Former Cavalier defensive end Chico Bennett, who earned two degrees at the University, is back on Grounds. He's director of NIL business development and athlete services for UVA Athletics.

Former UVA tailback Perris Jones, who's pursuing a doctorate at the University of Louisville, has written a memoir that will be published in August. It's titled Ashes to Endzone: The Fight for Identity, Faith and a Future Bigger Than the Game.

Justin Speros, who's in his fifth year on head football coach Tony Elliott's staff at UVA, is the program's general manager.

Bowen Sargent is in his 22nd year as head coach of the UVA men's golf team, which has won back-to-back ACC titles and is looking to improve on its runner-up finish at last year's NCAA Championships.

Drake Metcalf started all 13 games on the Cavaliers' offensive line in 2025, and he's hard at work preparing for his final college season. Metcalf, who has a bachelor's degree from Stanford, will earn a master's this year from UVA's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.

In AJ Gracia, UVA's baseball team has one of the nation's top outfielders. Gracia, a junior from Monroe, N.J., is one of the players who followed head coach Chris Pollard from Duke to UVA last summer.

One of the most versatile running backs in UVA history, Alvin Pearman was also a serious student. After his NFL career ended, he earned a master's and Ph.D. at Vanderbilt, and he's now an assistant professor at Stanford.

Four games into his UVA career, graduate transfer Jacari White is already a fan favorite at John Paul Jones Arena. The 6-foot-3 White, who starred at North Dakota State, is averaging 9.5 points per game and shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range.

One of the top young tennis players in the world, UVA sophomore Rafael Jodar has won three ATP Pro Challenger tournaments this year. Jodar, who's from Madrid, Spain, was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year as a Virginia freshman in 2024-25.