All of Hokie Nation knew the Virginia Tech women's basketball team would be dancing come March.
Tech took care of business in Greensboro earlier this month, running past Miami (Fla.), Duke and Louisville in consecutive days to win the program's first-ever ACC Tournament title. That championship moment illustrated how far the Hokies have progressed under head coach Kenny Brooks, who is currently in his seventh year at the helm.
As basketball fans know, winning your conference tournament guarantees you an automatic bid into March Madness, meaning you don't have to sweat during Selection Sunday as your spot in the Big Dance is locked in.
What hung in the balance for Virginia Tech was another accomplishment the program had never done – earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
As the dust settled around the nation following the conclusion of each league tournament, the Hokies' prospects for that top seed seemingly improved by the day. Upsets throughout the country opened the door, and Tech did its best to break it down by winning the ACC Tournament in convincing fashion.
In fact, the Hokies entered the final stretch of the season with just three Quad 1 victories – a key benchmark used by the selection committee to determine who deserves the NCAA Tournament's highest seeds. Faced with a tough stretch of games to end the regular season, Tech promptly ran off eight straight victories, before notching three more in the ACC Tournament, to go from three Quad 1 wins to 10 in the span of five weeks.
It would seem as if Virginia Tech had done enough to be in consideration for a No. 1 seed. Voters in the AP Top 25 poll appeared to agree, ranking the Hokies fourth in the country following the ACC Tournament.
While the eye test, current winning streak and quality of victories were all signs pointing to Tech's name appearing on that top seed line, it was not a lock entering Selection Sunday.
When Sunday night came around, the energy was palpable as hundreds of fans entered the Cassell Coliseum doors for an NCAA Tournament Selection Show watch party. Tech was coming off its best regular season in program history and had celebrated a conference tournament championship one week ago, but would it be enough?
It turns out it was more than enough.
Not only did Virginia Tech earn a No. 1 seed, they were the third top seed selected, meaning there was no doubt in the selection committee's eyes that the Hokies are one of the four best teams in the nation.
The team and crowd erupted with cheers as Tech's logo flashed across the screen as the top seed in the Seattle 3 region, celebrating another historic moment in a season full of them. The Hokies will also host first and second round games for the first time since 2004, welcoming USC, South Dakota State and Chattanooga to a sold-out Cassell Coliseum this Friday and Sunday.
The Hokies know there is more history to make, however, as the program pursues its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999.
Tech opens its run to the Final Four this Friday, March 17, against Chattanooga at 5:30 p.m. ET. Eighth-seeded USC will take on No. 9 South Dakota State following that contest. The two winners will play for a trip to the Sweet 16 on Sunday, March 19.
Writing HERstory Campaign
Coinciding with Women's History Month in March and the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Virginia Tech Athletics launched a multi-platform brand campaign celebrating the incredible achievements of its female student-athletes, both past and present, while inspiring the next generation of women who aspire to achieve their dreams through athletics. In partnership with Truist, Tech will share stories of its past and current female student-athletes over the course of the calendar year. Ranging from podcast interviews to feature stories and more, the incredible moments and achievements by women over the years in Virginia Tech Athletics will be celebrated.