers
Coach: Monica Hilcu
- First place in the 4x at 2021 Head Of The Charles Regatta
- First place in 4x at 2022 Youth Nationals
- Fourth place in 4x 2022 U19 Junior World Championship
Isabella Furman • 5-7 • Wilton, Conn.
Club: Greenwich Crew
Coaches: Heidi Hunsberger and Catherine Starr
- Earned gold in 8+ and 2- at 2023 CanAmMex
- First place in 8+ and 4+ at 2022 CanAmMex
- First place in U17 8+ at 2021 Youth Nationals
- Second place in V8+ at 2022 Head Of The Charles Regatta
Sami Goldman • 4-10 • Old Greenwich, Conn.
Club: Blair Academy
Coach: John Redos
- Gold medal in Senior Women’s 4+ at 2022 SRAA’s
- Silver medal in 4+ at 2022 Youth Nationals
- Gold medal in 4+ at 2022 Stotesbury Cup
Lila Henn • 5-9 • Palo Alto, Calif.
Club: Redwood Scullers
Coach: Monica Hilcu
- Fifth place in the 4x at the 2023 U19 World Championships
- First place in 4x at 2021 Head Of The Charles Regatta
- First place in 4x at 2022 Youth Nationals
- Finalist in 4x at 2020 Henley Royal Regatta
Kennedy Housley • 5-8 • Sarasota, Fla.
Club: Sarasota Crew
Coach: Casey Galvanek
- Fourth place in the women’s eight at the 2023 U19 World Championships
- Fourth place in U19 4- at 2022 Junior World Championship
- First place in U19 4x at 2021 CanAmMex Summer Nationals
Katherine Jennings • 5-7 • Wellesley, Mass.
Club: Nobles Crew/Cambridge Boat Club
Coaches: Blair Crawford and Abby Knight
- 2023 Canadian Henley U19 8+ Champion
- 2023 NEIRA 1v 4+ Champion,
- A final at 2023 Youth Nationals
- Qualified for the USA Swimming National Team
Sheila Joyce • 6-1 • Jamestown, R.I.
College: Villanova
Coach: Carissa Adams
- Recorded second fastest 2K time in Villanova program history
- Earned a spot and competed in the V8 and was named Villanova’s Most Valuable Player
Sally Laurencelle • 6-0 • Charlottesville, Va.
Club: Western Albemarle High School
Coach: Craig Redinger
- Placed third in the women’s four at North Carolina State Championships
- Placed third in first novice race at Head of the Schuylkill
Paris Miller • 6-0 • Fishers, Ind.
Club: Indianapolis Rowing Center
Coach: Willie Black
- First place in 1x at 2021 Hooch
- First place at 2020 Virtual Youth Nationals
Olivia Morin • 5-7 • Long Island, N.Y.
Club: Port Rowing
Coach: Isa Rahman
- First place in 2V8+ C final at 2022 Youth Nationals
- First place in 2- at 2022 Philly Youth Regatta
Skylar Morrison • 5-10 • Haymarket, Va.
Club: Resilient Rowing
Coach: Nina Herrera
- Stroked 4+ to first place at 2020 VHSL States
- Placed 19th in the 2x at 2022 Head Of The Charles Regatta
Katelyn Passino • 5-11 • Chicago, Ill.
Club: Chicago Rowing Foundation
Coach: Mike Wallin
- U17 Crash B Champion
- 2022 Midwest Regional Champion
Ava Schetlick • 6-2 • Charlottesville, Va.
Club: Virginia Rowing Association
Coach: Frank Biller and Katy Flynn
- Fourth place in the women’s eight at the 2023 U19 World Championships
- First place in 4x at 2021 Summer National Championships
- Fourth place in U19 4x at 2022 Junior World Championships
Anna Schrieber • 5-11 • Budapest, Hungary
Club: Danubius National Boat Club
Coach: Frank Biller and Katy Flynn
- 10th place in 8+ at 2022 Junior World Championships
- Eighth place in 4x at 2022 Junior European Championships
- 2-time Hungarian National Champ in Adult 8+
Caeley Tierney • 5-11 • Hackettstown, N.J.
Club/College: Blair Academy/Duke University
Coach: Megan Cooke Carcagno
- Placed first in Club 4+ at the 2019 Head of the Charles
- Placed second in V4+ at 2023 ACC Championship
- Won final at 2021 NCAA Championship
Men’s Soccer: Virginia welcomes newest member, 12-year-old Jaxon Forgrave
By Jerry Ratcliffe
The Virginia men’s soccer team will hit the field with a secret weapon this season, 12-year-old Jaxon Forgrave, who has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Cavaliers.
