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Virginia's Colandrea and Bettridge Earn ACC Player of the Week Honors

Anthony Colandrea was named the ACC Rookie of the Week and Will Bettridge was named the ACC Specialist of the Week

Matt Newton

Virginia's Colandrea and Bettridge Earn ACC Player of the Week Honors
Virginia's Colandrea and Bettridge Earn ACC Player of the Week Honors /
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Virginia freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea and sophomore kicker Will Bettridge earned ACC Player of the Week honors after helping Virginia beat Duke 30-27 on Saturday. Colandrea was named the ACC Rookie of the Week, while Bettridge was tabbed as the ACC Specialist of the Week. 

Making his fifth start of the season for the injured Tony Muskett, Colandrea completed 21 of his 30 passing attempts for 278 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to lead UVA over Duke. Colandrea went without a turnover in a start for the first time this season and also rushed nine times for 66 yards, personally accounting for 344 of Virginia's 448 yards of total offense. He also earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors following his 377-yard, two-touchdown performance in his first collegiate start against JMU back in week 2. Colandrea is the first Cavalier freshman to win the award twice since Lavel Davis Jr. did so in the 2020 season. 

Will Bettridge was named the ACC Specialist of the Week after making all three of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra points in Virginia's win over Duke. His 46-yarder in the second quarter was a season-long and the 30-yard field goal he made with 3:43 left in the fourth quarter ended up being the difference in UVA's 30-27 victory over the Blue Devils. 

Virginia players have earned ACC weekly awards seven times this season:

Sept. 11: Anthony Colandrea - Rookie of the Week
Sept. 25: Malik Washington - Receiver of the Week
Oct. 23: Malik Washington - Receiver of the Week
Oct. 23: James Jackson - Linebacker of the Week
Oct. 30: Malik Washington - Receiver of the Week
Nov. 20: Anthony Colandrea - Rookie of the Week
Nov. 20: Will Bettridge - Specialist of the Week

Virginia (3-8, 2-5 ACC) wraps up the 2023 season against Virginia Tech (5-6, 4-3 ACC) in the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday at 3:30pm at Scott Stadium on the ACC Network. 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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