Greatest Moments in UVA Sports History (and some we’d like to forget)
Alumni share memories of everything from Ralph Sampson to Omaha
It was a memorable year for UVA sports: the men’s and women’s soccer teams came close to winning NCAA titles; the men’s basketball team took home the 2014 ACC Tournament title and advanced to the Sweeet 16 in the NCAA Tournament; the baseball team made it all the way to the College World Series Finals in Omaha, Nebraska; and tennis player Danielle Collins became the first player in school history to win the women's NCAA Singles Championship. All of these moments and more contributed to a No. 4 finish in the Directors’ Cup, a competition that measures the overall success of collegiate athletics programs.
On Facebook and Twitter, Virginia fans responded with their own memories of unforgettable UVA sports moments. Here’s a sampling of what they said.
Great Wins
Danielle Collins wins NCAA 2014 Women’s Tennis Singles Title
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports how about women's tennis, @Collinssssss13, National Champion?
— Randall Pierce (@RPierceII) July 10, 2014
Men’s Basketball vs. Duke, 2014 ACC Championship
Miguel Mora (via Facebook): It's this year's ACC Championship, surpassing the FSU game. C'mon, we beat Duke AND won first championship in 38 yrs in basketball!
Bonnie Lessley (via Facebook): Beating Duke for the ACC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP this year ! What a thrilling victory for HOO fans!
Men’s Basketball vs. Syracuse 2014
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports beating Cuse at JPJ on Senior Night, with Dicky V in the building!! Oh.. And won the ACC Title ��
— YungNickFromThePack (@NickUVA4life) July 10, 2014
Men’s Tennis Wins 2013 NCAA Championship
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports of course @UVAMensTennis winning the team NCAA title from a match point down against UCLA last year!
— Soft Dollar Ladies (@SoftDollaLadies) July 11, 2014
John Nichols (via Facebook): Has to be the NCAA Men's tennis championship in 2013--with the winning point seeming scored by UCLA, only to have the point awarded to UVA for touching the net, the 'hoos rally to take the title in this rubber match. Just as far as you can go and still pull it out.
Football vs. Miami, 2012
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports @JakeOvaTheWorld 's one handed catch in the back of the end zone to beat Miami. Instant classic��
— ¿Dortmund Doug? (@dougiesean15) July 10, 2014
Football vs. Florida State, 2011
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports @IfTonyTweeted most thrilling I've seen was in 2011 when we beat FSU for the first time in Tallahassee.
— Matt Meadows (@matt_mumaka77) July 11, 2014
Baseball vs. UC Irvine, 2011 NCAA Super Regional
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports If we are looking for "excitement factor," it's gotta be walk-off win vs. Irvine to go to Omaha
— Brian Schwartz (@BSchwartzUVA) July 10, 2014
Whestley Spangler (via Facebook): The Super Regional vs UC Irvine on 6/13/11 was the most thrilling win in recent memory. I also thought the mens basketball win vs Syracuse was very thrilling and memorable. I didn't expect a 19 point victory, but that just made it sweeter! One of my oldest memories of a thrilling win is the regional final victory in the 1984 NCAA Tourney and Jim Miller and his iconic fist pump while cutting down the net (yes, I'm old enough to remember that).
Men’s Basketball vs. Duke, 2007
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports UVA vs Duke... 2007 @SeanSingletary with the dagger!
— Craig Phibbs (@c_phibbs) July 11, 2014
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports @SeanSingletary with the GW over Duke in the first season at JPJ! #hoos
— Robbie Kemp (@R0Bkemp) July 11, 2014
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports greatest moments include Sean Singletary's buzzer beater in double overtime against @dukebasketball
— Kenneth Thomas (@KennethThomas2) July 11, 2014
Men’s Basketball vs. Arizona, 2006
@UVa_Alumni 1995 Florida State FB, '06 Arizona men's hoops.
— Eric Hobeck (@eric_hobeck) July 10, 2014
Football vs. Virginia Tech, 1998
@UVa_Alumni @VirginiaSports 1998. Lane Stadium. Aaron Brooks. The Comeback.
— Randall Pierce (@RPierceII) July 10, 2014
Football vs. Florida State, 1995
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports By far, October 30th, 1995 victory over Florida State 33-28. #mostthrilling #wahoowa #cavaliers
— Kim Passerell (@kpassere) July 11, 2014
Margie Delacruz Murphy (via Facebook): FSU in 1995. I was a fourth year and that was the greatest game I ever saw. Wahoowa!
Maria Mattera (via Facebook): Beating Clemson in football in 1990 and watching the goal posts be torn down and hauled off through town along with FSU in 1995. Both are beyond memorable! Wahoowa!
Chanel Lee (via Facebook): FSU in '95. I still remember storming the field!Martha Sanusi (via Facebook): Def FSU in '95!! That game was so exciting it nearly put me into labor with our first!
Mary Hope Jenczewski (via Facebook): Florida State in '95! I was a third year. We all stormed the field. It was crazy!
Women’s Basketball vs. Maryland, 1993 ACC Championship
Adam Bergman (via Facebook): First time we beat FSU in football (1995). Arkansas in NCAA basketball tournament (1995?). Women's basketball winning the ACC tournament in triple OT (1993).
Football vs. Clemson, 1990
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports 20-7 win over Clemson in 1990. It will NEVER be better than that for Uva football #dotheystillplayfootball?
— John Hammond (@sportsavantpapi) July 11, 2014
Part 1:
Part 2:
Basketball vs. UNC, 1989
Bill Mulligan (via Facebook): January 15, 1989, in University Hall watching Richard Morgan score 39 points as the Cavs beat No. 8 UNC by the score of 106-83.
Highlights begin at :22.
Men’s Basketball vs. Maryland, 1983 (Ralph Sampson’s last home game)
Editor's pick (editor was 13 at the time)
Men’s Basketball vs. UNC, 1981
@UVa_Alumni @UVA @VirginiaSports February 3, 1981. Virginia 80 UNC 79 in OT in North Carolina. I was a 1st year and campus erupted
— David Worley (@WorleyDA) July 11, 2014
Tough Losses
Baseball vs. Vanderbilt, 2014 College World Series
Ken Bryant (via Facebook): This one. This hurt a lot. So did 1990 versus Georgia Tech in football. That Cavalier offense was the best in the country and still the most exciting one we've ever put on the field. But this one stings a lot as far as near misses. This is about as big as it gets.
Nick Rosenberger (via Facebook): Forget the near miss. This was an amazing season for an amazing team. The win, the recognition is nice. But don't under value what was accomplished.
Nancy Premen (via Facebook): Also agree with Ken Bryant. This was as close as you can get without being the winner--- 3rd of 3games and lose by ONE run??!!! Ugh!!! The Hoos were OUTSTANDING!!!!Wahoowa!!!!
Football vs. Georgia Tech, 1990
Ken Bryant (via Facebook): 1990 versus Georgia Tech in football. That Cavalier offense was the best in the country and still the most exciting one we've ever put on the field. But this one stings a lot as far as near misses. This is about as big as it gets.
Men’s Basketball vs. Houston, 1984 Final Four
Jay Dobrutsky (via Facebook): For me, 7th seeded Cavs eliminated from 1990 NCAA Regionals in Richmond when Derrick Coleman blocked Bryant Stith's shot for 2d seed Syracuse at the final buzzer. Stith was fouled, of course (I was in Richmond to see it all). It was Terry Holland's last game as UVA coach. Runner up? UVA loses to Houston in 1984 Final Four by 2 points in OT, the year AFTER Sampson left. Rick Carlisle and Olden Polynice were awesome. On second thought, this one should come first.