BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball team is dancing right along to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history, and here at home, they have the support of the university behind them.
Senior Chris Royal is an executive member of the Cassell Guard — the student section at the basketball games. He says the energy on campus continues to intensify.
“Being able to be here and on the day-to-day kind of feel it building closer and closer to that step and just seeing, ‘oh, we have a chance,’ and the chance keeps increasing and increasing, it’s just been amazing,” Royal said.
Senior Kaleb Kight says it’s an experience the whole school is able to share.
“We’re making history for us,” Kight said. “So, it’s really exciting to be able to see that and be a part of that and share that with other students here.”
Royal says the added attention from people who aren’t Hokies makes it that much more impactful.
“Seeing how much they are talking about Tech and talking about them as the hottest team, it’s just good for them to finally get their flowers,” Royal said.
Junior Austin Aylor works with the football team and says the basketball team’s success is encouraging to see.
“With the football team it encourages the guys, they get a lot of energy from that, and they want the same success,” Aylor said. “It’s very inspirational for them.”
Aylor says it’s nice to see this achievement at his own school.
“Usually, you’re watching other teams have the success, so it’s nice to be able to see it here happening in front of us. It’s just awesome, it’s monumental,” he said.
Royal says this team will be something he remembers for years to come.
“Really just being able to at the end of the day once I walk across graduation and even for years as an alumni to be able to say ‘I was there when they got the first one,’ I think it’s great,” Royal said.