The future is approaching fast, but the Cavaliers’ greatest season ever deserves a more retrospective look. Two beat writers examine lingering questions from this historic year.
Virginia only outscored the Seminoles in two of the six periods of play, and Florida State shot 41 percent from deep after halftime.
“The open guy is the go-to guy,” Coach Ryan Odom said. "And Sam was ready tonight, his teammates found him and he knocked it down. We have tremendous confidence in Sam and his ability to make shots and make the right play.”
As Virginia settles into ACC play, Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton and her squad continue to rely on their height and depth, kicking off the new year with another conference victory.
In honor of the early-morning meetings, defensive coordinator John Rudzinski has dubbed Virginia’s secondary study group “the Breakfast Club.”
Dietrich and Dahlberg are now the fourth doubles team in the history of Virginia men's tennis program to be honored as NCAA champions.
For No. 21 Virginia, conference play started on New Year’s Eve with a game destined to take Coach Ryan Odom and his team out of their comfort zones.
“There are a lot of good records out there right now,” Odom said. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us, and the first one’s at Virginia Tech.”
“I'm so blessed to be in this position,” Morris said.
Virginia dribbled out the final seconds of the game to win 76-52, adding another double-digit win to the resume.
When informed of this news, several University community members were surprised.
A season of firsts ended fittingly — with a stressful, gritty win and a trophy in hand.
Porter began the year with a loss in the Round of 16 of the Navy Classic Nov. 2, but has not fallen since.
“We’re so grateful to have this opportunity,” Elliott said. “This program has been working hard over the last several years to get to the postseason and we’re so excited to be in Jacksonville.”
The men's and women's finales were separated by one measly goal in regulation and penalties. It was a night of déjà vu in Klöckner Stadium. A night of opportunity for Virginia turned into a night to forget.
