For the second time in as many days, Virginia coach Tony Bennett announced that one of his players will leave the Cavalier basketball program. One day after sophomore guard KT Harrell departed, redshirt freshman forward James Johnson told Bennett Saturday that he intends to transfer as well.

“Obviously with KT Harrell yesterday and James today deciding not to continue at Virginia I am disappointed,” Bennett said in a statement Saturday. “But with that being said, if James and KT feel it’s best for them not to be here I think it’s better for everyone to part ways.”

Like Harrell, Johnson was a high-profile recruit from Bennett’s first signing class at Virginia. The Wildomar, Calif. native averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks per game for Elsinore High School and was listed as a Top 100 Recruit by Scout.com and ESPNU before joining the Cavaliers for the 2010-11 season.

Also like Harrell, Johnson struggled to adjust from high school stardom to a more marginal role in college. After redshirting last year at his request, the forward has played just 37 total minutes this season and scored nine points on 0-for-3 shooting from the field.

“Players have always wanted to play… but I think that instant gratification [versus] the ability to wait and be patient is different in recent years,” Bennett said in a teleconference Monday. “A lot of guys have a lot of talent coming in and when it doesn’t happen right away, there’s probably a little less patience from players, from families, from everyone involved.”

Johnson’s decision is especially surprising, however, because the 6-foot-9 forward projected to play a more prominent role in the frontcourt next year after senior forward Mike Scott and senior center Assane Sene graduate this spring.

“With James, I tried to point out the long range with him with two seniors in front of him in Mike and Assane,” Bennett said Monday. “[I told him] there were opportunities, to keep being patient, to keep developing — that was my message on a few occasions.”

In both word and deed, Johnson appeared to support Bennett’s patient, long-term approach to his career at Virginia. At the team’s preseason media day Oct. 6 Johnson said, “I’m not going to try to rush anything or do too much out there,” and he worked hard to learn Bennett’s system and develop as a player during his redshirt year.

“In the time I had off [redshirting] I wasn’t wasting it,” Johnson said. “I was definitely in here every day – I came in sometimes at one in the morning or whenever it was to get extra work in. We’re all dedicated here, we’re all trying to make a good name for the school, our coaches and each other.”

Although the Cavaliers have posted a 10-1 record and rank 24th in the AP poll this season, Virginia’s winter break depth woes are becoming an increasingly – and disturbingly – common thread for Bennett. The coach has now seen four of his first six-man class depart the program, and only sophomore guard Joe Harris and sophomore forward Akil Mitchell remain from the original group.

“When you first get a job, you’re behind and you’re trying to find hidden gems and guys that fit, have character,” Bennett said. “When you have a big class and have a lot of scholarships to give, you don’t have as much time to evaluate and get the feel, you have to take some chances.”

Bennett’s window to establish connections with Johnson and Harrell were especially minimal, because each of those two players missed their junior high school seasons. Johnson sat out after transferring to Morse High School in San Diego, Calif. from Canada, while Harrell sat out after transferring from Jefferson Davis High School.

“We got to see them in the summer, they were not real well-known, you have to make some pretty quick evaluations, you try to build the relationship [quickly],” Bennett said. “I’m not going to say we’re going to be free from this issue as we progress with recruiting, but I think we’re getting a little bit of a better handle of what will work here and we’re filling holes, where with your initial class, you’re trying to give six scholarships and get as many kids as you can that you think will work.”

Johnson joins Harrell, Will Regan, Billy Baron, Tristan Spurlock, Jeff Jones and John Brandenburg as players to depart Virginia during Bennett’s three-year coaching tenure.

“I love and respect all the individuals that make up the Virginia basketball program,” Johnson said in a statement. “They helped me grow in so many ways. The support and love they showed me was unbelievable and it will be very hard to leave this group. However, I feel strongly that it is in my best interest to pursue other opportunities.”

Virginia coach Tony Bennett announced Friday that sophomore guard KT Harrell is leaving the Cavalier basketball program and intends to transfer.

