vs. Ball State/UCF
Orlando, Fla.
All Day
Seven Virginia Tech wrestlers made it to the finals, and Dennis Gustafson, Brent Moore, David McFadden and Jared Haught all won individual championships in their respective weight classes to carry the Virginia Tech wrestling team to the ACC team title at the ACC Wrestling Championship held Saturday at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Hokies scored 81 points, out-distancing NC State by eight points en route to their fourth ACC tournament title, including their second straight. Gustafson came back to win at 133 pounds over UVA’s Jack Mueller, and then Moore – who was the ACC’s Most Valuable Wrestler – pulled off the upset when he registered a sudden victory takedown of NC State’s Kevin Jack, ranked No. 5 nationally at 141 pounds. to win 6-4. McFadden continue his dominance, winning by major decision at 165 pounds to remain unbeaten on the season, and Haught closed it with a wild 6-4 sudden victory win over NC State’s Michael Macchiavello. The Hokies now get set for the NCAA Wrestling Championships held March 15-17 in Cleveland, Ohio. Eight of the 10 wrestlers in the Hokies’ lineup qualified for the NCAA Championships.
The Virginia Tech Wrestling Team
The Virginia Tech wrestling team won its fourth ACC tournament title when it down NC State and four other league schools to capture the crown Saturday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The team title marked Virginia Tech’s 28th as an athletics department since joining the ACC for the 2004-05 season. In addition, the four individual wrestling titles won by Tech wrestlers Saturday now give the program 41 individual championships by 24 different wrestlers. Dennis Gustafson and Jared Haught won their second ACC titles, while Brent Moore and David McFadden claimed their firsts.
Taylor Emery led a second-half comeback in the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team’s 85-70 first-round victory over Syracuse and nearly guided the Hokies to an upset of No. 4 Louisville in the quarterfinals, as Tech went 1-1 at the ACC Tournament held late last week in Greensboro, North Carolina. Emery scored 28 points against the Orange, helping the Hokies rally from a 14-point second-half deficit to a 15-point win. Aisha Sheppard added 19 points in the win, hitting five 3-pointers. Against the Cardinals, Tech led in the third quarter and had chances late in the fourth quarter, possessing the ball with six minutes to go and only trailing by a point. But Louisville made the plays down the stretch. Emery scored 27 in the loss, while Rachel Camp added 14. Emery earned second-team all-tournament recognition after averaging 27.5 points per game in the tournament. Now the Hokies wait to hear on their postseason fate, which likely will be in the WNIT. The announcement should be made late on the evening of March 12.
Despite 18 points and six assists from Justin Robinson, the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team couldn’t quite hang on at the end, falling 69-68 to Miami in Coral Gables, Florida on Saturday afternoon to close the regular season. The Hokies finished in seventh place in the ACC standings and enter the league’s tournament this week as the No. 7 seed with a 21-10 overall record (10-8 in the ACC). Kerry Blackshear Jr. added 11 points in the defeat, while Chris Clarke finished with 10. Miami’s Chris Lykes made one of two free throws with 3 seconds left to give Miami the win. The Hokies, who received a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament, open play Wednesday evening with a second-round game at 7 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday’s Notre Dame-Pittsburgh game. The tournament will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Virginia Tech softball team secured a winning record at the Jacksonville Invitational, winning three of five games at the Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex on Jacksonville University’s campus over the weekend. The wins moved Tech to 10-8 overall on the season. Keely Rochard, one of the Hokies’ freshman pitchers, won two of the three games for Tech, going 5.2 innings and striking out six in a win over Presbyterian and then pitching five innings of scoreless relief and striking out five in a win over Iowa State in the finale. The Hokies lost to Cyclones in their first game despite a complete-game four-hitter from Carrie Eberle. They then won their next two games, beating Campbell 3-0 and Presbyterian 5-4. Jordan Dail pitched a one-hitter with 11 Ks in the win over Campbell, while Jessie Mehr drove in two runs against Presbyterian and Rochard got the victory in relief. Tech remained in Florida on its spring break trip and returned to action today with a doubleheader against Ball State and UCF in Orlando.
Virginia Tech softball outfielder Caroline Schoenewald is a leader as one of five seniors on the softball team, while also pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. The young woman from Jamison, Pennsylvania answered the following questions so fans could get to know her as more than just a talented student-athlete.
Q: What would be your dream vacation?
CS: Greece. It looks so amazing in pictures, and I want to experience the place and culture in person – and I love Greek food.
Q: What’s your favorite place to eat?
CS: Steak and Hoagie Factory at home because they have the best cheesesteaks around.
Q: What is your favorite city that you've visited?
CS: Philadelphia because it’s the best city in the world.
Q: If you could play another sport, what would it be?
CS: Probably volleyball. I love the energy, but I would need to be a little taller.
Q: Why did you choose Virginia Tech?
CS: They have an awesome engineering program, softball program, and campus!
Q: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
CS: Probably somewhere on a beach because I love to be out in the sun all day.
Q: If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be?
CS: Oprah because she is an amazing and empowering woman, with a platform for change. I’d love to see what goes on behind the scenes of her life.
Q: What type of music are you listening to these days?
CS: Mostly rap, R&B, and hip-hop.
Q: What is the talent you’d most like to have?
CS: I wish I could sing so badly.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a Virginia Tech athlete?
CS: The friendships that I have created here!
Playing in a nearly finished English Field at Union Park for the first time since the athletics department started massive renovations to the facility, the Virginia Tech baseball team christened it with a win, edging Radford 3-2 in 12 innings last Tuesday night. The Hokies then hit the road for their spring break trip and won a game at the Westin Lake Mary Invitational played over the weekend on the Stetson University campus in DeLand, Florida. The two wins combined with two losses over the past week moved the Hokies to 4-7 on the season. Jack Owens’ RBI fielder’s choice in the 12th inning provided the game-winning run against Radford and backed strong pitching, as four relievers allowed just five hits in in eight innings. In Florida, the Hokies rallied for a 4-3 victory over Central Michigan, scoring the winning run on Tom Stoffel’s RBI single in the ninth inning. Stoffel went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI, and Nic Enright got the win in relief, pitching 4.2 innings and giving up just one hit, while striking out seven. The Hokies return to action today at the Westin Lake Mary Invitational, taking on Wagner at 4 p.m. The Hokies play one more game in Florida before returning home for their ACC opener Friday against Pittsburgh at 4 p.m.
The Virginia Tech lacrosse team closed its four-game homestand in fine fashion, knocking off George Mason 9-8 in overtime at Tech’s Indoor Practice Facility for its fourth straight win before heading off on its spring break trip to Colorado. The Hokies fell to the University of Colorado in the first game of a two-game trip and dropped to 4-3 on the season. Against the Patriots, Emma Harden scored in overtime to carry the Hokies to the victory. Marissa Davey led the Hokies with three goals, while Paige Petty added two, and Meagh Graham registered seven saves. Against the Buffaloes, Tristan McGinley scored two goals in Tech’s defeat. The Hokies return to the field Wednesday with a game against Denver that starts at 2 p.m. before returning home to play Notre Dame on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Celebrations are becoming common occurrences for the Virginia Tech wrestling program, as the Hokies – behind four individual champions – won the ACC tournament team title for the second consecutive year following the team’s performances in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Saturday. Tech now has won seven ACC championships in wrestling (four tournament titles, three dual meet titles). In addition, Brent Moore became the program’s sixth ACC Tournament Most Valuable Wrestler. Moore and seven others of the 10 wrestlers in this year’s lineup qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships to be held next week in Cleveland, Ohio.
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