Vol. 14 No. 6, June 2022 The Official Publication of Virginia Tech Athletics ANNUAL REPORT A Comprehensive Dive into a Year of Hokie Sports
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Published by the Virginia Tech Athletics Department • Inside Hokie Sports (ISSN 8750-9148, periodical postage paid at Blacksburg, VA 24060 and additional mailing offices) covers Virginia Tech athletics and is published six times annually. The publisher is the Virginia Tech Athletics Department, 21 Beamer Way, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Mail all address changes, written inquiries and complaints to Virginia Tech Athletic Fund, P.O. Box 10307, Blacksburg, VA 24062-0307 or call 540-231-6618. Inside Hokie Sports assumes no responsibility for companies and persons who advertise in this publication. Reproduction of contents in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Publisher does not guarantee accuracy of information contained in any advertisement. ATTN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Virginia Tech Athletic Fund, P.O. Box 10307, Blacksburg, VA 24062-0307. Printed by Worth Higgins & Associates of Richmond, Virginia. John Sours Designer Dave Knachel Photographer Contributor Christopher Fair Virginia Tech Sports Properties June 2022 Vol. 14, No. 6 inside.hokiesports.com *To advertise with Virginia Tech athletics or Inside Hokie Sports, contact Kyler Pilling at Virginia Tech Sports Properties— 540-418-6307 contents 2 A Word from Whit 3 Tech excels in postseason competition 6 A Multitude of Recognition 8 Hokies on constant climb in Learfield Director’s Cup race 9 Hokies conquer the Commonwealth! 10 Striving for success outside of competition 12 Bridging the Divide 15 Molding well-rounded Hokies 16 Pro Hokies 18 Enshrined in Excellence 19 Tech Athletics plants solid digital footprint 20 Athletics continues to Reach for Excellence 22 Hokies enjoy benefit of enhanced facilities 24 Maintaining the best environment for fans 27 Advancing with the times for student-athletes 28 Monogram Club News 6 2 9 10 12 15 29 16 12 27 24 20 18
2 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Dear Hokie Nation, This last year has been such a tremendous, captivating ride for our student-athletes, staff and fans. We will look back on the 2021-22 academic year as a time where we came together and got stronger as a fan base and department, all the while elevating many of our programs as contenders on the national landscape. This pivotal time period in Athletics saw our programs win the most ACC Championships in a single year in school history. As this academic year comes to a close, we want to thank you for your dedication and loyalty to Virginia Tech. This has been a special time for our department and university, and Hokie Nation’s passionate backing of our student-athletes has made it all the more memorable. Blacksburg is now one of the epicenters for diamond sports in the collegiate landscape. Virginia Tech Baseball and Softball are two legitimate NCAA contenders, and it has been a real treat to see them succeed at the same time. We are the first school in almost two decades to have the ACC Coach of the Year in both of those sports in the same season. Coach D’Amour and Coach Szefc have embraced Virginia Tech’s culture and assembled rosters of talented student-athletes that have excelled on and off the diamond. These teams have made Hokie Nation proud through their resilience and contagious energy, all the while finishing atop of the ACC, simultaneously. We are anxious and incredibly optimistic about the futures of both of these programs at Virginia Tech. Looking back on the spring, many of our programs outside of the diamond made significant leaps forward as well. Lacrosse head coach Kristen Skiera put together an impressive campaign in her first year at the helm, mentoring two All-Americans in Sarah Lubnow and Olivia Vergano, and we are excited about the potential she brings to Thompson Field in the future. In track and field, we cannot say enough about Dave Cianelli’s continued commitment to success in leading this program. The Hokies posted strong finishes at the ACC Championships in Durham, led by Blacksburg native Cole Beck’s ACC MVP performance. In golf, our women’s team qualified for regionals for the fourth straight year, while Emily Mahar advanced to nationals. Connor Burgess qualified for regionals as an individual. On the men’s tennis side, Ryan Fishback and Jordan Chrysostom represented their program at the national level as well. It is so rewarding to see all of our programs succeed at the same time, supporting our belief that Virginia Tech Athletics is stronger when we are all moving forward with a common goal. And while the spring has been filled with accomplishments, the winter and fall sports programs also had many highlights. Whether it was men’s basketball cutting down the nets in Brooklyn, Rachel Baxter and Lindsey Butler taking gold at NCAAs, Mekhi Lewis being named ACC Wrestler of the Year, Elizabeth Kitley becoming the first ACC Player of the Year in program history, Emily Gray picked as the highest draft pick in Tech women’s soccer history, both men’s and women’s swimming & diving finishing in the top 25 nationally, Dave Cianelli’s selection as both ACC Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year, or football retaining the Commonwealth Cup, we all have so much to be proud of as Hokies. Although this year has been one of the most memorable in Virginia Tech history, we will never stop driving forward as we continue to Reach for Excellence. Hokie Nation banding together to achieve 25,000 Hokie Club members was an amazing feat, and now we need to keep that momentum going for the future. We are not asking for one Hokie to do everything, but everyone needs to do something as we strive to become a championship brand in collegiate athletics. Once again, thank you for all of your unbridled support of Virginia Tech Athletics. We could not have accomplished the myriad of successes during the 2021-22 year without your help. I hope you will find this “Annual Review” of our department informative, while also providing you with a sense of pride for the Hokies. Go Hokies! Whit Babcock Director of Athletics A WORD FROM WHIT
