The University of Virginia finished fourth in the final 2022-2023 Learfield Directors’ Cup standings, tying for the athletics program’s second-best finish ever.
The finish was buoyed by national championships for the women’s swimming and diving and men’s tennis teams in the spring.
In addition to the pair of NCAA championships, baseball advanced to its sixth Men’s College World Series, and men’s lacrosse advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Final Four.
Men’s golf finished a program-best fifth at the NCAA Championship, while women’s cross country finished ninth at the NCAA Championships.
Women’s soccer advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals, rowing placed 10th at the NCAA Championship and men’s track and field placed 11th at the NCAA Championship.
Men’s swimming and diving finished 15th at the NCAA Championship, while women’s tennis and field hockey advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.
Women’s track and field finished 17th at the NCAA Championship, and four wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championship.
Men’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s golf, men’s cross country and men’s and women’s indoor track and field made NCAA championship/tournament appearances.
“This year brought both incredible pain and incredible triumph and through it all, our student-athletes, coaches and staff showed up every day for each other and we found purpose and healing in competing for something greater than ourselves. They are amazing, and it’s an honor to be around such inspiration on a daily basis,” said Director of athletics Carla Williams.
Williams, referring to the pain, was bringing to mind the tragic events of Nov. 13, the shooting deaths of football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry at the end of a drama class field trip.
Their deaths brought the UVA football season to a premature end, and cast a shadow across the Virginia Athletics program.
UVA captured three Atlantic Coast Conference championships during the year: in women’s swimming and diving (19th championship in program history and 14th title since 2008), men’s tennis (15th championship in program history) and rowing (13th consecutive and 22 of 23 overall).
The Cavaliers also claimed ACC regular-season titles in men’s basketball and men’s tennis.
Individually, Kate Douglass won the Honda Sport Award for Swimming & Diving for the second straight year after winning three individual (200 IM, 100 fly and 200 breast) NCAA championships and was part of four NCAA relay championships (200 medley, 200 free, 400 medley, 400 free relay).
Gretchen Walsh won a pair of individual championships (100 back, 100 free) and was part of four relay titles (200 medley, 200 free, 400 medley, 400 free). Alex Walsh won the 400 IM and was part of four relay championships (200 medley, 800 free, 400 medley, 400 free).
Ethan Dabbs became the first-ever competitor to win four ACC men’s javelin titles. Dabbs added a silver in the men’s javelin at the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive season.
UVA baseball catcher Kyle Teel was named ACC Player of the Year, while Douglass was named ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Year.
Wrestler Justin McCoy captured an ACC championship at 165 and Amanda Sambach won the ACC Women’s Golf Individual Title, setting a conference scoring record.
UVA third baseman Jake Gelof become the program’s all-time home runs leader with 45. Ben James became the first UVA golfer to win the NCAA Division I Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine.
Todd DeSorbo (women’s swimming) and Andres Pedroso (men’s tennis) earned ACC Coach of the Year honors. DeSorbo was named College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Women’s Coach of the Year, while Pedroso was named the ITA National Coach of the Year.
Stanford finished first in the NCAA Division I Directors’ Cup standings with 1,412 points. Texas was second with 1,370.50 points.
UVA was one of six ACC programs to finish in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings. Other ACC schools in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings were North Carolina (8th, 1,068 points), Duke (16th, 977.80 points), Florida State (17th, 909.25 points), NC State (19th, 893 points) and Notre Dame (20th, 884.00 points).
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Chris Graham
