The Virginia Tech athletics department held its annual All-Sports Banquet on May 4 at the Squires Student Center and recognized student-athletes who excelled both on and off the field this past academic year.
The department recognized its Scholar Athletes of the Year; a group of 10 who earned perfect 4.0 grade-point averages for the 2008 calendar year. This group included Brittany Cook and Laura Haskins (women’s hoops), Chris Sherman (cheerleading), Chris Drager and Dustin Keys (football), Jennifer Harvey (women’s soccer), Claire Dickey and Stephanie Jones (women’s swimming), Pedro Graber (men’s tennis), and Kelly Phillips (women’s track).
The department also honored the All-Academic team, which includes those who have earned the highest grade-point average in their respective sports. The list included: Sean Ryan (baseball), Paul Debnam (men’s hoops), Cook and Haskins (women’s hoops), Sherman (cheerleading), Phillip Padilla (men’s track and cross country), Natalie Kretzer (women’s cross country), Drager and Keys (football), Drew Weaver (golf), Sarah Otey (HighTechs), Kari Morrison (lacrosse), Justin Tuohy (managers), Craig Burnell (men’s soccer), Harvey (women’s soccer), Jenna Rhodes (softball), Trey Stewart (men’s swimming), Dickey and Jones (women’s swimming), Graber (men’s tennis), Jessica Brouwer (women’s tennis), Phillips (women’s track), Kristen Wahlberg (trainers), Stephanie Bartholic (video), Kristen Cunningham (volleyball), and Tim Miller (wrestling).
The ACC sponsors a Top Six for Service Award each year in recognition of the thousands of hours student-athletes collectively volunteer in their communities. Each year, six outstanding student-athletes from each member institution who have demonstrated an exemplary service attitude are chosen for this special honor. At Tech, the six honored were Ashley Owens (women’s soccer), Beth Walker (softball), Jenna Rhodes (softball), Orion Martin (football), Drew Weaver (golf) and Mauri Liberati (women’s soccer). The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) selected a SAAC Member of the Year. This year’s recipient demonstrated outstanding leadership to this all-important committee that serves a vital role within the athletics department. Beth Walker (softball) was named the SAAC Member of the Year.
The strength and conditioning staff also recognized one team member from each sport who demonstrated outstanding dedication in the weight room and in conditioning themselves for their competitive season, and each team at Tech recognized a rookie of the year, a coaches award winner (to the consummate team player) and a most valuable performer.
For more on these and for photos of the evening, please check www.hokiesports.com/allsports.
Macho drafted by Philadelphia, continues Tech streak
The Philadelphia Eagles selected former Tech cornerback Macho Harris in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on April 26, extending the Tech streak of having at least one player drafted to 16 consecutive years. Sixty-four Hokies have been drafted in that span and 75 overall under head coach Frank Beamer.
Harris earned All-ACC honors as a cornerback his final two seasons at Tech. The Highland Springs, Va., standout finished with 46 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, this season. He tied for the team lead with six interceptions and concluded his career with 15 interceptions, a number that ranks third on the school’s all-time list.
Harris was one of 33 ACC players drafted – the second most behind the SEC (37). Maryland and North Carolina led the way with five chosen each. The ACC did have five players selected in the first round, extending the total to 30 selected in the first round since 2006. That number is tops among all conferences in that span.
Four former Tech players signed with NFL teams as un-drafted free agents. Orion Martin signed with the Miami Dolphins and will have plenty of former Tech players helping him with his new surroundings – Brandon Frye, Ernest Wilford, Eric Green and Jake Grove are all on the Dolphins’ roster.
Sean Glennon signed with Minnesota and will be re-united with former Tech quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers in Minnesota. Ryan Shuman signed with the Green Bay Packers and Devin Perez inked a deal with Cincinnati.
