Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer underwent successful knee surgery on Friday morning at Montgomery Regional Hospital. He had a full replacement of his left knee, and the procedure was done by team physician Dr. Marc Siegel.

“My knee has bothered me for a number of years, but it’s bothered me more lately than normal,” Beamer said before the operation. “I think now is the time to get it fixed. I want to get back to being active and doing things I enjoy.”

It was a busy week for Beamer, as he was in Norfolk on Wednesday to receive the 2007 Portsmouth Sports Club Virginia Coach of the Year award.

Beamer and the Hokies begin spring football practice on March 26, while the annual Maroon vs. White Spring Game will be held in Lane Stadium on April 19.

Track and field thrower Kristen Callan was recently named the ACC Performer of the Week for her first-place and season-best effort of 65 feet, 3 ½ inches in the weight throw at last weekend’s Virginia Tech Challenge. Here is a brief Q&A with the redshirt-senior from Monroe, N.Y., as she prepares for this weekend’s ACC Championships.

• You've clearly had great success so far in your career, but what are your goals for the rest of your senior season? Was it nice to be recognized as the ACC Performer of the Week?

“The goals for the rest of the year are to be ACC Champions both indoor and outdoor, as well as to make it to nationals for both indoor and outdoor. Outdoor is my main season, so I would love to place in the top five at nationals. Anything else that comes with it would be awesome. I had a really good fall and indoor season, so hopefully it will all work out in June when it matters. I was shocked to find out that I was ACC Performer of the week. It is a great honor.”

• A lot of practice and strength training goes into what you do, but what is something else that the average person might not know about being a thrower?

“One misconception of being a thrower is that we do not run. Although we do not run miles, we do condition hard in the fall. We run to build up endurance so we can take a lot of throws and lift heavily. Now, because we are in season, we have laid off of the conditioning and we are focusing on sprints to be quick and explosive.”

• What are your thoughts heading into this week's ACC Championships? Does the team have a chance to repeat as champs, and what will be the keys to doing so?

“Since it is my last indoor ACC Championship, I am sad, but also excited. It has been a great five years competing for Tech. We have come so far from being almost last place in the Big East my freshman year, to winning the ACC’s last year. It has taken a lot of hard work but it has been totally worth it. I feel the team does have a chance to repeat based on how well we have done so far this season.”

The men's swimming team is at the ACC Championships from Feb.27-March 1, and the men's and women's track and field teams are at the ACC Championships from Feb. 28-March 1.

Both events will have live results for you to keep up with the action as it happens.

To access the swimming championship information page, click here.

To access the track and field championship information page, click here.

The Hokie baseball team opens up its home schedule this weekend at English Field with three games against Central Connecticut State and one against Binghamton.

Come out to Friday’s game at 3 p.m. to receive a free team poster.

The first 500 fans to the double header on Saturday at 1 p.m. will receive a free schedule magnet.

The Virginia Tech baseball team’s season opener against Pittsburgh at Coastal Carolina’s IMICHotels.com INN-vitational will now begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24.

The game was originally slated for a noon first pitch on Feb. 23, but rain pushed the entire tournament back one day. Then some minor time changes were made to accommodate team travel schedules.

Tech’s games on Sunday (vs. Pitt at 10 a.m.; vs. Coastal Carolina at 5 p.m.) will remain at the same times, but its final game on Monday with the Chanticleers will start at 2 p.m. instead of 2:30.

Click here for a web page that includes more information on the tournament, including links for live stats, audio broadcasts and video streaming.

Both of Tech’s games with Coastal Carolina will feature live audio, while the Monday game with the Chanticleers will be streamed on THE EDGE at www.BigSouthSports.com

The undefeated men's tennis team moved up one spot to No. 33 in this week's Intercollegiate Tennis Association national poll. Albert Larregola (Sr., Lleida, Spain) is ranked No. 86 nationally in singles. Tech (7-0, 1-0) will host Maryland (3-0, 0-0) Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Burrows/Burleson Tennis Center. Admission is free and the first 100 fans will receive Virginia Tech tennis t-shirts.

