Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 10 No. 2 | October 2017

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Barton the recipient of Carilion Clinic scholarship
Laurie Barton, a sophomore on the Virginia Tech women’s cross country
and track and field teams, was named the recipient of the prestigious 2017
CarilionClinic Scholarship for VirginiaTechAthletics in an announcement
that came before Virginia Tech’s football game against Clemson on
Saturday evening. The Clemson, South Carolina native—coincidentally
enough—is pursuing a degree in human nutrition, foods and exercise and
plans to become either a physical therapist or a chiropractor.
“I’m so grateful for Carilion Clinic’s generous contributions toward my
scholarship,” Barton said. “I definitely would not be here without it.”
Carilion Clinic, a partner with Virginia Tech Athletics who purchased
the naming rights to Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum two years
ago, hands out a scholarship each year to a deserving Tech student-
athlete or athletes with plans for pursuing a career in the medical field.
Last year, Carilion Clinic handed out scholarships to lacrosse player Tara
Feehan and volleyball standout Lindsey Owens, two who graduated in
May with degrees in biology.
Barton also excels on the track and on the course. She finished fifth in
the 800-meter run at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
this past May, and she also came in seventh in the 800 at the ACC’s
indoor meet. This past summer, she claimed a silver medal in the 800 at
the USA Junior Outdoor Championship. That qualified her for the Pan
American Junior Championships in Trujillo, Peru in July, and she came
fifth at that event.
Former Tech football player, volleyball player
give back to Tech athletics
Former Virginia Tech football and men’s basketball student-athlete
Jeff King and his wife, Katie, who is a former Tech volleyball standout,
by
Jimmy
Robertson recently made a generous pledge to Virginia Tech athletics. The couple
committed to making a major financial gift to Tech athletics to go evenly
toward the funding of scholarships in football, men’s basketball and
volleyball.
A key member of Tech’s first ACC championship team in 2004, Jeff
King caught a touchdown pass in a 16-10 win at Miami that clinched a
conference title in the Hokies’ inaugural season playing in the ACC. A
four-year football letterman from 2002-05, he caught 58 passes for 724
yards (12.5 avg.), with 12 touchdowns, including six scores as a senior.
King is also among an elite group of Hokies who competed in both
football and basketball at Tech. He saw action in 16 games for the
basketball squad in 2005 after the conclusion of the 2004 football
season. A 2005 NFL Draft pick by the Carolina Panthers, he went on
to play seven seasons in the NFL and currently works as a scout for the
Chicago Bears.
Katie King (formerly Katie Esbrook) earned first-team All-ACC honors
and All-ACC Academic Team accolades as a senior in 2006 when she was
also an AVCA All-America honorable mention selection. The Barrington,
Illinois native was a four-year letterwinner and played in 435 career
matches for the Hokies. She ranks third all time in Tech history with 461
total blocks, fourth in career hitting percentage (.324) and seventh in
career kills (1,285).
“We are very grateful for Jeff and Katie’s generosity to Tech athletics,”
Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. “It’s so encouraging to see
young alums like Jeff and Katie giving back to their alma mater. While
they were both very accomplished athletes at Tech, it’s wonderful to see a
continuing trend of former greats like Steve Johnson, André Davis, Lisa
Pikalek Karlisch and now the Kings making a very tangible decision to
help benefit current and future Hokies.”