UVA Men's Lacrosse Team Gets Top-Seed in NCAA Tournament After Death of Yeardley Love
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS/AP) On Sunday night, the UVA men's lacrosse team received word that they were going to be the top seed in the NCAA college lacrosse tournament, and will host their first opponent, Mount St. Mary's, on Saturday.
PICTURES: Yeardley Love Murdered; George Huguely Charged
The women's lacrosse team is seeded sixth, and will play Towson on Sunday.
The news of their placement in the tournament came less than a week after the murder of women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love, allegedly at the hands of men's player George Huguely.
Both the women's and men's lacrosse teams at the University of Virginia have dedicated their post-season play to Love, and members of the teams attended Love's funeral this Sunday.
Although the timing of the news and the circumstances are bittersweet, the coach of the UVA men's lacrosse team Dom Starsia believes that the tournament and getting back to lacrosse will be a therapeutic.
"I was glad to be able to at least consider the lacrosse piece of this again, both on the field this afternoon with the team and talking about lacrosse this evening," Starsia said to The New York Daily News.UVA student Yeardley Love was found beaten to death May 3. At first, police had been informed that Love had suffered an alcohol overdose; however, when they arrived on the scene it was clear that Love had suffered physical abuse.
Within hours, police arrested UVA men's lacrosse player and former boyfriend of Love, George Huguely, on first-degree murder charges. Huguely told police that he and Love had an altercation where he shook her and her head repeatedly hit her bedroom wall.
Huguely's lawyer has said that the event, though tragic, was an accident.
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PICTURES: Yeardley Love Murdered; George Huguely Charged
MORE ON CRIMESIDER:May 10, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Hundreds Gather at Funeral to Celebrate Life of Yeardley LoveMay 7, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: School Not Aware of George Huguely's Violent Past
May 7, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Friends Say George Huguely "Out of Control" When Drinking, Says ReportMay 7, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Yeardley Love Funeral to be Held in BaltimoreMay 6, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Murder Suspect George Huguely Had Run-Ins With Law in Florida, Says Report
May 6, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Police Find Bloody T-Shirt and Letter to Yeardley Love in Huguely's Apartment, Says Report
May 6, 2010 - Lacrosse Death: Candlelight Vigil for Yeardley Love Brings Thousands Together
May 5, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: George Huguely's Neighbor Describes Suspect in Murder of Yeardley Love
May 5, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Campus Vigil to be Held for Yeardley Love
May 5, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: George Huguely Tasered During 2008 Arrest, Say Police
May 4, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Huguely Admits He "Shook Love and Her Head Repeatedly Hit a Wall," Says Court Document
May 4, 2010 - Yeardley Love's Death Was "Accident," Says UVA Lacrosse Player George Huguely's Lawyer
May 3, 2010 - UVA Lacrosse Death: Community Reacts to Death of Yeardley Love
May 3, 2010 - Yeardley Love Murder: Fellow UVA Lacrosse Player George Huguely Charged