The
Virginia CavaliersThe Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
men's lacrosse team represents the
University of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in
National Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I men's
lacrosseCollege lacrosse refers to lacrosse played by student athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played in both the varsity and club levels...
. Virginia currently competes as a member of the
Atlantic Coast ConferenceThe Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) and plays its home games at
Klöckner StadiumKlöckner Stadium is home to four nationally recognized sports programs — the University of Virginia men's and women's soccer in the fall and men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse teams in the spring. The stadium was designed by VMDO Architects and built in 1992 at a cost of $3.4 million, and...
, or occasionally Turf Field or
Scott StadiumScott Stadium , located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers football team. It sits on the University of Virginia's Grounds, east of Hereford College and first-year dorms on Alderman Road but west of Brown College and the Lawn...
, in
Charlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
.
History
University records show that Virginia fielded lacrosse teams from 1904 to 1907, although no further information from that period is available. After a hiatus, lacrosse returned to Charlottesville in 1925 though the team struggled in the ensuing years. Through 1932, the Cavaliers won only one game, while they lost 30 and tied four. The team was disbanded after the 1932 season and would play sporadically until lacrosse returned for good in 1947. Two years later, Virginia won more games than it lost for the first time in school history when it posted a 7-4 record. The Cavaliers then posted an 8-3 mark in 1950 and 7-2 in 1951. The following season, they recorded an identical tally and the
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse AssociationThe United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
(USILA) named Virginia the 1952 co-national champions.
In 1970, Virginia finished the season with an 8-2 record and the USILA again awarded them the national championship. The following season, the NCAA instituted a
single-elimination tournamentThe annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
to determine the national championship, and the Cavaliers made an appearance but were eliminated by
NavyThe Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse team represents the United States Naval Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Navy currently competes as a member of the Patriot League and play their home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland...
in the first round. In 1972, Virginia again secured a tournament berth, and beat in succession
ArmyThe Army Black Knights men's lacrosse team represents the United States Military Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse competition. During the team's 92-year history, it has won eight national championships and made fifteen postseason NCAA tournament...
, Cortland State, and Johns Hopkins for their first
NCAA national championshipThe 1972 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the second annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. This was the last NCAA championship in which the Wingate Memorial Trophy was also presented to the national champion...
. In 1978, former Army coach
Jim "Ace" AdamsJames F. "Ace" Adams IV is an American former lacrosse coach. He served as the head coach at the United States Military Academy, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Virginia. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975.-Early life and college:Adams attended St...
took over as head coach, and from that season onward, Virginia has been a regular participant in the NCAA tournament. Since then, the Cavaliers have never failed to qualify in two consecutive seasons. Virginia advanced to the championship game in
1980The 1980 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 10th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Eight NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament. The championship game...
,
1986The 1986 Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game was played at Delaware Stadium in front of 9,765 fans. Fifth seeded North Carolina capped off a 11 and 3 season with its third NCAA championship, as they upset University of Virginia 10 to 9 in overtime. Gary Seivold, who scored the game...
,
1994The 1994 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 24th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Twelve NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament.The championship game...
, and
1996The 1996 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 26th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Twelve NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament.The championship game...
, each time falling to the eventual champion by one goal. In 1993,
Dom StarsiaDom Starsia is an American lacrosse coach. He is currently the head coach of the University of Virginia men's lacrosse program, with whom he has won four NCAA national championships, in 1999, 2003, 2006, and 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach of the Brown University lacrosse team where...
became head coach, leading the Cavaliers to national titles in
1999The 1999 NCAA Division I tournament championship game was played at University of Maryland's Byrd Stadium with an attendance of 24,135. After building a 9-3 lead in the third quarter, the Virginia Cavaliers were able to hold off the Syracuse Orange, the number eight seed, 12-10. It was Virginia's...
,
2003The 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 33rd annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Sixteen NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament...
,
2006The 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 36th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Sixteen NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament.The semifinals and...
, and
2011. Since the establishment of an ACC tournament in 1989, Virginia has won the regular-season championship ten times, more than any of the other three teams in the league.
Virginia's 2006 season was remarkable as the Cavaliers became the first team in NCAA history to finish the season with a 17-0 record en route to the program's third national championship in eight years. The team won its games by an average of more than eight goals per game and drew comparisons to some of the best lacrosse teams of all time. The Virginia offense led the nation in scoring (15.28), while the defense ranked 10th, allowing fewer than eight goals per game. Eight Cavaliers were named
All-AmericanThe USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
s, the most in program history, and senior attackman Matt Ward received the
Tewaaraton TrophyThe Tewaaraton Trophy is an award given annually, since 2001, to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The trophy is presented by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the University Club of Washington, D.C...
as the best player in the nation.
In 2007, Virginia posted a regular-season record of 12-3 and were ranked #3 behind ACC champion
DukeThe Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team represents Duke University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
and the undefeated
Ivy LeagueThe Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
champion,
CornellThe Cornell Big Red Men's Lacrosse team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Cornell competes as a member of the Ivy League, of which they have won 23 conference championships. The Big Red have appeared in the NCAA tournament 22...
. The Cavaliers entered the
NCAA tournamentThe 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 12 through May 28, 2007. This was the 37th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
with a #2 seed but were upset in the opening round by unseeded Delaware 14-8, marking the first time since 2004 that Virginia had failed to reach the quarterfinal round (and final four).
