Men’s Golf Seals the Deal in Commonwealth Clash Win Over Tech

University News

Men’s Golf Seals the Deal in Commonwealth Clash Win Over Tech

April 24, 2023 • By UVA Athletics, UVA Athletics,

Collage graphic with text that reads Smithfield Commonwealth Clash with a Virginia Tech on the left side of the word clash and U V A flag on the right side of clash

With an 11-8 advantage in points and no way Virginia Tech can catch up, UVA has sealed a win the Commonwealth Clash contest over its in-state rival. (Illustration by Emily Faith Morgan, University Communications)

The University of Virginia’s athletics teams bested in-state rival Virginia Tech in a yearlong sports competition, officially clinching the 2022-23 Smithfield Commonwealth Clash on Sunday.

The win became official when the Cavaliers’ men’s golf team finished higher than Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship over the weekend. Although the ACC track and field outdoor championships are still three weeks away and will count in the contest, Tech won’t be able to surmount the Hoos’ 11-8 advantage.

The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash is an all-sports competition between the Cavaliers and Hokies. In sports where there is no regular-season head-to-head meeting between the schools, the point between the respective programs is contested at ACC championship competitions.

Smithfield became the sponsor of the series in 2021.

The Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge from 2005 to 2007, has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. Victorious teams earn points throughout the year, culminating in the presentation of the Commonwealth Clash trophy to the school with the most wins.

Virginia has won four of the seven Commonwealth Clash campaigns with one tie, after winning both of the previous Commonwealth Challenge competitions. The 2019-20 Clash was left undecided due to the cancellation of spring sports because of the pandemic.

This year, UVA took the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash points in men’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf and women’s lacrosse. The teams split points in women’s soccer (two matches) and men’s basketball (two games).