inside.hokiesports.com 3 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Virginia Tech Athletics garnered the attention of fans around the country with the Hokies’ success beyond the confines of the regular season. The 2021-2022 athletics year gave Tech fans plenty of cathartic moments in the postseason, making this time period one of the most memorable in the history of Hokie sports. (Please note: the article was completed on June 2, 2022.) MEN’S BASKETBALL CUTS DOWN THE NETS Mike Young’s group of tenacious Hokies stormed through the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn in March 2022. Darius Maddox’s buzzerbeating three pointer in overtime to beat Clemson sparked a Hokies’ run that lasted for three more games, knocking off the higher seeded Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Duke. Hunter Cattoor’s lights-out, 31 point-performance lifted Tech to an 82-67 victory over the ACC Regular Season champ Blue Devils in the final, giving the Hokies their first ACC title in program history. HOKIES SOFTBALL SHINES IN BLACKSBURG Virginia Tech Softball’s 2022 regular season performance allowed them to host an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history in May 2022. Senior All-American pitcher Keely Rochard tossed a no-hitter in a game one 4-0 victory over Saint Francis. After a heartbreaking loss in game two against Kentucky, the Hokies fought through the gauntlet valiantly. Tech came from behind to beat Miami (OH) 5-4 and Kentucky 9-2 in game six. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Mackenzie Lawter smoked a three-run home run that gave the Hokies a lead they would not surrender. Emma Lemley and Rochard led the Hokies’ pitching efforts to beat the Wildcats 5-4 and clinch a bid to host the NCAA Super Regional. WRESTLING FINISHES AMONGST THE NATION’S BEST Tony Robie has cultivated a consistent winner in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech Wrestling finished 8th in the country at the NCAA Championships in Detroit in March 2022. Mekhi Lewis led the Hokies with a National Runner-Up finish at 174, making him a two-time finalist and All-American. Korbin Myers and Bryce Andonian joined Lewis in All-American recognition as well. The Hokies were runners-up in the 2022 ACC Championship and finished with three champions in Lewis, Myers, and Nathan Traxler. TRACK & FIELD RUNS TO DUAL CHAMPIONSHIP The Hokies took advantage of the 2022 ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships being held at Rector Field House in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech ran a complete sweep of the ACC team titles, with both the men and the women claiming the trophy. Cole Beck was the ACC Indoor Track MVP, accounting for 16 team points behind his gold finish in the 200m and bronze in the 60m. Victoria Gorlova’s performance in the triple jump was 43 centimeters better than anyone else in the event, earning her the ACC crown as well as Women’s Field MVP honors. At the end of the ACC Indoor Championships, 16 men received All-ACC honors and 12 women. This was the first time in history that a host school won both men’s and women’s team championships. postseason competition EXCELSin Continued on page 4 The Hokies crowd the podium to celebrate the 2022 ACC Championship.
4 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT WOMEN’S SOCCER PUSHES PAST BUCKEYES Tech Women’s Soccer punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons after an impressive 2022 campaign. The Hokies hosted Ohio State in the first round at Thompson Field to kick off head coach Chugger Adair’s 12th trip to NCAA’s as the leader of the program. Emily Gray wasted no time in getting the Hokies on the board, nailing the opening goal early in the first half to give her 12 on the season. After conceding the equalizer early in the second half, Tori Powell jumped the Hokies ahead in the 68th minute on an Emma Pelkowski pass to give the Hokies the 2-1 lead. Finally, Emma Steigerwald came off the bench to clinch the match for Tech with a 3-1 victory, giving the Hokies their first NCAA Tournament win since 2018. Women’s soccer’s season unfortunately ended against No. 7 Arkansas in the following game. MEN’S SOCCER STIFLES CAMPBELL Mike Brizendine’s talented roster earned Virginia Tech Men’s Soccer its sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Hokies squared off against the Big South Champion Campbell Camels in the first round at a rainy Thompson Field on November 18, 2021. Kyle McDowell put Tech on the board first in the 41st minute. Campbell, one of the best goal-scoring teams in the NCAA, knotted the game up at 1-1 eight minutes into the second half. After battling for another 15 minutes, the senior Kahlil Dover struck the game-winner in the 72nd minute to lift the Hokies to a 2-1 victory. Tech moved on to the second round in Morgantown, W.Va., dropping a heartbreaker in penalty kicks to the Mountaineers. postseason competition EXCELSin Continued from page 3 Tech Softball celebrates after defeating Kentucky in Blacksburg Regional. Andonian poses after All-American finish. The Hokies triumphantly smile after sweeping the 2022 ACC Indoor Championships.
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6 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Virginia Tech student-athletes represented their university at an elite level multiple times throughout the year in a variety of sports. These gifted individuals racked up the awards and recognition during one of the most historic years in Tech Athletics, all the while maintaining the core principle of reaching for excellence as a team. MEN’S BASKETBALL Keve Aluma, F, All-ACC Second Team, All-ACC Tournament First Team, 2022 NABC Second Team All-District II, 2022 USBWA All-District III Team Hunter Cattoor, G, Everett Case Award Winner, All-ACC Tournament First Team Darius Maddox, G, All-ACC Tournament Second Team Storm Murphy, G, All-ACC Tournament Second Team Justyn Mutts, F, 2022 VaSID All-State Second Team, 2022 Skip Prosser Award Winner WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Georgia Amoore, G, All-ACC Honorable Mention, All-ACC Tournament First Team Elizabeth Kitley, C, ACC Player of the Year, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Defensive Team, AP All-American Third Team; 2022 Kay Yow Award Winner FOOTBALL Jermaine Waller, CB, All-ACC Second Team Peter Moore, P, All-ACC Third Team, Freshman All-American First Team Tayvion Robinson, WR, All-ACC Third Team Chamarri Conner, DB, All-ACC Honorable Mention Brock Hoffman, C, All-ACC Honorable Mention, Wells Fargo Humanitarian of the Year Dax Hollifield, LB, All-ACC Honorable Mention Nasir Peoples, S, All-ACC Honorable Mention Lecitus Smith, OG, All-ACC Honorable Mention Luke Tenuta, OG, All-ACC Honorable Mention Tre Turner, WR, All-ACC Honorable Mention Jordan Williams, DT, All-ACC Honorable Mention Kaden Moore, OG, Freshman All-American Third Team MEN’S GOLF Connor Burgess, NCAA Regional Qualifier WOMEN’S GOLF Emily Mahar, All-ACC, NCAA Championships Qualifier, qualified for the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Antonio Lopez-Segura, All-NCAA Southeast Region WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Lindsey Butler, All-ACC, All-NCAA Southeast Region MEN’S SOCCER Jacob Labovitz, F, All-ACC First Team, VaSID Player of the Year Mayola Kinyua, M, All-ACC Third Team Danny Flores, M, All-ACC Freshman