UVA and VT early commits?

I doubt they are finished with the 2011 class. Both schools lost players to the draft, and Virginia Tech lost their recruiting coach to Boston College. Perfect Game lists 8 commits for Virginia and 3 commits for VT. For Virginia, Nathaniel Abel (Haymarket, VA), Christian Binford (Hagerstown, MD), Derek Fisher (Rexmont, PA), Nicholas Howard (Olney, MD), Kevin Matthews (Richmond Hill, GA), Barrett O'Neill (Ashland, MD), Mike Papi (Tunkhannock, PA) and Kenny Towns (Burke, VA) are listed as 2011 commits including four pitchers, two outfielders and two middle infielders.

For VT, Beau Bowen (Indianpolis, IN), Brendon Hayden (Twin Lakes, WI) and Kyle Prats (Miami, FL) are listed as 2011 commits including a pitcher, corner infielder and outfielder.

Good luck. With Gambino's departure from Tech, suspect Virginia may be further along with their recruiting. They tend to recruit out of state first, and in state second. I am sure there are other commits that Perfect Game has not listed.

It may not be too late. PG lists 14 players in the top 500. Eight are already committed, including Jake Cave (LSU), Leland Clemmons (UNCC), TJ Costen (South Carolina), Matt Kianka (VCU), John McConnell (ASU) , Shawn Morimando (ECU), Nick Thompson (ECU) and Kevin White (South Carolina). The other six are not (according the dated list), including five pitchers - Nick Christopher (Dinwiddle), Deshorn Lake (Menchville), Joe McGillicuddy (Woodson), John McGillicuddy (Woodson) and David Spinosa (St. Anne Belfield). Some of those may have recently committed and shortened the list, but there are plenty of other arms out there if the schools are interested.

Obviously, two or three of the players will never see college, making room for others to attend college.

McGillicuddy boys have verbally committed to Marshall.

Thanks for the update bxbomber. Any words on the others?

Josh Sborz from McLean is a 2012 but made his decision to commit to UVA earlier this month.

Id expect this recruiting cycle to maybe be a rather tough one for VT with all of the recent turnover on their staff, but that program has come along nicely under Hughes the past two years. Hope they can keep it up!

Don't worry about VT! They will have a decent team next year. While VT lost two recruiters and several players, Coach Hughes is still the "head" recruiter and knows how to get it done and there were a number of talented players that did get much playing time this past year due to injury or being behind one of the kids drafted.

At least half of the drafted players from this year's team were never pg top anything before arriving at VT........

I agree and I look for Andrew Rash to have a break out year for Tech.

Philly Inquirer reports:

Mark Zagunis/Holy Cross-NJ/2011/Catcher/Virginia Tech

Tech will be fine, they have the pitching. When Turgeon was there he really didnot do much in development of the secondary pitchers, these are the guys who are now ready to step up and get this done, thats how you continue a successful program. The ones who were behind the ones that got drafted are not the ones who will make the difference it will be 2-3 incoming freshman and the catcher morgan. Rash will have a big year mixed in with Shaban & Smallings that will be the 3-4-5 guys, they will match up well with any others in the ACC. They will make the ACC tounament they will finish in the top 20again and they will continue to be over looked and under respected and will continue to have 3-5 players drafted, as far as PG rankings they really don't count for much, if you don't participate in any PG event or WWB then how will they rank you and the more events the better your rankings going up.Hughes has things in the right direction and all of his 2011 have committed and ready to be Hokie

A whole lot of good things have happened in Blacksburg, but when you lose your starting catcher and your entire weekend rotation in a single year, you have to expect a bit of regrouping to go on. So look for good things, but maybe not another top 25 ranking in 2011.

I think VT be ok at the catching position and will have some depth like they did last year. You may even see one or two of the catchers playing in the outfield or dh. They have some decent experienced pitching coming back with Zecchino, Fisher, Joyce and Mantiply. Plus I assume Labitan will be coming back from his injury, he threw a lot of ininings as a freshman 2 years ago. I am interested to see what Matt Blow does. If he has a big year the offense will put up a lot of runs as they will have at least two three legit power bats from the left side.

quote:

as far as PG rankings they really don't count for much, if you don't participate in any PG event or WWB then how will they rank you and the more events the better your rankings going up.

Cycle31,

Someone should ask coach Hughes if he thinks PG rankings are very accurate or if they're just based on how many PG events a player attends? We have known him for a long time (since Boston College days) and have great respect for him.

It gets old when people who don't have any idea say these things. We don't just scout PG events. A player would need to be completely unknown by nearly everyone for PG to ignore him. Truth is that well over 80% of those in college world series rosters were ranked by PG. Also close to 80% of all those drafted by MLB clubs. That doesn't mean that no player is ever missed.

Chris Lambert who Pete Hughes recruited to Boston College almost went unrecruited and was ready to give up on getting a baseball scholarship. He later became Boston Colleges first and only first rounder under Pete Hughes.

what other event does PG scout when you say the player would have to almost completely unknown for you guys to miss him?

Interesting question! Anyone who attended and watched the Eastern Regionals would certainly have different opinions and rankings about some of the players.

Cycle31 PG has scouts that see many HS players each year playing HS baseball. They have baseball contacts from coast to coast that provide them with very valuable information on players. They also attend many tourneys and showcase events each year. There are many players each year ranked that have never attended a PG event.

This is just one example. I called Jerry Ford to tell him about a 2007 RHP that played for me in HS. I told him the kid was for real and he needed to get someone out to see him. One week later we were playing at Roxboro Person HS and there were two men there that scout for PG. The next time the rankings came out this player was ranked. He never attended a PG event prior to this ranking. He was later drafted by Tampa.

I could give you many more instances of players being ranked by PG that never attended a PG event prior to being ranked and in fact some never attended a PG event period.

How credible would PG be if they only ranked players that attended their events? Most of the top players ranked have attended a PG event and its because most of the best players in the country every year attend a PG event. But the fact is they see many players that do not. And when they do see a player that deserves to be ranked they indeed are ranked.

There are scouts not affiliated with PG that constantly tell PG about players. There are college coaches not affiliated with PG that provide information on players all the time. There are HS coaches that do the exact same thing. And every travel team coach that has a player they believe should be ranked makes sure PG knows about them.

Do some guys fall in the cracks and get left out from time to time? Do some guys simply fly under the radar for certain reasons? Are some guys better than they are ranked? Of course this stuff happens. But its not because PG is not trying everything in their power to make sure the rankings are as accurate as possible and every kid deserving to be ranked is ranked. And if you have not seen a kid and no one has told you about a kid then its pretty hard to get a ranking on him. But those kids are few and far between.

