Virginia Tech will need to find a new university president in the next three months and now add athletic director to that effort. So, many people are scratching their heads on what might be happening in Blacksburg.
Both individuals have stated they felt now was the right time to step down. But underlying all of this is the changing environment, not only in athletics, but also in higher education.
A.D. Whit Babcock is owed a lot of credit for getting the university more marketing power in the country thanks to athletics. He has increased the university’s footprint across the board. Thus, he should be remembered for that.
During Babcock’s tenure, Virginia Tech teams captured more conference championships over a 12-year stretch than at any other time in school history. Of the Hokies’ 46 ACC titles, 30 have come with Babcock at the helm. He hired and supported elite head coaches, who elevated their programs from a “challenger to champion” brand, while sustaining championship standards in others:
Buzz Williams (men’s basketball; three consecutive NCAA appearances and program’s first-ever Sweet 16 after missing the Big Dance 10 straight seasons prior)
Kenny Brooks (women’s basketball; program’s first-ever ACC title in 2023, four consecutive NCAA appearances after a 15-year NCAA tournament drought, program’s first-ever Final Four)
Mike Young (men’s basketball; program’s first-ever ACC title in 2022, two NCAA appearances, 2021 ACC Coach of the Year)
Pete D’Amour (softball; six NCAA appearances, two Super Regionals, two-time ACC Coach of the Year)
John Szefc (baseball; program’s first-ever Super Regional, 2022 ACC Coach of the Year)
Tony Robie (wrestling; nine ACC titles in 10 years, eight top-11 finishes at NCAAs, two NCAA individual champions, 33 All-Americans, six-time ACC Coach of the Year)
Carol Robertson (women’s golf; six NCAA appearances, one national championship berth)
Sergio Lopez Miro (swimming and diving; 214 All-Americans, six consecutive top-11 team finishes at NCAAs)
Ben Thomas (track and field/cross country); one ACC title, 23 All-Americans, 2025 ACC Coach of the Year, placed 17th in the nation for men’s indoor in 2026)
Dave Cianelli (track and field/cross country; 14 ACC titles, five NCAA top-10 team finishes, 20-time ACC Coach of the Year)
Megan Duffy (women’s basketball; one NCAA appearance)
James Franklin (football; one of three active FBS head coaches with a 68-plus winning percentage and 14-plus years of head coaching experience)
A pair of Elite 8 finishes in men’s soccer (2016) and women’s soccer (2024)
Nine individual national championships: track and field (six), wrestling (two), swimming and diving (one)
Eight top-40 finishes in the Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup, including a Virginia Tech-record 28th-place finish in 2017-18 and the top four finishes in school history; was on pace to break that record in 2019-20 with a No. 21 ranking before COVID-19 shutdown
Other notable achievements under Babcock:
Record $56 million raised in FY26 (and growing)
Invest to Win initiative ($229 million investment to athletics)
Increased the athletics department budget from $85 million to $200 million since his arrival
Record 3.33 department overall GPA and all teams with over 3.0 in Fall 2025
Record 392 ACC Honor Roll recipients in 2025
He deserves this applause. He also leaves at a critical time of the athletic program. With changes with the football program and more financial support to a new coaching staff, his footprint will be there, and we will just have to see if the future optimism takes place. He will inherit the progression and its success even from a distance.
Babcock leaves at a time when we don’t know what the next six months hold for programs across the country. The blame falls on the NIL movement that has changed the way the major programs go about their annual business.
And it is a business. Tech will have their hands full to find someone new to carry this torch. Over the next few weeks, we will examine who might be good candidates to replace Whit.
Meanwhile, the new university president will also have big shoes to fill. I probably respect Tim Sands more than many other great university presidents. He, too, was there as the university continued to heal from one of the most tragic events in higher education.
He also helped to move the university into level for athletics. He will be hard to replace. Good luck in finding someone to keep this business running.
Those credentials need to include being successful at other universities. A current president needs to come to Blacksburg. He or she will also need be a “people’s” person to get the engine running.
Good luck. Thanks for the memories, Tim and Whit. We will miss both of you. Wait to see what the future holds.
