October 3, 2023

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VIRGINIA TECH TO OBSERVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY WITH VARIOUS EVENTS

JANE PARK | news EDItor

Programs from the Ati: Wa:oki Indigenous Community Center include exhibits and lectures.

Virginia Tech will be offering different events, primarily through the Ati: Wa:oki Indigenous Community Center, in its annual observance of Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, Oct. 9.

“We’re Still Here” at Newman Library

A Native student art exhibition will take place on the second floor at Newman Library. It is open for viewing all day. For more information, contact Melissa Faircloth, director of the Indigenous Community Center, at missy86@vt.edu.

“Spirit is Alive, Magic is Afoot” at Moss Arts Center

The entrance to the American Indian and Indigenous Community Center, located in Room 122 of Squires Student Center, April 13, 2021.

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The Moss Arts Center will be showing an exhibition by Laurie Steelink. According to her website, Steelink is a multidisciplinary artist who identifies as Akimel O’odham. She’s part of the Gila River Indian Community. The exhibition is open for viewing all day. For more information, contact Faircloth.

“Reclaiming Queer Indigenous Love” at Newman Library

Rob Nelson will be giving a lecture at

NEWSROOM 231-9865

the Newman Library Multipurpose Room at 10:30 a.m. According to their LinkedIn, Nelson is an experienced diversity and equity officer, educator and support specialist who has worked in higher education and performing arts. For more information, contact Faircloth or Ashley Bingham, director of the Pride Center, at anbingham@vt.edu.

“The Next Energy Economy” at Moss Arts Center

Winona LaDuke will be lecturing at the Moss Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. LaDuke’s website states that she has been an activist for almost 40 years. LaDuke advocates for climate change, Indigenous rights, human rights, green and rural economies, grassroots organizing, local foods, alternative sources of energy and the priceless value of clean water. Tickets are available for purchase on the Moss Arts’ website.

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C OLLEGIAT E TIMES

Editors-in-Chief: Momiji Barlow and Victoria Weber (editor@collegiatetimes.com)

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Lifestyles editor: Emanda Seifu

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MOMIJI BARLOW / COLLEGIATE TIMES

MULTIPLE VIRGINIA TECH STUDENTS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

JANE PARK | NEWS EDITOR

Students have caught the virus from roommates and in public settings.

Since the beginning of the semester, many have grown concerned over COVID-19 cases on the Virginia Tech campus. Students have reported either catching the virus from roommates or from being out in public.

Lola Campbell, a senior majoring in English, said she thinks she caught COVID-19 about two weekends ago after going out to dinner at El Rodeo with her roommate. According to Campbell, others weren’t wearing masks, so that may have contributed to her getting sick. Campbell’s initial symptom was a sore throat before her condition worsened.

“I had horrible fatigue,” Campbell said. “I was sleeping for over 12 hours a day if I could. I had no energy. I had no brain power to do any schoolwork, and I think I had a fever and really bad body aches. I couldn’t really walk that much because it’s painful, and then I still have a very bad cough.”

Campbell said she initially did not take her symptoms seriously. When she went to Schiffert Health Center to get tested, Campbell said her doctor told her it was likely a cold, so she was surprised to receive a

positive result for COVID-19.

Campbell also noted that one of her professors had COVID-19 about a month prior.

While Campbell notified her professors and called out for her job at the dining hall, she was not instructed to notify the university.

“It’s funny because it starts out with like, ‘Oh, I think I have the Hokie Plague.’ And then it’s COVID,” Campbell said.

Campbell said she was also expecting to be given a more formal procedure after testing positive.

“I asked (a nurse at Schiffert) if there’s any procedures for you to follow, and the(re) weren’t and so I’ve just been kind of doing it more personally with the professors one-on-one,” Campbell said. “But I really thought that there’s more of a system behind it.”

On its website, Schiffert laid out guidelines for infected faculty, students and how faculty should respond to infected students. It also has guidelines regarding positive cases, isolation and quarantine.

“My roommates originally had (COVID-19) about maybe two and a half weeks ago,” said Evan Kim, a sophomore computer engineering major. “I’d stayed in my room and locked the door and wore a mask around the apartment basically the whole time. So I didn’t contact them for the whole time they had it. And by the week after that, (after) it all ended, I ended up feeling a little bit sick and then a couple days later, I tested positive.”

