University of Virginia

Even with a pair of World Series rings, Chris Taylor’s time with Virginia Baseball remains a high point of a storied career.

UVA Today recently caught up with Taylor, who announced his retirement from Major League Baseball this spring after 12 seasons: https://uvatoday.me/4vJ7JVr.

The University of Virginia’s sports precinct has a new name.

Fans headed west on Massie Road from Emmett Street – as you approach John Paul Jones Arena and the Harrison Family Olympic Sports Center – might notice signage for the “Ramon W. Breeden Athletic Grounds.”

A dedicating ceremony was held last week in appreciation of the Breeden family, longtime supporters of the University. Ramon W. Breeden Jr., a 1956 graduate of the UVA McIntire School of Commerce, made a substantial gift toward the Virginia Athletics Master Plan in 2023.

“The Breedens’ generosity has allowed us to provide beautiful, modern facilities for our student-athletes, supporting not only their athletic goals, but their academic, career and leadership goals as well,” UVA President Scott Beardsley said.

“I know Ray is a big sports fan, like I am,” Beardsley continued, “and I have no doubt that his generosity will fuel many more UVA championships. Even more importantly, Ray knows what it takes to succeed, and he wants to see our student-athletes succeed and thrive in everything they do.”

UVA Director of Athletics Carla Williams and Barry Parkhill, a former Wahoo basketball star and longtime associate director of athletics for development for his alma mater, joined Beardsley at the dedication.

Each expressed their gratitude for the ceremony’s honoree.

“Thank you, Ray, for all that you have given to the University of Virginia and Virginia Athletics,” Beardsley said. “We are fortunate to have you and your family as part of our UVA community, and I look forward to cheering on the Hoos with you.” https://uvatoday.me/4ojNUS6

As the 2026 World Cup kicks off, one of soccer’s most dreaded injuries is already sidelining stars and reigniting questions about why anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tears are so common in the sport.

To better understand this injury, we turned to Chris Kuenze, an athletic trainer and associate professor in the UVA School of Education & Human Development. Kuenze studies ways to support people as they recover both physically and mentally from ACL injuries.

🤕 What happens when an ACL is torn?

An ACL is like a bungee cord inside the knee that keeps the two bones (femur and tibia) connected. When reports indicate that an athlete has a torn ACL, it can mean that the bungee cord has completely torn in half, or that part of it is torn while a smaller part of it is intact.

👎 Why does that injury limit function so significantly?

When an athlete has an ACL tear, they lose one of a small number of bungee cords that keep their knee functioning the way it is meant to. When this happens, the knee becomes less stable, and your brain starts to get feedback from your joint and muscles that indicates that something isn’t right.

Your body goes into protection mode and tries to make it harder for you to do challenging tasks while making sure that your knee is as stable as it can be under the circumstances.

⚽ What about soccer makes ACL tears more likely?

Between 60% to 70% of ACL injuries happen without any contact with another player. The ACL is put under stress when athletes change direction quickly, decelerate rapidly or land after jumping.

These noncontact stresses can be even higher when they are done in response to the behavior or movement of another player. Because of this, athletes who engage in sports like soccer (and lacrosse, basketball and football) have higher risks of ACL injury than those who participate in more predictable or straight-line sports like track or baseball.

💪 Many athletes return to competition after these injuries, some more quickly than an average person. How do they do that?

Elite athletes are just that, elite. Their anatomy, physiology and mental health/psychology tend to be different than the typical person, especially at the level of a professional soccer player going to the World Cup.

Elite athletes also have a team of experts around them 24/7 in preparation for the World Cup to help manage recovery, strength training, technical skills, mental well-being, nutrition, sleep, etc. Having the best resources gives someone the best chance to overcome an injury like this and return to competition. https://uvatoday.me/4ehawOs

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Friday announced the reappointments of four members of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors.

The members will begin their four-year terms in July: https://uvatoday.me/4uqO0sI.

UVA’s Board of Visitors gave final approval for the design of the School of Data Science Entrepreneurship Building.

The building will serve both the UVA School of Data Science and the University’s growing entrepreneurship initiatives. When completed, the Entrepreneurship Building will include classrooms, offices, conference space and an “entrepreneurship hub.”

The board also approved a final, three-phase plan to remove hulking concrete coal silos and other coal-related machinery at the Main Heating Plant. In its place, the University will construct a 110,000-gallon fuel oil storage tank, tucked out of view, as a backup.

Read more ➡️ https://uvatoday.me/4dZYZ7l.

The University of Virginia announced Friday a $43.4 million gift to the UVA School of Education & Human Development, an investment that positions UVA to join local partners in bringing to fruition an early childhood learning center in Charlottesville.

The gift from UVA alumni Kathleen and David LaCross is the largest in the Education School’s history. https://uvatoday.me/4unR9cG

This month, UVA alumnus and decorated soccer agent Lyle Yorks will travel all over North America on behalf of his five clients playing in the FIFA World Cup.

Yorks, a former All-ACC midfielder and two-time national champion with Virginia Men's Soccer, can also flash back to shooting hoops with Dawn Staley and taking a psychology course with beloved professor Raymond Bice.

“Going to UVA and meeting people outside of the athletic department, it rubs off on you. The University helps shape who you become as a person.” https://uvatoday.me/4uombB9

UVA President Scott Beardsley on Friday gave Board of Visitors members an update on his work engaging and listening to the University community and presented his initial thoughts on developing a long-term, strategic vision for UVA.

That vision includes what he called an integrated set of actions across both the academic and health enterprises that will lay a foundation for the future: https://uvatoday.me/4urkG53.

A trio of UVA Facilities Management workers who saved the University more than $300,000 a year earned support to expand their idea through the Hoos Making an Impact competition last month. 👏

The workers were among three groups or individuals honored for their ideas that increased efficiency, accessibility and support across Grounds. https://uvatoday.me/4g1EgkV

Xavier Vecchio and IV Hendrix, members of the UVA Darden School of Business Class of 2026, founded XXVI Racing to manage and train racehorses.

The venture allows groups of people to pool their money and share ownership, dividing any winnings among the partners.

“I hope that, when we’re all retired,” Hendrix said, "I’m standing in the winner’s circle with (Vecchio) and a group of Darden buddies after we win the Kentucky Derby, the Travers or perhaps the Arlington Million here in Virginia.” https://uvatoday.me/4vlKi4q