The Virginia program announced Wednesday that it has landed Hall of Fame baseball coach Tommy Lasorda as the guest of honor at the team's annual Step Up to the Plate dinner function at Memorial Gymnasium on Feb. 4.
Second-year Virginia baseball coach Brian O'Connor met the former coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was an assistant coach for Notre Dame and formed a relationship with the legendary skipper during his nine-year stint in South Bend, Ind. O'Connor was able to secure him to speak at the $50-a-plate dinner that raised over $45,000 for the Virginia baseball program last year when Cal Ripken Jr. appeared as the guest speaker.
As a manager, Lasorda won 1,599 games, including two World Series titles and four National League pennants.
Tickets are available through the Virginia ticket office.
-- Compiled by Jeremy Root