In the aftermath of the slaying of a University of Virginia women’s lacrosse player, allegedly by a member of the men’s team, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage announced that the powerhouse teams — the men are ranked No. 1, the women No. 5 — would play in the upcoming NCAA championships. “A part of their healing will be getting our students back into some of their routines. … Our lacrosse teams will honor Yeardley by continuing their seasons, ” Littlepage said in a statement. He said he had consulted with each team’s coaches and the slain woman’s family before announcing his decision.
We feel deep sadness over the death of Yeardley Love. Our hearts go out to her family and friends. And we believe that the women’s team would indeed honor her memory by playing in the NCAA tournament. But we are puzzled by the participation of the men’s team in the postseason competition. In case Littlepage needs reminding, one of the team’s midfielders sits in a Charlottesville jail after telling police that he kicked in Love’s bedroom door and, during a struggle, repeatedly smashed her head against the wall. This horrific scene followed a weekend of hard-party drinking, which is sadly part of the culture of big-time lacrosse programs.
The accused killer is George Huguely V, scion of an old Washington family and a graduate of the prestigious Landon School in Bethesda. He had a history of violent behavior, including an episode in November 2008 at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., in which he struggled with a patrolwoman and finally had to be subdued with a Taser. During the altercation, the officer said, Huguely threatened her and vowed, “I’ll kill all you bitches.” This episode was of sufficient seriousness that the team’s coach, Dom Starsia, either knew about it or should have known about it. He also should have known about Huguely’s menacing manner toward Love; the suspect stole Love’s laptop in an apparent effort to cover up incriminating e-mails he had sent her.
So who, exactly, is the men’s lacrosse team honoring as it tries to win another NCAA title? A murdered girl? A teammate who stands accused of killing her? Or one of the nation’s most storied lacrosse programs? In this case, the pursuit of athletic glory has clouded the judgment of Littlepage. It’s time for the university’s president, John T. Casteen III, to tell his athletic officials and the men’s lacrosse team that now is not a time for playing but rather for grieving, soul-searching and getting their values in order. The highest goals of a great university, after all, are expanding intellectual horizons and shaping character. Casteen had it right in a statement after the news broke: “We mourn her death and feel anger on reading that the investigators believe that another student caused it.” This is not the time for his teammates to be tossing around a little white ball.
