918 CCU campbell_JM02.JPG

Coastal Carolina University plays at home. Photo by Janet Morgan/janet.morgan@myhorrynews.com

In the wake of the tragic murders Sunday night of three University of Virginia football players and the arrest of a former member of the team, the school has canceled the Cavaliers' scheduled game Saturday against Coastal Carolina.

CCU was scheduled to play the ACC opponent for the first time at 3:30 p.m. at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Virginia head football coach Tony Elliott and athletics director Carla Williams said during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon that the players would be consulted before a final decision was made.

鈥淲e鈥檒l make it together. I mean it will be discussions with the coach and the team,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淥bviously they鈥檙e going through a lot and we want to make sure they鈥檙e involved as well.鈥

The three players killed were Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D鈥橲ean Perry.

Davis was a junior wide receiver from Dorchester, Chandler was a junior wide receiver from Huntersville, North Carolina, and Perry was a junior defensive end/outside linebacker from Miami, Florida.

Virginia student Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 22, was arrested Monday and charged with three counts of second-degree murder and gun charges.

He was apprehended following a 12-hour search and lockdown of the campus.

Two other students were injured in the shooting, including running back Michael Hollins, who is reportedly in good condition after undergoing surgery to remove a bullet from his stomach.

The shooting occurred as the victims returned on a bus from a field trip to watch a play in Washington D.C.

鈥淎s much as we love gameday and the spirit it brings, there is a time when the sanctity of life and sustaining of a community take precedence. This is one of those times,鈥 said CCU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation Matt Hogue in a press release.聽鈥淲e fully support the decision and will continue offering our assistance and contribute however we can toward the healing of our friends and colleagues at UVA.鈥

Virginia is struggling on the field in Elliott's first season as coach. The Cavaliers are 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the ACC, and are coming off a 37-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. The team is scheduled to face rival Virginia Tech (2-8, 1-6 ACC) in its season finale on Nov. 26.

Elliott spent 11 seasons as an assistant on Dabo Swinney鈥檚 staff at Clemson, including the final year as the program鈥檚 assistant head coach and offensive coordinator before being hired last December.

Coastal (9-1) is 6-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, is ranked 23rd in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll, and has already clinched the league鈥檚 East Division. Its final game of the regular season is a conference road contest against James Madison (6-3, 4-2) at noon on Nov. 26.

The Chants and Cavaliers are scheduled to play two more times in the next three seasons, as the Chants are poised to host Virginia on Sept. 24, 2024, and travel to Charlottesville in a season-opener on Aug. 30, 2025.

CCU officials have joined the college football world in expressing their sympathy and support for Virginia.

鈥淔rom all of us here at Coastal we鈥檙e heartbroken for the UVA and families that are involved and everyone there that鈥檚 a supporter of their situation,鈥 said CCU coach Jamey Chadwell, who recruited Davis at CCU and had him visit the campus. 鈥淥bviously us [being scheduled to play] them this week hits closer to home. . . . We鈥檙e praying for them and their families at this difficult time.鈥

Virginia has yet to make a decision on the playing of its final game of the season Nov. 26 against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Contact Charles D. Perry at 843-488-7236

0
0
0
1
0

(0 Ratings)

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.