| Weekend Sports Recap February 26, 2007
Tech Baseball notches extra inning wins but falls in late rounds of weekend tournament... Hokie Softball reaches the Gold Round of the NFCA Leadoff Classic... Hokies Pick Off Albany in Home Opener The Virginia Tech baseball team won its home opener 8-2 over Albany with the help of pitcher Adam Redd who picked off four Great Dane runners in his three scoreless innings of work. Redd fell one pickoff short of tying the Tech single game record of five held by Greg Margheim. Hokies win Tiger Invitational, Tincher Breaks School Record The Virginia Tech Softball improved to 6-2 this past weekend, winning the Tiger Invitational while junior pitcher Angela Tincher broke the school’s career strikeout record. The Hokies’ first game of the tournament was against Tennessee Tech, who they had already beaten twice this season. Tincher pitched five perfect innings before giving up a lead off walk in the fifth. Coach Invokes F-Word Philosophy: Fun by Anthony Della Calce  Executive EditorFebruary 19, 2007 Like Bob Knight, Don Janocha is a basketball coach. The similarities, however, end there. Janocha has never won a national championship. He has never coached an All-American. And he will probably never do either of those things. Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let's Go Racing Boys “Gentlemen start your engines,” are the most famous words in racing and on Feb. 18 Nicolas Cage, the Grand Marshal for the Daytona 500, will speak those very words. The “Great American Race” is fast approaching and along with it comes the start of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. As the season begins, many questions sit unanswered from a tumultuous off-season. Tech Takes Care of Business, Downs Morehead State, 77-64 Four days after nearly pulling a huge upset against Duke, the Hokies averted one against Morehead State, winning 77-64. In their final non-conference game, Virginia Tech dominated down the stretch, pushing their lead to 20 points with just over four minutes remaining.
Kirby Copeland led the Hokie offensive surge, as she knifed through the Eagle defense from start to finish. Copeland led all scorers with 28 points, which matched her career high. Greenberg Injects Intensity into Hokie Basketball Let’s face it, Frank Beamer is the biggest name associated with Virginia Tech. He is the most recognized and admired man in Blacksburg and the president would probably get charged for a meal before Virginia Tech’s football coach. As much as Beamer has done for the football program, coach Seth Greenberg has done just as much, if not more, for the basketball program since Virginia Tech’s arrival in the ACC.
Obviously, winning Coach of the Year in Tech’s inaugural season in the ACC has been the biggest of his personal triumphs, but you can’t realize the passion Greenberg puts in day in and day out until you've had the chance to watch him. There is never a moment in the game where Greenberg isn’t putting all of his enthusiasm into coaching these young athletes. Hokies Survive Second Half Shootout, Outduel Canes 78-71 In a game that featured numerous clutch shots and very little defense, the Hokies prevailed over the surging Miami Hurricanes, 78-71. After a stagnant start, the two teams combined for 87 points in the second half. It was Tech’s first game after a huge win over Virginia, but the Hokies’ performance, according to coach Beth Dunkenberger, starkly contrasted to Monday night. “Cooler” Responsible For Hokies’ Big-Game Futility by Neal Turnage January 5, 2007 Don’t blame Sean Glennon and his four turnovers for Virginia Tech’s loss to Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Don’t blame the offensive line for it’s inability to block Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses or for its failure to open even the slightest of holes for Brandon Ore.
Four Hokies, Including Backup QB, To Miss Bowl Game
Whitaker, a redshirt freshman, cited in a personal statement that his decision to miss the bowl game was part of the healing process for dealing with his alcohol-related issues. Cook and Copeland Too Much For 49ers “Losing wasn’t an option today,” Virginia Tech Lady Hokie Kirby Copeland said after the Hokies beat the Charlotte 49ers 80-68 in Cassell Coliseum Saturday night. Tech was able to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to William & Mary Tuesday night thanks to the leadership of Copeland and first time starter Brittany Cook. Read more...Hokies Set to Battle Bulldogs in Atlanta
Interview with Jerry Massey, ISP Sports Q: How do you prepare for all of your Olympic sports’ broadcasts? Massey:“I’ll just keep an eye on stories in regards to the upcoming opponent and then I will just take the highlights or points of those stories and that way I can just drop them in to my broadcast... I think it’s definitely better to go into an event over-prepared than under-prepared. I also found out that especially here at Tech, the fans want to not only know what’s going on with your school, they want to know what’s going on around the conference, and I try to keep people informed of what else is going on in the ACC.” Experiencing 7th Heaven There is a certain mystique around a Game 7, especially one in championship series. It’s an event that turns heads in the sports world. People who don’t see a game all season get immersed in the excitement surrounding Game 7.
College Football Quick Picks: Week 14 – Championship Week Alas, the end of the college football season has arrived – at least until the bowl games. Quick Picks was busy last week, predicting 23 games in a week filled with rivalry games. But, it turned out to be a good week as Quick Picks went 15-8 and enters the final week with a 77-33 overall record.
