UVa adds another Canadian recruit

By Jay Jenkins

Published: January 8, 2009

The Virginia Canucks may be a more appropriate moniker than the Cavaliers at this point.

For the third time in the past two years, Virginia’s football team landed a Canadian-born football recruit.

Hunter Steward, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle, announced that he would follow fellow Candian players Austin Pasztor, a rising sophomore at UVa, and 2009 recruit Brent Urban.

“I committed to Virginia [on Wednesday],” Steward said. “I called coach Groh and [UVa defensive coordinator] Bob Pruett to inform them.”

Steward, who transferred to Kellam High in Virginia Beach prior to the season, may end up counting for the recruiting class in 2010. Despite solid grades, it is expected that Steward will play in 2009 for Fork Union postgraduate coach John Shuman.

After a stellar season at Kellam, Steward was named an All-Group AAA performer.

He becomes the fourth offensive line recruit to verbally commit to UVa, joining Luke Bowanko, Sean Cascarano and Cody Wallace. Virginia is also pursuing two highly-regarded uncommitted offensive linemen, four-star prospect Oday Aboushi from Brooklyn, N.Y. and five-star Morgan Moses from Richmond.

With 22 commitments in place, Virginia currently ranks No. 36 in the team rankings as compiled by rivals.com.