The 6-foot-4, 202-pound native of Montgomery, Ala. becomes the fifth player to depart from the team during Bennett’s three-year tenure.

“I was disappointed by his decision to leave Virginia,” Bennett said in a statement. “I was hoping he would stay, but I appreciate his contributions to our program and wish him the best in the future.”

Harrell entered the Virginia program with much aplomb last year. He was listed as a Top 100 Recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPNU and also won the 2010 Gatorade Alabama Boys Basketball Player of the Year award after averaging 27.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game for Brewbaker Tech Magnet High School.

Harrell posted 10.5 points during the first 19 games of his freshman campaign, but stumbled down the stretch, averaging just 4.1 points in his last 12 contests. He started strong again this season with a 13-point performance against SC State and dropped 14 points in a Nov. 25 game against Green Bay, but has only averaged 3.1 points outside those matchups.

Bennett confirmed in a teleconference Monday that playing time figured prominently in Harrell’s decision. After averaging 31.5 minutes per game through the first four contests this season, Harrell’s playing time dwindled to 11.7 minutes per game since then. Whereas Harrell played 34 minutes while scoring a team-high 16 points against Seattle a year ago, during his final game as a Cavalier Dec. 21, Harrell played just seven minutes against the Redhawks and scored no points.

“The hardest thing for a coach is knowing your players are working hard and they desperately want to play, and yet with 200 minutes in a game, you know you’re not going to be able to keep everybody happy from a playing time perspective,” Bennett said. “We’re seeing more and more now, players deciding to leave for a number of reasons, but usually playing time is the majority of it early in the process. It used to be you’d give a good two full years, now you’re seeing it a little bit more in the first year or midseason, and it’s unfortunate.”

Harrell’s declining role is at least partly attributable to the emergence of freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon and the return of senior guard Sammy Zeglinski from an ankle injury, both of whom have largely crowded out Harrell in an already overcrowded Cavalier backcourt.

However, because Virginia often employs up to four perimeter players, Bennett said he tried to impress upon Harrell that the guard could still contribute and improve. Once Harrell persisted in his decision to leave, Bennett elected to remove freshman Paul Jesperson’s redshirt for the remainder of the season. The coach said Jesperson approached him and offered to come off the redshirt in order to give a team with only nine remaining scholarship players some much-needed depth.

“Even though he’s missed 11 games, his willingness to help the team and go in that direction is a great sign for our team and Paul,” Bennett said. “My hope is that this will give us at least more needed depth if there’s foul trouble or injuries, and whatever minutes he gets will help prepare him for next year to be ready.”

Virginia is now 10-1, its best start since the 2000-01 season, and resumes play without Harrell Dec. 27 against Maryland-Eastern Shore at John Paul Jones Arena.

“I’m grateful for my experience at Virginia and for my teammates and coaches,” Harrell said in a statement. “They were very kind and good to me. I wish them the best.”

UPDATE: Virginia State Police confirmed Friday that the second victim, who was not a Virginia Tech student, was the shooter in Thursday’s incident. They also identified the slain Virginia Tech police officer as Derieck Crouse, but have yet to identify the shooter.

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The Virginia Tech campus was on lockdown for most of the afternoon after two people were fatally shot. University officials said one of the victims is a police officer, who was conducting a routine traffic stop at the time. Witnesses reported seeing the officer shot in a parking lot on campus. A weapon was found along with the second victim’s body in a nearby parking lot.

The suspected shooter is believed to be a white male last seen in a maroon hoodie. Virginia State Police, who have taken the lead on the investigation, could not confirm whether the second victim was the shooter.

The immediate search for the gunman prompted a full lockdown of the campus from 1 p.m. to 4:35 p.m. Tomorrow’s exams at Virginia Tech will be rescheduled, and the university will hold a memorial candlelight vigil tonight for the victims.

In 2007, 23-year-old Virginia Tech student Cho Seung-Hui killed 32 people in a shooting rampage on campus. Virginia Tech officials were in Washington today appealing a $55,000 fine for their handling of that incident.