Interview with Jerry Massey, ISP Sports Q: How do you prepare for all of your Olympic sports’ broadcasts? Massey:“I’ll just keep an eye on stories in regards to the upcoming opponent and then I will just take the highlights or points of those stories and that way I can just drop them in to my broadcast... I think it’s definitely better to go into an event over-prepared than under-prepared. I also found out that especially here at Tech, the fans want to not only know what’s going on with your school, they want to know what’s going on around the conference, and I try to keep people informed of what else is going on in the ACC.” Interview with Josh Bullock, ISP Sports Q: What suggestions do you have for a student that may be potentially interested in a job with ISP Sports down the line? Bullock: There are really two ways to go about getting experience that would relate to what we do at ISP Sports. The first would obviously be an internship with us at ISP, which if you can get would be very beneficial. The second way would be getting experience with an athletic department. The more well rounded you are with your experience, the more marketable you are to a potential employer. Beamer Weighs In On BCS With the biggest game of college football’s regular season out of the way and just one or two games left on most teams’ schedules, its time to talk BCS. It seems that every year there is some controversy over which teams should play for the national championship. With over a hundred teams playing in Division I-A, is it even possible to narrow it down to just two teams? The championship game/match/race is the most talked about event in every sport, but college football seems to be the only sport where the game doesn’t necessarily answer the question of “Who’s the best?” Lady Hokies treat fans to a win and some ice cream
The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team promoted its game against Delaware State with a post-game Ben & Jerry’s ice cream social, but the real treat was the game itself as the Hokies took down the Hornets 66 to 50. The Night the Lights Went Out in Cassell by Neal Turnage November 16, 2006
The Virginia Tech Hokie basketball team was literally “lights out” as it cruised to a 95-47 victory over the West Florida Argonauts. Power glitches caused the main lights to go out twice in Cassell Coliseum, once before the game and again five minutes into the second half. Know Your Opponent: Wake Forest by Justin Cates November 18, 2006 I’d like it to be known that when the Hokies last headed to Winston-Salem I said that Wake was an up and coming program and that they would be a team on the move in the coming seasons. Well, well, well; here we are three football seasons later and Wake Forest is 9-1, ranked 14th in the nation, and sitting atop the ACC’s Atlantic Division standings. They have the best record in the conference and are coming off a 30-0 win at Florida State; the first shutout of FSU at home in the Bobby Bowden era no less. Quick Picks: Week 12 (Rivalry Week, Part 1) Quick Picks had its third straight nine-win week in week 11. Its overall record now stands at 62-25 as the college football season head into the homestretch. Many teams finish their regular season campaigns this weekend, which means there are several rivalry games on the schedules. Quick Picks has predicted all of them as well as its usual games from the ACC and around the country. Each rivalry game is labeled. Most of the games have a special name or trophy associated with them, which is mentioned below the match-up. Former SID Remembered for his Professionalism and Influence Media releases, public relations, magazines, reporters, score sheets – these are just some of the daily responsibilities that come with the fast-paced job title of sports information director. It’s a job that requires time, dedication and passion. The Virginia Tech community is in the process of mourning Wendell “Wendy” Weisend, the school’s long time SID and one of the greatest contributorsto the national success of sports at the university. Weisend passed away on Oct. 25 at the age of 82. Lady Hokies Fall to Radford 67-60 in Basketball Opener by Jennifer Noble November 10, 2006 The Radford Highlanders defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 67-60 Friday night in Cassell Coliseum in the women’s basketball season opener.
Radford jumped out to a 15 point lead with 4:44 left in the first half, but Virginia Tech cut that to seven by half time. Tech was fortunate to be trailing by single digits after shooting just 28 percent from the field in those first 20 minutes. Fear and Loathing at The U by Justin Cates November 7, 2006 Covering the Miami-Virginia Tech game called for me to channel the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. It was entirely necessary for this atavistic endeavor, pure Gonzo Journalism. There really aren’t any other options when you’re diving head first into a vicious snake pit. Hopefully the good doctor would approve. Late TD Pushes Tech Past Miami 17-10 by Neal Turnage November 6 , 2006 The Virginia Tech Hokies topped the University of Miami Hurricanes 17-10 in a matchup that prior to the season many predicted would determine the ACC Coastal Division champion. The chances of the winner earning that title are now fairly slim, but the game on Saturday lived up to its pre-season billing.
College Football Quick Picks: Week 10 Quick Picks was a disappointing 3-3 in ACC predictions last week, its worst showing of the year. But, it was 6-1 in national predictions; going 9-4 in week nine for a 44-18 record overall. This week is fairly light on big national games but some intriguing ACC match-ups highlight the schedule. Let’s see who will kick off November with a win. Hokies Run Through Paper Tigers, Win 24-7 The Virginia Tech Hokies sent a message to the college football world Thursday night as they hosted the tenth ranked Clemson Tigers; “We’re Back!” After dropping out of the polls two weeks ago, the Hokies beat up on the Tigers by a score of 24 to 7. Tech beat Clemson at its own game by racking up the rushing yards and protecting the football. For the second time in as many weeks, Tech’s gameplan revolved around getting the ball in Branden Ore’s hands. College Football Quick Picks: Week 9 Quick Picks was 12-0 last week, posting its first perfect mark of the season. That and a 53-14 record overall has Quick Picks feeling pretty good about itself. Let’s see if the momentum carries over into week nine. N. C. State 26, Virginia 19 Lady Hokies Escape Weekend with Two Ties:
Miss out on ACC Tourney The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team took on Maryland and #24 Boston College at home over the weekend to finish out its ACC schedule. The Hokies went into the matches needing a pair of wins and a pair of N.C. State losses to secure the 8th and final ACC tournament slot but could only manage two hard fought draws to go to 5-8-4 on the season. Friday’s game was against Maryland and ended in a 0-0 score, while Sunday afternoon’s game against Boston College ended 3-3. Despite the results being the same, the games could not have been any more different. Read more...UVA Scores Three Unanswered, Beats Tech 3-1 In front of the largest crowd in VT Soccer Stadium history, Virginia Tech squandered a second half lead en route to a 3-1 loss against archrival Virginia. UVA now leads the Commonwealth Challenge by a score of 2.5-.5. “They made good runs off the ball and found themselves open,” said junior goalie Drew Czekanski, “And that made the difference.” Ore Helps Hokies Right the Ship, Down Southern Miss 36-6
After consecutive games where the Hokies tried unsuccessfully to win with the pass, Virginia Tech got back to doing things the old fashioned way; by pounding the ball on the ground. The result was not only a 36-6 win for the team, but also a career day for redshirt sophomore RB Branden Ore. Ore rushed 23 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns. His final carry was a counter play that broke for a 70-yard, fourth quarter touchdown. The performance was the first time since 2004 that a Tech running back rushed for more than 200 yards. College Football Quick Picks: Week 8 Quick Picks was 7-4 last week and is now a palindromic 41-14 on the season. Also, Quick Picks has officially jumped off the Florida bandwagon and onto the Michigan bandwagon, though that is subject to change. This week, pivotal ACC match-ups mark the schedule. So without further delay, let’s get to the week eight predictions. (Note: Due to technical difficulties, last week’s column was posted late. If you missed it, it can be accessed in the sports archives or by clicking here. Sportsmanship the way it should be at Virginia Tech
Hokies Respect? Frank Beamer said it best following the Thursday night debacle against Boston College, “This is not Virginia Tech.” Aside from the fact that the Hokies got manhandled, it was their actions on the field that will be scrutinized by the organization, fans, alumni, and the national television audience that witnessed it all. I’m not going to point out specific players, because it is the team in general that embarrassed the name of Virginia Tech. Here Come the Irish (A Weekend in the Life of a Notre Dame Fan) by Justin Cates October 10, 2006 With a long weekend and no Hokie football game what’s a man to do? In my case I decided to drive 2,145 round-trip miles to experience football at the University of Notre Dame.
