By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
A former Cleveland Cavalier and Radford University basketball player is on the move.
Wing Javonte Green is joining the Detroit Pistons on a one-year contract. Green signed with the Cavs in February after agreeing to a contract buyout with the New Orleans Pelicans. He became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
With the Cavs, Green appeared in 18 regular-season games and six playoff games. He averaged 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals and 9.2 minutes in the regular season and 2.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 6.5 minutes in the postseason.
Romans named new RU coach
The Radford University baseball program announced Thursday that prestigious recruiter Brandon Romans has joined the program as Associate Head Coach for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Throughout his 16 seasons coaching on the collegiate scene, Romans has showcased a wealth of baseball excellence at every level. Overall, teams that Romans have coached have seen 5 championships, 70 MLB Draft picks, 10 players that made MLB debuts, 13 All-Americans, 70 all-conference selections, 3 Players of the Year and over 500 victories.
Romans joins the Highlanders after spending the last two seasons with the Pitt baseball program as an assistant coach recruiting coordinator working primarily with hitters, outfielders and leading the Panthers’ recruiting efforts. In year one, multiple Panthers achieved career highs at the plate as the program scored their most runs (382) and second-highest batting average (.282) since 2013.
New era coming to Salem
The Salem Red Sox have officially finalized their new team identity, and fans can expect a full reveal following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Earlier this year, the club announced plans for a rebrand—an exciting step into the future of professional baseball in the Roanoke Valley. Since that announcement, the team has been hard at work gathering input from those who matter most: the fans and the community. Through fan-submitted ideas and inspiration, local collaboration, stakeholder conversation and a spirited Season Ticket Member town hall, the organization builds a new brand that captures the magic of Minor League Baseball, the personality of the region it calls home—along with the grit, toughness, and heart of the players.
While the name and look will change, the club will remain proudly affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.
Men’s soccer coach
Virginia Tech head coach Mike Brizendine announced the addition of Justin Morton to the men’s soccer staff as the program’s director of operations Thursday morning. Morton, a veteran of the coaching ranks, brings a wealth of experience both on collegiate campuses and in youth club soccer.
Morton will be responsible for all day-to-day operations of the program including scheduling, managing the budget and coordinating team travel. Additionally, he will be the program’s liaison with key external groups like the marketing and communications offices and program alumni.
He comes to Tech after most recently serving as district sales manager for Magid Glove and Safety in Charlotte where he managed accounts for the industrial manufacturing industry with sales of PPE gloves made in-house by Magid.
Prior to Magid, Morton had held several head coaching roles. He coached at Charlotte Soccer Academy for two seasons with the U11 King Boys where the team competed at the NCYSA Classic Level and had winning records both seasons. They also competed at the Champions Coast Spring Classic and placed as runner-up in the NCYSA Fall League and Great Clips Independence Cup.
Previously, he held head and assistant coach roles at Bluefield University where they competed in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
Tech Talk Live returns
The Virginia Tech football team kicks off its 2025 season in Atlanta, and the Virginia Tech Sports Network has you covered with the return of Tech Talk Live! your go-to source for Hokie insight and interviews leading up to the pivotal matchup against South Carolina.
The iconic show, hosted by Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop, features in-depth conversations with Virginia Tech players and coaches. It will return to McClain’s at First & Main on Thursday nights from 7–8 p.m. ET throughout the season. The first show of the year will debut on Thursday, August 21, and feature fourth-year head coach Brent Pry.
Fans can listen live on the HokieSports mobile app, HokieSports.com, or on the 40 radio affiliates across the Commonwealth.
Tech Talk Live! will hit the road for a special edition live from The Tabernacle in Atlanta on Saturday, August 30, the night before the season opener. This show will air from 7:30–8:30 p.m. ET across the Virginia Tech Sports Network.
Santos at Pan Am games
Virginia Tech’s Emily Santos won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the Junior Pan American Games on Sunday night.
Santos’ won the 100m breaststroke championship with her time of 1:08.44 – a new Panama National record and Junior Pan American Games record.
The Panama City, Panama, native broke the Junior Pan American Games record in the 100m prelims Sunday morning. Her then-record breaking time of 1:08.55 earned her the No. 1 seed heading into the finals.
Santos, along with Nichelly Lysy (Brazil) and incoming Hokies Diego Aranda (Uruguay), Isabela Budnick (Colombia) and Javier Nunez (Dominican Republic) continue competing at the Junior Pan American Games (Aug. 10-14) in Asuncióm, Paraguay.
Nine Hokies all-Americans
Nine Virginia Tech softball players have been named Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes: Kylie Aldridge, Lyla Blackwell, Sophie Kleiman, Emma Lemley, Jordan Lynch, Trinity Martin, Cori McMillan, Sara McNelly and Annika Rohs.
Athletes honored as Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes earned a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for the 2024-25 year. A total of 2,544 NCAA Division I athletes earned Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes.
