Leaving the field
After 28 years of leading the team, University of Virginia women’s lacrosse Head Coach Julie Myers is retiring.
Boasting a 349-181 all-time record, Myers led the Cavaliers to the post-season every year except for 2020, when the NCAA canceled playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before becoming head coach, Myers was a player on the UVA women’s lacrosse team. During her time as a player, Virginia won the national title in 1991, with Myers as the team’s starting center. Myers came back as an assistant coach after finishing out her eligibility, and rose to the position of head coach in 1995.
In 2004, Myers became the first person in NCAA history to win the national championship as both a player and head coach. The team also won the tournament during her time as an assistant coach in 1993.
Beyond team successes, individual players flourished under Myers’ direction. Eight Cavaliers were honored as national players of the year, three more as national rookies of the year, and 13 team members went on to play for U.S. National Lacrosse squads.
Now that she is stepping down, Myers is looking forward to pursuing other opportunities and being a spectator at her children’s collegiate lacrosse games.
“Thank you to all of my players, their families, my staff, all of my co-workers, and the athletic department and other supporters who have all been integral to the success of this women’s lacrosse program, to my career, and to me personally,” Myers said. “Especially to my players. It has been an honor and a privilege to coach each of you. While I am incredibly proud of the many accomplishments we have enjoyed through the years, I will treasure most the memories and the relationships this profession of coaching has provided for me.”
Honor at half-mast
The funeral of Wintergreen police officer Mark “Chris” Wagner II was held at the Augusta Expo Center on Monday, June 26. Wagner was killed while responding to a reported assault on the night of June 19.
The midday service began with opening remarks and a personal reflection from Wintergreen Police Chief Dennis Russell, before proceeding to speeches from the victim’s father—Mark C. Wagner—and Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Youngkin was one of several Virginia officials at the memorial service, with Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Deputy Attorney General Chuck Slemp, and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Terry Cole joining the governor on stage.
Ahead of the service, Youngkin ordered all flags in the state to be lowered to half-mast in honor of the fallen officer.
Following the memorial and visitation, Wagner was laid to rest at Augusta Memorial Park.
In brief
A bit of Good
Rep. Bob Good’s Self-Insurance Protection Act has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of H.R. 3799. The bill was approved 220-209 along party lines, with two Republicans abstaining from the vote. Good’s portion of the legislation focused on lowering the cost of health care by increasing access to stop-loss insurance and reducing current health insurance regulations. Despite passing the House, the bill is unlikely to have success in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Big bucks for broadband
Sen. Mark Warner announced that Virginia will receive nearly $1.5 billion in federal funding for improving access to broadband and high-speed internet across the state. The funding comes from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, an initiative created by the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “I’m thrilled that Virginia is receiving the investment we need to deploy broadband all across the commonwealth,” said Warner. “This funding is in no small part thanks to the Virginians that took time out of their day to report their connectivity status. Because of these efforts, we were able to accurately report our coverage and access every cent to which Virginia was entitled.”
Celebrating Pride
While June is coming to a close, Pride celebrations in Charlottesville will stretch into late summer this year. Charlottesville Pride Network will host its annual pride event at Ix Art Park on Sunday, September 17, 2023, with a street festival and funday featuring performances, vendors, and food and drinks.