As a disclaimer, let me first say that I’ve never liked Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have always been viewed by the majority of the college football world as a team much like the New York Yankees, too good and too privileged to root for. NFL Power Rankings: Week 5
Hokies Remain Optimistic Following Loss After Virginia Tech’s 38-27 loss to Georgia Tech Saturday, you might have expected the mood among the players and coaches to be as miserable as the rainy weather that soaked Blacksburg following the game. Instead, the Hokies had a fairly positive attitude, but they realize there’s work to be done. “I thought we fought hard and that shows a lot of our character,” quarterback Sean Glennon said. “We could have given in and gotten blown out but we didn’t.” Hokies Comeback Bid Falls Short In their first true test of the 2006 football season, the Virginia Tech Hokies suffered a loss to Georgia Tech, 38-27.
Georgia Tech jumped all over the Hokies in the first quarter, getting out to an early 21-0 lead thanks to poor special teams play from Virginia Tech. Know Your Opponent: Georgia Tech The big story out of Blacksburg this week is that defensive end Chris Ellis and split end Josh Morgan are suspended for the Georgia Tech game after their arrests last weekend. With the status of fellow receiver David Clowney still uncertain following an emergency appendectomy last week, Morgan’s suspension looms very large for the Hokies. Clowney plans to dress for the game, but his role and playing time may be limited. Hokies Suspended After Weekend Arrest
According to Blacksburg Police Lt. Joe Davis, the pair was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning after police responded to reports of a large crowd and potential fight on Draper Road. Upon police arrival, Morgan was seen exhibiting behavior the officer deemed disorderly and was told to leave the area. Grove Honored in Jersey Ceremony
Jake Grove left Virginia Tech as one of the most decorated players in school history and returned Saturday to be honored with a pre-game jersey retirement ceremony in Lane Stadium. Blacksburg Product Scores Big
The Blacksburg native had two catches for 25 yards including a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sean Glennon. “It’s a great feeling,” Wheeler said following the game. “Sean did a great job today with all his routes and throwing the ball…and to get that first touchdown is a great feeling.” College Football Quick Picks: Week 4 Before getting to this week’s selections, Quick Picks would like to offer apologies to both Wake Forest and Michigan for being way off on last week’s predictions of their games. Especially in Michigan’s case – The Wolverines demolished the Irish last week, putting up 47 points in the process. But despite those two disastrous predictions, Quick Picks went 9-4 last week. Not too bad. Let’s see what this week has in store. Glennon Solid in Hokies Win
Tech QB Sean Glennon looked to separate himself from a lackluster performance at UNC last week. On the Hokies’ first offensive play of the game, Glennon eluded a defensive back and hit senior WR David Clowney for a 60-yard bomb. Tech Falls to Wake Forest 4-2 2,319 fans packed into the Virginia Tech Soccer Stadium and saw the Hokies fall just shy of the Demon Deacons 4-2 Friday night.
The crowd marked the second largest in stadium history, behind only last season’s home match with Maryland. Know Your Opponent: A Look at the Duke Blue Devils This week Virginia Tech welcomes the Duke Blue Devils to Lane Stadium Worsham Field. Tech comes off a 35-10 road victory over North Carolina while Duke is stinging from a 14-13 loss at Wake Forest. Tech Downs Tar Heels 35 – 10 The 16th ranked Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the UNC Tar Heels on Saturday in a game that saw the Hokie defense bail out its young offense a number of times. “It’s a good thing we can still score on defense,” said Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster in a post-game interview. Foster’s unit intercepted four passes on the day, one of which was returned 70 yards for the score by cornerback Brenden Hill. Women’s Soccer Plays Host in Virginia Tech Tournament The Lady Hokies play host to James Madison, Liberty and fellow ACC member Wake Forest in a four-game tournament starting Friday. Coming into the tournament the ACC schools are the favorites. Tech is 3-0-1 and Wake is 3-1-0 to start the season. Weekend Competition Too Stiff for Tech Volleyball The Virginia Tech volleyball team came into the Auburn/Mizuno Challenge, its second straight road tournament to start the season, looking to continue its winning ways. Tech won its season-opening tournament in East Carolina. However, the stiffer competition proved to be too much for the young Hokies as they dropped all three matches over the weekend. Men’s Soccer is the Real Deal After a season in which Virginia Tech climbed among the collegiate soccer elites to a top ten ranking, the mens’ soccer team starts this season 3-0, and looks primed for national championship contention. They are currently ranked 12th in the Soccer America poll and return a strong core of players that includes preseason all-American Patrick Nyarko, who was the ACC freshman of the year last year. Lane Expansion Not Limited to Luxury Boxes
Hokie fans may be pleasantly surprised to find that Virginia Tech has given them something that they have been wanting for some time now – increased accessibility to the already new and improved Lane Stadium. Final Hokie Scrimmage Shows Adjustments Still To Be Made
In the third and final scrimmage of the preseason, the Virginia Tech football team looked exactly like it did going into the fall practice. The defense was stout, special teams made a big play and the offense looked like it still needs tweaking. Thank goodness for Northeastern. Tech Soccer Ties George Mason The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team opened the regular season Friday night with a double overtime tie against in-state foe George Mason in front of 675 fans at Virginia Tech Soccer Stadium. Tech’s goalkeeper and lone senior Mallory Soldner led the Hokies allowing only one goal in 110 minutes of play. Juniors, Gina Om and Mary Elizabeth Newton paced the offense and freshman Julian Johnson showed great promise for the future of the squad. Three Hokie Defensemen on Watch List for National Award    Vince Hall, Chris Ellis, and Xavier Adibi. The Watch List is out for the 37th Rotary Lombardi Award and it includes three Virginia Tech football players. Defensive end Chris Ellis and the linebacker tandem of Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi made the list of potential honorees as the nation’s best collegiate lineman. Madden 2007 – Resounding Success or Stagnant Failure? Competition is good. It makes the two (or more) parties involved rethink where they are and produce innovative products and or services. Even if something is awesome (PlayStation, iPod), challengers (Xbox, various MP3 players) can only make the market better for us consumers by forcing companies to make their products more innovative and effective. If you would like to contribute to our Sports team, please e-mail planet@vt.edu.
