After a busy offseason that saw a lot of change, the 2025-26 Virginia Tech men's basketball season opens up on Monday night at Cassell Coliseum with a non-conference matchup with Charleston Southern.
Veteran coach Mike Young had another offseason of turnover for the Hokies, with players leaving the program and others coming in through the Transfer Portal, and some freshmen. Expectations are high in Blacksburg that Virginia Tech can get back to the NCAA Tournament if everything goes as expected.
Virginia Tech Men's Basketball opens 2025-26 season
There is nowhere to go but up for the Hokies this year after a 2024-25 season that saw the Hokies go 13-19 overall and 8-12 in the ACC. They were bounced in the first round of the ACC Tournament against California. There are some new additions to the program.
Virginia Tech Returning Players
- Senior: Tobi Lawal, Forward
- R-Junior: Jaden Schutt, Guard
- Sophomore: Ben Hammond, Guard
- Sophomore: Tyler Johnson, Guard
Virginia Tech Transfer Portal additions
- Graduate Student: Jailen Bedford, Guard, UNLV
- Sophomore: Izaiah Pasha, Guard, Delaware
- Junior: Amani Hansberry, Forward, West Virginia
Virginia Tech Incoming Freshman
- Neoklis Avdalas, Guard
- Christian Gurdak, Center
- Antonio Dorn, Center
- Solomon Davis, Center
- Sin'Cere Jones, Forward
- Brett Freeman, Guard
- Shamarius Peterkin, Guard
This is a roster with few returners, but the ones coming back are huge pieces of the team, led by Lawal. Hammond and Johnson made some big impacts as freshmen, and Schutt should be much better with a year under his belt in Young's system. The transfers are all expected to make an impact this year and give Young and his staff some depth.
As for the newcomers, Avdalas is a projected lottery draft pick next June, Dorn is a promising player, while Gurdak is expected to get some minutes with Dorn in the middle when the Hokies go big. Let's not overlook the addition of Chester Frazier to the coaching staff as well.
Keys to victory for Virginia Tech
A new year brings new players into Blacksburg in what is expected to be a better roster. However, there will be growing pains likely early in the season, but in the overall big picture, taking care of business in the non-conference portion of the schedule is vital. Speaking of taking care of things, protecting the ball and not turning it over is going to be something to watch all season long.