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January 18, 2022
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PAGE 2 January 18, 2022
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Moss Arts Center requires COVID-19 vaccine or negative test for spring event entry The center aims to continue providing immersive yet safe performance art opportunities for the Blacksburg community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. TORI WALKER editor-in-chief
The Hokie community saw Virginia Tech Athletics’ recent implementation of COVID-19 vaccine and testing protocols for attending at-home athletic events, and the Moss Arts Center is following suit for its spring in-person performances. As of Jan. 15, Moss Arts Center will now require audience members age 12 and above to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test result before entering its designated event spaces. These protocols will remain in place until further notice for all in-person performances and events open to the public. According to the Moss Arts Center’s COVID-19 Safety page of its website, individuals showing proof of a COVID-19 vaccine must also provide a matching photo identification upon entry of the event spaces, which can be in the form of a paper or digital vaccination card, their state vaccine registry or a printout from a medical provider. Visitors providing a negative COVID-19 test, whether they are unvaccinated or have a vaccine medical exemption, must have taken the test within 72 hours of the event they are attending, and the documentation must include their name and the test’s date. Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff attending in-person events can also show their valid Hokie Passport to enter Moss Arts Center event spaces, as they accurately represent vaccination statuses. Ruth Waalkes, associate provost for the
arts and executive director of the Moss Arts Center, explained in a recent message sent through the Moss Arts Center Newsletter that the decision to implement these vaccine and testing regulations was made with the help of Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 task force and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She addressed that these regulations could pose potential setbacks on event attendance; however, they permit the center to provide in-person, immersive experiences for visitors amid the persistent COVID-19 pandemic. “While these changes may present some inconvenience, they allow us all to continue enjoying in-person experiences while prioritizing the health and safety of our community,” Waalkes said in the newsletter. All visitors and staff members will still be required to wear masks regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status in all indoor spaces of the building. Individuals can take their masks down briefly when eating and drinking in designated food and drink areas. Visitors who are not able to provide required documentation of a COVID-19 vaccination or negative test will be prohibited from entering the event space and offered the option to refund or exchange their ticket. The Moss Arts Center has a full spring schedule of performances and experiences, and they recommend that ticket holders unable to attend in-person events should take advantage of the livestream option if offered. A link to watch a
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performance’s livestream is provided to every corresponding ticket holder through email. To access the Moss Arts Center’s spring event calendar, visit https://artscenter. vt.edu/performances. To receive news regarding the center’s exhibitions, performances and COVID-19 protocols,
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January 18, 2022 PAGE 3
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Book lovers should resolve to reading fiction over facts Reading more as a New Year’s resolution is a great idea, but try starting with fiction.
e are over halfway through January and that New Year’s resolution you made to read more books is probably off to a racing start. You’ve found a book you’re tearing through and feeling good with the goal you’ve set for 2022. Reading more is often a go-to resolution in January. Who wouldn’t make reading more their goal after hearing all about it from those we look up to — people who seemingly fly through books to help keep their minds sharp and learn new skills? Ask Warren Buffett, who suggests reading 500 pages a day, or Bill Gates, who reads roughly 50 books a year. If you’re looking to celebrities for book recommendations, you’ll often find a long list of guides to self-improvement, biographies or other intriguing nonfiction titles. These books can be as phenomenal as those who endorse them and can change how we see the world. That is, if we end up reading them. The problem is that we don’t. Like most New Year’s resolutions, your reading goal is going to be hard to keep up with when the initial enthusiasm wears off. Reading outside