Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The 2026 East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) champion Towson University cleaned up in the yearly awards, taking home four honors for student-athletes, including Christiansburg native Adriana Hoffman who notched EAGL Specialist of the Year.
Hoffman is Towson’s first-ever EAGL Specialist of the Year with the award starting in 2020.
The senior was one of only two athletes to rank in the top three in the league in two events: vault and floor, the lone two events Hoffman competes in. Hoffman earned a 9.8-plus score 16 times, having over a 9.825 qualifying score in each vault and floor to earn First Team All-EAGL in each.
Tech golf course work
The on-campus nine-hole golf course will undergo several minor modifications this spring.
Beginning April 6, golfers can expect a few temporary changes to the course layout. Hole One will be shortened, and Hole Nine will be temporarily closed while a new green is constructed. Hole Nine will reopen once renovations are complete.
To thank golfers for their patience during this brief construction period, all greens fees will be discounted by $2 starting April 6.
Hokies player of week honors
Following No. 12 Virginia Tech’s dominant sweep at Boston College, Jordan Lynch has been named ACC Player of the Week while Emma Mazzarone was tabbed ACC Pitcher of the Week.
Mazzarone garnered back-to-back honors as she won ACC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in her career on March 24. This is the first ACC weekly honor for Lynch.
Lynch paved the way for the Hokies offensively at Boston College. Over three starts, the sophomore hit .583 and drove in a team-leading 10 RBIs. She hit three home runs and recorded the second multi-home run game of her career in Tech’s 11-0 run-rule win in the series opener.
Slugging 1.500 on the weekend, Lynch tied her career-high five RBIs in the game one win, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and two runs scored. In the Hokies’ second game of the Friday double header, Lynch went 2-for-4 again with two runs scored. The Rising Sun, Md., native capped off the weekend with a 3-for-4 performance with one home run and two doubles.
Lynch struck out zero times over the three run-rule victories. She currently leads the Hokies with a .479 batting average, 11 home runs, four triples and 13 doubles. Lynch has started all 35 games at third base.
ESPN re-signs Radford U alum
ESPN has re-signed multifaceted reporter and host Marty Smith to a multi-year extension. A beloved on-air personality, the Giles County native and Radford University alum will continue to work on a variety of properties, including college football, golf, the NFL Draft, and much more, in addition to co-hosting SEC Network’s “Marty & McGee” alongside Ryan McGee on Saturday mornings. Smith will play a pivotal reporting role in ESPN’s upcoming Master’s coverage, bringing his signature storytelling to Augusta.
A fixture in ESPN’s storytelling, Smith will continue to report and contribute features across high-profile studio shows, including College GameDay, SportsCenter and SEC Nation, as well as championship events like the College Football Playoff.
Wenzel honored by WBCA
Virginia Tech women’s basketball guard Carleigh Wenzel was named a WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America honorable mention, as announced by the association Thursday afternoon.
Wenzel’s recognition places her among the top players in the country, as selected by coaches across NCAA Division I women’s basketball. The honor caps a stellar season in which she played a pivotal role in leading the Hokies to success on the national stage. The guard adds to her postseason honors after earning All-ACC Second Team recognition in March.
A dynamic and consistent presence, Wenzel averaged 15.1 points, a team best, while adding 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. She also shot 33.3 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 76.8 percent at the free throw line, showcasing her scoring versatility. Wenzel reached double figures in 25 games this season, including seven 20-point performances, and recorded nine games with five or more assists.
In ACC play, Wenzel elevated her performance, averaging 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 three-pointers per game against some of the nation’s top competition.
