One of the pleasant surprises so far in UVa’s 2005 recruiting class was the commitment from Salem (Virginia Beach, Virginia) star prospect Antonio Appleby . Appleby, who is rated the #11 prospect in the state by TheSabre.com, surprised many when he chose the Cavaliers. He was thought to be favoring Virginia Tech at the time.

“I feel really good about my commitment,” Appleby said. “I feel comfortable with the guys…it’s a family atmosphere up there. And the academics are great. I’m excited for my senior year. I’m excited to finish high school, get to Virginia and help the team. I hope I’ll see some playing time next year.”

Appleby committed to UVa shortly after his unofficial visit on June 12th, which was a scheduled “Junior Day.” There, he had a chance to meet some of the players who have joined him as commitments in the 2005 class – a class Appleby speaks highly of.

“I’m real excited about the class,” Appleby said. “There’s a lot of talent. There’s a lot of speed and size, and I think we’ll be able to help Virginia win football games in the future.”

...