After a three-game road trip to start the season, the Cavaliers are home and ready to defend their No. 1 ranking in the NCAA. The players, however, are anticipating not only playing in front of a home crowd but also competing in the recently expanded Boar's Head Inn indoor tennis center.
The addition to the tennis center cost $7.5 million and has made one of the finest indoor tennis centers in the country even finer.
Through the expansion, the Boar's Head Inn now has nine more courts, three of which are located in an air-conditioned building.
While Cavalier fans should be excited to visit the new tennis center, they should be more delighted to watch the No. 1-ranked Cavaliers take on some of the nation's best teams. The action begins tonight when the Virginia faces Virginia Commonwealth.
The Cavaliers come into the game with a 2-1 record, suffering an opening loss to No. 9 Pepperdine. Virginia followed up the initial defeat with two victories, against No. 20 USC and Minnesota, both by a score of 5-2.
In addition to their No. 1 ranking in the NCAA, there are other reasons to expect a solid year from the Cavaliers. Leadership is the foremost of all these reasons.
"Our class has matured a lot over the past three years," senior Doug Stewart said. "When we came in our freshman year, we had one senior and no juniors, and we really looked up to our senior captain, Mike Duquette. I think some of the seniors now are starting to step into leadership roles and have matured into being good examples for the underclassmen."
Even head coach Brian Boland has noticed the maturity of the players.
"I am proud of the way the team enjoys one another and really pushes each other to get better," said Boland. "I am also pleased with the development of the players and how much they have grown as people and tennis players."
One of the reasons the tennis team has been able to mesh so well may be because of the strong fan base that has developed at the University and throughout Charlottesville. As the team has improved, the support for the program has grown stronger. At last April's match against Clemson, more than 500 fans came out to show their support for the Cavaliers.
"The student body and community have been unbelievable in supporting the team and the program," Boland said. "I am also thrilled with the involvement and interest our alumni have taken. I know the players have also appreciated all the support at their matches and around town. People have been so good to the team, and they love playing in front of a great home crowd."
Things seem to be coming together at the right time for Boland and his team of Cavaliers: a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA, a new state-of-the-art facility, strong senior leadership and, most importantly, an abundance of support from U.Va. tennis enthusiasts. All initial indications seem to allow fans to have high expectations for the Cavaliers this season.
"The goal of this year is to win an NCAA Championship," Stewart said. "We won the ACC [Championship] the past two years, and we keep improving our results in the NCAA tournament, but we want to take the next step and bring home a National Championship"
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