The UVA football team will bring in its most highly regarded recruiting class in years Wednesday, as Mike London inks his third class as the head coach at Virginia.
Ten of his 25 recruits are from the 757 area code in Eastern Virginia. Four of those ten are from the same high school.
When London was first introduced as the Cavaliers head coach on December 7th, 2009, he said, "I know we got to do a better job recruiting the in-state players, but we'll do that. I want the high school coaches to know if Virginia hasn't been there, we'll be there."
With a recruiting class ranked 25th in the nation by rivals.com, Virginia has been there, especially in the talent-rich 757 area at places like Dre' Bly Field.
Mike London's promise to refocus recruiting has paid off, and the Cavaliers will sign four teammates from Norfolk Christian School on National Letter of Intent Signing Day Wednesday.
Cornerback recruit Wil Wahee says, "The previous coaching staff didn't do too good of a job in this area, and coach London's emphasizes the 757, since he's from here, which really helps."
Wahee was the first of the four to commit to Virginia.
He was followed by Kwontie Moore and Courtnye Wynn, while wide receiver Mario Nixon actually decommitted from Virginia Tech to join the other three at UVA.
"It was like a family environment there. That kinda made my decision a little bit easier," says the 6'4" Nixon.
"I think it's definitely the honesty of the Virginia coaching staff," says Wahee. "They're very straight-forward. They tell us what they want out of us and where they expect us to be."
Defensive line recruit Courtnye Wynn says, "Coach Mike London, coach Jim Reid, and coach Chip West, they're all like family now. There's nothing more I can say. They're the best coaches in the world."
Kwontie Moore is a four-star recruit, and the #3-ranked inside linebacker prospect in the nation according to rivals.com.
"At the end, when it was all finished, and I decided to commit, I was real excited," says Moore. "Honest truth, I was ready to just go up there then. When you feel at home, and you feel comfort in your heart, that's the best part about it. That's the best feeling."
The 6'2", 243-pound Moore says he's hoping for a chance to get on the field in the fall.
"I asked them if there was any chance for me to start at linebacker next year," says Moore, "and they told me, 'Just keep doing what you're doing. You may get a chance.'"
The players say they didn't set out with a plan to all attend the same college, but they're happy with the way it worked out.
Wynn earned a Division I scholarship after playing just three years of organized football, and says, "We were all planning on going different places. It just happened that the coaching staff at UVA provided the place that we all think we could call home."
"Growing up with them since the sixth grade, you really don't see that everyday, especially because they're like my brothers," adds Nixon.
Norfolk Christian head coach Heath Gibbs says, "Seeing them all drawn to the same school, and to all have an offer from the same school, is pretty neat."
"That's just exciting," says Moore, "to be able to look to my left, and look to my right, and to see they're all going to the same college as me."
The move by the Norfolk Christian teammates could prove to be checkmate for the rest of the ACC.
"People are gonna know, people are gonna know about us," Moore said, with a smile. "UVA all the way."