Head coach George Gelnovatch and associate head coach Matt Chulis introduced Forgrave, who lives in Waynesboro, to the team in a special ceremony after a recent practice. Jaxon, whose favorite sport is soccer, came to the Wahoos via Team Impact, a national nonprofit that connects children with serious illnesses or disabilities with college athletic teams.
Jaxon was born with Arthrogryposis Multiple Congenita (AMC) and a neurological condition Bi-lateral Perisylvian Polymicrogyria, a joint disease that limits movement.
“Today we introduced a new member to our team and we’re just happy to have Jaxon around,” said Gelnovatch, crediting Chulis for discovering the squad’s newest member. “Jaxon was with us this spring, but in an official capacity today, and he’ll be around a lot more in Klöckner (Stadium) as opposed to our training field.”
Jaxon’s mom, Brittney Forgrave, said that her son had once played in an adaptive youth soccer league started by her and her husband when they lived briefly in Connecticut, but nothing like that exists in Central Virginia. Still, by connecting with UVA men’s soccer, Jaxon has his love of the sport refueled.
“It’s exciting because it allows him to bond with college athletes and have a big-brother relationship with them,” his mom said. “Hopefully it will impact him the rest of his life.
“This gives him the confidence to keep going, to make new friends, to put himself out there,” Brittney said. “I think with a kid with disabilities, it’s really hard. You tend to want to stay in your shell, but being able to put yourself out there allows you to have cool experiences like this one.”
Jaxon’s mom said that because her son doesn’t get to be on a regular sports team, this is special for him to be part of something.
“As a mom, and having a boy, you especially hope for your kid to be a part of a team, so this journey will be incredible and very impactful for him to have these relationships.”
Gelnovatch said that his team has been inspired by their youngest member, that the relationship is a two-way street.
“Jaxon’s resilience, what he’s been through, what he’s dealing with, makes us all remember we’ve all got something to get through,” the coach said. “He’s a positive, energetic kid who’s going through a lot of stuff, and our guys can see that and we’re all better for it.”
The UVA players are learning more about Jaxon’s story every day and they appreciate what he brings to the program. Senior forward Leo Afonso, who hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, noted how Jaxon serves as inspiration to him and his teammates.
“I think adding Jaxon to the team is a great thing for us,” Afonso said. “He’s a really happy kid and we love having him around.”
Afonso, who was recently named to the ACC Preseason watch list, said not only is Jaxon benefitting from a relationship with his older teammates, but the Cavaliers are learning from Jaxon as well.
“We’ve learned not to take anything for granted,” the senior said. “You never know what’s there for you the next day and to just enjoy the little moments in your life.”
Watching Jaxon sign the National Letter of Intent drew a huge cheer from the team as they welcomed him into their huddle afterward.
“In the beginning, he was a little shy and he’s coming more out of the shell and it’s just nice having him around,” Afonso said. “He’s such a happy kid and we’re just excited that he’s part of our program.”
See videos below of Jaxon’s special signing day and team celebration.
Virginia officially opens the season at home on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Iona, then hosts Loyola Marymount at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Bennett’s appearance on Mendenhall’s podcast delivers some interesting stories from both
Photo: pinterest.com/davidmpa
If you’re a Virginia fan, you will enjoy listening to Bronco Mendenhall’s recent podcast with Tony Bennett.
Bronco’s podcast, “Head Coach U,” chats with Bennett about how Bennett rebuilt the Virginia program, lessons learned from his father, Dick Bennett, when Tony knew he had turned the corner at UVA. The two also trade stories from their time at Virginia in about a half-hour podcast.
ACC Network TV designations determined for fall Olympic Sports events
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The ACC and ESPN released network selections for four fall Olympic sports on Tuesday, and the Cavaliers will have nine games broadcast on the ACC Network across those sports.
The Virginia field hockey, men’s soccer, and volleyball programs will each have two games broadcast on the network, while the Virginia women’s soccer program will have three games on the network. All games broadcast on the ACC Network are available for stream through the ESPN app and at ESPN.com.
Virginia field hockey will have its home game against Maryland (Sept. 18) and road game at Duke (Oct. 15) carried on the ACC Network.
The ACC Network will cover the Cavalier men’s soccer team in a road game at Notre Dame (Sept. 22) and at home against North Carolina (Oct. 27), while the network will carry the women’s home games against Duke (Oct. 1) and Virginia Tech (Oct. 15), along with a road game at NC State (Oct. 8).
