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November 3, 2026
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
VTECH Basketball Preview
NEWS VT POLICE WARNS ABOUT NEW TICKET SCAMMING
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Christian Larson | News Writer
Scammers use fake Hokie Passport IDs to establish credibility with potential victims. As Hokie Football continues and fans look forward to the rival game between the Hokies and the University of Virginia Cavaliers, the Virginia Tech Police Department warns against ticket scamming and theft. The warning comes amid high demand for football tickets, with all six of the Hokies’ home games for the 2026 season officially sold out. The Virginia Tech Police Department issued a warning Oct. 21 regarding individuals attempting to fraudulently sell football tickets through unofficial student GroupMe chats, often involving extracurricular organizations. Many of these sellers were reposted using thirdparty websites in order to steal personal information. In many cases, individuals posing as group administrators would request payment in exchange for tickets that would be delivered in a later batch.
However, after receiving payment, the sellers fail to deliver the promised tickets, leaving students without their money or admission to the game. The Police have also noted that scammers have used forged Hokie Passport IDs in an attempt to appeal to potential victims. The warning follows a similar notice issued Aug. 19 regarding fake ticket sales through social media groups. These scams have raised concerns for students who rely on online exchanges after being unable to secure tickets through Virginia Tech’s official distribution system that occurs prior to the season. Virginia Tech offers students football tickets through season ticket packages and individual game lotteries. For the 2026 season, student season tickets cost $250 for the entire season of home
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games. Students are allowed to transfer tickets for below the price of the established fee for each game. These transfers are valid only if the rules are properly followed. Students who violate these policies risk losing their ticket privileges. University police encourage students to purchase tickets through official sources, including SeatGeek, Virginia Tech Athletics’ official ticketing partner. Students should also remain cautious of sellers requesting immediate payment or promising tickets without providing a legitimate electronic transfer. The warning comes at a particularly important time as Virginia Tech prepares to face its in-state rival, the University of Virginia, Nov. 28. Virginia Tech Athletics announced Oct. 22 that the UVA game had officially sold out, marking the sixth sellout of the six scheduled home games this season. For students without season tickets, the UVA ticket lottery is scheduled to open at 9 p.m. Nov. 20 and close Nov. 23. Students unable to obtain tickets
COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TECH POLICE DEPARTMENT
through the lottery may turn to resale markets or student ticket exchanges.
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NEW BAR OLAIKA OPENS IN DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG Anna Collier | News Writer
The bar’s opening week saw over 5,000 visitors. Olaika, a new bar and restaurant in downtown Blacksburg, held its grand opening Thursday, Oct. 15, at 130 Jackson St. NW Blacksburg, Va. The venue occupies the former site of Blue Ridge Axe Throwing, now 540 Social, and combines restaurant and bar service with space for dancing and live entertainment. Olaika is owned by Sebastian Villena, a 2024 Virginia Tech graduate who also owns The Burg Resto-Bar next door which opened in September 2023. Both establishments incorporate Latin American influences into their concepts. Isabella Valant, a 21-year-old senior architecture major at Virginia Tech from Delray Beach, Fla., designed the space
after being hired for the project in 2025. “I wanted to bring a Spanish influence into a contemporary setting and create something that felt elevated but still inviting,” Valant said. She added that she wanted the space to “feel unexpected for Blacksburg while still being somewhere people want to gather, socialize and make memories.” Valant began working on the project in March 2025. She spent the summer developing the design, creating renderings and selecting materials. Construction continued for approximately a year and a half, with Valant involved throughout the process. “Seeing something that started with inspirational photos on my living room walls become a real space has been an
incredible experience,” Valant said. One feature of the interior is artwork that Valant hand painted with two friends. She said she drew inspiration from her upbringing in Florida, her travels and designers whose work emphasizes how architecture can create meaningful experiences. “One of the most special parts of the project was hand painting much of the artwork alongside two of my friends,” Valant said. “Being able to incorporate something personal and handmade into the space made the project even more meaningful to me.” Valant was given significant creative freedom throughout the project. As the sole designer on the team, she also had to balance the responsibilities of the
project with her coursework at Virginia Tech and credited her support system for helping her along the way. According to Valant, more than 5,000 people visited Olaika during its opening week. The venue has an estimated capacity of approximately 250 people. “The opening weekend exceeded my expectations,” Valant said. “It was incredible to see the community come out, experience the space and make it their own.” According to the business’s official Instagram account, Olaika also has plans to expand to Harrisonburg in fall 2026.
