In just three seasons as the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies, Ricky Stokes has built the solid base that the program needs in order to become an elite program in college basketball. During the 2001-02 season, the growth of the program became evident to all that saw the team play and was the talk of the conference in the final month of action.
Stokes enters his fourth season at Tech with a 34-52 overall mark. These numbers do not truly reflect the growth that the program has shown, both on and off the court. In simple terms, the Hokies are vastly improved as players, students and people under Stokes.
Stokes was named Virginia Tech's 26th head men's basketball coach at a press conference on March 24, 1999. He guided Virginia Tech to 16 wins in his first season as head coach and followed that with eight wins in the school's first season as a member of one of the top conferences in the nation, the BIG EAST. This past season, the Hokies doubled their conference win total and, more importantly, became a competitive team in the league night-in and night-out.
In his inaugural season in Blacksburg, Stokes led the Hokies to a 16-15 overall record and 8-8 in Tech's final Atlantic 10 campaign. With Tech's performance in the 1999-2000 season, it became clear to see why experts consider Stokes one of the brightest young coaching talents in college basketball.
Even though the Hokies finished their inaugural season in the BIG EAST 8-19 overall, Stokes gave, perhaps, one of the top coaching performances in the league. The Hokies, faced with no seniors, a lack of game experience and an ever-changing cast of players, played respectable basketball while facing the toughest schedule in school history.
In Tech's sophomore campaign in the BIG EAST, the steady improvement the team had demonstrated in year one was taken a step or two higher. Even though the team lost its first nine conference games, improvement never stopped. The proof was a 4-4 final month. Never out of games late in the season, the team, perhaps, made the greatest strides of any BIG EAST team in February and March. With the improved play came an improved record, as Tech finished the season 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the BIG EAST.
As a head coach, Stokes is establishing two things: the Hokies will be aggressive on the court and responsible off the court. Just now assembling the team that he needs to tackle the increased demands, Stokes has made things quite clear on how the program will run. Do what is expected of you, or find some place else to be.
While an assistant coach, Stokes was involved in eight NCAA Tournaments (once reaching the Elite Eight and twice the Sweet 16) as a full-time assistant coach. He also was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams at the University of Virginia, where he played from 1980-84.
During his 11 seasons as a full-time assistant coach, Stokes recruited and/or coached such talent as 1997 college Player of the Year and No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Tim Duncan, and NBA first-round picks Randolph Childress and Rodney Rogers of Wake Forest. In addition, Stokes also recruited McDonald's All-American center Loren Woods and 1997-98 ACC Freshman of the Year Robert O'Kelley to Wake Forest.
"He's an individual who has achieved at the highest level," Jim Weaver, Tech Director of Athletics said at the time of Stokes' hiring. "He is known as an outstanding recruiter and I happen to think that great recruits make great coaches. In doing my research and talking to people, their first comments were that he is as fine a human being as you'll ever have the privilege of being around. And in the time I've known him, I've found that to be true."
Stokes began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Virginia during the 1984-85 season. After one year, he entered the business world for two years. He stayed involved in coaching as an assistant at his high school alma mater, while earning his master's degree in counselor education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1988. Stokes then joined the staff of former Virginia assistant Jim Larranaga at Bowling Green for the 1988-89 season.
He joined first-year coach Dave Odom's staff at Wake Forest before the 1989-90 season, and played a major role in the development of All-American guard Randolph Childress as well as fellow guards Marc Blucas, Derrick McQueen, Anthony Tucker, Rusty LaRue, Tony Rutland and Jerry Braswell. In Stokes' eight years at Wake Forest, the Deacons advanced to the NCAA Tournament seven times including an Elite Eight appearance in 1995-96 and Sweet 16 nods in 1994-95 and 1992-93.
After working at his alma mater under his former college teammate Jeff Jones during the 1997-98 season, Stokes joined Rick Barnes' staff at Clemson two weeks before Barnes accepted the head coaching job at the University of Texas. Stokes followed Barnes to Texas, where he spent the 1998-99 season as Associate Head Coach. That year, he helped guide the Longhorns to a 19-13 overall record and an NCAA first-round appearance. Texas went 13-3 in the Big 12 Conference, winning the league title for the first time in school history. Stokes also signed three of the top 10 players in the state of Texas during the fall signing period.
Following a standout prep career at Highland Springs High School in his hometown of Richmond, Va., Stokes enrolled at the University of Virginia. He played point guard for UVa's Final Four team as a freshman in 1979-80. The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Stokes' four seasons. In fact, UVa was a No. 1 tournament seed in each of the last three years of the Ralph Sampson Era, from 1980-81 through 1982-83. As a senior in 1983-84, Stokes helped a Sampson-less squad to the Final Four in Seattle after finishing fifth in the ACC regular season.
Stokes served as co-captain of the 1983-84 team and earned the Virginia Basketball Leadership Award. Nationally, he was honored with the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is presented annually to the country's finest player under six-feet-tall.
While at Virginia, Stokes played in a school-record 134 consecutive games. Cavalier teams went 109-25 during his tenure, while posting a 43-13 league mark en route to three consecutive ACC championships (1980-81 through 1982-83). Stokes was also recognized for his outstanding contributions to the university off the court. He was given the honor of residing on The Lawn, and was selected to the prestigious IMP society. Stokes graduated from Virginia in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Stokes and his wife, Karen, reside in Blacksburg with their daughter, Sydney.
