Taking the Baton
Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas has taken over for former signal caller Tyrod Taylor and is having a tremendous first season as a starter. Taylor obviously agrees, as the two celebrated after Thomas brought the Hokies from behind to a win over ACC rival Miami in the final seconds.
The Student-Athlete Experience
“I would like to thank all those responsible for making my experience here at Virginia Tech so remarkable. The support from Hokie Club donors, fans and the entire Virginia Tech community as a whole, provided the perfect formula for success on and off the playing field. Again, thank you for allowing me to make memories that I will cherish for a lifetime! I am honored and proud to call myself a Hokie!”
Danny Coale | r-Senior, Football
“My time at Virginia Tech with the football team has been memorable and I’ll always remember the roar of the crowd in Lane Stadium and the fans’ support of our team. Thanks to everyone for their support!
Josh Oglesby | r-Senior, Football
The Donor File
Hokie Club Level: Golden Hokie Champion
Currently Resides: Richmond, Va.
Hokie Club Member Since: 2011
Graduation Year: 2002
Family: Essra (wife), Colin (husband), Daphne (daughter)
Q: Being a member of the Hokie Club and supporting Virginia Tech athletics is important to me and my family because …
A: We met at Virginia Tech, both with majors in accounting and information systems. We were married in Blacksburg at my parent’s home. Colin also earned an athletics scholarship to play soccer at Virginia Tech. We are very grateful for the opportunities that our educations have provided for us.
Q: What is it about Virginia Tech that is so special to you?
A: Blacksburg, the campus, and the sense of community.
Q: Do you have a specific moment when you realized that you were a fan of Virginia Tech athletics and knew without a doubt that you were a Hokie?
A: Watching Colin and his teammates play soccer, attending games with my godfather, Glenn Reynolds, as a child.
Q: Do you have any gameday or tailgating traditions or superstitions? If so, what are they?
A: Time with friends and family.
Q: When you drive into Blacksburg for a game, are there any “must-do” things for you and your family?
A: See my parents and spend time outdoors with loved ones.
Q: Since you first arrived at Virginia Tech, you have seen a lot of successful teams and wins. Do you have a favorite team/season or game that stands out the most?
A: The national championship in New Orleans following the 1999 season.
Q: My all-time favorite Virginia Tech student-athlete from another sport is…
A: Colin Kibler, my husband.
Letter from Lu
Dear Hokie Club Members,
The 2011 fall semester is in full swing, and our Hokies are busy competing on the fields and courts of play, as well as in the classroom. Moments like this remind me how good it is to be a Hokie. Being around our student-athletes and seeing how diligently they are working to succeed gives us all a sense of how much they are enjoying their time here at Virginia Tech. Just as they are working hard, the Virginia Tech athletics department and our Hokie Club office is as well, all in hopes to put our student-athletes in the best position possible to succeed. As we begin to look toward year end, I wanted to take a moment to talk to you about several items that are happening here in the Hokie Club office so you, too, can help in their successes.
In September, all Hokie Club members received their Point Priority Rankings in the mail. These sheets serve to highlight each member’s current rank and to give a snapshot of your current Hokie Club standing at that time. We hope this is helpful for you and will be a useful tool as you begin to position yourself for 2012 benefits.
While we are talking about year end, it is always important for us to mention some of the deadlines that affect your membership. November 30th is the last day to set up or upgrade your membership using either “Hokie Matic” or “Employee Payroll Deduction” to qualify for privileges to be awarded before the Benefits Deadline. To make any changes to an existing Hokie Matic, including increasing your monthly deduction, please submit a new form indicating the updated information. Forms can be found by visiting our website, hokieclub.com.
The most important deadline for the Hokie Club, beside your current membership’s annual anniversary month, is the Benefits Deadline. December 31, 2011, serves as the deadline for all Hokie Club benefits for the 2012 year. Due to the university’s holiday schedule and the Hokies’ bowl game schedule, please make every effort to speak with the Hokie Club staff or visit our office now. Remember, checks must be postmarked by December 31, 2011, and online contributions must be made at hokieclub.com by midnight EST, December 31, 2011.
I think it is also important to remind you about the reseating of Lane Stadium that will occur in the spring of 2012. Detailed reseating information was mailed to all Hokie Club members in September and more detailed information about the online process will follow in early 2012. As we look toward the Benefits Deadline, I will encourage you to think about your position within the Hokie Club. If you would like to give more or would like to upgrade your giving level, please reach out to our office, as we would like to assist you. Also, if you know of others who would like either to join the Hokie Club or would like to talk about the reseating process, please help us by referring them to our office, as we are excited and pleased with the reseating plan.
As always, we acknowledge that without the support of the almost 11,000 members of the Hokie Club, Virginia Tech athletics couldn’t achieve the level of success that we’ve all come to expect. To help us reach our goals and to continue to increase our support of Virginia Tech athletics, we encourage you to increase your annual giving or upgrade your membership. A second way to help is by finding new members. I encourage you to talk to your Hokie alumni and friends, and ask them to join the Hokie Club. As an incentive for prospective members, you can relate that all new members who applied for season tickets for football and basketball received them this past year. I think there are many reasons why our members support the Hokie Club and our student-athletes, and I firmly believe that your dollars are well spent. Your gifts provide the opportunities for these remarkable young men and women to succeed in the classroom and in their chosen sport. We are grateful for your continued fine support!
Go Hokies,
Lu Merritt
Senior Director of Development for Intercollegiate Athletics
