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Inside HokieSports 1/6: First Pitch Is Coming
First Pitch Just 30 Days Away For Virginia Tech Softball
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Good Morning, Tech Fam. The calendar may read January, but today’s weather is a perfect reminder that first pitch is coming soon for the Hokies on the diamond!
What else are we covering in today’s edition, Hokies?
🤼 Fearsome Foursome
🥎 Making The List
🏊 Just Getting Started
🦃 And much, much more!
Welcoming Mid-Atlantic headliners Bill Ripken and Cal Ripken Jr. as keynote speakers at its annual preseason banquet, the Virginia Tech baseball program is set to host its 18th annual Baseball Night in Blacksburg, to be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at The Inn at Virginia Tech.
A formal event, ticketed guests – dressing at minimum in business casual attire – are permitted to arrive at 5:45 p.m. and asked to be seated by 6 p.m. ahead of opening remarks and a catered dinner service. Evan Hughes, master of ceremonies and the voice of the Virginia Tech baseball program, will invite head coach John Szefc to preview the Hokies’ upcoming 2026 season before entertaining the Ripken brothers in an authentic Q&A.
🔼 Fearsome Foursome. The break wasn’t much rest for the seventh-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling program, who brought home four titles at the Midlands Champonships and Southern Scuffle.
At this past weekend’s Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., lineup bookends No. 4 Eddie Ventresca and No. 14 Jimmy Mullen secured titles at 125-pounds and 285-pounds, respectively. The Hokies placed a total of six wrestlers on the podium en route to a sixth-place finish in Chattanooga to start 2026.
Last week, the Hokies had two champions crowned and secured eight placements at the 2025 Ken Kraft Midlands Champoinships in Evanston, Ill. True freshmen Aaron Seidel and No. 19 Collin Gaj claimed the Hokies’ two titles to lead the contingent in closing out 2025.
🔼 Making The List. Get ready Hokie fans, we are just 30 days away from the return of Virginia Tech softball!
Having posted 40+ wins in three of the past four seasons, the Hokies have their eyes on yet another run to the postseason and will do so with two standout freshmen, who have already garnered national attention.
This week, newcomers Avery Layton and Gaby Mizelle were both named to the D1Softball Freshman to Watch List.
🔼 Just Getting Started. The Virginia Tech swimming & diving squads kicked off the new year with a sweep over Queens, with the women earning a 159-105 win and the men taking a 147-110 victory.
Carmen Weiler Sastre logged two individual first-place finishes in the 100 back and 200 back, and contributed to two relay first-place finishes. Brendan Whitfield posted three individual first-place finishes in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free.
🤔 HOKIE TRIVIA
As we mentioned in yesterday’s edition, seven former Hokies will be a part of this year’s NFL postseason.
Who was the last Virginia Tech alum to win the Super Bowl?
Think you got it?
Scroll to the bottom and find out!
📆 THE DAYS AHEAD
Wednesday, January 7
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Stanford @ 7pm l Tickets l Live Stats l Watch
Thursday, January 8
🏀 Women’s Basketball at Syracuse @ 6pm l Live Stats l Watch
🎙️ Tech Talk @ 6pm (McClain’s at First & Main) l Listen
Friday, January 9
🤼. #7 Wrestling at #14 Pitt @ 7pm
Saturday, January 10
🏊 Swimming at South Carolina @ 10am
🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Cal @ 4pm l Tickets l Live Stats l Watch
Sunday, January 11
🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Boston College @ 12pm l Tickets l Live Stats l Watch
🤝 SPREAD THE WORD
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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER
Answer: Chamarri Conner (Super Bowl LVIII - 2024)
🦃 Have a great one!