[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 63 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2441-S2442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 164--COMMENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA MEN'S 
   BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2019 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC 
          ASSOCIATION DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. Kaine) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 164

       Whereas on Monday, April 8, 2019, the University of 
     Virginia men's basketball team (referred to in this preamble 
     as the ``Virginia Cavaliers'') won the 2019 National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble 
     as the ``NCAA'') Division I Men's Basketball Championship by 
     defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders by a score of 85-77 at 
     U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota;
       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers made history by winning the 
     first National Championship in men's basketball for the 
     University of Virginia;

[[Page S2442]]

       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers were regular season co-
     champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference (referred to in 
     this preamble as the ``ACC''), marking the fourth time the 
     team has won this title in the past 6 seasons;
       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers finished the 2018-2019 
     season with a record of 35-3 and as the top-ranked scoring 
     defense in the country, holding opponents to just 55.5 points 
     per game;
       Whereas Tony Bennett, the head coach of the Virginia 
     Cavaliers, has, along with his staff, established a program 
     built on ``The Five Pillars'' -- Humility, Passion, Unity, 
     Servanthood, and Thankfulness;
       Whereas Coach Bennett has, in his 10 seasons at the 
     University of Virginia, been named National Coach of the Year 
     3 times, placing him second all-time behind legendary coach 
     John Wooden;
       Whereas for the second consecutive season, Coach Bennett 
     was named ACC Coach of the Year;
       Whereas De'Andre Hunter and Kyle Guy received All-ACC First 
     Team honors for the 2018-2019 season;
       Whereas Ty Jerome received All-ACC Second Team honors for 
     the 2018-2019 season;
       Whereas De'Andre Hunter was named ACC Defensive Player of 
     the Year and was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team;
       Whereas to advance to the Final Four, true freshman Kihei 
     Clark executed a precision half-court pass to teammate Mamadi 
     Diakite, setting up his buzzer-beating tying basket;
       Whereas the pass from Clark to Diakite was termed ``the 
     play of the century'' by teammate Ty Jerome;
       Whereas De'Andre Hunter finished the championship game with 
     27 points and 9 rebounds in 44 minutes;
       Whereas Kyle Guy finished the championship game with 24 
     points and a 53.3 field goal percentage in 45 minutes;
       Whereas De'Andre Hunter, Kyle Guy, and Ty Jerome--all part 
     of the Virginia Cavaliers' 2016 recruiting class -- scored 67 
     of Virginia's 85 points in the championship game;
       Whereas Kyle Guy was 11-for-11 in his final free throws of 
     the tournament;
       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers made all 12 of their free 
     throws during overtime of the championship game;
       Whereas the entire Virginia Cavaliers team will forever be 
     remembered for their resilience in overcoming defeat in the 
     2018 NCAA Tournament by winning the national championship 
     just 1 year later;
       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers represented the Commonwealth 
     of Virginia with remarkable class, sportsmanship, dedication, 
     and teamwork; and
       Whereas the Virginia Cavaliers brought pride to the 
     Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Charlottesville, and 
     the greater University of Virginia community: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates and honors the University of Virginia 
     men's basketball team for their performance in the 2019 
     National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's 
     Basketball Tournament;
       (2) highlights and celebrates the grit, resilience, and 
     commitment to excellence of the players, coaches, managers, 
     parents, and families of the Virginia Cavaliers; and
       (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
       (A) the President of the University of Virginia, James E. 
     Ryan;
       (B) the Director of Athletics at the University of 
     Virginia, Carla Williams; and
       (C) the head coach of the University of Virginia men's 
     basketball team, Tony Bennett.

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