Senior Ryan Malo will see action this weekend as coach Steve Garland plans to adjust his lineup and play less experienced wrestlers. Photo courtesy Virginia Athletics

For open meets, teams sometimes use their star wrestlers to keep up momentum. Penn State will likely send all eight of its ranked competitors to the mat, including national No. 1s senior Frank Molinaro, a 149-pounder, and sophomore David Taylor of the 165-pound class.

Virginia coach Steve Garland, however, has a different approach.

Garland will give his veteran wrestlers a chance to recover and focus on their studies after five meets in three weeks, especially with finals around the corner. The coach also wants to rest some of his wrestlers who have taken the most wear and tear early in the season.

“The guys who aren’t healthy, we’re going to shut them down and rest them to get them ready for the next push,” Garland said. “So we need to go up there and just get as many matches as we can with the guys that are healthy.”

That will give Garland’s younger players a chance to face some strong competition.

“We just want to get matches,” Garland said. “We’re going to bring the young guys and guys like [senior] Ryan Malo who need to keep getting matches and figure out how to force his positions.”

Malo transferred from Williams College after posting three Division III All-American seasons, and the Nittany Lion Open will give him a chance to square off against some of the country’s elite competition.

“We do have guys that are going to Penn State and they’re just excited to compete,” said redshirt sophomore Jon Fausey, who will not participate in this weekend’s matches after performing well against Virginia Tech. “Most of those guys aren’t guys that wrestled [against Virginia Tech] and they’re excited to go up to Penn State, which is a great tournament, and show off their abilities.”

Thomas Jefferson envisioned an “Academical Village” in which students and professors would live and learn together. At the very heart of this “Academical Village,” he placed the Rotunda as his library: “a temple of knowledge.”

But today, the deteriorating structure of the iconic Rotunda threatens Jefferson’s vision.

When University President Teresa A. Sullivan took office last year, she said the restoration of the Rotunda was a priority. Sullivan has worked closely with the commonwealth of Virginia, University architects and alumni to get the project underway.

Restoration efforts sparked conflict between students and administrators when the University announced that the magnolia trees framing the Rotunda must be cut down so construction can begin. Students have also voiced concerns that renovation efforts will interfere with the graduation ceremonies of the classes of 2012 and 2013.

Two phases of construction
Estimates place the cost of the project between $45.7 million and $50.6 million. The University hopes to get about $26.8 million from the state and plans to raise the remaining funds — about $23.8 million — through private donations, according to a Buildings and Grounds report from June.

The roof leaks are the project’s first priority, because water damage threatens the structural integrity of the building and has damaged parts of the interior domes.

Although administrators have not yet determined a specific start date, the project is expected to begin next spring. The entire project will last several years.

“The initial phases will address conditions that threaten the building’s integrity and include significant roof repairs, column capital restoration, masonry repairs and water infiltration repairs,” according to the Campaign for the University of Virginia’s website, which seeks donations for a number of projects around the University.

The University estimates the initial phase for exterior repairs will cost $23 million.

“Later phases of the project will entail improvements to the Rotunda’s interior infrastructure and restoration of the surrounding landscape. The building’s aging infrastructure, including plumbing, electrical, audio/visual, heating/air conditioning and fire protection, will be upgraded,” according to the campaign’s website.

This later phase of construction will cost a projected $28 million for internal and external improvements.

A scramble for donations
The Rotunda’s renovation is “dependent upon the availability of state funds and a successful fundraising campaign,” according to the Building and Grounds report. In addition to state aid and private donations, a small portion of the University’s endowment may be used for “historic preservation projects,” according to the campaign’s website.

The University is seeking $12.95 million from the state for the first phase of the renovation. So far, $4.7 million has been raised for the roof repairs — $2.7 million from state funding and about $2 million raised by the University. This money will go toward the roof repairs only.

“Usually when we have historic buildings, the General Assembly supports those efforts to maintain the buildings,” said Del. Steve Landes, R-Waynesboro.

