Facing increased pressure from fans after a series of disappointing losses, coach Al Groh will look for his team to give a strong showing against No. 17 Miami this weekend. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

As the Virginia football team enters the final third of its season, it is slowly running out of time to salvage a winning record. The Cavaliers sit at 3-5 and have lost their last two games, putting more pressure on coach Al Groh to find a way revive his team.

“I got this little sign on my desk that says, ‘Just coach the team,’” said Groh. “And so that’s what I like to do and that’s what my responsibility is, so I just try to coach the team the best way I can every day.”

Virginia will have another chance to prove itself Saturday as the team travels to Florida to take on No. 16 Miami. A win could relieve some of the pressure that has been mounting since the beginning of the season.

Speaking of pressure, the Cavaliers will look to exert some of their own against the Hurricanes. Virginia’s defensive line, spearheaded by senior end Nate Collins, has been responsible for keeping the occasionally anemic offense within striking distance and is one of the squad’s few bright spots.

Collins, who has racked up a team-high five sacks thus far, has turned in several highlight performances in the past several games, including a crucial interception return for a touchdown against Maryland, 10 solo and 16 total tackles against Georgia Tech and two sacks against Duke.

“I’m just trying to play at the highest level I can, just be at the right spot every particular play that I can be and just do the right thing to try to help this team win,” Collins said.

As a whole, the defensive line has remained mostly stalwart, even after sophomore end Matt Conrath injured his ankle against Maryland. His replacement, sophomore Zane Parr, has contributed immediately to the line’s continued effectiveness.

“I think Zane Parr is doing a wonderful job over there, stepping in,” Collins said. “I feel like the D-line is stepping up every week and just trying to help this team win and shut down the run like we’re supposed to and make things easier for the guys in coverage every play.”

The unit performed particularly well against Duke, totaling six sacks last Saturday. Of Virginia’s 16 total sacks this season, the line has accounted for 12.5.

The line’s ability to ramp up pressure on the quarterback will be a key component of Virginia’s plan this weekend as well. Although the Hurricanes’ offense does not rely nearly as exclusively on an air attack as Duke’s, sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris has already thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns this season.  Getting to Harris early and often would help Virginia’s cornerbacks cover Miami’s speedy receivers, junior Leonard Hankerson and sophomore Travis Benjamin.

“All across 22 positions, most obviously is wide receivers and guys who can get vertically up the field,” Groh said about Miami’s all-around speed. “It shows in kick coverage, it shows in pass-rushers off the edge, it certainly shows in defensive backs closing on the ball.”

It will take more than a quick, effective pass rush to defeat Miami, however, as Virginia will need to find a productive offensive game plan of its own. In losses to Georgia Tech and Duke, the Cavaliers’ offense mustered only 198 and 196 total yards, respectively. Miami’s offense, meanwhile, averages 388 yards per game.

Many of Virginia’s recent offensive woes might stem from ailing senior quarterback Jameel Sewell, who has been slowly recovering from an injury.

“Usually with those things, just the grinding on them and whatnot, it takes a significant down period for it just to get fully calmed down,” Groh said.

Several factors on both sides of the ball, therefore, will need to fall into place for Virginia to win this weekend. Players are fighting to keep pressure on Miami’s passing attack and off Groh, Collins said.

“I feel like he’s a great defensive coach,” Collins said. “He breathes, sleeps and eats football, and I think once people will realize that, it wears off on them.”

The University recently honored 17 community members for their efforts to foster an inclusive environment on Grounds.

The University’s Equal Opportunity Programs Office recently presented its inaugural Champion Awards to 17 University community members, recognizing individuals’ efforts to foster a more inclusive environment on Grounds.

“The awards are a way to acknowledge and honor persons at the University who promote social justice and equal rights,” Equal Opportunity Programs Director Darlene Scott-Scurry said.

The ceremony, which took place last Friday, recognized those who “work to advocate and help us advance our mission, which is preventing and eliminating discrimination and providing equal access to all University programs and activities,” Scott-Scurry said.

