Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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cavalier sports DECEMBER 2018 9 392.25 Was fourth-year Kylie Towbin's new school record in the 3-meter dive, set Nov. 15 at the Navy Diving Invite. Third-year Sydney Dusel set the UVA record in the prelims with a 368.95, only to be topped by Towbin. Dusel finished in second, while fourth-year teammate Kirsten Parkinson placed third at the event with a career-best score of 332.95 that ranks fourth in school history. PHOTO BY MATT RILEY/COURTESY UVA F or some, becoming a Wahoo is a family legacy and for others it's loyalty to their university. For Janet and Ron Baellow, it was adoption. "We moved to Charlottesville in 1996," Ron recalled. "Our kids, Dustin and Andrea, were very young, and Janet started taking them to baseball games in the old stadium. We sat on wooden bleachers with splinters, and the foul ball net had holes in it. "The kids immediately got involved in the Cavalier Kids Club and started going to all the different events." The Baellows are now baseball, basketball and football season ticket holders for their adopted Cavaliers, calling UVA Athletics "great entertainment and a great value." "Neither of us went to school here, our kids did not go to school here until Andrea started her post-grad work here in kinesiology in 2015," Ron said. "As part of her program at UVA, she was an athletic trainer for swimming and diving during her first year, so we went to some of those meets. "In her first year of her PhD program here, she worked with the men's tennis team when they won the national championship in 2016 and then with field hockey last year." Andrea's involvement with UVA Athletics brought Janet and Ron to even more events. The Baellows said they are drawn by the professionalism and competitiveness of the Virginia programs. "It's such a high level of performance that you see from these athletes," Janet explained. "We've been to volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, swimming, diving, soccer, baseball and squash. It's amazing skill that's just so exciting to watch. "Plus, UVA is usually very competitive, so that makes it that much more fun." The Baellows have many fond Virginia sports memories over 20 years of watching UVA Athletics. The trips to Charlotte in 2002-03 for back-to-back Continental Tire Bowl wins over West Virginia and Pittsburgh were special. Virginia's 4-3 win over Wake Forest in the 2017 men's tennis championship in Rome, Ga., stands out, too. "It was so, so exciting," Janet said. "I remember my heart pound- ing out of my chest during those matches." Asked to narrow it down to one, they picked two baseball mo- ments that Janet and Ron consider their top UVA sports memories so far. "We were there for Will Roberts' perfect game in 2011," Ron recalled. "We almost didn't go. We're small business owners here in town, it was cold, and we were busy. Should we go? Should we not go? "One of us said to the other, 'We just need to go.' We're so thank- ful we were there." Their other favorite moment was later that year in Virginia's ninth- inning, come-from-behind, 3-2 win over UC Irvine in the NCAA Super Regional to advance to the College World Series. "They were down to their last strike and came back to win the game," Ron said. "Janet remembers literally jumping up and down and being so happy." When asked why they continue to support Virginia Athletics with their tickets purchased and donations to VAF, they say it's because they desire to help student-athletes become better people. "Our kids played sports all throughout their childhood into high school, and Dustin even played some in college," Janet noted. "I look back at that sometimes, wondering if we spent too much time involved with, and watching, sports. But now we have two fantastic adult children, and I don't think they would be the people that they are today without having been involved in sports. "Allowing college students to participate in sports will help them in so many aspects of their lives. If I really think deep about why it's important to us to donate, I would say that's why." — Greg Waters The Baellow family has been involved with UVA Athletics since moving to Charlottesville in 1996. PHOTO COURTESY THE BAELLOW FAMILY Janet and Ron Baellow WAHOO NATION quotable Jane Miller has enjoyed an incredible career as a highly respected administrator and successful coach over four decades at Virginia. She has positively influenced the lives of countless UVA student-athletes. For me personally, she has been a tremendous resource and a trusted advisor in my first year at UVA." — Director of athletics Carla Williams after JANE MILLER announced her retirement Nov. 20 following a 35-year career with UVA athletics as a head coach (field hockey and women's lacrosse) and administrator