Cavaliers announce additions of three transfers, nine walk-ons for 2024 season

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia Fralin Family Head Football Coach Tony Elliott announced the addition of three transfer players and nine preferred walk-on players to the Cavaliers’ roster for this fall. All 12 student-athletes arrived at UVA last weekend to start their academic careers during the University’s Summer Session II.

The three transfers are linebacker Dorian Jones from Cincinnati, offensive lineman Ethan Sipe from Dartmouth and long snapper Payton Bunch from Coastal Carolina.

The walk-on players include QB Alexander Brady, LB Cayden Cook-Cash, SAF Armstrong Jones, DE Billy Koudelka, WR Trevor Ladd, QB Boone Lourd, TE Henry Omohundro, PK Max Prozny and OL Alex Reisig.

Also enrolling at the University this weekend were previous signing class members CB Kevon Gray (Fairburn, Ga.), TE John Rogers (The Plains, Va.), DT Tyler Simmons (Windermere, Fla.), WR Triston Ward (Griswold, Conn.), OL Dane Wleklinski (Dublin, Ohio) and OL Ben York (Burke, Va.).

TRANSFERS

Dorian Jones … 6-0 … 230
Cincinnati / Louisville / American Heritage H.S.
Boynton Beach, Fla.

2023 – Cincinnati
Appeared in 11 games, starting in eight…He recorded a career-high 56 tackles and added 2.5 TFLs, one sack, and an INT during the season… Finished the season third on the team in tackles… Had a career game against Oklahoma, recording a career-high 13 tackles and a sack… Recorded his first career INT against Houston and added four stops…Tallied seven tackles vs. UCF and had six tackles against Miami, Ohio…Has totaled 147 tackles, 13 TFLs, and five sacks in his FBS career at Cincinnati and Louisville.

Prior to Cincinnati
Former three-star recruit spent four years as an impact player in the Louisville program, redshirting in 2019 and contributing at linebacker and special teams from 2020 to 2022…Totaled 90 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and four sacks over 36 games in his collegiate career…Started six games and recorded 48 tackles in 2021…Started one game in 2022, and played in all 13 contests at middle linebacker, tallying 34 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and three sacks…Starred at American Heritage High School in South Florida where he was named the Miami Sentinel’s Broward County Class 5A-1A Defensive Player of the Year and finished with 122 tackles and 29 TFLs as a prep senior.

Ethan Sipe … 6-5 … 295
Dartmouth / Ensworth School
Nashville, Tenn.

2022 – Junior
Started all 10 games at right tackle … integral part of an offensive line that protected the quarterback quite well, ranking among the top 25 in the FCS in fewest sacks allowed and 13th in fewest interceptions thrown … also an effective run blocker as Dartmouth ranked second in the league in rushing yards per game.

2021 – Sophomore
Provided depth on the offensive line.

2020 – Freshman
Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

High School
Blocking helped Ensworth go 8-4 in his senior season … the Tigers made it to the TSSAA State Semifinals and finished the year ranked eighth in the state in their class … one of the team’s losses came against future Dartmouth teammate Wade Williams and Brentwood Academy in October … also wrestled for Ensworth.

Personal
Born on June 7, 2002 in Boston … son of Eric and Emily Sipe has two sisters … both parents played basketball in college, father for two years at Kansas State and mother is still among the career leaders in blocked shots at Butler CC … camped at Dartmouth and Harvard, where his father earned his master’s … chose Dartmouth over an offer from Valparaiso … plans on becoming an investment banker … lived in Japan for five years.

Payton Bunch … 6-3 … 200
Coastal Carolina / Pendleton, H.S.
Pendleton, S.C.

2023 – Senior
Played in all 12 games for the Chants as the long snapper … handled the long snapping duties for punts, field goals, and extra points all season … recorded a solo tackle against Marshall (Oct. 28) … completed his degree in Marketing.

2022 – Junior
Played in all 13 games for the Chants as the long snapper … handled the long snapping duties for punts, field goals, and extra points all season long … snapped for all 12 field goal and 47 extra-point attempts .. also snapped for all 55 punts on the season … totaled two solo tackles on the year on punt coverage … recorded his first career tackle in the 2022 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Football Championship game at Troy (Dec. 3) … picked up a solo tackle in the 2022 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl versus East Carolina (Dec. 27) … awarded a full scholarship in the 2023 spring season (Click Here).

2021 – Sophomore
Lined up at long snapper in four games on the season … snapped for either an extra point or a field goal in wins over The Citadel (Sept. 2), UMass (Sept. 25), ULM (Oct. 2), and Arkansas State (Oct. 7) … earned a spot on the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA or higher) for the 2022 spring semester.

2020 – Redshirt Freshman
Did not see any game action on the year … dressed for the majority of the games on the season … named to the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA or higher) for the 2021 spring term.

2019 – Freshman
Redshirt season … did not play in a game … earned a spot on the Dean’s List (3.25 GPA or higher) for the 2020 spring semester.