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Clemson Spoils Hokie Seniors' Bid For ACC Title by Neal Turnage Photos by Ben Boggs March 5, 2007 The Virginia Tech Hokies came into Saturday’s basketball game at Cassell Coliseum looking to send its five seniors out in style and perhaps lock up the top seed in the ACC tournament. The Clemson Tigers, on the other hand, played spoiler and kept their own NCAA tournament hopes alive by downing the Hokies in a 75 to 74 thriller.
Cavaliers Use Three-Point Barrage to Sink Hokies by Anthony Della Calce Executive Editor March 2, 2007 Virginia Tech’s poor shooting coupled with Virginia’s blistering accuracy from beyond the arc led to a bad first experience in John Paul Jones Arena for the Hokies, who lost 69-56 in Charlottesville on Thursday night. The loss dropped the Hokies (20-9, 10-5 ACC) behind the Cavaliers (20-8, 11-4 ACC) in the conference standings. Because of North Carolina’s loss to Georgia Tech on Thursday night, Virginia is all alone atop the ACC. Tech, UNC and Boston College are all tied for second at 10-5. Hokies Win Overtime Thriller, Down Eagles 60-54 The victory lifts Tech’s record to 18-13, pads their tournament resume, and sends them to the second round of the ACC tourney to play the No. 2 seeded, No.4 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. Washington Helps Hokies Soar Over Eagles
The win moved the Hokies (19-8, 9-4 ACC) ahead of the Eagles (18-9, 9-5 ACC) in the conference standings. Virginia Tech is tied with Virginia (lost at Miami Wednesday night) for second place and a game behind North Carolina (beat N.C State Wednesday night), who leads the ACC with a 10-3 mark. Macho: Man on Fire; Up Close and Personal With the Victor “A man who is unpleasant, arrogant, and aggressively proud of his masculinity,” is how the dictionary describes the word “macho,” but does it really describe the man himself? Of course this ‘man on fire’ is successfully assertive and belligerent when he steps into his maroon and orange Virginia Tech football gear, but the starting cornerback, Victor ‘Macho’ Harris would say that he is anything but. Hokies Dean of Tar Heels, Sweep Season Series after OT victory at UNC by Anthony Della Calce Executive Editor February 14, 2007 Virginia Tech’s first ever trip to the Dean Dome was a memorable one. The #25 Hokies defeated the #4 Tar Heels 81-80 Tuesday night in an overtime thriller and, in doing so, swept the season series with North Carolina. Hokie Softball Wins First Pitch Classic Strong pitching and a hot offense started the Virginia Tech Softball team’s season off right this past weekend as the team went 3-1 en route to winning the First Pitch Classic tournament. The softball team traveled to Atlanta Feb. 9 to play its first four games of the season. The Hokies took on Tennessee Tech, Alabama Birmingham, and Georgia State before having to face Tennessee Tech again. Commonwealth Challenge Hits the Hardcourt Things sure can change quickly when playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This time a week ago, Virginia Tech (16-7, 6-3) sat atop the conference looking to cruise through another week and continue moving up the national rankings. But, after two games of lackluster offense and uninspired play, the Hokies came back down to Earth as they regressed to the middle of the ACC standings and out of the top 25. On the other side of the coin, Virginia (16-6, 8-2) has won seven straight conference games to take over the conference crown. The two rivals will square off Saturday in Cassell Coliseum for a rare premier ACC match-up Breaking Down the Big Game by Thomas Emerick Sports Writer February 4, 2007 The Bears played extremely well against New Orleans, but it doesn’t eradicate the fact that they’ve played a little lackluster over the past month and a half. Their defense hasn’t been the same since losing Mike Brown and Tommie Harris. In December, Chicago let the likes of Tampa Bay and Detroit move the ball up and down the field without much trouble. Seattle took them to overtime at home in the playoffs, and the Seahawks were average at best, having lost 3 of their previous 5 games, with the two wins coming against Tampa and a downward-spiraling Cowboys team. Upset-Minded Wolfpack Hands Hokies First Home Loss of Season, 70-59 “We were out-coached; we were out-played; we were out-competed; we were out-focused; we were out-toughed.”
That was how Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg began his post-game press conference after Tech’s 70-59 loss to North Carolina State. It was the Hokies’ first loss at home this season. Tech Looks to Even the Score in the Commonwealth Challenge by Adam Davis January 26, 2007 Monday night Virginia Tech pulled to within one point of the University of Virginia in the Second Annual Commonwealth Challenge with a win in women’s basketball at UVA’s John Paul Jones Arena. The Hokies trailed the entire game but took the lead with 1.4 seconds to go on a Brittany Cook put-back to win the game.
Now UVA holds a slim 4.5 to 3.5 lead in the challenge with 14 points still up for grabs. The next athletic event between the two schools comes Sunday when the wrestling teams will meet in Richmond at 2pm. Raucous Student Crowd Sees Hokies Shell Out a Win in OT First, it was #5 Duke. Then, it was #1 North Carolina. This time, it was #22 Maryland.
