The research team won the award after updating their original proposal.
According to VTx, a Virginia Tech research team received a $700,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation to determine the effects of sali nization on food webs in freshwater streams in Appalachia.
“The most important thing to commu nicate to people is that salinization is happening for a lot of different reasons all over the world in our fresh waters,” said Sally Entrekin, associate professor in the Department of Entomology and project leader. “We really need to understand not just the diversity consequences but also how it changes our food webs so that we can act accordingly to reduce the overall impacts.”
According to Entrekin, salt in fresh water ecosystems is known for harming its
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Credibility is the greatest asset of any news medium, and impartiality is the greatest source of credibility.
To provide the most complete report, a news organization must not just cover the news, but uncover it. It must follow the story wherever it leads, regardless of any preconceived ideas on what might be most newsworthy.
The pursuit of truth is a noble goal of jour nalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately. Journalists’ role is therefore not to determine what they believe at that time to be the truth and
inhabitants. However, there is not much knowledge about salinization’s effects on the ecosystem’s food web and the transfer of energy within it. Professor Entrekin and her team plan to find how the transfer of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus between organisms is affected by salinization.
According to The National Wildlife Federation, southern Appalachia fresh water ecosystems are home to more than half of North America’s 850-plus fresh water fish species. The U.S. Endangered Species Act is considering adding more than 300 southeastern aquatic species.
“We are starting to get a handle on the species that will be lost,” Entrekin said. “What we really have not even as an ecological community started to address is how, before you lose species, how does it
change the food webs and the transfer of energy, and when you do lose species, then how does that also change the food webs and the transfer of energy?”
Many human activities, including agri culture, urbanization, irrigation and mining cause the salinization of freshwater ecosystems. According to Entrekin, these activities create a rapid concentration of ions that leach into surrounding freshwater streams where organisms cannot adapt, decreasing reproduction rates and extir pating them.
reveal only that to their readers, but rather to report as completely and impartially as possible all verifiable facts so that readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth.
When a news organization delivers both news and opinions, the impartiality and credibility of the news organization can be questioned. To minimize this as much as possible there needs to be a sharp and clear distinction between news and opinion, both to those providing and consuming the news.
The National Science Foundation declined the research team’s initial funding proposal, but after deliberations and revi sions to their second submission, the NSF accepted the proposal. According to the National Science Foundation, with an annual budget of $8.8 billion, the NSF is the funding source for about 25% of all federally supported research conducted by American colleges and universities.
“The money goes to mostly graduate students, and it’s really the only way we can do this level of collaborative project across five or six different scientists,” Entrekin said. “We simply couldn’t do the scale of study
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that we’re able to do without NSF funds.” Professor Stephen Schoenholtz and Associate Professor Daniel McLaughlin from the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Associate Professor Erin Hotchkiss from the Department of Biological Sciences, and Carl Zipper, Professor Emeritus from the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, are project leaders as well. According to VTx, the three-year study will increase their participation with local educators and scien tists in Appalachia. A seed grant from the Global Change Center funded the research, but additional funds are required.
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Hundreds of students were forced to find temporary housing accommodations.
like McComas.
According to Owzcarski, at around 3 p.m. that day, the students were finally given the green light to go back into their dorms. Dehumidifiers and carpet blowers were placed throughout the building, and students were encouraged to leave their doors open so that the dehumidifiers could continue to draw water out of the building. Both elevators are not currently operating, but the fire alarms remain fully functional. Upon reentering the building, some students discovered they had suffered a range of personal damages.
“My one friend actually had put his laptop on the ground, and then when they walked back into the room, it was fully submerged … and the room itself had a big puddle,” Badiang said.
gone wrong in the building this semester as well.
“Everyone’s like, ‘this is so stupid, like this is just Slusher,’” Badiang said. “It was either the same day or the day before, the power outage happened in Slusher … the generator for the building started smoking … (And) one of our elevators has been broken for the past month, and it recently got fixed, so we had two working elevators for like four days, and now this thing’s happened, so now we have no elevators,” Badiang said.
Owczarski stated that crews arrived within an hour to address the issue quickly and made it their priority to resolve the water damage and get students back into their dorms quickly and safely.
On Thursday, Oct. 27, at approximately 1 a.m., a sprinkler system pipe burst on the 11th floor of Slusher Tower, flooding down all the way to the first floor. Approximately 350 residents were affected, according to Mark Owczarski, assistant vice president of university relations.
