Yubrenal Isabelle Class: Senior Hometown: Bluefield H.S. High School: Bluefield, W.Va. Height / Weight: 6-1 / 237 Position: LB

PRONUNCIATION: You BREN al

PRONUNCIATION: You BREN al

WORTH NOTING: Made a career-high 128 tackles as a senior in 2000, one of three Cavaliers to top the century mark … this was just the second time in school history that three players had at least 100 tackles (1994 was the first time) … 128 tackles are fourth-most in school history … finished his career with 240 tackles, 18th in school history … ended the season strongly with at least 14 tackles in each of the last four regular season games, making 64 tackles total, an average of 16.0 per game (16 vs. UNC, 17 vs. GaT, 17 vs. NCSU, 14 vs. VPI) … led the team with eight games of at least 10 tackles, the most by a Cavalier since Jamie Sharper’s eight in 1996.

HONORS: 2000—Received the John Polzer Award for ability, sportsmanship and character at the team’s annual awards banquet … first-team All-State by by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association … second-team All-State by The Roanoke Times … named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his play against Wake Forest on Sept. 30. 1999—Honorable mention All-ACC … two-time ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week, honored following UVa’s games against Wake Forest (Sept. 18) and N.C. State (Oct. 16) … ECAC/Budget Weekly Honor Roll follow-ing UVa’s games against Brigham Young (Sept. 25) and N.C. State (Oct. 16) … received the Joe Palumbo Award for self-sacrifice, sportsmanship and character (team award).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

2000—Vastly underrated player who put together a fine all-around season … vocal leader on defense, who was voted one of the team’s captains by his teammates … was healthy all season, which enabled him to maximize his abilities … started all 12 games at middle linebacker … led the team with 128 tackles (11.6/g), the fourth-highest total in school history … finished fifth in the ACC in tackling and 12th nationally … led the team in tackles in five times, all in the last seven games … also broke up a team-high five passes, including three in a win over Maryland … opened the season with 12 tackles, including a quarter-back sack, vs. Brigham Young … had 11 stops vs. Duke … graded out at 94 percent overall as he turned in one of his best all-around performances of the season in the win over Wake Forest … led the team in tackles for the first time with 11 … had two tackles behind the line, including a quarterback sack, and broke up one pass and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week … broke up three passes to go along with leading the team with 11 tackles vs. Maryland … led the team for the third week in a row with nine tackles against Florida State … established a career high with 16 tackles in crucial win over North Carolina … that career high was shortlived, however … made 17 tackles in each of the next two games (Georgia Tech, N.C. State) to set a new personal best … also led the team with 14 tackles against Virginia Tech in the final regular season … two tackles, including one in the back-field, vs. Georgia in the O’ahu Bowl.

1999—Started at middle linebacker in all 10 games in which he played … fought through personal tragedy in midseason to lead the team in tackling, averaging 8.7 stops per game … finished in a tie for 14th in the ACC in tackling … 78 tackles was second on the team behind Shannon Taylor’s 81 … led the team in tackles on six occasions, most on the team … missed the Virginia Tech game due to the death of his mother, Deberah, who died three days before the game following a courageous battle with cancer … missed the Maryland game with a case of mononeucleosis but recovered to start against Illinois in the Micronpc.com Bowl … had two interceptions, two fum-ble recoveries and caused one fumble on the year … had a season-high 14 tackles against both Clemson and Brigham Young, which was also the most by a Cavalier that season … started the season slowly, making just three tackles vs. North Carolina in the first game … reached double figures for the first time with the 14 stops vs. Clemson … also recovered a Tiger fumble … made 10 tackles against Wake Forest … tied his season high with 14 tackles in UVa’s big win over Brigham Young … returned to action with 10 tackles against Duke … had his lone sack of the year vs. the Blue Devils … seven tackles and an interception in the win over N.C. State … the inter-ception was the first of his career … he returned it 19 yards to the N.C. State 16-yard line … Thomas Jones scored a touchdown two plays later to put Virginia ahead for good … had six tackles and another important intercep-tion as UVa came back to defeat #7 Georgia Tech … picked off a Joe Hamilton pass and took it back 15 yards in the final minute of the first half … UVa scored a touch-down seven plays later to draw to within 24-21 after trailing 17-0 at one point … the Cavaliers went on to post a 45-38 win … tied for team honors with eight tackles against Buffalo … six tackles vs. Illinois in the Micronpc.com Bowl, tying as UVa’s second-leading tackler in the game ... let-tered for the second time.

1998—Played in all 11 regular season games and the Peach Bowl … backed up first-team All-ACC selection Wali Rainer at middle linebacker ... also excelled on special teams … one of the “wedge busters” on kickoff coverage and an up-back on kickoff returns … registered 23 tackles (17 solo, six assists) on the season … broke up a pass in the opener on the road at Auburn … season-high six tack-les, including five solo, vs. San Jose State … three tackles against both Wake Forest and North Carolina … earned his first letter.

1997—Played in five games (Clemson, Duke, Florida State, N.C. State and Virginia Tech) ... backed up starting middle linebacker Wali Rainer ... one of seven true fresh-men (along with Billy Baber, Dan Ellis, Ahmad Hawkins, Jermese Jones, Earl Sims and Antwoine Womack) to play for UVa that season ... was injured against Maryland and Georgia Tech ... recorded 11 tackles on the season (four solo, seven assists) ... posted season-high eight tackles, including one for a loss, against Florida State ... was in on two tackles against Duke and one at Clemson, in his colle-giate debut.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year starter in football at Bluefield High School for head coach Freddy Simon ... earned All-America honors at linebacker from Parade and Schutt Sports ... listed as one of the top-20 prospects in the Mid-Atlantic region by SuperPrep magazine ... named West Virginia Player of the Year as a senior by Gatorade and USA Today ... won the 1996 Sam Huff Award, given annu-ally to the state’s top defensive player by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association ... All-State selection at line-backer ... finished second in voting by the sports writers association for the Kennedy Award as the state’s Most Valuable Player ... named defensive captain of the first-team Class AAAll-State team ... first-team All-Area ... had 105 tackles, one interception, six fumble recoveries and three sacks, as a senior ... offensively, rushed for 1,750 yards and scored 30 touchdowns ... as a junior, twice returned kickoffs 98 yards for touchdowns ... for his career, compiled 347 tackles, 15 fumble recoveries, 11 quarter-back sacks, and six interceptions ... also scored 72 touch-downs and rushed for 4,712 yards during his high school career ... twice served as team captain ... also lettered in basketball and was the team captain as a senior.

PERSONAL: Yubrenal Thomas Isabelle ... born 8-4-79 in Bluefield, W.Va. ... son of Thomas and the late Deberah Isabelle ... has one brother, William ... Honor Roll student throughout high school ... member of the National Honor Society ... member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ... his father played linebacker and nose guard at West Virginia ... uncle, Robert Isabelle, played basketball at Norfolk State ... anthropology major.