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VIRGINIA TECH GRADUATE STUDENT CHILDCARE CENTER TO SHUT DOWN Ella Frederick | News Writer
Little Hokie Hangout served to provide accessible childcare for lower costs. The Little Hokie Hangout, a childcare center resource for graduate student families at Virginia Tech, will permanently close due to changing financial priorities within the Virginia Tech Graduate School on Dec. 9. The decision comes two years after deliberation between graduate school Dean Aimée Surprenant and Little Hokie Hangout director and founder Marin Riegger on how to fit the program into the graduate school’s budget. After staff cuts and higher prices for participating families were suggested to lower the overall cost of the program, the decision was made to cut the program from the school entirely. For Riegger, providing accessible childcare to the Virginia Tech community is the heart of the Little Hokie Hangout. The childcare center was created to meet the needs of graduate student families five days a week with flexible scheduling and manageable costs. She explained that while they could raise the cost of the program for families
in order to meet the budget, the Little Hokie Hangout would no longer fulfill its purpose as an affordable and appealing childcare option among inaccessible alternatives in the New River Valley. “(We’re) not serving the population if we’re the same as every other program in the area. There’s no point in operating if we’re not different,” Riegger said. Removing the service from the graduate school was not an easy decision. Riegger’s 12-year history with the program from its beginning to its end, the countless participating families and the Virginia Tech student staff have made the Little Hokie Hangout a large community resource. “I hope that when you look back on your time here, you will remember not simply a childcare center, but a community that believed graduate students should not have to choose between pursuing their education and being parents,” Riegger told current and former Little Hokie Hangout families in an email shared with the Collegiate
Times. With almost a month until closure, Little Hokie Hangout families have been burdened with finding a new childcare provider before the spring semester starts. For graduate student Courtney Muscatello, news of the closure was a shock. She explained that her family was looking forward to being a part of the Little Hokie Hangout community as Muscatello finished her education, but are now being forced to find care elsewhere. While she found a replacement care center since the announcement of the closure, it comes at a higher price with less flexible scheduling than what the Little Hokie Hangout provided. Since joining in 2025, Muscatello believes what makes the Little Hokie Hangout so special is its adaptable and individualized care. Her two children have had the freedom to explore their interests through new, exciting activities with Virginia Tech students as their
teachers through the program. “( We’re) mourning the closing of something that’s been really special to us,” Muscatello said. Currently, Riegger is providing direction and resources for Little Hokie Hangout families to ease the transition in the upcoming months. This has included reaching out to local childcare providers and establishing families with connections before the program closes in December. The program is also absolving financial responsibilities owed to the Little Hokie Hangout by participating families if they find a replacement childcare service before closure. Virginia Tech now joins a growing cohort of universities to close their childcare programs. This list includes, but is not limited to, Purdue, UCLA, University of Louisville and the University of Kansas.
