Cavalier Circle
Meaningful, lasting relationships, bolstered by shared understanding and experience.
The demands and pressures on today's student-athletes are many: go to class, go to practice, pass the test, win the game, be a good teammate, be a good role model, call your mom, learn your playbook, do your laundry, brush off the bad play, push your body to the limit, meet with the professor, get your lift in, write the paper, get the treatment, watch the film, figure out what you're gonna do with your life when you graduate. And the list goes on...
But, it's largely the same stuff now as it was then. And it's in these moments where the wisdom that comes from experience and perspective proves itself invaluable.
The Cavalier Circle mentoring program exists to guide our current players in their personal and professional development via "walk-thru-life" relationships with former players who have walked similar miles in similar shoes. What began in 2023 with 25 mentor/mentee pairings in the pilot has extended to 100+ alums matched with every single player.
M.Ed. '23
Florence, KY
Kam Butler
“I think it’s a great idea, especially for young guys to just kind of look up to someone that’s been in their shoes or is in the area, or has done what they aspiring to do,” Butler said. “I think it’s really beneficial for those guys. I think it’s beneficial for everyone, really, even the older guys and sixth-year, fifth-year seniors. I think it’s cool that you learn about some of the history of this football program and this university through former players as well.”
CLAS '87
Charlottesville, VA
Antonio Rice
“[The Pollards] were my sponsor family, and they wrote the book in terms of how they treated me and how they, I guess you could say, mentored me... When you come to school, you want to go to class, you want to do well, you want to help the graduation rate, and you want to play ball, and then everything else is just noise. The Pollards did a wonderful job of saying, when it was too noisy and there were things that I couldn’t control, ‘Hey, why don’t you come over to dinner?’ Or they would make cookies or brownies. Whatever it was, it just gave me a chance to block out all the noise that didn’t matter and be at peace."
Head Coach
Tony Elliott
"Football is a brotherhood, and when you look at a place like this and all of the great players and great teammates that have come through here and the passion that they have for this place, it never dies. So this is a great way for the former guys to be able to stay connected to the program... And for the current players, I want them to have somebody that they can reach out to that’s walked where they walk, lived where they live, been through the Virginia experience."
Foreign Affairs '25
Charlottesville, VA
Jonas Sanker
"What I enjoy most about [William Frazier '85] is that he’s a really good listener. He gives his own feedback, but it feels like I’m having a personal conversation. It doesn’t feel like I’m just talking to someone who’s old or can’t really relate to me. I feel like there’s a lot we can relate to with each other... For the mentors, it’s good for them to be able to have an opportunity to come back and find a way to be involved."
The Circle begins when a player arrives on Grounds and gets paired with a mentor. Year One.
Those relationships deepen over the subsequent years as the player navigates college, football, and life. Conversations are had, meals are shared, families are introduced, connections to other alumni are made, discernment is discerned. All the while the iron is being mutually sharpened as both sides give and receive.
And though the formal commitment is fulfilled when the student-athlete walks the Lawn at graduation, it never really ends. The inter-generational friendships continue to grow, The mentee keeps following the circle, gains his own wisdom in the world, and, in time, becomes the mentor.
Rinse and repeat.
