Virginia Tech Hokies News: Football opener, ACC expansion & more

Things are going to start to heat up for the Virginia Tech athletic programs. Soccer and volleyball kicked off their seasons last month and now football will put the ball into the air Saturday night at Lane Stadium against Old Dominion to begin the 2023 season.

In this edition of Virginia Tech Hokies news, the football game is officially sold out, the women’s soccer team battled to their second tie of the season Thursday night.

Virginia Tech sells out the opener against Old Dominion

Virginia Tech announced that they have sold out Lane Stadium for the opener against the Old Dominion Monarchs on Saturday night.

“I wasn’t surprised when I saw that posted today, we have the greatest fans in America,” said football coach Brent Pry. “I thank them for doing that, for selling out this game, it’s Saturday night to start the season. All of us couldn’t be more excited, more thrilled. It’s a shoutout to the fans for sure, for selling this game out and packing it in. It’s going to be a great atmosphere for college football.”

It’s just Pry’s second season, but this game is a big one for the Hokies. They are coming off of a 3-8 season and looking for revenge for a 20-17 season-opening loss last season to the Monarchs. This is a season-tone setter for Virginia Tech, which is a big favorite.

Women’s soccer ties Old Dominion

The Hokies women’s soccer team returned home after suffering their first loss of the season Sunday against 20th-ranked Georgetown to host Old Dominion 48 hours before the football team hosts the Monarchs.

Tech and ODU battled to a 0-0 tie where both teams had some opportunities. Both teams finished with 11 shots, with the Hokies landing six on net and the Monarchs four. It was the second scoreless draw this season for Virginia Tech and keeper Alia Skinner’s fourth clean sheet in five games. The Hokies are 2-1-2 on the season.

ACC Presidents and Chancellors to meet on expansion

The Atlantic Coast Conference presidents and chancellors are scheduled to have a phone call Friday morning to discuss expansion yet again. Where the talks go is anyone’s guess, but California, Stanford, and SMU hope to get a vote and some clarification on which way the conference is leaning.

The meeting was supposed to take place Monday but was postponed after a shooting at North Carolina’s campus earlier in the day.