Huguely, a former member of the men’s lacrosse team, also admitted that he broke into Love’s bedroom by kicking his right foot through the door. He said the front door to the former women’s lacrosse player’s apartment was unlocked, according to the affidavit.

After the altercation, witnesses found Love face-down on her pillow with a pool of blood. She had a “large bruised contusion on the right said of her face which appears to have been caused by a blunt force trauma,” according to other affidavits. Her right eye was swollen shut, and her chin area was bruised and scraped, the affidavits stated.

Nevertheless, in a statement outside the Charlottesville General District Court this morning, Huguely’s lawyers said the death was accidental.

—compiled by Prateek Vasireddy

Editor’s note: The Cavalier Daily finished its regular production for the academic year last Friday, and therefore no additional print editions of the paper will appear during the final exam period. The editors will continue to follow the Yeardley Love homicide as the story develops, however, and update The Cavalier Daily’s website accordingly.

Documents courtesy of the Daily Progress

Both Huguely and Love, members of the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, respectively, were set to graduate May 23.

Charlottesville police officers were called to apartment 9 in the Camden Courtyard complex on 14th Street at 2:15 a.m. Monday to respond to a case of possible alcohol poisoning. Love was found unresponsive and appeared to have undergone serious physical trauma. Officials attempted to revive her, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Love was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police officials, who have yet to determine the cause of death, declined to discuss the nature of Love’s injuries but are treating the case as a homicide investigation.

“We referred the case to our investigation division, which arrived on the scene earlier this morning, and at that point, our attention was drawn to Mr. Huguely,” Longo said.

Huguely, who graduated from the Landon School in Bethesda, Md., was reported to have dated Love in the past, Longo said, and officials arrested him Monday morning. Longo declined to discuss the evidence that connected Huguely with Love’s murder.

“It’s clear that at some point, they were involved in a relationship, but what the status of that relationship was at the time is not yet clear,” Longo said.

University President John T. Casteen sent an e-mail to students early yesterday afternoon with news of the tragedy. He expressed condolences to friends and family of Love and indignation that the crime appears to have been committed by a University student.

“That she appears now to have been murdered by another student compounds this sense of loss by suggesting Yeardley died without comfort or consolation from those closest to her,” Casteen said. “We mourn her death and feel anger on reading that the investigators believe that another student caused it. Like students who have contacted us in the last few minutes, we have no explanation of what appears now to have happened.”

Love was a resident of Cockeysville, Md., north of Baltimore, and graduated from nearby Notre Dame Preparatory School. She has been a steady contributor to the women’s lacrosse team during the past four seasons and scored during her first career game as a Cavalier against Virginia Tech in 2007. She has played in 15 games this season as a defender.

With the postseason for both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams nearing, athletic department officials said they have not yet considered suspending the teams’ seasons. It was “not even entering our thoughts,” Athletic Director Craig Littlepage told ESPN.com yesterday. Officials were still shocked by the loss of Love, he said, “a person who was described as an angel by teammates and friends.”

The Love family declined to comment at this time.

University officials centered their response to the tragedy on ensuring students received all necessary support. In an interview last week, University spokesperson Carol Wood described the University’s course of action when responding to any kind of death or serious incident involving the University.

“We always start off with a narrower focus, offering assistance to the victim’s family and close friends,” Wood said. “Once we have provided as much support as possible for the individuals most affected, we shift our focus to addressing the greater community.”

Counselors and deans made themselves available for students and athletes affected by the tragedy. Love is the seventh student to have passed away this academic year.

No homicides, however, have been reported in the Charlottesville area since January, when the remains of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington were uncovered at a farm just south of Charlottesville. Harrington disappeared Oct. 17 last year after a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena. No suspects have been located in the case.

Officials identified Huguely as connected with the crime almost immediately and had arrested him just hours after Love was pronounced dead. In incidents involving students who have been charged with a crime, local police usually forward information to the University’s Office of the Dean of Students and the dean can bring up University Judiciary Committee charges against the student. But so long as the student is jailed and not enrolled in classes, he will not face trial with the committee, according to organization bylaws. UJC or Honor Committee proceedings are the only methods by which enrolled students can be dismissed permanently from the University.

Huguely, who was charged in November 2008 with public intoxication and resisting arrest in Rockbridge County, currently is in custody at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Jail.

Students expressed shock and outrage at the murder as it garnered attention from press outlets across the country, many of which were drawn to the case because Huguely was a member of the University’s top-ranked men’s lacrosse program.

“It’s been especially tough on students because [the news] has hit the mainstream media,” Student Council President Colin Hood said. “I think students are trying to keep a sense of community here and are still in a period of mourning and grief; they are trying to fill the gaps of uncertainty.”

Anyone with information regarding the death of Yeardley Love is encouraged to call Sgt. Mark Brake at (434) 970-3970 or Crime Stoppers at (434) 977-4000.

Editor’s note: The Cavalier Daily finished its regular production for the academic year last Friday, and therefore no additional print editions of the paper will appear during the final exam period. The editors will continue to follow the Yeardley Love homicide as the story develops, however, and update The Cavalier Daily’s website accordingly.

CDTV veterans Jack Bird and Nick Eilerson are joined by Virginia soccer star Ross Labeaux for this special edition of Cavalier Daily Sports Talk sponsored by Ragged Mountain Running Shop.

PDF, 3.1 MB

The Cavalier Daily’s annual preview of Virginia basketball comes to the online edition!

The Cavalier Daily’s own Jack Bird, Nick Eilerson and Dan Stalcup break down the Virginia basketball team’s chances of success in the 2009-10 season in this edition of Sports Talk.

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.

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.

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

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