If you know of a kid that deserves to be ranked in your opinion email PG and tell them about the kid. Give them some contacts to reach out to and ask about the player. Give them a scouts name that has seen the kid play. Give them the summer teams , HS coaches contact information.

I have no idea why anyone would want to think they dont want to get it right as they possibly can. The fact is they do.

First of all, I was writing the following when Coach May posted above. I really appreciate his support. However, it's amazing that we said the same thing in a different way. I don't know why I reply to these things, guess I tend to take things too seriously. It's been a long road!

Cycle31, pretty much every event out there that has a proven track record of having lots of talent.

This of course would include at the top, events like USA Baseball including TOS and Junior Olympics, East Coast Pro, Area Codes. PG has people in charge of every state. Also, we deal with the top teams from nearly every state. These programs tend to know most all the talent in their area. We also have a strong relationshipwith MLB Scouting Departments and most top DI recruiters.

Keep in mind that MLB scouts run the East Coast Pro. They are looking for the best talent in the eastern part of the country. The players they invite become somewhat of an unofficial list.

El gato, I haven't been following this very closely. Which Eastern Regional are you referring to? Anyone can have opinions, in fact, anyone can even have their own rankings. Some just have more credibility associated with them. Sometimes I think people believe that we just pull names out of a hat. Truth is we actually see more players than any scouting organization in baseball. Everyone is wrong at times, including us!

Of course, once talent is recognized we try hard to get that player to a PG event. That is why such a large percentage of the top players end up at PG or WWBA events.

Yes, we still miss some, but not many. People really need to see a large number of highest level players from everywhere in order to rank players. It should be obvious to anyone who follows this stuff that most who publish or post player rankings simply work off the PG list which is always first and proven to be the most accurate. We do the work (see and evaluate), they become experts (read and copy). One costs a fortune while the other way is very inexpensive. Pretty much use the same names, just switch them around a little to make it look different.

Even when we do make a mistake about a player, most all the others will somehow make the same mistake.

We are not perfect, our rankings change frequently. Someone we don't know about today, we could rank a top 100 player by tomorrow... Our opinions actually change over time, just like everyone else.

If there is a player who is a top prospect we might have missed, send us their name. We have the ability to check things out in a hurry.

quote:

At least half of the drafted players from this year's team were never pg top anything before arriving at VT........

Just to make it clear, my point is that Coach Hughes doesn't need to sign any of the last 5 remaiming PG top 500 players in VA to have a sucessful recruiting class.

I think all the players drafted from VT this past year do appear in the PG database and I think its fair to say that most of these players have improved a great deal over the last few years.

How does the 2010 VT class stack up in the PG data base

Cycle,

I looked at last year's Virginia Tech's roster on their website.

Here are links to the players we have reports on from there high school days, most having attended PG events.

Chris Kay
Michael Seaborn
Buddy Sosnoskie
Tony Balisteri
Tim Smalling
Luke Padgett
Marc Zecchino
Anthony Sosnoskie
Matthew Price
Danny Farris
Sean McDermott
Charlie McCann
Andrew Rash
Austin Wates
Jesse Hahn
Matt Blow
Justin Wright
Steve Domecus
Tyler Horan
Ben Rowan
Ronnie Shaban
Manny Martir
Kyle Cichy
Joe Parsons
Chad Morgan
Jake Joyce
Brent Zimmerman
Patrick Scoggin
Joe Mantiply
Clark Labitan

That's 30 players.

These are all files from when those players were in high school. Much of the scouting info is in the database and is confidential (available to college coaches and MLB scouts only.

Please don't ask for U of VA because it is an even bigger list.

impressive work.

thanks for your efforts

Interesting that VT has been able to attract so many transfers, even since the advent of the one-year sit-out rule.

I know the father of one of those transfers posts here at times, perhaps he could share why they made the move.

I also know that one of the players on that list above used to post here himself when he was in HS. Though we haven't heard from him in a while, I wish we could get his perspective, too.

Cycle31, in contrast to what VT has done with the 2011 in state class, they nabbed two of the top 500 (according to PG) in the 2010 class. They are Chad Pinder and Jake Joyce. Virginia nabbed two of the top 500 (Mitchell Shifflett and Austin Young), and Old Dominion (Cody Cox) and Richmond (Eric Mayers) nabbed one apiece.

In the 2011 class, only VCU has a top 500 in state commit (Matt Kianka). The other nine commits have gone out of state.

Eric Mayers actually ended up at VMI. He got a release from UR and then switched to VMI last spring.

Midlo Dad, thanks for the updated information. Still amazed at the statistical oddity. Six of the top 14 in state 2010 class are or will be attending in state schools, and, at this juncture, only one of the top 14 in state 2011 class will be attending an in state school.

Has anybody seen an official release from UVA or VT about their 2011 baseball commits? Perfect Game listed ten commits to UVA and six commits to VT. PG identified UVA's commits as Derek Fisher (PA), Kevin Matthews (GA), Mike Papi (PA), Nicholas Howard (MD), Barrett O'Neil (MA), Kenny Towns (VA), Brandon Downes (NJ), Christian Binford (MD), Nathaniel Abel (VA) and Nate Irving (NY). VT had Brandon Hayden (WI), Carson Helms (CT), Matt Snyder (NY), Kyle Prats (FL), Sean Keselica (NJ) and Beau Bowen (IN).

Not sure about VT, but UVa did not provide a release last year after the early signing period. A lot can happen over the winter and spring, including the MLB draft next June.

quote:

Has anybody seen an official release from UVA or VT about their 2011 baseball commits?

I don't think they are allowed to do this until the signing period closes and they verify that all the paperwork is in order.

Neat story about the Sosnoskie brothers who played for Winchester Post 21 back in 2005 and 2006.

Coach Hughes called Head Coach Jason Miller and wanted to see Buddy play during the summer of 2006. I believe it was Coach Hughes 1st summer with Va Tech.

Coach Hughes showed up in Winchester in mid June at James Wood High School after flying into Dulles from somewhere and liked what he saw in Buddy (2007 grad). Side note, his brother, Anthony (2006 grad) was making arrangements to go to (DII) Dominican up in New York on some type of scholarship.

To make a long story short after Anthony played extremely well in the Legion State tourney which was around Aug. 10-12th timeframe, some way, some how ... Va Tech got Anthony enrolled and accepted within less than 2 weeks as Momma Sosnoskie basically dropped him off with his bags and personal belongings without knowing where he was going to be sleeping at night.