Team, VaSID Second Team All-State Kyle McDowell, D, VaSID First Team All-State Ben Martino, GK, VaSID First Team All-State WOMEN’S SOCCER Emily Gray, M, All-ACC Second Team, All-Atlantic Region First Team, VaSID All-State Tori Powell, F, VaSID All-State MEN’S TRACK & FIELD Cole Beck, ACC Men’s Track MVP in Indoor and Outdoor, Gold in ACC Indoor 200m, Bronze in ACC Indoor 60m, Gold in ACC Outdoor 4x100 Relay, Silver in ACC Outdoor 100m and 200m Khalil Bedoui, Bronze in ACC Outdoor hammer throw Chauncey Chambers, Silver in ACC Indoor triple jump, Second Team Indoor All-American (triple jump) Kahleje Tillmon, Gold in ACC Outdoor 200m, Gold in ACC Outdoor 4x100 Relay Torrence Walker, Gold in ACC Outdoor 4x100 Relay Kennedy Harrison, Gold in ACC Outdoor 4x100 Relay Ben Fleming, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Gold in ACC Outdoor 3,000m Steeplechase Patrick Forrest, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay Christian Jackson, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay Antonio Lopez Segura, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Silver in ACC Indoor 3,000m, First Team Indoor All-American (3,000m), Bronze in ACC Outdoor 10,000m Conner McClure, Bronze in ACC Indoor pole vault Alexios Prodanas, Silver in ACC Indoor weight throw, Hokies received numerous awards celebrating performance in competition RECOGNITION A Multitudeof LINDSEY BUTLER HUNTER CATTOOR RACHEL BAXTER
inside.hokiesports.com 7 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Second Team Indoor All-American (weight throw) Jake Spotswood, Silver in ACC Indoor heptathlon, Second Team Indoor All-American (heptathlon) WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD Hannah Ballowe, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Second Team Indoor All-American (Distance Medley Relay) Rachel Baxter, NCAA Indoor Pole Vault champion, ACC Indoor Field Performer of the Year, USTFCCCA Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year, Set indoor ACC record in pole vault, First Team Indoor All-American (pole vault), Gold in ACC Indoor pole vault Grace Boone, Second Team Indoor All-American (Distance Medley Relay) Lindsey Butler, NCAA Indoor 800m champion, ACC Indoor Track Performer of the Year, ACC Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, First Team Indoor All-American (800m), Gold in ACC Indoor 800m, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay Julia Fixsen, Bronze in NCAA Indoor pole vault, Bronze in ACC Indoor pole vault, Silver in ACC Outdoor pole vault, First Team Indoor All-American (pole vault) Victoria Gorlova, Gold in ACC Indoor triple jump, ACC Women’s Field MVP indoors, First Team Indoor All-American (triple jump) Essence Henderson, Silver in ACC Outdoor shot put Sara Killinen, Silver in ACC Indoor weight throw, Bronze in ACC Outdoor hammer throw, Second Team Indoor All-American (weight throw) Barbora Malíková, ACC Indoor Freshman of the Year, Silver in ACC Indoor 400m, Rebecca Mammel, Gold in ACC Indoor weight throw, First Team Indoor All-American (weight throw) Star Price, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Second Team Indoor All-American (Distance Medley Relay) Leigha Torino, Gold in ACC Indoor Distance Medley Relay, Second Team Indoor All-American (Distance Medley Relay) LACROSSE Sarah Lubnow, A, Honorable Mention All-American USA Lacrosse Magazine, All-ACC Second Team Olivia Vergano, M, IWLCA All-Region, All-ACC Freshman Team, Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention SOFTBALL Keely Rochard, P, NFCA First Team All-American, ACC Pitcher of the Year, All-ACC First Team Emma Lemley, P, ACC Freshman of the Year, All-ACC First Team Meredith Slaw, DP, All-ACC First Team Emma Ritter, OF, NFCA Third Team All-American, All-ACC First Team Cameron Fagan, 2B, All-ACC Second Team Mackenzie Lawter, C, All-ACC Second Team Morgan Overaitis, OF, All-ACC Second Team Bre Peck, 3B, All-ACC Second Team Kelsey Bennett, SS, All-ACC Third Team Darby Trull, OF, All-ACC Third Team Kelsey Brown, OF, All-ACC Third Team BASEBALL Gavin Cross, OF, All-ACC First Team Tanner Schobel, SS, All-ACC First Team Jack Hurley, OF, All-ACC First Team Drue Hackenberg, SP, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Freshman Team Cade Hunter, C, All-ACC Second Team Nick Biddison, OF, All-ACC Third Team Griffin Greene, SP, All-ACC Third Team Carson Demartini, 3B, All-ACC Freshman Team WRESTLING Mekhi Lewis, National Runner-Up at 174, All-American, ACC Champion, ACC Championships Most Outstanding Wrestler, ACC Wrestler of the Year Bryce Andonian, All-American at 149 (3rd), ACC Runner-Up Korbin Myers, All-American at 133 (6th), ACC Champion Nathan Traxler, NCAA Qualifier, ACC Champion Sam Latona, ACC Runner-Up 125, NCAA Qualifier Hunter Bolen, ACC Third Place 184, NCAA Qualifier Collin Gerardi, ACC Fourth Place 141, NCAA Qualifier Connor Brady, ACC Fourth Place 157, NCAA Qualifier Clayton Ulrey, ACC Fourth Place 165, NCAA Qualifier MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Youssef Ramadan, ACC Championship MVP: won gold in the 100 fly and the 100 free, All-American in the 50 free and 100 fly Carles Coll Marti, Won gold in the 200 IM and 200 breast at ACCs, All-American in the 200 IM and 200 breast Sam Tornqvist, Won gold in the 200 back at ACCs Noah Zawadzki, VaSID Diver of the Year WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Emma Atkinson, 3rd in the 200 free and 200 back at ACCs, All-American in the 200 back Chase Travis, 2nd in the 1650 free at ACCs Teagan Moravek, VaSID Diver of the Year VOLLEYBALL Angel Robinson, MB, VaSID All-State ELIZABETH KITLEY MEKHI LEWIS
8 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT The Learfield Director’s Cup is an honor awarded annually to the nation’s most successful athletics department. The 2021-2022 season will inevitably amount to the Hokies’ highest overall finish in the competition. On the last refresh of the standings on May 9, 2022, Virginia Tech sat at 21st in the Learfield Director’s Cup Standings, amounting to the fourth highest ACC athletics department behind Notre Dame (4th), North Carolina (6th), and North Carolina State (9th). Final standings for the Learfield Director’s Cup will be calculated in July 2022 at the conclusion of the College World Series. Currently, the Hokies are on track for their highest finish in school history. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 LSU Utah Louisville Oklahoma VIRGINIA TECH Iowa State Princeton Ole Miss Penn State Harvard Florida Tennessee BYU Alabama Minnesota Arkansas NC State Kentucky Wisconsin Texas North Carolina Notre Dame Ohio State Stanford Michigan 430.75 435.50 452.00 454.00 457.75 462.00 484.75 488.00 502.50 512.00 533.00 547.00 552.00 591.00 633.75 634.25 644.00 662.25 662.50 679.50 702.00 814.00 842.00 851.25 1000.25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 RANKING TOTAL POINTS in on CONSTANT CLIMB LEARFIELD DIRECTOR’S CUP RACE
