VIRGINIA POLO: A Never-Ending Commitment to Excellence

VIRGINIA POLO: A Never-Ending Commitment to Excellence

By Peyton Tochterman

Jack McLean, a four-year captain of Virginia Polo and a senior at the University of Virginia, had a message for his teammates at halftime of the 2022 national collegiate championship game this past April 9. They were tied, 3-3, with the University of North Texas and it was Jack’s last chance to win a national title.

The University of Virginia men’s and women’s polo team each won the national championship in 2022, plenty of reason to celebrate.

His first year, Virginia was poised to win but lost to Texas A&M in the finals, “a tragic loss for us,” he recalled. They would have been favored the next two seasons, but the pandemic forced cancellation of the 2020 postseason and the entire 2021 season.

And so, McLean, a Pittsburgh native, drew on three years of hardships and disappointments when he spoke to his teammates that memorable day. “I didn’t say much,” he recalled. “I reminded them that we have the best horses, the best coach, the best facilities, the best program, and the best riders. Relax. Have fun. And we’re on our home turf.”

Virginia then dominated the second half in a 13-7 triumph, and the team finally was able to hoist the championship trophy. And the UVA women’s team also won a national title, beating the University of Kentucky, 17-9. McLean credits the donors, the facilities, and the coaching with the program’s longstanding success, both men and women.

“We are 100% donor funded,’ he said. “The horses, and the facilities, all donated. And we have the best of everything.”

Dick Reimenschneider, UVA Class of ’59, said, “It’s been this way since the beginning.” He played as an undergrad, coached while in law school in Charlottesville, and is the head of the team’s endowment program. He’s also been inducted into the International Polo Hall of Fame.

Virginia Polo was started in 1953 by students and local horsemen, and Riemenschneider, a Bluemont resident, has been an enthusiastic supporter almost from the start.

“I didn’t have any money, so in sixth grade I became a groom to pay for riding,” he said. “UVA had a program by the time I was ready for college, and it was donor-supported and student-run. I was used to pay to play, so it was a good fit.”

In those early days, he said, “We had one team—Varsity— and didn’t have a facility like the other schools. The students ran the program, and it was donation-based like now. We didn’t just learn the game. We learned horsemanship.”

Julia O’Reagan, class of ‘12 who grew up on and now runs Foxlease Farm in Upperville, agreed.

“I applied to UVA to play with the best and for the best,” she said. “I love that the program is run by students. We feed the horses, bring them in and turn them out at night. Whether you are on the club team or the varsity team, you have to do the work.”

She also won a national championship while in Charlottesville, and both men’s and women’s teams won national titles in 2022. Lou Lopez, head coach of the program for 19 years, credits the success to both the athletes and the alums.

“We are the most affordable program,” he said. “We have a great reputation tied to an exceptional university. Our quality of horses has raised the level of the game considerably. It’s very sophisticated. All our horses are donated. And we have the best facilities in the country.”

The team trains and plays at the 75-acre Virginia Polo Center, located just five miles from the campus. The facility includes a 400-foot by 150-foot lighted outdoor arena, a 250-foot by 100-foot indoor arena, and a regulation 300-yard long, 160-yard wide outdoor Bermuda grass polo field.

And it’s just not about the varsity program either. There’s a club team, a high school team and the program has introduced nearly 1,400 people to the sport. It also runs an introductory boot camp for beginners, and hosts several summer clinics.

Aleco Bravo-Greenberg (Class of ’90), a Middleburg resident and current Virginia Polo board member, is also a major supporter.

“I’ve seen kids from a young age develop through the years and rise through the ranks to become exceptional leaders,” he said. “They learn to pursue a worthy endeavor and be steadfast in their commitment to succeed, well beyond UVA and polo.

“The horses’ lives depend on our students’ care. And they take exceptional care of their mounts. Students learn leadership and accountability outside their normal academic responsibilities that come with attending a remarkable university. They take that positivity into the rest of their lives.”

That, and a winning mentality. Virginia Polo has won 22 national championships — and its teams have reached the finals 46 times.

“What’s next for the program,” said Bravo- Greenberg, “is our continued commitment to excellence.”