5 Hoos You Should Love On Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! While the Virginia basketball teams seem to be at the forefront of our minds throughout the winter, there are many talented athletes who deserve recognition for their performances in orange and blue. As we celebrate this season of love, let’s take a moment to appreciate 5 Hoos who have been making a large impact on their teams at UVA and are expected to continue to do so in 2024.

Margot Appleton: UVA Women’s Cross Country & Track and Field

Junior Margot Appleton has excelled in both track and field and cross country at Virginia. Appleton has consistently been a top performer for the Hoos and has achieved many accolades, including All-American honors in the 2023 Outdoor 1500m and 2023 Indoor Mile, as well as being part of the DMR team in 2022 Indoor. Her success extends to the ACC Championships, where she secured the 2023 Outdoor 1500m title and consistently earned All-ACC recognition in six cross country and track events. Additionally, she holds the Virginia Record for her performance in the 3000m indoor.

Appleton looks to build on her already impressive career. The Hoos have three weeks left of their indoor season with the ACC Championships on deck for Feb. 22-24 and the NCAA Indoor Championships set for March 8-9, both in Boston. The Cavaliers begin their outdoor track season on March 23 in Charlottesville at the Virginia Triangular meet.

Lauren Benedict: Virginia Rowing

Lauren Benedict has had an athletic journey that has been nothing short of inspiring. Coming from Northern Virginia, Benedict was one of the slowest in her recruiting class. In her first year, she didn’t make the 2021 ACC travel squad of 24 rowers. Following this, Benedict went into the summer and dedicated herself to intense training and as a result, emerged as a top athlete on the team.

During the 2021-22 season, she was part of the Varsity Eight that won the ACC Championships and earned 12th at the NCAA Championships. Following that season, she was a member of the U23 United States National Team and was in the women’s quad that got sixth at U23 World Championships in Varese, Italy. In the 2022-23 season she secured a spot again in the Varsity Eight boat that placed second at the ACC Championships and 11th at the NCAA Championships. In the summer of 2023, she was named to her second U23 National Team where she again raced in the women’s quad that placed ninth at U23 World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

As Benedict enters her final season at Virginia, she looks to continue to contribute in big ways, as the team hopes to repeat as ACC Champions and earn a podium finish at the NCAA Championships.

Aidan Teel: UVA Baseball

Aidan Teel, who is often associated with his older brother, is prepared to make a comeback after sitting out last year due to Tommy John surgery. Teel is an incredibly versatile athlete as he is not only a utility player in the field but is also a right-handed pitcher. Prior to his collegiate career, Teel graduated high school early to enroll at Virginia in the fall of 2022. While in high school, he established himself as the No. 11 overall player from New Jersey and was also the state’s top right-handed pitcher in addition to No. 94 in the country according to Perfect Game. Following his Tommy John recovery, Teel played for the Charlottesville Tom Sox this past summer, where he competed at the DH position with 18 RBI and 5 HR in 26 games.

With Teel being healthy, he has the potential to add a dynamic element for the Hoos.

Amanda Sambach: Virginia Women’s Golf

Junior Amanda Sambach has been making a name for herself within collegiate golf since stepping on Grounds. Just so far this school year, she opened the season with a ninth-place finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, later won the Glass City Invitational by 4 strokes, and also finished as runner-up at the Stanford Intercollegiate and the most recent San Diego State Classic. She was ranked No. 6 in the final fall Spikemark rankings. Sambach looks to lead the Hoos into another successful season, as the team advanced to the NCAA Championships last spring.

Sambach is recognized for her consistency. She’s currently preparing for not just the spring with the Hoos, but also the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Anthony Ghobriel: UVA Men’s Lacrosse

Junior transfer Anthony Ghobriel has stepped into the shoes of Petey LaSalla at the faceoff X and made his presence known in just the Hoos’ first game. Against No. 11 Michigan, Ghobriel dominated the X where he won 65% of the faceoffs. Prior to Virginia, during his first two years at Navy, he was ranked No. 12 nationally and No. 3 in the Patriot League in faceoff winning percentage. Additionally, he broke Navy’s single-season faceoff wins record and earned Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Week honors multiple times.

With a hot start to the season, Ghobriel is expected to play a pivotal role in securing possession for the Hoos and maintaining their dominance at the faceoff X.

As the Wahoos celebrate Valentine’s Day, let’s spread some love this winter to all theHoos and acknowledge their dedication and talent. Although this list only recognizes 5 out of the 750 student-athletes, it is important to appreciate them all for their commitment to their teams. Whether on the water, diamond, golf course, lacrosse field, or the track, each of these athletes’ passion contributes to Virginia Athletics and the continuing success of the renowned athletic programs.