Marion’s new baseball minor league, summer league wooden bat team will be known as the “Hungry Mothers,” in reference to the local state park.
Marty Gordon
Marion’s new summer collegiate baseball team will play under a moniker that will be familiar to locals, albeit a bit unusual for a baseball team name.
The Marion Hungry Mothers are preparing for their inaugural 2025 season to begin on Memorial Day, May 26. The team’s primary colors are red, black and white with the team mascot, an awakened and angry-looking mama bear, figuring prominently in the branding.
The Hungry Mothers, owned by Marion Baseball Club LLC, will compete against some of the best summer collegiate wood bat teams in the Southeast, with marquee matchups set with the Boone Bigfoots of the Coastal Plain League; new rival teams, the Carolina Disco Turkeys and Uwharrie Wampus Cats, established clubs out of North Carolina; and arguably the top two Southern Collegiate Baseball League programs, the Mooresville Spinners and Queen City Corndogs; along with several other teams. They’ll play close to 40 games overall this season, winding down in late July, and will be playing all 20 of their home games at Marion’s Hurricane Stadium, a historic former minor league stadium that currently also sees high school baseball and football action during the school year. The team’s full schedule, along with the team’s new website and ticket platform will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The Hungry Mothers bring back high-level baseball to a town and region that is a grizzled veteran with the sport. Affiliated baseball got its start at Hurricane Stadium in 1955 with the Welch/Marion A’s and the Marion Mets more famously played at the stadium from 1965-76 with a roster in 1965 that included future MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Changes to Hokie staff
Virginia Tech men’s basketball head coach Mike Young announced updates to his staff Friday, as assistant coach Christian Webster and recruiting coordinator Blake Wetherington will not return for the 2025-26 season.
Webster was initially hired by former Tech head coach Buzz Williams in 2016 and wrapped up his ninth season with the Hokies in 2024-25. Wetherington joined Young’s staff last July.
Szefc’s 600th win
Scoring the first 10 runs of Sunday’s series finale, the Virginia Tech baseball team was able to coast to its first ranked series victory since 2023 as the Hokies downed No. 16 Louisville, 11-4, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park, earning John Szefc his 600th career head coaching victory.
Through 20 head coaching seasons (eight at Virginia Tech), Szefc has led his programs to the combined .590 career winning percentage, comprised of 212 victories at Marist (1996-2002), 180 wins at Maryland (2013-17) and now 208 triumphs in Blacksburg. To date, his head coaching ledger includes 13 seasons of 30-plus wins (including four 40-win campaigns) and eight NCAA tournament appearances leading to three Super Regional berths.
Hokie shines at NCAA’s
Carmen Weiler Sastre had a standout week at NCAA Championships, bringing home two First-Team All-American finishes and three school records.
Weiler Sastre competed on Friday in the 100 backstroke, advancing to finals with a new school record time of 50.29. In finals, she earned eighth place overall with a time of 50.75.
On Saturday, Weiler Sastre posted a 1:50.22 in the 200 backstroke prelims. She recorded a fifth-place finish in finals, locking in a new school record time of 1:49.22 and First-Team All-American honors. As the 400 free relay team leadoff, Weiler Sastre set her second school record of the day in the 100 free (47.49).
Emma Atkinson represented the Hokies in the 200 freestyle (1:45.67), 100 backstroke (52.39) and 200 backstroke (1:55.55). Emily Claesson competed in the 50 freestyle (22.18) alongside Weiler Sastre, and the 100 freestyle (48.08).
Weiler Sastre, Atkinson, Claesson and Chiara Klein kicked the week of with a 14th-place finish in the 800 free relay (6:59.67), earning Honorable Mention All-American.
New VHSL director
The Virginia High School League Executive Committee has announced VHSL Assistant Director of Compliance Ty Gafford as its next executive director. Gafford brings 30 years of leadership and education experience to the VHSL. His new position will be effective July 1, 2025. He will replace Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun, Ed.D., retiring effective June 30, 2025, after having served nine years with the League as executive director, a period that has seen tremendous growth for the League.
The selection was made after a comprehensive national search and selection process.
Gafford has extensive experience at every level within the VHSL. He is currently the VHSL Assistant Director of Compliance, which has given him the opportunity to work with League membership. His previous experience includes serving as a high school principal, assistant principal, history teacher, and boys and girls basketball coach. Additionally, Gafford participated in basketball as a student-athlete at Appomattox County High School.
