The Virginia Tech men’s track and field squad jumped 15 spots in this week’s United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll to number 20 in the country. The Tech women sit ranked in sixth place in the poll.

The Hokies are coming off a strong performance two weeks ago at the ACC Outdoor Championships in Coral Gables, Fla., on April 16-18. The men finished third with 130 points, while the Hokie women took second with 127 points.

This weekend, the Hokies split squads. On Thursday, Tech will compete in the Liberty Twilight in Lynchburg, Va. On Saturday, part of the Hokie squad will participate in the High Point Vertklasse Meet in High Point, N.C., while the rest of the team will fly to Palo Alto, Calif., for the Stanford Invitational.

Results will be available on hokiesports.com following the conclusion of each meet.

Men’s soccer junior Charlie Campbell has been invited to participate at the first annual 2009 Student-Athlete Development Coaches Forum in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The forum will take place on May 28 and 29 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.

The objective of the forum is to provide a three-phase coaching development opportunity to student-athletes interested in becoming coaches in the sports of bowling, soccer, swimming & diving and wrestling after graduating from college.  Forum content includes educating participants in the areas of program management, eligibility, budgeting, student-athlete well being, diversity, championship play, committee structure, etc.

Campbell was one of 20 students selected throughout the country. As a selected student, Campbell will attend a one-and-a half-day workshop. The focus of the workshop is to educate attendees on the unique aspects of running a collegiate athletic sports program that include organization planning, budgeting, crisis management, recruiting requirements, campus relations and secondary degree.

Campbell will also be connected with a coaching mentor. The mentor will be responsible for monthly communication with their participant via e-mail, phone or site visit in an effort to educate the participant on coaching.

Lastly, as a forum attendee, he will be given the opportunity to attend either a committee meeting or championship, and work with each sport’s coaching association in an effort to attend the sport’s specific national convention.  

Greensboro, Ga. – The University of South Carolina team represented by head coach Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe carded a 12-under-par 60 and then outlasted Virginia Tech in a playoff to win the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament and the $120,000 first-place scholarship donation. This is team South Carolina’s second straight championship in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge.

“It was a fun day today. Sterling made a bunch of crucial putts down the stretch and I pitched in a little,”

Spurrier said after the victory. “I think this was the first playoff I’ve ever won, and I’ve been in a few.”

In regulation play, Sterling Sharp holed a dramatic 10-foot putt on 18 to force the playoff with Frank Beamer and Dell Curry from Virginia Tech. After repeating the 18^th hole, the teams were still tied and a four-shot closest-to-the-pin competition decided the championship. From 150 yards, Beamer’s approach finished 23’ from the cup. Sharpe then stroked his approach to 18’ to win by five feet.

Team Alabama and team Georgia Tech tied for third with a 10-under-par 62 at the third annual event hosted at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga.

“This was just an incredible day on the golf course,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. “Everywhere you looked there was great golf action. These teams really delivered the level of play we’ve come to expect in this tournament. To cap everything off with a playoff victory put the perfect finishing touch on a fantastic three-day event.”

The complete order of finish with scholarship winnings follows:

TEAM	SCORE	WINNINGS
South Carolina (Steve Spurrier/Sterling Sharpe)	-12 (playoff)	$120,000
Virginia Tech (Frank Beamer/Dell Curry)	-12	$60,000
Alabama (Nick Saban/Johnny Musso)	-10	$37,500
Georgia Tech (Paul Johnson/Jon Barry)	-10	$37,500
Minnesota (Tubby Smith/Jim Petersen)	-9	$25,000
Ole Miss (Houston Nutt/Kris Mangum)	-8	$17,500
Wake Forest (Jim Grobe/Billy Packer)	-8	$17,500
Kentucky (Rich Brooks/Jared Lorenzen)	-4	$15,000
Vanderbilt (Bobby Johnson/Will Perdue)	-2	$10,000
Maryland (Ralph Friedgen/Neil O'Donnell)	-1	$10,000

A total scholarship purse of $350,000 was awarded to the teams by the Chick-fil-A Bowl and an additional $150,000 was raised for other charities bringing the total charitable purse to $500,000.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge is a significant contributor to the Chick-fil-A Bowl’s annual charitable giving platform. The Bowl will contribute approximately $1.3 million to organizations in need this year.

Last year’s tournament was won by the University of South Carolina team (-12) and the 2007 event saw the Virginia Tech take home first-place honors.