If a school wants you bad enough, its amazing how fast they can make things happen.

True story about Anthony Sososkie but his career went south his senior year and his playing time went down. I've been told that Buddy transfered to Frances Marion because he did not like the way his brother was treated. Buddy was drafted by the Royals this year.

Question... For those who would know.

I take it "Buddy and "Merritt" Sosnoskie are the same person. Is that right? Merritt Sosnoskie
Anthony Sosnoskie

I believe that is correct.

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:
Question... For those who would know.

I take it "Buddy and "Merritt" Sosnoskie are the same person. Is that right? Merritt Sosnoskie
Anthony Sosnoskie

Yes, Buddy's proper 1st name is Merritt.

The perception is that Steve Domecus had a really solid year which affected Anthony's PT.

Somebody is keeping score/track of the commitments. PG has already ranked the top 100 baseball classes (subject to additional signings and the June baseball draft I presume). Read em and weep.

5 North Carolina
9 Florida State
12 Georgia Tech
18 Clemson
19 Virginia
21 NC State
32 Miami
40 Maryland
44 Boston College
54 Wake Forest
69 Duke
70 Virginia Tech

quote:

Somebody is keeping score/track of the commitments. PG has already ranked the top 100 baseball classes (subject to additional signings and the June baseball draft I presume). Read em and weep.

Who should be weeping?

Golfball,

I think that was aimed at Tech fans for having the lowest ranked 2011 class in the ACC--so far.

Your team has no need for tears.

Swampboy,
PG shows that Virginia Tech picked up six 2011 kids. Four of those are position players with only two being pitchers. I don't have access to the PG top 500 list but maybe there are more pitchers on the list than position players? If that's the case, maybe that's why they are farther down the list? That being said, I am very surprised Virginia Tech did not recruit any 2011 Virginia kids. There was certainly plenty of talent to be had here in-state. I only saw Tech at one of my son's summer team's games and that was at East Cobb. There was lot of talent on that team I thought would have been worth checking out. I'm not sure if they were at the Commonwealth Games in July.

A couple of reasons VT doesn't stay at home to recruit.
The entire coaching staff is not from Virginia. For that matter not from a border state either.
VT has almost as many JC transfers in each class as HS signees. They most be devoting some time and resources there.
JMO

VT recruits little to none in VA. 90% of the roster is from out of state and there are quite a few red-shirts. Pretty poor for a state school. I strongly suggest that VA players stop going to VT camps. They have no problem sending out email after email and cheap xeroxed fliers, but with only 7 Virginia residents on a 35 man roster, something needs to give or in our case, not give$$.

I'm not saying they do not have a succussful program, but UVA does quite well with 90% in-state players - just the opposite of VT. VT claims they cannot get the top players, truth is they don't even want them.

Send your kids to UVA and other VA camps that actually recruit our kids.

Before anyone goes off the deep end, please realize that PG's rankings use a point system, where points are awarded based on how highly ranked a given recruit is.

There is a flaw in this system, in that it rewards programs that recruit a lot of kids. Some programs only recruit a lot in years when they really need a lot. Others recruit a lot year after year and then cut players who're already there year after year, too.

If a program projects that it has only a handful of guys leaving at the end of the year, and if it is not one prone to cutting players already on the roster, then it may only recruit 5-7 guys in some years. With that number of recruits, you simply will not accumulate enough points to be listed among the top classes.

To answer the other question above, neither pitchers nor non-pitchers are weighted any differently just because of their positions. Though I think it's just a fact that by far, more of the top-ranked players are pitchers and more of the recruits are pitchers than any other position. But then again, most college rosters are at least 45% pitchers (or 2-way guys). So this is not a bias in the rankings, more a reflection of reality.

Another consideration is that both VT and UVA view themselves as national programs and as such, they recruit nationally. Neither would turn away an in-state guy they believed in, but in the end VA is only one of 50 states. There's a lot of competition out there.

But who knows what the future holds. Hughes replaced his pitching coach this year and then had to replace his other assistant when Gambino got the job at BC. The recruiters will have their own contact networks and while they will no doubt try to build on them and also network in VA, you'll probably see them continue to farm the contacts they have for VT.

One thing for sure, in a lot of travels all over VA and NC and down to East Cobb last summer, we just never saw anyone from VT. I think they had a bunch of early commits and got all they needed, and with no assistants to help him, I'm guessing Hughes' priority was likely on filling those positions first.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
Another consideration is that both VT and UVA view themselves as national programs and as such, they recruit nationally. Neither would turn away an in-state guy they believed in, but in the end VA is only one of 50 states. There's a lot of competition out there.

True. My point is UVA is successful with 90% of their signees from Virginia. While VT 8% of their signees are in state. My problem is that VT appears to disregard the players from the state that helps fund them. I would love to know if VT courted any of the recent UVA signees. Just curious.

quote:

I would love to know if VT courted any of the recent UVA signees. Just curious.

No, at least not one of them.

quote:

True. My point is UVA is successful with 90% of their signees from Virginia. While VT 8% of their signees are in state. My problem is that VT appears to disregard the players from the state that helps fund them. I would love to know if VT courted any of the recent UVA signees. Just curious.

Wow. What mathematics system are you using? On UVA's currently posted roster, there are 35 players, 20 of whom are from Virginia and 15 who are not from Virginia. That equates to 57% from Virginia and 43% who are not from Virginia. No where near the 90% from Virginia that you touted. As for the 2011 high school players, according to Perfect Game, UVA's has 10 in its recruiting class, 2 from Virginia and 8 (i.e. 80%) NOT from Virginia.

I guess my math is off but my assertions are not.VT does not seek VA players, even the best ones, i.e. Kenny Towns. So, I say to all those who think Coach Hughes is looking for some hometown talent, save your $$. VT is not VA baseball friendly.

No coach can have perfect knowldge of local players especially when staff members leave. VT looks for the players to fill thier needs, whether they are in CA or VA. SOmetime its impossible to get a VA kid eventhough the commonwealth cup resides in Blacksburg

From washington post:

quote:

STRIKE]The Hokies have a base of talented players. But unlike many of Virginia Tech's other sports programs, which target home-grown talent and try to recruit regionally, the Hokies took a broad recruiting sweep under Hughes. Virginia Tech has six players from California and others from Georgia, New Jersey and Florida.

In explaining his recruiting philosophy, Hughes pointed out four powerhouse programs within Virginia Tech's recruiting turf: Virginia, North Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina.

