Dear VT Wrestling Fan,

An update is in order so here goes....

I'm sure most of you have seen plenty in the news this past week about new hires in the program.  At this point, all I can confirm is that we are in the process of hiring two individuals.  Those individuals have accepted job offers and both are going through the very normal (and slow) process required at a state institution.  When that process is over, I will announce and comment on these individuals.  Exciting BAR RAISING stuff!

A Big Thank You to a couple of guys who have moved on to new and exciting positions.  Coach Eric Morrill and Coach Jeremy Johnson did a great job for Virginia Tech during their months and years in Blacksburg.  Eric spent four years on our staff and really grew as a person and a coach during that time period.  Eric accepted a job as a Full Time Assistant at Ohio University.  Jeremy just spent one season with us and did a super job.  He is going to be a star in the teaching and coaching world.  Jeremy accepted a position as a teacher and a coach in a high school in the Cleveland area.  I thank these guys and wish them the very best.

2015-16 Schedule is up and accurate if you go to www.hokiesports.com.  A special note to all and especially to the VT Wrestling ALUMNI regarding our Alumni Weekend this season.  We are going to invite (and insist) that ALL Alumni come back for the weekend of Jan 15/16!  We will have a dual meet on both Friday Night (UNI) and Saturday Night (UNC) at the Moss Arts Center.  Two duals meets in a 24 hour period.  If you attended a Moss match last year, you know just how exciting things get in that venue.  Please mark your calendars now.  I am setting a goal for 100 alums!  There will be a lot of activity that weekend.

Our Sept Newsletter will have detailed information about NCAA Tickets, Rooms, and Travel.  If you want to go with our group, it is important that you email me NOW.  We are close to capacity but still do have rooms, tickets and train (Yes, Amtrak direct from Lynchburg to Times Square) tickets available.  Please email me if you haven't requested any of the three.  We will send out a group ticket, room and travel list next month also to insure your name is included.  Stay tuned.....

The Southeast RTC is obviously growing.  With the addition of Devin Carter, our Regional Training Center (RTC) is growing. It will continue to grow this fall.  Let me STRESS that without a strong RTC, it is very difficult to contend for a team title.  I am motivated to WIN a team title and we need a strong RTC to get VT in that conversation.  I know this much about trying to achieve anything GREAT as a team, and this is what I know......IT TAKES MANY!  RTC positions are not funded by the university.  The Southeast RTC funds these positions.  The Southeast RTC is an IRS recognized non profit organization so all contributions are tax deductible and directly benefit those within our training center.  Indirectly, those individuals GREATLY help our program.  Having Post Graduate, Devin Carter like guys in the room every day makes recruiting and individual development much easier. 

So with all that said, I/we are officially KICKING off our 2015-16 fund raising campaign.  (Some of you have recently contributed and THANK YOU).  We are currently in the process of upgrading our website and it is going to look great however the most important component of that website is still functional and that is the DONATE button.  I am in the process of putting together a more formal campaign to meet our needs (and to reach out to more of our fan base), but in the meantime, this email database(you guys)are the core and always have been the core of our program.  This database group (you guys) have been a very important piece of our rise and continual climb in the Division I Wrestling world.  So stay tuned for information and the hard numbers we need this year BUT in the meantime, please take the time now to go to our site and get on board again this season.  If you have never donated, to our club, now is a great time.  Four top 10 finishes and some exciting news and additions coming later THIS month is called momentum.  I hope you are excited about the future of Virginia Tech Wrestling.  And again Thank You to those who got on board in the past 30 days.  Your early efforts/contributions have surpassed the 40k mark which is a great start for the first month of our fiscal year!

www.southeastrtc.com is our site !!

Thank you and stayed tuned for some formal announcements later this month.  Go Hokies!

It is BAR RAISING time at Virginia Tech.