of class is often something we have to work to make happen. It can feel like a chore after the first one or two books. As fun as learning can be, it’s also draining — even when it comes to topics that interest you. After reading textbooks and lecture notes all day, it becomes hard for college students to pick up a book for fun. So, I invite you to read this semester, but to read fiction instead. For most of us, fiction is what we grew up loving as kids. It was the magic, mysteries or teen romances that would have to be ripped out of our hands late at night as parents sent us off to bed. Fiction is what we loved when reading wasn’t a chore. Ellasen Spangler, a student at Roanoke College, wants to read a book every week this year. “I only managed around a book a month last year, because of the craziness of my life,”
Spangler said. While others might gawk at this goal, Spangler doesn’t see her resolution as too much of a challenge. Part of the reason is the stories she’s planning to read: stories from different people, cultures and perspectives from around the world. “I’m graduating this year and I want to start having a more worldly view, a more expansive idea of what it is to be a human,” Spangler said. And her go-to titles are often fiction. “You’re still learning about humanity, the way our hearts and brains work, and different ideas,” Spangler said. “Fiction is supposed to make it relatable.” And there’s research to show that fiction can expand our minds and how we view the world. According to Raymond Mar, a psychologist at York University in Canada, reading fiction helps develop empathy and can help us navigate real-life relationships and challenges. Fiction can also help our brains be more tolerant and inclusive of others, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology that found reading Harry Potter can improve people’s attitudes towards marginalized groups. On top of that, reading fiction will sharpen one’s vocabulary more than nonfiction — those who read a lot of fiction have a significantly wider vocabulary than those who read a comparable amount of nonfiction. However, it’s not all about the mental gains. Plenty of readers have their own reasons for the book beside their bed. “For me, self-care is reading,” Spangler said. Research from the University of Sussex found that reading fiction reduces stress by 68%. Reading is also 100% better than drinking tea and 300% better than going for a walk. It’s also a classic part of nighttime routines, as it helps your brain to wind down so you can get better sleep. So, reader, with your next book, go for the novel instead.
Don’t know where to start? I suggest “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman. As one of my first dives back into fiction, this book offers humor, quirky characters and a fun twist ending. Spangler would point you to “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde if you’re looking for a classic, or “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz for a queer comingof-age story. You can also check out apps like Goodreads or programs like the Book of the Month Club for suggestions that suit your interests. With seemingly endless stories
out there, there is bound to be something for everyone – and no reason that you can’t succeed in that New Year reading goal. ZOE TREIBITZ • junior • professional and technical writing
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January 18, 2022 PAGE 5
‘Venture Out’ into the great outdoors this semester
Venture Out provides adventurous outdoor event opportunities for students looking to embrace the winter months. EMILY BURCH lifestyles contributor
Looking for an escape from stress this semester? Venture Out has your back. This semester, Venture Out organized several events where students, faculty and staff at Tech get to explore southwestern Virginia and other areas around the country for an affordable price. Whether you are yearning for an adventure, eager to try something new or simply want to make new friends, Venture Out is the perfect way to get active and admire nature’s beauty. “Venture Out, part of recreational sports with Virginia Tech, serves students through recreational pursuits of traditional and non-traditional activities including outdoor recreation,” said Matthew Lattis, assistant director of Venture Out. “With Venture Out specifically, we provide multiple forms of recreation in the great outdoors, from venture rec and rock climbing, canoeing, caving, backpacking, to team building activities and challenge course facilitations on our fairly new, built in 2018, high ropes challenge course located over by the Marching Virginians and club sports fields.” Winter provides many opportunities for fun activities through Venture Out that are exclusive to the season. “In general, outdoor recreation in winter is a great opportunity to get outside,” Lattis said. “The trails are less packed. The weather can be just as beautiful, but a little bit colder.” Any students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend each event that Venture Out hosts. You can sign up for each event for a small fee on Venture Out’s page located on Tech’s Recreational Sports site. Some popular events coming up through Venture Out are skiing and snowboarding trips, which are great ways to embrace the
