UVA’s Jay Woolfolk benefitting from focusing solely on baseball

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Jay Woolfolk is wrapping up his first fall as a full-time baseball player at Virginia.

The two-sport standout left the football team in July to focus solely on baseball. Woolfolk says the biggest benefit of this move is it gives him more to work on his mechanics.

“This is the time when you need to figure things out and then you go into the season knowing what you need to do,” Woolfolk said. “Last year, I didn’t really know sometimes what was going on, but now I know when I’m doing something wrong. I can fix it.”

At this time last year, Woolfolk was the UVA Football Team’s backup quarterback. On the diamond this fall in scrimmages, he is working mainly as a starter.

“My end goal is to do whatever is best to win, and do whatever is best to help this team win,” Woolfolk said.

His fastball has been clocked up to 94mph in fall scrimmages, and says his goal is to become a starter this season.

Cavalier Pitching Coach Drew Dickinson says the most important thing for Woolfolk is to become more consistent.

“He has the stuff to compete at a high level in college and past college,” Dickinson said. “As a starter, you have to be able to control strikes on a consistent basis. That’s what makes starters starters and relievers relievers.”

“Knowing how to pound the zone, knowing how to hit the outside corner every time, knowing how to make the right pitch every time, and I think that’s what he’s talking about. That’s what I need to work on to become the best player I can be and help this team get back to Omaha and win it,” Woolfolk said.

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