By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Inside Memorial Gymnasium, the bleachers were pushed back and no fans were present Tuesday afternoon, but sounds echoed off the walls of the venerable venue anyway: shouts of joy after kills and service aces, words of encouragement after lost points, and thumps of well-struck balls.
Welcome to a University of Virginia volleyball practice.
“I think they’re always like this,” outside hitter Brooklyn Borum said. “We just get in every day and we go after it, whether it’s a slower practice where we’re working on skills that we can develop or a high-intensity practice, we’re always bringing energy, giving high-fives, making eye contact, just trying to build as much contact with each other that we can.”
The payoff has been impressive. In its fourth season under head coach Shannon Wells, UVA is 17-4 overall, its best record through 21 games since 2003. At 7-3 in ACC play, the Cavaliers have already posted their most conference wins since 2015. They’re 6-1 in five-set matches.
“This group just wants to get better,” Wells said, “and since the day I got here, I’ve never had to motivate them to get better.”
The Wahoos’ practice Tuesday typified their collective commitment, Wells said.
“We switched the teams up, so it wasn’t starters versus non-starters,” she said, “and so they’re just competing against each other. But this is our group. They love each other. They fight. They compete, with people flying all over the court. [Fans] see it on Friday and Sunday, but we do this every day.”
It’s a big weekend at Mem Gym‼️#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/NHhpGfWZOD
— Virginia Volleyball (@UVAVolleyball) October 31, 2024
This weekend brings two more opportunities for the Wahoos, who are tied with three other teams for fourth place in the ACC, to continue their ascent in the league. They’re hosting two nationally ranked teams at Mem Gym: No. 1 Pittsburgh (19-1, 9-1) at 7 p.m. Friday and No. 12 SMU (15-6, 7-3) at 2 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free for fans. Sunday’s match will air on ACC Network.
For Virginia, the keys this weekend will be embracing an underdog mentality and playing fearlessly, said Borum, who’s third on the team with kills (176), behind Elayna Duprey (225) and Abby Tadder (216).
“We’re playing the No. 1 team in the nation and another ranked team,” Borum said, “and they’re supposed to do things they’re going to do….