The Tech women's team (7-2) remained at No. 63 this week and will take to road this weekend for two matches. The Hokies will play at No. 51 Purdue (2-4) on Saturday at 11 a.m. and at Louisville (4-3) Sunday at 10 a.m.

The ACC and Commissioner John D. Swofford announced the 2008 baseball television schedule on Wednesday, and Virginia Tech will appear on the air four times this season.

Exposure of ACC baseball success continues in 2008, as this year’s television package features 51 games on six different networks. The airtime bundle will showcase all 12 league teams and include 38 games from the regular season and all 13 contests in the ACC Baseball Championship.
 
In addition to this year’s television package, ACC Select will continue carrying numerous conference baseball games. Last year, ACC Select delivered an unprecedented opportunity for fans to watch live and on-demand coverage as more than 115 games were streamed online. It also marked the first time in ACC history that the conference provided online video streams of the sport’s regular season games to a national fan base. As additional games continue to be added to the 2008 schedule, visit ACCSelect.com/baseball for the most up-to-date listing of ACC baseball action on ACC Select.
 
Fifteen regular-season games will be broadcast on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) and eight others will air on the Regional Sports Networks (RSN). Sun Sports Network (SSN) will pick up six contests from the regular season, while five will be featured on the Sports South (SS) airwaves. Assignment of television networks for each game in the ACC Championship will be determined at a later date.

The Hokies’ TV schedule for regular season games is as follows:
Sunday, March 23: FSU at VT – 1 p.m. (SUN)
Saturday, March 29: VT at UVa – 1 p.m. (RSN)
Saturday, April 12: VT at WF – 1 p.m. (RSN)
Sunday, May 11: Miami at VT – 12 p.m. (CSS)
 

Redshirt junior Brittany Cook was recently named the Virginia Tech Athlete of the Week after setting the Virginia Tech single-game scoring record with 36 points in the Hokies’ first ACC win of the season, an 81-73 victory over Miami on Feb. 11th. The Narrows, Va., native is currently the ACC’s leading scorer at 18.2 points per game, and against the Hurricanes, she hit a career-high 15 field goals and five 3-pointers. The 36 points was the most scored by an ACC player this season. Here is a brief Q&A with Brittany about that game:

• What were your thoughts during your historic 36-point game?

“It was just one of those nights when everything was falling. I didn’t even realize how many points I had until after the game, because I was so focused in on the game and how we were doing as a team. My teammates did a good job of setting screens and finding me in good positions to score.”

• Have you ever been in the zone like that before? What is the most points you’ve ever scored in a game at any level?

“In high school, I think I scored 48 or 49 in one game. You have those nights every once in a while when you’re the zone and everything is dropping, so it’s nice to take advantage of it when it happens.”

• Was it sweeter knowing that the point total came during the team’s first ACC win of the season?

“Absolutely. It wouldn’t have meant anything if we would have lost the game. It just made it extra special that it was our first win and that it was such a close game. We’ve been in that position so many times this year, but we hadn’t been able to come out with a win. We were ecstatic with the win, and it was just icing on the cake that I was able to contribute that much.”

A a part of Virginia Tech's ongoing commitment to the improvement of its athletics facilities, ground was broken in early January of 2008 on a series of renovations to English Field, the home of the Virginia Tech baseball team. Click on the link below to see new pictures of the progress being made. We will be periodically adding more photos as the opening date nears. Construction is expected to be completed in time for the New York Yankees visit on March 18.

View The Gallery

As announced in 2005, construction began in Christiansburg for a brand new aquatic center that both the town and Virginia Tech swimming and diving team will make usage of to elevate the training and competition within the region. Click on the link below to see new pictures of the progress being made. We will be periodically adding more photos as the opening date nears. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in the winter of 2008.

http://www.hokiesports.com/swimming/pool.html

The Virginia Tech lacrosse team will be presenting its ‘Hokie for a Day’ skills clinic on Sunday, March 9 from noon to 3 p.m. on the turf field across from Lane Stadium.

The clinic is open to girls of all ages and ability level, and current members of the Virginia Tech Lacrosse team will instruct in every phase of the game.

