Practices are closed as Cavalier men, women prepare for NCAAs
At the University of Virginia, preparations for the NCAA tournament have taken on a somber tone, not just because of the murder of women’s player Yeardley Love and the subsequent arrest of men’s player George Huguely.
The men’s team has practiced this week without coach Dom Starsia, whose father passed away Friday night at age 86. Starsia left Charlottesville on Monday to attend Tuesday’s wake and Wednesday’s funeral, both on Long Island, N.Y.
“It’s been such extraordinary circumstances, so tragic on so many different levels. I find myself certainly with a lingering sense of disbelief for all that has gone on,” said Starsia in an ESPNU phone interview Sunday night. “Just trying to help my family get along here and help our team recover and begin to be able to move forward.”
Both the men’s and women’s teams have held closed practices this week with coaches and players unavailable for comment.
Before he left, Starsia conducted practice with the team Sunday, learning later that the Cavaliers were the No. 1 seed in the tournament and would face Mount St. Mary’s (12-4) in the opening round Saturday night in Charlottesville. In February, Virginia (14-1) rolled to a 15-7 win over the Mountaineers, leading 8-1 just 19 minutes into the match.
In his 18 seasons, Starsia, 57, has led Virginia to three national championships and 11 appearances in the Final Four. During his absence, the Cavaliers have been guided by associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale and assistant John Walker.
The Virginia women (13-5) are seeded No. 6 in their tournament and will play Towson (13-4) on Sunday at noon at Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville.
The theme in practice, according to coach Julie Myers, has been on winning, in order to stay together longer and recover from the tragic loss of their teammate.
“I do anticipate having some pretty intense practices this week,” Myers said via teleconference on Monday. “I feel like we’ve let a lot of the emotions out, and knowing this team, I feel like they’re really going to step up to the challenge of learning about a new team that we haven’t played yet this year.”