inside.hokiesports.com 9 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT THE OFFICIAL KIDS’ CLUB OF VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS TO CHOOSE FROM Visit hokiesports.com/hokiekidsclub to join! ORANGE LEVEL: FREE MAROON LEVEL: $35 TWO PLANS Virginia Tech Athletics laid claim to the Commonwealth in the 2021-2022 year. The Hokies celebrated victories over the Wahoos numerous times across various sports throughout the fall, winter and spring sports seasons. This is the second Commonwealth Clash title for Virginia Tech since the Smithfield-sponsored challenge launched in 2014 and the first since 2018. Virginia Tech clinched the clash title on April 30, 2022 with baseball’s 7-5 comeback win to lock up the series in Charlottesville. SPORT DATE POINTS WINNER Men’s Soccer September 17, 2021 1 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Cross Country October 29, 2021 1 VIRGINIA TECH Men’s Cross Country October 29, 2021 1 VIRGINIA Volleyball October 29, 2021 1 VIRGINIA TECH Football November 27, 2021 1 VIRGINIA TECH Men’s Basketball January 12, 2022 ½ VIRGINIA Women’s Basketball January 18, 2022 ½ VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Basketball January 27, 2022 ½ VIRGINIA TECH Men’s Basketball February 14, 2022 ½ VIRGINIA TECH Wrestling February 18, 2021 1 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Swimming February 19, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Men’s Swimming February 19, 2022 1 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Indoor Track February 26, 2022 1 VIRGINIA TECH Men’s Indoor Track February 26, 2022 1 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Tennis April 2, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Men’s Tennis April 13, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Softball (Best of 3) See Below 1 VIRGINIA TECH Game 1 April 14, 2022 VIRGINIA TECH Game 2 April 15, 2022 VIRGINIA Game 3 April 16, 2022 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Golf April 17, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Women’s Lacrosse April 21, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Men’s Golf April 25, 2022 1 VIRGINIA Baseball (Best of 3) See Below 1 VIRGINIA TECH Game 1 April 29, 2022 VIRGINIA TECH Game 2 April 30, 2022 VIRGINIA Game 3 May 1, 2022 VIRGINIA TECH Men’s Outdoor Track May 15, 2022 1 VIRGINIA TECH Women’s Outdoor Track May 15, 2022 1 VIRGINIA THE COMMONWEALTH! HOKIES CONQUER
10 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Student-athletes face an enormity of challenges and pressures that coincide with their undertaking. They somehow have to find the balance between their responsibilities as a teammate, but also as young college students at one of the premier universities in the country. Even with these added hurdles, many Hokie student-athletes were able to excel in the classroom and receive academic honors from the ACC and NCAA. All of these student-athletes received ACC All-Academic team honors as well as some additional awards that are listed. Please note: At the time of publication, All-Academic Honors had not yet been published for baseball, softball, golf, tennis, lacrosse, or outdoor track & field. FOOTBALL Nick Gallo Dax Hollifield Peter Moore Braxton Burmeister Tae Daely Brock Hoffman Luke Tenuta MEN’S BASKETBALL Justyn Mutts, Skip Prosser Award for ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Hunter Cattoor Naheim Alleyne Keve Aluma Storm Murphy WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Elizabeth Kitley, Kay Yow Award for ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Cayla King Aisha Sheppard Georgia Amoore Kayana Traylor MEN’S SOCCER Sivert Haugli Cameron Joice Ben Martino Kyle McDowell Conor Pugh WOMEN’S SOCCER Emily Gray Nicole Kozlova Alia Skinner Allie Lewis STRIVING for success outside of competition JUSTYN MUTTS ELIZABETH KITLEY LINDSEY BUTLER Hokie student-athletes recognized for dedication to academic prowess NICOLE KOZLOVA NICK GALLO
inside.hokiesports.com 11 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT 99 Bradley Drive Christiansburg NRV Mall 540-381-8100 www.holidayinn.com/cburgnorth Full Service Restaurant Bar & Grill Game Day Catering. Dine in or Room Service Welcome Back HOKIES! MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Antonio Lopez Segura WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Lindsey Butler MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Filippo Dal Maso Luis Dominguez Thomas Hallock Forest Webb WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Karisa Franz Anna Landon Teagan Moravek Sarah Shackelford MEN’S TENNIS Ryan Fishback, NCAA Elite 90 Award for highest GPA at NCAA Championships WRESTLING Connor Brady Korbin Myers Sam Latona Nathan Traxler MEN’S TRACK & FIELD Ben Fleming Kennedy Harrison Antonio Lopez Segura Alexios Prodanas Harrison Rice Jacob Rice Jake Spotswood WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD Hannah Ballowe Rachel Baxter Grace Boone Lindsey Butler, ACC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year Julia Fixen Sara Killinen Barbora Malikova Rebecca Mammel Star Price Leigha Torino VOLLEYBALL Griere Hughes Logan Mosley Brie Postema Tasha Vipond GRIERE HUGHES
ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT 12 Inside Hokie Sports Virginia Tech Athletics has made a concerted effort in recent years in the realm of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The 2021-2022 academic year was no exception, with multiple events and initiatives implemented that used cooperation across the entire athletic department. Student-Athlete Development has championed efforts to make all Hokies, regardless of race, background, or gender, feel heard and included during their time in Blacksburg. LOVE Initiative Originally inaugurated in 2020, the Virginia Tech “LOVE” project continued into 2021-2022. The #LOVE video played before each home sporting event with a PSA from current student-athletes. The logo representing the project has a design that represents the values of our athletics community and our university. With the collaboration of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the #LOVE: Our Black Community initiative was launched during Black History Month in February 2022. This groundbreaking effort was aimed to elevate and celebrate Black voices, culture, and history, while highlighting the positive perceptions of Black love in our university community. Throughout the February 10-13 weekend, multiple events displaying the love of our Black community took place at Cassell Coliseum during a total of two home basketball games and one wrestling match. This important weekend included: an ICAT projection on the side of Cassell