We are only a couple of games into the Dave Leitao era, but already there is an entirely different attitude around the Virginia basketball program. It is not the fact that the Cavaliers won their first two games or that Leitao wears his passion for basketball on his sleeve.
The intriguing choices in the Virginia sports world this week reminded me of the dishes that fill a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner.
MIAMI, Fla. -- Virginia came calling to south Florida Saturday, but thanks to a 25-17 loss at the hands of Miami, south Florida, or anyplace in Florida, likely won't come calling on the Cavaliers with a bowl invite this holiday season. In what turned out to be an evenly-matched contest, Miami (9-2, 6-2 ACC) came through when it needed to behind a stout defense and a sufficient offense, and for the second straight week Virginia lost to a top-10 opponent.
RICHMOND -- It may not have been pretty, but the scoreboard does not keep track of style points. After holding a narrow 26-25 lead at halftime, Virginia pulled away in the final 20 minutes to emerge with a 59-43 victory over the University of Richmond last Tuesday evening (Nov.
Saturday night at Memorial Gymnasium, the season came to a bittersweet end for the Virginia volleyball team. Down two games to one as the evening match stretched into the night, the Cavaliers found themselves tied with the Yellow Jackets at 28 -- two points away from forcing a deciding fifth game. The atmosphere was tense, to say the least.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Virginia's season ended Sunday with a 2-1 road loss to the University of North Carolina in the third round of the 2005 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament.
The women's soccer team knows where it wants to go. It has been over three years since the team has gotten out of the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but this year is different.
It is an anxious time of year for Wahoo fans right now. The winter sports are about to start with many questions and hopes.
The Virginia women's basketball team will officially open its season tonight in Washington, D.C., when the Cavaliers take on the Colonials of George Washington University. Virginia's probable starters are forward Tiffany Sardin, center Siedah Williams and guards Sharnee Zoll, Brenna McGuire and Takisha Granberry. The Cavaliers have never lost to George Washington, posting a 9-0 record since the teams first met in 1979.
After suffering a shocking upset loss to Clemson in the first round of last week's ACC Tournament, the Virginia's men's soccer team may be down, but it is by no means out. Instead of dwelling on last Wednesday's disappointing result, the Cavaliers are taking full advantage of the unexpected time off before the start of next week's NCAA Tournament. "It might be a blessing in disguise that we lost," junior forward Adam Cristman said.
There is no better way to welcome the turkey-devouring holiday than with Virginia's biggest football game of the season against its biggest rival, No.
Given that both of this year's freshmen, Mamadi Diane and Laurynas Mikalauskas, started in the exposition game against Concordia, the youngest members of the Virginia's men's basketball team may be among the first five to take the court again tonight.
Virginia sophomore point guard Sharneé Zoll wears the number "729" on her shoes in honor of her role model, former Cavalier star Dawn Staley.
Amid mixed expectations, the Cavaliers begin their first season under Coach Dave Leitao, many questions linger about the strength and depth of the team's frontcourt.
The 2005 Virginia wrestling team is green. Green in terms of experience and years of course, certainly not talent. Entering the 2005-2006 campaign, one thing Virginia lacks is experience at the collegiate level.
Javier Gomez and his friends had it all planned out. Thursday night they would pitch their tent and set up shop in front of the student gate at Scott Stadium -- a full 36 hours before the kickoff of the Virginia-Virginia Tech game.
Ladies and gentlemen: the pride of the Virginia backfield, Wali Lundy, is back. With 196 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games, Lundy finally has begun to put up the gaudy statistics Virginia fans became accustomed to in his first three seasons at Virginia -- those of a tough running back who can move the ball downfield and score touchdowns. Last season, Lundy picked up almost 900 yards as a backup to now-Jacksonville Jaguar Alvin Pearman. "It feels good to be back to the old Wali," Lundy said.
The Virginia defense had all kinds of problems going into the Georgia Tech game last Saturday, as it faced suspensions and injuries.
I must say, I have been looking forward to this Saturday's Virginia-Virginia Tech game more than anything else this season.
A team with only one senior and two junior starters is not supposed to exude confidence and strong leadership, but such is the case for the Virginia women's basketball team.
