Cavalier Corner

October 2022

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OCTOBER 2022 13 titles in both the 500-meter freestyle and 1,650-meter freestyle. 2015-17 — Tara Vittese became the first ever three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association Player of the Year and Virginia's first female three-time National Player of the Year. She joined Virginia men's basketball legend Ralph Sampson as the only two athletes to have won a National Player of the Year award in three separate years in their time at Virginia. 2016 — Staley became the first female Olympic assistant coach from Virginia, helping guide the USA to a gold medal and toppling Spain 101-72 in the gold medal game. 2016 — Leah Smith earned a gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. women's 800-meter freestyle relay team and a bronze medal as an individual in the 400-meter freestyle. The two medals in one single Olympic Games are the most by any female Cavalier. 2017 — Carla Williams was named the first female athletics director in Virginia Athletics history and the first female African American athletics director of a Power Five conference school. 2017 — Jenny Boucek was named an assis- tant coach of the Sacramento Kings, one of the first female assistant coaches in NBA history. 2019 — Virginia alumni Brian, Sauerbrunn and Emily Sonnett, as well as current wom- en's soccer head coach Steve Swanson, were part of the U.S. Women's National Team's FIFA Women's World Cup championship squad, taking down the Netherlands 2-0 in the final. 2020 — Palmer Park opened for the UVA softball program, named after former Cava- lier pitcher Lisa Palmer and also her mother. The venue is the first UVA Athletics com- petition site named after a former female student-athlete. 2021 — Ackerman was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted as a Contributor. She had previously received the Hall of Fame's John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. 2022 — Myers led the Virginia women's lacrosse team to its 26th straight NCAA tournament appearance, an accomplish- ment unmatched by any other Division I coach in the same period. 2022 — Virginia rowing won its 12th straight ACC championship. The Cavaliers have won 21 out of 22 conference regattas since the ACC began sponsoring the sport in 2000. 2022 — UVA tennis alumna Danielle Col- lins moved up to a career-best No. 7 world ranking and was the top-ranked American player in either gender. She was the run- ner-up at the 2022 Australian Open, the first Cavalier to play for a Grand Slam title. 2000s: Becky Sauerbrunn, Soccer (2003-07) Sauerbrunn earned ACC Freshman of the Year, NSCAA Scholar- Athlete of the Year and ACC Player of the Year. She has gone on to play in professional women's soccer leagues and has been a staple of the United States Women's National Team, earning 208 caps in her senior career. Sauerbrunn was a key member of the movement that fought for and succeeded in achieving equal pay for the USWNT in 2022. Honorable Mention: Amy Appelt, lacrosse (2002-05); Monica Wright, basketball (2007-10); Natalie Randolph, track and field (2000-03); Cara Lane, swimming (2000-03); Paige Selenski, field hockey (2009-12); Nikki Lieb, lacrosse (2003-06); Billie-Jo Grant, track and field (2004-08); Lori Lindsey, soccer (1998-2001); and Mirjana Bosevska, swimming (2000-03). 2010s: Danielle Collins, Tennis (2014-16) Collins won two NCAA singles titles and earned the Honda Sports Award in 2016. In July 2022, she moved up to a career-best No. 7 world rankings and was the top-ranked American player of either gender. She was the runner-up at the 2022 Australian Open, the first Cavalier to play for a Grand Slam title. Honorable Mention: Leah Smith, swimming (2014-17); Tara Vit- tese, field hockey (2014-17); Morgan Brian, soccer (2011-14); Brit- tany Altomare, golf (2010-13); Kristine O'Brien, rowing (2010-13); Lauren Perdue, swimming (2010-11); Makenzy Doniak, soccer (2012-15); Julia Elbaba, tennis (2013-16); and Jocelyn Willoughby, basketball (2017-20). — William Jarrett Current pro standout Danielle Collins won NCAA singles titles in 2014 and 2016. (Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA) Becky Sauerbrunn has gone from ACC Player of the Year at Virginia to become a standout on the USWNT, winning two Women's World Cups and Olympic gold. (Photo by Jim Daves/courtesy UVA)

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