Hightown
Hightown, VA · Sports
The Associated Press
Virginia Tech tries to return to March Madness for 1st time since 2022 behind 3 returning starters
Virginia Tech (19-13, 8-10 ACC) The Hokies are chasing their first March Madness bid since winning the program's lone Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title in 2022. Last year's team had a chance before losing seven of its last 10 games. Eighth-year coach Mike Young's Hokies return three starters and have added through the transfer portal to build a team picked to finish ninth in the ACC race. Players to watch Amani Hansberry (senior, F, 6-8, 240). Hansberry led the team in scoring (14.3) and was second in rebounding (7.4) last year, giving the Hokies an experienced player to build around. Hansberry started his career with a year at Illinois then a year at West Virginia as a starter before last year's run in Blacksburg. Ben Hammond (junior, G, 5-11, 170). Hammond was the team's No. 2 scorer last year (13.2) while also averaging 3.2 assists to offer playmaking potential. Hammond shot 43.1% and hit at least three 3s in seven games against league opponents last year. Tyler Johnson (junior, G, 6-5, 208). Johnson averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds while starting 13 of the 17 games he played in a year interrupted by a lower-body injury that cost him 15
WDBJ7.com
Target 7: Referees say fan behavior is driving officials away
ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) — On Sunday mornings, Greg Irby preaches about grace, patience and loving your neighbor from behind the pulpit at Temple Baptist Church. On Friday nights, he trades the cross around his neck for a whistle. Irby has officiated for 43 years across five sports. He said...
bvmsports.com
College Basketball Hot Seat: 5 Coaches Under Pressure in 2026-27
Five coaches enter the 2026-27 season under pressure to deliver results: Memphis’ Penny Hardaway, Oklahoma’s Porter Moser, South Carolina’s Lamont Paris, Kentucky’s Mark Pope and Virginia Tech’s Mike Young. The list isn’t a prediction that they’ll be fired; it highlights coaches who may need strong seasons to keep their jobs. Each has a different challenge, from rebuilding fan confidence to meeting the unusually high expectations at Kentucky.
The Carroll News
Cavaliers hold off Radford in first-place District duel on Senior Night
The Carroll County football Cavaliers hosted the Radford Bobcats for a Senior Night clash of titans on Friday, October 23, the final game of the regular season at Tommy Thompson Field. Both teams entered the contest unbeaten in league play with a valuable prize for the victors: a commanding lead in the Three Rivers District standings with only two games to go. And it came down to the type of do-or-die moment every player and fan lives for. After the Cavs jumped out to a 26-7 advantage, Radford came storming back within three and forced a critical fourth down at the opposing 40-yard line in the final two minutes. Head coach Seth Greer never even hesitated to leave his offense on the field and the player he turned to was one of his senior leaders, Ayden Dickerson. “We knew we were gonna be in a dogfight this week,” said Greer. “We knew they’re explosive and we knew it was a poor matchup for us with some of the injuries we’ve had in the secondary. We knew this thing would come down to the end and I told Ayden before the game, I said ‘At some point in this football game
Essentially Sports
ACC Program Takes Preventive Measure After Learning From FG Controversy That Cost James Franklin and Co. a Game
Every college football fan in Blacksburg spent days rewinding that final kick against Pitt over and over again, trying to find a definitive answer on a play that defied the camera lens. When a single close call decides a Friday night thriller, teams start looking for answers outside the standard broadcast setup. Tired of leaving games to chance, Virginia Tech decided not to wait for the conference office to fix a blind spot that cost them dearly. According to images shared by CFB Kings on social media, the Hokies have mounted cameras right on their goalposts, pointing straight upward to captur...
nittanysportsnow.com
Grunk is Good: Former Penn State QB Putting up Killer Numbers
Now, he’s statistically one of the best in the country. Only nine QBs in the country have thrown for more yards than Grunkemeyer (2,140), and of those nine, only four play at the Power 4 level. Grunkemeyer is tied for 13th in the country with 17 touchdown passes in...
pcpatriot.com
Radford comeback falls shorts against Carroll
Hillsville – Playing on a crisp and cool night in Hillsville, the home-standing Carroll Co. Cavaliers defeated the visiting Radford Bobcats 26-23. Carroll Co. was up 26-7 late in the third quarter but had to hold on for the victory on Senior Night. Carroll Co. scored first after a scoreless first quarter. Ayden Dickerson capped off a 97-yard, 12-play, and over eight-minute drive by scoring on a four-yard run off right tackle to put them up 6-0, with 11:10 on the clock in the second quarter.
Hokiesports.com
Hokies collect 19 first-place finishes against FGCU, Queens (NC) and Tennessee
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Virginia Tech swimming and diving teams continued the 2026-27 campaign on the road, competing against Florida Gulf Coast, Queens and Tennessee in Charlotte, N.C. on Friday, Oct. 23. Both squads when undefeated in team scores. The women earned wins over Queens (189-85) and Florida Gulf...
Rubbing The Rock
Clemson will face another familiar duo when Virginia Tech ventures into Death Valley
Three weeks ago, the Clemson Tigers faced the familiar duo of Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate when taking on Miami. This week, they will see two more players who gave them issues in 2025 that have been paired together in Blacksburg for Virginia Tech.