Virginia Tech cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris might have been the only Tech player taken in this past weekend’s draft, but he isn’t the only Hokie who’s taking the next step to the professional ranks as four other Tech players have inked free agent deals.

Defensive end Orion Martin (Miami), quarterback Sean Glennon (Minnesota), center Ryan Shuman (Green Bay) and fullback Devin Perez (Cincinnati) had all signed by Monday afternoon.

Harris, who was a first-team All-American this past year, was taken in the fifth round by Philadelphia. He becomes the first Tech player to be drafted by the Eagles since William Boatwright was taken by Philadelphia in 1992 and it marks the 17th straight season Virginia Tech has had at least one player taken in the NFL Draft.

Following the completion of Sunday’s action, four players signed as undrafted free agents. Martin, who has spent the past two Decembers practicing in the south Florida sun for the Orange Bowl, will have plenty of Tech players helping him with his new surroundings. Currently, Brandon Frye, Ernest Wilford, Eric Green and Jake Grove are all on the Dolphins’ roster.

Glennon will be re-united with former Tech quarterback coach Kevin Rogers in Minnesota while Shuman will have former Tech player Aaron Rouse in Green Bay. Perez will have former Tech kicker Shayne Graham in his corner in Cincinnati’s locker room.

Should any more players sign deals, we’ll add them to the list.

Here are the award winners at the conclusion of the 2009 spring practice:

Paul Torgersen Award (presented to the top newcomers during spring practice)
Offense – Ryan Williams and Xavier Boyce

President’s Award (given to the players who demonstrate the most outstanding leadership during the offseason program and spring workouts)
Offense – Tyrod Taylor
Defense – Kam Chancellor

Dr. Richard Bullock Award (goes to the players who showed the most improvement during spring workouts)
Offense – Michael Via, Andrew Lanier and Greg Nosal
Defense – Jake Johnson

Frank O. Moseley Award (awarded to the offensive and defensive players who exhibit the most hustle during the offseason and spring workouts)
Offense – Beau Warren
Defense – Cody Grimm

Don Williams TEAM UNITED Award (presented to an offensive and defensive player who put the team first during spring workouts)
Offense – Ed Wang
Defense – John Graves

Coaches Award (goes to the players who had an exceptional spring)
Offense – Chris Drager
Defense – Demetrius Taylor

George Preas Award (presented to the MVPs of spring practice)
Offense – Tyrod Taylor
Defense – Nekos Brown

The Virginia Tech women’s squad is ranked fourth, while the men’s team is ranked 35th in the new coaches poll, released on Wednesday by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Tech women and men are coming off second and third-place finishes at the ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Coral Gables, Fla., last weekend. The Hokie men racked up 130 points, while the women’s squad totaled 127 points.

The Hokies will take this weekend off before traveling to Lynchburg, Va., for the Liberty Twilight on April 30, and to Palo Alto, Calif., for the Stanford Invitational on May 2.

Virginia Tech will wrap up its spring practice session with the annual Maroon-White Spring Game this Saturday, April 25 at Lane Stadium. The event will begin at 2 o'clock and gates will open at noon.

The game can be heard on Sirius Channel 212 and XM Channel 190 with Bill Roth and Mike Burnop handling the call.

A canned food drive will take place and there will be an autograph session after the game. Check back in the middle of the week for a complete preview of the game and events surrounding it.

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer and former Charlotte Hornets and Tech star Dell Curry will represent the Hokies and compete for a share of the $350,000 scholarship purse in the annual Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament.

The nation’s premier head coach and celebrity golf event will be held at the beautiful Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee outside Atlanta on April 28.

The field will include defending champions Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe from the University of South Carolina along with an impressive list of top NCAA head coaches and celebrities. In all, 11 teams are scheduled to hit the links, all vying for the $120,000 first-place scholarship prize.

Beamer and Curry took first place in the 2007 event and tied for second place with UCLA in last year’s tournament.

“Don’t expect this to be a nice way for the coaches to unwind after spring practice,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. “These guys are very competitive and we fully expect that spirit to carry over to the golf course. We’re looking for a great event with some low scores and a lot of money heading back to these schools for scholarship.”

