Hokie Spotlight: Ben Hammond

BLACKSBURG – In his first year in Blacksburg, guard Ben Hammond’s play through 21 games has been a welcome spark for the Hokies this season. The freshman’s ability to weave through defenders and facilitate head coach Mike Young’s offensive scheme has been paramount to the success of the team thus far. As the team prepares for the upcoming Smithfield Commonwealth Clash at Virginia on Feb. 1, fans can be sure to see Hammond’s playmaking ability on full display in upcoming contests. 

Before arriving in Blacksburg last summer, Hammond was the starting point guard for Paul VI High School in Fairfax, Virginia. With the Panthers, Hammond led the team to an impressive 35-3 record in his final season (15-0 in the VISAA Division I region), propelling the squad to a No. 2 national high school ranking according to ESPN. The then-senior was an asset on both sides of the ball through 38 games, averaging 14 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game en route to earning First-Team All-Met honors in March 2024. Hammond’s last run with the Panthers saw the guard eclipse 1,000 career points and become Paul VI’s all-time winningest player (104-17), and after experience with Nike EYBL’s Team Takeover, the prospective freshman would land at Tech.  

In his first year wearing maroon and orange, Hammond has been a standout contributor. The freshman has seen action in 18 of 21 contests this fall, posting 4.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game while averaging 17.4 minutes of on-court action at the point guard position. Hammond’s slashing, playmaking ability has also earned him a handful of trips to the charity stripe, as the freshman has been able to convert a team third highest 76.5% of his attempts (26/34).  

What makes Hammond such an asset, however, is his ability to facilitate. The 5-foot-11 speedster is currently tied for second in assists on the team (36), the total driven largely by his court vision and explosiveness to get past the frontline of opposing defenses. Hammond’s selflessness with the ball was seen most prominently in the contest against Miami, as the freshman logged a career-high eight assists, the last of which giving forward Mylyjael Poteat the game-winning and-1 with 2.7 seconds left in the game.  

“He’s such a quick and dynamic player,” said head coach Mike Young after the Miami victory. Hammond’s eight assists in the contest marked the first eight-assist performance by a Hokie freshman since former Tech standout Justin Robinson did so in 2016, also against Miami. “He’s making great progress, [and] I love having him here. He’s a delight to coach.” 

After finishing their second of two consecutive road games at Virginia on Feb. 1, the Hokies will welcome the SMU Mustangs for an in-conference matchup on Feb. 5. While the contest is sold out, fans interested in seeing Hammond and the Hokies should be sure to visit SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan marketplace of Virginia Tech Athletics. You won’t want to miss this exciting matchup!