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BY JIM DAVES T here has never been a year that college athletics faced like the 2020-21 campaign. Just months after seeing some of the winter sports and all of the spring sports canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, programs worked diligently to return to competition starting last fall. There were plenty of obstacles and hur- dles to overcome, but for the most part Vir- ginia managed to play almost 90 percent of its events. And not just play, but win, all while performing in predominately empty stadiums and venues. In terms of actual performances, several stood out for the Cavaliers. The women's swimming and diving team won its first NCAA championship, men's lacrosse re- peated as NCAA champions and the base- ball squad made a dramatic postseason run to advance to the College World Series for the fifth time in program history. Looking back, the accomplishments of UVA student-athletes, coaches and staff — especially the medical support team — were nothing short of amazing. Here is a look at some of the highlights from team and individual results to aca- demic honors: TEAM HIGHLIGHTS • UVA claimed ACC championships in women's swimming and diving (17th title in program history and 12th since 2008), men's tennis (13th in program history) and rowing (11th consecutive and 20th in 21 overall ACC regattas). That marks 86 league titles for the Wahoos since the spring of 2002, the most of any ACC school during that time. OVERCOMING EVERY OBSTACLE Despite Numerous Challenges, The Cavaliers Found Plenty Of Success In 2020-21 20 CAVALIER CORNER The UVA men's lacrosse team won its sec- ond consecutive national championship in 2021. The Cavaliers also captured the crown in 2019 and last year's tournament was can- celed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PHOTO BY MATT RILEY/COURTESY UVA Fourth-year Ian Laviano notched 23 goals while helping the Cavaliers win the NCAA title. PHOTO BY MATT RILEY/COURTESY UVA THE YEAR IN REVIEW