The current field of competitors includes:
      
Alabama: Nick Saban, Johnny Musso
Georgia Tech: Paul Johnson, Jon Barry
Kentucky: Rich Brooks, Jared Lorenzen
Maryland: Ralph Friedgen, Neil O’Donnell
Minnesota: Tubby Smith, Jim Petersen
Mississippi: Houston Nutt, Kris Mangum
N.C. State: Sidney Lowe, Monte Towe
South Carolina: Steve Spurrier, Sterling Sharpe
Vanderbilt: Bobby Johnson, Will Perdue
Virginia Tech: Frank Beamer, Dell Curry
Wake Forest: Jim Grobe, Billy Packer
 
Additional teams may be added prior to the event.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge features pairings that include a university head coach and a celebrity or former athlete from the same school competing in a scramble format against other university teams from around the country.

In addition to the $350,000 scholarship purse, another $130,000 of the proceeds will be donated to selected charities. The Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge is a significant contributor to the Chick-fil-A Bowl’s overall charitable and scholarship donations. The Chick-fil-A Bowl leads all bowls in the country in charitable giving, including record gifts of more than $1.2 million in 2008 alone.

For more information on the event, visit www.Chick-fil-ABowlChallenge.com.
 

Having had four games canceled due to weather this season, the Virginia Tech baseball team has added a non-conference contest to its schedule for later this season. The Hokies will travel to Davidson on May 6 for a 6 p.m. tilt with the Wildcats, whom the Hokies defeated twice last year - 14-10 on the road and 5-4 at English Field.

The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) has announced its initial list of 27 athletes who have accepted an invite to the 2009 USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Camp in Chula Vista, Calif., June 8-12. A list of additional attendees will be announced at a later date.

On the schedule for the USA Softball Women’s National team program are several International events including the World Cup of Softball presented by KFC in Oklahoma City, Okla., July 16-20. The World Cup will feature the top four finishers from the 2008 Olympic Games, including a Gold medal game rematch between Japan and the United States.

Making the invite list is former Hokie Angela Tincher, who has just started her season in Japan. She got the start in the opener and picked up the win as LeoPalace 21 rolled to a 14-1 win over Toda HP. She also threw a no-hitter in exhibition play.
 
The 2009 Selection Camp attendees include:

Monica Abbott – Salinas, Calif.
K’Lee Arredondo – Tempe, Az.
Brandice Balschmiter – Newark, N.Y.
Chelsea Bramlett – Cordova, Tenn.
Ashley Brignac – River Ridge, La.
Katie Burkhart – San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Courtney Bures – Haymarket, Va.
Stacie Chambers – Glendale, Az.
Ashley Charters – Beaverton, Ore.
Kaitlin Cochran – Yorba Linda, Calif.
Andrea Duran – Selma, Calif.
Jennie Finch – La Mirada, Calif.
Vicky Galindo – Union City, Calif.
Alissa Haber – Newark, Calif.
Ashley Hansen – Chandler, Az.
Tiffany Huff – Saugus, Calif.
Lauren Lappin – Anaheim, Calif.
Brittany Lastrapes – Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Jenae Leles – Fair Oaks, Calif.
Caitlin Lowe – Tustin, Calif.
Sam Marder – Calabasas, Calif.
Stacey Nelson – Moline, Ill.
Cat Osterman – Houston, Texas
Brittany Rogers – Dacula, Ga.
Angela Tincher – Eagle Rock, Va.
Natasha Watley – Irvine, Calif.
Tammy Williams – Roscoe, Mo.

Former Virginia Tech player A.D. Vassallo scored 11 points and his Portsmouth Partnership team defeated Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, 92-74, in the third place game of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., on Saturday night.

Vassallo also grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists in the victory. He was four-of-nine from the field in 21 minutes of action. He averaged 17.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in the three-game event.

The tournament, now in its 57^th year, features a top field of collegiate seniors, who play in front of a large contingent of professional scouts. The tournament also awards academic scholarships to student athletes from Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.

Former Virginia Tech player A.D. Vassallo once again scored in double figures, but his Portsmouth Partnership team lost, 80-78, to Sales Systems LTD in the semifinals of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., on Friday night.

Vassallo scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the loss. He was five-of-11 from the field in just 22 minutes of action. Former Clemson player K.C. Rivers led all scorers with 17 points for Sales Systems LTD.

Portsmouth Partnership will wrap-up their play in the event on Saturday evening at 6 p.m., as they will play Cherry, Bekaert & Holland in the tournament's third place game.

Corey Moore, winner of the 1999 Nagurski Award given to the nation’s top defensive player, was a special visitor at Virginia Tech’s football practice Thursday afternoon. Moore finished his career following the magical 1999 season.