The fire alarm was sounded, and students were immediately evacuated from the building. According to Patrick Badiang, a freshman general engineering major living in Slusher Tower, many videos were circulating amongst the residents of pools of water leaking from the ceilings and collecting on the dorm
floors. Students were left worrying that their own belongings would be damaged. Upon reaching the parking lot outside, Slusher resi dents reported seeing water dripping down the exterior of the building.
According to Badiang, the students were not allowed back into their dorms that night, but most students found places to sleep, either in their friends’ dorms or at other various loca tions on campus. Some went to West Ambler Johnston and slept in the lounges, some went to Newman and the Creativity and Innovation District offered to take students in as well. They were also offered showers and towels at places
According to Badiang, the burst pipe was just one in a series of issues that have affected the Slusher residents. Some students have started to experience frustration at repeated fire alarms, while others have stopped flinching when the alarm goes off.
“I know a few people who just stayed back, because we’ve had like false fire alarms, like literally we’ve had like 13 false fire alarms in the past, so some people are not taking it as seri ously,” Badiang said.
However, this is not the first time Slusher has flooded, as a similar incident occurred in 2014, where the ninth floor of Slusher flooded. Badiang brought up several things that have
“Students are now able to occupy the building,” Owczarski said. “Efforts to clean, test, check for additional problems, and support students will continue for several weeks. The university will support those students affected as needed.”
The cleanup process continues, but the bulk of water extraction was completed during the first day of the flood. Owczarski stated that students’ continuing needs and concerns in the aftermath of the flood can be shared with resi dence life staff or the dean of students office.
Will Frank | opinions contributor
Radiating self-confidence and expression, Styles is an unstoppable force in the entertainment industry.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you likely have heard the name Harry Styles. Styles has been popular since 2010 when the boy band group One Direction launched into the spotlight
of mainstream media and garnered fans interna tionally. Ever since then, he has securely held a spot in celebrity stardom, but in recent years he has shattered the A-list celebrity status. What is
Styles doing that is making him so successful?
One reason Harry Styles is so prominent is because he creates an amplitude of music. With over 66 million monthly listeners and the biggest
selling album of 2022 that was dropped back in July, he is very familiar with raging success. Each solo album of his (a total of three) includes a mixture of classic radio pop songs, genre
continued from page 3 bending tunes and ballads. This creates an atmosphere for people, especially teens, to easily relate to his lyrics. His songs cover areas of love, breakups, drugs and themes of growing up and moving on. A lot of successful artists cover similar concepts, but Styles incorporates unique and memorable anecdotes through his writing. This gives him a clear edge over the oversaturated pop market that’s so heavily on display. Since he has been creating music for over 10 years, fans have had plenty of time to build a connection with his work.
Gabby Torres, a junior studying psychology at Virginia Tech, attributes his amount of time on the scene to some of his success.
“Being a fan since he was younger and watching him grow up creates a connection; it feels like we were growing up together,” Torres said.
It is clear that Styles had a deep under standing of the industry he occupies. Each album of his has been widely successful, with multitudes of nominations and awards under his belt. It is not just the music industry that Styles is erupting into — he has begun to chal lenge himself in the film industry.
With his debut on the silver screen, Styles appeared in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 war film “Dunkirk.” Nolan famously stated after the
release that he was not “...aware really of how famous Harry was.” In late September, Harry Styles starred alongside Florence Pugh in the movie “Don’t Worry Darling.” With a budget of 30 million, it has grossed over 70 million dollars in less then a month of it being released. The movie had no trouble creating hype before the release, due to Harry Styles taking a leading role and the supposed drama within the cast behind the scenes that found its way all over social media.
Even with all the drama, Styles’ reputation seems to be immune. He is set to star again in a leading role in the film “My Policeman” at the end of October, which has avoided any behind the scenes gossip or controversy thus far. There have been very few actors who have success fully transitioned from the music industry to the big screen, contributing to Styles’ abundant repertoire.
Not everyone believes Styles to be a jack of all trades that he is, however. For years people have called him out for queerbaiting. Styles has never publicly commented on his sexuality, but he is known for wearing creative outfits on stage or magazines that resist the societal norm of what men should wear. Front and center on the cover of Vogue in December 2020, Styles was the first male to occupy the cover solo and did it in a Gucci dress. This resulted
in Styles’ biggest criticism, the symbolism of a less masculine man. Some believe a man with as much power and influence on society should not use his platform to push progressive narra tives towards impressionable kids and young adults.