"We don’t beat those people in recruiting," Hughes said. "I can see all the Hokie alums going crazy over that, but they're funded differently, their facilities are different. The longer we stay in region when they’re funded differently, the more we’re going to play with their B-list recruits."

[/STRIKE]

I have heard Coach Hughes say that he cannot get VA players, yet he does not seek VA players. He says he can't compete, I'm not aware of his efforts. I have yet to see someone from his staff show up for VA showcase.

For years, even before Coach Hughes, we have seen Va. Tech at many of our events. In fact, we saw them last month in Florida. They work very hard.

Here is their roster (home state) all but two have played in PG events. Link is to the players PG web profile. It’s pretty much the same way at every major college in the country.

BTW, there is something that recruits from VA have in common with recruits from other states. Many have been competing with and against their teammates, at the same places, even before they got to College.

Chris Kay (GA) – PG Showcases. WWBA Georgia and Florida many times with East Cobb and Atlanta Blue Jays
Chris Kay
Clark Labitan (CA) – PG WWBA/Georgia two years with San Diego Show
Clark Labitan
Chad Pinder (VA) – Many PG WWBA events in Florida and Georgia with the Canes
Chad Pinder
Michael Seaborn (GA) – Many PG WWBA events in Georgia and Florida with East Cobb teams.
Michael Seaborn
Gabriel Ortiz (Panama) – PG WWBA in Georgia and Florida with All Star Baseball teams
Gabriel Ortiz
Tim Smalling (NC) – PG WWBA events in Georgia and Florida with Dirtbags
Tim Smalling
Manny Martir (FL) – PG WWBA Georgia with Jacksonville Stars
Manny Martir
Tony Balisteri (VA) – PG WWBA Georgia with Ohio Warhawks
Tony Balisteri
Mark Zecchino (NJ) – PG WWBA Georgia and Florida with Tri State Arsenal
Mark Zecchino
Jake Joyce (VA) – PG WWBA events in Georgia and Florida with Dirtbags
Jake Joyce
Danny Farris (CA) – PG WWBA events California
Danny Farris
Sean McDermott (MA) – PG NE
Sean McDermott
Jacob Atwell (AR) – PG WWBA events in Georgia and Florida with OK Boomtown Prospects
Jacob Atwell
Charlie McCann (VA) – PG and WWBA events NE, Georgia, Florida
Charlie McCann
Andrew Rash (SC) – PG WWBA events Georgia and Florida with Dirtbags
Andrew Rash
Colin O’Keefe(CT) – PG NE
Colin O'Keefe
Zach MacAneney (NC) – PG WWBA Georgia and Florida with Dirtbags
Zach MacAneney
Matt Blow (VA) – PG and WWBA in Georgia and Florida
Matt Blow
Richard Hodges (CT)– PG and WWBA NE, Georgia
Richard Hodges
Eddie Campbell (MA) – PG and WWBA events in NE, Georgia, Florida
Eddie Campbell
Tyler Horan (MA) – PG NE
Tyler Horan
Ronnie Shaban (VA) – PG WWBA Georgia and Florida
Ronnie Shaban
Scott Donley (IN) – PG WWBA Georgia with Indiana Bulls
Scott Donley
Kyle Cichy (NJ) – PG WWBA Georgia with Tri State Arsenal
Kyle Cichy
Joe Parsons (CA) – PG California
Joe Parsons
Chad Morgan (VA) – PH WWBA Georgia and Florida with Canes
Chad Morgan
Scott Heelan (IL) – PG WWBA Iowa, Georgia and Florida with Top Tier (Illinois)
Scott Heelan
Brent Zimmerman (FL) – PG WWBA events in Georgia and Florida
Brent Zimmerman
Patrick Scoggin (VA) – PG and WWBA events in Minnesota, Georgia, Florida
Patrick Scoggin
Joe Mantiply (VA) – PG WWBA Georgia and Florida with Canes
Joe Mantiply

quote:

From washington post:
[QUOTE]
In explaining his recruiting philosophy, Hughes pointed out four powerhouse programs within Virginia Tech's recruiting turf: Virginia, North Carolina, Clemson and South Carolina.

"We don’t beat those people in recruiting," Hughes said. "I can see all the Hokie alums going crazy over that, but they're funded differently, their facilities are different. The longer we stay in region when they’re funded differently, the more we’re going to play with their B-list recruits."

While I would certainly agree that the facilities at the four schools mentioned by Hughes are A-rated facilities, it doesn't appear to me that those same four schools, particularly the out-of-state schools, are grabbing all of the "A-list" recuits from Virginia.

Looking at the current rosters on the web sites (which are still the 2010 rosters in many instances), UNC has 1 player from Virginia, Univ of So Carolina 3, Clemson at least 1 (hometowns are not given) and UVA 20. As for the recruiting class that just signed, according to Perfect Game, UNC has 0 from Virginia, South Carolina 2, Clemson 0 and UVA 2. Hughes' argument that the competition for Virginia players from the four powerhouse programs is overwhelming does not hold water.

Interesting that in football, Tech is a national power, yet clearly recruiting successfully in Virginia is Job 1, and they pretty much get whichever kids they want.

I don't think it's terrible that VT didn't sign any Virginia kids, I was just surprised I didn't see them looking.

quote:

Originally posted by golfball:
I don't think it's terrible that VT didn't sign any Virginia kids, I was just surprised I didn't see them looking.

VT or George Mason...invisible...their choice...their methodology...but invisible in the NOVA area...

According to PG, the 2011 in state commits are as follows (listed in PG's order of ACC recruiting classes):

North Carolina - 12 in state, 6 out of state
Florida State - 13 in state, 3 out
Georgia Tech - 9 in state, 1 out
Clemson - 4 in state, 5 out
Virginia - 2 in state, 8 out
NC State - 8 in state, 3 out
Miami - 7 in state, 1 out
Maryland - 6 in state, 3 out
Boston College - 3 in state, 3 out
Wake Forest - 0 in state, 7 out
Duke - 0 in state, 7 out
Virginia Tech - 0 in state, 6 out

quote:

Originally posted by golfball:
I don't think it's terrible that VT didn't sign any Virginia kids, I was just surprised I didn't see them looking.

They are certainly free to seek whoever they want. My 2-bits: don't spend money on their camps. My issue is that it is a state school, intentionally avoiding in-state players. That's all. I'll bet you if they would actively go after the top players, they might be surprised to see the results.

quote:

VT or George Mason...invisible...their choice...their methodology...but invisible in the NOVA area

In George Mason's defense, we did see them a lot last spring and summer here in Northern Virginia and elsewhere.

