Cavalier Corner

June 2022

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JUNE 2022 31 cavalier profile COLE KASTNER Second-Year • Lacrosse A little more than one year ago, Cole Kastner was standing on the sidelines of the Virginia bench as a backup defenseman. That's be- cause Virginia head coach Lars Tiffany was hesitant to throw Kastner — who he called "Project 39" in reference to his untapped ability — out onto the field after missing most of the 2020 fall season. "When we took him, I remember talking to the staff, saying this is going to be a project," Tiffany said in May 2021. "He might stand on the end of the bench for four years blocking people's view of the games, or this could be really exciting." Despite only four starts during the Cavaliers' 2021 NCAA cham- pionship run, the 6-foot-7 Kastner earned his way onto the field in 2022, starting in all 16 of UVA's games at close defense. Not only that, Tiffany's "Project 39" is definitively no longer a project, but rather a lock, stock and barrel defenseman. He was named the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse. In addition, he was one of three defensemen nationally to be named a 2022 Tewaaraton Award nominee, which is awarded to the most outstanding player in college lacrosse. Kastner's plethora of ac- colades can be attributed to his ability to cause turnovers and lock down opposing teams' best attackman. Kastner finished the season first in the ACC and tied for sixth in the nation in caused turnovers (2.00 per game). He also anchored a UVA defense that ranked second in the nation in ground balls per game (38.12), sixth in opponent clear percentage (.789) and 17th in caused turnovers per game (9.06). Although his playing time in 2021 was limited, Kastner was the one who scooped up a loose ball and chucked it high into the air as time expired when the Cavaliers celebrated their 17-16 victory over Maryland in last year's NCAA title game. However, this season the undefeated, No. 1 Terrapins successfully avenged their heartbreaking 2021 championship loss by knocking out UVA in the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. "Having it end this way this year is just another motivator," Kastner said after the game. "And it's devastating, but we're going to get right back after it come next season, and we're looking forward to it." — Patrick Boling • Photo by Jim Daves/courtesy UVA

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