2 Inside Hokie Sports Dear Hokie Nation, We hope you all had a fantastic summer filled with your family and friends. As fall quickly approaches, we cannot wait to have you back in Blacksburg soon. Thompson Field, Cassell Coliseum, and Lane Stadium are ready for you all to fill the seats of each venue and cheer as loud as possible for our outstanding student-athletes. Coach Brent Pry and his staff have been working incredibly hard to prepare their team for a challenging slate in 2022. They have made tremendous strides in the short time they have been on campus, and we have faith in how that will translate to restoring our football program to a championship brand in the ACC. This staff has a proven track record of developing young men into leaders, and I know this special group of student-athletes will make Hokie Nation proud. We are excited to create memories for our fans who make the trip to Lane Stadium this fall. Our department is committed to serve Hokie Nation and give them the best experiences only Virginia Tech can provide. We have been strategizing the best ways to ensure each and every one of you will wholeheartedly enjoy their time in Blacksburg. Fan-first concession pricing, mobile ticketing, and responsible alcohol sales will be returning in 2022 after great feedback from the previous season. In addition to the gameday aspects that are returning, our department has also dedicated its efforts to logistically planning the best stadium entrance processes to implement this year. We know Hokie Nation will continue to make Lane Stadium the toughest place for opponents to play in college football. As we move into the 2022 fall sports season, we are excited for what’s on tap for our Olympic sports in Blacksburg. Coach Chugger Adair has made Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer a consistent winner in the ACC in his tenure as head coach, and we suspect 2022 will be no different. On the men’s side, Mike Brizendine and his talented roster return after making the NCAA Tournament for a sixth straight season and have the capability to compete for an ACC title this season. Marci Byers is building a contender with our volleyball program and has galvanized momentum with a strong recruiting class. Last, but certainly not least, Dave Cianelli and Eric Johannigmeier mold student-athletes into strong, determined runners, and we look forward to seeing what Virginia Tech Cross Country will do when their season begins in September. Hokie Nation joined together to accomplish ambitious goals set by our athletic department in the 2021-2022 year. The Drive for 25 reached its triumphant conclusion with over 29,000 Hokie Club members, and the $400 million Reach for Excellence campaign surpassed the halfway mark earlier this year. Pressing forward into a new academic year, it is inherent that we continue on our positive trajectory as a fanbase to further support our nearly 600 student-athletes. There are also new, expanded ways to help our student-athletes in the realm of name, image, and likeness, and we encourage Hokie Nation to follow our compliance guidelines to establish these relationships. We are once again asking that not one person do everything, but for every Hokie to make a commitment to bettering Virginia Tech in the national scope of collegiate athletics. We are strong together as Hokie Nation. Thank you for your unbridled support of Virginia Tech Athletics. We cannot wait to welcome you HOME! Go Hokies! Whit Babcock Director of Athletics A WORD FROM WHIT
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