For the third weekend in a row, the Virginia Tech Hokies knocked off a ranked, name-brand ACC opponent. And, just as they did against the Blue Devils, the Hokies (14-5, 4-1 ACC) grinded out an overtime victory against the Terrapins (15-5, 1-4 ACC), 67-64. Anatomy of an Upset
Virginia Tech basketball pulled off one of the biggest wins in school history by beating fifth-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium last Saturday. The Hokies returned to Cassell Coliseum seven days later and proved that Duke was no fluke as they defeated the UNC Tarheels, the number one team in the country, by a score of 94 to 88. Hokies Find Chick-fil-A Loss Tough To Swallow
In Virginia Tech’s 31-24 loss to the University of Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Hokies turned in one of their most Jekyll & Hyde performances in recent memory. A 21-point second quarter gave Tech a comfortable lead going into the half. Four fourth quarter turnovers later, the record crowd of 75,406 saw UGA defeat its third consecutive ranked opponent (Auburn, Ga. Tech). NFL Power Rankings: Week 13 13
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 Hokies Reign Over Monarchs at Cassell In perhaps their most complete game of the season, the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team defeated Old Dominion 72-55 at Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Coming off a tough one-point defeat to George Washington, the Hokies responded well by opening the game on a 20-3 run. The Monarchs trimmed the Hokies lead to 24-18 with a 15-3 run but Tech rebuilt its lead to nine at halftime. Wrestling Coach Brings Vision and Leadership
Hokies Earn First ACC/Big Ten Challenge Victory, Defeat Iowa 69-65
The Hokies built a double-digit lead in the second half and led by 14 with 4:43 to go. But, a combination of tentative play on both ends and poor free-throw shooting allowed Iowa to get back into the game. In the end, the Hokies made just enough free throws to win. Read More...Tech Volleyball Ends Season with Win The Virginia Tech volleyball team closed out its regular season with a 3-1 (34-32, 22-30, 30-25, 30-19) victory over Georgia Tech as several Hokies entered the Virginia Tech record books. Senior Katie Esbrook had a record-setting day becoming the Hokies all-time leader in career hitting percentage at .324 and finished with the second best single-season hitting percentage in Virginia Tech history with a .340 mark. William & Mary Outworks Lady Hokies by Jennifer Noble November 28, 2006 The William and Mary Tribe shocked the Virginia Tech Hokies in Cassell Coliseum Tuesday night. With the 64-41 loss, the Lady Hokies dropped to 4-4 on the season while the Tribe improved to 4-2. Virginia Tech’s head coach, Beth Dunkenberger, said, “I am embarrassed for my team. We need to make some changes,” in regards to what she saw on the court Tuesday night. Larry Coker Firing Leaves Me Scratching My Head by Justin Cates November 28, 2006 Larry Coker was all smiles on Thanksgiving when his Miami Hurricanes defeated the 17th ranked Boston College Eagles in their regular season finale. Less than 24 hours later, Coker was standing on the podium discussing why he was no longer the Miami head coach after being fired following the win. College Football Quick Picks: Week 13 – Rivalry Week, Part II by Anthony Della Calce November 23, 2006 The good news is Quick Picks had its fourth straight nine-win week in week 12. The bad news is Quick Picks had a season-high eight-loss week in week 12. But, considering the wild results in several rivalry games, it could have been worse. Perhaps Rivalry Week, Part II will be better for Quick Picks, which is now 71- 33 with two weeks left before bowl games. Read more...Judging Jimmy Williams by Allyson Klein November 20, 2006 Scandal. Just as announcers, coaches, sports critics, etc. stopped discussing the Marcus Vick drama, another football scandal surfaced to rock the end of an otherwise steady season. Jimmy Williams, former Virginia Tech star cornerback and promising rookie of the Atlanta Falcons, faces serious allegations of corrupt money acceptance. On November 16, 2006, Virginia attorney Carl C. Lamondue sued Williams for over $55,000. NFL Power Rankings: Week 11 by Thomas Emerick November 17 , 2006
Virginia Tech’s ACC Basketball Breakdown by Dave Gonet November 17, 2006 In Blacksburg, the beginning of November for most people means crunch time for Hokie football. November brings the annual Miami and UVA showdowns that are must wins for every past, present and future tech student. Hokie Hockey loses to Duke 3-2 in OT by Ben Boggs November 14, 2006 Despite a hard fought defensive battle, the Virginia Tech Men’s Ice Hockey team suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss against Duke Blue Devils Saturday evening. The Hokies kept up with the fast pace of the defending ACCHL champions, coming back from one-goal deficits twice in the game.
“It was very encouraging to watch the team fight back after each Duke goal,” said Virginia Tech head coach Michael Spradlin. “This team never quits or gets down on itself.” Hokies Show Strong Team Play in Basketball Opener The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team never trailed in its season opener; cruising to an impressive 94-43 victory over Coppin State.
It was a true team win aseveryone on the Hokies’ roster played and contributed. Of the 12 Tech players, 11 of them saw double-digit minutes and 11 of them scored. College FB Quick Picks: Week 11 by Anthony Della Calce November 10, 2006 Quick Picks has posted a 9-4 record in back-to-back weeks, lifting its overall record to 53-22. Currently at 31 games over .500, Quick Picks would like to push its record to 50 games over .500 by the end of the regular season. It seems like a reasonable goal. So let’s see if this week’s predictions can start things off in the right direction. Read more...Miami Fans? After taking the trip down to the Orange Bowl to watch the showdown between Virginia Tech and Miami, one question enters my mind: what’s wrong with Miami fans?
Tech Volleyball Rebounds with Five-Game Win Over Maryland Coming off a tough five-game loss to Boston College, the Virginia Tech volleyball team held off the Maryland Terrapins in their second five-game match in as many nights, winning 3-2 (30-25, 26-30, 30-12, 28-30, 15-10). Hokies Pumped to Visit South Beach by Jenna Stewart November 3, 2006 You know you’re a Hokie when beating a hurricane is not about surviving dangerous storms and pouring rain. It goes much deeper than that; crashing helmets, intense tackles, and a whole lot of trash talking. Considering issues both teams faced this season, the coaches will look to keep the trash talking in check, but everything else will be extreme. The Miami Hurricanes and Virginia Tech Hokies have had a passionate rivalry for many years now. It always seems to come down to these two teams competing for a spot in the ACC Championship game and a BCS bowl bid. NFL Power Rankings: Week 8 by Thomas Emerick October 26, 2006
Tech Volleyball Knocks Off Clemson The Virginia Tech volleyball team rebounded in a big way, knocking off Clemson 3-1 (30-20, 30-26, 26-30, 30-27) on Sunday afternoon in Cassell Coliseum. Coming off one of their poorest performances of the year, a 3-0 loss to Georgia Tech Friday night, the Hokies responded with career efforts from three of their players. No. 25 Hokies Clip Mountaineers on Late Goal, Win 1-0 In a subfreezing home finale, Virginia Tech broke a scoreless stalemate in the 81st minute to defeat Appalachian State, 1-0. In only his third game after returning from a serious leg injury, sophomore Alexander Baden kicked in his own rebound off of diving Mountaineer keeper Greg Walters. “Missing all that time with the surgery on my leg, I’m just glad to be back on my feet already,” said Baden, who played the full 90 minutes, “I wanted to help the team.” Read more...Know Your Opponent: Clemson After a 36-6 victory over Southern Miss in which Virginia Tech finally looked and played like Hokies, Tech plays host to the #10 Clemson Tigers Thursday night in Blacksburg.