How it works
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9 - MBAs
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6 - lawyers
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1 - nuclear engineer
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34 - advanced degrees
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14 - Business / Finance majors
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7 - Foreign Affairs majors
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114 - participating mentors
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18 - represented states
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74 - proud Virginians
By the numbers
James Jackson
Charlottesville, VA
Bob Armour '88
Stevie Bracey
Falls Church, VA
Melchior Baltazar '83
Donavon Platt
Falls Church, VA
Melchior Baltazar '83
Benjamin York
Seaford, VA
Brad Barnes '00
Hunter Osborne
Charlottesville, VA
Mike Battle '87
Armstrong Jones
Baltimore, MD
Kofi Bawuah '00
Tekai Kirby
Richmond, VA
Quin Blanding '18
Cazeem Moore
Washington, DC
Anthony Bolling '87
Landon Danley
Wexford, PA
Donald Bryant '89
Jam Jackson
Burtonsville, MD
Adrian Burnim '99
Logan Kotter
Aiken, SC
Tom Burns '95
Kenan Johnson
Richmond, VA
Robert Call '80
Tyleric Coleman
Charlottesville, VA
Anthony Calloway '17
Maddox Marcellus
Salem, VA
Vic Cardwell '83
Isaiah Reese
Centreville, MD
Kelly Caulk '88
Monroe Mills
Richmond, VA
Ryan Childress '03
Gabe Sneed
Vienna, VA
Thurston Childrey '07
Bryce Robinson
Richmond, VA
James Coleman '16
Elijah Slybeck
Richmond, VA
Lester Coleman '18
Grayson Reid
Mechanicsville, VA
Paul Collins '90
Jacob Tennenbaumm
Roanoke, VA
Nick Conte '17
Jayden Thomas
Centreville, VA
Tim Conway '89
Antonio Clary
Keswick, VA
Bill Curry, Jr '93
Dane Steele
Keswick, VA
Bill Curry, Jr '93
Brady Wilson
Keswick, VA
Bill Curry, Jr '93
Justin Rowe
New York, NY
Nat Cutler '13
Alex Reisig
Richmond, VA
Connor Davis '14
Cole Geer
Dallas, TX
Scott Deke '08
Wallace Unamba
Roanoke, VA
Walter Derey '97
Lucas Sankar
Charlottesville, VA
Jay Dorsey '04
Chase Morrison
Charlottesville, VA
Jack English '18
Sage Ennis
Charlottesville, VA
Patrick Estes '04
Houston Curry
Charlottesville, VA
David Fairbrothers '07
Jordan Robinson
Richmond, VA
Bart Farinholt '84
Daniel Rickert
Fairfax, VA
John Fetsko '87
Eli Wood
Columbia, MD
Tim Finkelston '89
Corey Costner
Reston, VA
William Frazier, Jr '85
Josiah Persinger
Reston, VA
William Frazier, Jr '85
Willem Thurber
Charlottesville, VA
Ian Frye '15
Trey Mcdonald
Dallas, TX
Matt Gahm '21
Montino Williams
Washington, DC
Chris Galloway '92
Owen Gardner
Ellicott City, MD
Paul Glagola '95
Bjorn Jurgensen
Vienna, VA
Doug Glagola '90
Will Rosen
Charlottesville, VA
Bob Goss '73
Will Bettridge
Richmond, VA
Noah Greenbaum '07
Ja'maric Morris
Chantilly, VA
Scott Griese '92
Daniel Kaelin
Gainesville, VA
Jack Gruninger '90
Noah Hartsoe
Export, PA
Joe Gulaskey '82
Jack Witmer
Keswick, VA
Dean Hackemer '87
Mitchell Melton
Charlottesville, VA
Joe Hall '90
Ethan Minter
Radford, VA
Daniel Hamm '17
John Sichan
Ashland, VA
Eli Hanback '19
Christian Charles
Charlottesville, VA
Ahmad Hawkins '01
Davis Lane Jr
Haymarket, VA
Ron Henderson '89
Grant Ellinger
Keswick, VA
Jim Horn '87
Jacob Holmes
Newport News, VA
Robert Hunt '99
Jon Adair
Waynesboro, VA
Jim Hyson '83
Dre Walker
Bluefield, WV
Yubrenal Isabelle '04
Anthony Britton
Lynchburg, VA
Butch Jefferson '03
Claiborne Richards
Charlottesville, VA
Joe Jenkins '77
Emmanuel Karnley
Richmond, VA
Skeet Jones '95
Hayden Rollison
Alexandria, VA
Walter Kulp '91
Noah Josey
Raleigh, NC
Mark Langdon '87
Walker Wallace
McLean, VA
Matt Link '97
Trell Harris
Hampton, VA
Paul London '95
Kam Courtney
Charlottesville, VA
Kase Luzar '03
Henry Omohundro
Charlottesville, VA
Chris Luzar '01
Josiah Abdullah
Richmond, VA
Nate Lyles '08
Devin Neal
Richmond, VA
Nate Lyles '08
Grady Brosterhous
Charlotte, NC
Chip Mark '79
Jason Hammond
Virginia Beach, VA
Scott Matheson '86
Daniel Sparks
