Hokies softball lands top Atlanta area prospect with a big stick

During his tenure as softball coach at Virginia Tech, head coach Pete D'Amour has had a long history of being able to get commitments from players who have turned into big hitters in Blacksburg. Last season, the Hokies had a loaded lineup with Cori McMillan, Michelle Chatfield, Jordan Lynch, Kylie Aldridge, Bre Peck, and Zoe Yeager, who all finished hitting over .300.

Chatfield, Aldridge, and Yeager will return in 2026 for the Hokies, who have some big shoes to fill from the departed players. D'Amour has always been able to replace outgoing bats, and on Thursday, he added another one, this time in the Class of 2026.

Virginia Tech officially announced the addition of Anna Bardeen from Woodstock, GA, who is a standout at Kell High School. According to her X account, she committed to D'Amour and Virginia Tech back in September of 2024.

Virginia Tech adds another powerful bat for the future

Bardeen will come to Virginia Tech after setting records at Kell High School for home runs and RBIs, while leading her team to the state final. A left-handed batter, she is able to use the whole field with her power and is a corner infielder who has power, something that D'Amour covets in his program.

Bardeen was recently picked to play in the Georgia state All-Star Game, and in her first at-bat, she hit a home run, a two-run shot at Truist Park.

Chip Grubb of Tech Sideline posted about Bardeen's homer and got a response from a fan and gave her a nickname that will no doubt stick in Blacksburg for her, "Anna Boomdeen.'' That does sound like a name that will stick with Hokies' fans who come out in droves to support a program that has made the NCAA Tournament in each of D'Amour's years at Virginia Tech, except for the 2020 COVID-19 season, where they were 21-4 when the season was canceled.

Before she even takes an at-bat for Virginia Tech, Anna Bardeen has Hokies fans excited for the future.