February 25, 2025

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NEWS VIRGINIA TECH RELEASES DECISIONS FOR FALL 2025 EARLY ACTION APPLICANTS

The number of in-state applicants grew by 6.1%, and out-of-state applicants grew by 12.9%.

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On Friday, Feb. 15 at 5:00 pm, Virginia Tech released its fall 2025 admissions decisions for first-year early action applicants.

Early action is a non-binding admission plan where applicants can opt to receive a decision earlier compared to the regular decision plan. The plan is the most common option for first-year applicants with students applying by Nov. 15.

Katelyn Perry, a current freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, described the elation of receiving an acceptance the previous year.

“I’d always seen myself at Tech, and Tech’s always been my second home,” Perry said. “It was super exciting actually getting the letter.”

In keeping with the past five years, the admissions department set a record with 57,622 applications submitted for all rounds of admission, a 10.2% increase from the previous year.

The pool of applicants is comprised of 21,849 in-state applicants, 30,082 out-ofstate applicants and 5,691 international applicants according to VT News. While the number of in-state applicants grew by

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6.1%, out-of-state and international applications increased by 12.9% and 13.2%.

Ellie Greaves, a current freshman majoring in human development, described how an affirmative response from the university signified a continuing of a family legacy.

“It was emotional,” Greaves said. “My dad and my aunt both went to Tech. It was a major relief to know that I had hoped for something, and that was going to happen.”

The university is targeting an enrollment of 7,085 first-year students in the fall with those accepted as early action applicants having until May 1 to decide on their offer according to VT News.

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ANTHONY CUSAT / COLLEGIATE TIMES Trees are growing their leaves again for spring outside of Burruss Hall, April 15 2022.

OPINIONS TRUMP’S

EDUCATION OVERHAUL WILL TAKE HISTORY CLASS FROM BAD TO WORSE

Both the good and bad parts of America’s history need to be taught in public schools.

When it comes to history, America’s youth are only getting half the story. With inconsistencies across states, a focus on rote memorization and a Eurocentric so makes understanding concepts easier but robs students of forming a meaningful opinion. Key events are reduced to dates and names without exploring their deeper

see its relevance. The curriculum should highlight the connection between historic events and modern issues. As humans, we learn from the past to become smarter,

and discourages critical analysis. There are no distinct “good guys” and “bad guys” in war, and no country in existence has a completely ethical track record. Glorifying

continued on page 4

VIRGINIA TECH POLITICAL SCIENCE MASTERS PROGRAM

My MA in Political Science from Virginia Tech provided me with opportunities to work in state government. This includes my current role as Director of Tribal Affairs in the Office of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs.

JASON CHAVEZ, PSCI MA ALUMNUS

skepticism toward science and academic institutions. Trump has already proposed significant cuts to federal research funding. Reports also indicate his political appointees altered findings on climate change and chemical toxicity assessments to align with their agenda. Now, Trump’s aversion to research, science and the truth is infiltrating American public schools. Executive orders targeting DEI initiatives have reduced all federal programs and data related to diversity and inclusion. These orders directly affect the information presented to students. Without citing a diverse array of historical sources, students may learn outdated or biased information. To make the education system even more chaotic, standards are inconsistent, and curricula vary across different states. Students at the same academic level are taught and evaluated differently based on

@COLLEGIATETIMES continued from page 3

is devoted to European events, often sidelining African, Asian and Indigenous histories. For example, a high school world history textbook devoted more than 80 pages to the French Revolution, while only two pages documented the Haitian Revolution. Under the Trump administration, emphasis on white, Western, male perspectives become even more severe. Trump advocates for teaching historical narratives that are “patriotic.” His executive order instructed federal agencies to identify and eliminate materials that promote discriminatory equity ideology and gender ideology, claiming they are “indoctrination.” By emphasizing only the positive aspects of American history, schools are ignoring uncomfortable yet incredibly important topics like slavery and systemic racism. Efforts to censor or limit the teaching of certain topics (race relations, social justice movements and the legacy of colonialism) create a warped version of history. America’s history is flawed. Teaching it accurately isn’t about making students feel guilty but giving them context. Recognizing historical injustices helps everyone — regardless of race — grasp how history affects current societal issues. It’s about awareness, not

blame. Current efforts to push conservative ideologies on educators may lead to a generation of biased and misinformed Americans.

