Attention, depressed Cavalier fans: If fall and winter sports have got you down, I have some news that I hope will cheer up any Virginia supporter. Our spring season teams are looking very, very good.
January truly is a month to forget. It started awfully and is ending pretty badly as well. I know the Gator Bowl defeat and the loss of five players have you depressed about football. I felt the same way for days. I'm also aware of our men's basketball team's recent struggles -- thanks to the help of many ACC-hating friends back home. (I should note, though, that the women's team is doing quite well.) If it helps, Virginia still finished 14th among Division I schools in the Directors' Cup standings after all the fall sports concluded ... somehow.
But, as we head into February, the tide is about to turn for Virginia athletics. A recent check of preseason rankings for baseball, men's and women's lacrosse and men's tennis (which is already in season) left me excited and eager to watch some quality outdoor sports. Here's why:
The Virginia baseball team was tabbed as the No. 17 team in the country by Baseball America, a reputable source for all things baseball. The Cavaliers are led by junior Jacob Thompson, a Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American pitcher who went 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA last year. The offense is loaded with talent, including third-team All-American David Adams, a junior infielder who had a .372 batting average and .522 slugging percentage last year.
Junior infielder Greg Miclat also returns after missing 16 games -- including the entire postseason -- last season because of injury. Miclat stole 32 bases in 45 games, setting a school record, and his presence in the lineup will undoubtedly energize the Virginia attack. The baseball season starts Feb. 22 against Lehigh, and I hope you will all join me at Davenport Field for opening day.
The Virginia men's lacrosse team opens the season Feb. 17 at Drexel with the No. 2 ranking from Lacrosse Magazine. After landing one of the best recruiting classes in the country for the Class of 2011, the Cavaliers are primed for another national title run. Many fans have been talking for months about the arrival of freshmen midfielders Rhamel and Shamel Bratton, regarded as two of the best players in the country while in high school.
The Bratton twins, along with team leader and senior attacker Ben Rubeor, might hog the headlines early in the year, but there is good reason for that. Rubeor was one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy last year, given to the best player in college lacrosse, and even has a Wikipedia page dedicated to him. (The Web site needs some sprucing up, though, so if that's your thing, get on it.)
The women's lacrosse team also begins the 2008 campaign as the No. 2 team in the country, according to Lacrosse Magazine. Senior co-captains Claire Bordley and Megan O'Malley look to lead the defending ACC champions to another conference title and will try to rebound after last year's loss in the NCAA Championship game. This year's freshman class is full of potential -- and also full of women named Molly: Everett, McClintic, and Millard. Senior goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty returns after a stellar 2007 season in which she started all 23 games.Also, Virginia head coach Julie Myers was named the FieldTurf Tarkett National Coach of the Year after last season's performance. The season starts Feb. 20 at Virginia Tech.
As far as men's tennis goes, all I need to do is give you the numbers for you to see just how good the Cavaliers are. Team rank: No. 1 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. National ranks, singles: senior Somdev Devvarman -- No. 1; junior Dominic Inglot -- No. 3; senior Treat Huey -- No. 12; sophomore Houston Barrick -- No. 83. National ranks, doubles: Devvarman/Huey -- No. 1; sophomore Lee Singer/senior Ted Angelinos -- No. 17; Inglot/Barrick -- No. 25; freshmen Sanam Singh/Michael Shabaz -- No. 28.
Enough numbers for you? The season started Jan. 20 with a win against No. 43 William & Mary, and the Cavaliers are3-0 after also defeating No. 8 Illinois and No. 12 Notre Dame, both on the road. Ladies and gentlemen, this team is for real.
The baseball, lacrosse and tennis teams all should make runs deep into the postseason this year after last year's postseason performances left a bitter taste all around. The baseball team was one game away from a trip to Omaha for the College World Series before being bounced by defending champion Oregon State (which won its second consecutive title). The men's lacrosse team got upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Delaware; the women lost the championship game to Northwestern (which won its third consecutive title); and the men's tennis team lost to eventual-champion Georgia in the tournament semifinals. Look for all of these Cavalier teams to avenge last season's losses and take Virginia to multiple promised lands.
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