As we enter the final weeks of the spring semester, several Virginia sports teams appear poised to bring conference and national glory back to Charlottesville. With so much to look forward to for Cavaliers fans and postseason games just around the corner, 3 Sports His Staff writers break down the teams, players, and games to watch.
Which Virginia sports team has the best chance of winning a national title this spring?
Michael Lieberman, Senior Associate:
The men's lacrosse team arrived – exactly as they had planned. The No. 2 Cavaliers played most of their schedule and defeated top-ranked opponents. left and right, we see every inch of them being the powerhouse they were expected to be. Forget about the only shortcoming early in the season against Johns Hopkins. The game lacked the services of top faceoff man junior Anthony Gobriel. Virginia looks formidable heading into the final week of the regular season.The offense dominated every opponent it encountered, the defense held Drexel to four goals last week, nearly tying a program record, and the faceoff unit It was a pleasant surprise. The ACC game is getting closer and closer by the day, and the remaining questions will become clearer, but the Cavaliers appear ready to return for championship weekend and return to Charlottesville with a trophy.
Peter Kriebel, Staff Writer:
Virginia men's tennis is on the cusp of becoming a dynasty. Winning their third consecutive national championship marks the second time in the last 10 years that the Cavaliers have won three consecutive national championships. At 16-4, Virginia looks strong just past the halfway point of the season. Just like last season, the team bounced back from a tough February with an undefeated run in March. Freshman Dylan Dietrich was a revelation for the Cavaliers, going 12-5. A five-time ACC Freshman of the Week award winner, his stellar play will be essential for Virginia as it looks to make a breakthrough come May. While the team's two losses to No. 1 Ohio State may scare some pundits, Cavalier fans should have confidence in a team with championship DNA.
Grace Gould, Senior Associate:
With one exception, there's no stopping Virginia's No. 4 women's tennis team. The Cavaliers are undefeated in his ACC play. Virginia has wins against the top teams in the country. be defeated Then, no. Last month it was No. 1 in North Carolina, which was No. 1 at the time. 6 Pepperdine. The team's only loss came at the hands of No. 2 Michigan, and its 9-0 start in the ACC is the best in program history. Seniors No. 22 Hibber Shaikh and No. 59 Sarah Giodato are the absolute dominant players, and the doubles team of Shaikh and graduate student Natasha Subhash is No. 31 with an 18-4 record this season. The Cavaliers have some tough ACC tests coming up, and if they can stay strong the rest of the season, they could be knocking on the NCAA Championship door. A third game against Michigan could be the charm. I want to compete for the national title.
Which student-athlete impressed you the most this season?
ML:
Junior defenseman Ben Weyer has been sensational on faceoffs this season. Weier collected at least four ground balls in each of the men's lacrosse team's 10 games. His 46 ground balls lead the team by a whopping 18 balls. He also has five goals this season as part of a faceoff unit that enjoys rushing downfield for goals. Weier played in only about two-thirds of last season's games as part of a group of 18 players graduating this offseason, but has played in every game this season and dominated with his relentless ferocity. He showed great strength.
PK:
Expectations were higher than ever for freshman attacker McCabe Miron entering this season, but he still exceeded them. Miron is the nation's No. 1 lacrosse prospect in the Class of 2023, and the freshman has proven he can handle the pressures of playing in college. His 26 goals rank second on the team, ahead of Connor Shellenberger, a talent well known to Cavaliers fans. and. Miron's diving goal in the season opener against Michigan was enough to make even die-hard lacrosse haters smile. With four games left in the season, the 9-1 Cavaliers are gearing up for a trip to the NCAA Tournament, and Miron will be an integral part of getting the team back on track until then.
GG:
As a junior, many would think Jenny Schilling would have had enough time to develop as a Division I runner. But before this season, Schilling had never run a Division I race. Her journey from club runner to Virginia track and field seems to have come full circle after she burst onto the cross country scene in the fall and earned All-America honors at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships. It looked like. But as this past weekend showed, Schilling is still hungry for more. She ran 32:44.19 for the 10,000 meters, breaking the 36-year-old school record (32:58.64) held by Patti Mataba from 1987. Still in the early stages of her career, Schilling will be a player to watch as her outdoor season continues to heat up.
What games should Virginia fans watch in the final weeks of the season?
ML:
Men's lacrosse against Notre Dame is the biggest game of the season. This is a rematch of last year's Final Four thriller and a season finale that could decide the ACC regular season title. The eyes of the college lacrosse world will be at Kleckner Stadium on April 27th to watch the No. 2 Cavaliers square off against the No. 1 Fighting Irish in a clash of giants. This is the game — the game everyone in the University of Virginia program circled when the schedule was announced in November, and the game every lacrosse fan has been waiting for. This isn't just a must-see game for Virginia fans. This is the most mouth-watering game on the college lacrosse calendar.
PK:
Pizza and mustache day — don’t overthink it. As Virginia baseball takes on North Carolina State on April 4, there's no need to hype up a beautiful night at Desharune Park. With free pizza for the first 500 students and the finest beards Charlotteville has to offer, this event will be one you don't want to miss. But don't forget baseball in the spectacle. This is a rivalry and will likely be a ranked heavyweight match. The Cavaliers have relied on a high-powered offense that has scored 292 points, the most in the ACC so far this season. However, it will be a battle of strength as Virginia will face a strong Tar Heels pitching staff that ranks fourth in the ACC in earned run average.
GG:
Virginia women's lacrosse will host VCU on April 3 in a game in support of Game Havoc, a national online movement that raises awareness for families affected by cancer. In order to raise funds for this, headstrong foundation The organization supports families affected by cancer, and to honor cancer patients who have lost their hair during treatment, athletes will style their game-day hair in designs such as braids, power buns, and ponytails. Participating in this matchup would be a fun way to support a good cause, but if that's not reason enough, the Cavaliers easily took on the Rams, who haven't won on the road all season, on the field. It should be.
