Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 13 No. 1 | August 2020

38 Inside Hokie Sports NAME SPORT/SUPPORT AREA NAME SPORT/SUPPORT AREA Humza Ahmed Trainer Larry Gooss Track and Field Colleen Bannigan Trainer Elizabeth Gordon Humston Women’s Tennis Brianna Beach Trainer Abraham Hardee Football Emily Bush Track and Field Spencer Harris Baseball Cody Bushman Cheerleader Troy Hoff Men’s Swimming Ashleigh Keats Clickett Track and Field Marie Johnston Women’s Soccer Dayle Colpitts Women’s Soccer Ashley Kaufman Trainer Brittany Cook Women’s Basketball Scott King Football Chris Diaz Wrestling Taylor MacDonald Trainer Amy Wetzel Doolan Women’s Basketball Reginald Pinder Trainer Dustin Dyer Men’s Soccer Canaan Prater Wrestling Thomas Evans Men’s Swimming Erika Weidman Rice Track and Field Tara Feehan Lacrosse LIST OF THOSE FROM VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS WHO HAVE ATTENDED OR ARE ATTENDING VCOM from a state—New York—that far and away leads the nation in COVID-19 deaths, and some of her relatives have contracted the disease. Fortunately, all continue to recover. She found herself fielding all sorts of questions from relatives and not being able to provide answers. No one has been able to do that, as doctors, researchers and experts continue to collect and analyze data related to a disease that constantly changes. But Feehan, like the others, remains undaunted about the situation. With the mindset of an athlete, she desperately wants to return to the field after the world’s current setback. “It [the pandemic] kind of confirmed, just in being away from clinicals, how much I loved medicine,” Feehan said. “It was a great realization of, ‘Wow, you really want to do something great for people, and you can’t.’ I’m really excited about going back and helping people when I couldn’t. So if anything, this has motivated me more.” All those interviewed echoed these sentiments. They love the challenge and want the responsibility of being a part of the solution. They also feel prepared for it. That came out in the interviews. They credited Virginia Tech for building their foundation as doctors or future doctors, developing work ethic and fine tuning time management skills. And of course, VCOM’s instructors educated and trained them, putting them in pressure situations to handle incidents like pandemics. “VCOM’s been around for some time now, and they’ve gotten a good grasp of how to make and produce good doctors,” Diaz said. “The hospitals I’ve been at and the classes I took while I was there really shaped and prepared me for this, and I’m thankful for that. I’m thankful for the people I was around and the friendships that grew out of there and even some of my fellow students from VCOM. It’s been cool to look back at all that work, and the time spent was worth it. I wouldn’t be here without those opportunities.” During an incredibly dark time in the world’s history, all those who work in healthcare represent the better of humanity. Certainly, those who have attended or are attending VCOM are firmly entrenched on that list. taking on COVID-19 Continued from page 37 Dr. Erika Weidman Rice, a track and field and women’s soccer player at Tech, has been on the front lines since the pandemic started, working as a chief emergency medicine resident at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.