American history needs an inclusive curriculum that displays various perspectives and diverse events. It should explore the causes and consequences of events to show historical complexity. Critical thinking through analysis and discussion of primary sources will help students engage with history, rather than just memorize it. History classes should link the curriculum to modern issues because they go hand in hand. We must show students that history is a part of their life today. This applies to all American youth, which is why we need nationwide history standards and resources.

America’s public education system is flawed but necessary. Rather than fix its problems, Trump pushes for school privatization. His policies lead to cuts to public education and less funding for history programs. We need history to be treated with care, not eradicated. As students, we should work with policymakers to develop and implement standards that mandate quality and diversity. The American Association of Colleges for

Teacher Education provides a master list of local advocates promoting diverse and inclusive curricula. History may be the most important subject that American students ever learn — they just don’t know it. By advocating for better standards, we can truly educate the next generation and make some history of our own.

@COLLEGIATETIMES

LIFESTYLES A GUIDE TO NAVIGATING POST-GRAD LONELINESS

Recent alumni explain how they have experienced and overcome loneliness since graduating from Virginia Tech.

For many, graduation is a time of big upheaval and major milestones. It marks the end of an era and the start of a new chapter in a person’s adult life.

Something seldom discussed about graduation, however, is the feelings that come after one walks across the stage. It’s a major period of change and there’s not a set path for what happens after. For many, this will cause stress and possible feelings of loneliness.

These are not unique feelings; many have been through the same and some of the best advice can come from those who have experienced it before.

Leading up to graduation

“My initial feelings (were) excited but also apprehensive,” said Eva Moeltner, a former Virginia Tech student and upcoming University of Montana grad student.

Moeltner noted that she worried about what her future would look like and about her upcoming job at the time.

Abby Evans, another Virginia Tech alumni and a hiker of the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, had similar feelings on their graduation.

“The day of graduation, I was very panicked. I was super stressed, it felt like the end of the world,” Evans said.

They further went on to explain the difference between how structured life is up until the end of college and how the pathways laid out are stripped away to the realities of the world.

“It’s a really shocking transition going from

college to a nine to five. You’re so used to going around to all these different classes and your schedule is so dynamic and fluid throughout the day and you’re just used to all these changes,” Evans said.

Friend groups

College is a gathering point for many young adults of a similar age. As such, friendships can be forged from similar experiences and generational bonds. But what about after college? How does one keep in contact with the people they’ve known for many years on campus? Beyond that, how does one make new friends post-grad?

“I’m friends with a lot of people from college still, but a lot of them are spread throughout the country or throughout Virginia,” Evans said.

Evans added that keeping friends from college requires effort and making time is the important part. As for post-graduation, they would find more friends during their Appalachian Trail experience, due to their shared journey.

As for Moeltner, she started off in a position she described as lucky, due to the fact she ended up on a wildland crew made of others her age. As she moved on to Utah to become a ski teacher and continue her life, she admits she initially found it hard to make friends.

“It’s a challenge to meet people when there isn’t that space to engage with new individuals,” Moeltner said.

Feelings

Depression is not an uncommon symptom of post-graduation. Dealing with these feelings can be challenging and there’s a lot of factors that can make things difficult.

Moeltner was having trouble dealing with the community she’d left behind a month into her post-graduation. That, combined with the struggle with making new friends, made things difficult for her. To cope with this, she made sure to make regular calls to old friends and attend special events with friends such as the Richmond marathon.

“It’s hard to leave a community, but keeping connections with those folks is so important and makes you realize how special these people are in your life and how you’ll always have these deep bonds with them regardless of location,” Moeltner said.

For Evans, they had trouble adjusting to their 9-to-5 schedule.

“You have this community around you and it’s the community you’ve been with for the past four years and after that you’re going straight to the workforce, which basically, every day is more or less the same,” Evans said.

The lack of free time was also a major sticking point they emphasized. This would lead them to hiking and occasionally taking seasonal jobs.

What can Virginia Tech do?

Institutions are a major part of any support group and Virginia Tech offers multiple services to help with students’ mental health,

such as Cook Counseling. Nevertheless, no school is perfect, so how do students want Virginia Tech to help them?

