22 Almondo Curry

Class: Senior Hometown: Hampton, Va. High School: Hampton H.S. Height / Weight: 5-8 / 175 Position: CB Experience: 2L

WORTH NOTING: Named 2003 team captain along with Matt Schaub ... diminutive player with a penchant for being around the ball and making big plays … led ACC defensive backs for the second year in a row with three sacks last season … his three sacks tie his record for the most by a UVa cornerback … in fact, he has all six sacks by cornerbacks since Virginia began keeping defensive statistics in 1978 … his four tackles for loss last season led the team’s defensive backs … second among current Cavaliers with six career sacks … his 98 career tackles are second among the team’s defensive backs … three career interceptions are tied for the most among active Cavaliers.

HONORS: 2002—Honorable mention All-ACC.

AT VIRGINIA: 2002—Moved into the starting lineup for the South Carolina game in the third game and remained there the rest of the season … second-leading tackler among team’s cornerbacks with a career-high 59 stops … tied for second in the ACC with three fumble recoveries … made at least five tackles on six occasions … had seven tackles, including one sack, in his first start of the season against South Carolina … his sack took the Gamecocks out of field goal position late in the first half … his performance earned him praise from head coach Al Groh, who picked him as his player of the game … had five tackles the next week vs. Akron … career-high eight tackles, including his second sack of the season, against Duke … made six tackles and recovered a fumble in a big win over Clemson … had another big game in the come-from-behind win over North Carolina … made four tackles and turned in perhaps the play of the game to swing momentum to his team’s side … stripped wide receiver Sam Aiken of the ball on the 2-yard line and made the recovery … UVa drove 98 yards for a touchdown that changed the complexion of the game … six tackles vs. Penn State … four tackles, including another sack, in the win over N.C. State … turned in another big play by intercepting a Philip Rivers’ pass deep in UVa territory to stop a Wolfpack drive in the fourth quarter of the 14-9 victory … five tackles in the upset of Maryland … had a big game against West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl … forced wide receiver Phil Braxton to throw a bad pass on a trick play … Darryl Blackstock intercepted the pass to set up UVa’s fourth touchdown just before halftime … intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and returned it 26 yards to set up a field goal that pushed the lead to 38-10 … finished with four tackles in the game ... lettered for the second time. 2001—Played in 11 games, including six starts … opened the season in a reserve capacity, but moved into one of the starting cornerback roles for the North Carolina game … remained there the rest of the way … did not play vs. Georgia Tech due to a family emergency … recorded 32 tackles, including 24 solo stops … was very effective rushing off the edge, especially early in the season when he played as a backup … had three quarterback sacks, the most ever by a UVa cornerback … his five tackles for loss led UVa defensive backs … caused three fumbles, tied for second on the team … intercepted one pass and broke up two others … had three tackles against Richmond in the home opener … had just one tackle in the upset of Clemson, but it was a big one … sacked quarterback Woodrow Dantzler and caused him to fumble with Virginia recovering … the Cavaliers didn’t score on the ensuing possession, but it changed field position that became important late in the game … recorded four tackles vs. Duke the next week … had two sacks in that game, the first time in school history a cornerback had a multi-sack game … made five tackles in three consecutive games (North Carolina, Florida State, N.C. State) to establish a season high … caused a fumble against both North Carolina and Florida State … also broke up his first pass vs. the Seminoles … had three tackles against Wake Forest … had a nifty interception in the end zone in that game for his first career pickoff … made four tackles, including one behind the line vs. Virginia Tech … also caused a fumble and broke up a pass vs. the Hokies … two tackles, including one for loss, in the win over Penn State … earned first letter. 2000—Did not play in the opener vs. Brigham Young, but played in every other regular-season game and in the O’ahu Bowl ... was used primarily as a special teams performer … played on the kickoff squad … also saw limited action at cornerback … finished the season with seven tackles … made four tackles in his most extensive action against Richmond … added a tackle vs. Maryland … had two tackles vs. N.C. State.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Fork Union Military Academy during 1999-00 ... 1999 graduate of Hampton High School ... played wide receiver, running back and defensive back, and returned kicks at Fork Union for head coach John Shuman ... returned four punts for touchdowns, had five interceptions and caught 12 passes ... played on four state championship teams at Hampton for head coach Mike Smith … Hampton compiled a 53-2 record during his four-year career ... rushed for 1,175 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in 1998 ... also had two touchdown receptions that season ... returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown as a senior in a win over Phoebus High School … earned first-team All-State honors at running back his senior year and at wide receiver his junior year ... chosen first-team All-Region twice on offense and once on defense (at defensive back) ... was All-Region second team as a junior defensive back ... twice named first-team All-District on both offense and defense ... earned second-team All-District honors at wide receiver his sophomore year ... rated among the top 25 football prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times and selected to Charlottesville Daily Progress “Gold List” as a senior ... also lettered in basketball and named team’s Best Defensive Player ... from same high school as UVa teammates Elton Brown, Raymond Mann and Bryan Smith.

PERSONAL: Almondo Alfonzo Curry … nicknamed “Muffin” ... born 8-18-80 in Hampton, Va. … son of Tracey Curry … grandmother/guardian is Lillian Crawford … has a daughter, Dayz’ja Curry … has a sister, Latecia (14), and a brother, the late Kenneth … graduated from high school with honors … sociology major.

Curry Defensively