High School
Lettered and played tight end and long snapper for Pendleton High School and head coach Yon Radford … tabbed a four-star long snapper by RubioLongSnapping.com … named to the Western 3A All-Region Offensive Team … helped Pendleton go 9-3 overall and 5-0 in region play his senior season, advancing to the second round of the 2018 SCHSL Football Class 3A state championship playoffs … caught 42 passes for 622 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games his senior season … averaged 14.8 yards per catch and 62.2 receiving yards per game as a senior … also returned 15 punts for 102 yards, including a long of 63 yards, and one touchdown … had 12 catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns versus Belton-Honea Path (Sept. 15) … also lettered in baseball and basketball for the Bulldogs.

PREFERRED WALK-ONS

Alexander Brady … QB … 6-2 … 200 … Episcopal High School … Pinehurst, N.C.
Named to the All-Interstate Athletic Conference in 2023 … also played baseball and basketball at Episcopal … led team to IAC title (5-1) as a senior and 6-3 overall record.

Cayden Cook-Cash … LB … 6-3 … 215 … Riverheads High School … Greenville, Va.
Helped Riverheads win three straight VHSL Class 1 state titles … team was the VHSL Class 2 runner up in 2023 … starred as a running back on offense and linebacker and safety on defense … two-time Class 1 Offensive Player of the Year … three-time all-state selection … rushed for more than 4,000 yards in his prep career and scored 105 touchdown … had over 100 tackles as a senior.

Armstrong Jones … SAF … 6-1 … 175 … The Westminster Schools … Atlanta, Ga.
Helped team to an 8-4 record as a senior … served as a team captain in 2023 … team reached second round of AAAA playoffs .. Region 6 first-team all-region pick at defensive back … also played high school lacrosse where he was honorable mention all-state selection as a senior … helped team to state title in lacrosse … presented his team’s Wayman Creel Torchbearer Award … brother, Truman, is a defensive end for Kansas City Chiefs who played at Harvard.

Billy Koudelka … DE … 6-7 … 225 … Virginia Episcopal School … Lynchburg, Va.
Played lacrosse, basketball and baseball at Virginia Episcopal … was a guard and defensive end of the 8-man football team … helped football team to a 9-1 record in 2023 and 8-0 mark in region play … team reached finals of VISFL as a senior … recruited by numerous Division I lacrosse programs … VISAA Division II first team all-state attack in lacrosse.

Trevor Ladd … WR … 6-3 … 210 … LaCosta Canyon High School … Encinitas, Calif.
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports … was ranked the No. 105 tight end in the country in the class of 2024 … second team offense on 2023 All CIF San Diego Section … in 2023 he hauled in 35 catches for 605 yards and eight touchdowns and was named a first-team all-league selection … helped team to San Diego Section of CIF playoffs … father, Dan, graduated from UVA in 1994 and was two-time captain of Cavalier men’s golf team.

Boone Lourd … QB … 6-1 … 195 … Brentwood School … Los Angeles, Calif.
Threw for 2023 yards as a senior and 2032 as a junior … totaled 5,832 career passing yards at Brentwood … passed for 78 TDs … … completed 63.8 percent (439 of 688) of his passes during his prep career … averaged 188.1 yards passing per game in 31 prep appearances … averaged 13.3 yard per completion during career … team was 9-3 as a senior and 3-0 in Gold Coast play … brother, Cole, is entering his fourth season as a quarterback at Texas.

Henry Omohundro … TE … 6-3 … 240 … St. Christopher’s School … Midlothian, Va.
Played defensive end and running back at St. Christopher’s and also played lacrosse and threw the shot put and discus his track team … named to the 2023 All-VISAA football team … racked up 49 tackles and led the Saints with 7.5 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries … scored 5 TDs on offense, four rushing … was a captain of the football and lacrosse team and a two-time, all-state football selection in each sport … father, Buddy, was a two-time, All-ACC defensive back at UVA under coach George Welsh … brother, Elby, wa an All-ACC track and field performer at UVA … mother, Tracie, graduated from UVA in 1991.

Max Prozny … PK … 5-11 … 165 … Starrs Mill High School … Fayetteville, Ga.
First team all-state kicker … also a standout baseball player at Starrs Hill … handled punting, kickoff and place kicking duties during his high school career, playing in 32 total games … connected on 14 of 19 field goal attempts during his prep career … long field goal of 47 yards as a junior … score 121 points during prep career … was 79 of 89 on PATs … averaged 39.2 yards per punt over three seasons with 50 punts … 13 inside the 20 … long of 59 as a junior … helped team to 10-4 record …. Team was 6-1 in Region 4 of AAAA … reached semifinals of state playoffs in 2023.

Alex Reisig … OL …6-6 … 280 … Choate Rosemary Hall … Washington, D.C.
Played offensive tackle at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. area before attending Choate Rosemary Hall for a postgraduate year …helped team to a Leon Modeste Bowl win and an unbeaten season (9-0) in 2023 … squad was the de facto overall NEPSAC A champions … as part of project to earn Eagle Scout status, helped to organize a drive that delivered more than 1,000 essential items to the McKenna Center at Gonzaga.