Top Ten Games of the 2023-24 Season for the Virginia Cavaliers -

By Jay Ballard of The Cavalier Connection

The University of Virginia Athletics Department recently wrapped up the 2023-24 athletic calendar. Throughout the year, there were close finishes, big wins, and a few tough losses. Overall, the 2023-24 year will be remembered as a year that featured a ton of success. Today we countdown the top 10 games from the year that was in Charlottesville.

10. 4/13/24 – Women’s Lacrosse – #3 BC @ UVa – Result: UVa 13-12 (OT)

A first year pairing of Kate Galico and Madison Alaimo carried the Hoos to the upset victory against third ranked Boston College. Galico scored with 2 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime and Alaimo scored the winner on the Hoos first overtime possession. It was the Hoos first victory over a top three team since 2015. The ladies would go on to win one NCAA Tournament game before losing to Florida 13-8 in the second round.

9. 11/10/23 – Men’s Basketball – UVa V. Florida (Neutral Court) – Result: UVa 73-70

The Hall of Fame Series game played in Charlotte will be remembered for several reasons by Hoo faithful. First, this was the Blake Buchanan coming out party. Buchanan dominated at times, finishing with 18 points and 7 Rebounds. The Hoos would win an early season showdown, showing flashes of offensive excellence, as well as the standard tenacious defensive effort.

While a big early season win for the Hoos, this game will most likely be remembered as the “Corey Alexander Game”. With 59 seconds remaining and the Hoos clinging to a 2 point lead, the ball went out of bounds off Florida (ruling on the floor). The officials would review the play and the ball stayed with Virginia. Before the Hoos could inbound the ball, Corey alerted the officials of a different angle that the ACC Network cameras had. After seeing the different angle, the ball was awarded to Florida. Coach Bennett was rightfully furious. Thankfully, the Hoos held on for the 73-70 win.

8. 4/20/24 – Softball – UVa @ #3 Duke – Result: UVa 4-3 and UVa 3-2

Coming off a 12 inning loss in Game 1 of the the three game set, the Hoos played a doubleheader at #3 Duke to close the series. In Game 1, Jade Hylton accounted for all 4 Virginia runs, hitting a grand slam over the left field wall. Duke would load the bases with 1 out in the final inning before a ground ball to Sarah Coon at third led to a force out at 3rd and throw to the plate where the tag was applied and the ballgame was over with a final score of 4-3.

In Game 2, Hylton would hit a two-run homer, and the pitching would put up a dominant performance in a gutsy 3-2 win. The Hoos would clinch their spot in the ACC Tournament with this win. The team would go on to make the NCAA Tournament before falling to Tennessee in the Regional Final.

7. 3/15/24 – Men’s Basketball – UVa V. NC State (ACC Tournament) – Result NC State 73-65 in OT

UVa appeared poised to be on their way to playing for the ACC Tournament Championship when Reece Beekman went to the free throw line for two shots, and getting the ball back, up by five with 1:10 left to play. Reece would miss both free throws, then only make 1 of 2 a few seconds later. Clinging to a three point lead with five seconds remaining, Isaac Mckneely had an opportunity to ice the game by making the front end of a one-in-one. He would miss the free throw. UVa, with fouls to give, decided to let NC State play it out and Michael O’Connell forced overtime by banking in a desperation three pointer at the buzzer. NC State would own overtime and take the 73-65 win.

This game allowed NC State to play for the ACC Tournament Championship against UNC. The Wolfpack would not only win that game, but go on to make the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Without the miracle finish in the ACC Tournament Semi-final game against Virginia, none of that happens. UVa would go on to play in the “First Four” NCAA Tournament Round, losing to Colorado State 67-42.

6. 5/18/24 – Baseball – VT @ UVa – Result: UVa 10-9 (13 innings)

UVa entered the final game of the three game series against arch rival VT having taken the first two games. VT, desperate for a win to help their NCAA Tournament resume, raced out to a 7-0 lead after two innings. The never say die Cavs though would chip away at the lead, and by the 8th inning, they only trailed 8-7. After tying the game in the bottom of the 8th, neither team would score until VT scratched out a run in the top of the 13th. In the bottom of the 13th, Harrison Didawick would hit a two-run walk-off homerun that started a huge celebration.

The game went for five hours and ten minutes and marked the 3rd longest game in UVa Baseball history. The 20th come from behind win of the season for Virginia would also ultimately cost VT a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.

