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

N ot long after his team’s painful three-point loss to No. 4-ranked and top seed Louisville in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, Kenny Brooks sat down and pondered the Hokies’ postseason future. He knew Virginia Tech had a WNIT bid secured. He just debated within himself whether actually to accept it. “I contemplated turning down the WNIT bid because we were so beat up,” Brooks admitted. “Obviously, I’m glad we didn’t.” Brooks and his staff accepted the bid, and what transpired turned out to be the stuff that defines programs, especially for a coach trying to build a foundation for a program without an NCAA Tournament appearance in more than a decade. The Hokies made big shots to win games, they beat an SEC team at home, they beat a Big 12 team on the road, and they played themselves into the WNIT championship game, where the run ended with a loss to Indiana in front of more than 13,000 rabid fans in Bloomington, Indiana. Still, those five surprising wins validated two years worth of teaching and gave Brooks’ program a jolt of confidence. “We came together, grew as a team and learned a lot about each other,” Brooks said. “We learned a lot about winning. We won 23 games, but to me, it doesn’t do it justice because the way we grew and the valuable lessons we learned … that’s going to pay dividends for our program more than an actual number of wins.” Now, because of that run, the Hokies look forward to the upcoming 2018-19 campaign, which starts Nov. 6 with a home game against USC Upstate. After two straight 20-win seasons —the Hokies’ 23 wins last season were their most since 2003-04—and three consecutive WNIT berths, Tech’s coaches and players go into this season with loftier aspirations. In fact, this bunch is thinking NCAA Tournament—and for good reason. Tech returns nearly its entire roster from a year ago and goes into this season with five seniors. Four of those seniors started in 2017-18. “People ask me a lot, ‘Are you going to be better than you were last year?’” Brooks said. “I think we are. I think we’re going to be a better team with the experience that each and every player has and the experience that we developed together. We bring everyone back, and we’re adding a couple of pieces, so yes, we’re going to be better. The only problem is that we play in the best league in the country, and you don’t know. “We moved the needle as far as our talent and experience, but you never know how it’s going to translate because each and every night is going to be fight. You have to go out and play—and play well. We have to develop that mentality. I thought last year helped us a lot. I thought last year teased us to where we know that, if we play a little bit harder and a little stronger a little bit earlier [in games], then we give ourselves a chance to win those big games and to be able to go out there and be successful and get your ultimate goal.” For the Hokies to get to the promised land, they probably need big seasons again from their two stars—guard Taylor Emery and forward Regan Magarity. The two of them anchored the squad a year ago, and Brooks expects more of the same this season. 22 Inside Hokie Sports