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Jan. 14, 2006

This Week
Virginia travels to longtime intra-state rival and No. 21/23 Virginia Tech on Monday, Jan. 16 for a 7 p.m. game at Cassell Coliseum. The Regional Sports Network- Fox Sports Net South (live), Comcast Sports Net (tape delay 8:30 p.m.), SunSports (live)- will televise the game, which is the first competition for the women’s basketball teams in the Commonwealth Challenge.

UVa then hosts No. 6 Maryland on Friday, Jan. 20. Tip-off at University Hall is set for 7 p.m. The Regional Sports Network will televise the game live. Head coach Debbie Ryan will be honored at halftime.

The Cavaliers close out the week at Miami on Sunday, Jan. 22 in a 2 p.m. game at the Convocation Center.

Scouting Virginia Tech
The No. 21/23 Hokies, under the guidance of second-year head coach Beth Dunkenburger, stand 14-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC after a 67-62 upset win over No. 19/21 Boston College. Senior guard Kerri Gardin paces the squad with 12.7 ppg and a team-best 9.8 rpg, while senior guard Dawn Chriss adds 11.1 ppg. Senior guard Carrie Mason rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.9 ppg.

Series vs. Hokies
Virginia holds a 27-8 series edge over Virginia Tech since the teams first met in 1974. Last season, Tech’s first as a member of the ACC, Virginia swept the two-game regular-season contests, winning 70-67 in Charlottesville and 61-58 in Blacksburg.

Commonwealth Challenge
This year, Virginia and intra-state rival Virginia Tech have added a new dimension to their long-time rivalry. The Commonwealth Challenge is a comprehensive competition involving teams in the two schools’ athletics programs. With Adelphia’s support, it is designed to increase the exposure and interest level in the various sports, while promoting good sportsmanship among student-athletes, coaches and fans of the schools. A point system determines the annual winner of the competition.

The trophy is symbolic of the foundation and history of both schools. The Old Virginia red brick and Hokie Stone are the physical foundations of the buildings, which make both Universities special. We wanted the trophy to communicate the uniqueness of each school, while also showing another example of how the two schools have come together for the greater good of everyone involved. Similarly, the traveling plaques will encompass the Commonwealth Challenge logo and has space for each schools logo to be attached based on the year’s competitions. The winning school, for each sport, will keep the plaque until the next competition.

The Cavaliers and Hokies meet twice in women’s basketball- on Jan. 16 in Blacksburg and on Feb. 2 in Charlottesville. Each game is worth one point in the Commonwealth Challenge tally. Entering the men’s basketball game on Jan. 15, Virginia led the Hokies, 6-3.

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