The Virginia sports calendar got off to a good start Thursday night as the women’s soccer team blanked Nevada 5-0 in the first regular season contest of the year for UVA. With that as the launching block for the Hoos, there will be many more matches and games to come.
The remainder of the fall sports teams will each begin their campaigns over the next two weeks and believe it or not, it’s just 80 days until the start of basketball season too. Virginia fans continue to be excited about the men’s basketball team as a group of new names prepares to take on bigger roles.
The Cavaliers have also been on the mind of Jamie Shaw over at On3.com this week. In an article on Thursday, he made his picks for the top 10 coaches in college basketball. At the top of the list: Tony Bennett. It’s an alphabetical order so that ‘B’ helped, but Virginia fans will readily agree no matter how you sort the names. The others on the list: Kentucky’s John Calipari, UCLA’s Mick Cronin, Baylor’s Scott Drew, Gonzaga’s Mark Few, UConn’s Dan Hurley, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, and Kansas’ Bill Self.
Shaw also wrote an article Tuesday that outline some of the top “steals” from the transfer portal this offseason. Shaw framed the list like this: “Some players are simply fits in new locations. While these ten players discussed might not be the ten best players to enter the 2023 college basketball transfer portal, they are ten steals, players who could play a significant piece for their new team.”
This list is also in alphabetical order so Andrew Rhode isn’t at the top like Bennett, but Shaw likes the Summit League Rookie of the Year’s possible fit at Virginia. Shaw’s skinny is that “some guys simply know how to play basketball” and he thinks that hoops IQ will push Rhode into the rotation at UVA.
Figuring out the potential rotation, of course, is a time-honored offseason activity among fans. This thread on the men’s basketball message board took the latest swing at figuring it out. Here are few thoughts from posters on Leon Bond III, Blake Buchanan, Ryan Dunn, Taine Murray, and Isaac McKneely:
- Don’t know who to take min from, but think Bond will be big contributor – tribble
- Just one … Buchanan plays more than most think. – LAHOOters
- Don’t sleep on Taine Could be a wonderful complementing piece of a ‘glue guy’. – wahoo2023
- I don’t see iMac as an all-u-can eat mins guy yet. If I had to guess he won’t even start. – Hoochie Daddy
- I think we could also go small ball at times With Bond taking on a Braxton Key role. With Dunn at the 5. Just a hyper athletic, defensive small lineup that will attack on both ends with speed. – GtownHoo
One other thread that contributed to roster chatter as the season grows closer spun out of a Jeff White podcast episode at VirginiaSports.com. White interviewed Virginia associate head coach Jason Williford, who gave his impressions of Rhode, Reece Beekman, Dante Harris, Ryan Dunn, and more. Check that interview out here.
Fan(s) Of The Week
Smile if you love the Wahoos!
Student Fan(s) Of The Week
Hoos always love a good sign.
Feature Photo Of The Week
Virginia offensive lineman Blake Steen gets in some practice work as the Hoos prepare for kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 2 against Tennessee.