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LIFESTYLES COLLEGIATETIMES.COM
SET IN STONE: A LOOK AT THE LEGACY OF VIRGINIA TECH BASKETBALL Samuel Harvey | Lifestyles Assistant Editor From NBA legends to Olympians, take a look at the careers of former Hokie basketball stars. As the buzz around Virginia Tech football simmers down with the season reaching its last few weeks, Hokie sports fans start to look ahead to the next sports season. Although both the men’s and women’s basketball programs have fallen short of making the NCAA Tournament in March the past few years, Virginia Tech basketball’s historic prowess still remains an important part of the university’s identity and sports fandom. Over the years, multiple Hokies have made a name for themselves playing basketball at the professional level. Let’s take a look. Bimbo Coles Hailing from the small, mountain town of Covington, Va, Vernell “Bimbo” Coles grew up playing football, baseball and basketball. Although his skill on the baseball field garnered attention from the Philadelphia Phillies out of high school, he ultimately was recruited by Virginia Tech basketball in 1986 and played four seasons with the Hokies. During his time as a point guard, Coles used speed and strength to score inside the key while facilitating opportunities for his teammates to do the same. Coles’ ability to score earned him 2,484 total points over his four seasons with the Hokies and cemented his position as the highest scorer in program history. During his sophomore year, Coles was selected to be part of Team U.S.A.’s Olympic basketball team for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. While he was not a starter, Coles saw the court during crucial third and fourth quarters over the course of eight games. Team U.S.A. would go on to win Bronze by the end of the tournament, making Coles the only player in Hokies basketball history to be an Olympic medalist. Following his last year at Virginia Tech, Cole was a second round pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, starting his professional career on the Sacramento Kings
before being traded to the Miami Heat soon after. Over 14 seasons, Cole played for five different teams before retiring in 2004. Kayana Traylor One of Virginia Tech’s most prolific scorers was not a Hokie to begin with. Kayana Traylor played the first three seasons of her collegiate career at Purdue University in her home state of Indiana. While playing the guard position for the Boilermakers, Traylor quickly developed a reputation as a prolific passer and facilitator. With a career total of 311 assists, she’s the 18th player in Purdue history to top 300 assists. Despite her success at Purdue, Traylor entered the transfer portal in 2021 and landed at Virginia Tech for her last two seasons of college eligibility. “I chose Virginia Tech because of the standard of excellence both on the court and in the classroom,” Traylor said. At VT, Traylor refined her skills as a shooter, ending the season shooting 41% from the field and 81% from the free throw line. By the peak of her collegiate career in 2023, the Hokies were 31-5 and won the first ACC Championship in program history. Following her collegiate career, Traylor was drafted second to the Chicago Sky in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She was then traded to the Minnesota Lynx where she played one season. Most recently, she had the opportunity to train with WNBA superstar, Caitlin Clark at the Indiana Fever’s offseason camp. Dell Curry Perhaps the most notable alumnus of Virginia Tech’s basketball program is Dell Curry. Although many fans know him simply as the father of current NBA star, Steph Curry, Dell was a power player in his own right. The Harrisonburg native started all
PHOTO COURTESY OF NBA
four seasons with the Hokies from 19821986. Over his four years as a starter, Curry scored 2,389 career points, making him one of the highest scorers in program history. His defensive prowess also shined through with a record 295 steals. In the NBA, Curry played for five different teams, including a 10 season run with the Charlotte Hornets where he holds the title of all-time scorer and three-point shooter. Curry’s legacy is immortalized in Blacksburg’s Cassell Coliseum as his iconic number 30 jersey was retired in 1986. Aisha Sheppard Playing basketball from an early age in her home town of Alexandria, Va, Aisha Sheppard was destined for success on the court. The former High School Gatorade Player of the Year took her talents to Virginia Tech in 2017.
From her first season as a Hokie, Sheppard led the team in 3-pointers and continued to climb the all-time list in that category. Her sharp-shooting streak continued each year, eventually earning Sheppard the ACC and Virginia Tech scoring records by her fifth season in 2021. Upon graduating from Virginia Tech, Sheppard made her WNBA debut on the Las Vegas Aces where she played one season. She now plays overseas for Basket Zaragoza 2002, a basketball club based in Spain. With the 2026-2027 basketball season approaching, Hokie fans can look back at the various standout players the university has produced and have faith that more stars will be born in Cassell Coliseum for many years to come.
