Marty Gordon
Beginning this spring with the 2025 ACC Baseball Championship in Durham, North Carolina, all 16 teams in the ACC will compete in a single-elimination championship.
The championship will remain six days as it has in previous years, running from Tuesday, May 20, through Sunday, May 25, 2025, from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
“There’s once again tremendous excitement surrounding ACC Baseball and today’s announcement will bring an improved championship experience for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans alike,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips Ph.D. “Nationally, the ACC is once again well-represented in the preseason polls and award lists. After what we know will be a highly competitive regular season, we look forward to showcasing all 16 baseball teams in Durham this May.”
Since 2006, the ACC Baseball Championship has been played in a pool play or round-robin style format. The tournament last expanded its field size in 2017, moving from 10 to 12 teams.
Under the new format, the top four seeds in the championship will be based off the performance in the regular season and will receive a double-bye into the quarterfinal round, which is scheduled to be held on Thursday and Friday. Seeds five through eight will earn a bye into Wednesday’s second round. Seeds 9-16 will begin play with four first round games on Tuesday.
The single-elimination championship format will feature four games per day on Tuesday (first round) and Wednesday (second round). Two quarterfinal games will take place on both Thursday and Friday, while Saturday will host the two semifinal contests. Sunday will host the championship game.
Former RU coach passes away
Western Kentucky University Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Brent Chumbley passed away unexpectedly Thursday night. He was 55 years old and is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Alex, who is a freshman at WKU.
Chumbley was in his sixth season leading the WKU Cross Country and Track & Field programs on The Hill after being hired on Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior to his time at WKU, Chumbley spent 13 years at Radford University, the last 12 as the head coach for Men’s and Women’s Track & Field and Cross Country. Under Chumbley’s watchful eye, Radford produced a total of 168 All-Conference performers, 41 Big South champions, 37 NCAA Preliminary qualifiers, six All-Americans and an NCAA East Prelims champion. During his tenure, Chumbley saw 73 Highlander school records reset.
Hokie inks pro contract
Emma Pelkowski has inked her first professional contract with HB Køge in the Danish First Division.
“I am thrilled to start my career in Denmark at HB Køge,” Pelkowski said. “I am so grateful to gain this new experience of playing overseas. Thank you to Virginia Tech, my teammates, coaches and family for their unwavering support on this journey.”
Pelkowski was critical in the Hokies’ Elite Eight run this season. She started all 23 matches for the and played the entirety of 19 games. She logged a notable 2,011 minutes played, coming in second on the team. Pelkowski also played her 6,000th career minute in Tech’s NCAA Elite Eight match against No. 1 Duke. She finished the year with three assists and 15 shots, including an assist on Mitchell’s game-winning goal against No. 9 UCLA.
Over her career, Pelkowski has been a staple in the midfield. She finished her career starting 78 of 79 possible matches and recorded 28 points (7G, 14A) through her four seasons with the Hokies.
In her four seasons, the Hokies advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times.
She is the second Hokie in three seasons to sign with HB Køge as former teammate Nicole Kozlova played with HB Køge in the 2022-23 season.
Big South tickets
Single session tickets for the 2025 Hercules Tires Big South Basketball Championships at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tenn., are now on sale online at www.BigSouthSports.com/Tickets.
A single session is comprised of two games, with the exception of the March 9 Championship games, and feature general admission seats for $35 and courtside seats for $75. In addition, group tickets of 15+ are available for $25. Ticket prices include all fees and parking.
Student tickets will be available for $10 with a valid student ID. Full ticket booklets remain on sale and cover all 16 games over nine sessions. Booklets feature courtside seating ($650) and general seating ($250) for the March 5-9 tournament. Separate men’s and women’s booklets for the respective eight games and five sessions cost $350 (courtside) and $150 (general).
Hokies All-American scholars
The Virginia Tech swim team excelled in the classroom once again this semester, earning 2024 Fall Scholar All-America Team honors.
The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) announced their 2024 Scholar All-America Team. They selected 781 teams from 459 institutions, honoring 19,209 student-athletes for their stellar academic achievements.
Teams were required to achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above to earn the recognition. The Hokie women were of the 654 teams that posted a GPA of 3.30 or higher, earning them Intercollegiate Coach Association Coalition All-Sport Academic Standings.
The women had an impressive cumulative GPA of 3.44, and the men earned a 3.11 GPA.
Baggett returning to Blacksburg
Virginia Tech head football coach Brent Pry has announced Mason Baggett will be joining the program as associate director of strength and conditioning with nearly 20 years of experience in the field.
Baggett is a Richmond native who played football under Coach Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech from 2002-06 and earned his master’s in health promotion and sport performance while serving as a graduate assistant strength coach for the Hokies in 2008.
“I am thrilled to welcome Mason back to Blacksburg,” said Pry. “I am excited to see him train our athletes and help them maximize their performance. He is an elite teacher, mentor, and motivator who will help build on our culture of toughness and discipline.”
Baggett arrives in Blacksburg from the University of Maryland. He served as the head strength and conditioning coach at Nevada in 2022 and 2023, following one year as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Oregon. He previously spent six years at Maryland (2016-2021), including the last four as associate director of football strength and conditioning with the Terrapin football team. Prior to his time in College Park, Baggett served just over a year as the associate strength and conditioning coach with the University of Illinois’ football program.