The Virginia Cavaliers are heading into the NCAA Tournament on an absolute heater. After a dominant run through the ACC Tournament, UVA captured its first conference championship in seven years, crushing North Carolina 16-6 in Charlotte. It’s the program’s eighth ACC title and the second for head coach Lars Tiffany—and the way they did it has fans buzzing.
Virginia’s weekend was nothing short of spectacular. First, they stunned No. 1 Notre Dame 15-10 on Friday, then avenged an overtime loss to the No. 5 Tar Heels from back in April. The offense is clicking, the defense is locking in, and the energy is contagious.
The hero of the weekend? Goalie Jake Marek. The Air Force transfer was named ACC Tournament MVP after making 28 saves across two games—good for a 65.1% save rate. Against North Carolina, he was especially sharp, shutting the door early and finishing with 16 stops. One of his saves was so incredible, it’s already being called one of the best you’ll ever see in a championship game.
On offense, McCabe Millon stole the show. He put up 10 points in the tournament, including a six-point explosion in the final. The attack is playing with confidence and rhythm, and it shows.
But it’s not just the stars. A freshman faceoff specialist stepped up in a big way, winning 54.5% of his draws against elite competition—including North Carolina’s Brady Wambach, one of the best in the country, and Notre Dame’s Tyler Spano. That kind of performance in the dot is a game-changer.
Everything is coming together at the right time. After a 3-4 start, the Cavaliers have won seven of their last nine. Now, they’re the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and set to host Georgetown in the first round on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. These two teams have some history—UVA beat the Hoyas in the quarterfinals in both 2021 and 2023, thanks in large part to Connor Shellenberger’s brilliance.
Now an assistant coach, Shellenberger will be looking to help Millon and the offense replicate that success. Georgetown comes in riding an eight-game win streak and a Big East Tournament title, so this won’t be easy. But for a team that’s hitting its stride at the perfect moment, the sky’s the limit.