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A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO VIRGINIA TECH BASKETBALL: HOKIES DO IT BETTER Alex Rottkamp | Lifestyles Contributor
Get ready for Virginia Tech’s basketball season with help from lifestyles contributor, Alex Rottkamp. With basketball season beginning soon, Hokies should know what Virginia Tech Athletic’s basketball program is all about. It’s an exciting year for the men’s and women’s teams, with high hopes of March Madness in the future always giving fans a goal to cheer for. Furthermore, there are many new faces on each roster, which makes this year a fresh start for both teams. For beginners to the world of Hokie basketball, here is a beginner’s guide to Virginia Tech’s basketball culture so Hokies can get hype for their future sporting events. Men’s basketball The men’s basketball team is very different from last year. Many of their previous players ran out of eligibility to play or transferred to different schools. With NIL money being involved in collegiate sports, it’s harder to
keep a full roster of players together. The most notable loss from Virginia Tech’s team is Neoklis “Neo” Avdalas, who transferred to University of North Carolina. With these factors, the men’s team has only three returning players from last season. Those players are Ben Hammond, Tyler Johnson and Amani Hansberry. These players are expected to be the core of the team, as they know head coach Mike Young’s system well already. Moreover, the team has made notable additions to its roster, which will help the group perform well with new experienced additions on the court. Overall, the men’s team is looking to get back into the March Madness tournament after a four-year drought of no appearances. Women’s basketball The women’s basketball team is also looking to have an exciting season this
year. The newest additions to this team are on the younger side, with only a few ladies returning that had significant roles. Returning seniors Carleigh Wenzel and Samyha Suffern are looking to be leaders on this team for the many transfers and freshmen. This will be head coach Megan Duffy’s third year coaching the women’s team, with hopes to continue their consistent appearances in the March Madness bracket. This should ultimately be an exciting season of basketball to watch, as fans see if this young squad can stick together and play well. Cassell Coliseum Besides the team rosters, the atmophere in Cassell Coliseum is an iconic Hokie experience. While there is a lower capacity, the energy and noise that is brought into the building is no different from that of Lane Stadium.
The Cassell Guard, also known as the student section, keeps the arena feeling electric with their many traditions. Everybody in the Cassell jumps to “Enter Sandman” before the game, and during the game the student section tries its best to make Virginia Tech’s opponents miss their free throws. To help distract opposing teams, the VT Athletics Marketing Department gives out free fatheads to students who are in the section early. With all the fun going on inside the Cassell Coliseum, nobody should miss out on these upcoming basketball games. With new faces and big stakes, this basketball season should be an event that the student body won’t want to miss. While the weather will continue to get colder outside, Cassell Coliseum is sure to heat up.
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FROM LANE TO CASSELL: LIVE MUSIC IN BASKETBALL Annie O’Connell | Assistant Lifestyles Editor
A look into how the Hokie Pep Band influences student spirit in Lane compared to Cassell.
