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Team of the Year
In addition to picking your favorite moment from the year, here is your opportunity to vote on the top Cavalier team this season. From this list pick the squad that you feel had the most successful campaign. Vote as often as you want. The final day to pick your favorite is Friday, July 25. Results will be posted on www.VirginiaSports.com the following week.
Read the descriptions below and then CLICK HERE TO VOTE!
Football
The Cavaliers finished the 2007 season with a record of 9-4 and lost to Texas Tech 31-28 in the Gator Bowl. Virginia finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division standings with a conference record of 6-2. UVa established an NCAA record with five victories by two points or less during the 2007 season. Virginia finished the season ranked 20th in the final BCS standings. UVa head coach Al Groh was honored as the ACC Coach of the Year. Fourth-year defensive end Chris Long became the third unanimous first-team All-American in UVa’s football history, received the Ted Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in the nation and was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Men’s Tennis
UVa won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship for the second consecutive season and also reached the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Virginia also won the 2008 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men’s National Team Indoor Championship and finished the season with an overall record of 32-1. The Cavaliers finished the season ranked second in the national rankings. The team’s 32 victories are a school record. Coach Brian Boland was named the ITA Men’s National Coach of the Year and the ACC Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year. Fourth-year Somdev Devvarman won the NCAA singles championship for the second consecutive season, was named the ITA Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and was ACC Player of the Year. Devvarman and third-year Dominic Inglot earned All-America honors in singles, and Devvarman and fourth-year Treat Huey earned All-America honors in doubles.
Men’s Lacrosse
Virginia reached the Final Four of the 2008 NCAA Tournament before losing to Syracuse 12-11 in double overtime. Virginia finished the season with an overall record of 14-4 and ranked second in the nation in the final coaches’ poll and fourth in the final media poll. Second-year defenseman Ken Clausen earned first-team All-America honors, fourth-year attackman Ben Rubeor and third-year attackman Danny Glading were second-team All-Americans, and second-year midfielder Brian Carroll earned third-team All-America recognition.
Women’s Rowing
The Cavaliers won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship for the ninth consecutive year and finished fifth at the 2008 NCAA Championships. Virginia’s varsity four crew finished second in that event at the NCAA Championships and the second varsity eight finished fourth. The team also won the overall and the South Region championship at the Aramark South/Central Region Championships. Head coach Kevin Sauer was named the ACC Coach of the Year for the fifth time and Virginia’s varsity eight was named the ACC Crew of the Year. Fourth-year Kelsie Chaudoin and second-year Jennifer Cromwell earned first-team All-America honors, and second-year Lauren Hutchins was a second-team All-America selection.
Men’s Swimming
Virginia won its ninth Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in the last 10 years and finished 15th at the 2008 NCAA Championships. The team finished with an overall record of 7-3 during the 2007-08 regular season and was ranked 15th in the final national poll. Mark Bernardino was named the ACC Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year, and first-year Matt McLean was honored as the ACC Men’s Swimmer of the Year, Freshman of the Year and the Most Valuable Swimmer at the ACC Men’s Championships. Second-year John Azar (800 freestyle relay), McLean (500 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay), first-year Scot Robison (800 freestyle relay), first-year Taylor Smith (800 freestyle relay) and first-year John Snawerdt (1650 freestyle) all earned first-team All-America honors. Fourteen members of the team qualified for the 2008 United States Olympic Trials.
Women’s Swimming
Virginia won the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and finished 20th at the NCAA Championships. The team finished with an overall record of 8-2 during the 2007-08 regular season, including a 4-0 record against conference opponents, and was ranked 10th in the final national poll. Mark Bernardino was named the ACC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year and first-year Liz Shaw was honored as the ACC Women’s Freshman of the Year. Shaw (200 butterfly) earned first-team All-America honors. Eleven members of the team qualified for the 2008 United States Olympic Trials.
Men’s Cross Country
The Cavaliers finished 12th at the 2007 NCAA Championships, the team’s highest finish since 1985, and won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship for the second time in three years. First-year Emil Heineking earned All-America honors and was the ACC Freshman of the Year, while Jason Dunn was named the ACC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.
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