Participants are reminded to bring their own equipment, such as the required goggles, stick and mouthguard. Goalies must provide their own equipment as well.

Registration forms are available at www.hokiesports.com/lax and are to be mailed to Hokie for a Day, 310 Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Participants are reminded to fill out and return the insurance information and health waiver form at check-in, which will begin at 11:30 a.m. on the day of the event.

The early registration fee is $40 for all applications received in mail by March 2, while the walk-up registration fee is set at $45.

The Hokies begin their regular season against Drexel at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16 at Tech Lacrosse Stadium.

The Virginia Tech Sports Medicine Association will be holding a one-day sports medicine clinic for athletic trainers, physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and other allied health professionals.

The event, known as the Eddie Ferrell Memorial Clinic, is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2008 and will be held in the south end zone of Lane Stadium, as well as the nearby Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM).

The goal of the clinic is to provide an opportunity for learning and sharing techniques in the management of current issues in athletics. Participants will have the ability to spend time in the state-of-the-art cadaver laboratory at VCOM, where they will have the chance to work with prosected cadavers to identify major anatomical structures and injury scenarios that relate to the head and neck. There will also be case studies and breakout groups that cover evaluation techniques and rehabilitation tips.

Anyone with an interest in athletic training, or the medical field as it relates to athletics, is encouraged to take advantage of this great learning experience.

For more information or to register, visit the Virginia Tech Sports Medicine Web site at www.vtspsma.org.vt.edu or e-mail Katie Baer at KatieATC@vt.edu.

Longtime Virginia Tech wrestling coach Jerry Cheynet, who also coached men's golf, men's soccer and women's soccer during his nearly 30-year in his tenure, will be honored by Tech head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser at Saturday's match with Chattanooga.

Cheynet served as the head wrestling coach from 1975-95, compiling a record of 188-161-6, the most wins by any coach in the program's history. He was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1993 after the Hokie grapplers captured the CAA championship. In addition, Cheynet directed the golf team from 1980 through 1983, leading the team to a state intercollegiate title in 1980.

Cheynet has played a huge role in the development of the Hokies' men's soccer program. He took over the head coaching role in the program's third year at the varsity level in 1974. As the head coach, he compiled a record of 238-213-37 during his career at Tech. Cheynet was honored in 1997 as the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.

In 2002, Cheynet took over as interim head coach of the Virginia Tech women's soccer team after the departure of Sam Okpodu.

A native of Wichita, Kan., Cheynet attended Kansas State University and competed in soccer and wrestling. He received All-America honors in wrestling during his senior year with the Wildcats. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1966 and received a master's from KSU in 1967.

All former Tech wrestlers who competed under him are encouraged to make it back to Blacksburg for Saturday's special event. The match begins at 7 p.m., at Cassell Coliseum and admission is free.

When the women's basketball team hosts No. 5 Maryland on Monday, the first 200 Virginia Tech students to the game will receive a free pair of VT Crocs. Sizes are limited and available on a first come-first serve basis.

Please enter through the Washington St. entrance of Cassell Coliseum and have your student ID and game ticket in your hand.

Click here to see more upcoming promotions.

Come out to see the wrestling team host UNC Greensboro on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum, and you could be a part of the biggest promotion of the year!

Sign up at the marketing table located on the concourse near the Spring Road entrance for your chance to enter the Roll The Dice Contest. Once lucky contestant will have the chance to roll three dice. If all three dice come up with the VT logo, you have won $10,000.

It is also VT Faculty/Staff night, with numerous prizes to go around.

For tennis fans, come to the women’s match against Ohio State at noon, and if you are among the first 75 in attendance, receive a free pair of VT winter gloves.

Visit the promotions page here for more information.

The men's basketball team hosts the rival Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum, and for those of you coming out to support the Hokies, you can also do your part to support the local needy.

The Virginia Tech Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be holding a canned food drive at Cassell, with all proceeds going to local food banks. There will be student-athletes representing all of Tech's sports team situated at the entrances of Cassell when the doors open, and they will be collecting any non-perishable food items that you would like to donate.

Thanks for your help!