History Prof. Brian Balogh, who received one of the awards, served on President John T. Casteen, III’s commission for diversity and equity and co-chaired one of its major subcommittees, through which he and the committee’s members worked to develop ideas about community engagement, he said.

Balogh said he was honored to receive the award but added that it also made him feel “a little sheepish,” because he is not sure how to feel about being singled out.

“On the other hand, I’m glad that the University is recognizing folks who are leaders in this area,” Balogh said. “I don’t know if I really deserve to be among that group, but I do think it’s important that all the members of the University community help out in different ways.”

Astronomy Department Administrative Supervisor Barbara Johnson received her Champion Award as a result of her positive treatment of an employee with invisible disabilities and her efforts to include her in the workplace, Johnson said.

“She basically wanted to express her appreciation for making her feel like an equal and valued employee,” Johnson said. “I greatly appreciate her recognition.”

To select the award recipients, the EOP reviewed nominations explaining why particular community members should be honored, Scott-Scurry said. The office looked for University members who create an inclusive work environment free from discrimination, are committed to the principles of equal opportunity and are willing to speak up if they witness cases of inequality, according to the office’s Web site.

The pool of recipients was also “very inclusive,” Scott-Scurry said, including faculty, staff and administrators.

University students were arrested significantly less for liquor law violations last year than in 2006 or 2007, according to the institution’s most recent Clery Act report.

The report, published recently by the University Police, shows that the number of alcohol-related arrests fell from 125 and 119 arrests in 2006 and 2007, respectively, to 80 in 2008.

University Police Capt. Michael Coleman noted, however, that there is “always some variation [from to year].” Drunk in public and DUI charges have never been included in the Clery Act report’s figures, he said, and the number of arrests include only those made by University Police officials.

“It doesn’t represent the complete view, because it doesn’t include those other two important numbers,” Coleman said.

Additionally, the figure does not include arrests made in “areas not immediately adjacent to campus,” according to the report, meaning an arrest on University Avenue might be included in the report, but one on 14th Street might not.

Because several different factors influence the statistics, Coleman said he “can’t give a hard and fast reason” for the decline in 2008.

Dean of Students Allen Groves took a similar stance, citing a variety of possible causes.

“There are a lot of things that could influence this behavior,” Groves said.

Groves drew particular attention to the actions of students and University administrators to improve the level of alcohol awareness on Grounds, noting that these educational outreach efforts may have contributed to the decline in arrests.

“We have really ratcheted up the [alcohol] education,” Groves said, referring to a compulsory online alcohol education course for first-year students enacted prior to 2008.

He also said the lower 2008 figure could simply stem from students making better decisions and “self-policing” themselves.

Regardless of the reasons for the statistical drop, Groves said he was encouraged by the report.

“Based on alcohol and drug numbers, it makes me feel reasonably good,” Groves said.

The Clery Act, which also reports figures pertaining to crimes unrelated to liquor violations, is named after Jeanne Clery, who was murdered and raped in 1990 while attending Lehigh University. Signed into law in 1990, the Clery Act forces colleges and universities that receive federal funding for financial aid to disclose all crimes that have taken place on and in the immediate vicinity of their campuses.

Intervention and counseling in jail helps to reduce recidivism rates for inmates, according to a recent study conducted by Education Prof. Ann Loper.

Loper followed three groups of inmates at the Albermarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail during one eight-week session of the New Beginnings Transitional Re-entry program, which consists of a series of courses covering anger management, health and sexuality, vocation and parenting.

One group received no assistance, the second group received a small amount of intervention through counseling and the final group received the most intervention through instruction in a classroom setting.

According to Loper’s results, only 14.5 percent of the inmates who received some sort of intervention were likely to return to jail within six months after their release, compared to 31 percent of those inmates who did not receive intervention.

“Even brief interventions can be helpful,” Loper said, explaining that educational programs can make a real, measurable difference on people’s chances of becoming repeat criminal offenders.

