Laurynas Mikalauskas, a fan favorite in three seasons on the Virginia men’s basketball team, apparently has played his final game for the Cavaliers.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao said in a news release Monday that Mikalauskas no longer is part of the program but that 6-foot-11, 250-pound Tunji Soroye will be returning for a fifth year.

Soroye was successful in an appeal to the NCAA to receive an extra season of eligibility after knee and back problems limited him to two games in the 2007-2008 season. However, the Cavaliers did not have an extra scholarship at the time of his appeal.

Virginia announced last week that forward Will Harris will be transferring after playing two seasons for the Cavaliers and Mikalauskas’ departure would leave them with 11 scholarship players, two under the Division I men’s limit.

One scholarship would go to Soroye and presumably one would be available for Calvin Baker, who played more than 800 minutes this past season as a walk-on.

Mikalauskas underwent shoulder surgery following the 2007-2008 season but it does not appear that his departure is injury-related.

“There are standards to be a member of this basketball program and Laurynas has not lived up to those standards,” Leitao said in a statement. “I will have no additional comment on this situation.”

Soroye has been a starter at various stages during his career and will enter the 2007-2008 with 78 career blocked shots. In his absence last year, Virginia was last in the ACC in blocked shots.

 — Staff report