And in VT's defense, it's not as if other ACC schools are raiding tons of Virginia talent.

According to the list El Gato posted, Florida and North Carolina produced at least 20 ACC players each this year, not counting the ones headed to other major programs.

For 2011, Virginia has so far produced only 2 players for the ACC and another 9 to other top tier programs (4 to ECU, 3 to South Carolina, 2 to Coastal Carolina, 1 to LSU). Of those, some probably didn't have the grades, and some probably wanted warm weather.

It's not as if there are vast herds of suitable in-state ACC-level talent that VT is ignoring.

Maybe there just isn't enough in-state talent to supply two elite programs.

quote:

Originally posted by golfball:

quote:

VT or George Mason...invisible...their choice...their methodology...but invisible in the NOVA area

In George Mason's defense, we did see them a lot last spring and summer here in Northern Virginia and elsewhere.

I have seen GM at a few events and individual games, just don't hear of much local contact or offers. I don't profess to know it all, but I do know quite a few of the NOVA 2011's that have signed and most of them never heard a word from GM....other than the "come to our camp" emails.

quote:

........ My issue is that it is a state school, intentionally avoiding in-state players. That's all. .......

Seriously?

quote:

Originally posted by Swampboy:
And in VT's defense, it's not as if other ACC schools are raiding tons of Virginia talent.

According to the list El Gato posted, Florida and North Carolina produced at least 20 ACC players each this year, not counting the ones headed to other major programs.

For 2011, Virginia has so far produced only 2 players for the ACC and another 9 to other top tier programs (4 to ECU, 3 to South Carolina, 2 to Coastal Carolina, 1 to LSU). Of those, some probably didn't have the grades, and some probably wanted warm weather.

It's not as if there are vast herds of suitable in-state ACC-level talent that VT is ignoring.

Maybe there just isn't enough in-state talent to supply two elite programs.

Of the 11 players, how many were pursued by VT?
I rest my case.

Yes. Seriously Mr California.

George Mason is an interesting NOVA point. Son received plenty of 'come to our camp' emails, but most schools don't give a second holler until a player also responds with interest.

George Mason is an interesting fit for local NOVA players who may not want to be that close to home at a growing school, so maybe Mason wasn't getting overwhelming response in "yes, you're my top choice" from the local boys.

Bit of a two way street?

member, as a fellow taxpayer, I sympathize with you, but I doubt any coach, in or outside of Virginia, recruits on the basis of residency. At least, I hope not. I mentioned a year ago that I thought UVA and VT were not acting quick enough to garner some of the top 2011 talent and suggested that they were either just too slow to make an offer or overplaying their hand(s). Whatever the reason, none of the top 10 2011 Virgina recruits (per PG website) are going to an in state school. Cave is headed to LSU, Beal and Costen to South Carolina, White to Michigan, Clemmons to UNNC, McGillicuddy and McConnell to Marshall and Morimando and Thompson to ECU. Only Deshorn Lake remains uncommitted. A year has passed since that posting, and the numbers are still appalling. Maybe next year will be different?

quote:

Originally posted by ...:

Of the 11 players, how many were pursued by VT?
I rest my case.

Your summation is a question whose answer we cannot know, so I think you rested your case without proving it.

I imagine that 11 would start to shrink if you subtract anyone not academically qualified (we don't know who that might be), guys who committed real early, and guys whose hearts were set on other schools.

The population of qualified in-state prospects who would have met their needs and been responsive to recruiting overtures appears to be very small this year, maybe just a handful or so. Not a big enough sample to make the sweeping conclusion that VT doesn't want local talent. And we do have to give them some slack for having to deal with coaching staff turnover.

Nate Hoffa, a 2010 RHP out of Manassas Park H.S. is at George Mason.

Garrett Marin, a 2009 RHP out of Colonial Forge is there as well...

Va Tech's current roster has 12 kids from Virginia High Schools.

U of Va. has 20 from Virginia.

Then if you count up the number of kids from Virginia going to other Virginia DIs, you have a lot of Virginia HS players at those DIs.

Then as in many states the very top recruits from Virginia are recruited by other top DIs nationally.

I would think that Tech in order to compete in the conference needs the very best talent possible no matter what state the players come from.

That said, I'm sure they would love to get players like Cave from their home state. But Cave is going to LSU.

Virginia is a top baseball state, but like some of the other top states the talent level (at least ACC/SEC type talent) will differ from one year to the next. And the very best will continue to be recruited by national powerhouses. Of course, U of Virginia is now one of those national powerhouse programs.

Even if someone thought Va Tech was ignoring players in their home state, which players are they ignoring. If they feel the player is good enough, why on earth would they ignore him? Maybe rather than ignoring anyone they are simply doing what they feel is neccessary to compete at the level they play.

Now why would they not want local talent? Why wouldn't Va Tech want the best players they could possibly get? Maybe they go outside their area because they feel they have to in order to compete in the ACC? The state of VA is loaded with outstanding talent. That means the power programs are going to work very hard to cherry pick the best players from VA every year. Va Tech is not just competing with UVA for players in the state of NC. They are competing against the other programs in the ACC and SEC as well. And in some cases other major conferences. Not to mention ECU which has made it very clear they are going to recruit and recruit hard in the state of VA.

Va Tech is not going to compete for the ACC championship with mid major talent. If they can't get the top players from Va the ones they believe can help them compete for the ACC then they have to go outside the state and bring in players they feel can allow them to do just that. With the top players in Va playing the showcase circuit and spending so much time in front of the coaches at these other schools its no wonder you see them ending up at So Car, LSU, ECU, etc etc. These schools know the talent level in the state of VA. And they ID them early and they get on them early.

Check out Coastal Carolina's roster. They have to compete in state with So Car and Clemson for the top players in SC as well as other SEC school and ACC schools. They have built a national power in the much the same way that Va Tech is attempting to build their program. You can bet if they believe you are good enough to help them win in the ACC they won't pass you up because your from VA. But there not going to load up their roster with a team from VA that they dont believe can compete for a championship in the ACC just so they can say they have a roster full of VA players. Why should they?

Coach May is correct again. VT had targetd many of the Top 2011's from VA but, IMO, they couldn't compete with the facilities/programs of UVA, USC and ECU. Heck, until last fall, they didn't even have an indoor hitting facility.

IMO, they are building their program similar to Coastal. In time, as they establish themselves as ACC contenders, they will get the top VA talent. I know they are very heavy on many of the top 2012's in VA.