Clemson comes into the game with the fourth best rushing attack in the nation at 259.4 yards per game, and they have two outstanding running backs in James Davis and C.J. Spiller. The tandem has even garnered the nickname “Thunder and Lightning,” drawing comparisons to USC’s former one-two punch of LenDale White and Reggie Bush. Tech Volleyball Swept at Home by Georgia Tech October 22, 2006 In one of its toughest matchups of the year, the Virginia Tech volleyball team was swept by Georgia Tech 3-0 (26-30, 20-30, 26-30) on Friday night. The Hokies were not able to get any rhythm on the offensive or defensive ends as the Yellow Jackets stung early and often with the help of multiple Hokie errors and miscues. Lady Hokies Still Fighting for ACC Tourney Bid
The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team will finish their ACC schedule at home this weekend with matches against Maryland and Boston College. Currently the Lady Hokies are 10th in the Atlantic Coast Conference just ahead of last place Maryland. No. 19 Hokies Take Five Game Winning Streak Into Showdown With No. 4 UVA by Thomas Emerick October 19, 2006 After a disappointing start, Virginia Tech has caught fire just in time to battle the Cavaliers for in-state bragging rights. This Friday at 7:30, Tech clashes with the University of Virginia in Blacksburg. Miami Dolphins promote Marcus Vick
Vick is officially listed as the 3rd no.1 wide receiver on the depth chart behind Marty Booker and Derek Hagan but could see action as a kick returner and even quarterback if circumstances permit. Know Your Opponent: Southern Miss Virginia Tech’s 2006 Homecoming game will see an unlikely match up of 4-2 teams when the Hokies host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles Saturday at 7 p.m. Tech comes off a disappointing string of two consecutive losses, the most recent coming on the road at Boston College. The Hokies enter the game with a lot to prove, though before the season most people penciled in an easy Tech victory. The offense has been struggling, but why exactly? Lady Hokies Drop Two Close Games on Road The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team got two more moral victories over the weekend while dropping to 5-8-2 (1-6-1 ACC) on the year. Despite losing to state rival UVa 1-2 and 2nd ranked UNC 0-1, the Lady Hokies still managed their best results ever against their respective opponents since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. Men's Hockey Notches First ACCHL Victory The Virginia Tech Men’s Ice Hockey team earned its first conference win Saturday night with an offensive explosion in a 13-2 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels. Despite suffering a disappointing loss Friday night to the Liberty Flames, the Hokies came out firing early. Read more...College Football Quick Picks: Week 7 by Anthony Della Calce October 13, 2006 Quick Picks was a perfect 5-0 in its ACC predictions for the second straight week last time. The other picks, however, did not go quite as well. In what proved to be a difficult week for national predictions, Quick Picks went 3-4 for an overall week six record of 8-4 (34-10 on the season). #2 Florida at #11 Auburn highlights this week’s schedule, which is mostly absent of big-time match-ups. #4 Michigan at Penn State will also be a game to watch, especially if it plays out the way Quick Picks thinks it will. How will it play out? Take a look at this week’s predictions to find out. Know Your Opponent: Boston College While the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles are coming off a bye week, the Eagles might as well have had two. After losing a heartbreaker to N.C. State on Sept. 23, B.C. beat up on Div-IAA Maine seven days later. College Football Quick Picks: Week 6 Okay, so picking Iowa to upset Ohio State turned out not to be such a good move. But it was the only blemish on Quick Picks’ record last week, which now stands at 26-6 on the season. Not too shabby. But it only gets tougher this week as four games feature match-ups between opponents ranked 16th or higher. Let’s take a look at all of this week’s predictions, including those four key games from around the country. No. 5 Tar Heels Clip Hokies on Penalty Kick, 2-1 In a match that possessed nearly all the makings of a major upset, Virginia Tech fell to the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels, 2-1. The deciding goal came on a penalty kick scored by the Tar Heel’s Ted Odgers in the 74th minute. The Hokies out-shot their opponent 19-6 and dominated possession for most of the match, but two costly defensive miscues proved to be the difference. How to Fix Corruption in Youth Sports: A Modest Proposal Question: How does a T-ball coach avoid playing an autistic child when Little League Baseball requires that every player gets in the game or else the team forfeits? Answer: The coach pays off another player to deliberately bean him with a baseball during pre-game warm-ups so he will be injured and unable to play in the game. Lady Hokies Drop Match to #9 Demon Deacons The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team lost 3-1 for the second straight game, this time to Wake Forest on a rainy afternoon at Tech Soccer Stadium in front of 200 soaked fans.
Once again, the score does not show how the Hokies were able to play evenly with their ranked ACC opponents. Tech actually held the ball for a majority of the first half but could not find the back of the net until late in the game when Wake helped them out with an own-goal. Tech Explodes for 5 goals in 19 minutes; Beats VMI, 7-1 Virginia Tech recorded season highs in goals, assists, and shots on goal in a 7-1 victory over Virginia Military Institute. The fan-pleasing route snapped a four game winless streak for the Hokies. Tech’s record rose to 5-3-1, while VMI’s dropped to 2-6-0. Sophomore preseason all-American Patrick Nyarko scored the first hat trick of his collegiate career, bringing his season goal total to five. A Chat With ESPN’s Rob Stone
College Football Quick Picks: Week 3 Last week Planet Blacksburg Sports did not run its This Week In College Football column. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, we took that time to revamp the column including renaming it College Football Quick Picks. Instead of giving you the standard game preview, we’ve decided to provide a more colorful commentary about the upcoming games, including predicting a winner. Lady Hokies Split Pair in Home Soccer Tournament
The Lady Hokies played host to Wake Forest, James Madison and Liberty in the 2006 edition of the Virginia Tech Tournament on Friday and Sunday in Blacksburg. This Week in College Football: ACC Week One Recap ACC Game of the Week: Florida St. defeated in-state rival Miami in another defensive struggle on a rainy night at the Orange Bowl. Neither offense mounted much of an attack as the teams combined for 310 total yards. Seven Drafted Hokies Make Final NFL Rosters Saturday was the deadline for teams across the NFL to finalize their 53-man rosters. Seven of the nine Virginia Tech players who were chosen in the draft managed to secure spots on pro teams. Most noticeably absent from an NFL lineup this season will be Marcus Vick. The former Hokie signal caller went undrafted but was offered a tryout with the Miami Dolphins. Lady Hokies Notch First Win of Season On a blistering day in Blacksburg, nothing was hotter than Virginia Tech’s Emily Jukich who tallied three goals for the hat trick in a 6-0 win over New River Valley rival Radford University. The Hokies opened up a big lead midway through the first half, scoring three goals in ten minutes and never looked back as they ran over the Highlanders for their first win this season. The Science of Style: How to Choose a Jersey
But which one do you settle on when it’s time to plunk down $50 to $65 for your next bit of Hokie paraphernalia? Secondary is Primary for New Tech Coach “That’s your ball! Find it! Find it!” shouts Virginia Tech’s new defensive backs coach Torrian Gray as the offense tries to loft a pass over the head of one of his cornerbacks. The defender and receiver jump in unison and fight for the ball before it ultimately falls to the ground.