Ironically, all that debate over his supposed sexuality and what he should or should not wear adds gasoline to Harry Styles’ fire that is keeping the world warm. His confidence and ability to be comfortable with himself inspires his fans. At his shows, his fans hold up signs declaring how he made them feel safe coming out to their parents, or accepting their sexuality themselves. There is no other artist out there today who had this magnitude of effect on their fans.
Styles recently played 15 sold out shows continuously at Madison Square Garden. Occupying the city for over a month straight, his face and voice were all over New York City. This is a magnitude of an achievement for an artist, especially given that Styles is still so young. It is tradition among fans to dress up uniquely, like he does, for his shows, making it similar to attending a fashion show where Styles just happens to be performing. At the 2021 Grammy’s, Styles confidently paired colorful feather boas with outfits. So with every outfit at his shows fans all wear boas — in true Styles
fashion.
Torres noted that his music and style reminds her of a younger generation’s Elton John.
“It feels like he resembles the characteristics of Elton John,” Torres said.
Some of the largest and most successful artists are confident in their sexuality and not afraid to break gender norms. Elton John, David Bowie and Mick Jagger are just a few examples.
Androgyny has been an essential part of rock and roll history, all having an influence on Styles’’ style. Being effeminate gives Styles a unique image that is impossible to ignore. Whether you love the androgynous look of his style and voice or hate everything about it, his dominance is impossible to avoid.
Harry Styles has been continuing to skyrocket through what it means to be successful. More than the trappings of a rockstar, Harry Styles uses his platform to be a role model to explore and embrace one’s gender identity. Joining the likes of past successful pop stars, Styles is uniquely creating a progressive image that shows modern day kids, young adults and jaded seniors what it means to be yourself.
Members of the Cassell Guard pump the student section up and share their enthusiasm.
In less than a few weeks, Cassell Coliseum will take Lane Stadium’s reputation as the most energetic site on campus. The spirit rally starts with one group of students: the Cassell Guard. These are the students who increase spectators’ energy during basketball games and organize the students who show up to support the Hokies.
“We’re trying to make the atmosphere of the student section more hype for the games,” said senior and member Jessie Eck. “We have a great reputation around the country — a lot of people have shout(ed) out Cassell Guard for being really good nationally, so we try to foster that environment through our fatheads, setting themes and being on social media.”
The Cassell Guard is made up of two
sections: general membership and the executive board. The general membership includes anyone who shows up to the games and cheers on the student athletes, while the executive board is made up of die-hard Hokie sports fans that operate as a liaison between the students and the athletic department.
“We do a lot of behind the scenes things that other students might not see,” said junior and vice president Sarah Cunningham. “We’re primarily there to have fun with all the other students, and we want to deepen that connection with the rest of the basketball fans.”
Students of any year or major, with the exception of incoming freshmen, are invited
continued from page 4 to apply for the executive board when appli cations are released during the spring. The appli cation consists of questions based on interest in basketball, knowledge of the game and Hokie nation spirit.
“I think students that are obsessed with Hokie sports in general would find this role just a remarkable experience overall because you are with like-minded individuals that love Hokie sports and Hokie basketball,” Cunningham said. “The (executive) board is also more of a lead ership position, and we are there to make friends with the other people in the student section.”
Cunningham also shared that each year, the
executive board appoints specific roles within the team during the season. There are general positions such as taking a shift in the Cassell Guard booth, distributing fatheads or working on new T-shirt designs.
Eck emphasized the importance of the exec utive board’s appearance at every men’s and women’s basketball game.
“We’ve had a pretty big drive for the women’s basketball team; I specifically want to promote the women’s games because they used to be very underappreciated, and they’re starting to get more of a fanbase, so it’s a big thing we’re pushing for — more people coming to the games, because it does make difference,”
Eck said. “The women deserve just as much attention and support as the men do and they can honestly be better than the mens team some of the time too.”
The executive board representatives also mentioned that they are including new ways to improve the game day experience on campus for the upcoming season. The organization is planning on tabling outside of dining halls, assembling ticket giveaways and creating game day merchandise with the athletic department.