As Virginia Tech’s football season wraps up, Hokies’ attention turns to the courts of Cassell Coliseum. Opening their regular season basketball, Virginia Tech’s women’s and men’s teams both play in early November. The games will be held in Hokie territory, which means the tunes of the Hokies Pep Band will sound. The Hokie Pep Band is one of Virginia Tech’s athletic bands. Along with cheering and supporting Virginia Tech’s basketball teams, they have the opportunity to travel to away games, ACC tournaments and bowl games. Yelling Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” from Lane Stadium, which seats over 65,000 Virginia Tech fans, looks different than cheering in Cassell Coliseum, which only seats about 8,000. “The atmosphere is much more intimate,” said Meghan Bagby, a junior
majoring in biomedical science and an alto player for the basketball band. “Often the cheers we start spread to the crowd.” Although there are more fans in the stands, and notably more noise during the football games, the energy feels more personal due to the basketball court space being indoors and in a reduced setting. This makes the performance for football games vary from basketball. “I think live music makes Cassell much more energetic,” Bagby said. “It’s also got its own traditions.” Dancing to “Shut Up and Dance” by WALK THE MOON during media timeouts and singing “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes are just a couple of prominent traditions in Cassell. Although “Shout” at the end of the third quarter is memorable during
football, it’s much easier to get a crowd energetic through live music during the basketball games because the sound travels faster. “At Cassell we have to play much more quietly because it’s indoors and there’s not as many people,” Bagby said. “The sound gets amplified by the ceiling and any open chairs. Since they play at the top of Cassell, the sound waves travel through the crowd and bounce off the court, amplifying the noise. Instead of a full marching band show during halftime, the Hokie Pep Band performs high-energy rock, pop and traditional Hokie fight songs. Bagby shared her opinion on halftime performances from a band member’s perspective. “The football games take the cake with a new show every home game,”
Bagby said. “Now playing during the breaks is more fun in the basketball band; we play much longer songs that have a different feel to them.” Whether students are looking for high-energy games inside Cassell or outside in Lane, the live band performances will bring Hokie spirit to each game, regardless of the score.
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OPINIONS
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OVER-ADMITTANCE IS UNDERMINING THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE Lily Check | Opinions Contributor
The rise in admission past capacity has diminished the positive experience of first-year students. For high school seniors, few moments compare to the joy of opening an acceptance letter from a university they’ve long envisioned themselves calling home after years of sacrifice and hard work. They call loved ones to celebrate the news, begin shopping for dorm decorations and eagerly prepare to embark on the next stage of their life; yet, months later, some incoming freshmen face a harsh reality: having to live inadequately and uncomfortably. Over the past decade, colleges and universities nationwide have grappled with the consequences of the over-enrollment crisis, as many continue to accept more students than its facilities can accommodate. As institutions aim to grow enrollment and increase student yield, which is defined as the “percentage of admitted students who actually enroll at a college,” some students are left without access to basic resources. In southeastern Virginia, for example, Hampton University placed over 30 students, the majority being freshmen, in off-campus hotels during the fall 2026 semester. In 2023, Norfolk State University followed a similar trend with record-breaking enrollment, placing hundreds of students in hotels after admitting twice as many students it had available housing for. This year, Virginia Tech enrolled a first-year class of 7,495 students, a slight increase from 7,008 students in 2025 and 7,289 students in 2024, from over 58,000 applications. For some freshmen, Tech’s enrollment trend had already shaped their living arrangements before they arrived on campus. Haidi Alim, a first-year student from northern Virginia, was placed in a transitional room on the first floor of an on-campus residence hall, which she shares with three other roommates. “They converted a study lounge for overflow housing,” Alim said. “I found out in July. I got waitlisted, but I still signed my housing contract on time. I knew it wasn’t my fault, but it was
