UVA - 2026

Well deserved

 

Nice article on former player Gloria Douglas.

https://virginiasports.com/news/2026/06/16/alumni-spotlight-gloria-douglas

 

UVA's recruiting has struggled recently.

2025 class had 6 top 40 players

2026 had 2

2027 had 1

2028 has zero so far and only 2 commitments. This can change, still alot of great uncommitted players left. But a slow start nonetheless

it is true that recruiting top players isn't the end all be all but it's the name of the game, especially in the ACC. They need to keep up with Duke, FSU, Stanford, Notre Dame and UNC, where Damon is recruiting at a torrid pace.

Team is really good right now. Really hit a homerun with the 2025 class with good foundational players like Hardemen, Halpern and Cecil. But they need to turn that into some deep post season runs to help with the momentum on the recruiting trail for 2029 and beyond

 

The culture at UVA appeals to a certain type of player. Historically, it has not been a place for "stars". Development is top, but that takes time and nowadays, players want to be showcased. If a player wants to learn the game and improve with hard work, UVA is as good as anywhere in the country.

 

Fully agree with what you say Number007, plus the “ranking” culture says very little about the true value and performance of teams, classes and players.

 

So it's not a place for stars when they don't get them? Let's stop the pit party for UVa. There was none when SS was embedded in National Team program and getting stars due to direct access to players more than most coaches.

 

who is looking for pity? UVA is one of the best decisions a player can make for long term development. Elite coach who focuses on fundamentals. Look at the pro ranks. Loads of UVA alums there. The way players are recruited has changed since the days you mention and even then, the traditional athletic star players rarely chose UVA.

 

Came across this podcast, it’s a bit of a long sit but found the views of both gents touching on a lot pain points around development, recruiting and the craziness of the Fall season.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2O...i=gt_o3M3KRwa2UdppMYLo4w&utm_source=copy-link

 

Interesting interview with Waldrum--thanks for posting it. I would have loved to hear about this experience coaching the Nigerian national team. How do you not get that it in a 1 hr. 44 minute interview? The host needed to be a bit more to the point. Too much rambling before finally getting to a topic or specific question.

Waldrum's advocacy for a 2-semester system was the most interesting part of the interview, and he certainly makes some good points, especially about the very limited time for training and development in the current fall system. His comment that quite a number of coaches might struggle to organize four good training sessions a week in a one-game a week/ two-semester system (as opposed to the current two games a week with only 1 basic training/development day) was piquant. He doesn't think the current one-semester season leads to much player development. He also suggested that a two-semester system would allow players who aren't playing at the start of a season more time to develop and perhaps gain more playing time.

He does not like the reality of gaining commitments from sophomores, as he thinks there is a lot of physical, psychological and other change in individuals between the age of, say, 16 and being a college player. One's body changes, one's attitude can change, one's skill set can grow--or not. Certainly, we see a lot of players who get accolades at ages 13-16 who don't pan out at the Div. 1 level. Hard to argue....

And, like many, his big concern is that soccer/women's soccer and all Olympic sports could get downgraded by universities desperate to find more and more money to fund skyrocketing college football and BB player payments in the current insane, no rules, runaway player entitlement environment we have now.