Students have also led efforts to raise money for the renovation. Last March, the 48th annual Restoration Ball, coordinated by the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, raised about $5,000.

“Students can only raise so much money for a multi-million dollar project, but it’s important to get students behind it,” said third-year College student Walker McKusick, an employee at the Rotunda. “It gives [the project] legitimacy. It shows the cause is not just important to the past but also to the future.”

Repairs branch out
At its Nov. 10 meeting, the Board of Visitors approved a plan for Rotunda repairs which includes the removal of the surrounding magnolia trees.

No final decisions have been made, however, regarding the start date of the construction or the removal of the trees.

“There are those who believe that the trees will inevitably be damaged during construction and others who believe there may be a way to protect them through construction,” University spokesperson Carol Wood said in an email. “We’ll know more after more study.”

In a Nov. 20 email distributed to third- and fourth-year students, Sullivan attempted to “explain some of the difficult tasks that lie ahead of us as we seek to preserve our Jeffersonian architectural heritage for future generations.”

Sullivan said planning construction meetings would take place soon and that planning will continue into 2012.

She said administrators will work to address student concerns about disruption of Graduation Weekend and the removal of the magnolias.

“Arborists … believe that the repair work on the Rotunda will only exacerbate the trees’ already fragile state,” she said. “These are matters we must consider further.”

The Rotunda will still be open during construction, however, in an effort to minimize disruption to daily lives of students, staff and faculty, Wood said.

Speaking for the trees
Third-year Engineering student Yatzek Krzepicki started an online petition Nov. 15 to protest the planned removal of the magnolia trees. The petition now has nearly 3,400 signatures.

Krzepicki said his interest in the issue began when magnolia trees in front of Garrett Hall were cut down.

“I remember being really angry that they cut down those trees,” he said. “I couldn’t stand by and watch them do it again.”

Krzepicki said he has been in discussions with Dean of Students Allen Groves and Michael Strine, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Krzepicki hopes to create an open forum where students and administrators can discuss the renovation project and the fate of the trees.

“With the way this has gone on, we know very little about the information [the administrators have] regarding the trees,” Krzepicki said.

Fourth-year College student Matt Sutton, who created a Facebook group in support of Krzepicki’s petition, as well as an online petition of his own calling for the University to delay the start of construction until after after the class of 2012’s graduation, also hopes to spur discussion between students and administrators.

“We just want an open dialogue to have the issue discussed,” Sutton said. “No one thus far, including us, has offered an alternative other than just delaying [construction].”

Sutton said he hopes the University will consider delaying renovation if the financial burden is not too great. If construction were to begin after June, then only one graduation would be affected, he said.

“Unfortunately, they’ve planned this for several months, and there are fiscal and structural reasons why they want to start the renovation, so I’m not too hopeful,” Sutton said.

Sutton said he is also working with the students involved with the petition to send “constructive letter[s] to appropriate people” including lists of everyone who has signed the petition and selected comments from the Facebook group.

Krzepicki said Sullivan’s email was not helpful.

“[The email] didn’t say much,” Krzepicki said. “It was more of an overall sentiment. [It] didn’t say a lot either way, and it remains to be seen what the official line is.”

Krzepicki saw the president’s need for more information as encouraging, however. He said he hopes Sullivan will send an email to students with reasons behind the decision once it is made.

Despite disagreement about timing of construction and the potential cutting down of the magnolia trees, all parties acknowledge the need to repair the Rotunda.

“The Rotunda — the heart of the University Grounds — is a World Heritage Site and an icon for higher education around the world,” Wood said. “We have an obligation to repair the Rotunda and to preserve it for future generations.”

At a hearing yesterday, Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire denied a motion filed by George Huguely to introduce videotaped statements from family members at sentencing proceedings so that they could be present in the courtroom throughout the trial, according to a report by NBC29. Huguely, a former University student and men’s lacrosse player, is facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of his former girlfriend, Yeardley Love.

