Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 1 | August 2019

inside.hokiesports.com 35 The annual alumni event will be held Fri., Oct. 18. The evening kicks off with a tailgate during the men’s soccer game at 5:30 p.m., and the women’s game against Wake Forest follows at 8 p.m. The following day, the Hokies play North Carolina in football, and there will be a tailgate prior to the game. After the success of the 2018 season, we are looking to build and grow the program with the support of our booster club. The Golden Goal Club will be up and running for the second consecutive year, and we would love for you to renew or get involved today. It is because of all of you that we have enjoyed so much success over the years (10 NCAA Championship appearances, including four Sweet 16 showings). If you are interested in any of our events, please consider renewing your membership or joining the Golden Goal Club. To do so, please reach out to head coach Chugger Adair (adair@vt.edu; 540-641-0536); Macaulay Soto (macas17@vt.edu ; 717-725-6358); or Blair Nelson, the Monogram Club Director, at bleason19@cox.net, or at 757-619-3586. MEN’S SOCCER An exciting season is on the horizon for the Tech men’s soccer team. Returning nearly the entire team that earned a national seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16, head coach Mike Brizendine has further bolstered the roster with several talented newcomers. This fall, please consider returning to Blacksburg for two organized weekends with your fellow soccer alumni. On Friday, Sept. 27, Hokie soccer plays host to Boston College at 1 p.m. at Thompson Field. Afterward, the coaching staff and alumni will join for a tailgate leading up to the Hokies’ Friday night football game against Duke. Tech’s Homecoming weekend will be another great opportunity to catch up with your fellow alumni this fall, with the soccer team playing host to Notre Dame on Friday, Oct. 18, followed by the football team playing host to UNC on Saturday, Oct. 19. Further details are forthcoming from Coach Mike Brizendine and through alumni network emails. If you’re looking for more information or would like to be added to the alumni network, please connect with Monogram Club men’s soccer representative Charlie Howe (‘06) at charlieh.howe@gmail.com. WRESTLING The 2019 Wrestling Alumni Reunion is scheduled for Sept. 13 at Auburn Hills Golf Club in Riner, along with the SERTC Golf Tournament. Contact Carl Gellis for more information (carlgellis@ hotmail.com) . SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES— 2020 MONOGRAM CLUB SPRING GOLF EVENT For the first time, the 2019 Monogram Club Golf Event included sponsorship opportunities. The success of the event led to a bold vision being cast for future events. This vision includes pursuit of corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities at the 2020 spring golf tournament, with the intended goal to raise funds to begin endowing sports scholarships. The men’s golf alumni lead the way in Hokie Athletics with 36 endowed scholarships presently. With the new vision, the Club plans to follow the men’s golf example and begin paving the way for the Club, as well as all other sports, to endow sport scholarships. Corporate and individual sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2020 golf tournament! Contact Mike Ligon at ligonm01@verizon. net for more information. 2019 VIRGINIA TECH SPORTS HALL OF FAME The Monogram Club congratulates five past student-athlete letterwinners on their pending induction (Sept. 6) into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame: Tasmin Fanning (track and field and cross country); Brandon Flowers (football); Matt Griswold (baseball); Brian Walter (track and field and cross country) and Drew Weaver (men’s golf). Congratulations to Dave Smith , former Virginia Tech sports information director, on his induction into the Hall as well! Karlie Johnson helped the Tech women’s soccer team advance to the Sweet 16 last season, and former Tech players should be even more excited about the prospects for this team this season.