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(03/24/09 6:02am)
The Virginia track and field teams competed in their season-opening outdoor meet, the U.Va. Spring Swashbuckle, Saturday at Lannigan Field. Eighteen Cavaliers took victories in their respective events, including four who gave NCAA regional-qualifying performances.Two of those four athletes were seniors Caitlin Kelly and Billie-Jo Grant, who finished first and second in the discus. Kelly took home the event with a throw of 163-8, and Grant finished right behind with a mark of 161-3.Sophomore Emil Heineking and senior Kevin Tschirhart also came through with NCAA Regional times in the 1500-meter. Heineking won the event with a time of 3 minutes, 46.62 seconds, and Tschirhart placed second in 3:47.38. Five Cavaliers crossed the finish line before George Mason junior Sam Horn came in sixth in 3:56.34.The men were not the only squad to excel at running the long 1500-meter race though, as junior Stephanie Garcia, a tableau editor for The Cavalier Daily, won with a time of 4:34.93. Both teams also dominated the 3000-meter races, as freshman Anna Corrigan finished in 10:13.78 and sophomore Andrew Mearns finished in 8:31.77.Virginia succeeded in the shorter events as well. Senior Sara Casscells earned first place in the 800-meter in 2:15.26, and junior Ayla Smith claimed victories in both the 100-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash. She won the hurdles in 14.09 and the 200-meter in 25.05.In the 100-meter dash, sophomore Adams Abdulrazaaq won in 10.96, and sophomore Lyndsay Harper finished first in the 400-meter in 58.31.The men’s and women’s teams also took charge in the field events. Freshman Vincenzo Chiariello and senior Alexa Manning won in the hammer throw competition, sophomore Andrew Fahringer won the discus, sophomore Indira Morton and senior Stephen Thompson took top honors in the javelin, and junior Eric Pickle and freshman Sophia Coleburn won the shot put. Rounding out Virginia’s stellar performance at the U.Va. Spring Swashbuckle were junior Kathleen Darraugh, who placed first in the pole vault, and sophomore Katie Trizna, who won the high jump.—compiled by Nick Eilerson
(03/24/09 6:00am)
Basic Information:Year: Senior — Position: Shortstop Accomplishments:2008 Second-team All-ACC — 2008 ACC Academic Honor Roll — Led team in runs, triples, tied lead in HRs, RBIsHow did you get involved with softball?I have been playing softball since I was about five years old. My mom played softball when she was in high school and college, and so I picked it up from her.You transferred from California a couple years ago. What influenced your decision to transfer to Virginia?There were a lot of factors that went into that decision, but when I made the decision to transfer from Berkeley, I knew I wanted to transfer somewhere that was equal or better academically; it wasn’t just because of softball. I lucked out coming here, getting into a great public university, and the softball this year has been amazing, so we’ve really turned it around.Last year, Virginia’s softball team saw some struggles. What is it like being a part of a team that has turned things around?It’s great. After last year and how the season went, there were some high points, but overall it was very disappointing. To have the season start off the way it has, it is amazing, especially since this is my last year. This is the last chance I get, and I really want to bring the team to regionals. I have been to regionals with Berkeley, and it is an experience that everyone on the team should have.You have done well academically, having been valedictorian in high school and named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll last season. How have you been able to find a balance between sports and school?I really think that being an athlete really helps students learn to organize their time, especially in college. You get time management skills down pat and you learn to balance everything.Is there anything that you would consider a pre-game ritual?I have a favorite sports drink that I like to have before games. When we play doubleheaders, I will generally have one before each game.What are your plans after you graduate?I just got accepted into the [Commerce School’s] new one-year graduate program, pursuing my Master’s in financial services next year, and hopefully I’ll continue helping out with the softball team.