Coliseum showing local Black artists’ work, #LOVE Our Black Community T-Shirts worn by student-athletes as well as a fan giveaway, the highlighting of Black student-athlete trailblazers Dianne Epps and Jerry Gaines, public display of both student-athletes’ and fans’ messages on HokieVision, and halftime performances from VTDITC Spoken Word and Exodus Dance group. ESPNW Campus Conversations Virginia Tech was chosen as one of six sites in the country for ESPNW’S Campus Conversations series in 2022. A large portion of the female student-athlete population was in attendance for a speaking panel moderated by ESPN senior writer Heather Dinich. Virginia Tech alumni populated most of the panel, including Olympic Bronze Medalist Kristi Castlin, Lowe’s Senior Class Award Candidate and former volleyball captain Jaila Tolbert, and former ESPN/ FOX Sports analyst and soccer defender Morgan Bowen. ESPN senior director of marketing Michelle Berry joined them on the panel to discuss their experiences inside and outside of athletics in their college and professional careers. After the panel, female student-athletes were encouraged to attend breakout sessions with members of the panel, as well as additional alumni attendees MC Byrne (Lacrosse ‘19), Kai Young (Volleyball, ‘21) and Jen Price (Basketball, ‘95). SAAC Unity Walk Led by SAAC, more than 60 student-athletes, coaches, and staff joined together in a unity walk around campus on October 27, 2021. The event aimed to foster a dialogue on the pivotal moments revolving around race in our country over the previous two years, and how those same moments affected the student-athlete experience at Virginia Tech. Speakers included SAAC President and Men’s Soccer’s Kahlil Dover, Volleyball head coach Marci Byers, and Track & Field’s Essence Henderson. Student-athletes devote concerted effort to make community inclusive Student-athletes and staff group outside of Cassell Coliseum at conclusion of SAAC Unity Walk.
inside.hokiesports.com 13 The Loyola Project The Diversity and Inclusion Council held a screening and postshowing forum of The Loyola Project, a film detailing the 1963 NCAA Champion Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team and the inherent racism the four Black starters faced during their run. A total of four screenings were held in April 2022, and the post-screening discussion was led by Dr. Letisha Brown, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology. SAAC Unity Through Awareness Panel SAAC once again spearheaded an effort to promote an authentic dialogue about racial and social justice in our community and country. SAAC president Kahlil Dover moderated a panel that discussed social media’s impact on change, mental health, recognizing prejudices, and making the change from being bystanders to allies. This panel included representatives from a variety of campus organizations, including: Senija Davis, Black Organizations Council; Danny Robertson; Hokie Pride; Mohamed Hussein, President, Muslim Student Union; and Timi Adams, Men’s Soccer. Kristi Castlin, Jaila Tolbert, and Morgan Bowen join ESPNW Campus Conversations. Speakers gather for SAAC Unity Through Awareness Panel. Men’s Soccer strides through campus during Unity Walk. Jerry Gaines recognized during Hokies MBB game vs. Syracuse. ICAT projection illuminates Black Love in Blacksburg. Female student-athletes listen intently during ESPNW Campus Conversations. Essence Henderson speaks at SAAC Unity Walk.
14 Inside Hokie Sports ™ A P A R T M E N T S CEDAR POINTE A P A R T M E N T S
inside.hokiesports.com 15 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Hokie student-athletes utilize their time in Blacksburg to not only improve in their respective sports, but also to evolve as well-rounded rising professionals and citizens in the community. The Student-Athlete Development staff at Virginia Tech held numerous seminars and events throughout the 2021-2022 academic year that allowed Hokies to truly get the most out of their experience while they call Blacksburg home. CREATING A TOP-TIER EXPERIENCE There are opportunities for student-athletes to better themselves outside of sport as soon as they hit campus. Through the Hokies THRIVE program, freshmen were able to attend “Rookie Training Camp” sessions in the fall to learn how to balance their life as a student-athlete. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) sponsored a “Welcome Home” tailgate in the fall with Director of Athletics Whit Babcock as the guest speaker. THRIVE continued into the spring when distinguished alums Joey Slye, Taylor Emery, Greg Stroman and Meghan Macera returned to Blacksburg to speak on an important panel on mental health in front of a large gathering of student-athletes at the Student-Athlete Performance Center. To celebrate the incredible year in Tech Athletics, SAAC sponsored “The Gobblers,” an award ceremony in the Moss Arts Center where student-athletes received recognition for their accomplishments in and outside of competition. LEADERSHIP & CAREER DEVELOPMENT Student-AthleteDevelopment at VirginiaTechplacesa real emphasis on molding Hokies student-athletes into exceptional leaders. Each athletics program elects a SAAC representative to serve on behalf of their team on a committee that helps provide insight on the studentathlete experience at Virginia Tech. The S-A Development staff also instituted the “Next Level Leadership Academy”, an application based program that allows student-athletes to regularly meet amongst their peers to find ways to become the best leaders possible. Career development opportunities were also readily available for studentathletes. S-A Development Staff also held a MITRE Career Trek Event, a business etiquette dinner sponsored by Eric and James Gallo, and a Beyond VT seminar for graduating student-athletes to interact with alumni in the professional sector. MOLDING well-rounded Student-Athlete Development strives to create impactful, beneficial experiences for student-athletes LEAVING A MARK IN THE COMMUNITY Hokies were incredibly visible in the community during the 20212022 academic year, living out the true meaning of Ut Prosim. Numerous efforts were made to make an impact outside of competition, including the Adopt-A-Family initiative, Hokie for a Day, the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, Micah’s Backpack, the Montgomery County Christmas Store toy drive and more. Overall, Virginia Tech studentathletes worked over 3,500 collective hours of community service throughout the academic year. Mekhi Lewis and Elizabeth Kitley were the 2022 Golden Gobbler recipients. Student-Athletes attend Beyond VT seminar. Zeke, a signee from Team IMPACT, poses with studentathletes from Men’s Soccer. Chris Nicola and Georgia Amoore present at The 2022 Gobblers. 2021-2022 SAAC Representatives.