Kim didn’t experience any severe symptoms but wasn’t asymptomatic either. He had a fever and a sore throat. Schiffert provided Kim with medicine after he requested it.

Amy Sarr, a sophomore studying computer science, caught the virus during the first week of classes. She is unsure of how she became infected, but after experiencing migraines, she went to Schiffert, where she tested positive for the virus. Sarr quarantined for about a week.

“So I live in a suite,” Sarr said. “So I just let my roommate and my suitemates know that I tested positive. They took some tests.

OPINIONS

I started wearing a mask inside the dorm. I usually wear a mask outside as well just to be extra cautious.”

On Sept. 11, the FDA approved an updated vaccine for COVID-19 in an effort to fight new strains of the virus and better protect against serious consequences, such as hospitalization and death. On Sept. 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Biden-Harris Administration invested $600 million in 12 domestic COVID-19 test manufacturers, along with reinstating COVIDTests.gov to deliver free COVID-19 tests to U.S. households. On Friday, Sept. 29, AP News reported that about 2 million people have received the vaccine since the approval.

As for the Virginia Tech community, the university suggests visiting Vaccinate Virginia to find vaccination sites to receive the new vaccine.

@COLLEGIATETIMES

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL FOR DECREASING ANXIETY

Jenna Mason | opinions contributor

Engaging in extracurricular activities can help mitigate feelings of anxiety among students.

According to an article written by BestColleges.com, 77% of college students experience some kind of psychological distress at one point during their time at school. There are many factors that contribute to the distress that college students experience, one in particular being anxiety. Anxiety comes in many different forms. For example, there’s social anxiety, generalized anxiety and test anxiety. A question that college students may ask themselves is, “How can I deal with my anxiety?” A great answer to this question

is a very simple solution that involves a little bit of courage — getting involved in extracurricular activities.

Getting involved is a great way to lessen the amount of anxiety students are experiencing while on campus. The main reason involvement decreases anxiety is because it leads students to new friends who share similar interests. Being surrounded by new people is a way for students to connect with one another, whether that connection is through clubs, sports or Greek life.

Studies conducted by the CDC have shown that human connections are important for not only living longer but also mental health. People are naturally social beings — we enjoy expressing emotions, embracing loved ones and even find comfort in the mere presence of one another. The impact that anxiety can have on students is very real; it can affect their grades, attendance and happiness. It’s important for students to understand that they don’t have to be alone for what they might be going through.

Deimos Provell, a junior studying political science, describes his experiences with anxiety during his first year of college.

“I definitely had some anxiety, but it wasn’t anything specific,” said Provell. “It was obviously the ‘freshman blues’ type of thing, you know, hard to adjust to an entirely new place. I’m an out-of-state student, I live 10 hours away, so coming to somewhere entirely new was very anxiety inducing.”

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Provell goes on to explain why he wanted to get involved so early on and why being with a student organization is so important for mitigating anxiety.

“Right off the bat, I knew I wanted to do something in college,” said Provell. “Above all else, I wanted to make friends. You know, obviously I was going to meet people in my classes and I was going to get close with my roommates, but I wanted to have, like, one common denominator with people. So, that’s why I was wanting to join a student org.”

A simple skill to combat anxiety is taking the time to get involved in different activities around campus. It’s extremely easy at Virginia Tech, given the wide range of Greek life, clubs and recreational sports. There are around 800 clubs and student organizations at Virginia Tech. These organizations range from academic-based all the way to service and charity-based. There truly is a club and space for every student to feel like they belong. Virginia Tech also makes it easy for students to be able to join an organization they’re interested in. There are programs, websites and events for students to learn about a handful of the organizations that are offered at Virginia Tech. Some of these include Student Engagement and Campus Life, GobblerConnect and Gobblerfest.

Student involvement also decreases levels of anxiety because smaller organizations give students a more secure place within the large college campus. Being in a smaller group of people that students can meet with every so often makes college life a little bit more routine and easier for students to actually adjust to college life.

Although involvement on campus life is a way to decrease anxiety, it could also be a factor of anxiety in the beginning. Some students may find it difficult or anxiety-inducing to put themselves out there to join organizations that they’re interested in. Even though it may be scary for some students at first, in the end, once they find their people and niche that they enjoy, it can really help them find a place to fit in.