5. 10/21/23 – Football – UVa @ #10 UNC – Result: UVa 31-27

UVa would enter the game at 10th ranked UNC as a 23.5 point underdog. UNC, sitting at 6-0, against UVa, with a record of 1-5, seemed like a classic mismatch. Playing at night, in front of a raucous home crowd, the huge underdogs played “The Oldest Rivalry in the South” game as if they had nothing to lose. Malik Washinton was unstoppable with 12 catches for 115 yards and a TD. Trailing 24-14 in the 3rd, it appeared UVa was on their way to doing what they had previously done multiple times, losing a close game. However, UVa would take a 31-27 lead on a Tony Muskett to Washington 14 yard TD pass with 8:51 to play and the defense made it stand up. The game was iced when James Jackson intercepted a Drake Maye pass with 26 seconds remaining.

The win marked the first signature win for Head Coach Tony Elliott. After showing signs of life, and losing multiple competitive games, the team finally put a 60 minute performance together to get the much needed win.

4. 3/3/24 – Women’s Basketball – #5 VT @ UVa – Result: UVa 80-75

With a frenzied crowd of almost 12,000 people, first year PG Kymora Johnson scored 21 points and chipped in 8 assists to lead the Lady Cavaliers to the biggest win of Coach Mox’s tenure, 80-75. The game featured ten ties and was played in front of the largest crowd for a women’s basketball game in Virginia history. Camryn Taylor scored 17 and Paris Clark scored 16 points to lead a balanced Cavalier attack.

The Hoos would go on to lose a close game to Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC Tournament, before playing in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. There, Virginia would defeat High Point in the first round, before losing to Villanova to finish their season.

3. 6/8/24 – Baseball – Kansas State @ UVa (Away Team per NCAA Rules) – Result: UVa 10-4

Playing for the right to go back to Omaha for the third time in four years, UVa once again turned to Jay Woolfolk to try and close out a pesky Kansas State team. Jay would go 6 ⅓ strong innings and the team would break open a close 5-4 game in the 9th inning by scoring five in the top half to take a 10-4 lead. Jacob Ference and Luke Hanson had the big hits in the 9th that accounted for the five runs. Chase Hungate would come out for his second inning of work in the 9th to close the door on the Wildcats and send Virginia back to Omaha.

Virginia would travel to Omaha where it would lose to ACC foes UNC (3-2) and FSU (7-3). While the pitching that struggled at times during the regular season showed up in the postseason, the historically strong bats remained mostly silent. Coach O’Connor’s contract has been extended to the 2031 season and the Hoos should remain in contention to get back to Omaha for years to come.

2. 5/19/24 – Men’s Lacrosse – UVa V. Johns Hopkins (Elite 8) – Result: UVa 11-10 (2OT)

In a rematch of a game that UVa had lost in the regular season 16-14 at home, UVa took on Johns Hopkins for a chance to go to the Final Four. UVa held Johns Hopkins scoreless for the last 23 minutes of game play and scored the final four goals to get the exciting comeback win 11-10. UVa Legend Connor Shellenberger would score the game winner in double overtime. It was quite the turn around for UVa, after trailing 4-0 only seven minutes in.

UVa would go on to a Final Four matchup against Maryland, another regular season rematch. Only this time, the flip flop result would go against the Hoos. After defeating Maryland in the regular season, the Terps would get their revenge with a dominating 12-6 win to advance to the National Championship Game.

1. 9/9/23 – Football – JMU @ UVa – Result: JMU 36-35

I know, it seems strange to have the number one game of the year as a loss to an in-state opponent, from a lesser conference at that, but this game wasn’t about the outcome. This game was about honoring the three young men that lost their lives tragically the previous November. In the first home game since that horrible night, UVa led most of the way, and appeared to be in control of the game, leading 35-24 with 12 minutes to play. However, a lightning storm resulted in a lengthy delay and a change in momentum for the two teams. JMU would score the final 12 points, including the go ahead TD with just under a minute to play, to win 36-35.

In a theme that would carry on throughout most of the year, the team showed a ton of heart, potential, and improvement, but in the end it resulted in a close loss. UVa would go on to finish the 2023 campaign with a 3-9 record.

What big wins or tough losses did I leave out? What was your favorite moment from last year’s Orange and Blue teams? With the 2023-24 seasons behind us, it’s about time to start making new memories. While the 2023-24 season led to many successes, here is to hoping for even greater success in 2024-25. GO HOOS!