Virginia volleyball will be on the ACC Network for matches at Pitt (Oct. 18) and at home against Virginia Tech (Oct. 29).
VIRGINIA ON THE ACC NETWORK
Field Hockey
Monday, Sept. 18 vs. Maryland, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 15 at Duke, 3:30 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
Friday, Sept. 22 at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 27 vs. North Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Sunday, Oct. 1 vs. Duke, 12 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 8 at NC State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 15 vs. Virginia Tech, 1:30 p.m.
Volleyball
Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Pitt, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28 vs. Virginia Tech, 2 p.m.
Elite-armed freshman Colandrea pushing Muskett in UVA training camp
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
When Tony Elliott told media attending his Monday post-practice chat that the biggest takeaway from Saturday’s team scrimmage was that Anthony Colandrea was “pushing” Tony Muskett for the starting quarterback job, it was a bit surprising.
Is that a good thing or not so good? Colandrea is a true freshman out of St. Petersburg, Fla., who enrolled early and participated in spring practice. Muskett is a veteran transfer from Monmouth with years of starting experience under his belt.
So, should a freshman be pushing a seasoned veteran for the starting job? Does that mean Colandrea is reaching beyond expectations, or is Muskett not meeting expectations?
The fact that Colandrea is pushing Muskett means that at least there is competition in training camp, especially after QB candidate Delaney Crawford volunteered to play receiver or kick returner to help the team, and Davis Lane moved to safety.
When Jay Woolfolk dropped football last month in order to focus on his baseball career, it appeared the QB job was Muskett’s, but the freshman is giving him competition and if nothing else, giving UVA a reliable backup.
I asked Elliott what it is about Colandrea that has put him in this position. Afterall, he’s not that big at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. He wasn’t highly recruited by the Power 5 crowd (Kentucky was his only Power 5 offer, and that came in 2021).
The list of schools that offered Colandrea isn’t eye-popping: South Florida, Tennessee Tech, Buffalo, Richmond, Arkansas State, Western Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Grambling, Florida Atlantic, Bowling Green, Georgia State, Western Carolina, Furman, Hawaii and Utah State. He actually committed to Middle Tennessee State in April of 2022 but backed out of that agreement, eventually committing to Virginia in July of 2022.
Elliott didn’t hesitate to explain what has made Colandrea a contender.
“He’s from the hotbed of football, right down there in the Tampa area, St. Pete,” Elliott said. “He’s right at six-foot, but he’s got an elite arm. In the days of the transfer portal, Covid, all that, you’re looking for that prototypical guy, and so he doesn’t have that 6-3 frame (Muskett is 6-2, 206), but he’s got the mind, he’s got the arm strength, and he’s got the moxie of any of the top quarterbacks in the country.”
Elliott should know, after spending a decade coaching some elite QBs during Clemson’s impressive run.
“He had some opportunities mid-major, but when we had a chance to watch him spin the ball and throw it, we were not going to be nit-picky over an inch or two,” Elliott said. “This was a really good quarterback, right at the six-foot mark, so I think it’s a function of where he’s from, with a lot of talent. He’s got the arm, he’s got moxie.
“And when the lights come on, he loves to play football.”
At Lakewood High School, Colandrea threw for 7,311 yards (more than 6,000 of that coming his final two years), and 60 TDs (55 his last two years), while completing 62.5 percent of his pass attempts.
Muskett threw for 51 TDs and 5,687 yards (64.2-percent completion rate) during his career at Monmouth.
‘Jerry & Jerry Show’ draws raves from a dozen states; here’s the replay
Folks in a dozen states and all corners of the Old Dominion listened live to the second edition of the “Jerry & Jerry Show” on Tuesday morning across myriad of venues.
If you missed it, here’s a replay just for you!
Jerry Ratcliffe, a Virginia Sports Hall of Famer, and Jerry Miller of “I Love C’Ville” teamed up for their weekly sports show, talking UVA, ACC and national college sports. There’s a ton of information and a couple of cool stories from Hootie in this show, plus the gang got surprised with a great gift lunch from “Raising Canes” (yummy)!
The The Jerry & Jerry Show headlines:
Inside The Huddle – UVA Football Training Camp
Elliott, “We’re A Lot Further Along Than Last Year”
34-Year-Old Walk-On Kicker Earns Roster Spot
UVA Defensive End Chico Bennett Injures Knee
What Are The ACC Football Teams To Watch?
