Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 5 | May 2020

inside.hokiesports.com 21 uncertainty, he took the certain option, choosing to train in town this summer, start pursuit of a master’s degree this fall, and play for the Hokies next spring. “My plan was to play pro after this year and test the waters there,” he said. “But with the uncertainty of this virus and the lack of travel that seems to probably going to be in place, I’m applying for my master’s in business analytics, so hopefully I can get in that program and have that extra year. I’ve heard it’s a really competitive program. That’s my first choice, and I’m hoping to get into that.” Unfortunately, several other seniors saw their careers come to an end prematurely—and lack the option of returning for another season. NCAA officials refused to make that option available to wrestlers and men’s and women’s basketball players who participated in their sports during regular season, but missed out on the NCAA Championships because of the pandemic. So for student-athletes such as David McFadden, Taja Cole and Lydia Rivers, that decision put an end to their careers. Cole and Rivers were in position to lead the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, while McFadden was seeking to become the wrestling program’s first ever four-time All- American. “You didn’t get to go out on your own terms,” McFadden said. “It just didn’t seem real. It really sucked, but it was something where there was worse things going on in the world. People were losing their lives, so they did what they had to do. As much as it sucked for us, there were people that were way worse off than we are.” To their credit, Virginia Tech’s seniors have handled the situation with a maturity and a bigger picture perspective that belies their ages. Sure, the cancelation of championship events and regular seasons stung for them. They work year-round for those memorable moments, and they only get four years—four opportunities—to make the most of them. But rather than sulk about the past, those who are moving on now look to the future—and do so with a gratitude for all their college experiences. “I wrestled three times at the NCAAs and got on the podium three times,” said McFadden, who graduated with a degree in human development and recently took at a job at the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center in Philadelphia to continue his wrestling pursuits. “Obviously that fourth one, it probably would have been really, really special, but I can look back on my career and be happy with how I did. “Now it’s time to turn the page and focus on the next part of wrestling.” IHS extra Mitch Harper