Freshman Dan Grovatt has put on an outstanding rookie campaign at Virginia this year. Grovatt, who led Seneca High School in southern New Jersey to a state title in the program's third-ever varsity season, is leading the Cavalier lineup in batting average (.333). He has belted 58 hits, including a team-leading 18 doubles. Grovatt took a few minutes to chat with theACC.com about his baseball career so far, hopes for his Virginia career and expectations for the upcoming ACC Baseball Championship.

When did you start playing baseball?
I started when I was five with T-ball. My dad (got me into it). He had played two years at Cedarville University (Ohio). He lived on a farm - the same farm I grew up on - and couldn't play in high school because he had to work on the farm. He walked on at Cedar Grove and ended up starting for two years.

What other teams have you competed for leading up to your college career?
The Seneca High School team - we won the state championship my senior year. I would have gone to Shawnee, but I was the first freshman class to start at Seneca (when it opened). We had three years of varsity, and in our first year of varsity, we went to the state final and lost. The third year (my senior year), we won it. The Tri-State Arsenal baseball program out of Cherry Hill was my summer team.

Can you talk a bit about winning the state championship last year?
We won 5-2 over Cranford. I was the starting pitcher for that game and had 13 strikeouts. I was also 2-for-3 (at the plate). The team hit really well in that game.

What is the best advice you have received from a coach?
The coaches at Virginia always tell us to take care of where we're at, don't worry about where we've been, where we've come from or what we're going to do.

Who is your most influential role model?
Probably my dad. I want to be like him when I grow up; he has great character, the way he goes about doing everything he does and his winning attitude.

What is your most memorable moment in sports, either as an athlete or as a sports fan?
Winning the AAU national championship when I was 15. I was with the Tri-State Arsenal and we were not expected to win at all, and we beat East Cobb (Ga.) and the NorCal Stars, which is the Stanford feeder program. We beat both of them by one and got to the national championship and won the whole thing. It was a pretty exciting couple of days.

What do you still hope to accomplish throughout your Virginia career?
First I want to put on 20 pounds! (laughs) I want to continue to have fun playing the game and work hard enough so I can have a future in it.

What is it like playing every day in a conference like the ACC?
It's definitely tough. The pitching is a lot different than high school! It's a lot of fun knowing that I'm going up against some arms that will probably be in the majors in a few years. The hardest thing about it is realizing that I'm not going to get a hit every time.

Can you talk about your transition to the college baseball scene and what has helped you make that transition?
I'd say the biggest thing that helped me make the transition is the Tri-State Arsenal. A lot of the players we're playing against now in the ACC, we've played against pretty much every summer. A lot of the pitching that I'm seeing is from players I've faced before. As far as Virginia goes, I'd say that our fall program and everything that they prepare us with here has given me opportunities in the spring. The way we scrimmage has helped. Our pitching staff is one of the best in the ACC and facing them every day can obviously get you ready!

What are your thoughts heading into your first ACC Championship?
I'm just trying to go about my business the right way and work as hard as I can to be ready.

What will it take for Virginia to make a good run through the championship?
Obviously we're going to have to hit. Our starting pitching has always been strong, so there are no worries there. We just need to hit and play the best baseball we've played all year.

Why did you choose Virginia?
(Former Virginia player) Sean Doolittle is my neighbor. He was obviously a big part of the program here. I'm close with his family and had a lot of information from him about the school. I was a Virginia baseball fan before I attended. Before they started recruiting me, I never thought about the possibility of going to Virginia. When they started recruiting me, I talked to (Sean) about the university. I knew it was a good academic program and what he said about the coaches and the way the program goes about business made me want to give it a shot. It's definitely lived up to my expectations.

Have you declared an academic major yet?
I'm undecided, but I'm leaning toward commerce.

If you could do anything you wanted after you graduate, what would it be?
Play in the major leagues. I'd love to play for the Phillies.

Dan Grovatt and the Cavaliers open a three-game series with Georgia Tech on Thursday, May 15, at 6 p.m. in the last regular-season series of 2008. The Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets will also square off on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Stay tuned to theACC.com for complete information on next week's ACC Baseball Championship, to be held from May 21-25 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.