For students who aren’t interested in joining student organizations, Provell explains that there are numerous ways to deal with anxiety while on campus. Whether managing anxiety may be talking to someone through the Cook Counseling Center or even a Residential Advisor, there are multiple resources available to students.

“I’d say, above all else, be open about (anxiety),” said Provell. “Find someone you

can talk to whether it be an RA, your friends or your therapist. Just have someone to get those feelings out to. I think, at least for me, keeping it to yourself and letting it fester makes it so much worse.”

Anxiety is one of the biggest challenges that college students struggle with on a regular basis. Students should try to decrease the levels of their anxiety and make the most of their time at college by getting involved with the variety of activities and organizations they find interesting. They’ll not only make some of the best memories, but they may also experience less anxiety, which can lead to an increase in overall happiness and improved academic performance. For all the students out there who are struggling with anxiety, consider taking a leap of faith to try something new, because it may change your lives for the better.

LIFESTYLES A HOW-TO GUIDE: GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

Janiya Lewis | lifestyles contributor

Applying to grad school can widen students’ skill sets and increase career opportunities.

The highly rigorous process of applying to graduate school can bring fear and anxiety within students for what the future holds. Graduate school is a way to explore post-undergraduate studies that focus on more specific topics of your desired field. It gives students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what they are passionate about.

It’s important to thoroughly reflect on why you’re choosing to attend graduate school, because it requires a significant amount of money and time. Working while attending classes is commonly discouraged, because grad students are expected to prioritize their heavy workloads. Applying and choosing to attend requires all of your commitment, dedication and attention.

However, potential employers may take notice of your completion of grad school, and it could mean an increased salary. Further education often makes a candidate for a job more appealing to the employer.

Here are steps to follow before applying:

1. Find the desired program that you want to pursue. Virginia Tech offers four degree programs:

• A traditional graduate degree

• A certificate

• The accelerated Masters program

• An interdisciplinary graduate program

After choosing your program path, it is

important to check the graduate catalog for the individual requirements that need to be met and the upcoming deadlines.

2. Check for key deadlines for both graduate school and departmental deadlines. Time is crucial, and time management is critical in the process. Make time to meet the deadlines in a timely manner because each one differs from other departments, and it’s important to keep up with the process.

3. Check for application fee waivers. Application fee waivers allow applicants to apply to grad school without paying the application fee. The application fee for degreeseeking applicants is a non-refundable $75 fee, and non-degree applicants and former students who want to enroll again pay a non-refundable $25 fee. More information about who can receive application fee waivers and the qualifications can be found on the grad school application fees website.

4. Ask trusted individuals to provide letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are required for the application process and play a big role in your acceptance because they are able to demonstrate your skills and qualifications while having someone verify and vouch for your work ethic. The letters would boost your chances of admission with your strengths being highlighted by a third party. Figure out who you want to ask and how you’re going to ask them.

Your list of potential references could include previous professors that you’ve had academic experience with, employers who are in the same field of work or related to your desired program, or a professional colleague. More information and helpful YouTube videos on recruitment and admissions can be found on the aforementioned website.

After successfully preparing to apply, you are ready to apply for the real application.

Here are the steps to the application process:

1. Prepare your transcripts. It is mandatory to include a scanned copy of your transcripts. An official copy of them should then be sent to Virginia Tech. More information about transcripts can be found on the transcript website.

2. If your desired department requires letters of recommendation from your chosen references, then list the letter writers’ email addresses in the online application. There is also the option to have your references send paper copies of their letters to your desired department.

3. The graduate school does not require students to take an entrance test. However, please check to see if your desired department requires you to submit GRE, GMAT or subject tests with your application. For more information

about the testing agency submitting official scores and the testing requirements, go on the main website and the testing requirements page to find the correct process. For international applicants, you may be required to submit TOEFL scores, and more information for non-U.S. citizens or non-U.S. permanent residents can be found on the testing requirements page.

4. To find out additional information about the process for applying as an international student wanting to seek F-1 or J-1 status or applying as an international student in general, visit the “applying as an international student” section of the grad school website.

