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ANDERSON: "We were going to have a great team regardless. We saw that this year with my injury and a couple guys having to step up. With the program that Coach [Tony] Bennett and his staff run here, we have guys who are very capable of stepping up. "When I made this decision, I had to realize that there's no looking back about what could have been at our program. I still consider my teammates and myself and coaches a family, and I'll root for this team like no other. Whatever the case may be, I'll be their biggest fan, and I'm still going to encourage the young guys every chance that I get. "But once you put two feet in, you have to press forward and move on and not live in the past." CAVALIER CORNER: In retrospect, how in- fluential was your training [at TC Boost, outside Chicago] last summer? ANDERSON: "I think that was huge for me — huge for me to get away. I was staying with my cousin [offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod] who's a pro athlete for the Bears. Just seeing his mentality and his mindset changed everything for me. Just seeing how he had two kids and he had to wake up every morning at 5:30 and go in the whirlpool just to get his body ready and warmed up and get everything ready mentally for practice. "When you see that business approach and you're around it [it affects you]. I created a level of focus and an approach out there. I'm very thankful for being out there that summer." CAVALIER CORNER: How important is it to you to eventually graduate? ANDERSON: "One thing that I was very con- cerned about was finishing up school. That's one thing I want to make sure I do — not only for my family and my coaches here, but also for myself. I've maintained a 3.0 GPA throughout my three years." CAVALIER CORNER: How much feedback and advice did Coach Bennett give you as you went through the process? ANDERSON: "Coach was very big with my faith. He just wanted me to know that whatever decision was made was going to be a great deci- sion and that you have to have big faith in it and ask God for help. "Everything he said to me was great advice. He said here are the positives and here are the nega- tives, and you have to be able to weigh everything. I'm very thankful that he's been in my corner and has been able to give me legitimate advice as a college coach." — Whitelaw Reid Ron Lear ('54) didn't hesitate a second when asked why he and his wife, Olive, have been VAF donors for 45 consecutive years, and also have contributed to the John Paul Jones Arena Capital Campaign. "They couldn't compete if they didn't have the financial support to guarantee scholarships for student-athletes," said Lear, who graduated from Virginia with a B.S. in commerce and resides with Olive in Charlottesville. "It helps some students who couldn't attend college to attend the university. "Malcolm Brogdon [a 2015 second-team All- American], one of the best basketball players in the country, is an example of the type of student- athlete we have. "I support it to help our programs to be com- petitive and give an opportunity for those student- athletes to come to Virginia," Lear continued. "I think we've brought in some outstanding students as well as outstanding athletes to the university." Lear is a self-professed "big sports fan." That's exemplified by the fact he's been a foot- WAHOO NATION RON AND OLIVE LEAR