(03/24/09 5:58am)
The Virginia softball team struggled in its ACC opener this weekend, losing two out of three games to N.C. State.The Cavaliers (18-7, 1-2 ACC) were swept in a doubleheader Saturday, losing 3-2 in the first game and 9-1 in the second. Virginia scored first during the earlier matchup, picking up a run in the third inning with an RBI single by freshman outfielder Giannina Cipolloni. After N.C. State (13-10, 2-1 ACC) tied the game in the fourth, senior outfielder Casey Steffan hit her second home run of the season to put Virginia ahead 2-1. N.C. State then picked up two runs in the bottom of the fifth, giving the Wolfpack the lead for good. Senior pitcher Karla Wilburn, who pitched six innings and gave up one earned run with four strikeouts, took her second loss of the season.The Cavaliers were limited to two hits in game two, with the lone run coming in the first inning. Meanwhile, N.C. State’s offense had three big innings, picking up three runs in the second, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth to notch the win. Freshman Stephanie Coates pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up six runs off three hits in the losing effort.Virginia bounced back Sunday to pick up its first conference win of the season in a 5-3 battle. With Virginia leading 3-2 going into the seventh inning, senior catcher Carly Winger hit her fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field. N.C. State responded with a home run during its half of the inning, but Virginia hung on for the victory. Karla Wilburn earned the victory, giving up two earned runs off five hits and striking out two.Virginia’s next game will be at Radford Thursday, before the squad returns home for a weekend series against Virginia Tech.—compiled by William Hrachovina
(03/23/09 6:38am)
Though technological changes — especially on a University-wide scale — can be difficult, the University staff members responsible for the new Student Information System deserve commendation for their efforts to make the transition from ISIS to SIS as smooth as possible. If students and faculty members take full advantage of the resources provided by the SIS team in order to learn more about the new system’s features, the transition should go smoothly, and everyone should feel comfortable using SIS by the time course registration begins.Though most students and faculty members only recently began using SIS, the Student System Project staff has been working to ensure user satisfaction with the new system for well over a year. While developing this replacement for the Integrated Student Information System, staff members went out of their way to gather faculty and student opinions regarding system functionality, and also worked with faculty advisors to ensure other faculty members throughout the University community would have an opportunity to learn about the new system being developed. After student and faculty input had been considered and SIS had been nearly finalized, the Student System Project staff also prepared a variety of resources to ensure all users can feel comfortable using the new system before spring course enrollment begins. Students and faculty members who are not yet familiar with SIS easily can access a variety of transition resources prepared by the Student System Project staff, including an online help page for students and faculty and an FAQ sheet that is updated almost daily. SIS users also can learn more about the system and ask questions at a demonstration scheduled for Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. in Clemons Library. Now that the new system has been launched, it is SIS users’ responsibility to take advantage of the transitional resources, to learn to use the new system, and to continue offering feedback to the Student System Project’s staff. This will not only help users become accustomed to using new features such as the integrated Schedule of Courses and wait-lists, but it also will help the Student System Project staff resolve any lingering problems with the system. Students and faculty should not expect that large changes to SIS will be made in the near future — this new system did, after all, take a significant amount of time and money to develop — but the Student System Project’s staff already has demonstrated its willingness to address users’ concerns about basic elements of functionality. Administrators currently are working, for example, to address concerns voiced about Safari users being unexpectedly logged off of SIS.If SIS users continue to actively learn more about the system and to report any concerns or questions to the Student System Project’s staff, this spring’s transition from the outdated ISIS to the modern SIS likely will be a success. When planning future technological changes, the University should consider reapplying some of the techniques used by the Student System Project’s staff to ensure that all future upgrades are equally well-planned and simple for users to adapt to.