As for the excuse that VT can not compete on the recruiting scene with elite programs due to lack of facilities, weather. etc..., hopefully those thoughts aren't in the minds of the VT staff. That excuse may be valid in other states, but that should NEVER be the case in Virginia. With likely
the largest alumni/fan base in the state, it just stands to reason that many of these top Virginia players are the offspring of Hokies or Hokie
fans, have been rooting for them from a very young age, and would LOVE an opportunity to represent the Hokies. For that reason alone VT should make a concerted effort to sign EVERY top prospect in Virginia... and that mentality is a big reason why the football team has been so successful

Chris I have a hard time believeing that the staff at Va Tech is not indeed trying to get the best players, period. And I know for a fact they work very very hard at recruiting. Why would they not want to get the very best they can get from Va? If they are players they believe are Va Tech guys and can help them win of course they are going to go after them. When you are competing against other schools for the same players there are many things that come into play. And facilities ranks up there on the list. When a program brings in a player that has choices he is weighing several things in his decision. Facilities , school , campus , coaches , location , prestige of the program , recent success , who is on the roster , who is going to be on the roster , who has been on the roster , etc etc.

UVA going to the CWS , upgrades in the facilites , success of their players , etc etc has given them an advantage. Heck ECU's ability to recruit jumped big time as soon as they opened their new facility. Some instate players would not even look at ECU started as soon as they saw that facility they built. Its two fold as well. Its nice. And its shows the player that the school and program are serious about their baseball. Va Tech is on the right track there is no doubt. They recruit a certain type of player. Much like CC does. Hard nosed kids that want to be at Va Tech and not because they couldnt get an offer from Va or NC.

Va Tech would love to get the top players from Va. They ID the kids they believe are Va Tech guys. If they cant get those guys they dont settle for Mid Major talent in Va instead of going out of state for players they believe are Va Tech players. Your not going to compete in the ACC by signing Virginia players that are not ACC caliber players just so you can say you stay in state. Their recent success says they have it right. I can tell you that many of the players I have coached seriously consider Va Tech. And a couple are there now. But if NC offers them they are not going to turn that down to attend Va Tech. When Va Teach reaches the point where kids are turning down the Virginias of the college baseball world to attend Va Tech more top level players from Va will be on their roster.

I am not suggesting in any way you feel this way. But there are many people who say "Va Tech doesn't recruit in state talent" when in fact the problem is "Va Tech didnt recruit my son and went out of state to get a player he is just as good as or better." Its a sour grapes complaint imo. To suggest that Va Tech would pass on a player they believed could help them win that was from their own back yard simply because they dont recruit Va players is ridiculous. Do they miss on some home grown guys that could play for them? I have no doubt. And every program does imo.

Coach May- Perhaps you misinterpreted the point of my post. I am not complaining one way or the other about Tech's recruiting practices...just that I'm tired of hearing excuses. Your points are valid, but they also have inherent advantages to getting instate talent,

However, from the numerous posts about the subject, many feel there could be improvement as to recruiting instate talent and that is something that should throw up a red flag to the coaching staff because truth or not, that is not a perception that they want out there

From a strictly personal perspective, for whatever reason (lack of need at that position perhaps), Tech did not recruit my son. All worked out for the best though and both he and I have absolutely no regrets as to where he ended up...oh, and better facilities is near the bottom of the list of reasons why

Chris Taylor,

I could not agree anymore with your posts.

It is amazing how the baseball coaches are oblivious to the recruiting power of the Hokie nation.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach_May:

UVA going to the CWS , upgrades in the facilites , success of their players , etc etc has given them an advantage.
Va Tech would love to get the top players from Va. They ID the kids they believe are Va Tech guys. If they cant get those guys they dont settle for Mid Major talent in Va instead of going out of state for players they believe are Va Tech players. Your not going to compete in the ACC by signing Virginia players that are not ACC caliber players just so you can say you stay in state. Their recent success says they have it right. I can tell you that many of the players I have coached seriously consider Va Tech. And a couple are there now. But if NC offers them they are not going to turn that down to attend Va Tech. When Va Teach reaches the point where kids are turning down the Virginias of the college baseball world to attend Va Tech more top level players from Va will be on their roster.

Ok so I instigated this discussion. Here is something to consider, who got UVA to CWS? VA players.

Whether true or an incredible misconception by parents and players in VA, many do not feel the love from the VT baseball program. Absent from showcases, and more importantly from at least courting D! prospects...

Tech may identify players, but they are not doing a very good job reaching out to them. Maybe it is a defeatest attitude, I don't know. I know Hughes states at camps and publicly he can't get the top recurits - this is before he even tries to contact them. I know for a fact UVA recruits could have been swayed if Hughes reached out. Maybe he didn't want them for a position, and it worked out for the best for UVA and player, but, to continue this charade that the kids don't have the grades, or facilities are not up to par is false. Hughes never tried or he just doesn't want them, which is an interesting philosophy to say the least.

Chris Taylor/Coach May - Great debate, thank you both. Just to throw my fuel in the fire.... Coach Hughes said at camp "no walk ons and 25% min $$" Doesn't 25% out-of-state tuition take a much bigger bite out of his budget than in-state tuition or is there some accrual accounting magic that walks it off?

Nice discussion going here, and as a Hokie, I can't imagine anyone NOT wanting to go to Tech.

My guys are out of college now, but with the staff before Coach Hughes, there was a definite perception that Tech didn't knock itself out to recruit in state. Upon what was that based? Tech showed up at the Commonwealth Games, but at other in state showcase events and tournaments, they were rarely if ever present. The typical roster had very few Virginia kids.

It seems to be changing, and I'd love to see to the Hokies get to the point in baseball where they are in football, but it will take more time. Hokie basketball just achieved a top 15 recruiting class, perhaps not coincidentally just when they open the taj mahal of practice facilities, and their new football locker room is just decadent. Tech's facilities are pretty nice IMHO and the campus atmosphere is second to none. If they can build a string of NCAA appearances (they finally got to the ACC tournament last year), they'll be well on their way.

Perhaps if Mr. Grisham had a grandson that would like to be a Hokie, their facilities could really go over the top....

No one would ever guess from this discussion that VT was a 40-win team that won two games at its NCAA regional before being eliminated by the eventual national champions.

I could understand the hand wringing and finger pointing if Tech baseball was going downhill, but from this outsider's perspective the coach appears to be doing a good job.

Based on Redbird5's comment, it looks like they did go after the top in-state talent then looked elsewhere rather than settle for the in-state talent that remained. Isn't that what they're supposed to do?

Still haven't seen an answer to PG Staff's question about which 2011 Virginia players VT should have gone after but ignored.

