Virginia
Virginia Football: Five Impactful Newcomers to Watch This Season
The Virginia Cavaliers officially started fall camp on Wednesday of last week. Looking ahead to UVA’s season opener against Richmond on August 31st, the Hoos return most of their starters from last year’s team. However, there are definitely some new names to know, so let’s take a look at some of the new faces to watch for this year.
WR Chris Tyree
UVA head coach Tony Elliott’s biggest win in the transfer portal was the addition of wide receiver Chris Tyree. A five-foot-ten graduate transfer from Notre Dame and Virginia native, Tyree’s speed and playmaking ability should immediately impact Virginia’s offense from the slot. Last season, Tyree recorded 26 receptions for 484 yards and three receiving touchdowns for an Irish football team that finished with a 10-3 overall record.
Earlier this week in fall camp, Tyree was in a boot with an apparent foot injury, however the injury does not appear to be long-term. Reports from Thursday indicate that Tyree still isn’t practicing, but the good news is that he’s out of the boot. With Malik Washington gone to the NFL, Virginia has big shoes to fill at wide receiver, and Tyree should be able to help fill that void in Des Kitchings’ offense this season.
S Corey Thomas Jr.
Potentially one of the stars of UVA defensive coordinator John Rudzinski’s defense, Corey Thomas Jr. comes to Virginia after a productive 40-game career at Akron. Thomas, a graduate transfer, brings in versatility for a Virginia defense that could use him in a number of different ways in 2024. With a six-foot-four frame at 215 pounds, Thomas will likely spend most of his time at the nickel, but he could see some playing time at linebacker as well. Throughout the offseason, the coaching staff has been very high on Thomas, even comparing him to former Clemson star and 2020 first round NFL draft pick Isaiah Simmons. A true jack-of-all-trades, Thomas’ size and versatility should help Virginia’s defense improve this season.
WR Andre Greene Jr.
A local wide receiver from St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Greene Jr. transferred back home to Virginia after spending two seasons at North Carolina. Despite only recording five receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown for the Tar Heels in two years, Greene expects to immediately factor into Virginia’s passing attack. Rated as a four-star prospect coming out of high school, Greene turned in a nice performance at the annual Blue-White Game in April. To go along with returning star Malachi Fields and fellow transfer Chris Tyree, Virginia’s passing game should be in good hands this season regardless of who is playing quarterback.
OL Ethan Sipe
A glaring weakness of Virginia football in the Tony Elliott era has been the offensive line. Allowing the second most sacks per game in the ACC last season, Elliott and offensive line coach Terry Heffernan looked to improve the offensive line this offseason with the addition of Ethan Sipe. Sipe, a transfer from Dartmouth with two years of eligibility remaining, likely will receive some playing time at guard, but he’s also been practicing at center as well. Sipe played right tackle at Dartmouth, but his versatility should allow him to serve as depth for a unit that has been plagued by injury over the last couple of years.
READ MORE: Virginia Football Projected Depth Chart 2.0: Fall Camp Week 1 Update
TE Tyler Neville
Virginia hit the transfer portal hard in the offseason for pass catchers, and the Cavaliers got another one with the addition of Neville. An All-Ivy League selection in 2022 and 2023 at Harvard, Neville was one of the most productive tight ends in the conference over the past couple of seasons. With Sackett Wood returning at TE, the Hoos should have a couple of nice options in the passing game at the TE position for Anthony Colandrea or Tony Muskett.
DB Kendren Smith
A two-time All-Ivy League selection at Penn, Smith’s presence should immediately bolster UVA’s secondary. Smith, a graduate transfer, expects to compete for one of the starting positions at corner and is one of a couple transfers that Virginia brought this offseason into the secondary.
CB Kempton Shine
Shine, another graduate transfer in the secondary, had a productive career for Eastern Michigan, starting in 40 of 45 career games. Last year, he finished with nine passes defended and should factor into UVA’s secondary.
LB Dorian Jones
Dorian Jones arrives at UVA after spending last season at Cincinnati. Jones had a career year last season for the Bearcats and could receive some playing time at the MIKE linebacker position with Stevie Bracey out for the year.
WR Kameron Courtney
Courtney, an incoming three-star freshman from Manassas, has impressed the coaching staff so far in fall camp. He may receive some playing time this season at the slot and could also play a role on the special teams unit.
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Virginia
Honking on the highway: Family of geese escorted off I-66 in Virginia
Those honks you heard on I-66? They weren’t from cars.