snowy weather and mountain views. “We offer multiple trips at discounted rates,” Lattis said. “We provide everything once the fee is put in except for your food, so someone signs up for a small fee to go on the trip. They (the fees) basically cover our costs. We provide transportation from Blacksburg to the ski location; your rental is included in that.” Caving is another popular activity that will take place early this semester through Venture Out, providing a warmer escape from Blacksburg’s harsh winter weather. “It’s really cool because it’s always about 54 degrees, 53 degrees underground around here, and caves don’t see a lot of snow inside,” Lattis said. The caving, skiing and snowboarding trips fill up quickly, so they each have a waitlist like most other events through Venture Out. When you click on an event on the Venture Out site, and it says the event is full, it will provide you a link to the waitlist that will automatically sign you up. If a spot opens up, you will be contacted by an administrator to help you officially register for the event. “Just because you can’t get on (the event) as a guarantee, you get put on it (because of) someone else who dropped,” Lattis said. “Especially now with COVID, so many people becoming positive are not being able to attend. We do keep that waitlist revolving and help facilitate that process.” Venture Out hosts a wide variety of additional events and trips throughout this semester, so everyone is sure to find something they enjoy. These events range from white-water rafting to glow-in-the-dark bouldering, which adds a fun twist to rock climbing. “It’s usually from 9 to midnight,” Lattis said. “We’ll have a session where you come in (to the bouldering wall at
the Venture Out Center), the lights are a little low, not dark. We have black lights on and some fluorescent tape on the wall.” Events put on through Venture Out aren’t strictly located in Southwest Virginia. “We have lots of great opportunities for recreation not only regionally specific, such as here in our own backyard of Southwest Virginia, which is amazing,” Lattis said. “But, we have a lot of different activities to go elsewhere, such as West Virginia and Florida. We have a training (group) going to Kentucky.” Lattis explained that Venture Out also seeks to serve underrepresented populations such as the LGBTQ+ community. According to the Recreational Sports Portal, the Queer Adventure Series is a new event that Venture Out will be hosting this semester. This program is run by LGBTQ+ staff who love the outdoors and are eager to share their passion with others through sunset hikes and backpacking trips. The sunset hike will take place on April 3, and rides will be given from the Venture Out Center at 5:30 p.m. to a local trail. There will be a $10 fee and snacks and equipment will be included. The backpacking trip will take place from April 16 to 17, and there will be a pre-trip meeting on April 13 at 8 p.m. There will be a $70 fee that covers equipment, food and transportation. Venture Out also provides gear that you can rent for those who plan to go on adventures on their own for an affordable cost. “We rent canoes, kayaks, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, ground pads, lanterns, coolers, yard games — pretty much anything that you would need to have a backpacking experience other than your own footwear and clothing,” Lattis said.
For those who want to try an activity that they are inexperienced in, Venture Out provides training sessions to help you build confidence and feel prepared when trying something new. Its staff, made up of a mix of both professionals and students, is well-trained and can provide strong guidance for those who need it. “We spend hours working on training days and facilitation of risk management factors through the curriculum for the American Mountain Guide(s) Association,” Lattis said. “All of our staff, our students, they are trained up, they have medical certifications, they have skills that we help evaluate and develop for them to lead others in these recreation pursuits. If someone feels insecure about their abilities or wants to learn more about it, we help facilitate that through our trips.” The staff at Venture Out are devoted to what they do as an organization and spread the joy of the great outdoors by adding a spark of adventure into people’s lives. “They’re also loving and passionate about educating people on (Venture Out events) and putting more people in wild places across the country,” Lattis said. “We’re all about that here at Venture Out, and if somebody is wanting to learn more and seeking work, we welcome them in our door every day.”
