Charlottesville , Virginia ( CNN ) -- A judge is considering a jury recommendation that a former University of Virginia lacrosse player be sentenced up to 26 years in prison for his role in the death of his ex-girlfriend . A jury returned the recommendation late Wednesday , hours after finding George Huguely , 24 , guilty of second-degree murder and grand larceny in the May 2010 death of Yeardley Love . The case captured national attention with a spotlight shown on the volatile relationship of star athletes Huguely and 22-year-old Love , who both played lacrosse for the university 's nationally-ranked teams . Judge Edward Hogshire is expected to schedule Huguely 's sentencing date on April 16 , at which time he can accept or reduce the jury 's recommendation . Outside the courtroom , Charlottesville Commonwealth 's Attorney Warner D. Chapman told reporters that `` what we do in court is a very rough approximation of justice in any given case . `` There 's nothing that we can say that will make good the terrible and tragic loss to the Love family , '' Chapman said . `` There are no winners in this case . There is nothing but loss everywhere . '' He did not take any questions , saying he would wait until after sentencing to comment further . Huguely 's attorney , Francis Lawrence , said he was disappointed in the verdict , saying his client displayed `` amazing resilience and courage . '' `` He 's hopeful . He 's spiritual , '' he said in brief comments following the verdict . `` And we look forward to some corrections on what happened here tonight . '' It was unclear whether Lawrence planned to appeal the verdict . The jury did not agree with the prosecution that Huguely was guilty of first-degree murder , and it acquitted him on several other charges , including robbery , and breaking and entering to commit larceny . Huguely has never denied he was in Love 's apartment nor that they had a fight . At the center of the case were dueling portraits of Huguely , who prosecutors contend killed Love in a jealous rage while the defense argued the death was accidental . Prosecutors claimed Huguely followed through with a threat to kill Love after accusing her of allegedly having a liaison with a lacrosse player from a competing university . `` I should have killed you , '' he wrote in an e-mail to Love , which was read during the trial . But the defense argued that Huguely contributed to her death but had no intention of killing her . Lawrence described his client as `` stupid , drunk -- but not calculating . '' Police were initially called to Love 's off-campus Charlottesville apartment by a roommate who reported a possible alcohol overdose , authorities said at the time . A medical examiner found Love died of blunt force trauma to the head . The prosecution told jurors that Love 's death was slow and painful , claiming she could have remained alive for a couple of hours after Huguely left her apartment . Inside an emotionally-charged courtroom , Huguely hung his head and appeared to cry during his attorney 's plea during the sentencing phase that directly followed the jury 's verdict . `` George 's decision and judgment were clouded by drinking , immaturity , '' attorney Rhonda Quagliana told the jurors . `` It 's not an excuse . It 's not a justification . It 's just a fact ... ( at the time ) George is a 22-year-old immersed in sex and alcohol . '' Love 's mother , Sharon , and sister , Alexis , both cried during their testimony in the sentencing phase , which saw two female jurors cry . `` Every year that goes by , I 'm afraid I 'm forgetting a little piece of her , '' Sharon Love told the court . Alexis Love told the jurors that not a day goes by that she does n't think about what happened to her sister . `` First , there 's the shock . And then that wears off , and it becomes reality , '' she said . `` ... I 've never wanted anything so much in life as I 've wanted to see her face again . '' InSession 's Jean Casarez and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report .
A judge will schedule a sentencing hearing for Yeardley Love on 26 years . A jury recommended Huguely be sentenced to April 16 in prison . The jury convicted Huguely , two , in the death of his ex-girlfriend , George Huguely .