Blacksburg Boxing and Fitness has announced plans to host a USA Boxing sanctioned fight event in 2027 at the Christiansburg Recreation Center.
The official dates have not been set as of yet and will come in the near future.
USA Boxing is the official national governing body for Olympic-style, amateur boxing. The group operates a rigorous national calendar where athletes earn points toward their national rankings. Five national events are scheduled for this year.
Overall, the group is overseen by the U.S. Olympics Committee and World Boxing and includes 11 classes for men and 10 for women.
Gyms from across Virginia frequently produce national medalists for example: Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker from Norfolk won the U.S. National lightweight championship in 1982 before claiming Olympic and multi-professional world titles.
Arizona slugger to Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech softball head coach has announced the signing of Emma Kavanagh to the 2027 roster.
An integral part of Arizona the past two seasons, Kavanagh transfers to Virginia Tech with two seasons of eligibility remaining. As a Wildcat, she has appeared in 72 games with 32 starts as the catcher and designated player. She has a career .271 batting average with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.
In 2026, Kavanagh was crucial for Arizona as she hit .288 with a .603 slugging percentage over 20 starts. The Barrington, Ill., native ranked third for the Wildcats with six home runs and tallied five multi-hit games.
As a freshman, Kavanagh appeared in 28 games with 12 starts. She hit .235 with one home run and eight RBIs.
Citadel to open ’27 with Hokies
Virginia Tech will open the 2027 football season by hosting The Citadel on Saturday, August 28, at Lane Stadium. The Week 1 matchup completes the Hokies’ non-conference schedule for the 2027 campaign.
The opener will be the first meeting between Virginia Tech and The Citadel since the 1953 season. Virginia Tech and The Citadel share a long-standing institutional history rooted in military tradition.
Virginia Tech’s 2027 non-conference schedule also includes a Sept. 4 home contest against Liberty and a November 6 road matchup at Notre Dame. The Hokies’ remaining schedule will be announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference at a later date.
State game, wildlife discussions
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) 2026 regulatory cycle public comment period opened July 7. This 30-day public comment period will close at 5 p.m. on Aug. 5. As part of the regulatory process, DWR solicits comments from the public on proposed regulations and provides an analysis of those comments to the Board of Wildlife Resources before any final action is taken.
This year, regulations related to wildlife, fisheries, and boating were proposed to the Board as well as fee increases related to hunting, fishing, trapping, and boat registrations.
Fee Increases: The Department is proposing fee increases to many of the hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, which have not increased since 2012. Additionally, fee increases to motorboat registrations are being proposed for the first time since 2019. Lastly, the Department is proposing to assess a fee of $10 to camp on Department-owned lands where a free permit is currently required.
Wildlife: Proposed changes include incorporating updated lists of federally threatened and endangered species as well as native and naturalized fauna species in Virginia, adjusting the start of bear hound training season, changing the release date for rehabilitated deer fawns via permittees, and adjustments to the elk special conservation license program.
Fisheries: Fishing regulatory proposals include a prohibition on stocking flathead catfish and rock bass, as well as changes to some local trout regulations.
Though not a regulatory action, the Department is also soliciting comments on the Stocked Trout Management Plan, which will guide stocked trout management through 2035. Of note is a proposed change to how information on trout stocking is released, shifting to a system where all stocking plans will be announced in advance. Implementation of potential 25%, 35%, and 50% decreases to trout stocking is also outlined in the plan.
Boating: Proposed boating regulations include clarifying language related to vessel operation and waterway markers, adoption of the federal requirement for children under the age of 13 to wear a life jacket when underway, and adoption of the federal requirement for the use of engine cut-off switches. Local bike race plan
Pulaski County Sports & Entertainment, the organizers of the inaugural Pulaski MTN-X gravel bike race, have announced the three course options that will challenge riders of all experience levels during the inaugural edition of the event on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Designed to showcase the picturesque beauty and challenging terrain of southwest Virginia, Pulaski MTN-X will offer three unique routes: a 30-mile recreational ride, a 50-mile amateur course, and a 102-mile endurance course with a $20,000 cash purse for pro riders, distributed equally between the men’s and women’s fields. Each race will start in downtown Pulaski at Great Wilderness Brewing Company, then travel through the counties of Pulaski, Wythe, Bland, and Giles, before returning back to Pulaski for the finish.
All three routes begin by heading west from downtown Pulaski, climbing over Case Knife Ridge, and making their way up Miller’s Creek Road before splitting into unique course experiences. The 30-milers will continue through Gatewood Park and make their way back downtown.
The 50-milers will tackle Cove Mountain and Bloomer’s Mountain before returning to the finish. And the 102-milers will climb Big Walker Mountain, tackle the remote and rugged terrain of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest, including No Business Creek Road, crossing over Flat Top and Sugar Run Mountains, descending past Dismal Falls, and continuing through some of the most challenging sections of the course before climbing back over Big Walker Mountain a second time towards the final climb of Bloomer’s Mountain.
All three courses feature challenging terrain, neutral aid stations, and a mix or pavement, gravel, and pavé, which is somewhere in between the two! The 50- and 102-mile courses feature three and six timed segments, respectively, designed to enhance safety and add to the strategy of the race.
