Game faces 2016

Double play

During MLB's 2016 first-year player draft, redshirt-junior Saige Jenco and junior Aaron McGarity extended the Hokies' streak of multiple players selected in a single draft to eight years, the longest stretch in program history.

Fast break

Finishing 19-14 overall and 10-8 in conference play, the men's basketball team earned its first post-season appearance since 2010-11, participating in the 2016 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Hokies won the NIT in 1973 and 1995 and finished third in 1984.

Full-court press

The women's basketball team earned its first postseason appearance since 2007, advancing to the second round of the 2016 Women's National Invitation Tournament.

Tech triumph

In his first season at Tech, head coach Justin Fuente guided the Hokies to a 10-4 record, a berth in the ACC championship game, and their 24th consecutive bowl appearance — a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the Belk Bowl versus Arkansas. The Hokies finished the season ranked No. 16, their highest season-ending ranking since 2010. Fuente was named consensus ACC Coach of the Year.

Leaderboard

In June 2016, rising senior Joey Lane won the 103rd Virginia State Golf Association Amateur, defeating former University of Virginia golfer Ji Soo Park in the 36-hole match-play final at the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech. In 2015, the event was won by Maclain Huge (communication '16) at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Podium power

The first Hokie to claim an Olympic medal since Bimbo Coles in 1988, seven-time All-American Kristi Castlin (political science '10) won a bronze medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Team USA swept the event.

The natural

Forward Murielle Tiernan (residential environments and design '16) was named to the All-ACC first team for the third consecutive year and finished her collegiate career atop several all-time lists at Tech: career goals, career points, game-winning goals, and multiple-goal games.

Owning the plate

Catcher Lauren Duff was named Tech softball's first-ever ACC Freshman of the Year, joining pitcher Maggie Tyler (communication '16) on the All-ACC first team. At least one Hokie has been named to the first or second team since Tech moved to the ACC.

Making a splash

Senior Robert Owen, who finished sixth overall in the 200 backstroke at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, was named to the 2016-17 USA Swimming National Team, the first-ever Hokie to be selected. The H2Okies head coach Ned Skinner was selected to serve as a 2016-17 National Team coach.

Net worth

Joao Monteiro (economics '16) rallied from 3-0 in the third set to advance to the Final Four at the 2016 NCAA men's tennis singles championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Second serve

Ranked No. 38, the women's tennis team participated in the 2016 NCAA team championship, making the tournament field for the second consecutive year.

Sky's the limit

Sophomore pole vaulter Torben Laidig claimed silver at the 2016 NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon. Dave Cianelli, Tech's director of track and field and cross country, was named the ACC Men's Coach of the Year for the 2016 outdoor track and field season, his 10th such honor.

Dig it!

The only Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) student-athlete to collect at least 400 kills and 200 digs in three consecutive seasons, outside hitter Lindsey Owens (biology '16) was named to the All-ACC first team, making her a four-time all-conference honoree.

All-American grapplers

Tech's wrestling squad placed fourth at the 2016 NCAA championship at Madison Square Garden, the best team-finish in program history and the best finish by an ACC team in conference history. Tech's six All-Americans set a program record for the most in a single season.

The HokieBird

Best. Mascot. Ever.