BLACKSBURG – The rivalry between Virginia Tech Athletics and Virginia Athletics has a long and storied history dating back more than 125 years within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Hokies and Cavaliers first faced off on the gridiron in Charlottesville in 1895. First coined the Commonwealth Clash during the 2014-2015 season, the rivalry has expanded and intensified across the 22 sports in which the two institutions face off in head-to-head competition.
Today both institutions announce the next era of the Commonwealth Clash through an expansive relationship with Smithfield Foods that will act as the presenting sponsor of the platform. With a fresh and redesigned trophy both schools will seek to earn the distinction as Commonwealth Clash Champions.
"Virginia Tech is proud to align with the Smithfield brand as the Hokies and Cavaliers battle for overall sports supremacy in the Commonwealth of Virginia," Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. "The fan bases of both Tech and UVA are unquestionably passionate about these schools. Smithfield will serve as a great partner to further amplify the rich history of competition, sportsmanship and tradition that has marked this rivalry for so many decades. We are excited to present the Commonwealth Clash in a fresh and exciting way thanks to Smithfield."
Smithfield is proud to be a Virginia-based, global leader in food production. Smithfield takes great pride in its association with both Virginia Tech Athletics and Virginia Athletics. Both school colors run deep throughout the Smithfield employee base, which will be celebrated throughout this partnership.
"Smithfield is a proud partner and supporter of the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech athletics," said Laura Pall, senior brand manager for Smithfield at Smithfield Foods. "Both universities bring Virginians together to celebrate excellence, on and off the field, and we're honored to play a part in these esteemed Commonwealth Clash competitions that represent our home state."
The first official event of the 2021 Commonwealth Clash will take place on Friday, Sept. 17 as the UVA's men's soccer team visits Thompson Field for a 7 p.m. ET matchup with the Hokies.