16 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Aisha Sheppard (Las Vegas Aces) Regan Magarity (Basket Landes in France) Uju Ugoka (Estudiantes in Spanish LF Endesa) Lydia Rivers (Keltern in German DBBL) Vanessa Panousis (Sutherland Sharks in Australian NBL1 East) Sami Hill (Panteras in Mexican LNBPF) MEN’S BASKETBALL Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Utah Jazz) Zach LeDay (Partizan NiS in Serbia) Jarell Eddie (Burgos in Spain) A.D. Vassallo (Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico) C.J. Barksdale (Salou in Spain) Malcolm Delaney (Milano in Italian Serie A) Adam Smith (Hapoel UNET Holon in Israeli Winner League) Justin Bibbs (WKS Slask Wroclaw in Polish EBL) Erick Green (Treviso in Italian Serie A) Cadarian Raines (Beroe in Bulgarian NBL) Seth Allen (Seagulls in Finnish Korisliiga) Ahmed Hill (HydroTruck Radom in Polish EBL) Joey van Zegeren (Alicante in Spanish LEB Gold) Jeff Allen (Cupes in Dominican Rep. Santiago League) Ty Outlaw (Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League) FOOTBALL Amare Barno (Carolina Panthers) Raheem Blackshear (Buffalo Bills) Chuck Clark (Baltimore Ravens) Tae Daley (Arizona Cardinals) Christian Darrisaw (Minnesota Vikings) Divine Deablo (Las Vegas Raiders) Terrell Edmunds (Pittsburgh Steelers) Tremaine Edmunds (Buffalo Bills) Brandon Facyson (Indianapolis Colts) Caleb Farley (Tennessee Titans) Kendall Fuller (Washington Commanders) Kyle Fuller (Baltimore Ravens) Khalil Herbert (Chicago Bears) Jarrod Hewitt (Seattle Seahawks) Brock Hoffman (Cleveland Browns) Brian Johnson (Washington Commanders) Dalton Keene (New England Patriots) James Mitchell (Detroit Lions) Yosh Nijman (Green Bay Packers) John Parker Romo (New Orleans Saints) Tim Settle (Buffalo Bills) Joey Slye (Washington Commanders) Lecitus Smith (Arizona Cardinals) Greg Stroman (Chicago Bears) Tyrod Taylor (New York Giants) PRO Former Tech student-athletes represent at professional level The 2021-2022 athletics year saw a slew of Hokies excel on the professional stage and reach the pinnacle of their childhood dreams. Virginia Tech Athletics has over 50 former student-athletes that are currently active professionals in their respective sports. Here are the Virginia Tech alums on an active professional roster as of June 2, 2022.
inside.hokiesports.com 17 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Wyatt Teller (Cleveland Browns) Luke Tenuta (Buffalo Bills) Logan Thomas (Washington Commanders) Jermaine Waller (Detroit Lions) Jordan Williams (Miami Dolphins) MEN’S SOCCER Dani Pereira (Austin FC) Sivert Haugli (Phoenix Rising FC) James Kasak (Chattanooga FC) Jacob Labovitz (Greenville Triumph) Tyler Taber (Racing Union Luxembourg) Pol Monells (Napa Valley 1839 FC) Jon Ingason (IBV Knattspyrna) WOMEN’S SOCCER Emily Gray (NC Courage) Mandy McGlynn (NJ/NY Gotham FC) Nicole Kozlova (HB Køge in Denmark) Kari Johnston (Mallbackens IF in Sweden) Murielle Tiernan (UMF Tindastóll in Iceland) TRACK AND FIELD Vincent Ciattei Neil Gourley Marcel Lomnicky Fitsum Seyoum Diego Zarate Hanna Green Rachel Pocratsky SOFTBALL Keely Rochard (USSSA Pride) BASEBALL Peyton Alford (Arkansas Travelers, SEA-AA) Zach Brzykcy (Wilmington Blue Rocks, WSH-A+) Kerry Carpenter (Erie SeaWolves, DET-AA) Shane Connolly (Columbia Fireflies, KC-A) Jack Dellinger (Lakeland Flying Tigers, DET-A) Nic Enright (Akron RubberDucks, CLE-AA) Chris Gerard (Palm Beach Cardinals, STL-A) Joe Mantiply (Arizona Diamondbacks, MLB) Aaron McGarity (Hudson Valley Renegades, NYY-A+) Packy Naughton (St. Louis Cardinals, MLB) Chad Pinder (Oakland Athletics, MLB) T.J. Rumfield (Hudson Valley Renegades, NYY-A+) Kit Scheetz (Charleston Dirty Birds, ALPB) Ian Seymour (Montgomery Biscuits, TB-AA) Anthony Simonelli (Quad Cities River Bandits, KC-A+) Carson Taylor (Tulsa Drillers, LAD-AA) BREAKING THE MOLD Emily Gray and Aisha Sheppard made women’s athletics history in the 21-22 year. Each of them became the highest ever draft picks in the history of Hokies women’s soccer and women’s basketball, respectively. Gray was called on by the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage as the third overall pick in December 2021, becoming the third ever draft pick in program history. The Las Vegas Aces selected Sheppard 23rd overall in the WNBA Draft, leaving Blacksburg as the sixth ever Hokie to be drafted to a WNBA squad. Both Sheppard and Gray are currently on the active roster for both of their teams.
