The University of Virginia may have been the first school to offer Green Run (Virginia Beach, VA) junior Mark Hall , but Hall’s decision to accept wasn’t a snap reaction. From the campus to the coaches, UVa had exactly what the 6-2, 205-pound standout wanted in a college.

“We were on campus last weekend and were really impressed by the setup of the campus and the message from Coach London” Mark’s father, Mark Hall Sr, said. “And Chip West is a phenomenal guy. He was excellent. He made sure we were comfortable and all our questions were answered. Coach London’s message was excellent. I want my son to be in the best situation when he goes to college. Dad is not there, so I want another guy to be a positive influence for my son. The fact that UVa graduates 89-percent of its African-American students means a lot, too.”

Scoring a talented in-state athlete such as Hall is a nice continuation from last year’s success. In Hall, Virginia will have its second player in as many years from Green Run High School. UVa recruited four players total from Virginia Beach in 2011, as well as 17 in-state players in total. In the end, the Cavaliers 2011 class was nationally ranked including a top 20 ranking by ESPN.com.

In addition to the offer from UVa, Hall also had interest from Virginia Tech.

...