Ellis Says Hokies Will Push To Stay Atop The ACC  By Kevin Conaway Chris Ellis is described as one of the most sensational players on the Hokie defense that ranked 1st in the country last year. The unit has high hopes for the upcoming season. This star football player and all-around athlete hails from Virginia’s Piedmont region. He was ranked the fourth best player in the state coming out of high school by the Roanoke Times, uses his athleticism and speed to be a highly effective pass rusher.
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Hokies win Tiger Invitational, Tincher Breaks School Record by Brittney Asbury Sports Writer February 20, 2007 The Virginia Tech Softball improved to 6-2 this past weekend, winning the Tiger Invitational while junior pitcher Angela Tincher broke the school’s career strikeout record. The Hokies’ first game of the tournament was against Tennessee Tech, who they had already beaten twice this season. Tincher pitched five perfect innings before giving up a lead off walk in the fifth. Home Court: Advantage Hokies It was mayhem in Cassell Coliseum. The #1 team in the nation had just fallen to the Hokies. Tech had won their 13th game of the year and students rushed the court. “I’ve had teams play better, but I’ve never had one play harder than this team did,” the Hokie head coach said afterwards.
Sound familiar? No, this wasn’t Virginia Tech over North Carolina, this was Tech over #1 Memphis State in 1983 and the head coach was Charlie Moir. Wolfpack Thrash Hokies with Sizzling Shooting, Twice The Wolfpack have had Virginia Tech’s number this season. Home Court: Advantage Hokies It was mayhem in Cassell Coliseum. The #1 team in the nation had just fallen to the Hokies. Tech had won their 13th game of the year and students rushed the court. “I’ve had teams play better, but I’ve never had one play harder than this team did,” the Hokie head coach said afterwards.
Sound familiar? No, this wasn’t Virginia Tech over North Carolina, this was Tech over #1 Memphis State in 1983 and the head coach was Charlie Moir. Turnovers Bite Tech as Tigers Down Hokies, 73-69 by Thomas Emerick Sports Writer February 14, 2007 In a hard fought battle that included senior Kirby Copeland’s 1,000th point, the Hokies’ 24 turnovers cost them in a 73-69 loss to Clemson. Tech held a late lead when Copeland shot the Hokies ahead by a score of 62-61 with just over three minutes remaining. However, Clemson’s clutch free throw shooting down the stretch would give them the victory. Forward Thinking: Hokies Dominate 'Hoos In Commonwealth's Hardcourt Clash Virginia won the opening tip and scored the first two points of the game. After that, Virginia Tech scored the next 11 points and never looked back as they dominated their in-state rival, 84-57, earning a crucial ACC victory. Experts billed the game as a matchup of two of best backcourts in the ACC – Jamon Gordon and Zabian Dowdell for Tech and J. R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary for UVA. But, the play of Virginia Tech’s starting forwards – A.D. Vassallo and Deron Washington – turned out to be the difference. 2007 Virginia Tech Recruiting Report
Hokie Softball: Fast As Ever and Optimistic About Season With snow falling down and temperatures hovering around zero, spring seems a long ways away. However, for spring sports like softball, it’s time to lace up the cleats and hit the field. The Lady Hokies Softball team has been practicing for some time now and, with seven returning starters, is looking strong. On the mound for the Hokies is 2nd team All American Angela Tincher, who is regarded as one of the best pitchers in the NCAA and is expected to do great things for the team yet again. Aside from Tincher, Tech has two senior pitchers – Karie Morrison and Ashley Thatcher – who are coming along well this off-season. To finish out the solid pitching staff is Heather Lowery, a promising freshman from Georgia. Pool Records Fall For Tech Against VMI and W&L
Saturday afternoon the Men’s Swim and Dive team competed against a couple of old foes from Lexington at the War Memorial Pool. Tech came away with two wins beating the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 121-77 and Washington and Lee University Generals 107-73. W&L also beat VMI 156-48 to round out the final competition at home for the Hokies this year. Cook’s Putback Stuns UVA, Tech Wins 60-58 Virginia Tech won the latest leg of the Virginia Commonwealth Challenge on the heels of a 60-58 women’s basketball victory over the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. The Hokies rebounded from a 33-21 halftime deficit to tie late in the fourth quarter. Though, the most important rebound of the game was when Tech sophomore Brittany Cook gave her team the lead on the putback of a missed jumper up with two seconds remaining. An Ethnic Slur for the Name of a Sports Team? Imagine if more professional sports teams had names like the Washington Redskins: the New York Spooks, the Chicago Peckerwoods, the Los Angeles Spics.
Redskin is an offensive and derogatory term for an American Indian. Clearly, this makes it an inappropriate mascot for a professional football team as well as any other sports team. So why is there such an argument over this issue? Hokies Shut Down Mountaineers’ Offense in Victory For the second consecutive game, the Hokies stifling defense led the way as they defeated Appalachian State 69-37 at Cassell Coliseum Sunday afternoon.
Virginia Tech held the Mountaineers to nine first-half points on 13 percent shooting from the field. The Mountaineers finished the game shooting just 21 percent, which is the lowest field goal percentage Tech has held an opponent to this season. NFL Power Rankings: Week 14
NFL Power Rankings: Week 13 13
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Hokie Football Wins Fifth Straight Game With maroon and orange standing out all through the stadium, the dominating defense of the Virginia Tech Hokies lead its team to a 27-6 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Tech set the tone early in the game with linebacker Brenden Hill rushing through the line and tackling wide receiver Kevin Marion for a loss of six yards on the first play from scrimmage. Wake Forest was forced to punt after a three and out on the game’s opening drive. Tech RB Ore doubtful for UVA Game Virginia Tech’s 27-6 win over ACC foe Wake Forest proved a costly one as Branden Ore, the Hokies’ leading rusher, went down early in the game with a lower leg injury. While being tackled on just his second carry of the game, Ore’s left foot got turned underneath him. He would leave the game in obvious pain and not return to action. Kenny Lewis Jr. and George Bell shared the rushing duties the rest of the way while Ore watched from the sidelines on crutches. Read more...Cupcake Doesn't Go Down Easy For Hokies
The Virginia Tech Hokies shut out the Kent State Golden Flashes 23-0 in a game where the stat sheet didn't tell the whole story. Despite blanking their opponent, forcing three turnovers and recording a defensive score, the Hokies never seemed able to move the ball offensively against a team they were expected to steamroll. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan by Jon Atwood November 11, 2006 I heard a story about a time when Vivien Leigh agreed to do an interview about her role in “Gone with the Wind.” The journalist asked her what part she played. She got up and left the room. Fine Tuning Gets Hokies Running on All Cylinders In the world of college football, small adjustments can lead to big-time changes. Since Virginia Tech’s embarrassing loss to Boston College on Oct. 12, the Hokies have made a lot of adjustments.
