Virginia Tech football hires WDBJ-7 sports director Travis Wells as assistant AD for strategic communications

The Virginia Tech Hokies football program announced another significant hire Monday by naming Travis Wells as the assistant athletics director for strategic communications. Wells replaces Pete Moris, who departed in June for a job at Northern Iowa.

If you live in or around the New River Valley, Wells is a familiar name. He is the sports director at WDBJ-7, the CBS affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia, and has held that post since 2008. Overall, Wells spent 20 years at WDBJ. Before his time in Roanoke, Wells worked for TV stations in Charlottesville and Bristol.

Wells is no stranger to Virginia Tech coverage. In addition to closely covering the Hokies during his 20 years at WDBJ, Wells spent the past 10 years helping produce Virginia Tech Sports Today.

Wells grew up in the area and is the son of former Martinsville High School basketball coach Troy Wells. The younger Wells was a standout basketball player in high school. He is also a graduate of Radford University.

Wells’ departure leaves a void at the sports desk at WDBJ. But even more so at Friday Football Extra. Again, if you’re from the area, you know what a fixture Friday Football Extra is throughout the Roanoke and New River Valleys.

I like this hire by Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock. Wells is a respected voice in the area and is undoubtedly a fit with the Hokies. As we’ve seen with head coach Brent Pry, that matters.

Congratulations, Travis Wells.