In the 2008 season, Virginia again posted a 12-3 regular-season record and were ranked #2 (behind Duke). They received the #2 seed in the
NCAA tournamentThe 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 10 through May 26, 2008. This was the 38th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
, where they defeated unseeded
UMBCThe UMBC Retrievers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's college lacrosse competition. The Retrievers play their home games at UMBC Stadium, located in Baltimore, Maryland with a capacity of 4,500...
10-9 in the first round and 7th seeded Maryland 8-7 in overtime in the quarterfinal round before succumbing to the eventual champion, 3rd seeded
SyracuseThe Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse team represents Syracuse University in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. The Orange have won 10 NCAA championship titles, and currently competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference men's lacrosse conference...
12-11 in double overtime of the semifinal.
During the 2009 season, the contest against Maryland resulted in the longest lacrosse game in college history. In the first
overtimeOvertime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
, an unintentional whistle by an official negated a would-be game-winning goal by a Maryland player. Virginia eventually scored a goal to win 10-9, in the seventh overtime and preserved its then-perfect record of 11-0. Virginia entered the
NCAA tournamentThe 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 9 through May 25, 2009. This was the 39th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
on a two-game losing streak, but then defeated
VillanovaThe Villanova Wildcats men's lacrosse team represents Villanova University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. The Wildcats were elevated to the varsity level in 1981 after competing as a club sport since 1961...
18-6 in the opening round, and Johns Hopkins 19-8 in the quarterfinal round. The Cavaliers ultimately fell in the final four to
CornellThe Cornell Big Red Men's Lacrosse team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Cornell competes as a member of the Ivy League, of which they have won 23 conference championships. The Big Red have appeared in the NCAA tournament 22...
.
In 2010, the team won the ACC Championship, finished the regular season 14-1 and with a #1 ranking, and entered the
NCAA tournament-First round:The biggest surprise of the first round was Army's double-overtime upset of No. 2 seed Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. Some analysts ranked it among the greatest upsets in the history of the tournament...
with the #1 seed. The Cavaliers defeated Mount St. Mary's 18-4 in the first round and
Stony BrookThe Stony Brook Seawolves are the athletic teams of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, NY, United States. The school is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and participates in the America East Conference for all sports except football in which they participate as...
10-9 in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion
DukeThe Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team represents Duke University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
, in the semifinals. However, the team's tournament run was to some extent overshadowed by the arrest of senior midfielder George Huguely on
charges of murderingOn May 3, 2010, Yeardley Love, University of Virginia women's lacrosse student-athlete, was found unresponsive in her Charlottesville apartment. Later that day, men's lacrosse player George Wesley Huguely V, originally of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was arrested by Charlottesville Police and charged...
former romantic partner and Cavaliers women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love.
In 2011, the Cavaliers posted a 9-5 regular-season record before entering the
NCAA tournament, where they defeated
BucknellThe Bucknell Bison are the athletic teams of Bucknell University. The program is a member of the Patriot League for Division I sports, Division I-AA in football.Bucknell won the first Orange Bowl...
,
CornellThe Cornell Big Red Men's Lacrosse team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Cornell competes as a member of the Ivy League, of which they have won 23 conference championships. The Big Red have appeared in the NCAA tournament 22...
,
DenverThe Denver Pioneers men's lacrosse team represents the University of Denver in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college lacrosse. The University of Denver Men’s Lacrosse Program was first introduced in 1966 as a club sport. The program alternated between varsity and club...
, and finally Maryland 9-7 to win their fifth NCAA championship. During the tournament, head coach Dom Starsia became the all-time wins leader in Division I men's lacrosse history, breaking
Jack EmmerJohn S. Emmer is a former American lacrosse coach. He retired in 2005 as the winningest lacrosse coach in NCAA history by number of wins with 326. This mark was surpassed in 2008 by Jim Berkman of Division III Salisbury University...
's previous mark of 326 wins. Five Cavaliers were named USILA All-Americans. Following the tournament, third-year attackman
Steele StanwickSteele Stanwick is a NCAA Division I lacrosse player at the University of Virginia. One of eight children, all three of Steele's sisters—Sheehan, Wick, and Coco—were All-American lacrosse players in college, while brother Tad played lacrosse at Rutgers University...
won the Tewaaraton Trophy as the nation's top player.
Program Achievements
(Current through 2011 season)
- Seven National Championships overall
- Five NCAA titles, fourth most all-time
- 33 NCAA Tournament appearances, second most all-time
- 21 NCAA Semifinal appearances
- Virginia has ended the season ranked in the top five 27 times since 1971
- Three Tewaaraton Trophy recipients
- 20 USILA National Award winners
Under current coach
Dom StarsiaDom Starsia is an American lacrosse coach. He is currently the head coach of the University of Virginia men's lacrosse program, with whom he has won four NCAA national championships, in 1999, 2003, 2006, and 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach of the Brown University lacrosse team where...
, Virginia has produced:
- 117 All-Americans including 28 First Teamers
- 68 All-ACC selections
- Eight ACC Rookies of the Year
- Six ACC Players of the Year
- Five NCAA Championship MVPs
- 36 All-NCAA Tournament selections
External links