ACC Expansion Talks Collapse; ACC Staying Put
ACC Presidents Do Not Ok Stanford, Cal, SMU
UVA PG Dante Harris Primed For Big Hoops 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
Follow The Jerry & Jerry Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vPYSxtueet3r8GHNboJs3
The Jerry & Jerry Show airs live Tuesday from 10:15 pm – 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.
Virginia’s James in second place after first round of U.S. Amateur Championship
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Virginia sophomore Ben James shot 5-under 67 to finish the opening round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Championship tied for second place. James had six birdies one bogey during his round at Colorado Golf Club.
During his first year at UVA, James (Milford, Conn.) was the winner of the 2023 Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award, a first-team Ping All-American, ACC Freshman of the Year and a finalist for both the Haskins and Jack Nicklaus Awards. He finished sixth at the NCAA Championships and is currently the sixth ranked amateur in the world.
The top 64 players in the 312-competitor field will advance to the match play portion of the event following Tuesday’s second round of stroke play.
Not far behind James on the leaderboard is UVA junior Rui Chang (People’s Republic of China). He posted a round of 2-under 69 on the Cherry Hills Country Club course to stand tie for 15th after the first round. Chang will be on the UVA roster for the first time this fall after competing for the Virginia Club program. Chang’s round featured two birdies, two bogeys and an eagle.
Incoming first-year Josh Duangmanee (Fairfax) finished the opening day of play at 3-over 75 while playing the Cherry Hills course. He is tied for 124th place.
This is the second consecutive year UVA has three players in the field. Last year James was joined by Deven Patel and Pietro Bovari.
James is making his third U.S. Amateur appearance. He placed ninth in stroke play last year and reached the Round of 32 in match play. He also played in the 2020 event but failed to make the cut during stroke play.
The U.S. Amateur will be broadcast on Peacock and Golf Channel starting Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. ET.
Follow live scoring at this link. Complete tournament coverage is available at the USGA website.
Track & Field: Cavaliers wrap up second day of competition at ACC Championships
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The men’s and women’s track and field teams closed competition on the second day of competition at the ACC Outdoor Championships Friday, as Nate Mountain and Owayne Owens won gold to help lift the men’s team into first place after two days of competition at the Paul Derr Track. The men lead the team standings with 55.5 points while the women sit in seventh place with 21.5 points.
HOOS DOMINATE THE STEEPLE
- Nate Mountain and Derek Johnson went 1-2 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase as Mountain led the way posting 8:32.05 while Derek Johnson ran 8:33.82. Yasin Sado took fifth place posting 8:42.48 as the Hoos piled up 22 points from the event to put the men’s team in the lead for the overall standings.
- Mountain’s performance stands as a personal-best and now ranks second all-time at Virginia trailing only Johnson’s 8:28.72 which he set in 2021
- Both Johnson and Mountain earn first-team All-ACC honors for the first time in their careers
- Sado made his season-debut in the 3000-meter steeplechase earning second-team All-ACC honors – He won silver in the event at the 2022 ACC Championships on the way to an appearance at the NCAA Championships
🎙️ 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙
Hear from Nate Mountain and Derek Johnson after going 1-2 in the 3000 Steeplechase#GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Ra7ZNRIBiL
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 13, 2023
OWENS WINS THE TRIPLE JUMP
- Owayne Owens won gold in the triple jump clearing a mark of 16.61 meters (54’6”). The performance matches an outdoor best which he set at last season’s Penn Relays and stands as a facility record at NC State’s Paul Derr Track Facility.
- Owens trailed Miami’s Russell Robinson who set the leading mark on his first jump at 16.60 meters (54’5.5”), but with Owens’ third attempt, he soared to his best mark of the competition to edge Robinson by just half an inch.
- The title marks the second time Owens has won gold at the ACC Outdoor Championships having previously won the triple jump title in 2021. It also marks his fourth title between the indoor and outdoor seasons having won the indoor triple jump title in 2021 and 2022.
🎙️ Owayne Owens after reclaiming the ACC triple jump title #GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/s8262CTuin
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 12, 2023
COMBINED EVENTS CONCLUDE
- Ethan Robinson finished fourth in the men’s decathlon racking up a total of 7100 points, a personal-best performance which ranks sixth on the all-time performance list.
- Robinson started the day by posting the second-fastest time of the day in the 110 hurdles clocking 14.85. He cleared 4.30 meters (14’1.25”) in the pole vault and posted a personal-best javelin mark throwing 50.41 meters (165’4”).
