In a press release this morning, the Virginia Cavaliers announced that their final home game of the season scheduled for Saturday against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Scott Stadium has been canceled.
The announcement from UVA comes in response to a mass shooting on Grounds on Sunday night that resulted in the deaths of Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler, and D’Sean Perry.
Yesterday afternoon, Coach Tony Elliott and Athletic Director Carla Williams held a press conference discussing the horrific loss of Lavel, Devin, and D’Sean. During the press conference, Coach Elliott said, “[my] heart is hurting right now, again, for our university, our community, the team, the players, the young men whose families have been impacted the most. That’s where my thoughts are at this time, trying to provide all the resources and support that I possibly can.”
Coach Elliott also reminisced about his memories of each of the three players during the press conference. With regards to Lavel, Elliott said that “he has a gentleness about him, but he is passionate about what he believes in. So a lot of the stories today were just about just the silly basketball arguments they would have and debates in the locker room… but the other thing that resonated is just how good of a teammate he was and how much he loved his teammates and would do anything for his teammates.”
On Devin, Coach Elliott described him as “always [bringing] a smile to my face because he just was happy with where he was, comfortable in his skin, and just had a very bubbly personality.”
Finally, Coach Eliott described D’Sean as being “a great teammate. And he had a sense of humor that was one of a kind that only D’Sean could have. You knew immediately when somebody said something, yeah, that was D’Sean.”
The head football coach of Coastal Carolina, Jamey Chadwell, also released a statement following the cancellation of Saturday’s game this morning: “Our program is heartbroken for the University of Virginia, the victims’ families, loved ones, friends, and the entire community of Charlottesville. While our football team was looking forward to competing against the University of Virginia, we support their decision not to play. Our program will continue to uplift their program, University, and community in our prayers as they continue to navigate this difficult time. We all stand in solidarity with UVA.”
This weekend, James Madison, Liberty, Old Dominion, Richmond, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary will all wear the same helmet decal in their games to honor and pay tribute to Lavel, Devin, and D’Sean.
In the official press release from UVA this morning, the University stated that “a decision if Virginia will participate in its final game of the season, a Nov. 26 (Saturday) date against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, has not been made at this time.”