From minor tweaks to major personnel shake-ups, the changes head coach Frank Beamer has implemented in the past two weeks have worked wonders. The Hokies are on a roll. Convincing victories over Southern Miss and tenth-ranked Clemson have put Virginia Tech back into the hunt for the ACC Coastal Division title. More importantly, the last two games have shown off a team that has finally found an identity. In Miami, Saturday Night is Alright for Fighting Any chance Miami’s and Florida International’s players were listening to Elton John before their game? Because they certainly thought Saturday night was alright for fighting. NFL Power Rankings: Week 7
NFL Power Rankings: Week 6
It’s Hockey Time in Blacksburg! The Virginia Tech Ice Hockey Division II Club Team was close to calling the 2005-2006 season their ninth and final season. The team found out at the end of last season that their home rink, Roanoke Ice Station, was shutting down, leaving them without a place to practice. Lady Hokies Find First ACC Win in Miami On a weekend trip to Florida, the Women’s Soccer team picked up a win in Miami on Thursday but lost to Florida State on Sunday. The Hokies beat Miami 2-1 on two goals by Laurie Beth Puglisi and despite an early lead, dropped their match to Florida by the same score. College Football Quick Picks: Week 5 Alabama’s overtime kicking game and Boston College’s end-of-the-game defense prevented Quick Picks from being undefeated last week. Nevertheless, Quick Picks went 8-2 last week and is 17-5 over the past two weeks. Another 10 games are in the line up this week so let’s get to the predictions. Tech Volleyball Sits Atop ACC Standings The Virginia Tech volleyball team extended its winning streak to six after sweeping North Carolina on Thursday night and North Carolina State on Friday night. With the two victories, the Hokies (9-3) moved to 3-0 in the ACC, putting them in sole possession of first place. The Hokies cruised to a 3-0 (30-24, 30-19, 30-19) win against North Carolina on Thursday night led by freshman Taylor Parrish who knocked down a match-high 20 kills and a career-high three solo blocks. Hokies pull away late, beat Cincinnati 29-13 Despite trailing in the fourth quarter, the Virginia Tech Hokies downed the Cincinnati Bearcats by the score of 29 to 13 and remain undefeated on the season.
The game would turn out to be a tale of two halves as the Hokies performances in both were as different as night and day. Women’s Soccer Suffers Shutout at Evansville The Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team (4-2-1) lost their second of the season 3-0 to the Evansville University Purple Aces on Saturday. Tech Volleyball Beats UVa in Conference Opener The Virginia Tech volleyball team gave Coach Chris Riley his first ACC victory on Friday night, beating the University of Virginia 3-0(30-28, 30-28, 30-25). The Hokies rode the hot hand of senior Katie Esbrook who led Tech with 12 kills, two service aces and a remarkable .625 hitting percentage. Freshman Taylor Parrish and sophomore Sarah Muñoz also highlighted the offensive attack, each accounting for 11 kills.
Tech Volleyball Wins Hokie Invitational Title The Virginia Tech volleyball team got back to its winning ways as it opened up its home schedule by winning the Hokie Invitational over the weekend. Tech won all three of its matches, taking out George Washington Friday night and then knocking off Liberty and Appalachian State on Saturday to take the title. No. 8 Hokies Down Tribe 1-0
Fourteen hundred fans braved the cold, wet air to watch Virginia Tech win its home opener against William and Mary, 1-0. The Hokies, ranked No. 8 in the nation, are gaining an increasingly large following, and coach Oliver Weiss values the attention. “We’re getting better, the stands are getting bigger, the crowds are getting bigger,” said Weiss. “All of these things have an impact on the program’s development.” Who is Fantasy Football’s No. 1 Pick? LJ, LT, or Shaun? Who are you taking with the #1 pick? This is the dilemma that baffles so many people in the world of fantasy football. Everyone has their own ideas and formulas for judging which of these three NFL superstars will have the best fantasy season, but in reality, no one really knows. Hokies Focused to Prove New Talent The Virginia Tech Hokies kick off their 2006 football campaign by hosting the Northeastern Huskies Saturday, September 2nd in Lane Stadium. While Tech returns nine starters from a team that finished 11-2 and ranked 7th in the nation, Northeastern hails from the other end of the college football spectrum. This Week in College Football: Week One Preview Each week of the college football season, Planet Blacksburg Sports will preview a selection of the weekend’s upcoming games and predict the winner of those games. We will examine important ACC conference games as well as other noteworthy matchups from around the country. As the season progresses, we will discuss how the outcome of certain games might affect Virginia Tech. We will recap the results of each weekend in college football at the start of the following week. More Sports
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Virginia Tech’s backup quarterback Ike Whitaker will miss the Hokies’ postseason appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Dec. 30, for personal reasons. Three other Tech players, Jahre Cheeseman, Jared Develli, and Antonio North, will miss the game due to injuries. 
The suits in Atlanta, Ga., finally announced what the Hokie Nation had figured for some time. 
Michael Vick, Frank Beamer, Kevin Jones, and Darryl Tapp are all familiar names associated with athletics around campus at Virginia Tech, but why doesn’t Coleman Collins’ name come up in conversation more often?
The Virginia Tech Hokies cruised to a 36-0 victory against the Duke Blue Devils on a weekend of college football dubbed “Separation Saturday,” serving up its second shutout of the season.
August 23rd, 2006 
At first glance you would probably consider Kevin Dresser to be your typical middle-aged man. He’s not real tall; he’s pushing about 140 pounds; and you can see the gray starting to appear in his beard as he just celebrated his 44th birthday. However, this two-time NCAA All-American wrestler is ready for the next step in his life as he becomes one of the new faces in Virginia Tech athletics. 
The Virginia Tech Hokies staved off a late rally from the Iowa Hawkeyes and hung on for a 69-65 win at home in a game that was part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
