“What hasn’t changed much is really just the core values or core purpose of what we’re here for,” Althoff said. “Our core function is really to support the student athletes and coaches in their process of winning championships.”
“At the end of the Maryland game we made it clear to our guys that we were not excited about the way that we finished that game,” Odom said. “And tonight certainly we were much better.”
With Virginia's early momentum — punctuated by their victory at Head of the Charles — Joe believes Virginia has built the foundation it needs, giving the team a crucial sense of belief as they continue their push forward toward collegiate rowing's highest stage, the NCAA Championships in May.
Wood was there, and he was ready. He’s always been ready.
“You’re not going to play perfectly,” Odom said. “This is not a game of perfect.”
Virginia controlled the game from start to finish, but a monster 41-point showing by junior guard Kymora Johnson ultimately turned a commanding win into a demolition derby.
Simmonds is the first Cavalier to be selected with a top three pick since 2010, and Simmonds and Pelá are the first pair of Virginia teammates to be selected by the same team since 2018.
“For me, [Virginia] was the best basketball environment I've been in in my life,” Salt said. “A lot of lessons I learned [were] at Virginia.”
With ACC play looming, three beat writers assess Virginia’s performance and prospects for the rest of the season.
The good news is that this young squad has the time and tenacity required to learn from this season’s mistakes.
“Really proud of our players,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “I thought that was a great team win.”
"Every step is worth it because there’s no feeling like reaching a lifetime goal," Smith said.
Now 10 games into the season, the team is beginning to find its footing as one of the best offensive teams in the country.
“I feel like we missed and made mistakes that they capitalized on,” graduate linebacker James Jackson said. “It’s hard to win games when you make mistakes a lot.”
Facing tough Ivy League opponents this early in the season should help new additions to the roster acclimate to college squash and remind veterans of the speed of some of the nation’s best.
The weekend was filled with firsts, including eight wrestlers who saw their first action of the season.
The clear highlight of the meet was senior Gary Martin’s 25 second personal record in the men’s 5k.
”We wanted to make sure we started ACC right,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “I think this is a pretty dominant win to start.”
Self-inflicted errors pained the Cavaliers all night.
“[Jacari’s] was just one of those performances where, every time he was open and he had it, you could hear the crowd going, ‘yes!,’” Odom said.
