CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – “It’s surreal,” said Jessica Thomas-Johnson, the mother of Virginia star Kymora Johnson as the women’s basketball team prepared to leave for Sacramento, Calif. and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. “I’ve had chill bumps for, I don’t know, a week, two weeks.”

Thomas-Johnson was one of about 200 family, friends, and fans who gathered Wednesday to see the team off at John Paul Jones Arena.

Johnson, the former St. Anne’s-Belfield star, has become a national story after leading the Cavaliers to a trio of wins, starting in the First Four, and into the Sweet 16 for the program’s first time since 2000.

Thomas-Johnson had the family dog in tow as she said Johnson had not seen the pet since leaving for Iowa City, where UVA beat Arizona State, Georgia and Iowa to become the first women’s NCAA Tournament team to play from the First Four to the Sweet 16.

Fan Myra Anderson used the same word as Thomas-Johnson describing the team’s run.

“Oh my god, it feels surreal, the last time this happened was 2000 and, when you think about it, none of this team was even born,” she said. “This is amazing and I wouldn’t miss this moment for anything.”

In fact, Anderson was born in Charlottesville and watched those Sweet 16 and Final Four teams coached by Debbie Ryan and led by Dawn Staley.

She now lives in Hampton and drove up to see the team depart.

Romi Levy, who stood out in the First Four game last Thursday against Arizona State was among the first to make her way through the fans toward the bus, along with Paris Clark who was a hero in Monday’s win over Iowa.

They were followed closely by Sa’Myah Smith, a hero in the middle game Saturday, a win over Georgia.

Thomas-Johnson continued with her overwhelmed feelings, “Just the beauty of it being here and her, like I don’t know if there’s a better feeling in this world than watching your child chase their dreams and then watching them come true.”

And Thomas-Johnson means “their” because the girl known as “Mo” is one of six siblings.

Kymora beamed with a large smile the entire time moving through the crowd, hugging fans and posing with them for selfies.

Mom said, her voice cracking as she held back tears, “Really… it’s really incredible, like I have said since she was little that she was special but not because of basketball but because she’s an incredible human.”

“And she has walked with grace and humility along the way every single step.”

The bus departed around noon for their flight from CHO to Sacramento.

The 10th-seeded Hoos will face 3-seed TCU Saturday at 7:30 p.m.