Ask the AD Questions and Answers

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Feb. 25, 2003

*In the past month, there have been a number of questions about the men’s basketball program. We have tried to summarize the theme of those basketball-related questions in order to answer as many questions as possible. Thanks for your interest in the program.*

Question 1: What do you think the team needs to get back in contention for the ACC regular season title? What is the current problem?

Answer: We have not had the type of consistency a team needs to win on a game-to-game basis and season-long basis. Overall, our defense has improved from last year to this year, and we are a solid rebounding team. We have a good combination of inside and outside strength on offense. The areas in which we will need improvement are cutting down on turnovers, and transition defense after our turnovers. Turnovers are lost opportunities for us, and open court opportunities for the opposition that are easily converted.

We have a team that can compete with any team in the country on any given night. With so many new players this year, Coach Gillen and the staff have tried to find the right combination of players and that has not been easy. At this time of the year, we need to be playing our best basketball and the game at Wake Forest is the type of effort we’ll need the remainder of the regular season and the post season.

Question 2: Hi, Craig. In the new basketball arena, will the students’ seating section be located close to the court, such as it is at Duke and some other schools?I hope so, because I believe that adds to the atmosphere and the home court advantage. It looks good on TV too, which might make an impression on very young players who are just beginning to form an opinion about where they may hope to play college ball in a few years.
Edward Jennings, Roanoke, VA

Answer: We spent time working with student groups to determine the best way to accommodate students for seating in the new arena. Students will have seating in the lower bowl and the upper bowl of the new facility.

Our plan calls for students to occupy seats behind one basket and seats on one sideline behind the team benches. This is a shift from student seating in UHall; students currently have seats behind both baskets but not on the sideline. The sideline seats meets a request from students to sit behind the teams which is the television camera angle looking toward the team benches. Students will also be seated

Question 3: Does UVA have a Women’s Gymnastic’s program, a competitive cheeleading squad? 2. Does UVA offer scholarship for the above and or for just cheerleading?Thank you.
Jean Raymond, La Jolla, CA

Answer: We do not have a women’s gymnastics program and do not have plans to add it in the near future. We will add women’s golf as our 25th varsity program this fall.

We do have a good cheerleading team. Our cheerleading team does not get scholarship support, however. Our fund raising efforts support varsity sport competition and since we are not yet fully funded in our varsity sports programs, we do not have the necessary funding to offer cheerleading scholarship support.

Question 4: Is the new basketball arena under construction yet? What is the timetable for completion? Where will it be located?Thanks!
Jim Gillespie, Fairfax, VA *1979 Alumnus

Answer: We believe the arena can be under construction this summer and will be a multi-purpose facility. We anticipate an opening date of fall of 2006. This arena/special events center will be located on the North parking lot across Massie Road from University Hall. The project includes the arena, a practice facility, coaches’ offices, team locker rooms, a parking facility, and an access road from the 29-250 bypass.