unfortunate at the same time. With finding out that I had overflow, they put it on the StarRez portal and didn’t even email (me).” As Tech’s dorm rooms traditionally contain two or three people in New Hall West and Pearson Halls, Alim noted a lack of privacy and fewer resources that are allocated to students housed normally. With four students occupying a space not designed for living, combined with adjusting to the campus environment, it’s taken a toll on the ladies’ physical space, mental wellbeing and independence. “There’s one fridge and one microwave for all four of us,” Alim said. “We don’t have a sink, so we always use the bathroom, and we also don’t have closets. They gave us zip-up rectangle cubes to hang our clothes in. Our beds are pretty lofted, but there’s really no privacy. If I want my alone time, I usually just go outside. You get used to it.” While Alim explained that the arrangement is intended to be temporary, the residents remain uncertain about when, or if, they will be relocated. With five beds occupying the room and only four girls living in the space, they are also unsure whether another roommate will be assigned. She speculated that there is another transitional room in Hoge Hall as well. “I don’t know why Tech isn’t doing anything about it,” Alim said. “They said we would be in here for a minimum of two weeks, but it’s almost been two months. We’ve gotten no updates, but if they do email us, we’re going to have to move everything out because they could move us anywhere. I would rather them tell us that we’re not going to move instead of giving us false hope.” Moreover, overcrowding at any university, not just Tech alone, incites a domino effect that places additional pressure on dining, housekeeping and Residential Well-Being staff to keep up with increased demand. Students have already voiced their concerns regarding the newly-implemented dining plans,
PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TECH VISITOR CENTER
but the issue of dining halls turning students away completely has become prominent. “This happened pretty early in the semester,” said freshman Elizabeth Thompson. “A friend and I went inside Owens to get dinner. When we walked in, a staff member was telling students that the dining hall was over capacity and that people needed to leave. Students were being yelled at and were told to leave immediately, and we weren’t even allowed to wait inside for enough people to leave so we could eat.” As freshmen rely on meal swipes to avoid using declining balance, students file into D2 and Owens, the two on-campus all-you-can-eat facilities, as their weekly meal exchanges quickly dwindle. With D2 closing at 8 p.m. and Owens remaining open for only an hour longer, students are forced to find alternatives if they are turned away at peak meal times, especially if the remaining of the two facilities is closed. “It was pretty frustrating,” Thompson said. “My friends and I ended up going to D2 instead. I understand that dining
halls have capacity limits, but it was disappointing to have to change our plans unexpectedly, especially when we were still learning how to navigate the meal plan and the different dining options available to us.” While Dining Services rolled out updates in late September to combat overcrowding, continued enrollment growth limits students’ access to services needed to accompany learning and personal growth, both in and out of the classroom. Virginia Tech strives to foster an environment that cultivates community and belonging, but due to its expanding student population, the university risks compromising the student experience and campus life it values. Note: The Collegiate Times reached out to Residential Well-Being and Housing Services for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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GHOSTHUNTING AT ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST HAUNTED PLACES: WHY IT’S A BAD IDEA Emelia Crump | Opinions Columnist
Ghosthunting can be a phenomenal experience; and a terrifying one. The first thing I noticed upon stepping foot outside was a sudden burn and itch on my right inner wrist. A new scratch mark had appeared out of nowhere — that’s how I knew I shouldn’t have gotten myself into this ghosthunting trip. If you’re looking to stay safe and not mess with any bad spiritual energy or whatever supernatural forces may be out there, I advise you to stay away too. I write this opinion piece as a warning to anybody who’s genuinely thinking of going ghost hunting. My friends and I went to Lake Shawnee, an abandoned amusement park that’s supposedly one of the most haunted places in America. We willingly paid to stay the night, a decision I was second-guessing as soon as it got dark. Before I delve into the dangers of ghost hunting, I do want to preface with the importance of supporting a place like Lake Shawnee. As it’s a historical site, paying to stay the night and learning about the property actually helps them fund to preserve the area. The property is owned by a man named Chris White, who has familial connections tied to the land. He said there isn’t anything bad-natured residing within the property, but we experienced otherwise. Ghost hunting, spirit searching or any activity centered around the idea of actively seeking out the paranormal automatically invites the potential for bad
experiences to happen. What explains these experiences isn’t always clear-cut, but as a skeptic myself, there are things I genuinely cannot explain that happened that night. I’m writing this article the morning after, sleepily typing on my phone in the passenger seat with weird incidents to blame for lack of sleep. The scratch on my arm is the first piece of evidence as to why this was such a bad idea. As soon as I first stepped out of the vehicle onto the land, I felt a sudden yet minor burning and itching sensation on my arm. I looked down, and a fresh scratch was imprinted onto my inner wrist. It felt like a normal scratch, yet more noticeable than I had typically experienced. This may be hypervigilance to blame, but there was nothing that could’ve possibly scratched me. I took a photo of the mark on my phone, and about an hour later, it was completely gone. At this abandoned amusement park is a rusted swing set that’s supposedly haunted by a little girl who was killed there. When my group of friends approached this swing set, there was a crowd of people surrounded around two of the swings, which were swaying back and forth while the other 30 swings remained completely still. It was almost as if two people were gently swinging back and forth. I caught a video of it — the sight was truly eerie. Later that night, my friends and I