18 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT XAVIER ADIBI, FOOTBALL A native of Hampton, Va., Adibi shined on Worsham Field as a linebacker from 2004-2007. Adibi was first honored as Second Team All-ACC in 2006, and then followed up with a monstrous campaign in his senior year. He led the ACC Champion Hokies in tackles and was named First Team All-ACC as well as a First Team AFCA All-American. After a fouryear career in the NFL, Adibi’s coaching career has brought him back to Blacksburg as a defensive analyst for Virginia Tech Football. KRISTI CASTLIN, TRACK & FIELD An Olympic Bronze Medalist at the 2016 Rio Games, Castlin was a decorated sprinter during her time in Blacksburg. Castlin graduated from Virginia Tech in 2010 as a four-time ACC Champion and eight-time All-American. She represented Team USA at both the PanAmerican and NACAC Junior Championships, taking home the gold and silver medals respectively in the 100m hurdles. Castlin earned bronze in the 100m hurdles in 2016 in Rio, completing an American sweep of the event with her teammates. JACKIE DAVOUD HENDRICK, DIVING Davoud Hendrick dominated on the diving board for Virginia Tech in the late 1990s. The twotime Atlantic 10 Diver of the Year left Blacksburg with the 1 meter and 3 meter records. She was a five time conference champion and was part of the 1999 Atlantic 10 Championship. TYRONNE DRAKEFORD, FOOTBALL Drakeford joins the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame after a strong college and professional football career. He snatched 16 interceptions for the Hokies in his career from 1990-1993, including seven in his junior season which led the Big East. He currently ranks second in program history and was a two-time first team All-Big East honoree. Drakeford played in the NFL from 19942001, winning Super Bowl XXIX with the San Francisco 49ers. JAMON GORDON, BASKETBALL Gordon helped lead the Hokies to a NCAA Tournament appearance thanks to his skilled guard play. The Florida native earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year Honors and finished his Hokie career as the program’s all-time leader in steals. Gordon averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game at the close of his college career. The standout guard played professionally in Europe for over a decade andwon championships in Greece and Turkey. VICTOR “MACHO” HARRIS, FOOTBALL Harris dazzled Lane Stadium crowds with his electric defensive back play during his career in Blacksburg from 2005-2008. The Highland Springs, Va. native picked off quarterbacks 15 times in his career, helping lead the defense to ACC and Orange Bowl Championship victories in 2008. Harris was First-Team All-American in 2008 and a two-time First Team All-ACC selection. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Harris played professionally in Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, as well as Saskatchewan and Winnipeg in the CFL. QUEEN HARRISON-CLAYE, TRACK & FIELD The most decorated track athlete in Virginia Tech history, Harrison-Claye earned theBowerman Award in 2010, given to the best track athlete in the NCAA. She was a three-time National Champion, including the 100m and 400m hurdles at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the 60m hurdles at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships. Her gold medals at the 2010 outdoor championships marked the first time any woman had won both events in the same NCAA Championships. In 2008, Harrison-Claye became the first Virginia Tech track and field athlete to ever participate in the Olympics. After college, Harrison-Claye won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in the 100m hurdles and at the 2019 World Relays in the 4x110m event. Excellence Enshrined VIRGINIA TECH ATHLETICS inducts new Hall of Fame class r ned I I I I i e ll a l The Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2021 on November 12, 2021, the eve of the home football game vs. Duke. This group of seven extraordinary student-athletes got a well-deserved welcome home in front of Hokie Nation both at the induction ceremony and football game.
inside.hokiesports.com 19 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Virginia Tech Athletics knows the importance of the digital experience for thousands of fans that range from outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Athletics digital team is dedicated to expanding the department’s message and impact through finding unique and creative strategies to do so. The 2021-2022 academic year was no exception, and their work demonstrated an upwards trend for the digital footprint of Virginia Tech Athletics. SOCIAL INTERACTIONS ON THE UPSWING Fans interacted with Virginia Tech Athletics social content at a sharply increased rate in 2021 than in the previous year. According to Skullsparks, Virginia Tech saw the 11th highest increase in total social interactions amongst FBS athletics departments, and the fifth highest increase in percentage of interactions from 2020 to 2021. REVAMPING THE WEBSITE The Digital Strategy and Innovation team worked with its website partner, SIDEARM Sports, to launch a redesigned HokieSports.com in September 2021. Updated features added to the website included a hub for trending topics, a reoriented presentation of various content on the homepage, refreshed menu navigation, and a social mediainspired feature at the top of the home page that connects you to the most updated news from your favorite Hokie sport. PROVIDING THE BEST VIRTUAL FAN & DONOR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE Virginia Tech was proud to launch its new “Virtual Ticket Assistant” in May 2022 to prepare for the upcoming 2022 football season. This digital prompt allows fans to select how many games they are interested in attending, how many people are coming with them, and TECH ATHLETICS plants solid digital footprint their preference on the best value or location of the tickets. After answering these questions, the Virtual Ticket Assistant provides the interested fan with the best options based on their answers. The Reach for Excellence campaign is the largest fundraising effort in the history of Virginia Tech Athletics. The Digital Strategy and Innovation team made sure that prospective donors were informed and enticed to give to Virginia Tech student-athletes through a user friendly, aesthetically impressive website. The team’s work on this campaign gave them a Finalist nomination for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators’ Best Digital Promotion of the Year. The final award will be given out in late June 2022. MOST INTERACTED SOCIAL POSTS FROM HOKIESPORTS
20 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Hokie Nation showed that it is strong together during the 20212022 year in athletics. At the conclusion of the fiscal year, Virginia Tech Athletics will have raised or committed more than $40 million to benefit the experiences of nearly 600 student-athletes that call Blacksburg home. Large strides were made to move forward with the “Reach for Excellence” campaign, a $400 million effort and the largest ever campaign for Virginia Tech Athletics. HALFWAY TO REACHING FOR EXCELLENCE As part of the university’s wider-reaching Boundless Impact: The Campaign for Virginia Tech, the Reach for Excellence campaign surpassed the halfway mark of over $200 million in funds raised since its launch in April 2021. Exponential growth has been made in the areas of sports-specific fundraising, expansion of the Football Enhancement Fund, and increase in scholarship endowment. DRIVE FOR 25 COMPLETED The ambitious goal originally set in 2016 to elevate Hokie Club membership to 25,000 members was achieved in February 2022. The Hokie Club consisted of under 10,000 donors during late 2016, and membership total at the conclusion of the 2022 Drive Year saw that number skyrocket to 29,056 members. The achievement of the Drive for 25 was celebrated on February 14, 2022 during the men’s basketball contest vs. UVA at Cassell Coliseum. Director of Athletics Whit Babcock joined Neal Henshaw, the 25,000th donor, his daughter Autumn, longtime athletics supporter Suzanne Gardner, and former head football coach Frank Beamer to commemorate the completion of this historic moment for Virginia Tech Athletics. BUILDING A CHAMPION ON THE GRIDIRON Supplementing operational dollars and bolstering Football philanthropic support is one of the main pillars of the Reach for Excellence campaign, and Hokie Nation certainly rose to the challenge. The “Team F1rst” group was established with cooperation from Virginia Tech Athletics, the Hokie Club and University Advancement in the hopes of allocating substantial philanthropic funding to raise Virginia Tech Football’s budget near the top of the ACC. Along with Team F1rst, pivotal major gifts have been committed to football, including: the Sanghani Family’s generous contribution to the new Player’s Lounge, and Win Sheridan’s $5 million commitment to improve the Frank Beamer Locker Room. Alumni involvement also saw an encouraging uptick in 2021-2022, with impactful gifts coming from Bruce Arians, the Fuller brothers, and Tim Settle. SPORT-SPECIFIC GIVING SURGES Virginia Tech Athletics and the Hokie Club devised successful strategies to fulfill the programmatic needs of all 22 varsity sports. The “Triumph Together” campaign in September 2021 and the university’s Giving Day in February 2022 were both devoted to sport-specific contributions, raising a combined total of nearly $2 million in the span of both 48-hour periods. Athletics continues to REACH for EXCELLENCE Hokie Club celebrates record breaking year in fundraising Whit Babcock and Frank Beamer celebrate the Drive for 25 completion alongside Neal Henshaw, Autumn Henshaw and Suzanne Gardner.
