Jay Huff walks the Lawn with the best cap decoration ever

Virginia basketball big man Jay Huff walked the Lawn on Friday morning to receive his master’s degree in educational psychology and social foundations. After redshirting his first year in Charlottesville, Huff took up the mantle as the “old guy” on the team, following in the footsteps of former five-year players like Isaiah Wilkins, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jack Salt.

The joke around the team with Huff and those guys that came before was always about how long they had been on Grounds. Well, fans of opposing teams took note over the years, lamenting every time that the Hoonicorn came back for another season.

Huff decided to honor them in a fun way as he got his second degree from the University of Virginia:

“Which 10th-year senior does everyone hate the most and why is it Jay Huff,” one tweet from a Chase T read. Another, this one from an sbonsey, said “It feels like Jay Huff has been playing for Virginia since 2006.” Mike N said, “Hasn’t jay huff been there 8 years?”

Matt Meadows emphatically stated, “Thank God I never have to watch Jay Huff in a UVA uniform ever again,” with three rows of the praying hands emoji.

It’s understandable that they’d be happy to see him go. Huff played in 97 games over his career at Virginia, helping the Hoos finish first in the ACC in the regular season three times (2018, 2019, and 2021). The one time they weren’t first, they were second. He was on the 2018 team that won the ACC tournament title and put in significant minutes for the 2019 team that won the NCAA Championship. With 166 career blocks, Huff finished No. 2 in Virginia history, behind the uncatchable Ralph Sampson. For his career, he shot 68% from the field and 39% from three. He made All-ACC Second Team and All-ACC Defensive Team his fifth year (2021).

His mortarboard decoration is a perfect — and lighthearted — way for Huff to close out his Virginia career.