In just three seasons as the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies, Ricky Stokes has built the solid base that the program needs in order to become an elite program in college basketball. During the 2001-02 season, the growth of the program became evident to all that saw the team play and was the talk of the conference in the final month of action.
Stokes enters his fourth season at Tech with a 34-52 overall mark. These numbers do not truly reflect the growth that the program has shown, both on and off the court. In simple terms, the Hokies are vastly improved as players, students and people under Stokes.
Stokes was named Virginia Tech's 26th head men's basketball coach at a press conference on March 24, 1999. He guided Virginia Tech to 16 wins in his first season as head coach and followed that with eight wins in the school's first season as a member of one of the top conferences in the nation, the BIG EAST. This past season, the Hokies doubled their conference win total and, more importantly, became a competitive team in the league night-in and night-out.
In his inaugural season in Blacksburg, Stokes led the Hokies to a 16-15 overall record and 8-8 in Tech's final Atlantic 10 campaign. With Tech's performance in the 1999-2000 season, it became clear to see why experts consider Stokes one of the brightest young coaching talents in college basketball.
Even though the Hokies finished their inaugural season in the BIG EAST 8-19 overall, Stokes gave, perhaps, one of the top coaching performances in the league. The Hokies, faced with no seniors, a lack of game experience and an ever-changing cast of players, played respectable basketball while facing the toughest schedule in school history.
In Tech's sophomore campaign in the BIG EAST, the steady improvement the team had demonstrated in year one was taken a step or two higher. Even though the team lost its first nine conference games, improvement never stopped. The proof was a 4-4 final month. Never out of games late in the season, the team, perhaps, made the greatest strides of any BIG EAST team in February and March. With the improved play came an improved record, as Tech finished the season 10-18 overall and 4-12 in the BIG EAST.
As a head coach, Stokes is establishing two things: the Hokies will be aggressive on the court and responsible off the court. Just now assembling the team that he needs to tackle the increased demands, Stokes has made things quite clear on how the program will run. Do what is expected of you, or find some place else to be.
While an assistant coach, Stokes was involved in eight NCAA Tournaments (once reaching the Elite Eight and twice the Sweet 16) as a full-time assistant coach. He also was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams at the University of Virginia, where he played from 1980-84.
During his 11 seasons as a full-time assistant coach, Stokes recruited and/or coached such talent as 1997 college Player of the Year and No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Tim Duncan, and NBA first-round picks Randolph Childress and Rodney Rogers of Wake Forest. In addition, Stokes also recruited McDonald's All-American center Loren Woods and 1997-98 ACC Freshman of the Year Robert O'Kelley to Wake Forest.
"He's an individual who has achieved at the highest level," Jim Weaver, Tech Director of Athletics said at the time of Stokes' hiring. "He is known as an outstanding recruiter and I happen to think that great recruits make great coaches. In doing my research and talking to people, their first comments were that he is as fine a human being as you'll ever have the privilege of being around. And in the time I've known him, I've found that to be true."
Stokes began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Virginia during the 1984-85 season. After one year, he entered the business world for two years. He stayed involved in coaching as an assistant at his high school alma mater, while earning his master's degree in counselor education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1988. Stokes then joined the staff of former Virginia assistant Jim Larranaga at Bowling Green for the 1988-89 season.
He joined first-year coach Dave Odom's staff at Wake Forest before the 1989-90 season, and played a major role in the development of All-American guard Randolph Childress as well as fellow guards Marc Blucas, Derrick McQueen, Anthony Tucker, Rusty LaRue, Tony Rutland and Jerry Braswell. In Stokes' eight years at Wake Forest, the Deacons advanced to the NCAA Tournament seven times including an Elite Eight appearance in 1995-96 and Sweet 16 nods in 1994-95 and 1992-93.
After working at his alma mater under his former college teammate Jeff Jones during the 1997-98 season, Stokes joined Rick Barnes' staff at Clemson two weeks before Barnes accepted the head coaching job at the University of Texas. Stokes followed Barnes to Texas, where he spent the 1998-99 season as Associate Head Coach. That year, he helped guide the Longhorns to a 19-13 overall record and an NCAA first-round appearance. Texas went 13-3 in the Big 12 Conference, winning the league title for the first time in school history. Stokes also signed three of the top 10 players in the state of Texas during the fall signing period.
Following a standout prep career at Highland Springs High School in his hometown of Richmond, Va., Stokes enrolled at the University of Virginia. He played point guard for UVa's Final Four team as a freshman in 1979-80. The Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Stokes' four seasons. In fact, UVa was a No. 1 tournament seed in each of the last three years of the Ralph Sampson Era, from 1980-81 through 1982-83. As a senior in 1983-84, Stokes helped a Sampson-less squad to the Final Four in Seattle after finishing fifth in the ACC regular season.
Stokes served as co-captain of the 1983-84 team and earned the Virginia Basketball Leadership Award. Nationally, he was honored with the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is presented annually to the country's finest player under six-feet-tall.
While at Virginia, Stokes played in a school-record 134 consecutive games. Cavalier teams went 109-25 during his tenure, while posting a 43-13 league mark en route to three consecutive ACC championships (1980-81 through 1982-83). Stokes was also recognized for his outstanding contributions to the university off the court. He was given the honor of residing on The Lawn, and was selected to the prestigious IMP society. Stokes graduated from Virginia in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Stokes and his wife, Karen, reside in Blacksburg with their daughter, Sydney.
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