retreated back into one of our cars to get out of the cold and warm up a little. One of the old, battered-up paddle boats out on the lake that was initially across the body of water had suddenly drifted to our side, pointed at us. No one had prompted the raft to move, which makes me question what it was doing near us. The entire afternoon it had resided on the opposite side of the lake, stationed by the Fallout inspired “Paddle Boats” sign. It was, quite frankly, like someone was watching us. It almost felt like a paranormal-adjacent male gaze. Around 1 a.m., we explored the property a little more then went to bed, sleeping haphazardly in any space we could muster inside our cars. I was suddenly awoken by my friend in the middle of the night with a gesture toward the window. There were now multiple handprints visible on the windows, which had become covered with a thin layer of condensation from our breathing. I went back to bed, trying not to think about who had left that there. In the morning, we were awoken by my friend from the other car panicking. I opened the door to the vehicle I was sleeping in, where she quickly showed me her leg. There was a clear red imprint of a large hand that appeared to have grabbed around her calf. We waited tensely while she called her mother, clearly freaked out. Writing this a few hours later, the red
mark is still there, and we’re not how long it’ll remain. She’s tried rubbing it off to no avail, thinking maybe it was some kind of stain. I was thankful to have documented this as evidence. I wasn’t the only one who felt like something strange had occurred. “There was definitely something there. What was it? No idea. But there was definitely something there.” Konrad Landess said the morning after, when we stopped at a restaurant called Tudor’s Biscuit World in the outskirts of Princeston, W. Va. The surrounding town had an interesting energy to it, and the restaurant we went to felt like a time warp — like we were “in the end scene of a horror movie,” as another friend put it. I’m not saying to completely avoid ghosthunting if you can, but I am saying to tread carefully and know what risks you’re getting into. As a skeptic myself, I cannot attest to whether what my friends and I experienced that night was actually caused by the paranormal. But what I can say is that what happened absolutely happened. And, in the end, it might be better to stay out of trouble instead of going looking for it.
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SPORTS MEN’S SOCCER BEAT SYRACUSE TO FINISH OFF THE SEASON Haley Frederic | Sports Staff Writer
The Hokies finish season as the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament after a win. Virginia Tech picked up a 2-1 win over Syracuse on Friday to finish off the regular season. As a result, the Hokies enter the ACC Tournament ranked No. 6 with a chance of making the NCAA Tournament. Entering Friday, Tech came off a draw with No. 2 Clemson and looked to continue the momentum it had been
building to finish the regular season strong. The Hokies and the Orange went into the game with nearly identical records, with Tech (8-5-3, 4-2-2 ACC) and the Orange (7-7-2, 1-5-2) each having seven wins. The stakes were high due to the match being the last for both teams and having a heavy influence on seeding for
the ACC Tournament. Throughout the game, the teams traded blows and shots on goal. During the second half, the Hokies and the Orange scored within minutes of each other. Halfway through the second half, the game was tied 1-1. But in the end, the Hokies’ defense prevailed and sealed the win to end their season.
After a slow start to the match, the second half saw a lot more action. Tech kicked off the second half with a bang. Forward Alvaro Ruiz-Mateos scored the first point of the game, with an accidental assist from a Syracuse player. The Syracuse player headed in a cross from continued on page 8
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continued from page 7 Ruiz-Mateos and scored an own goal to start the scoring. But Syracuse soon recovered and found a way to break through the Hokies’ defense. The Orange scored in the middle of the second half. With less than
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COLLEGIATETIMES.COM 20 minutes left in the match, the Hokies found their footing and scored a second goal. Making the score 2-1 late into the game. Forward Alex Perez scored the goal, assisted by forward Noe Uwimana. After the game, Perez spoke with ESPN about the win. “The (win) means
a lot. … It’s a big win for our season as well,” Perez said. The match proved the strength of the team, and the Hokies finished the 2026 season on a positive note. Additionally, the Hokies ended the season with 14 points. This gives them a shot at making the NCAA tournament.
