Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 11 No. 2 | October 2018

12 Inside Hokie Sports Select Virginia Tech sport student-athletes and managers—more than 100 in all—were recognized at the Letter Jacket Legacy Ceremony held in mid-September at Lane Stadium. The Virginia Tech Department of Athletics sponsored the event in conjunction with the Virginia Tech Monogram Club. For those unfamiliar with the Virginia Tech Monogram Club, it is a membership organization that seeks to honor, connect and recognize former and current letterwinners and their commitment to Virginia Tech Athletics. Since 2015, the athletics department has presented letter jackets to first-time Monogram winners from the winter, spring and fall sports at the department’s bi-annual Letter Jacket Legacy Ceremony. This new tradition allows first-year letterwinners to see firsthand the value that the department places on their commitment to athletics and also enhances their experience as member of the Virginia Tech Athletics community. Virginia Tech women’s basketball and baseball play-by-play broadcaster Andrew Allegretta served as the master of ceremonies. During the ceremony, letterwinners were presented with their letter jackets and acknowledged by their head coaches, with numerous members of the department’s administration in attendance. Former Virginia Tech softball player and current director of softball operations Whitney Davis Showalter provided the keynote address for the evening. Davis played on the Virginia Tech softball team that won back-to- back ACC titles and advanced to the Women’s College World Series in 2008—the program’s lone world series bid. In the spring, the department once again will sponsor the recognition ceremony for first-time letterwinners from fall and winter sports, as well as cheerleaders, HighTechs and student workers in the department’s HokieVision office. This is just one of the many ways that the Virginia Tech Department of Athletics is committed to providing a first-class student-athlete experience. The following student-athletes received their letter jackets: BASEBALL Zach Brzykcy, Michael Fernandez, Hayden Heflin, Luke Horanski, Cam Irvine, Nick Menken, Ryan Metz, Ryan Okuda, Nick Owens, Ian Seymour MEN’S BASKETBALL Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Wabissa Bede, PJ Horne, Tyrie Jackson WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Taylor Emery, Alexis Jean, Aisha Sheppard MEN’S GOLF Connor Burgess, Joey Jordan, Slade Pickering WOMEN’S GOLF Emily Mahar, Sarah Spicer LACROSSE Caroline Barwick, Morgan Berman, Julia Bolte, Emma Crooks, Jenna Doyle, Joie Funk, Carly Goetz, Carly Harris, Leigh Lingo, Sarah Lubnow, Paige Petty, Reilly Reed, Elena Ricci, Ella Tankersley SOFTBALL Jordan Dail, Cana Davis, Whitney Metz, Keely Rochard, Darby Trull, Sierra Walton CHEERLEADING Sonny Carey, Emily Santos, Megan DiGiuseppe, Kelsey Smith, Noel Taylor HIGHTECHS Maggie Brothers, Samantha Casauay, Amanda Gray, Abby Gay, Holly Hecht MANAGERS Monica Becerra, Eric Bottelsen, Emma Brehany, Christina Cucinotta, Francis Duggan, Joey Gordon, Ben LaBine, Brent Miller, Ben VanDyne, Rachel Weis, Trey Wells, Parker Whitney, Dylan Wimer MEN’S SWIMMING Aaron Boyd, Connor Doyle, Tommy Hallock, David Herbert, Lasse Pittioni, Simon Shi, Lane Stone, Sam Tornqvist WOMEN’S SWIMMING Abby Andrusin, Jessica Beattie, Emily Meilus, Kayla Purcell, Molly Sheffield, Joelle Vereb, Regan Westwood MEN’S TENNIS Chase Bernstine, Carlo Donato, Ryan Kros WOMEN’S TENNIS Sarah Baron, Nika Kozar, Dori Mesmer, Nina Sorkin MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Joel Benitez, Owen Buck, Jaelyn Demory, Samuel Denmark, Lawrence Harris, Austin Kolko, Keishaun Limehouse, Matthew Manilli, Bashir Mosavel-Lo, Joseph Tay, Thierry Siewe Yanga WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Stefanie Aeschlimann, Rachel Baxter, Kennedy Dennis, Lisa Gunnarsson, Lindsay Herra, Caitlan Tate WRESTLING Ryan Blees, Hunter Bolen, Cody Hughes, B.C. LaPrade, Brent Moore, Ryan More, Kyle Norstrem Group of first-time LETTERWINNERS recognized at Letter Jacket Legacy Ceremony by Jimmy Robertson