Va. Beach lineman commits to U.Va.

-- There's a chance he could enroll at the University of Virginia this summer, but in all likelihood Hunter Steward will be the school's first football recruit for the 2010 season.

Steward, a first-team all-Group AAA offensive tackle from Kellam High in Virginia Beach, committed to U.Va. this week. Steward, a senior, is expected to meet NCAA eligibility standards, but he didn't turn 17 until late last month, so he's young for his grade.

Virginia would like the 6-7 300-pounder to spend at least part, if not all, of the 2009-10 school year in the postgraduate program at Fork Union Military Academy. That's fine with Steward.

"I'm actually pretty keen on Fork Union," he said. "I've heard nothing but great things about that place, so I'm excited to get that started."

A native of Calgary, Alberta, who lived in Ontario before moving to Virginia Beach, Steward looks forward to joining fellow Canadians Austin Pasztor and Brent Urban in Charlottesville. Pasztor, who's from Ontario, started at offensive guard for the Cavaliers as a true freshman this past season. Urban, a high school senior in Ontario, plans to enroll at U.Va. this summer.

Steward's father, who serves in Canada's military, has been working at Fort Monroe in Tidewater. "He asked for that position so that I could play my senior year of football in the States, hopefully to get a scholarship," said Steward, who also had offers from Marshall and Kent State.

"Before I even knew I was going to move down here, playing NCAA ball was like a dream I never thought would happen. Coming down here and making all-Tidewater and all-state and going to U.Va., it's phenomenal."
Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or .