5. Submit the application online through the Virginia Tech Graduate School Application Management. You should also be able to track the progress of your application.

Graduate school is a beneficial choice in a student’s academic career because it provides a wider skill set and even more career opportunities. The valuable professional experience that will be gained from obtaining a graduate degree can help students advance drastically in their careers. It is an enhancement to your professional network and jumpstarts your career early.

A PEEK INTO A PH.D. PROGRAM

Emelia Delaporte | lifestyles assistant editor

For those getting ready to pursue a master’s degree, know that there is an opportunity to further your program of study. It might include a doctoral degree.

There are a number of reasons to pursue a doctorate beyond the prestige of sticking ‘Ph.D.’ after your email signature. Maybe you found a new interest during your master’s, or it’s a requirement for a job or you just love

learning so much you’re not ready to leave school.

While pursuing a doctorate can sound intimidating, for some undergraduates it may only be a few years away. One current Ph.D. candidate from Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment spoke to the Collegiate Times about her experience finding and being in her program.

“I work with bats, specifically with tricolored and northern long eared bats throughout the southeast,” said Rachael Green, pursuing a Ph.D. in fish and wildlife conservation. “I’m doing bioacoustics work so we have acoustic detectors that I’m going to set up all the way from basically here down to Florida over to Texas and back.”

Green’s research focuses on bat

populations on the east coast as affected by white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease. Green explains that typically, bat populations are examined through use of mist nets — a strong, fine net hoisted between two poles — but that populations are in such decline that it is no longer an

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effective method. Now, in order to figure out how many there are and where they’re located, Green is using acoustic monitoring.

“You can put these little microphones in the woods. It will listen for ultrasonic waves and just come on at night. Any species of bat that is flying near that microphones, it is going to record it,” Green said. “Bats are just like birds where each species has a specific call, so once that microphone records it we can run it through software and it can tell us who all was flying by that microphone that night and figure out kind of the composition of the bat population in that area.”

Green began her Ph.D. program in April, after having been away from the university for a year after completing her master’s at Virginia Tech. She expects the program to take three to four years.

“I feel like there’s a lot of people who’ve kind of meandered and I’ve definitely meandered a lot,” Green said. “I think in general I’m really excited just to be outside and to work with wildlife.”

It was a winding road that led Green to

working with bats. In the year between finishing her master’s and beginning her doctorate, she worked with African wild dogs in South Africa and ‘Ua’u, also known as the Hawaiian petrel, in Hawaii. Green has also worked with sea turtles.

Green’s doctoral advisor is Dr. Mark Ford, who is the Unit Leader of the U.S. Geological Survey Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit. The funding for Green’s project comes from the U.S. Geological Survey and from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“When I was in Hawaii working with seabirds, I reached out to (Ford) for a technician position. It has turned into a Ph.D. kind of unexpectedly but a very good unexpected, I’d say,” Green said. “My time in Hawaii was coming up and I was trying to find the next tech job, as one does, in advance. I had just reached out to him seeing if he needed a technician for the summer and he was like, ‘I don’t need a technician but I have funding for a Ph.D. project.’”

The admissions process is not as straightforward as applying to an undergraduate degree. For doctoral research programs like fish and wildlife conservation, prospective

students hunt for professors offering open positions in a lab. If a position sparks their interest, they can reach out to the professor to attempt to secure the position on the project

“They’ll kind of have an outline but maybe it’s not fully formed yet, because that’s the great thing about grad school. You get to work with the professor to kind of make it your own project,” Green said. “When you’re applying to grad school, you’re really applying to that professor to work in their lab on that specific project.”

Once a professor selects a Ph.D. candidate for their lab, the prospective student still has to complete a formal application to the university.

“Usually if a professor wants you, and you’ve already gone through the application process and they’ve chosen you, it’s kind of a formality,” Green said. “Really they do put trust in the professor.”

Green recommends technician positions as a precursor to a doctoral degree. She teched for Ford after completing her master’s degree, a year before beginning to study in his lab.

“They’re so valuable for so many reasons. Obviously, you get experience

working with a bunch of different species and learning a bunch of different field techniques, finding out what type of fieldwork is something you’re interested in but also all the connections you make,” Green said. “I feel like building those connections or kind of having a network of people is so valuable.”