(03/23/09 6:18am)
Two unidentified suspects robbed a University student Friday afternoon at Madison Lane. This is the third robbery involving a University student this month.The student invited the men into his off-Grounds apartment between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m., according to a University Police Department e-mail sent Saturday.Charlottesville Police responded to the incident and arrested one suspect a few hours later, the e-mail states. The second suspect is described in the e-mail as a “white male between 25 and 30 years of age.” He is estimated to be about 190 pounds and five-foot-nine.The other two robberies this month involving University students, one of which took place on Grounds, took place March 7 and 15.University Police Lieut. Melissa Fielding attributed the spike in robberies to students spending more time outside because of the warm weather.“It lends more opportunity for these things to occur,” Fielding said.She encouraged students to take preventive measures and said students should not hesitate to call 911 to report suspicious activity.“Students can help improve safety a great deal by involving us a little sooner,” she said. —compiled by Matt Conover
(03/23/09 5:53am)
The Virginia wrestling team finished its season with a 34th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the team’s best finish in the event since 2004.Sophomore Chris Henrich led the way for the Cavaliers and was named an All-American, placing seventh in the 174-pound division. Henrich is the 10th All-American in Virginia wrestling history. His 40 wins this season are tied for the fourth most in a single season at Virginia and are the most wins ever for a sophomore.Senior Rocco Caponi, meanwhile, ended his career in the first round but made it halfway through the 184-pound wrestleback division before falling to No. 6-seed Joshua Patterson of Binghamton. He finished with an 111-33 career record, three ACC titles and four NCAA Championship appearances. Other grapplers making appearances at the NCAA Championships included sophomore Nick Nelson, who fell one win shy of All-American status after losing to the top seed in the 141-pound division. Junior Brent Jones, redshirt freshman Matt Bonson and junior Kellon Balum lost their first two matches and were eliminated from the 197-, 133- and 149-pound divisions, respectively. Freshman Jedd Moore, competing in the 157-pound division, lost his first round match but won his first wrestleback match before falling to the No. 7 seed.—compiled by Ben Gomez
(03/23/09 5:52am)
Virginia’s women’s swimming and diving team finished 12th overall at the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas, earning 117 points during the weekend tournament.For the Cavaliers (9-1, 5-0 ACC), the performance represents an improvement on last year’s 20th-place finish.Seniors Megan Evo and Kristen Wallace, making their final NCAA Championship appearances, joined relay team members junior Mei Christensen and sophomore Kristen Moores to earn team honorable mention All-America honors. The quartet came in 14th place overall with a time of 3:16.87 in the400 freestyle relay.The 400 free relay team’s success also was replicated four times, as all of the remaining Virginia relay teams were granted All-America honors. The Cavaliers benefitted from strong showings from the team’s junior swimmers. Christensen gave Virginia its highest individual finish, placing fifth in the 100 backstroke and sixth in the 200 backstroke. Jen Narum, meanwhile, also took honorable mention All-America honors in the 1650 freestyle, clocking in at 16:08.20.—compiled by Chloe Newschwander
(03/23/09 5:51am)
The Virginia women’s tennis team’s saw the end of its six-game winning streak this weekend on the road. The team’s record was marred by a 5-2 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday and 6-1 defeat by Clemson Sunday.The No. 20 Cavaliers (9-4 overall, 2-2 ACC) started strong against No. 6 Georgia Tech, sweeping the Yellow Jackets in all three doubles matches. The undefeated Virginia duo of sophomore Neela Vaez and senior Amanda Rales played the No. 2 doubles spot and managed an 8-5 win against Georgia Tech’s junior national champion Amanda McDowell and freshman Lynn Blau. No. 1 and No. 3 doubles also saw success, with freshman Emily Fraser and junior Jennifer Stevens at the former and senior Maggie Yahner and freshman Claire Bartlett playing in the latter position.Rales, however, was the only Cavalier victorious on the singles side, as she closed out a lengthy 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 battle against Georgia Tech’s senior Christy Striplin.No. 13 Clemson, meanwhile, only allowed Virginia one point Sunday when it swept every match but one. No. 78 Stevens’ match against Clemson’s junior Estefania Balda at No. 3 ended in a 6-1, 6-4 Cavalier victory.Virginia’s ACC season continues against Florida State at home Friday.—compiled by Chloe Newschwander
(03/20/09 6:34am)
