Sung releases Hokies’ 2020 schedule Thursday

Link to Coach Sung's quotes

BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech head coach John Sung announced his squad's 2020 schedule Thursday after wrapping up the fall season. Tech has its sights set on a return trip to the NCAA Tournament after earning the program's first bid in 2018 and advancing into the Round of 16.
 
"On the schedule this year we've got some really exciting things," Sung said. "The way our schedule lays out is a little bit different this year. Opening up at home is always nice to get a home game in front of us. Getting Davidson here will be a great way to open up the season." 
 
The Hokies have a 17-game slate in front of them with eight of those coming at home in Blacksburg. The team will play eight true road contests and one neutral site game, vs. Syracuse in the Crown Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina. "We've got something really exciting in participating in the Crown Classic in Charlotte to play Syracuse in between two men's lacrosse games," Sung said of the opportunity to play in Charlotte. "I think that is really going to be a ton of fun, being able to have Penn State and Cornell play after us and having Limestone College and Lenoir-Rhyne play before us and kind of being a part of a day of lacrosse is going to be great."

Tech will face six programs who were featured in the NCAA Tournament a season ago including ACC rivals Syracuse, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia and Boston College. Also in that group is the Big South champion High Point and the CAA champs James Madison. "Obviously our JMU game is always important," Sung remarked. "If we can knock James Madison off - I feel like that's been something that's been kind of on our back the whole time but every year we've gotten better and every year we've gotten closer. That's a game that's definitely circled on our schedule."
 
Three of the Hokies' final four games in the league will be in Blacksburg, a potential asset considering they are likely to face four nationally ranked opponents back-to-back in that manner.
 
"I think how we finish those last four games is going to be really important for how we move into the [ACC and potential NCAA] tournament," Sung said. "Those are all going to be NCAA Tournament caliber teams. To have three out of our last four at home is a really huge deal for us and can be a big advantage to us. Our only away game is Carolina, but being in that facility for ACC's I think is going to be really important for us."

The Hokies return 10 starters from their last game in the 2019 ACC Tournament and have added some dynamic pieces to the program, in the form of director of player development Maggie Auslander, transfer Angie Benson, as well as a talented group of freshmen.

Tech returns all three of their All-ACC selections, including first team talent Paige Petty and second team performers Elena Ricci and Emma Crooks. Petty, now a junior, has been on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and repeated as a first-teamer, becoming the first player in program history to accumulate multiple first team nods. She led the Hokies with a program record 62 goals during the 2019 season, a mark which was third in the conference. Petty was also solid on the draw circle, corralling 66. 

For Crooks and Ricci, both rising juniors as well, they both earned their first All-Conference selections. Crooks, from Great Falls, Virginia was the primary draw taker for the Hokies, and lead the squad with 68 draw controls on the season. She also finished second in goals (40) and points (46). Defensively, the midfielder caused nine turnovers and grabbed 20 ground balls. Ricci from Alexandria, Virginia started 16 games on defense for the Hokies. Another factor on the draw circle, Ricci registered 65 on the season. Defensively, she caused 16 turnovers and scooped up 38 ground balls.

The entire 2020 schedule can be seen below
 

Link to Coach Sung's quotes