The motion, which was filed Tuesday, stated that Huguely’s family members who will be called to testify “wish to remain in the courtroom during the trial.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman said the request would not allow the witnesses to be cross-examined, NBC29 reported. Hogshire denied the request on the grounds that Virginia code allows family to either be present at the trial or to testify at sentencing in person.

Huguely’s trial is scheduled for February.

­—compiled by Ana Mir

Charlottesville Police arrested 18 protesters late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning after they stayed in Lee Park past the City’s 11 p.m. curfew. Photo by Thomas Bynum

Charlottesville Police arrested 18 members of Occupy Charlottesville late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning when they refused to leave Lee Park after the group’s permit expired.

The police acted pursuant to the City’s 11 p.m. curfew when officers began arrests nearly half an hour after protesters broke the curfew, Charlottesville Police Lt. Ronnie Roberts said. Arrests continued until 1:45 a.m.

“Everything was peaceful and orderly,” Roberts said. He said those arrested were taken to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Jail.

“Almost all were charged with trespassing in the City park, except for one who was charged with indecent exposure,” Roberts said.

Occupier and University alumnus Zac Fabian said the arrested occupiers broke curfew symbolically to protect their constitutional rights.

“While I cannot speak for those arrested, I believe these were symbolic arrests,” he said. “They stood their ground to stand up for their right to free speech and assembly, which have no curfew.”

He said the police were courteous and professional.

“They did their job as the protesters did theirs,” Fabian said. He added that he was dismayed by a small group of hecklers shouting obscenities and trying to provoke conflict during the arrests.

The cases of the arrested occupiers will be heard Friday, Dec. 16 in the Charlottesville General District Court.

Date: Friday, Nov. 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Boylan Heights

Annie:
Major: sociology and religious studies

Sexual orientation: straight

U.Va. involvement: Alpha Phi vice president of marketing, University Sexual Misconduct Board

Hometown: Seaford, Va.

Ideal date (person): White, tall, hair color is not an issue, athletic(!), good sense of humor is crucial, in touch with emotions but not overly emotional — vom

Ideal date (activity): Anything outdoors, dinner at Backyard, going to U.Va. sporting event[s]

If you could date any celebrity, who would it be?: I’m obsessed with Jay-Z — his swag is unprecedented. Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck are hot too.

Deal breakers: Doesn’t like sports, smoker, no sense of humor … no thanks!

Describe a typical weekend: I like to go out with my friends and I do drink. Smoking isn’t for me. Whenever there’s a home football game you’ll find me there — I love tailgating!

Hobbies: Running, frequenting people.com and sportsillustrated.com, being outside and outdoor activities — hiking, etc., going to sports games, cheering on the Boston Red Sox, shopping, funky jewelry, J. Crew.

Have you ever streaked the Lawn? It’s on the bucket list.

What makes you a good catch? I can make you laugh. I can organize your desk and teach you how to dougie. I am a tomboy and a girly girl all in one.

Andrew:
Major: biomedical engineering

Sexual orientation: straight

U.Va. involvement: Drumline, Beta Theta Pi. I spend my Sunday [through] Thursday working on various BME projects, and consequently don’t sleep.

Hometown: Orlando, Fla.

Ideal date (person): extroverted, thin-figured, nice smile, brunette, spontaneous, energetic

Ideal date (activity): A picnic on the balcony of the Colonnade Club with a nice bottle of wine. Then out to parties if dinner went well…

If you could date any celebrity, who would it be? Scarlett Johansson

Deal breakers: Not being sincere/trying to be someone they are not, can’t hold an intelligent conversation.

Describe a typical weekend: Party Friday and Saturday night (my catharsis from biomedical engineering during the week), football game with the Drumline, homework all of Sunday.

Hobbies: DJing, drumset, skiing, scuba diving, dance floors, meeting new people

Have you ever streaked the Lawn? Obviously…

What makes you a good catch? I’m smart, extroverted, and I have a lot of fun when I’m not studying.

Andrew: I filled out the Love Connection survey because my friends convinced me to do it. I had one friend who went on a Love Connection date, and she was like, “You need to do this.” I’m not the typical guy for a blind date, because I like having everything planned out.