The No. 5-seeded Virginia women’s basketball team takes the court tomorrow in Los Angeles against No. 12-seeded Marist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.The Cavaliers (23-9, 8-6 ACC) earned the fifth seed in the Trenton Region of the bracket after advancing to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament before falling to Duke 76-53. In the first round of the tournament, Virginia defeated Virginia Tech 66-57.Junior guard Monica Wright has led the Cavaliers all season. Wright leads the ACC in scoring (20.5 points per game), ranks fourth in steals (2.9 steals per game) and also distributes the ball well (3.2 assists per game). Wright also has been complemented by senior forward Lyndra Littles — who also averages 20.5 ppg — since Littles rejoined the team following academic suspension earlier this season. Littles returned to the floor Dec. 18 against Monmouth, against which she contributed 17 points in a 73-45 win. In her fourth game back against Louisiana Tech, in the final of the Marriott Cavalier Classic, Littles poured in a career-high 33 points in a 68-52 victory. The senior also has collected 6.4 rebounds per game. Additionally, senior center Aisha Mohammed has been an impressive player throughout the year, averaging a double-double with 13 points and an ACC-leading 10.1 rebounds per game.Three freshmen — guard Ariana Moorer (7 points and 2.3 assists per game), forward Chelsea Shine (5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game) and guard Whitny Edwards (4.8 ppg) — also have contributed significantly to the team’s play this season.The Cavaliers face the Red Foxes (29-3, 16-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), who are riding a nine-game win streak but did not play a tough regular season schedule. Marist faced now-No. 1-seeded Oklahoma early in the season but fell, 83-57. The team won both the regular season and tournament MAAC championships.The Red Foxes are led offensively by junior forward Rachele Fitz, who averages 20.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Senior guard Julianne Viani also averages in doubles figures, putting up 15.2 ppg. Marist appears to have a stout defense, giving up only 56.7 ppg.Should the Cavaliers win, they will face the winner of the game between No. 4-seeded California and No. 13-seeded Fresno State Monday night. If Virginia wins that game, it would then most likely face undefeated powerhouse Connecticut in the Sweet Sixteen.—compiled by Aaron Perryman
(03/20/09 6:07am)
5 Days since the Student Information System, SIS, debuted1 Actual problem with SIS (It doesn’t work on the Safari browser)4 Numeric digits in the new course numbers22 Age at which cognitive skills peak, according to a University study27 Age at which cognitive skills begin to decline5 Years of your life during which you have a slim chance of winning Jeopardy170,000 Dollars the University’s new restricted hiring policy is expected to save 63 Total wins for Virginia Men’s Basketball under Dave Leitao60 Total losses for Virginia Men’s Basketball under Dave Leitao18 Consecutive wins for Virginia Baseball0 Losses for Virginia Baseball1 Number of undefeated college baseball team in the country 3 Days left of the Virginia Festival of the Book8 Days until Sara Bareilles performs at Springfest2 Days until the results for the University Unity Project vote are announced13,000 Dollars spent on the Free Ride program trial period which is ending3 Days left in Matt Schrimper’s term as Student Council President
(03/19/09 6:30am)
Was it really only yesterday that we were listening to the pop-y ass-kicking slogan, “Since you been gone ... I can breeeathe for the first time ...” from American Idol Kelly Clarkson? Oh wait ... It was. With her latest album, All I Ever Wanted, Kelly relaunched her nearly forgotten career and wowed aging Idol fans. Does anyone even remember a time when Simon Cowell’s British sneer struck fear in the heart of Idol audiences everywhere? Kelly, who is arguably the true Idol because, well, she won the first one, deserved a good comeback, and luckily, she got one.But speaking of comebacks, will I Love You, Man impress audiences as much as corporate Hollywood wants it to? If its press kit has anything to do with it, maybe not. This week we take a look at the inner workings of corporate promotion and come to the conclusion that it really ... sucks. But perhaps the film will surprise and delight us all. As a side note, the new spotlight on Jason Segel after his beloved run in the cult favorite Freaks and Geeks is fabulous.Other major news in the A&E world: Resident Evil 5 is awesome. No, but really. For any nay-sayers out there hating on RE2 or any other part of the franchise, shut up and play — and be wowed by the slick character models, the bloodthirsty battles and the “Mercenaries” mode.For those who frequent Charlottesville’s music venues, take a look at what’s going on at the endangered Gravity Lounge. Located on the Downtown Mall, Gravity is one of the best venues for music in Charlottesville — and not just because it’s one of the only surviving ones. After the deaths of Starr Hill and Satellite Ballroom — combined with the unending renovation of Jefferson Theatre — live music in town has lost most of its spark and, subsequently, space to play. If Gravity goes under, where will our favorite bands turn? Bodo’s? The Rotunda? On second thought, that’d be awesome. For the local music scene to continue thriving and bringing in those acts we love — Girl Talk, Architecture In Helsinki, Minus the Bear — vibrant venues are needed. Do your part to save these places by moshing, head-bobbing and dancing more at the next Gravity show.Finally, don’t forget to check our brand-spanking-new tableau blog: cd-tableau.blogspot.com. Check in daily for all the latest updates on everything and anything A&E!—stephanie garcia
(03/19/09 6:19am)