“(It would be a) quieter experience without us in the Cassell Coliseum and a lot of the other fans might not have that much energy to bounce off of as well,” Cunningham said. “I know the
student athletes do really appreciate us and they have shown that by showing up to GobblerFest when we’re providing information about the basketball season.”
The board is prepared to create an even stronger game day experience for the Hokie nation. “I love high-fiving the players and fans at the end of the games,” Eck said. “Getting shoutouts from the coaches like Kenny Brooks or Mike Young, or even the players is super rewarding because we can see the connection and the impact we’re making.”
Prepare for the upcoming season with some tunes curated by the writers of the lifestyles section.
Get excited for the upcoming basketball season with a curated playlist created by some of the writers on the lifestyles staff. No matter your music taste, this playlist will get you ready to cheer on the Hokies and do the Smithfield Sizzle during timeouts.
Olivia Ferrare, lifestyles section editor
My favorite part of basketball games in Cassel is the close-knit energy in the student section. From the jumping and screaming along with the music during timeouts to the dead silence during free throw shots, the noises of the game are electric. My picks are all country hits that have a good, solid beat.
• Country Girl by Luke Bryan
• 5-1-5-0 by Dierks Bentley
• The Middle by Zedd and Maren Morris
Emanda Seifu, lifestyles assistant editor
Some of the best parts of basketball game days are being surrounded by your friends and fellow Hokies in Cassell’s student section. The chants and the energy exuded within the building is indescribable. Because of this, my game day music is filled with tons of rock and pop music.
• We Will Rock You by Queen
• Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
• Thunder by Imagine Dragons
Kayleigh Kalagher, lifestyles contributor
I would say my music taste is all over the place, and I know a lot of people feel the same. However, I definitely have specific
playlists that I make to get me excited for game days. If I had to choose, I’d say my favorite kinds of music would be oldies, pop and indie!
• Bennie and the Jets by Elton John
• Tonight Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae
• Sunday by Ben Rector (feat. Snoop Dogg)
• September by Earth, Wind & Fire
• Sweetest Pie by Dua Lipa & Megan Thee Stallion
• Vroom Vroom by Charli XCX
Michaela Scott, lifestyles contributor
I love to de-stress after a long day with R&B or oldies, but I definitely listen to more upbeat tunes to get hype for a game. When I wake up on game days, there is no better feeling than blasting hip-hop or pop music that will get me dancing.
• Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith
• Bulletproof by La Roux
• The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani (feat. Akon)
Laurel Molloy, lifestyles contributor
To get hyped up for a game and to make my heart start beating to the drums of the Marching Virginians, I love listening to alter native rock and Arcane playlists. Arcane is an animated series with a powerful and rather Joker-esque soundtrack that can excite just about anyone.
• Enemy feat. J.I.D. by Imagine Dragons
• Misfit Toys by Mako and Pusha T
• Snakes by Pvris
Leeanna Duong, lifestyles writer
I dabble in a little bit of everything when it comes to music, but I love a good pop song to get me pumped up. Just about anything with a good beat and flow will get me going, but these songs in particular never fail to get me movin’ and groovin’.
• Motive by Ariana Grande feat. Doja Cat
• Playground by Bea Miller
Angela Nell-Tascon, lifestyles contributor
Game days are always an exciting mix of chaos and fun for the Hokies. The music I listen to with friends in preparation for some of Virginia Tech’s sporting events like basketball are a good mix of songs that reflect the rollercoaster of emotions that I
experience during a Hokie basketball game.
• T.G.I.F. by Kid Cudi
• COZY by Beyonce
• Senior Skip Day by Mac Miller
• Pretty Girl Rock by Keri Hilson
Aidan Mason, lifestyles contributor
My taste in music tends to be very unorthodox and diverse. I switch from genre to genre, depending on my mood for the day. But above all else, I love things that give me energy and spirit. It’s what makes me want to move and to cheer.
• SymphonicSuite (AoT) Part2-1st: Attack on Titan (Wmid) by Hiroyuki Sawano
• Kingdoms Fall by Red Means Run
• Flúga by SKÁLD
• Rent by Jonathan Larson
If you enjoy our staff’s recommendations, check out this specific playlist and more on the Collegiate Times Spotify account!
Mark your calendars for the special home games of the 2022-2023 basketball season.
Virginia Tech Athletics has released the themes for each home game for the men’s and women’s 2022–2023 basketball season. Be sure to read what will be special for certain games in the basketball season, because there are a multitude of complimentary tickets to games, special halftime shows and even souvenir giveaways.
