Three-star DT Sugick talks about his decision to pick the Wahoos

Fresh off a program-defining win over Virginia Tech that not only broke a 15-year losing streak but also won them the Coastal Division crown, the Wahoos are headed for the ACC Championship Game on Saturday night.

And the good news didn’t stop there, as UVa pulled in its first commitment of the 2021 class on Tuesday when three-star defensive tackle Terion Sugick announced his decision on his birthday.

Sugick, a 6-foot-2, 287-pound prospect from National Christian Academy in Maryland, chose Virginia over offers from Boston College, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, Purdue, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia, among others.

When asked by Rivals.com what went into his decision, Sugick pointed not only to the importance of education but also to the coaching staff.

“I decided UVa was the place for me because of the academics, the African-American graduation rates, and how the coaches treat me every time I come up,” Sugick said. “They make me and my family feel at home there.”

Virginia was one of the best teams in the nation in terms of getting after the quarterback and creating havoc in the backfield this season. That’s thanks in large part to the work of Vic So’oto, who has had quite a bit of success on the trail being hired by Bronco Mendenhall as a full-time assistant coach.

That relationship with the coaches help Sugick see that UVa was where he wanted to be.

“I’m real close to Coach So’oto, Coach Mendenhall, and Coach Donte (Wilkins),” he said. “I talk to them like two times a week on the phone and they text me every day, ask me how things are going, how’s school going and stuff like that.

“We talk about school,” Sugick added, “we talk about what I want to major in and what do I want to do if football doesn’t work out, and they just check up on me every day.”

“Sugick is a very active interior defensive lineman that does a great job getting penetration,” said Adam Friedman, regional recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “His quickness at the snap immediately puts offensive linemen on their heels and his strong hands help him keep the offensive linemen grasping at air.

“Sugick isn’t the biggest defensive tackle,” he added, “but he has a strong base and can hold up at the point of attack. Expect more physical development from him over the next couple years.”

As far as why So’oto has struck such a great relationship with his recruits, the Fort Washington standout was clear.

“He keeps it 100,” Sugick said. “He’ll work out with his players, watch film with his players. And he’ll do family activities with them.”

And if you’re wondering what the message from So’oto and Co. has been about what they expect from Sugick when he arrives in Charlottesville that’s pretty clear too.

“Be an enforcer,” he said.

Rivals.com's Adam Friedman contributed to this report.