Marty Gordon
In a joint announcement made Thursday, the Virginia Tech baseball team has agreed with James Madison to swap the respective locations of the teams’ two 2025 regular season games, declaring new game dates and times for the two programs.
Under the new schedule, Virginia Tech will now host James Madison Wednesday, Feb. 26, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch between the Hokies and the Dukes is scheduled for 3 p.m. with the game airing live on ACC Network Extra.
Additionally, the two programs have agreed to flip the location of their previously scheduled game on Tuesday, Mar. 11, moving it to Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg. First pitch on Mar. 11 has been moved to 4 p.m.
Auburn third in state
The Basketball Coaches of Association was formed this past year and is publishing its own Top 10 boys and basketball teams for each classification in Virginia.
Auburn is ranked third in Class 1 for the boys division with George Wythe #1 and Patrick Henry-Glade Spring second. George Wythe is also the state’s top girls’ team.
In Class 2 boys, Floyd is #5 and Glenvar #7. John Marshall is #1.
The Carroll County boys’ team is ranked eighth in this week’s Class 3 state listing.
The Salem girls’ team is ranked sixth in Class 4, and the school’s boys are tied for #8.
Former Highlander, Blue Demon to coach
Radford University and Christiansburg High School softball standout Kyndall Stanley has been named an assistant varsity softball coach at Radford High School. Stanley played outfield at RU from 2021 to 2023. She was a four-year starter at Christiansburg, where she hit .448 with a .477 on-base percentage.
Stanley was a two-time all-region and three-times all-River Ridge District. She was named second team all-state for her senior season.
Hudgins to E&H
Blacksburg softball player Aubrey Hudgins has changed directions for future playing home. This past week, she announced her career will continue at Emory and Henry. Earlier, she had committed to East Tennessee State.
At Blacksburg, Hudgins started at second base for both her freshman and sophomore years. Last season, she helped lead the team to the River Ridge District title, while hitting .342 at the plate with a fielding percentage of .950, being named second team All-River Ridge.
Former Highlander signs deal
Javonte Green has agreed to a contract buyout with the New Orleans Pelicans and intends to sign with the Eastern Conference-leading Cavs after clearing waivers.
The former Radford University men’s basketball standout has appeared in 50 games and started 18 this season, all with the Pelicans (13-42). He’s averaging 5.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.1 steals. He’s shooting 44.6% from the field (35.2% on 3-pointers).
Hokie signs pro contract
Former Hokie women’s soccer standout Mikki Easter has inked her first professional contract with FC Pinzgau Saalfelden in the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, the second league competition for women’s soccer in Germany and Austria.
Easter appeared in three games for the Hokies in 2024 and posted her first win in a Tech uniform in a 1-0 win over Loyola Maryland on August 29. She played a season-high 45 minutes in the Hokies’ season-opening win against Campbell in her graduate season.
Prior to Virginia Tech, Easter spent four seasons with the Marquette Golden Eagles, starting in 44 of her 45 appearances.
Big South baseball on ESPN
Big South baseball and softball will receive national television exposure on ESPNU this spring when the network broadcasts the Saturday, April 5 USC Upstate at High Point baseball game at 6:30 p.m., as well as the Sunday, April 27 Longwood at USC Upstate softball contest at 3 p.m. The telecasts will mark the 20th baseball broadcast on ESPNU as well as the 18th consecutive season Big South softball will be televised on a linear network.
The Upstate-High Point baseball broadcast marks the second consecutive Big South regular-season appearance on the linear network and 12th overall.
Kinneberg returning to Pulaski
Manager Bill Kinneberg is returning to the helm of the Pulaski River Turtles as the organization embarks on its fifth season of competition in the Appalachian League.
2025 will mark Kinneberg’s third season in the Appalachian League. Kinneberg led the River Turtles to a third-place finish in the East Division in his first season managing the team last year after he captained the Bristol State Liners in 2023.
Regarded as one of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the University of Utah’s baseball program, Kinneberg amassed 381 wins, two NCAA Tournament appearances, one Mountain West tournament championship and one Pac-12 conference title during his 18-year career (1996, 2005-21). Kinneberg received the Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year award in 2016. He retired from full-time coaching following Utah’s 2021 season. Head coaching stints at UTEP (1985) and Wyoming (1986-92) preceded his tenure at Utah.
Baseball back in Marion
A summer-league baseball collegiate team will call Marion home. The Marion Baseball Club will be a part of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. Known as the SCBL and “The Southern Cape,” the league was founded back in 1999 and has had over 100 alumni go on to play professional baseball.
The league is a non-profit and is partially funded by MLB. The teams play 30-game league schedules this summer, followed by a league tournament. Teams in the league also send top prospects to a showcase at Liberty University in June to play in front of several pro scouts.
The SCBL is part of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball, a group of summer leagues which also includes the prestigious Cape Cod League and Valley League.
One of the SCBL teams, the Winston-Salem Disco Turkeys, will play the Pulaski River Turtles to help raise money to benefit charity.
The exhibition contest marks a historic first for the River Turtles organization. Not only will the event mark the River Turtles’ first pre-season game since its inception in 2021, but it will also be the first game ever played against an opponent not affiliated with the Appalachian League.
Lady Hokies highest ranking
The Hokies earned their highest team ranking in team history as they sit at No. 27 in the ITA College Tennis Rankings heading into conference play this weekend.
Previously, the highest ranking for Virginia Tech women’s tennis was No. 29 in the poll released on Mar. 8, 2016.
The Hokies are on a nine-game winning streak as they get ready to open conference play at home.
Tech’s season has been highlighted by outstanding play in doubles and multiple Hokies stepping up across the board in singles. As a team, Tech has not dropped the doubles point since their opening match of the season against Duke.
Charlotte Cartledge and Özlem Uslu have been dominant on Court 1 for the Hokies. The duo moved up to No. 51 in the country this week, a jump from No. 67 prior.