Players react to Leitao news

When Virginia players received a text message early Monday from the coaching staff requesting their presence at a meeting in the locker room at John Paul Jones Arena, they figured it was time to go over offseason goals or workout routines.

Never did they expect to hear the words that came out of Dave Leitao’s mouth.

“He just said that he was no longer the coach at the University of Virginia,” said Virginia freshman Sammy Zeglinski, “and that it was a decision that the university made to go in a different direction.”

At that point, several Virginia players became emotional. One player, sophomore Mike Scott, kicked a trash can and stormed out of the meeting.

“There was a lot of anger in the locker room,” Scott said. “I know I had a lot of anger.

“Personally, I felt like we had something to do with [Leitao’s departure]. Sometimes we didn’t show up in games. If we had won some of those games, we probably wouldn’t be here talking right now.”

On Tuesday, Scott and Zeglinski, along with teammates Jeff Jones and Sylven Landesberg, met with the media.

The quartet’s emotions ran the gamut as they discussed Leitao’s abrupt farewell. The players seemed most affected when asked what it would be like without Leitao next season.

After that question, Scott became emotional despite clashing with Leitao this past season. Scott was removed from the team’s starting lineup for the final nine regular-season games.

“It may seem sometimes like we were having our feuds on the court,” Scott said, “but what coach and player don’t do that?

“He was like a second father to me. He was always challenging me and wanting me to compete.”

For Wahoo fans, the best news to come out of the session came when all four players definitively stated that they would return to Virginia, no matter who the new coach is.

“When I signed to come here, coach Leitao and the staff definitely played a big role,” Landesberg said, “but I also came here to play for this school, so I definitely will be coming back. I don’t think transferring or anything is on my mind.”

“I have a team to lead,” Scott added, “so leaving is definitely not an option in my book.”

Landesberg took things a step further, saying that he planned on talking to Virginia’s incoming recruits, Tristan Spurlock and Jontel “Bub” Evans, who may be wavering in the wake of Leitao’s departure.

“They’re about to come in and be part of our family,” Landesberg said. “We definitely have to reach out to them and make sure that they’re OK and let them know that this still a good decision to come here. This is a great school to be at.”

Zeglinski echoed those sentiments, particularly as they pertained to the new head coach.

“I think whoever does take the position is really coming into a great situation,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of great guys on this team and a lot of young talent. I think we’re ready to win and are willing to do whatever it takes.

“We want to put in the work and we want to be great.”

Added Jones: “We have some unfinished business to do. I think our down season was this season. I see some good things in the future.”

All four players, though, made sure to express their gratitude to Leitao, who told his former players at the conclusion of Monday’s meeting that he would always be just a phone call away.

“I would just like to thank coach Leitao for giving me an opportunity to come here and play at this great school — I think I can speak for all of us when I say that,” Zeglinski said. “I was his first recruit when he got here and the first to sign, so it’s tough to see him go, but he’s taught me a lot and I’m going to keep what he taught me with me throughout my entire career and just get better.

“His competitiveness was really unmatched. He really taught me how to compete.”