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Moss Arts Center welcomes Angélique Kidjo Singer and performer Angélique Kidjo will visit the Moss Arts Center Jan. 19–20 to educate and inspire through song and lecture. MOLLY DYE lifestyles editor
If you’re looking for plans Thursday evening, this might be the perfect article for you. On Jan. 20, Moss Arts Center, along with the Black Cultural Center and Virginia Tech’s Office for Inclusion and Diversity, will be hosting an electric performance from four-time Grammy award winner Angélique Kidjo. Kidjo, from West Africa, is a force in the West African Afrobeats genre, known for her fusion of funk, R&B, jazz and West African traditional music. Thursday’s performance will be Kidjo’s first at Moss Arts Center. “I’m most excited for her vibrancy, her warmth,” said Margaret Lawrence, director of programming at Moss Arts Center. “She has an absolutely inspiring vibrancy, and a voice for justice. She is so compelling and a great example of music as a voice for change.” Though Kidjo has her roots in Benin, her sound blends musical genres and styles from across Africa. According to Lawrence, Kidjo’s band members come from all over
and the group implements instruments and sounds from all over Africa. Specifically, Kidjo’s version of the Talking Heads album “Remain in Light” incorporates Congolese drums in a song originally done by David Byrne. Kidjo’s talents do not solely lie in her instrumentation; she is also known for her unique and lively vocals and her distinctive approach to performing. “Her voice is really energetic, rhythmic and percussive, and she’s a performer who cannot sit still,” Lawrence said. “Pre-COVID, her performances would always end with 100 people from the audience dancing on stage with her.” Aside from producing her own albums, Kidjo’s musical career has extended to working with orchestras and symphonies internationally. She has worked with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Philharmonie de Paris, and most recently, she collaborated with Philip Glass in 2019 to produce a rendition of David Bowie’s album “Lodger” at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Kidjo’s interesting musical approach has not gone unnoticed worldwide. Her albums have received critical acclaim from the New
Pi Kappa Phi has closed at Virginia Tech.
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York Times, NPR and Rolling Stone. Kidjo has won four Grammy awards; her most recent was in the Best World Music Album Category in 2020 for the album “Celia,” a collection of Celia Cruz covers with an African twist. Much of Kidjo’s music and philanthropic endeavors focus on justice, equal opportunity and support for children worldwide as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and OXFAM. “She has an amazing ability to show love through her voice,” Lawrence said. “She says she wants her music to be a bullet in the fight against violence and oppression.” In an effort to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and to provide a space for Kidjo to discuss her life work and emphasis on justice and human rights, she will be hosting a talk called “Rise Up” at Moss Arts Center this Wednesday, a day before her musical performance. Specifically, Kidjo will talk about the intersection between the arts and efforts to eliminate global injustice and human rights struggles. In terms of what Moss Arts Center hopes attendees and Virginia Tech students
take from Kidjo’s performance this week, Lawrence noted that she was excited for audiences to experience a world outside of Blacksburg that they may never have known about otherwise. “I really hope that they have an exuberant, righteous, uplifting experience and that they get to see one of today’s influential females in the music world,” Lawrence said. “Moss creates transformative experiences for the whole community.” For more information on tickets and pricing, students can attend Wednesday’s “Rise Up” for free with registration required. Tickets for Kidjo’s Thursday performance range from $25 to $55 for non-students, and students and youth under 18 can purchase tickets for $10. Emergency Services page or dial 988 on Virginia Tech phones.
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Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity has placed this ad to provide notice that the Pi Kapp chapter at Virginia Tech has been closed. Students who were members of the Fraternity no longer have authority to operate as a Pi Kappa Phi chapter and may not organize any event, sponsor any activity or participate in any endeavor representing Pi Kappa Phi on the Virginia Tech campus or elsewhere in the Blacksburg community. Additionally, “The Gold Club” is in no way affiliated with Pi Kappa Phi. “Pi Kappa Phi” and other distinctive letters, marks and insignia of the Fraternity are federally protected trademarks owned and managed by Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity. Any use of these marks without the express written permission of Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity is strictly prohibited. No group of students at Virginia Tech is authorized to use the name “Pi Kappa Phi” or any of its service marks. Only chartered chapters and qualified members of Pi Kappa Phi are authorized to operate a chapter and use the distinctive marks of the Fraternity. If you have reason to believe that students on campus continue to operate as though they make up a reocgnized chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, please alert the Dean of Students office and Fraternity and Sorority Life office or contact Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity.