Green’s fieldwork takes place in the fall and winter, and she’ll be leaving soon for that road trip from Blacksburg to Florida, to Texas, and back.

“It’s going to be a fun road trip.”

WAKE FOREST’S SECOND-HALF GOALS RALLY PAST HOKIES WOMEN’S SOCCER

Connor Mardian | SPORTS staff writer

Virginia Tech women’s soccer dropped their second ACC game of the year in a 2–0 loss against No. 25 Wake Forest.

Friday night proved frustrating for the Hokies, as Tech could not muster a single shot on goal throughout the 90 minutes of play. The Hokies’ only consistent way of breaking down the Deacs was repeated attacks down the right-hand side.

“I think there is some space for us to find and we got Sam Deguzman out there,” said Hokies head coach Charles Adair. “She’s usually pretty dangerous and you know, (when) she’s in that space and we’d like to try to take advantage of those opportunities.”

While much of the first half lacked action, as time wore on and the Hokies settled in, they began to look more confident. One continuous thorn for the Hokies though was their inability to break the press.

Their zero shots on goal tell a much bigger story than just the front line’s lack of creativity in the final third. A big reason the Hokies could not advance the ball was because they were often swarmed in their own third. They were forced to rely on goalkeeper Alia Skinner to play long balls from her box, which would often stray out of bounds.

Wake Forest would pick up on this and not let their foot off the gas. Heading into the second half, the Hokies’ brick

wall defense would eventually crack 15 minutes in. Then, Caiya Hanks scored for Wake, following the Hokies being switched off of a shot that rattled off the crossbar straight to the head of Hanks.

“It was kind of some first goal was a little bit of a fluke is just not a defensive shape thing,” Skinner said. “It’s just kind of a little nick on a header and I think that’s just unfortunate.”

Unfortunately for the Hokies, things did not improve much. Tech’s offense and midfield fell flat as they were forced to play more recklessly while chasing the tying goal in the dying embers of the match.

As the clock read just over six minutes to go, Hokie fullback Eden Skyers was

caught by a sudden two-Deacon press. Emily Murphy, who originally scooped the ball from Skyers, finished the game off as her shot glided by the outstretched right foot of Skinner.

For the Hokies, although their night was ultimately filled with frustration, they can tip a lot of that pain to an unfortunate first goal that just took the game out of reach. Up next for the Maroon and Orange is N.C. State, as the Hokies will look to go above .500 in ACC play next Thursday at 8 p.m. on Thompson Field.

@CTSPORTSTALK

MEN’S SOCCER FALLS TO CLEMSON, 2–1, IN THE FINAL SECONDS

Virginia Tech (3-3-3, 2-1-1 ACC) men’s soccer lost in disheartening fashion on Friday night, 2–1, as Clemson (6-3-1, 2-2) was able to pull away with a winner in the final minute.

The game was even throughout the first half, with lots of possession and shots going to both sides. Clemson’s Nathan Richmond opened up the scoring in the 30th minute after a great through ball from Ousmane Sylla gave Richmond a clear look on goal.

Giving up goals late in the first half was something the Hokies had seemingly patched up in recent weeks, but the Tigers carved up the defense to give them a 1–0 lead heading into halftime.

Coming out of the gates, the Hokies were looking to even the score early on

Luke Evans | SPORTS staff writer

Ousmane Sylla scored the game-winning goal in the 90th minute.

to give themselves a chance to get the win.

Stepping up for Virginia Tech was sophomore Misei Yoshizawa, who scored his first goal of the season in the most beautiful way possible. Senior Mayola Kinyua gathered the ball on the far left-hand side of the field and sent in a slow, arching cross. Yoshizawa attacked the ball, settled it with his chest, and sent home a leftfooted volley to even the score with 20 minutes to play.

The two teams then took their turns on offense, with neither getting a goal until the final 10 seconds. With the clock ticking down under eight seconds, Clemson sent in a corner kick. It bounced around multiple Hokies defenders until it made its way to Clemson’s Sylla, who laced the ball to the far corner post. The

ball bounced off the post and went to the left corner of the goal.

Fans were cheering, the commentators were stunned, but the Hokies were in disbelief. They played a close game all night and lost devastatingly.