The last time Student Council tried to pick a topic for the 2009-10 University Unity Project, students made a mockery of the process. Online polls closed with 25,000 votes cast, even though there are only about 20,000 students at the University.It seems that Council has learned from this folly. For the re-vote on the project, which began yesterday, a more secure process makes sure that each student can cast only one vote, guaranteeing some semblance of legitimacy.Improved security is not the only improvement in the Unity Project selection process for which Council merits praise. The new voting system also allows students to rank the possible projects, instead of casting only one vote. Hopefully this proactive stance to improving the voting system will be a lasting trend, for there is still work to do. Though votes are now secure, and the opinions of those who do vote are more accurately reflected, the vote will only be a legitimate reflection of student opinion with high voter turnout.So far, Council’s publicity effort has been lacking in two key areas. First, its attempt at reaching the student body is too small in scale. Second, the time period for voting, three days, is too brief given the delayed publicity.Council has relied thus far on the following methods: a press release, a mass e-mail to listservs across the University and a Facebook group invitation to University students. While these are respectable attempts at diversifying the approach to publicity, they suffer from a reliance on viral publicity. The listserv blitz will only work if others get the message and pass it on. This is effectively out of Council’s hands, which limits this method’s usefulness, especially when speed is necessitated by the lack of advance notice and the short, three-day voting period.Even worse, most of the listservs the e-mail was first sent to were either related to Council or composed of those on Council. As for the Facebook group, there were only 1,000 invites, which is about 5 percent of the student population. The Unity Project vote will not be legitimate without high turnout, but its legitimacy will be even less if the turnout is concentrated in those areas of the University that are already well-represented on Council.Though the press release had the potential to spark coverage which would reach a broader base of constituents, it was rendered less effective by the fact that it was sent less than 24 hours before the polls opened. Students, who likely had not already heard about the vote, would at the earliest be informed on the day voting began. Because the release was sent so late, after the news stories for Wednesday’s Cavalier Daily had already been chosen, students won’t be reading about it until today. Council was wise to ensure the voting ended before the transition to its newly-elected successors, and three days would have been sufficient, but the lag in publicity effectively truncated the voting period to an unreasonably short length.Even utilizing the same methods, Council should have started its media blitz to the public a few days earlier. This blitz, however, should have been aimed at a larger segment of students instead of merely those few who already have close contact with Council. Although the new process by which the Unity Project is being chosen is a clear improvement, it will not be fully legitimate unless there is large and diverse voter turnout.
(03/19/09 5:39am)
The most elite women in college swimming earned a spot at this week’s NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas. After teams across the country wrapped up individual conference championships, the NCAA selected the athletes with the fastest times in each event to send to the national championships.Virginia (9-1, 5-0 ACC) — which won the ACC title last weekend — will be represented by 12 swimmers, four of whom will be making their NCAA Championships debut. Sophomores Ellie Freeman and Kristen Moores, along with freshman Lauren Smart and junior Katherine McDonnell, will experience college swimming’s most important event for the first time.These four women will swim alongside seniors Megan Evo and Kristen Wallace; juniors Jenna Harris, Mei Christensen, Katherine McDonnell and Jen Narum; and sophomores Claire Crippen, Hannah Davis and Liz Shaw. Virginia coach Mark Bernardino usually emphasizes having strong relay performances, and this focus could pay off on the national level for the qualifying Virginia athletes. Christensen, Wallace, McDonnell and Shaw earned automatic representation in the 200 medley relay because of their exceptional times in the event.At last year’s championships, the Cavaliers finished 20th with 50 points, aided by Shaw’s fourth-place overall finish in the 200 fly.The NCAA Championships begin today and run through Saturday at Texas A&M’s Student Rec Center Natatorium.—compiled by Chloe Newschwander
(03/19/09 5:36am)
It’s back to the track this weekend for the Cavaliers, as the Virginia men’s and women’s track and field squads kick off their 2009 campaigns with the U.Va. Spring Swashbuckle, one of two home meets this season.The men’s team is coming off a solid indoor season that culminated in five Cavaliers being among the 568 athletes at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend in College Station, Texas. Virginia’s distance medley relay team of freshman Sintayehu Taye, sophomore Meikle Paschal, freshman Lance Roller and senior Andrew Jesien earned All-America honors, joining the 1981 and 2005 squads as the only Cavalier DMR relay teams to achieve the feat.After a third consecutive top-15 finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this fall, the men’s distance and middle distance crew will vie for a breakout