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January 18, 2022 PAGE 7
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Students can look to Cook Counseling for support this spring Cook often acts as the first step Virginia Tech students can take to tend to their mental health.
COLLEEN HENNEBERRY lifestyles staff writer
Get ready, Hokies — it’s that time of the year again. The fall semester went by in the blink of an eye for some, while others may be dreading the start of a new semester. In the life of a Virginia Tech student, going into the spring season means new classes, new workloads and new places to sprint across the Drillfield to –– even if we’re still in winter break mode. Who wants to go back to school after a month-long break of turkey and daily naps? The start of the new year and a new semester can be pretty daunting, and some students may realize that they can’t do it on their own. Cook Counseling Center offers multiple resources for Virginia Tech students, including workshops, counseling sessions, support groups, crisis consultation and academic support throughout the year. Cook clinicians meet with students on an individual basis to create a game plan based on their needs throughout the semester and provide information that allows students to focus on their self-growth. As an added bonus, Cook Counseling is home to the famous therapy dogs Josie, Derek and Wagner. The interim director of Cook Counseling, Ellie Sturgis, Ph.D., has helped cultivate all the resources that Cook Counseling has to offer. Sturgis left Virginia Tech momentarily to work for a private practice, but returned after the April 16 shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007. Her areas of expertise include anxiety, substance abuse disorders and relationship issues, especially those that impact LGBTQ+ students. “We treat everything from homesickness to a major psychiatric disorder,” Sturgis said. “Since last year, I think that the overall level of anxiety and depression and academic distress is a little higher… we’re seeing 21% more students than we did this time last year.” The most prevalent issue that Cook Counseling sees within students is academic stress. Some students are constantly striving to be the best, even if it means pulling two all-nighters in a row and drinking copious amounts of Red Bull. However, this isn’t a lifestyle that can be easily maintained. “You need more in life than just academics,” Sturgis said. “You need
to program time for self-care, to make connections with other people and to make use of every minute of every day.” The moral of the story: Students don’t need to struggle with anxiety or depression without some type of support. There are plenty of mental health resources that Virginia Tech has to offer, and reaching out is often the first step to self-growth. “The sooner you do it in the semester, the better… you’ll be able to get in and get a routine going for yourself, but never hesitate to reach out,” Sturgis said. The most important thing to remember, however, is that you are not alone. To get
started with counseling of any kind, call the Cook Counseling Office at 540-2316557 to set up a Cook Connect Session. For further assistance, you can also reach out to the RAFT crisis hotline (540-961-8400). RAFT is a New River Valley Community Services program that not only deals with suicide and crisis prevention, but provides empathy and support for people in stressful times. If it is an emergency, go to Cook Counseling’s Emergency Services page or dial 988 on Virginia Tech phones. @CollegiateTimes
ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center, Oct. 24, 2021.
Sports
PAGE 8 January 18, 2022
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Men’s basketball earns first ACC win over Notre Dame Shooting from Nahiem Alleyne and Justyn Mutts helps Hokies earn 79–73 win over Notre Dame.