“Any kind of mental health help initiatives,” Evans said.

They also noted the lack of affordability with certain outside services beyond Cook Counseling and access issues. Group programs were a suggestion they noted could help.

Meanwhile, Moeltner went back to the aforementioned strengths of college, namely bringing people together.

“(Virginia Tech) could host a post five-year meetup with separate departments. Kinda like how high schools do that?” she said.

Advice

In the end, what both alumni emphasized was that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and no matter the path you take, it will end up okay.

“I want upcoming graduates to know that even though graduation can be very sad because you are leaving all these amazing friends, find the value in having something to feel sad about. We are so lucky to have made connections that make us feel so deeply,” Moeltner said.

“Nobody really knows what they’re doing and as long as you can find a way to finance what you want to do, you’re pretty much fine,” Evans said.

@COLLEGIATETIMES

THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN IS DEAD

A history of the five-year plan and how it has become inapplicable to current students

“What do you have planned for the next five years?” is a question recited by many school counselors and even employers during a job interview. Little do they know, the five-year plan is dead.

The five-year plan originates from the Soviet Union and is associated with communism. Joseph Stalin originally introduced the plan in 1928 as a way to transition the Soviet Union from an agricultural country

into an industrialized one. The plan continued for several years until 1932.

In later years, China adopted a similar plan based on the same model as the Soviet Union for a similar purpose: economic and industrial

development. China received funds and assistance in planning from the Soviet Union to establish the strict guidelines of this intense

continued on page 6

plan.

The five-year plan was immensely successful in supporting a flourishing economy and assisting industrialization; however, it was highly authoritarian. The strict plan in these countries led to famine and hundreds of people imprisoned in labor camps against their will.

This plan also resulted in mass coal pollution from the increase in labor placing pressure on the environment. It was the beginning of the downward slope of loss in earth’s resources.

with strict deadlines and goals to meet by the end of the five-year period. Once the five years are up, progress is analyzed and another five-year plan is drawn from the current situation.

more comfortable taking their own path and not always having every move figured out.

With recent changes in the economy, college-age students are being thrown out into a world with a lot more uncertainty. Buying a house is harder, and finding a well-paying job can be difficult.

As college students begin to graduate, it’s important to remind them that they don’t need to have their whole life laid out. For those who don’t have it figured out, the five-year plan doesn’t have to be the answer, and it’s okay to have an unpredictable future. continued from page 5

Those who chose not to comply with the five-year plan were harshly punished and often killed for resisting the government’s control. For such a successful plan, it caused hardships and a toxicity between civilians and the government that could not be healed.

In later years, the idea of a five-year plan found its way into human development in many countries, but especially in the United States. The idea of the five-year plan was inspired by the Soviet Union but was not government-enforced and took a more individualistic approach.

When breaking down the principles of the five-year plan, the structure deals

For the Soviet Union and China, these plans increased economic success, allocating resources and visible progress within industrialization. For the United States, however, the five-year plan was taken on as more of a strategy for success in an individual’s unique life.

Planning for the coming years came with a stereotypical idea of success: wealth. By setting strict deadlines and visions for the future, it was shown that an individual could become very successful financially, which is where the appeal for the structure of a five-year plan came from.

For jobs that require a lot of academic success and labor, the five-year plan can be used as a check sheet to ensure all steps are taken to achieve the career goal. However, for more unconventional jobs or individuals who haven’t found their calling, the five-year plan can force them down a path they may not have wanted for themselves. In recent years, however, that idea of the five-year plan has been dissolved. Generation Z college students are much

Making concrete plans for the future is more unreliable. In previous years, there was more ability to afford a comfortable living situation.

Gen-Z is at more risk of not being able to support themselves. This has resulted in many college students moving back home after graduating because they can’t afford housing on their own when they are first beginning their careers.

Living at home often means these young adults have a harder time networking, moving to big cities and finding opportunities. Older generations often blame the younger generations for not working hard enough or not planning for their future, but it’s not the same society older generations grew up in. It’s a different world.

The five-year plan is unrealistic. Societally, no one knows what will happen day-to-day. Younger generations are more accepting of diversity and avoid taking the

conventional approach to everyday life. This has produced somewhat unconventional and modernized career paths such as content creation, web development and digital marketing.