Lynchburg, VA
Ford Mays '81
Terell Jones
Henrico, VA
Geoff McDonald '86
Caleb Hardy
Lexington, KY
Chase Minnifield '11
Drake Metcalf
Chester Springs, PA
Michael Mooney '16
Kevon Gray
Decatur, GA
Mario Moore '07
Dane Wleklinski
Charlottesville, VA
Tim Morris '90
Fisher Carmac
Clayton, NC
Mike Mullins '02
Billy Koudelka
Charlotte, NC
Craig Murden '88
David Wohlabaugh Jr
Charleston, SC
Brian Musselman '81
Miles Brown
Richmond, VA
Ken Newsome '81
Keke Adams
Charlottesville, VA
Tra Nicholson '15
Boone Lourd
Midlothian, VA
Buddy Omohundro '92
Isaiah Robinson
Marietta, GA
Brian Owen '99
Cayden Cook-Cash
Atlanta, GA
Kai Parham '06
Mckale Boley
Charlottesville, VA
Austin Pasztor '11
Mekhi Buchanan
Charlottesville, VA
Chris Peace '18
Xavier Brown
Chevy Chase, MD
Howard Petty '87
Ethan Sipe
Hampton, NH
Shawn Rayder '83
Andre Greene Jr
Charlottesville, VA
Joe Reed '19
Makilan Thomas
Williamsburg, VA
Jim Reid '83
Jewett Hayes
Stoneville, NC
Ed Reynolds '83
CJ Spence
Charlottesville, VA
Antonio Rice '87
Kevin Chadwick
Ruckersville, VA
Mark Sanford '82
John Rogers
Oak Hill, VA
Ryan Santoro '16
Justin Zames
Raleigh, NC
Brian Satola '99
Kevin Wigenton Ii
Arlington, VA
George Seals, Jr '00
Chandler Morris
Dallas, TX
Scott Secules '87
Triston Ward
Miami, FL
Canaan Severin '17
Andy Lutes
Earlysville, VA
David Sloan '77
A tremendous amount of trust has been extended in arranging these relationships. For the sake of the players, the program, and the Club, it's critical that we maintain that trust by always remaining in the know and on the right side of all compliance related issues. Without exception. Athletics Compliance can help navigate any questions. "When In Doubt, Ask Before You Act".
BENEFITS
Permissible
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Mentorship Program Guidance from UVA Compliance a. Alumni can provide occasional meals to a student-athlete at any location. A meal should not occur more than once a month (on average).
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Alumni can help a student-athlete with guidance about career opportunities and/or other personal endeavors.
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Alumni can assist a student-athlete engage in networking and obtain legitimate employment.
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Alumni can employ a student-athlete as long as he is performing work and is compensated at a rate that is commensurate with his experience and at the going rate in that locality for similar services.
Impermissible
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Alumni are not permitted to make special arrangements for a student-athlete that aren’t available to other students (extra benefits).
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Alumni aren’t permitted to provide a loan or co-sign a note for a student-athlete.
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Alumni are not permitted to provide the use of an automobile, house, boat or similar types of items to a student-athlete.
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Alumni are not permitted to pay for travel or transportation for a student-athlete.
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Alumni are not permitted to pay for entertainment, groceries, rent, services or other day-to-day activities for a student-athlete.
NAME, IMAGE & LIKENESS
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The University of Virginia cannot facilitate or be involved in a name, image or likeness opportunity between a student-athlete and any other party.
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If a student-athlete and alumni engage in a name, image and likeness opportunity, it must be independent of the mentorship program.
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A student-athlete’s name, image or likeness opportunity cannot be pay-for-play or an inducement to remain at the University of Virginia.
Compliance Guidelines