Some of the perception may be the head coaches leaving campus to watch players in Virginia and some of the results (re “landing” Virginia players) may be the aggressiveness or timing in making a decision on players. Having attended over 40 team showcases / tournaments in the past few years (in VA, NC, SC, GA and FL), I have been surprised at the frequency with which I have seen head coaches Tanner (South Carolina) and Godwin (ECU) at them. Both also have personally come to Hampton Roads to recruit. I perceive, from talking with Virginia players who are going to both programs, that both of those programs make decisions and act on players fairly quickly. I have never seen Hughes at an event off the Virginia Tech campus. Virginia Tech’s assistant coaches (Gambino and Turgeon), however, were observed at a number of events, including in Hampton Roads on at least two occasions in the past couple of years, once to watch a high school football game in which Cave was playing and once to watch an Eastern Regional playoff game.

quote:

Originally posted by ...:

Ok so I instigated this discussion. Here is something to consider, who got UVA to CWS? VA players.

If you're going to make ridiculous arguments, at least mix in a fact or two. Yes, UVA got a ton of production from Virginia players in their CWS run.

But, do these names ring a bell for you? Phil Gosselin (PA), Tyler Cannon (TN), Steven Proscia (NY), Dan Grovatt (NJ), Franco Valdes (FL). Those are just the position players. Pitchers would include Danny Hultzen (MD), Kevin Arico (NJ), Matt Packer (TN). That's over half of their starting lineup, their Friday starter, their closer, and their #1 lefty out of the pen. UVA gets plenty of production from outside of Virginia.

Also, add in Bruno, Kline, Winiarski, and others from the 2010 season and they do plenty of recruiting outside the commonwealth. Like I said, mix in an occasional fact, rather than just popping off constanly with mindless cr@p.

quote:

Yes, UVA got a ton of production from Virginia players in their CWS run.

exactly. Thanks! 18 from VA 2009!

No need to be uncivil. Apparently I'm not the only one to come to the same conclusion. So, you can call it a "ridiculus argument" (I prefer discussion) all you want but it seems to some of us it is our experience. Furthermore, I never said these schools do not look outside of VA, which what you are implying - that is ridiculus. Of course they do, why wouldn't they?

I believe WB had some very valid points. I too have never seen Hughes off campus, but I have not been to every event. Perhaps VT is too late to the party in trying to secure the recruits, which is a shame.

My impression is that the UVA-VT baseball recruiting situation is very much as it is in baseball, though in reverse. Right now one of UVA football's big problems is that VT is scooping up all the top in-state players. In baseball, the shoe would be on the other foot, at least to the extent there are VA kids perceived as ACC caliber.

That's not to say you don't get your share of top guys at VT. Wake's then-recruiter asked me at one time if I knew of a 2008 3B type with an elite bat and I tried like heck to get him to go after Ronnie Shaban, to no avail. All I got out of that was an I-told-you-so.

I think VT has progressed from being a perennial bottom half of the ACC team to being a team that will have as many upper half years as bottom half years. If I had to guess, I'd say this would be a year when VT might struggle to make the ACC tourney. UVA, in contrast, seems to have firmly planted itself at the top of the conference standings for the foreseeable future. But sometimes things change unexpectedly, so don't put too much stock in such things based on what you see at any particular moment in time.

There are some programs who are very reluctant to get into the ever-accelerating recruiting time table, preferring to let kids mature a bit more before laying their budget on the line for them. I see wisdom in that, but unfortunately I think in VT's case they have been late to the fire on some kids. Some revision in their approach may be in order. It'll be interesting to see what the new assistants bring to the approach, since making all those recruiting trips is quite often their chore. (And BTW, some of those head coaches you saw from other schools didn't want to be out on the road themselves, but they had assistant positions vacant at the time. But it's a fair point that Hughes was not seen much this past summer.)

Dot-man,

There's a big difference between Midlo Dad's thoughtful comments about VT's overall situation and your less responsible assertion that VT is deliberately overlooking in-state prospects.

Still waiting for examples of 2011 ACC-caliber Virginia players whom VT ignored because they're in-staters. Can you back it up?

quote:

Still waiting for examples of 2011 ACC-caliber Virginia players whom VT ignored because they're in-staters. Can you back it up?

I'm not sure it would be a good idea to post any names. I'd hate to see a kid get picked apart about whether he is or is not ACC worthy. I'm sure that is not your intention, but it could happen.

According to PG's rankings, of the top 10 2011 VA players, none are going to any Virginia colleges.

2 are going to East Carolina, 2 are going to South Carolina, 2 are going to Marshall, and 1 each to UNC-Charlotte, LSU and Michigan. 1 is not committed for what I suspect might be academic reasons, given that this player is new to the United States and that always puts a kid behind the 8 ball academically.

In the 2012 class, there are 4 listed early commitments, 2 to UVA and 1 each to ECU and UNC (Chapel Hill).

There is another factor at work here that bears mentioning. [Note: Prior comment here deleted, to remove apparently erronneous information.] At Clemson (and I think also at So. Car., but correct me if I'm wrong), any out-of-state student (athlete or not) gets the in-state rate if they were in the top 10% of their high school classes or something like that.

Because SC subsidize their universities more than we do here in VA, the fact is that these schools can make themselves more affordable to our players than our own VA schools can. Put another way, our VA colleges would have to offer a higher % to a player to get his bottom line to a comparable figure.

These are factors beyond the baseball coaches' control. Sure, they pitch their schools and brag that each is better than anything SC could offer, and I tend to agree, but you can't argue with the fact that for some families, a few thousand dollars per year here and there adds up to a big impact on the family finances.

That being said, the sudden interest in Marshall has caught me by surprise. My parents both went there -- met there in fact -- so I owe my very existence to that place. But I don't recall ever seeing it as a popular baseball destination for a VA player until this year.

Marshall was very aggressive recruiting in Virginia this summer.

And if you look down PG's list of top 2011 Virginia players, you will find #12 John McGillicuddy. Yes, Joe's brother. Both are committed to Marshall, increasing Marshall's haul of the top 12 2011 Virginia players to 3 (or 25%). Not bad for the Thundering Herd!

Any information on the other states? Looking at the (public) ACC schools, 90% of Georgia Tech's 2011 class is in state, FSU - 81%, NC State - 72%, UNC - 66%, MD - 66%, Clemson - 44%, UVA - 25% and VT - 0% (rounding down). No, that is not a slam against UVA or VT, just an observation.

