THE
ATHLETICS PROGRAM KICKS OFF A NEW ERA
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The
completion of the Carl Smith Center project this year
was just the most visible of a series of initiatives to
ensure the high quality of the University's athletics
programs. This broad-based strategy accounts for the University
once again being highly ranked in the Division I Sears Directors'
Cup standings, which are based on the combined performance
of men's and women's sports.
The
men's swimming and diving team, the men's lacrosse
team, and the women's rowing team all took ACC titles
this year. Four Cavalier coaches earned ACC Coach of the
Year honors, including Mark Bernardino (men's swimming),
Debbie Ryan (women's basketball), Kevin Sauer (women's
rowing), and Dom Starsia (men's lacrosse). Women's
rowing finished third at NCAAs, while men's soccer and
women's lacrosse reached the national quarterfinals,
and men's lacrosse and women's basketball advanced
to the NCAA semifinals. The football team, led by consensus
All-America tailback Thomas Jones, participated in the 1999
Micronpc.com Bowl, and the men's basketball team competed
in the National Invitation Tournament.
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Success breeds
success, as the strong reputation of the Virginia athletics program
has enabled the University to attract outstanding athletes across
the program. After being named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 1998,
tennis star Brian Vahaly went on to establish himself this year
as the greatest tennis player in U.Va.'s history. Vahaly
completed the season with thirty-five wins and only five losses,
setting a school record for singles victories in a season, and
reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship.
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Another
exceptional athlete, swimmer Ed Moses, established a pair
of short-course world records in winning NCAA titles in
the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke in March, becoming U.Va.'s
first two-time NCAA champion. He was named Swimmer of the
Championship for his performance, the first time an ACC
swimmer has received the award. Moses went on to become
a silver and gold medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games in
Sydney.
Members
of the University community thrill to the achievements of
these talented women and men, but if the University is to
remain competitive in athletics, as in other programs, it
must continually reevaluate its priorities and set goals.
As part of the University's long-term planning for
the year 2020, President Casteen established a Strategic
Planning Task Force for Athletics to establish clear goals
for the next two decades, build a budget to accomplish these
goals, identify funding sources, and recommend an appropriate
management structure.
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Former
University of Virginia swimmer Ed Moses, with athletics
director Terry Holland. |
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