HOW TO STAY FRIENDS WITH YOUR COLLEGE ROOMMATES

Tips and tricks to do life together, not just live together.

College is a time to find some of your closest and most beloved friends — the people you may call in a couple of years to be bridesmaids and groomsmen at your wedding. Sometimes, those connections are made from shared extracurricular activities and other times they are made from the hardships you faced in classes together. If you are one of the lucky few, some of your greatest friends will be the people who double as a roommate.

However, when you live with someone it can be difficult to prioritize time for each other outside of being roommates. Adrienne Breaux, house tour director at Apartment Therapy Media, suggests that “Between sharing chores you [should] also schedule in plenty of the things you used to do when you didn’t live together to keep stoking that sweet friendship fire.”

There are many ways to prioritize your relationships with your roommates, inside and outside of the home.

Invest time in one another

Life is busy, but just like a job or classes, you need to set time aside for your friendships.

Major Amy Reardon, the divisional secretary for The Salvation Army at the San Diego regional office, states, “The less time we have for each other, our relationships become more artificial. We mistake acquaintance for friendship.”

The same concept can apply to roommates; don’t mistake shared space as friendship. Make time to catch up with your roommates, ask about what they are up to and how they are doing and make sure that they know you care about their life. Consider taking it a step further and attend the events your roommates are a part of — dance showcases, acapella concerts or 5K for run club — show up for your roommate!

Make plans inside and outside of the house

There are tons of simple plans you can make with your roommates that include little to no spending. For example, baking a sweet treat, having a movie night or playing board games together!

However, you should also make plans outside of the house. This circles back to making your roommates feel wanted in the relationship. Find a shared interest that you and your roommate(s) will both enjoy such as grabbing a meal at a nice restaurant, bowling or going to a movie.

Respect

Living with anyone can put a strain on a relationship whether that’s a stranger, best friend or partner. The statement “you don’t truly know someone until you live with them,” can be intimidating and off-putting.

Simply put … communicate! If there are issues, talk about them. Conflict is a natural part of human relationships, so the best thing to do is overcome and work together to minimize and compromise.

Respect can also mean setting boundaries. Chicago Counseling Therapy has an article with great tips on how to set boundaries with your college roommates!

No situation is one-size-fit-all

Be aware that tips and tricks are useful, but it doesn’t always mean they will work for you and your situation. If living with your best friend creates a strain beyond repair, it can be difficult to rekindle the relationship. The best thing to do is put yourself first and monitor your situation. If it isn’t working out, let it go.

@COLLEGIATETIMES

“AUTOMATIC”: A LUMINEERS ALBUM REVIEW

Lifestyles editor Emelia Delaporte discusses the band’s newest studio release.

This Valentine’s Day, folk rock fans all over received a gift — the drop of a new Lumineers album. Their fifth album, “Automatic,” landed on the scene just shy of 13 years since their first studio release. Whether you are a longtime listener or new to the crowd, “Automatic” offers a quick and seamless transition into — or back into — the world of the Lumineers.

“Automatic” starts off strong with its lead single, “Same Old Song.” While up-tempo, the song explores depression and abandonment as the opening themes to the album. The song repeatedly climbs and falls, leaving listening wondering if the cycle will continue throughout the rest of the album.

When the drumbeat stops at the end of “Same Old Song,” it does not consistently pick back up until the final track. Starting with the second track, “Asshole,” the album lets the much more mellow and emotionally complex sounds of piano and strings take the lead. “Asshole” opens the door to the middle of a conversation about a relationship, even going so far as to start with

the word “and.” The end of the track rises to meet a similar sound to “Same Old Song.”

“Strings” into “Automatic” is the cleanest transition in the album, signaling the turning of a page from the introduction of the album into the meat of it. “Automatic” is the titular track of the album and continues the sense of the listeners having a lack of context to an even more confusing degree. There is a story being told but it does not want to be easily understood. Choosing this song as the titular track could serve as a reminder to new listeners that while this album just got here, the band has been around for over a decade, and it will take more than four songs to get to know them.