 

Moore, who was a unanimous All-American in 1999 and also won the Lombardi Award that season in leading Tech to the national championship game, spoke to the defensive unit at practice.

Former Virginia Tech men’s basketball player A.D. Vassallo led all scorers with 21 points, as his Portsmouth Partnership team defeated Tidewater Sealants, 90-80, in the first round of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Portsmouth, Va., on Wednesday night.

Vassallo was nine-of-17 from the floor, including three-of-six from three-point territory in the victory. He also grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists in 29 minutes of action. His team shot 52.7 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three in the game.

Vassallo’s 21 points was the high point total in the first two games of the tournament, which annually boasts a strong field of collegiate seniors from around the nation.

A complete box score is available at:

http://www.portsmouthinvitational.com/boxscores/2009_Game_2.html

Former Virginia Tech men’s basketball player A.D. Vassallo will compete in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week in Portsmouth Va.

Considered the finest post-season all-star tournament, the PIT annually attracts the top seniors in the nation. This year’s tournament features players such as Goran Suton of Michigan State, Alex Ruoff of West Virginia, Taylor Griffin of Oklahoma, Levance Fields of Pittsburgh and Alfred Aboya of UCLA. Vassallo is one of seven ACC players in the tournament, along with K. C. Rivers of Clemson, Tyrese Rice of Boston College, Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley of NC State and Alade Aminu and Lewis Clinch of Georgia Tech.

Vassallo will play for the Portsmouth Partnership team. Joining him on that squad will be Demarre Carroll of Missouri, Geoff McDermott of Providence, Alonzo Gee of Alabama, Robert Vaden of UAB, Josh Akognon of Cal State Fullerton, John Bryant of Santa Clara and Aaron Jackson of Duquesne. Vassallo and Jackson are well familiar, as the two players hooked up in one of the most memorable games in Cassell Coliseum history this season. Virginia Tech defeated the Dukes, 116-108, in double overtime in the first round of the NIT. Vassallo scored a career-high 33 points in the game and Jackson scored a opponent, Cassell-record 46 points in the game.

Vassallo completed his Virginia Tech career fifth in career scoring, with 1,822 points. He also set a new school mark for made three-point field goals, with 267. He was a third team All-ACC selection as a senior and was named to the NABC All-District second team.

Portsmouth Partnership will open play on Wednesday night against Tidewater Sealants at 9 p.m. Tidewater Sealants are led by Aboya, Ruoff and Clinch. All games will be played at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., and the tournament will run through Saturday.

Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, will be the featured speaker at the 2009 Celebrity Luncheon. The luncheon will be April 10, 2009 at 11:45 am, Renaissance Hotel, Portsmouth.

Virginia Tech wrestling signee Andrew Clement took third place at the National High School Coaches Association senior nationals at the Virginia Beach Convention Center this past weekend to earn All-America status in the top folkstyle tournament in the country.

Clement, from Grassfield High in Chesapeake, beat two opponents ranked in the top 10 nationally – two-time New Jersey champion Brendan Ard and Pennsylvania champ Caleb Kolb – to finish third in the 171-pound class. Clement recently won a Virginia Group AAA state title to make him a three-time state champion (two AA titles at Christiansburg High).

Other signees competing at the prestigious tournament that featured almost 600 state champions included Eric Spjut of Texas (130 pounds) and John Hayden Countryman of Alabama (152 pounds). Football signee Andrew Miller of Bassett, Va., also participated. Several invited walk-ons for Tech also participated.

Countryman won his fifth Alabama state title this year, capping a 267-9 career record with 182 pins. Miller won a Virginia Group AA title to cap a 47-2 season. Spjut recently won his third Texas state championship.

With a run scored this weekend at Florida State, senior Charisse Mariconda will join an elite club of softball players at Virginia Tech who have recorded 200 career hits, 100 career RBI and 100 career runs. Mariconda currently has 208 hits, 119 RBI and 99 runs scored.

Only four other Tech players have accomplished this in the 14-year history of the program and arguably they are among the top position players in the program’s history. They are: Michelle Meadows (254-131-122), Kara Krumhardt (235-115-129), Megan Evans (212-161-117) and Clarisa Crowell (200-103-104).

The reigning Virginia Tech Athlete of the Week has started all 223 games of her career and needs just five doubles to set a new school record for a career. Meadows had 48 two-baggers from 1997-2000. Mariconda picked up a double against ETSU on Tuesday and now has 44.