season this spring. Meanwhile, senior Yemi Ayeni, a two-time all-ACC performer, will look to finish his throwing career on a high note. Ayeni’s second-place finish in the discus at the 2008 NCAA Championships was the highest finish at the event for a Virginia athlete in history.The women’s distance and middle distance runners, meanwhile, fresh off a Southeast Region cross country title and an appearance at the NCAA Championships, will be guided by senior All-American Katie Read and NCAA regional qualifier senior Lauretta Dezubay. ACC and ECAC champion junior Stephanie Garcia, a Cavalier Daily tableau editor, also will help lead the Virginia distance runners. The Cavalier throwers are headed up by senior Billie-Jo Grant, who returns after earning her third All-American distinction in the discus last year. Senior Talia Wise, a conference standout in the 200 meters, junior Galyn Iloka and sophomore Rashawnda James will lead a Virginia sprinting unit returning nearly all of last year’s performers.—compiled by Nick Eilerson
(03/19/09 5:33am)
We, The Cavalier Daily Sports staff, have found ourselves engulfed in the March Madness that makes millions of people across the nation delirious with excitement each year. As such, we decided to work together and come up with a section NCAA Tournament prediction bracket. Though consensus was difficult to reach, the picks in the bracket you see below are representative of what the section’s writers expect to happen in the coming weeks.So whether you think our picks are divinely inspired, lousy or something in between, please enjoy this, and feel free to use it as a guide in making your last few tweaks to that bracket you’ve slaved over during the past four days. Hey — at least our Final Four choices are a bit more interesting than Barack Obama’s, whose bracket was posted on ESPN.com and featured three No. 1 seeds and a No. 2 seed in the semifinals.The rest of this column will be devoted to explaining our picks, analyzing our choices and, in particular, taking a look at a few upsets we see happening.Since Selection Sunday, the press and basketball fans alike have ridiculed Arizona’s admission into the tournament. Arizona has NBA-level talent that so far has been unable to fit the pieces together. A new coach, in Arizona’s case Russ Pennell, is normally a weakness in the tournament. But the very pressure that the Wildcats will feel could inspire them to a first round upset against Utah.Another No. 5 seed staring over the edge of a cliff is Illinois. The Fighting Illini will face trouble in the first round as well, as they contend with Western Kentucky, one of last year’s Cinderellas. Not only is the matchup a tricky one, but Illinois will be without its starting point guard.Perhaps what could be the biggest game in the Midwest region is a probable meeting between Wake Forest and Louisville. Make sure you catch some of this game, should it take place. Louisville, the No. 1 overall team, has Rick Pitino, one of the best NCAA tournament coaches of all time — the only one to take three different teams to the Final Four. The Demon Deacons, meanwhile, have bounced up and down the national rankings this season. With three players capable of being selected in the first round of the NBA draft, Wake Forest could put up big numbers and pose big problems for the Cards. But the Deac’s coach enters his first NCAA tournament with a team which has played to its opponent’s level all year.Should Pitino’s squad make it past Wake — which will be a very close call, we decided — he could run into his coaching equal, Tom Izzo, and a dangerously underhyped Michigan State team. Suffice it to say, we believe in Tom Izzo. The Spartans are loaded with talent and definitely have the potential to go further than most analysts predict.Another Final Four surprise might be Missouri. This choice is less about big enthusiasm for Missouri and more an expression of tentativeness about Connecticut and Memphis. Coming out of the weak Conference USA, Memphis only has had a few opportunities this season to prove itself against top-tier teams. Sure, the team beat Tennessee and whooped up on Gonzaga. After losing three players to the NBA, though, we think they’re overrated and overhyped.Perhaps the most controversial pick this year is Gonzaga against UNC. Several writers in the section have doubts that Tarheel junior guard Ty Lawson can fully contribute in the postseason, and a select few of us have gotten on the Zags’ bandwagon. This pick wasn’t an easy one and is perhaps related to several writers’ disdain about UNC’s and senior forward Tyler Hansbrough’s overexposure in the media. Nevertheless, we stand by the pick: Look for Gonzaga to send the Tarheels back to Chapel Hill a little bit early and give Hansbrough a bit more time to jump off balconies into pools.Come semifinal time, we have Spartan fever, but don’t expect them to pull past Pittsburgh in the final. Assuming our crystal ball proves an accurate predictor, the Panthers will stay ahead of Michigan State most of the game but the final score will make the game appear closer than it actually was. Duke in the Sweet 16 and Oklahoma in the Elite Eight could pose challenges to Pittsburgh, but we like the Panthers’ odds.All in all, we hope the hours we poured into perfecting our bracket have given you some insight into this year’s main event. We’ll let you know how much it hurts when each of our moms — many of whom make their picks based on which school colors they like more — guesses more picks correctly.