Track five, “You’re All I Got,” and track eight, “Keys On The Table,” are two halves of a story. “You’re All I Got” is another pre-released single. There is a feeling of panic that rises through the earlier track, resolving in an accepted defeat and sadness.

In between them are “Plasticine” and “Ativan.” “Plasticine” discusses being

willing to bend for an unspecified person or perhaps everyone around you, acknowledging imposter syndrome and anxiety.

“Ativan,” named for an anxiety medication, can be taken from the perspective of the singer personifying the drug or working to complement it.

These four songs could be construed as the relationship between the singer and anxiety, the singer and the medication, the singer and a loved one, a loved one and the medication, the list goes on. They lend heavily to the distressed vibe of the album.

Track nine, “Better Day,” takes a break from reflecting on the tortured relationship between the two undisclosed subjects to look at the state of the modern world. The opening verse seems to imply that lying, cheating, stealing and fighting are more desirable than politicians, police, homelessness and the need to protest.

Between “Better Day” and “So Long” is “Sunflowers,” an instrumental track almost three times as long as the earlier instrumental. Its sound is reminiscent of “Salt

and the Sea,” from the III album from 2019. Influences from the band’s older albums are peppered throughout the whole of “Automatic,” but the non-vocal nature of “Sunflowers” allows it to shine through more fully.

“So Long” is the final track on the album and the third single released off the album. Its farewell motif wraps up the album nicely, leaving all stories unsolved. The track sings “everybody’s famous for a while” and later changes the message to “maybe we’ll be famous when we die.” This fear of irrelevance leaves room for interpretation on whether this is goodbye, or a promise of a stronger comeback.

Whatever the overall message of the album is, if there is one concise one, “Automatic” is worth a listen to try to figure it out for yourself. I give “Automatic” an 8/10.

SPORTS COMEBACK OVER PITT LIFTS VIRGINIA TECH LACROSSE TO ACC OPENER WIN

Lauren Render led the Hokies with three goals

In their conference home opener, the Virginia Tech women’s lacrosse team defeated Pitt, 11-10, in a roaring comeback victory.

Entering into Saturday, the Hokies (4-1, 1-0 ACC) hoped to keep their all-time unbeaten streak against Pitt going. However, it looked like the Panthers (2-2, 0-1) were posed to snap that streak for a good portion of the game.

Despite being down in the fourth quarter, the Hokies’ defense started strong to begin the game. The early minutes saw two key saves from goalie Aaliyah Jones, whose presence between the wickets proved to be instrumental to victory.

Graduate student Grace New opened the scoring 10 minutes into the first quarter and the Hokies finished the first up 3-1, punctuated by Mia Pozzi’s slick sidearm shot, which skipped past

Pitt goalie Molly Cain with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter.

In a complete reversal of the first quarter, the second quarter was dominated by Pitt.

Outscoring the Hokies 4-0 in the second quarter, Pitt’s offense surged back to life behind star attacker Sydney Naylor. Down two going into halftime, the Hokies had a comeback to jumpstart.

After the break, both teams quickly traded goals, with one from the Hokies’ leading scorer, junior Lauren Render, and one from Pitt’s leading scorer, sophomore Kaitlyn Giandonato.

With the third quarter winding down, it seemed likely that the Hokies would enter the fourth quarter down by two goals. This was until freshman Kamryn Henson and senior Maura O’Malley scored in quick succession right before

the end of the third quarter to tie the game, 6-6.

While the first three quarters of the game were more or less defensive in character, the fourth quarter quickly turned into a barn burner — resulting in nine of the 21 goals from the entire match. After Pitt opened the quarter with a goal, both teams exploded for five goals in five minutes, including three from Tech to tie it at nine goals apiece.

With five minutes to go, Pitt was awarded a free position shot to take the lead. With the game in the balance, Jones made a crucial save continuing her strong performance on the day.

A minute later, the Hokies were rewarded with a free position shot. Up stepped sophomore Pozzi whose tidy bottom corner finish gave the Hokies a lead for the first time since the 11th minute mark

in second quarter. The dagger for Pitt’s chances was New’s unorthodox tip-shot with two minutes remaining.

In the end, Pitt’s effort proved futile; the Hokies went on to win their ACC opener for the second year in a row.

