The Cavaliers demonstrated their resiliency and established their ability to play with the top teams in the nation last weekend.
Heading into its final two games of the season, Virginia (4-6, 3-3 ACC) is looking to finish the 2006 campaign on a high note.
The pre-game celebration to open John Paul Jones Arena may have featured former American Idol contestant and University student Travis Tucker, but the highest note was hit by the Virginia women's basketball team as they posted a 92-72 victory over the Old Dominion Monarchs. The Cavaliers came into this game just 48 hours after taking care of business on the road against the Rhode Island Rams with a 69-56 win.
Despite some early season kinks that still need to be worked out, the Virginia wrestling team was dominant yesterday. The Cavaliers defeated Liberty 31-9 and George Mason 23-9 Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium.
If Wake Forest expected to face the same Virginia women's soccer team yesterday they defeated in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, they were sorely mistaken.
"I have not yet begun to fight." The words of the famous Admiral John Paul Jones rang true for the Virginia Cavaliers last night.
Nobody throws a party quite like the Virginia Athletic Department. I guess when you spend $130 million finding a place to hold it, you might as well get your money's worth. Virginia pulled out all the stops yesterday, celebrating the new John Paul Jones Arena and those who helped make it possible over the past few decades with two wins -- one dominating the other dramatically. On a larger scale, yesterday was not so much about the wins as much as it was about enjoying the moment. Some samples: Possibly the ultimate combination of Virginia Athletics spirit and appreciation came when CavMan repelled down from the rafters and handed the "Last Ball from U-Hall" to John Paul Jones himself. Michael Buffer attending an event at the arena not having to do with professional wrestling and barking, "Ladies and gentlemen, the John Paul Jones Arena is ready; are you ready?" Athletic Director Craig Littlepage recognizing an emotional Debbie Ryan for her dedication to the program and announcing that the women's basketball locker room will be named after her. These are the kind of moments that aren't likely to happen again until most of us are nearing our 50-year reunions. But those events are memories, things that made last night special -- they don't define the experience of the John Paul Jones Arena. The kind of stuff that makes it real is the goosebumps you get when the team storms through the smoke and onto the court. Or when the near-capacity crowd erupts into a few hundred decibels of madness when Mamadi Diane's three gives feisty Virginia its first lead since the opening minutes. Dave Leitao's foot stomps echoing through the acoustically magical arena when the crowd was silent. And on a more tangible level, the incredible audiovisual capabilities of the arena. It hit me midway through the second half of the men's game: We weren't just attending a single game at the Arena -- this is our permanent basketball home.
The Cavalier women's basketball team will tip off the 2006-2007 season tonight on the road against the Rhode Island Rams.
When the powers that be inside the Virginia athletic department were scheduling the opening season for John Paul Jones Arena, they knew they wanted a big name for the arena's first men's basketball game.
The Virginia wrestling team begins its 2006-2007 season Saturday at home with a quad-match against Delaware State, George Mason and Liberty.
After Virginia's men's and women's cross country teams both placed third at the ACC Championships, the squads have been focusing on preparing for this Saturday's regional meet. Last year, the men's team won the ACC's while the women placed sixth.
After this past weekend's double sweep of Maryland and Boston College, it's time for Virginia volleyball to put away the celebration cake.
In case you missed it, with less than four minutes remaining in the latest installment of one of football's most bitter rivalries, the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys were tied at 19 points apiece.
Heading into the 2006-07 season energized by a successful 05-06 season and the addition of several highly anticipated freshman players, the Cavaliers have been picked to finish sixth out of the 12 teams making up the ACC. "There's nothing like being in the ACC," sophomore forward Lyndra Littles said.
The Virginia wrestling team hopes to reach new heights as a former Cavalier returned to Charlottesville to coach. Steve Garland, the 2000 ACC wrestler of the year and former All-American, has returned after spending the past six years at Cornell University as an assistant coach.
Before Saturday, redshirt freshman quarterback Jameel Sewell was developing well after being inserted into the starting role in Virginia's third game.
If the Virginia women's basketball team is going to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year hiatus, they will have to take full advantage of their stellar newcomers. The Cavaliers were dealt a severe blow early this season when it was announced junior center Aisha Mohammad would have to sit out the entire year with a knee injury. The 6-foot, 3-inch center averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds last year at Central Arizona College, which went an incredible 28-0. With Mohammad out, the Virginia frontcourt will be very thin.
Sitting in class Monday, I found a Virginia men's basketball schedule in the bottom of my backpack beside seven pens, a three-week-old Cavalier Daily and my degree audit form.
The 2006-07 Virginia men's basketball team will take the court at 7 p.m. this Sunday in the brand new John Paul Jones Arena to face perhaps their toughest season-opening opponent ever.
With college basketball kicking off tonight, a full column on football just did not seem appropriate.