The Hokies move on to the ACC tournament to play NC State at home on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
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HOW VIRGINIA TECH PREPARED FOR DEATH VALLEY Brody Bryan | Sports Editor
The Hokies used a blend of strategies to get ready for the Clemson crowd. Inside Virginia Tech’s Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility, the garage doors were shut and the speakers were blaring so loudly that offensive players could barely hear one another. That was exactly how head coach James Franklin wanted it. In order to be at their best in Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. — widely regarded as one of the loudest environments in college football — the Hokies had to make practice even louder. “We try to make it harder in practice than it will be,” Franklin said. “What you’re hoping is that … they’ll get to the games and it’ll be much better than what they had to endure through practice.” Making a practice facility noisier than Death Valley on a Saturday night was a lot easier said than done. The facility’s existing speakers weren’t cutting it. Some of the outdoor speakers were broken, and even the working ones inside couldn’t produce the volume Franklin wanted. “So we rented speakers down in the end zone,” Franklin said. “We’ve had them pretty much all year long, and they’ve been helpful.” The garage doors to the indoor facility were also shut to trap the sound inside. Those doors are typically open to allow players to move between the indoor facility and outdoor practice field during drills and practice periods, but were closed during noise-heavy portions of practice to maximize the volume. “I forget how many decibels it was,” said tight end Ja’Ricous Hairston. “But we could not hear each other.” The setup wasn’t exclusive to Clemson, either. Franklin said the staff introduces stadium noise during spring practice and training camp and makes it a regular part of preparation for road
games. Of course, practicing under those circumstances came with challenges. The practices weren’t always pretty and the constant racket could get frustrating for both players and coaches. “I think it drives the coaches a little bit crazy,” Franklin said. “It can make practice a little sloppy from time to time, but I also think it forces an extra level of focus and attention to detail.” Hairston admitted the noise became annoying after a while, but acknowledged what Franklin and the coaching staff were trying to accomplish. “We weren’t worried about it at all,” Hairston said. Franklin also wanted the practices to feel like the real thing. The staff used playlists featuring Clemson’s fight songs, band music and other songs played at Memorial Stadium to emulate the game day atmosphere. “You can get all those playlists online,” Franklin said. “So we try to make it as game-like as possible.” In addition to the music, rolling speakers were also used to pump simulated crowd noise into the facility. On Saturday night, Tech traded the speakers, doors and playlists for more than 80,000 fans. The setting changed, but for the offense, the challenge of communicating actually got easier. “After practicing in the indoor (facility), the garage doors shut and the music blaring, it was easier to communicate at the game,” Hairston said. That didn’t mean the offense had an easy night, though. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was sacked six times, and the Hokies gained as many yards as Clemson had points in the third quarter — 13. The Tigers put up 13 points to begin the second half, erasing a seven-point deficit and taking a six-point lead into
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the final frame. Tech eventually rallied for a 20-16 victory, its first in Clemson in nearly 20 years. Hairston said overcommunicating was a major point of emphasis to prepare for the crowd throughout the week. Players had to be more deliberate with their pre-snap exchanges to ensure that assignments were understood before the play. Preparation paid off late in the fourth quarter as Tech faced fourth-and-1 from Clemson’s 5-yard line with 1:49 remaining. Grunkemeyer took the snap and found tight end Luke Reynolds wide open in the back of the end zone to take the lead, and the defense denied Clemson’s fourth down attempt on the
next possession to seal the win. “I told the guys before the game, don’t let the noise affect you,” said wide receiver Que’Sean Brown. “We just played our type of ball.”
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