With the 2022-23 athletic year complete, we take a look at how the teams around the Virginia Cavaliers department did. Keep in mind that expectations vary for each program so they are not graded on an equal playing field.

Fall

Football

Tony Elliott went 3-7 in his inaugural season at the helm. As much as John Rudzinski’s defense made strides forward, Des Kitchings’ offense fell flat, ranking 95th nationally in adjusted efficiency. Virginia’s lone conference win was a 16-9 effort over Georgia Tech.

With this being said, it is unfair to evaluate Elliott without a full body of work, especially given the reason the season was cut short. The football program will play their 2023 season in honor of their fallen teammates — Lavel Davis Jr, D’Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler.

Grade: N/A

Cross Country

Both teams qualified for the National Championships, the men’s team for the first time since 2019. The women’s team finished third in the ACC Championships, while the men’s team finished sixth.

Grade: B-

Field Hockey

In her 17th season at Virginia, Michele Madison’s squad compiled a 13-8 overall record and fell to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be an average season for the program in recent history.

Grade: B

Men’s Soccer

Although George Gelovatch’s team did not reach their historic precedent, they bounced back after a few rough seasons. The ‘Hoos went 10-4-5 and reached the ACC semifinals, before falling to Marshall in penalty kicks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Grade: B

Women’s Soccer

Steve Swanson’s group went 16-4-3 and reached their 17th Sweet Sixteen in the last 18 years. They eventually lost in the NCAA quarterfinals. While, if anything, this is a below average season for Swanson, we won’t make him fall too heavily a victim of his own success.

Grade: A-

Volleyball

Volleyball has been a struggle for UVA athletics. Shannon Wells’ team this year didn’t help the cause much, finishing 12-17, and second to last in the ACC standings. The only things giving this program a passing grade are marginal improvements from recent seasons, and a season sweep over Virginia Tech.

Grade: C-

Women’s Tennis

The women were not quite as successful as the men but still had yet another productive season. The Cavaliers were 20-7 overall, reaching the Round of 16.

Grade: B+

Winter

Men’s Basketball

There were certainly peaks and valleys in Tony Bennett’s 14th season at Virginia. They started hot with a 9-0 record and a clean sweep of the Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas, treaded water through most of conference play, before a double digit loss at Boston College became the turning point. While the Cavaliers earned a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a 25-7 record, they were upset in the first round for the third time in their last four appearances.

Frustrated fans may argue that this season should be graded in the C-range, given the early exit. However, another share of the ACC regular season title entices us to bump them up.

Grade: B

Women’s Basketball

In her first season in Charlottesville, Amaka Agugua-Hamilton completely changed the perception of the program. A 15-15 (4-14 ACC) record does not appear all that impressive and that must be taken into account. However, this is leaps and bounds above where Tina Thompson had the program in the previous tenure. Coach Mox has taken this momentum onto the recruiting trail.

Grade: B

Swimming and Diving

With a major boost from Kate Douglass, Todd DeSorbo has built a dynasty in Charlottesville. The women's team won the national title for the third consecutive season.

Grade: A+

Wrestling

The Cavaliers went 8-6 overall before placing fifth in the ACC championships. Respectable, but nothing revolutionary.

Grade: B-

Cross Country

The women and men finished third and sixth respectably in the ACC Championships. The men also advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2019.

Grade: B

Spring

Baseball

Brian O’Connor’s team won 50 games and advanced to the College World Series for the second time in three years and the sixth time in his tenure. Although they did not advance within the Omaha bracket, a top ten ranking for a majority of the season is satisfactory.

Grade: A-

Golf

The men’s team advanced to the NCAA Championship Match Play for the first time in program history, before eventually falling in the quarterfinals. The women won the ACC but came just short of reached match play themselves.

Grade: A-

Men’s Lacrosse

Another year, another non-championship...is Lars Tiffany losing it?? Even in a “down year” the Hoos were top three nationally and played on Memorial Day weekend in the Final Four. And next year’s roster shows zero signs of any fall off.

Grade: A-

Women’s Lacrosse

It seems that this program has taken a slight step back from its glory days. The Cavaliers went 11-7, losing in their first game of both the ACC and NCAA Tournament. Julie Myers announced her resignation after 28 years with the program.

Grade: C+

Softball

Joanna Hardin’s group continues to improve. This year, they won 30 games and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010. However, a disappointing stretch over the final month pushed the Hoos out of the NCAA Regionals and they ended their season with a blowout loss to Syracuse in the ACC Tournament.

Grade: B

Men’s Tennis

The Hoos followed up their last year’s title run with yet another national championship. Virginia and USC have now combined 11 team crowns in the last 14 seasons.

Grade: A+