- On Thursday, Robinson started by posting a time of 11.03 in the 100 meters and marked a personal-best in the long jump clearing 6.67 meters. Robinson ended the day clearing a personal best of 1.95 meters (6’4.75”) and running 49.78 in the 400 meters.
- Since joining Virginia as a transfer from Tennessee, Robinson has earned second-team All-ACC honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
- Alix Still placed fifth overall in the women’s heptathlon scoring a total of 5549 points. The performance earned the senior second-team All-ACC honors.
- On the final day of competition, Still’s day was highlighted by a 37.64-meter (123’6’) performance in the javelin and the second-fastest 800-meter time of the day posting 2:17.94.
- On Thursday, Still opened the day with a third-place finish in the 100 hurdles posting a time of 13.90 before equaling a personal best in the high jump clearing 1.66 meters. In the shot put she threw 11.75 meters and ran 25.00 in the 200 meters.
MORE FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
- Sophomore Jordan Hardy cleared a mark of 12.62 meters (41’5”) in the triple jump to place sixth. The performance scored three points for the Virginia women and secured second-team All-ACC honors.
- Ashley Anumba scored for the Cavaliers in the shot put marking a personal-best 16.19 meters (53’1.5”) to finish sixth
- In the men’s 800 meters, Conor Murphy and Kenton Bachmann each qualified for Saturday’s finals as Murphy bagged a win to qualify automatically while Bachmann qualified on time.
- On the women’s side of the 800 meters, Esther Seeland qualified on time posting 2:05.87
- In the 100-meter dash, Demick Starling posted the third-fastest time in Virginia history posting 10.46
Demick Starling just ran the third-fastest 100-meter dash in UVA history posting 10.46 🔥#GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/uNlKIQ8cvU
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 12, 2023
THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS
Virginia completed the first day of action at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday, as Ethan Dabbs highlighted the day with a historic accomplishment in the javelin at the Paul Derr Track.
- Ethan Dabbs entered a class of his own as he became the first-ever competitor to win four ACC men’s javelin titles. His first throw of the competition was enough to seal the title as he marked 73.09 meters (239’9”).
- The first to win four titles in the javelin, Dabbs becomes just the 12th competitor to win four ACC titles in any men’s event. Among both men and women, Dabbs is only the 20th to accumulate four titles.
- Freshman Tyler Zawatski threw a personal-best of his own reaching a mark of 64.70 meters (212’3”).
- Zawatski’s performance was good for a seventh-place finish to add a pair of points to the Virginia total. The Cavalier men took 12 points from the Javelin.
- Virginia freshman Sam Romano soared to a mark of 4.28 meters (14’0.5”) to break her own UVA freshman record in the event and place third. The performance banked six points for the Cavalier women and earn her first-team All-ACC honors.
- Romano now owns the UVA freshman record in the indoor and outdoor pole vault while ranking second on both all-time lists.
- Hanne Borstlap turned in an impressive performance for the Cavaliers as well clearing a personal-best mark of 4.18 meters (13’8.5”).
- Borstlap tied for fifth place to earn second-team All-ACC honors and help the Cavalier women take 9.5 points from the event.
- Five of Virginia’s six 1500 runners between the men’s and women’s teams advanced to the finals of the 1500 meters on Saturday.
- Esther Seeland and Anna Workman led things off in the first heat as the Cavalier pairing went 2-3 to grab the final two qualifying places. Margot Appleton followed in the final heat on the women’s side with a second-place finish to clinch her place.
- On the men’s side, Gary Martin raced to an impressive finish to win his heat securing automatic qualification to the finals.
- Conor Murphy impressed once again in the final heat on the men’s side. After losing his right shoe halfway through the race, the junior powered through the final two laps to place third. Though he missed automatic qualification, Murphy’s time of 3:41.41 secured his place in Saturday’s finals.
- John Fay scored five points for the Cavaliers in the men’s hammer throw marking a personal-best of 63.72 meters (209’1).
- Justin Rogers tied for seventh in the men’s pole vault clearing a height of 4.88 meters (16’0”) to earn 1.5 points for the UVA men
- Emily Alexandru punched her ticket to the finals of the women’s 400 hurdles. Alexandru raced to a second-place finish in her heat but qualified on time posting 58.92.
- On the men’s side of the 400 hurdles, Alex Sherman got through to the finals posting the fifth-fastest qualifying time of 51.40. The finals of both the men’s and women’s 400 hurdles are set for Saturday.