(03/18/09 5:29am)
According to a Student Council press release dated March 10, the end of the trial period for the Free Ride Program is Sunday, March 22. The release states the change will be heavily advertised: “Extensive publicity will take place to inform students of the close of the trial period, and Student Council is working closely with Yellow Cab to ensure a smooth transition.” The advance notice, planned publicity and cooperation with Yellow Cab all sound like reasonable ways to end the trial period. But a call to the Yellow Cab dispatcher revealed, “As far as I know, it’s ended.” Students thinking of taking Free Ride for the rest of the week should be wary; if the cab driver does not think the Free Ride program is still active, he will ask for payment at the end of the ride.Katie Peabody, Council Safety and Wellness Committee Chair, said she has worked only with the administration at Yellow Cab and not the cab drivers. She added that there has previously been miscommunication between the administration at Yellow Cab and its drivers. Peabody said Yellow Cab originally told Council not to include tips for the drivers and Council decided later to add tips because many students reported problems. Since adding in an automatic 15 percent tip a month ago, Peabody said there has been “a lot of positive feedback” from both students and Yellow Cab. The apparent miscommunication between the Yellow Cab administration and its drivers has again proved problematic for students. There is currently no guarantee that students will be able to get home for free if they call Yellow Cab, and many students may not be aware of this until the end of the ride. If students are unable to pay, they can still charge the ride to the Dean of Students’ Office and pay the bill later. But students should not have to be surprised by the end of Free Ride. Council’s early press release was intended to avoid such surprises and Yellow Cab’s failure to inform its cab drivers of the correct end date is unacceptable.Should Council choose to continue the Free Ride program in the future, it should use another cab company because of the multiplicity of problems it has had with Yellow Cab. Because the University’s agreement with Yellow Cab to allow students to pay later nicely complements Free Ride, the Dean of Students’ Office and Council should together look for another company willing to participate in both programs. Now that Council has sensibly included tips for the cab drivers, any cab company will surely be open to accepting such an influx in business.
(03/18/09 5:17am)
After cruising to 15 victories to open the season, the Virginia baseball team finally had a near miss, against the most unlikely of teams.In a midweek battle against Marshall at Davenport Field, the Cavaliers trailed 3-0 through five innings before rallying for five runs in the sixth and the seventh, which included Marshall balking home the winning run en route to a 5-4 Virginia victory. With the close win, the No. 7 Cavaliers survived as the only remaining undefeated team in the nation.The Cavaliers (16-0, 4-0 ACC) finally broke through in the seventh inning after trailing 4-1, thanks to a timely hit and some mistakes by Marshall (7-9) on the mound. Marshall’s starting pitcher, freshman Greg Williams, allowed two hits and got just one out through the first three batters faced that inning, forcing Marshall coach Jeff Waggoner to go to his bullpen. Entering reliever sophomore Arik Sikula then hit his first batter and struck out another, before he was relieved by senior Andrew Blain, who walked home a run and gave up a two-run single to junior Tyler Cannon, knotting the game at four runs apiece. Marshall then looked to sophomore Ian Kadish to keep the score tied, but Kadish walked the bases loaded and then balked home a run before retiring the side.Virginia could not figure out the lefthander Williams to start the game, as he allowed no runs and only one hit through the first five innings of work. On the Cavaliers’ side, freshman Will Roberts faced the brunt of Marshall’s offensive attack, making a relief appearance in the fourth and allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits.Junior Matt Packer, usually the Cavaliers’ closer, came in for Roberts in the fifth and allowed one run on three hits in three innings as Virginia retook the lead, earning his first win of the season. Sophomore Kevin Arico earned his first career save with two scoreless innings to secure the close win.Usual weekend starter Andrew Carraway also got some work on the mound after the weekend game he was scheduled to start against Florida State was cancelled; the senior started and threw three scoreless innings before he was relieved by Roberts.Virginia retakes Davenport Field tomorrow for a doubleheader against Canisius and Wagner.—compiled by Paul Montana
(03/17/09 5:50am)