Loper said the goal of the studied eight-week programs, which have been in place since 2005, is to prepare inmates for life after prison. The program also provides inmates with opportunities to prepare for GEDs if they have not already received high school degrees.

—compiled by Radina Belberova

No. 3 Virginia defeated No. 10 Duke 3-1 yesterday afternoon in the opening round of the ACC Tournament at Turf Field. The win comes on the heels of Virginia’s 2-1 comeback victory against the Blue Devils on Oct. 31, which closed out the team’s regular season.

Leading the way for Virginia was sophomore midfielder Paige Selenski, who scored the game’s final two goals. Sophomore midfielder Inga Stöckel netted Virginia’s first goal.

The Cavaliers, who possess the third seed in the postseason tournament, advanced to a semifinal showdown against second-seeded North Carolina, which is also ranked No. 2 nationally. Virginia will meet the Tar Heels tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Turf Field.

—compiled by Dan Stalcup

Freshman forward Will Bates has provided the Cavaliers with a much-needed offensive spark, scoring five of the team's last 10 goals. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

Heading into its final regular season match, Virginia takes on N.C. State tomorrow evening at Klöckner Stadium, hoping to ride into the ACC Tournament on an eight-game winning streak.

The No. 18 Wolfpack (12-4-1, 2-4-1 ACC) enters Saturday’s contest with an impressive level of play on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The squad is averaging 2.16 goals per game and has outscored its opponents 9-3 in its last 3 matches, despite losing one of those matches. The Wolfpack defense, led by redshirt senior goal keeper Christopher Widman, is allowing only 0.91 goals per game and has recorded seven shutouts this season.

Although the Cavaliers (11-3-2, 3-3-1) soundly defeated N.C. State in a 5-0 rout last season, this weekend’s matchup against the Wolfpack should prove to be a tougher challenge for the team.

“They’re a very good team this year as opposed to past years when they’ve been a team that you can maybe overlook,” senior midfielder Jonathan Villanueva said. “This year they’re really a team that we’re going to get focused on and give everything we have to.”

This weekend’s result will have major playoff implications for both teams, as the final score will help determine seeding for the upcoming ACC Championships.

“There’s so much at stake. N.C. State still has a chance to be in the play-in game,” Virginia coach George Gelnovatch said. “There’re other games around the conference where teams could go from first to fourth or fourth to first. This last stretch here will mean so much for not only conference standings but [for] RPI and the overall record.”

The Cavaliers are coming off a strong showing against American on Wednesday at Klöckner Stadium, where they defeated their foe 3-0 to remain undefeated in non-conference play this season. Virginia, bolstered by the talented play of junior goalkeeper and ACC Co-Player of the Week Diego Restrepo, registered its eighth shutout of the season. In their last five games, the Cavaliers have outscored their opponents 10-1, with freshman forward Will Bates accounting for half of those goals.

Gelnovatch noted that the Cavaliers’ surging momentum, resulting from their recent offensive success, could help the team perform at a high level throughout the ACC Championships, which will begin Wednesday in Cary, N.C.

“I think that’s the key,” he said. “If your team can get better in November, that’s important. If we just keep grinding it while we’re getting better and in form, that’s a good combination.”

This weekend’s volunteer community search for Morgan Dana Harrington, originally scheduled to depart the Cavalier Inn, has been relocated. The search will still begin today, tomorrow and Sunday at 9 a.m., but volunteers will meet at the local Department of Forestry office, according to a press release.

The search, aided by the Texas-based Laura Recovery Center and law enforcement officials, is intended to supplement previously completed investigations conducted by the Virginia State Police and University Police. Harrington disappeared Oct. 17 during a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena and was last seen in the vicinity of the Copeley Road bridge, according to police officials.

The Department of Forestry is located at 900 Natural Resources Dr. Participating volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

Anyone with additional information about Harrington’s disappearance is encouraged to contact Virginia State Police at (434) 352-3467. Tips can also be e-mailed to bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov.