Georgia and Florida also offer tremendous incentives for solid students to attend state universities. One has Bright Futures and the other has Hope Scholarships, I forget which is which. But between those financial considerations and the ready availability of oodles of well developed baseball talent in those states, you can see where UF, FSU, UGA and GT would have little reason to look out of state except to land the exceptional recruit here and there.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:

There is another factor at work here that bears mentioning. At least for the time being, and pending action by the NC state legislature, any student receiving partial athletic scholarship money from an NC state-supported university gets the in-state tuition rate.

Midlo, Please provide the support for your assertion above. Having not heard that policy from any North Carolina baseball coach with whom I had spoken in the past (and I would think that would have been something a coach would tout), I searched the North Carolina code. I could find no support for the statement. I also emailed a coach at one of the North Carolina D1 programs on the subject. His response, in part, "NC nonresident athletes on any scholarship are considered out of state and are
paying out of state tuition. There was a law in place for the past 4 years that if an athlete, from out of state, was on a full scholarship, the budget of the institution would only be charged in state tuition. This law was removed last year. . . . If there is a rule that we can roll them to in-state, I would love to be able to do that for our guys."

For what it's worth (not sure if the rules are the same for all sports) my niece, VA resident, was offered a scholarship to play volleyball at UNC-Wilmington. My understanding is that UNCW could only offer her scholarship money up to the in-state rate.

quote:

Originally posted by golfball:


I'm not sure it would be a good idea to post any names. I'd hate to see a kid get picked apart about whether he is or is not ACC worthy. I'm sure that is not your intention, but it could happen.

Golfball,
You're right. I certainly do not want this to degrade into a discussion of which individual players are ACC worthy. My point was that if ACC-worthy players are being systematically ignored by VT, other ACC or elite conference schools would swoop in to take advantage of the market inefficiency, and we'd be hearing stories about kids landing at those schools after failing to get their calls returned by UVA and VT. That's just not happening.

As far as El Gato's stats, I'm not sure what he thinks they prove. They basically reflect the fact that players generally play in their home state or somewhere south of their home state. Well, duh. And since so many of Virginia's best travel teams spend so much time in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida, it's not surprising that many of their best players attend schools in those states. Whatever the stats show, they certainly do not show that VT and UVA don't want the best Virginia players.

quote:

rs attend schools in those states. Whatever the stats show, they certainly do not show that VT and UVA don't want the best Virginia players.

The discussion excludes UVA - they do recurit actively in VA. I and others can attest to to it as can Golf.

I think Golfball is spot-on about ACC recruits vs. non. No need to get into a who is who isn't.

WB, that aspect is actually something that was reported here multiple times before, so I have relied upon those reports.

I actually previously inquired as to whether it was just internal budgeting -- i.e., a way to make the football and basketball teams appear less expensive on paper -- and was assured not. In fact I think the published debates on the bill in the legislature indicated that, in the current tight budget times, one of the objections to the current law was that it essentially used NC taxpayer money to benefit non-NC students.

Perhaps someone here who has a son active on a typical partial ride at an NC school can clarify.

I'll also ask someone else I know who should be able to set me straight. If I've been misinformed on this, I do want to get it right -- as opposed to contributing to the spread of the erronneous info.

Midlo, I am sure that the D1 coach who provided an email response, and who is and has been coaching at one of the UNC's for almost 10 years, will be very interested if you provide a supported answer contrary to his.

The info I had gotten was from parents of players who'd been through the process. But I'll admit they were families that ultimately chose other options. So it's also possible that the rule has changed in recent years.

I'm checking now to see how some kids who've committed recently have had their deals set up. Not going to get into anyone's personal business, just to see whether their net bill will be based on the in-state or out-of-state rate.

I do take your input seriously and I definitely want to make sure I've got it right. If I find out the above comments were wrong I'll do a mea culpa here.

The information I have received from coaches is very similar to that of WB.

Coach May you have a PM

Found this with a Google search:

Session 2009-2010 Legislative Changes- University System and Community Colleges

Athletic Scholarships – G.S. 116-143.6(a) has been amended (S.L. 2010-31, Sec. 9.25) to repeal eligibility for out-of-state students on full athletic scholarships to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes.

Apparently the repeal went through last winter when I wasn't looking. I had heard of the effort to repeal but had not heard of that bill going through. Though an interesting point is that this note refers only to those on full rides. If this implies that the rule never applied to those on partial rides, then I'm afraid I've spent a few years misinformed.

More info:

http://www.ehow.com/list_71817..._state-athletes.html

Apparently the law changed in late June. But as best I can tell, the law previously only applied to athletes on full rides (without being limited by sport). As we all know, true full rides are very, very rare in baseball. So to the extent we've had information on this board before suggesting that partial ride players would also benefit, as best I can tell at this point that was in error. It appears that the main point of the prior law was to help the schools' athletic programs fund raising arms by having the state budget underwrite the differences in tuition rates, whereas now the athletics boosters will have to come up wtih the extra money themselves. That is, it was a back-door subsidy to the booster groups.

The former law referenced "full scholarships," but one thing is I cannot find a definition to see if that meant all expenses, or just tuition and fees but not room and board. If it referred to just the tuition and fees part, that's the only way I could see that maybe some on this board had heard of or experienced benefit from the prior law.

I would appreciate any parent of an out-of-state NC player chiming in with personal experience, just to clear up the history. Because some of the articles I've read indicate that the change in the law was viewed as burdensome to the student-athletes. If the law only applied to true full rides in the first place, then I don't see how the players or their families would've known the difference between getting their education funded by the state of NC or by the booster groups. A zero bill looks the same either way.

But whatever the law used to be, one thing's for sure, it ain't there no more. And if any families were benefiting from it before, they got a jolt in this year's net bills that came due in August.

My NC coaching source had aslo stated in his email response to my inquiry: "That law saved our athletic department in the neighborhood of $250,000 per year. We, as a baseball program, did not have any of our athletes on a full scholarship and we did not participate in any way with the tuition waiver. We did see benefits from the athletic department saving money in our s****r, volleyball, and basketball programs." Interesting that he did not mention football where the scholarships would be full. Perhaps the accounting savings for football was not shared with the other sports.

I would think that by no longer having an accounting subsidy for the out-of-state players, the NC resident athletes should look more attractive to the NC state supported institutions.

Tim Kelly, 2012 RHP/OF at York HS, verbals to VT.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
Tim Kelly, 2012 RHP/OF at York HS, verbals to VT.

Good News!

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
Tim Kelly, 2012 RHP/OF at York HS, verbals to VT.

redbird,

Are you sure about that? Because I thought VT didn't recruit in Virginia...