The men’s season:
Nov. 7: ACC Title Celebration, Part 1
Get excited, because this is the first home game of the men’s basketball season and it’ll be against Delaware State. If you arrive early to Cassell, you’ll be able to get an ACC title tumbler cup to continue the celebration of the championship.
The night before Veteran’s Day will involve Tickets for Troops programs, the Corps of Cadets will be present at this game against Lehigh and there will be a U.S. Army Contracting Ceremony for the halftime show.
If you are still feeling the excitement from winning The ACC Tournament, make sure to attend this game against William & Mary. The banner will be unveiled and the trophy will be available to take photos with and free posters are going to be handed out to early arrival fans.
For this game, faculty, staff and VT fans are encouraged to bring their children to the game against Charleston Southern, because a DJ will be playing while kids can enjoy activities throughout the arena.
There will be a donation station for the Montgomery County Christmas Store and a special performance from the local performing studio, the Dance.tech team, during halftime against Minnesota.
Dec. 4: Orange Out
While tickets are already sold out for this game against North Carolina through Virginia Tech Athletics, those attending the game are encouraged to wear orange and enjoy the Peter Rabbit halftime performance.
To celebrate the last day of fall semester classes, there will be 80s music and retro give aways to count down the days to finals. There will be no specific color theme for this game against Dayton.
Children are able to DJ, emcee and work booths for this game against Grambling State! Additionally, Hokie Kids’ Club Maroon Level members earn a complimentary ticket to this game.
Jan. 4: Gobbler Game Night
This game will have to-be-announced exciting activities around Cassell for fans to compete in. You can wear either maroon, orange or a combination of the two because this game against Clemson has no set color theme.
Jan. 7: Faculty and Staff Appreciation
Faculty and staff earn free admission to this game versus North Carolina State as a thank you from Virginia Tech athletics.
Jan. 23: Black Out
Everyone’s favorite, Red Panda, will be back in Cassell for an exciting halftime show during the Duke game. Make sure to wear black to this one.
Jan. 28: Coaches Vs. Cancer
The basketball team joins Suits & Sneakers Week to give away a free pair of Nike Air Forces in a raffle. Make sure to come support the team against Syracuse and those affected by cancer.
Feb. 4: Maroon Out
Leave your orange at home in order to not be mistaken for a Virginia fan! With a sponsored game by Smithfield, there is bound to be a dance contest on the jumbo screen.
Feb. 8: Popcorn Bucket Giveaway
If you arrive early for this game against Boston College you have a chance at getting a Virginia Tech-themed popcorn bucket — a few will even be autographed by head coach Mike Young.
Feb. 18: #Love
The #Love game will have special perfor mances, giveaways and recognitions. Spread the love, and come cheer on the Hokies. This campaign began in 2020 at Virginia Tech to spread the message that love conquers hate in the fight to end racism and discrimination. Wear whatever you wish, just choose maroon and orange over Pittsburgh’s blue and gold.
Feb. 21: Turn It Back Tuesday and White Out
Turn it Back Tuesday will take us down memory lane to see milestones from men’s basketball. If you arrive early, you’ll receive a special shirt, but make sure to wear your white to
this game versus Miami.
March 4: Senior Day
Senior Day will honor the seniors on the team. There will also be a special halftime show of a crawling baby race across the court for the Virginia529 Diaper Derby for a fun break during the Florida State game.
The women’s season:
Nov. 7: Back 2 Back Celebration
Happy first home game of the women’s basketball season! Pizza will be given to students who arrive early for the Mount St. Mary’s game and Jeff Wright’s Flying Houndz will be the halftime show performance.
Nov. 11: Military Appreciation Night
Similar to the men’s game on the 10th, veterans will be honored at this game to thank those who have served our country. This game will be against Bucknell.
Nov. 14: International Student Night
Pizza will be provided for students who
continued from page 6 a rrive early and international students will be recognized at this game versus USC Upstate.
Nov. 27: Special Olympics Day
Virginia Tech will partner with the Special Olympics for a local team to play basketball at halftime during this Longwood game. Faculty and staff will also receive free admission to this game.
Early arriving students receive a T-shirt for this ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against Nebraska. This game is also special because fans are encouraged to bring new or gently-used toys to donate to the Montgomery County Christmas Store.
