Hokies AVCA academic award
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced Monday that the Virginia Tech volleyball program has earned Team Academic Honors for the 2017-18 season.
The AVCA honored a record 973 teams this year from both the high school and college ranks. The award is given to teams that hold an average 3.30 cumulative team GPA during the academic year on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale.
The Hokies finished the academic year with a cumulative team grade point average of 3.34.
A total of 164 Division I schools were honored and Tech is one of five ACC schools to make the list, joining Florida State, Louisville, Miami (Fla.) and Pittsburgh.
Jackson, Walker on preseason watch list
Virginia Tech redshirt sophomore quarterback Josh Jackson has been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, while redshirt senior defensive tackle Ricky Walker has been tabbed to the Bednarik Award Watch List, the award’s respective committees announced Monday.
Jackson, who recently participated as a counselor in the 2018 Manning Passing Academy, is coming off of a record-setting rookie campaign for the Hokies. He set two Virginia Tech freshmen passing marks with 2,991 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Walker enjoyed a career year for the Hokies in 2017 as he racked up 41 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 13 starts at defensive tackle.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell’s contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of ’69 and the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of ’67.
Hokies add to ‘major gift’ staff
The Hokie Club announced on Tuesday that Matt Goff and Tristan Mulcahy have joined the organization as associate directors of major gifts.
Goff comes to Tech following a four-year stint at Navy where he played an integral role in $70 million capital campaign that benefitted Navy’s football stadium, golf course renovations and a student-athlete center project.
Mulcahy enters his first year in Blacksburg after working four years at St. Bonaventure where he assisted with fundraising functions for annual support, capital improvements and scholarships for all 17 sports. He oversaw more than 1,000 donors of the Bonnies Athletic Fund, with his primary responsibility working with men’s basketball and its Sixth Man Club.
Mannino joins E&H
The Emory & Henry College Department of Athletics and Interim Director of Athletics Anne Crutchfield are pleased to announce that Bill Mannino has joined the staff as Head Men’s & Women’s Golf Coach.
Mannino joins Emory & Henry after coaching golf for 11 years at Hollins University. While at the Roanoke institution, he led HU to a No. 28 ranking in NCAA Division III and saw two student-athletes compete in the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships, earning All-America honors.
Mannino was also a member of the Division III Regional Advisory Committee for women’s golf for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Bajnok continues record pace
Earlier this month at PTS 2018, Virginia Tech’s Eszter Bajnok set a new Tech and U-23 Hungarian record in the triple jump.
Bajnok, who set her previous Tech and U-23 Hungarian record in late June at NCAA Championships with a mark of 13.42 meters (44 feet, 0.5 inches), continued her improvement this summer In Slovakia, where she went on to surpass her previous record with a jump of 13.43 meters (44 feet, 0.75 inches).
The rising junior has had a great year for the Hokies. Clinching personal and Tech bests in the triple jump in the Indoor and Outdoor seasons, she also made her first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships where she placed fifth and earned first-team All-America honors.