Render totaled three goals on six shots for the Hokies, while Pozzi, New and Molly Re followed with two apiece. For the Panthers, Giandonato scored a game-high five goals and Naylor added two.

Next, Virginia Tech will travel to North Carolina to take on Queens University of Charlotte on Feb. 26.

TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL RIDES SUPERB BENCH EFFORT TO TRIUMPH OVER MIAMI

The Hokies snapped a two-game skid on Saturday.

After posting the lowest point total in a game since the 1966-67 season, the mood was dreary. Coming off that 54-36 loss to Boston College, Virginia Tech men’s basketball was in a space where they could only go up.

Thankfully for the Hokies (12-15, 7-9 ACC), they went there and beyond, snapping a two-game skid and beating Miami, 81-68. Tech claimed its fifth road win of the year and essentially booked its spot for the ACC Tournament in Charlotte.

The outlook for both teams was very clear going into the game: For Tech, a win would essentially clinch its spot in the ACC Tournament, coming up in under a month. For Miami, a loss would almost certainly guarantee its exclusion.

With that in mind, both teams came ready to play in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes (6-21, 2-14 ACC) — without leading scorer Matthew Cleveland — kept pace with the Hokies thanks to guard A.J. Staton-McCray’s 12 first-half points. Staton-McCray, who was held scoreless by Tech in the two teams’ last matchup on Jan. 4, scored 21 in total.

Brandon Johnson also made all three of his shots for eight points to go with three assists. Former

Hokies center Lynn Kidd added seven points of his own.

Tobi Lawal countered with the first seven points of the game, though he took just six shots and ended with a quiet nine points. It was a quiet day for most of Tech’s starters — guards Jaden Schutt and Tyler Johnson combined for 2-of-8 shooting in the first half and 4-of-13 in the game. But the bench stepped up tremendously.

Despite scoring only two points off 1-of-7 shooting, guard Brandon Rechsteiner dished five assists and turned the ball over just once. Center Patrick Wessler shined, making four of his five tries and ending with a team-high eight first-half points. This was tied with guard Jaydon Young, who was just getting started.

Up to this point, Young, who averaged 6.2 points per game, hadn’t scored in double-digits since Jan. 11 against California and passed the 10-point barrier just five times all season. But in the second half alone, he broke his career-high, scoring 19 points in the second frame to end the victory with a 27-point performance.

“He’s practiced well,” said Hokies head coach Mike Young. “Had some better looks at it than he’s

had of late. Picked his spots. One of those players, one of those nights, where the first couple went down, his eyes light up and that thing looks a little bit bigger than it has for him over the course of the season.”

Tech’s reserves overwhelmed the Hurricanes, accounting for a staggering 53 points off the bench.

While Young’s breakout performance was the main show, forward Ben Burnham also was instrumental in the victory, contributing 14 points — 12 of them in the second half.

Games between the Hokies and Hurricanes have typically been very close — each of the previous 10 games between Tech and Miami was decided by two possessions or less. But after an even first half, Young’s second-half surge ensured that this time, things were different.

Tech’s defense, like Young, stepped up in the second half — after shooting 53% from the field and 50% from the arc, Miami shot just 38.5% from the field and 20% from the arc in half number two.

Points in the paint were at a premium, but the Hokies were able to outmatch the Hurricanes, outscoring them in the paint, 40-20, despite losing the rebounding battle, 31-29. Tech managed this

despite losing forward Mylyjael Poteat, who exited midway through the first half with an apparent knee injury. His status moving forward remains uncertain, though Young expressed optimism.

“He was sore and hurting was the reason we didn’t consider going back with him,” Young said.

“Structurally, he’s fine … Worst case scenario, (Poteat) is on the shelf for a couple of days. I don’t think it’s going to be anything substantial, I really don’t. We’re thankful for that.”

With just four games left, Tech now sits three games above the ACC Tournament bubble, drawing a prime opportunity to officially book its spot in Charlotte against Syracuse on March 1. The Orange have lost each of their past three and are a prime target for Tech. Its other three games will be much tougher to win, coming against No. 25 Louisville, North Carolina, and No. 18 Clemson.

With an ACC Tournament bid all but secured, Virginia Tech looks to carry its momentum into its next battle at home against No. 25 Louisville on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m.

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