Dec. 11: Autism Awareness Day
This game will involve sensory cues, lowered music volumes and safe spaces for people to take breaks. Sensory items will be given away to fans as well. This game will be
against UNC Asheville.
Dec. 18: Frozen Night
Youth basketball teams are encouraged to come to this game against Notre Dame with complimentary admission, and music from the movie “Frozen” will be played throughout the arena for the youth teams that come.
Jan. 1: Hokie Kids’ Club Day and Faculty and Staff Appreciation
Faculty and staff, Maroon and Orange Hokie Kids’ Club Members and the local youth teams are encouraged to come to this game free of charge to cheer on the Hokies against the Tar Heels.
Jan. 5: First Responders Day
Maroon and Orange Hokie Kids’ Club Members receive free admission to help honor local first responders. Come cheer on the Hokies against the Hoos.
Jan. 12: Coaches Vs. Cancer
This game is packed with exciting
opportunities. It is Elementary School Day, where students can come free of charge, local youth teams will scrimmage at half time and faculty and staff can come for free to see this game against Louisville.
Jan. 22: Taylor Swift Day
Free T-shirts will be given out and Taylor Swift’s music will be played throughout the arena to celebrate Taylor Swift Day and hope fully, a Hokie win against Wake Forest.
Feb. 2: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
The Undergraduate Student Senate encourages fans to wear black. Girls and women in sports will be highlighted at this game against Syracuse.
Feb. 12: Play4Kay Day
This game versus the Florida State Seminoles will be to fight against all cancers that affect women. It is also Jersey Day, so wear your favorite football jersey since it is Super Bowl Sunday.
Feb. 16: #Love
The #Love game will have various activities and performances for fans. The Undergraduate Student Senate suggests maroon for this game against Duke.
Feb. 19: Orange Effect
For the final home game of the season against North Carolina State, wear your orange and enjoy the Family Feud themed games that will happen throughout the night.
With almost every home basketball game including prizes, themed nights, and even the opportunity to take a photo with the ACC Championship trophy, there are many reasons to come see the Hokies play. Start jumping because the first home tip-off is during the first week of November.
Pedulla, Maddox, Cattoor, Mutts and Basile are the projected starters; Poteat, Kidd, Camden and Rice will be the main bench contributors.
Virginia Tech men’s basketball is set to tip off the 2022-23 season as they host Delaware State on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. Let’s take a look at the projected rotation for head coach Mike Young’s squad.
#3, Sean Pedulla, guard, sophomore
After playing his first season as the primary backup to Storm Murphy, it will now be Pedulla’s turn to be the squad’s floor general. Pedulla resembles Murphy in a lot of ways: both are crafty ball handlers who have the ability to slash inside, both have great playmaking skills and both can also shoot at a high clip, as evidenced by Pedulla shooting over 44% from three-point range last season. The Hokies will hope for Pedulla’s ceiling to be a little higher, but the point guard position is in good hands nonetheless.
#13, Darius Maddox, guard, junior Maddox has gone from riding the bench due to struggles in practice to playing his way into the starting lineup. Last season, Maddox came off the bench and shot a blistering 50.6% from
three-point range. With more minutes and a higher volume of shots, Maddox might be in store for a breakout season.
#0, Hunter Cattoor, guard, senior
Spending most of his time in Blacksburg as primarily a spot-up shooter, Cattoor has trans formed himself into a legitimate No. 1 scoring option. As the third Hokie that shot over 40% from three-point territory last year, Cattoor has shown prowess as both a scorer and a defender. A selection to an All-ACC team by season’s end may very well be in Cattoor’s future.
#25, Justyn Mutts, forward, graduate student
After originally deciding to enter the NBA draft, Mutts pulled out at the last second to finish his final year of eligibility with the Hokies. Having Mutts back on the floor makes life far easier for this squad, as he’s proven himself as a jack of all trades at the power forward position. Setting up teammates, serving as an athletic post defender and spacing the floor with his decent shooting range are just a few of the things Mutts offers to the team.
#21, Grant Basile, forward, graduate student
The biggest to come to the Hokies via the transfer portal, Basile is slated to take Keve Aluma’s old spot in the lineup. Basile averaged 18.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season at Wright State and he’s shown an ability to stretch the floor with his shooting. Time will only tell how Basile will adjust to life in the ACC.