Annie: I actually didn’t fill the Love Connection survey out; my roommates did it as a “birthday present” for me and didn’t tell me until the end of my birthday week. They knew that I would go through with it. I mean, yeah, why not? That’s my attitude, I was like, it’s something fun, and you can say you did it.

Andrew: Once I got to the Rotunda, I sat on the steps for a minute. We were both exactly on time, and then she texted me and asked where I was. We walked over to each other and she said hi. I was held up for a second, it was really embarrassing. I felt like a second grader. I didn’t think I’d be so nervous during the initial reaction. It was like, “Wow, this is really a blind date.” I had no idea who this girl was, which was thrilling.

Annie: I actually was by myself at the Rotunda, saw a person sitting up there, and texted the number [Love Connection] gave me. We introduced ourselves. He looked normal, not crazy. He looked really familiar, [but I have] no idea how I know him. I still don’t know if he looks like someone I know. He’s in the E-school, so I highly doubt I’ve run into him. I didn’t notice that he was nervous when we introduced ourselves; he did a really good job of hiding it.

Andrew: I wasn’t expecting her to be as cute as she was. She had a nice smile, but she’s not my type. We ended up going to Boylan. I was going to offer up Lemongrass or Basil. I really wanted to take her to the Colonnade balcony and bring a bottle of wine, just because I thought it would be fun and I like doing quirky things like that, but it was 36 degrees outside so that wasn’t happening with me being a Florida boy.

Annie: I just suggested Boylan for dinner, and he agreed. Part of my reasoning for going to Boylan was that if this totally tanks, there will be TVs there. But it didn’t tank; he was easy to talk to. We sat at the bar and just kind of talked about general get-to-know-you topics, like school, where we’re from; it was a normal flow of conversation.

Andrew: We talked the whole time. We’ve both been through rush and talked to rushees where [it is as if] you have to talk to inanimate objects. It wasn’t a rush conversation, but it was lighthearted the whole time. I’m kind of a serious guy; I like to find out what makes somebody who they are. I wasn’t about to do that because I could tell relatively early on that the spark wasn’t there, which was perfectly fine. I could tell she wasn’t incredibly interested in me because when we were at Boylan, her eyes were wandering a little bit.

Annie: It was really a friend vibe. We had some things in common, both being in Greek organizations, and definitely both really loving U.Va. But we were like polar opposites in pretty much every other way, like he’s in the E-school, he’s on the drumline, I’m not. He’s from Florida, I’m not. The conversation was definitely balanced, not awkward. I’m not really uncomfortable around new people, and he was really nice. There weren’t any “uhhh” moments.

Andrew: It was a blind date vibe. It wasn’t awkward because neither of us are awkward people, but it wasn’t like, “Hey, we’re going to be great friends after this,” or like, “This girl is my dream girl.” The conversation was balanced; we spoke easily. There wasn’t anything deep; I wasn’t about to jump into politics or anything. I could tell there wasn’t a spark, but I would’ve [started a deeper conversation] if I had seen something more.

Annie: After dinner, he actually walked me all the way back to my sorority house which was really nice because it’s a freaking long walk. We hugged, said it was nice meeting you, and then I ran inside because it was freezing. He was really nice, the conversation was really easy, and he has a lot of qualities that my guy friends do have.

Andrew: She had to go to a date function that night, so I walked her to back to Alpha Phi. There wasn’t anything bad about the date, so I’d give it a 7. I’m not going to make anything out of it, I figured out early on that she wasn’t going to be the one. She’s a great girl, she’s a dream girl for a lot of guys — nice, cute, could talk sports — [but] I’m not a sports guy.

Annie: I’d rate the night a 7 because I had a great time and conversation was really easy, but it felt more like two friends hanging out [rather than] an actual date. It was fun; I recommend a blind date experience to anyone. Why the hell not?

Andrew and Annie ran into each other at a party the next night. They briefly said hi, and Andrew suspects that Annie was “judging [him] hardcore because [he] was having a crazy dancing night.”