Virginia Tech will look to bounce back from this tough blow on Oct. 6, when they take on Pitt in Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.

Tech did not record a shot on goal in the match. @CTSPORTSTALK

DRONES’ BREAKOUT NIGHT LEADS FOOTBALL TO VICTORY OVER PITT

Sam Mostow | sports editor

The Hokies won their first ACC game of the season.

Kyron Drones totaled five touchdowns, thrusting Virginia Tech into their first Power 5 win in 385 days and defeating Pitt, 38–21.

Drones passed for 228 yards and gained 86 more on the ground. His rushing, along with running back Bhayshul Tuten’s 109 yards, supported a run offense that struggled mightily in the Hokies’ first four games of the season. Much of Tech’s success came on the read option, where Drones could either hand the ball off or run it himself; at times, Pitt had trouble determining who had the ball.

Tech (2–3, 1–0 ACC) totaled 200 rushing yards on Saturday, excluding their kneel-down to expire the clock, countering the Panthers’ (1–4, 0–2 ACC) 38 yards rushing.

The Hokies’ point total was the most they’ve scored during head coach Brent Pry’s tenure. During Pry’s two seasons in Blacksburg, Saturday marked their second win against an ACC opponent. Their only other conference win was against Boston College on Sept. 10, 2022, Pry’s first game in Lane Stadium.

Their nine consecutive losses to other Power 5 teams was the longest streak in the country.

“Obviously it means a lot, just being 1–0 this week,” Pry said. “It’s good to get a win. To me, the talking point is (we won) over a good program that has won an ACC championship. (They’ve) done good things, and played great defense, and (have) pride in running the ball, and pride in being physical. I thought we matched all of those things tonight and then some.”

The Panthers tightened the game in the third quarter. With Tech leading 21–7, Drones scrambled for 10 yards into the end zone, although he drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play.

The penalty caused the Hokies to kick off from their own 20-yard line rather than the 35. Kicker Kyle Lowe’s boot went 71 yards, which would have been a touchback under normal circumstances. Instead, returner Kenny Johnson provided the Panthers with strong field position, leading to running back C’Bo Flemister catching a screen pass one play later and running 61 yards into the end zone.

On the first play of Tech’s next possession, Drones fumbled, and Pitt linebacker Braylan Lovelace picked up the ball and ran for a touchdown.

Within 55 seconds, the Hokies’ 28–7 lead diminished to a one-score game.

“The fumble really hurt me because I was throwing (the ball) out of bounds and it just slipped out of my hand,” Drones said.

Despite the miscues, Pry’s confidence in his quarterback never wavered.

“It was just one play,” Pry said. “You’ve got to put that one behind you and get onto the next series, one play at a time.”

Aside from a few big-yardage plays, Virginia Tech’s defense shut down Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec and his offense. Pitt’s offensive success largely came from two plays: a Bub Means 75-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter and Flemister’s screen pass reception for a

score.

Jurkovec completed 11 of his 22 passing attempts for 235 passing yards and two touchdown passes. On Jurkovec’s 20 attempts that didn’t end in a touchdown, he threw for 99 yards.

On the ground, Flemister led the Panthers with 41 yards. Running back Rodney Hammond Jr. finished the game with 18.

“To slow down their run game was great,” said Hokies defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland. “In my opinion, we were very physical with them.”

Wide receiver Da’Quan Felton finished with 81 receiving yards and a 54-yard touchdown reception, while Jaylin Lane had 64 yards and a 53-yard touchdown of his own.

“A supporting cast is pretty important,” Pry said, “I think tonight was a great

example, from Bhayshul to (running back) Malachi (Thomas), to (tight end) Dae’Quan Wright to Lane, to (wide receiver) Steve Gosnell to Da’Quan Felton — there’s just players spread out throughout the offense. Not to mention the runs that Kyron had and the throws he had, that certainly made a difference.”

Next week, the Hokies will travel to Tallahassee, Florida, to compete against No. 5 Florida State (4–0, 2–0 ACC). Although Tech showed signs of growth in year two of their rebuild on Saturday and in previous weeks, next week’s matchup will be their most difficult challenge in the Brent Pry era.

MADDY DJURIC / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Kyron Drones (1) celebrates after scoring, Sept. 30, 2023.