#34, Mylyjael Poteat, forward, junior
Another transfer portal acquisition for Young’s team, the 6-foot-9 Poteat will add some muchneeded size and physicality to the bench unit. While he didn’t do much on the stat in either of his two seasons at Rice, Poteat made his presence known as a troublesome post defender who can grab boards and block the occasional shot.
#11, John Camden, forward, redshirt freshman
The third transfer who will likely find some significant playing time, Camden didn’t see much playing time at Memphis. However, Camden is
expected to slot in nicely with the Hokies, being a 6-foot-8 forward who has flashed guard-like abil ities throughout preseason practices.
#15, Lynn Kidd, center, junior Kidd saw very little playing time with the Hokies last year after transferring from Clemson, but that might all change this season. Young has alluded to the idea of giving Kidd an increased role in the rotation, and it would be good for the team to take full advantage of his solid length and mid-range shooting.
#1, Rodney Rice, guard, freshman
A four-star recruit out of DeMatha Catholic High School, Rice is the onlylone true freshman who is expected to get playing time coming off the bench. During preseason practices, Rice has shown himself to be a solid ball-handler and a sound shooter. Much like Pedulla last season, Rice could prove himself as an up-and-coming player in coach Young’s system, but that all depends on exactly how much playing time Rice will receive.
Virginia Tech had a historic campaign in the 2021–22 season, culminating in the team earning their first ACC championship ever. The Hokies will come into the season with an air of expectation as the reigning champions, but March is months away, and it’s a long regular season.
Tech will face many different opponents this season, with each bringing a unique presence to the court that the Hokies will have to face. However, there are a couple of matchups that should prove to be especially exciting for Tech fans.
The Hokies defeated the Blue Devils in the final game of the ACC Championship to earn their title. Duke will be looking for revenge this season, and they will have two chances with one game against Tech on Jan. 23 in Blacksburg, Virginia and another on Feb. 25 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke made it to the final four, proving they have what it takes to be a contender, but with a new coach in, Jon Scheyer, no one knows yet how this changed program will perform. However, Duke is a
school with five national championships and should not be underestimated.
The Hokies will take on the Tar Heels on Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. in Blacksburg, Virginia. UNC is an elite program that made it all the way to the NCAA Tournament championship, where they fell to Kansas. This season, the Tar Heels were ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll released on Oct. 17. UNC has a total of 12 returning players, including the four starters Leaky Black, Caleb Love, RJ Davis and Armando Bacot, meaning the Tar Heels will be an experienced team. Bacot was the leader in points, rebounds, field goals, free throws and blocks, and he’s back for another season, making UNC a threat once again.
Although UVA exited the ACC Championship in the quarterfinals and failed to make an NCAA Championship bid, they are still always an exciting team to watch the Hokies play. Tony Bennett will be entering his 14th year coaching the Cavaliers and 2019,
the year UVA won its first NCAA tournament championship, was only three years ago. The Cavaliers will also be returning all five of its starters from last season, including Jayden Gardner, who led the team in points, free throw percentage and rebounds and Reece Beekman, who was the leader in assists. The Commonwealth Clash will take place on Jan. 18 in Charlottesville, Virginia and will return to Cassell Coliseum on Feb. 4.
Miami had a good year of basketball last season, making it into the elite eight of the NCAA championship before being defeated by the eventual national champions Kansas. Jim Larrañaga is entering his 12th season at the helm of the Hurricanes squad, but only two starters will be returning to the court for Miami. Jordan Miller was second in field goal percentage and Isaiah Wong was second in points with 566 for the season. The Hurricanes finished fourth in the ACC and were 26–11 overall. The last time the two teams met, the Hokies took the win, but only by a margin of one point. The nail-biting 71–70 victory on
Feb. 26 is one Tech fans remember well. Tech will play Miami first on Jan. 31 in Coral Gables, Florida and then again at home on Feb. 21.
This will be an exciting game for multiple reasons, but one being that the March 4 matchup is the final regular season game for the Hokies before the ACC Championship begins on March 7. The Seminoles will play in Blacksburg, giving fans the last chance to see the Hokies in Cassell for the 2022-23 season. Florida State was knocked off in the ACC tour nament in the second round by Syracuse. The Seminoles failed to make an NCAA Championship appearance and finished with an overall record of 17–14. Despite Florida States’ underwhelming presence on paper, the ACC matchup, especially with the season ending, will be a crucial game for momentum heading into the postseason.