🏆🏆🏆🏆#GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/fKo93dyNdr
— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 11, 2023
THE 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. In men’s and women’s track and field, the points are awarded to the team that finishes highest at the ACC Championships.
UP NEXT
The ACC Outdoor Championships will resume Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
Men’s Tennis: No. 8 Virginia prevails at No. 22 NC State, 4-2
Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Photo: UVA Athletics
The No. 8 Virginia men’s tennis team closed out its weekend road trip with a 4-2 victory at No. 22 NC State on Sunday at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center in Raleigh, N.C.
The Cavaliers (19-4, 10-0 ACC) won the doubles point and straight-set victories on the top three singles courts. Iñaki Montes clinched the victory with a win on court two.
The victory was the Cavaliers’ 11th win in a row and third-straight match playing at a top-25 opponent.
Ryan Goetz and Alex Kiefer opened the match with a 6-2 victory on doubles court three. Montes and William Woodall clinched the point with a 6-3 win against No. 15 Robin Catry and Luca Staehli on the top court.
In singles, Jeffrey von der Schulenburg downed Braden Shick 6-3, 6-0 to put the Cavaliers ahead 2-0. After Catry earned a point for NC State (13-8, 7-3) on court four, Chris Rodesch closed out a 6-4, 6-4 win on court one. NC State’s Fona van Sambeek countered with a 6-2, 7-5 win on court five to make it 3-2 before Montes ended the match with a 7-5, 6-2 victory on court two against No. 61 Raafa Izquierdo Luque.
MATCH NOTES
- Virginia has won 36 straight matches in ACC play and 43 straight matches against ACC opponents
ON THE HORIZON
Virginia will close out the regular season at home with matches on Friday at 5 p.m. against Clemson and Sunday at noon against Georgia Tech. The 10-year anniversary of the program’s first NCAA team championship will be celebrated at the Clemson match with members of the 2013 team being honored between doubles and singles. The Georgia Tech match will be the Cavaliers’ senior day with fifth-year student-athletes Ryan Goetz and William Woodall being honored in a pre-match ceremony
NO. 8 VIRGINIA 4, NO. 22 NC STATE 2
Singles
1. #14 Chris Rodesch (VA) def. #70 Luca Staeheli (NCST) 6-4, 6-4
2. #23 Iñaki Montes (VA) def. #61 Rafa Izquierdo Luque (NCST) 7-5, 6-2
3. #39 Jeffrey von der Schulenburg (VA) def. Braden Shick (NCST) 6-3, 6-0
4. Robin Catry (NCST) def. #104 Ryan Goetz (VA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Fona van Sambeek (NCST) def. Mans Dahlberg (VA) 6-2, 7-5
6. Joseph Wayland (NCST) vs. Alexander Kiefer (VA) 6-4, 6-6, unfinished
Doubles
1. Iñaki Montes/William Woodall (VA) def. #15 Robin Catry/Luca Staeheli (NCST) 6-3
2. #24 Rafa Izquierdo Luque/Joseph Wayand vs. Chris Rodesch/Jeffrey von der Schulenburg (VA) 5-4, unfinished
3. Ryan Goetz/Alexander Kiefer (VA) def. Braden Shick/Fons van Sambeek (NCST) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,1,5,2)
Wahoo Preview: No. 6 Virginia at Virginia Tech
By Scott Ratcliffe
Photo: UVA Athletics
The sixth-ranked Virginia men’s basketball team looks for its second season sweep of an ACC opponent this week, as the Cavaliers travel to Blacksburg for a noon tip off at Virginia Tech.
The Wahoos (17-3, 9-2 ACC) have won their last seven games (and nine of their last 10), and defeated the Hokies by 10 a few weeks back at John Paul Jones Arena.
Tech (13-9, 3-8), meanwhile, has dropped eight of its last 10, but has won two of its last three. Senior guard Hunter Cattoor (10.9 ppg) recently made his return to the lineup after sitting out several games with an injury.
Wright State grad-transfer forward Grant Basile is averaging 22 points and 7.7 rebounds across the Hokies’ last three games.
Sophomore guard Sean Pedulla is the Hokies’ leading scorer on the season with 15.7 points per game.
In the first meeting on Jan. 18, UVA’s entire starting five scored in double figures, with Kihei Clark leading the way with 20 points and 5 assists. Virginia has won seven of the last 10 meetings in the series, and each of the last two at Cassell Coliseum. Saturday’s game will be televised on ESPN2. The Hoos are a slim one-point favorite, according to Caesars Sportsbook.