Police officers in Northern Virginia herded a family of Canada geese off the highway Thursday afternoon, as lanes were shut down to keep everyone safe.
The geese were spotted on I-66 westbound near the exit for Sycamore Street. Metro Transit Police got to them first, and Arlington County officers and Virginia State Police also responded to help, acording to Arlington County Police.
Video shows police vehicles slowly following the geese — two adults with a cluster of fuzzy yellow goslings — as they waddled along the far right shoulder toward milemarker 69.6.
Lane closures were put into effect about 1:30 p.m., and police were able to escort the geese off the highway within about 15 minutes.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2693381161043880
County police quipped on Facebook: “What’s good for the goose…is probably to stay of I-66. 🪿 Virginia State Police , Metro Forward Police Department, Virginia Department of Transportation and ACPD officers worked together to assist a family of geese off a busy highway in a feat so great it gave us goosebumps!”
Virginia
More than 300 pounds of marijuana worth $1M seized in Bristol, Virginia State Police says
BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — More than 300 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1 million were seized this month in Bristol, according to the Virginia State Police.
Multiple search warrants were executed this month by VSP and the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force in at various areas across the city between May 1 and May 13.
On May 1, a search warrant was executed at a business on Euclid Avenue. Around three pounds of marijuana was seized with a street value of $13,500. The location was within a school zone and a childcare facility.
On May 6, another search warrant was executed at a warehouse in Bristol. Virginia State Police seized 250 pounds of marijuana (street value of $1,135,000), 192 marijuana plants ($576,000), 50 pounds of THC edibles ($22,700). Charges are forthcoming, police said.
Another search warrant was executed on May 13 at a business on West State Street. Around 25 pounds of marijuana was seized with a street value of $112,500. Additional evidence was also seized.
In addition, another search warrant was executed on May 13 at a business on Paulena Drive. About 30 pounds of marijuana was seized with a street value of $135,000. Additional evidence was also seized.
The Office of the Attorney General is reviewing the investigation for any possible applicable civil enforcement actions.
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The Holston River Regional Drug Task Force includes the Town of Abingdon Police Department, Bristol Police Department, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Town of Lebanon Police Department, as well as Virginia State Police.
Virginia
Va. governor concerned redistricting battle could make voters reluctant to cast ballot this fall – WTOP News
Days after Virginia Democrats filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court as part of their ongoing redistricting battle, Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she’s focused on the fall midterm elections and ensuring voters are motivated to turn out.
Days after Virginia Democrats filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court as part of their ongoing redistricting battle, Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she’s focused on the fall midterm elections and ensuring voters are motivated to turn out.
After a bill signing at Inova Schar Cancer Institute on Wednesday, Spanberger made her most extensive public comments about the state’s redistricting plan. She cited the state’s May 12 deadline for any map changes, and said as a result, this year’s elections will proceed under the current map.
Spanberger’s remarks came a few days after Virginia’s Supreme Court struck down the Democrat-led redistricting push. Primaries in the state are scheduled for Aug. 4, with the November general election to follow.
“What needs to happen is we need to focus on the task at hand, which is winning races in November,” Spanberger said.
“I believe, somewhat doggedly, that we will win two to four seats in the House of Representatives. … That is my goal. That is what I know is possible.”
The map Democrats proposed, experts said, could have resulted in a 10-1 Democratic majority representing Virginia in the U.S. House. But Republicans challenged the process Democrats in the General Assembly used to put the constitutional amendment before voters.
In a 4-3 opinion issued Friday morning, Virginia’s Supreme Court sided with the Republican challengers.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts gave Republicans until Thursday evening to respond to Democrats’ request for the emergency appeal.
Spanberger defended the process the General Assembly used, adding: “I think I certainly would have wanted to, and did want to, see a different outcome with the Supreme Court ruling.”
Over three million people participated in the rare April special election, and Spanberger said she’s concerned those voters “have had the experience of casting a ballot in an election that was very important to them, including those on both sides of the referendum vote, only to have it be overturned, essentially, by the Supreme Court of Virginia.”
Elected officials, she said, will have to work to ensure “that people know that their votes do matter, and that when it comes to the ballot they’re going to cast — whether it’s for a primary over the summer or for the general election into the fall — that they shouldn’t feel depleted or defeated, that their votes matter.”
Spanberger called the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court “important, but when it comes to the execution of elections, no matter the outcome in that case, we will be running our elections beginning next month with early voting on the current maps that we have.”
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