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Virginia president Jim Ryan honors football victims while running Boston Marathon

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•04/17/23•

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Jim Ryan
(Steve Helber-Pool/Getty Images)

The names Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry will live on forever at Virginia after the three football players were tragically killed in November. People associated with the Cavaliers have done their best to honor the trio in recent months. University president Jim Ryan was the latest to pay his remembrances on Monday morning.

Ryan participated in the Boston Marathon, one of the biggest races in the country. He decided to wear a shirt with all three football players’ names on them, saying the 26.2 miles were for them. Finishing the race, there has been a tremendous amount of support for the president.

“Today’s 26.2 miles were dedicated to Devin, Lavel, and D’Sean,” Ryan said. “We will never forget them. #UVAstrong.”

From a time standpoint, Ryan apparently fared quite well. He finished with a 7:22 per mile pace, completing in just over three hours. Heading into this year, the average Boston Marathon pace was sitting at 3:52:40. An impressive race day from the president.

However, all attention for Ryan was on the three Virginia victims. He gave a better view of the shirt he wore on Sunday, with the front saying “UVA Strong.” The three numbers the football players wore were on there as well. And then you flip to the back, where the names were displayed in alphabetical order.

Jim Ryan latest to honor three Virginia victims

Back in November when the incident occurred, support poured in across the country for the Virginia football program. Former players and coaches went into their respective games that weekend with heavy hearts and even wore helmet decals in remembrance.

Then-Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving decided to show his support as well. He donated $50,000 to a Go Fund Me supporting the family of Chandler. He was just one of the many who were willing to step up and contribute before hitting the $200,000 goal a few months ago.

Virginia saw their football season end on Nov. 12, 2022 — just two days before the tragedy — under first-year head coach Tony Elliott. The Cavaliers have not taken the field since and will do so for the 2023 season opener against Tennessee on Sept. 2.

The following weekend against James Madison will be the program’s first home game since then. Ryan and everyone else in Charlottesville will continue to honor Chandler, Davis, and Perry over the next few months until they can step onto the field.