inside.hokiesports.com 21 ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT 1290 Roanoke Street , Christiansburg, VA 24073 • 540-382-7500 • www.gandhappliance.com Find us at G&H Appliance G&H bringing you the best sauce and rub vendors on the market! Get yours today!! I N S T O C K N O W ! ! Similar to the “Team F1rst” group for football, Virginia Tech Athletics, the Hokie Club, and University Advancement helped initiate the “Front Court” group to supplement the budget of the Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball program. This dedicated, select group of donors is committed to provide the resources for recruiting needs, facility improvements, and bolstering the program’s budget to compete in the national landscape of college basketball. RECONSTRUCTING THE CASSELL The Hokie Club and Virginia Tech Athletics have made significant strides in seeking the funding for the ambitious Cassell Coliseum renovation project. Major gift officers have received multiple pledges towards the $75 million project, with the goal of elevating Cassell into one of the premier venues in the ACC. These gifts will go towards a variety of arena renovations, including a revamped entrance on Washington Street, widened concourses, and new luxury premium seating areas including suites and club seats. The momentum is there to reach the funding target to give Cassell Coliseum a well-deserved extensive renovation. ENSURING THE GREATEST STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE The scholarship endowment is also increasing at an encouraging rate for Virginia Tech student-athletes. At the close of the 2022 Drive Year on March 31, 2022, the Hokie Scholarship Fund totaled over $17 million in annual giving. In addition to annual giving, Virginia Tech Athletics has a scholarship endowment of just over $70 million. Virginia Tech will continue to pursue gifts of $100,000 or more in order to provide the resources needed to allow additional scholarships and grow the athletics endowment.
22 Inside Hokie Sports ATHLETICSANNUALREPORT Student-athletes are ensured a first-class experience at Virginia Tech through the constant innovation and improvement of athletics facilities. Hokies can enjoy the recent upgrades to some of the places they frequent on campus, while also awaiting new renovations that will happen in the near future. STUDENT-ATHLETE PERFORMANCE CENTER Hokie student-athletes were able to utilize the newly constructed Student-Athlete Performance Center (top right) in its first full academic year of availability. This $20 million facility is an exclusive space for student-athletes to fulfill all of their nutritional needs under the direct supervision of the sports nutrition staff. The SAPC also acts as a hospitality center for select events, including pre-game meals for Hokie Club members and special Student-Athlete Development events. FOOTBALL ENJOYS NEW AMENITIES Virginia Tech Football saw substantial improvements in their facilities before the 2021 season. Position meeting rooms along the Michael Vick Hallway were enhanced to become some of the most elite in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The rooms designated for Quarterbacks and Cornerbacks have since been named in honor of contributions made by distinguished football alumni Bruce Arians and the Fuller brothers, respectively. In recognition of Jeff Veatch’s longtime generosity and service to his alma mater, the Veatch Coaches Corridor in the Jamerson Center was named in honor of Hokies longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster. The Sanghani Player Lounge (second from bottom left), newly renovated thanks to the generous contributions of Tech graduate Mehul Sanghani, provides football student-athletes and recruits a state of the art space for entertainment, including multiple TVs, ping pong tables, classic arcade games, current gaming consoles, as well as a hallway that provides an immersive “Enter Sandman” experience that replicates the feel of the walk through the Avery Tunnel into Lane Stadium. Hokie Football will also have an upgraded weight room to usher in the Brent Pry era of the program. This expanded, 12,300 square feet facility is an exclusive space for the strength and conditioning staff to mold a strong, blue-collar generation of Virginia Tech Football players. This updated space was deemed the “Steve Johnson Strength & Conditioning Center,” in recognition of Johnson’s lead gift and longtime generosity to the football program as a donor and alum (bottom left). The weight room and surrounding plaza also pays tribute to the 1986 Peach Bowl Champion Hokies, in honor of the first Virginia Tech bowl victory, a game in which Johnson led the way for the Tech with six receptions. The plaza surrounding the weight room was named the “Petrine Plaza”, made possible by the generosity of Jim and Debbie Petrine (bottom right). This area pays homage to the family legacies of Virginia Tech Football players as well as the 1986 Peach Bowl Champions. Thanks to a $5 million commitment from Win Sheridan, Virginia Tech Football will soon enjoy a completely renovated and redesigned Frank Beamer Locker Room. The conceptual renderings of the plans for the locker room will be shared at a later date. Sheridan’s generosity allows the program to take a great leap forward in Coach Pry’s mission to create a first-class experience for Hokies student-athletes. HOKIES enjoy BENEFIT of enhanced facilities Virginia Tech Athletics progresses with successful capital projects
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