—compiled by Cavalier Daily staff

No. 30 Virginia fell in the first game of the ACC Championships on Wednesday to No. 7 Boston College, as the Cavaliers lost 3-2 on penalty kicks after two overtime periods. The Eagles had an 11-6 edge in shooting at the end of regulation, but the score remained level at 0-0.

The double overtime favored Virginia, though, as the Cavaliers managed to outshoot Boston College, 4-1, but the game still remained scoreless after the two sudden-death periods. As a result, the final outcome of the scoreless draw as well as the Cavaliers’ conference tournament hopes were put to penalty kicks.

Both teams took five penalty kicks, and the team with the most was awarded the win. After four shots each, Boston College led 3-2. Junior forward Meghan Lenczyk sought to force the Eagles to take at least a fifth shot but was unable to convert, eliminating the Cavaliers from ACC contention.

Coming off its fifth consecutive overtime in an ACC Championship game, Virginia must now wait to see if its postseason will continue. The NCAA will announce seeds for its tournament Monday.
—compiled by Jack Bird

Breaking 10 pool records at an away meet is a rare and exceptional feat for most teams, but for the Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, that feat — performed Oct. 21 at Virginia Tech’s War Memorial Pool — is simply a starting point.

“It just means that in an early season meet, we were able to perform at a really good solid level,” Virginia coach Mark Bernardino said. “If that’s as fast as we get, we’ll be in really big trouble at the end of the year so we’re still looking to improve significantly.”

The Cavaliers’ first dual meet of the season against Virginia Tech ended in a 180-120 win for the women and a slightly closer 177-123 victory for the men. Among the 10 record-breaking performances by Virginia swimmers were those in the women’s 200 free, 1650 free, 100 back, 200 fly, 400 IM and 800 freestyle relay team, and the men’s 1650 free, 200 breast, 400 IM and 800 freestyle relay team.

Freshman Lauren Perdue’s time of 1:47.98 earned her the 200 free record in Blacksburg, but her contribution to the team’s win did not end there. In her first collegiate dual meet, she also won the 50 and 100 freestyle with times of 23.14 and 50.29, respectively.

The Virginia women commanded the 200 breast and the 200 fly with 1-2-3 finishes in both events. Freshman Christine Olson touched first in the 200 breast at 2:17.37, followed closely by senior Katherine McDonnell and junior Claire Crippen. Junior Elizabeth Shaw clocked a first-place 2:00.56 in the 200 fly, with teammates sophomore Joanna Thomas and Crippen grabbing second and third.

The men took the 1-2-3 position in the 400 IM, in which senior Darren Ankosko finished in 3:59.47. Teammates junior Tim Hayes and freshman Nick Montes de Oca followed consecutively behind.

Although the Cavaliers’ triumphed this weekend, Bernardino reminded that it is still early in the season, and said the team will continue to train with intensity regardless of how well it starts.

“There’s not a single event that we can’t stand to get better in,” Bernardino said. “You never, ever reach the ultimate in any sport, there’s no such thing.”

The men’s and women’s teams will endeavor to put that strategy of continual improvement to use in their meet against Kentucky tomorrow.

“They’re a formidable foe,” Bernardino said. “We have to be prepared to face an outstanding team … We certainly can continue to get stronger in the weight room. We can continue to do a better job with our kicking skills, we can continue to do a lot of the technical things.”

Senior John Azar is among the Virginia swimmers working to further develop these aspects of the sport. His efforts paid off two weeks ago at Virginia Tech, when he broke the men’s 200 breaststroke pool record with a time of 2:01:83.

“I’m setting records and I want to get better,” Azar said. “I want to get better at every meet we go to so that really sets a standard for me.”

Azar and the rest of the Cavaliers will seek to employ their win at Virginia Tech as a springboard to constant growth and success throughout the rest of the season.

“Just make sure you’re giving it your all,” Azar said, “so that when that weekend comes and you’re rested and hydrated, you know you can swim just a little bit faster than the meet before.”