Next week, the Honor Committee will vote on a proposal to increase the expediency with which honor charges are handled. This proposal will increase the efficiency of the honor trial process but also lacks safeguards necessary to protect students. The Committee is right to continually work toward a faster trial process but should not overlook potential problems in its efforts to do so. The notification of formal accusation of an honor offense includes five to six dates, selected by the Vice Chair for Trials, on which a trial can be held if the student should desire one. The student must select one of these dates or notify the Committee if he cannot make any of the given dates within 10 days. It seems unlikely that a student would not be able to make one of six dates for something as important as an honor trial, and Vice Chair for Trials Sophie Staples pointed out that this change is aimed at those students who request a trial but intentionally try to delay it. Currently a student can do this by submitting a request for a trial but not submitting a date for which he is available within the 10 day trial request period. In this case, the Vice Chair for Trials selects a date and if the student would like to change this date, a pre-trial panel must be formed, which Staples said takes at least a week. The proposed change will allow the Vice Chair for Trials to work with the student directly if he would like to request a different date, making the process much more efficient. Additionally, should a student prove unable to establish a trial date within 10 days of his initial notification, he would be assumed to leave admitting guilt. This proposal puts a lot of power in the hands of the Vice Chair for Trials. Staples noted, “The Vice Chair for Trials has the ability to determine what is a good excuse,” as well as the best ability to find new dates on which a trial could be held. Staples also said if a student was unable to respond within 10 days for a legitimate reason, the Committee would be understanding of that. The proposed result of not specifying a viable trial date, however, makes it much more important that the Committee ensure such a guarantee exists. While a student can appeal the status of leaving admitting guilt, it is a weighty consequence that should not be taken lightly. If a student was unavailable for trial on one of the suggested dates, the Vice Chair for Trials should instead attempt to meet with the student to work out a date. In person, it is easier to judge if a student has a legitimate conflict or if he is merely trying to delay a trial unnecessarily. Such weighty decisions cannot be made based solely on e-mail correspondence. If a person fails to respond to the e-mail and does not have a good reason for doing so, it is acceptable to declare he has decided to leave admitting guilt. Miscommunication, however, is always possible, and a face-to-face meeting will reduce this possibility greatly.By looking for ways to make the trial process more efficient, the Committee is fulfilling its obligation to serve the student body. The Committee, however, should reevaluate this proposal to ensure appropriate safeguards, such as meeting with the student, so a student is not declared to have left admitting guilt without an intention to do so.
(03/17/09 5:37am)
The No. 4 Virginia women’s golf team won last week’s LSU Golf Classic with its all-time low score at the event.The Cavaliers won the tournament with a score of 8-under 856, besting their old record of 8-over 872. The win was the second tournament victory in school history, as Virginia topped day one leader Tulane by five strokes.Four Virginia golfers finished in the top 25. Junior Whitney Neuhauser, who finished fifth with a score of 5-under 211, and sophomore Calle Nielson, who tied for first with 7-under 209, led the squad. Nielson lost a two-hole playoff to Arkansas senior Lucy Nunn.The Cavaliers look to continue their impressive play March 27 to 29 at the University of Georgia’s Liz Murphey Classic.—compiled by Ryan Velasquez
(03/17/09 5:25am)
The Student Information System, which officially replaced ISIS yesterday as the University’s course registration system of record, saw a test run yesterday as its creators walked first-time users through the new setup. User Services team leader Chris Doran invited students walking through Newcomb Hall to log in and see what they thought about the new system.First-year Engineering student Tyler Richmond said he thought SIS was more aesthetically appealing than its predecessor. He also noted that, as a prospective computer science major, he thought the new system worked smoothly. Richmond also said he thought the login process was much easier; in ISIS, students used their nine-digit identification number or social security number to access the system, but SIS can be logged into with the same computing identification code used for University e-mail.Richmond said his sole gripe was that options occasionally duplicate themselves. He pointed to several places where it is possible to add a class, adding that it is unnecessary to have this function on more than one menu. “That’s just my personal preference,” he admitted though. “It might make things easier for some people.”Third-year College student Erica Obebe said she was ambivalent about the new system. After she logged in and explored the different options, she compared the adjustment to Facebook’s recent changes.“It’s exactly like the change from old Facebook to new Facebook; it’s just different,” she said.As part of yesterday’s change to SIS, course mnemonics for the University’s course offering directory will change as well. Each class will be represented by four digits instead of three to accommodate a growing number of courses and so that each class will be able to keep a unique mnemonic, Doran said. —compiled by Matthew Denton-Edmundson