The Virginia Cavaliers are getting serious preseason recognition ahead of the 2025 season, and rightfully so. Brian O’Connor is the head man on a consensus preseason top five baseball team. The ‘Hoos ended their 2024 season with a disappointing trip to Omaha in the College World Series, but a trip there nonetheless. They are returning serious talent, including five preseason all-Americans, and welcoming new talent to help them get where they want to go this season, and that is back to Omaha, but with this trip resulting in a dog pile at the pitcher’s mound.
All the preseason talk ends this week as the ‘Hoos take the field this weekend in Puerto Rico to kick off their latest campaign. Virginia takes on the Michigan on Friday, Villanova on Saturday evening and then Rice on Sunday afternoon.
The home opener for the Cavaliers will take place on February 19th against George Washington, right before they take on their second “classic” neutral site tournament when they head to Texas, to compete in the Karback Round Rock Classic alongside #7 Oregon State, Minnesota, and Oklahoma.
Virginia’s first three-game series isn’t until they face Dartmouth February 28 to March 2nd in Charlottesville.
The ‘Hoos will play familiar foes for their midweek games as they take on schools from around the Commonwealth. Virginia will host William & Mary (March 4), Richmond (March 19), Old Dominion (April 1), James Madison (April 23), and George Mason (May 13) in addition to home-and-homes with Liberty (March 25 & April 15) and VCU (April 8 & 29).
Their remaining midweek games all come against teams in the DC/Maryland area. They will see the Maryland Terrapins in Fredericksburg, VA, on March 11th and host Georgetown on April 22nd, Navy on April 30th, and Towson on May 7th.
A favorable conference draw gives the Cavaliers a serious edge in obtaining a double-bye in this year’s new-look ACC tournament. Virginia will enter the year with the third-easiest ACC schedule based on last year’s RPI results.
They miss out on top teams like #15 Clemson, #14 Wake Forest, and #6 North Carolina.
Home Conference Series: Boston College, Duke, Stanford, Pittsburgh, Miami
Away Conference Series: California, NC State, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech
All in all, Virginia finds itself with a balanced yet favorable schedule. They face early tests in neutral site battles, have multiple mid-week dates with in-state foes who made the regional tournament in last year’s NCAA Tournament and compete in the second-best conference in college baseball. It all starts Friday afternoon, let’s play ball.
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