CLAIRE CASTAGNO sports editor
Virginia Tech entered its Jan. 15 matchup with Notre Dame sitting at 0–4 in ACC play. The Hokies desperately needed a win to get the ball rolling in conference play and to stay in the March Madness conversation. Notre Dame was one of the hottest teams in the ACC with a six-game win streak heading into Blacksburg. Thanks to a very strong shooting second half, Virginia Tech secured the victory 79–73. Tech shot 59.2% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc and 73.3% from the line on the game. Nahiem Alleyne, who has been struggling to reach his potential all season, had his best game since the Hokies played Cornell on Dec. 8. He finished the game with 22 points shooting 80% from the field and from three. Justyn Mutts and Keve Aluma also had big games against the Fighting Irish. Mutts put up 24 points and Aluma had 17 points and eight rebounds. Virginia Tech did not look particularly strong offensively or defensively in the first
half. Tech was down 40–32 at halftime. Forty was the most a team has scored in the first half against the Hokies all season. The Hokies had four turnovers to Notre Dame’s zero, but Virginia Tech outrebounded the Fighting Irish by one. Notre Dame attempted to pull away in the second half, but Virginia Tech stuck with it. A block from David N’Guessan followed by a big 3-pointer from Alleyne just under the 13-minute mark brought Tech within two, 48–50. Both teams slowed down the pace for a while and neither team was nailing shots. With 7:30 left to play, the Hokies were still down by two, 56–58. With 5:52 left, Virginia Tech retook the lead for the first time since the first two minutes of the game thanks to free throws from Alleyne from a technical call on Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. Tech’s momentum picked up, and with five minutes left, the Hokies were up four. Alleyne knocked down another big 3-pointer to make the score 71–65 with less than four minutes of play. With 1:06 to go, it was a tied game, and Mutts hit two free
HAMAD ALHENDI / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech’s Keve Aluma (22) makes a shot, Jan. 15 2022.
throws to go up two. Virginia Tech sealed up the game with a clutch 3-pointer from Storm Murphy and a big block from Mutts. The Fighting Irish sent Aluma to the foul line with 13 seconds left. Notre Dame could not get a shot in on its final possession. The Hokies have a chance to keep it going in ACC play against North Carolina State
in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. The Wolfpack have lost six of their last eight games, but one of its wins is against Virginia Tech; the teams played on Jan. 4 in Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech lost 63–68.
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Your 2022 Virginia Tech sports guide
Sports Editor Devin Shepard takes a look at all of the exciting spring sports Virginia Tech has to offer. DEVIN SHEPARD sports editor
Winter is coming to an end in the next month and a half and spring sports are right around the corner. Let’s take a look at the Hokies’ spring sports teams and how you can enjoy the games. Baseball The Hokies’ baseball team is quickly becoming one of the most exciting programs on campus after a 27–25 season last year. Head coach John Szefc has the team improving and ready to compete against tough ACC opponents. Outfielder Gavin Cross is the headliner for this team. After a 2021 season where he batted .345 and homered 11 times, he is seen as a surefire first round pick in this year’s MLB Draft. Tickets are relatively cheap for baseball
games, or students can enter the student lottery and try to receive one. The stadium is located just southeast of the Duck Pond Lot and is a great place to enjoy the outdoors on a weekday in April or May. The baseball team’s season starts Feb. 18 in Blacksburg against UNC-Asheville. Softball Even more successful than the baseball team is Virginia Tech’s softball team right now. After a 37–15 season in which the team made the NCAA Super Regionals, this group should be a lot of fun to watch in 2022. It returns ACC Pitcher of the Year Keely Rochard, as well as Second Team All-ACC position players Jayme Bailey, Kelsey Bennett, Kelsey Brown and Cameron Fagan. This team should be a formidable opponent for any team in the country. The softball stadium is located just across from
the southwest corner of Lane Stadium and games are free to attend. The team will travel down to Leesburg, Florida, on Feb. 11 to take part in the Northern Lights/Southern Nights Softball Tournament. Lacrosse If you’ve never watched a lacrosse game, you should. Somewhat a mix of soccer and hockey in warm weather, it’s one of the most interesting sports to watch in the spring. Despite struggling last season, the women’s lacrosse team will be looking to turn it around this year without star player Paige Petty, who graduated last year. This is a young team trying to find its footing as a program. The team plays its games at Thompson Field, located right across from Lane. The lacrosse season kicks off Feb. 12 in Florida against Jacksonville. Track and Field
The Virginia Tech 2021 track and field program was headlined by eight All-Americans between the men’s and women’s teams. In their first meet of the season this past weekend, they won seven events and put up three NCAA Top-10 performances. Golf The Virginia Tech men’s golf team will take part in six more regular season tournaments this season, before the ACC Championships in April. The women’s team has five more to go. Each team has two third place finishes this season and will look to achieve a lot this spring.
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