Senior Spotlight: Anthony Mihota

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Senior center Anthony Mihota (Fredericksburg, Va.) is in his second season as the Cavaliers’ starting center. In this senior spotlight, he answers questions about his team, the season and his artistic side.

Question: Can you describe your artistic side?
Mihota: I used to play guitar, and the saxophone as well, though that was long ago. I don’t get too much free time, with football and school, but I focus more on art and drawing, since I’m a studio art major. It started with my mom; she would have art and other things to do on Fridays. I liked it growing up, and in high school I was in the Art Honor Society. It fit when I got here.

Question: How does art mesh with football?
Mihota: Art is really is a release for me. At football, it is physical and exhausting. So it’s nice to have release. I get to relax, and just paint some trees.

Question: Are you a painter?
Mihota: Well, not primarily. My concentration is in new media, which is digital art. I do animations.

Question: When your football career is finished, will you pursue art?
Mihota: I’m creating a portfolio of different things I’ve done to send to different animation companies, since I graduate in December. I have to create a storyboard and characters, and then animate it myself. It’s a lot of work, but when it comes out it looks really good. I try to keep it fresh, and not repeat myself. I especially like comedies, so most of my work is on the funny side of things or satires.

Question: What is your first football memory?
Mihota: I got into football when I was in middle school. I really wasn’t into football at all, but my dad bet me $50 that I would make the team, so I tried it. I had grown up playing all sports; I just loved to play. I played a lot of soccer, wrestling and swimming even. My dad suggested it, I made the team, and that’s how it all got started.

Question: Did you always know you wanted to come to UVa.?
Mihota: I am originally from the Pittsburgh area, I moved to Fredericksburg, Va., when I was 10 or 11. I really didn’t think about where I was going to go until I started getting offers in my sophomore and junior year. That was when I realized I could have a scholarship to do this. I knew that UVa was close to home, so my family could come to my home games.

Question: Do you have siblings?
Mihota: I have two brothers, Vincent and Louis. Louie is the starting center for his middle-school team, and Vinny is on both the starting offense and defense of his high school team, Massaponax.

Question: Do they ask you for pointers?
Mihota: Even if they don’t ask, I still give them!

Question: How would you describe Coach London?
Mihota: He is a good guy. He has good morals, and he wants to instill those morals in us, so that we can be better people on the field and off. He is a good motivator, and knows how to get us to do the right things.

Question: How is your relationship with the offensive line coach, Coach Wachenheim?
Mihota: We have a really good relationship. I think he is the best offensive line coach I’ve ever had. He really knows what he’s talking about, is easy to talk to and easy to learn from. I’m really glad he’s our coach this year, and I think he has really improved some of the people on the offensive line.

Question: What’s the hardest part about your position?
Mihota: Snapping and blocking, probably. Since I’ve been doing it for five years, it’s kind of gotten to the point where I don’t have to think too hard about it anymore. It’s pretty automatic. Now I’m a fifth year, the game is slowing down a lot for me.

Question: Do you have any special nicknames for the offensive line?
Mihota: Last year, our offensive line coach used to call us cats, so we all have different cat names. There was Fast Cat, Smart Cat, Big Cat.

Question: What is something you’re an expert on and could teach a class?
Mihota: I know a lot about soccer, it’s one of my favorite sports. Growing up I was a huge soccer fan. I played in high school too. I was a forward, though I didn’t score a lot of goals.